Participant Engagement and Preference Study for Clinical Outcomes Associated With Atrial Fibrillation: The PEARL-AF Study.

Background: Quantifying patients' preferences for health outcomes associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and its treatments offers a replicable approach to considering the patient perspective in regulatory decision-making.

Objective: The authors conducted a preference survey to estimate the relative importance of AF-related events for use in clinical trial analyses to estimate net health benefits with anticoagulants.

Methods: The survey included nontechnical descriptions of three severities of stroke, systemic embolism, myocardial infarction (MI) with or without subsequent heart failure (HF), major bleeding, clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding, and death.

Bleeding Outcomes in Patients Treated With Asundexian in Phase II Trials.

Background: Phase II trials of asundexian were underpowered to detect important differences in bleeding.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to obtain best estimates of effects of asundexian vs active control/placebo on major and clinically relevant nonmajor (CRNM) and all bleeding, describe most common sites of bleeding, and explore association between asundexian exposure and bleeding.

Methods: We performed a pooled analysis of 3 phase II trials of asundexian in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), recent acute myocardial infarction (AMI), or stroke.

Anticoagulant treatment for venous thromboembolism: A pooled analysis and additional results of the XALIA and XALIA-LEA noninterventional studies.

Background: The XALIA and XALIA-LEA prospective, noninterventional studies investigated the safety and effectiveness of rivaroxaban versus standard anticoagulation for venous thromboembolism (VTE) treatment in routine clinical practice across global regions.

Objectives: This pooled analysis combined their data to determine the incidence of thromboembolic and bleeding events in both treatment groups and addressed specific bleeding patterns in a broad range of patients.

Methods: Patients with objectively confirmed VTE and an indication for ≥3 months' anticoagulation treatment received rivaroxaban or standard anticoagulation (eg, initial treatment with heparin/fondaparinux, followed by a vitamin K antagonist [VKA]).

XALIA-LEA: An observational study of venous thromboembolism treatment with rivaroxaban and standard anticoagulation in the Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

Introduction: The prospective, non-interventional XALIA study investigated the safety and effectiveness of rivaroxaban and standard anticoagulation for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). XALIA-LEA was conducted in regions not included in XALIA (Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific), and enrolled patients with isolated pulmonary embolism (PE).

Materials And Methods: Adult patients with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) indicated for ≥3 months' anticoagulant treatment were eligible; treatment strategies were at the physician's discretion.

Risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism according to baseline risk factor profiles.

The optimal duration of anticoagulation for venous thromboembolism (VTE) is uncertain. In this prespecified analysis, we used data from 2 randomized trials, which compared once-daily rivaroxaban (20 mg or 10 mg) with aspirin (100 mg) or placebo for extended VTE treatment to estimate the risk of recurrence according to baseline risk factor profiles. Index VTE events were centrally classified as unprovoked, or provoked by major transient or persistent, or minor transient or persistent risk factors, and rates of recurrence at 1 year were calculated.

Low acyl-CoA synthetase 5 expression in colorectal carcinomas is prognostic for early tumour recurrence.

It has been shown that the metabolism of long chain fatty acids is involved in colorectal carcinogenesis. Acyl-CoA synthetases (ACSL) activate free fatty acids by synthesis of acyl-CoA thioesters. ACSL isoform 5 (ACSL5) is involved in enterocytic differentiation and maturation by regulating both pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects.

Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome by Telemedically Supported Paramedics Compared With Physician-Based Treatment: A Prospective, Interventional, Multicenter Trial.

Background: Prehospital treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in German emergency medical services (EMSs) is reserved for EMS physicians due to legal issues.

Objective: The objective of this prospective, interventional, multicenter trial was to evaluate the quality of telemedically-delegated therapy and the possible complications in patients with ACS.

Methods: After approval by the ethics committee and trial registration, a one-year study phase was started in August 2012 with 5 ambulances, telemedically equipped and staffed with paramedics, in 4 German EMS districts.

Improved technical performance of a multifunctional prehospital telemedicine system between the research phase and the routine use phase - an observational study.

Introduction Telemedical concepts in emergency medical services (EMS) lead to improved process times and patient outcomes, but their technical performance has thus far been insufficient; nevertheless, the concept was transferred into EMS routine care in Aachen, Germany. This study evaluated the system's technical performance and compared it to a precursor system. Methods The telemedicine system was implemented on seven ambulances and a teleconsultation centre staffed with experienced EMS physicians was established in April 2014.

Vitamin K antagonism aggravates chronic kidney disease-induced neointimal hyperplasia and calcification in arterialized veins: role of vitamin K treatment?

Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the common vascular access type for a hemodialysis patient. Its failure is due to neointimal hyperplasia. Vitamin K antagonists are given to lower thrombosis tendency, but have side effects that enhance arterial calcifications.

Prevalence of periodontitis in individuals with human leukocyte antigens (HLA) A9, B15, A2, and B5.

Objective: Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) have been associated with periodontitis. Previous studies revealed HLA-A9 and HLA-B15 as potential susceptibility factors, while HLA-A2 and HLA-B5 might have protective effects. The aim of the study was to verify these associations in a group of HLA-typed blood donors with previously unknown periodontal status.

Extracorporeal circulation increases proliferation in the intestinal mucosa in a large animal model.

Objective: Extracorporeal circulation induces ischemia/reperfusion injury in the small intestinal wall. One reason for this damage is a perfusion shift from the muscular toward the mucosal layer. This study investigated the effect of this perfusion shift on the small-intestinal apoptosis and proliferation.

Selective renal blood perfusion induces renal tubules injury in a porcine model.

Objective: Extracorporeal circulation is routinely used in thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair to preserve blood perfusion. Despite this protective measure, acute and chronic kidney disorders can develop. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish a new large-animal model to assess the efficacy of selective renal perfusion (SRP) with extracorporeal circulation in a setting of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Radiological surveillance of formerly asbestos-exposed power industry workers: rates and risk factors of benign changes on chest X-ray and MDCT.

Background: To determine the prevalence of asbestos-related changes on chest X-ray (CXR) and low-dose multidetector-row CT (MDCT) of the thorax in a cohort of formerly asbestos-exposed power industry workers and to assess the importance of common risk factors associated with specific radiological changes.

Methods: To assess the influence of selected risk factors (age, time since first exposure, exposure duration, cumulative exposure and pack years) on typical asbestos-related radiographic changes, we employed multiple logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results: On CXR, pleural changes and asbestosis were strongly associated with age, years since first exposure and exposure duration.

The gingival biotype: measurement of soft and hard tissue dimensions - a radiographic morphometric study.

Background: Gingival biotypes have been reported to influence the outcome of restorative therapies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of different morphometric parameters with the thickness of the buccal gingiva and alveolar bone at different apico-coronal levels.

Methods: In 60 periodontally healthy subjects, the central maxillary incisor was examined.

Full field image reconstruction is suitable for high-pitch dual-source computed tomography.

Objectives: The field of view (FOV) in high-pitch dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) is limited by the size of the second detector. The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate a full FOV image reconstruction technique for high-pitch DSCT.

Materials And Methods: For reconstruction beyond the FOV of the second detector, raw data of the second system were extended to the full dimensions of the first system, using the partly existing data of the first system in combination with a very smooth transition weight function.

Multimodal treatment, including interferon beta, of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in children and young adults: preliminary results from the prospective, multicenter study NPC-2003-GPOH/DCOG.

Background: The authors report preliminary results from a prospective multicenter study (Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma [NPC] 2003 German Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology/German Children's Oncology Group [NPC-2003-GPOH/DCOG]).

Methods: From 2003 to 2010, 45 patients (ages 8-20 years), including 1 patient with stage II NPC and 44 patients with stage III/IV NPC, were recruited to the study. The patient with stage II disease received radiotherapy (59.