Five-year outcomes of transcatheter reduction of significant mitral regurgitation in high-surgical-risk patients.

Objectives: This study evaluates the 5-year clinical outcomes of transcatheter mitral valve (MV) repair with the MitraClip device in patients at high risk for MV surgery treated in the Endovascular Valve Edge-to-Edge Repair (EVEREST) II High Risk Study (HRS).

Methods: Patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) 3+ or 4+ and predicted surgical mortality risk ≥12% or surgeon assessment based on prespecified high-risk factors were enrolled. Patients prospectively consented to 5 years of follow-up.

Predictors of Successful Hybrid-Approach Chronic Total Coronary Artery Occlusion Stenting: An Improved Model With Novel Correlates.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop a hybrid approach-specific model to predict chronic total coronary artery occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention success, useful for experienced but not ultra-high-volume operators.

Background: CTO percutaneous coronary intervention success rates vary widely and have improved with the "hybrid approach," but current predictive models for success have major limitations.

Methods: Data were obtained from consecutively attempted patients from 7 clinical sites (9 operators, mean annual CTO volume 61 ± 17 cases).

Strategies to improve success of pediatric cancer cooperative group quality of life studies: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.

Purpose: Quality of life (QoL) has been increasingly emphasized in National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored multisite clinical trials. Little is known about the outcomes of these trials in pediatric cancer. Objectives were to describe the proportion of Children's Oncology Group (COG) QoL studies that successfully accrued subjects and were analyzed, presented or published.

Topical analgesia treats pain and decreases propofol use during lumbar punctures in a randomized pediatric leukemia trial.

Background: Lumbar punctures are frequently performed in pediatric leukemia for central nervous system leukemic prophylaxis. The contribution of local anesthetic with deep sedation is unknown. The objective was to evaluate EMLA (eutectic mixture of local anesthetics) cream as a pain reliever in conjunction with propofol in the setting of routine lumbar punctures.

Pediatric secondary chronic myeloid leukemia following cardiac transplantation for anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder of the hematopoietic stem cell that is exceptionally rare in the first five years of life, particularly as a secondary malignancy. This report describes a case of secondary CML in a four-year-old female occurring after AML treatment. Interestingly, CML developed while on immunosuppression for a heart transplant due to anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy.