Influence of smoking and smoking cessation on biomarkers of endothelial function and their association with mortality.

Background And Aims: Endothelial dysfunction precedes atherosclerosis and smoking is a well-known risk factor for the development of endothelial dysfunction. The aim of our study was to analyse the effect of smoking on circulating markers of endothelial function and to investigate whether such effects have an influence on the potential use of these markers to estimate cardiovascular risk.

Methods: Stratified for smoking, levels of sE-/sP-/sL-selectin, von Willebrand (vWF), sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1, their association with mortality using Cox regression, and their accuracy of risk prediction using area-under-the-ROC-curve and net-reclassification-index were analysed in 1926 participants from the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) - a prospective case-control study in patients who underwent coronary angiography with a median mortality follow-up of 10.

Adiponectin and Mortality in Smokers and Non-Smokers of the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) Study.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A decreased concentration of adiponectin has been reported in smokers. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of cigarette smoking on the concentration of adiponectin and potassium in active smokers (AS) and life-time non-smokers (NS) of the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) Study, and the use of these two markers for risk prediction.

The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System in Smokers and Non-Smokers of the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) Study.

High concentrations of renin and aldosterone are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) which are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Enhanced activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) by cigarette smoking has been reported. The aim of our study was to analyze the effect of cigarette smoking on parameters of the RAAS in active smokers (AS) and life-time non-smokers (NS) of the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) Study as well as the utility of RAAS parameter for risk prediction.

Product Failures in Respirators and Consumables: Analysis of Field Safety Notices of 2005-2013 Publicized by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices in Germany.

The current European system governed by the three EC directives 93/42/EEC (Medical Device Directive), 98/79/EC (In-Vitro Diagnostic Directive) and 90/385/EEC (Active Implantable Medical Device Directive) regulates marketing and post-market surveillance of medical devices in the European Economic Area (EEA). In cases of incidents raising the field safety corrective actions (FSCA), manufacturers have to inform the responsible Competent Authority (CA; in Germany this is the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, BfArM) and the public by field safety notices (FSN). In this study we analyzed FSN of respirators and consumables directly required for their function, whereas devices for anesthesia and gas delivery were excluded.

Field Safety Notes in Product Problems of Medical Devices for Use in Pulmonology.

The current European system for medical devices is governed by three EC directives: the Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC, the In-Vitro Diagnostic Directive 98/79/EC and the Active Implantable Medical Device Directive 90/385/EEC and regulates marketing and post-market surveillance of medical devices in the European Economic Area. In cases of incidents and field safety corrective actions (FSCA) manufacturers have to inform the responsible Competent Authority, which is the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) and the public by field safety notices (FSN). In this study we analyzed FSN of medical devices exclusively serving for diagnostics or treatment in pulmonology (e.