Metabolic syndrome status changes with fitness level change: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness level is inversely related to the incidence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). This study examined the effects of changes in cardiorespiratory fitness level on MetS status.

Methods: Male and female participants in a health enhancement program (n = 212) were clinically examined for changes in their MetS status and estimated aerobic capacity over a 3-year period.

Reversal of metabolic syndrome characteristics.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a constellation of three or more clinical health abnormalities from a list of five and, therefore, can vary significantly in its profile. Successful intervention strategies for preventing or resolving individuals' MetS may benefit from better understanding how specific risk factor profiles influence improvement in syndrome status.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical records for members participating in a university-based health assessment/fitness center between 1978 and 2003 was undertaken in 2005.

Usefulness of multidetector spiral computed tomography according to age and gender for diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism.

Data from the Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis II (PIOPED II) were evaluated to test the hypothesis that the performance of multidetector computed tomographic (CT) pulmonary angiography and CT venography is independent of a patient's age and gender. In 773 patients with adequate CT pulmonary angiography and 737 patients with adequate CT pulmonary angiography and CT venography, the sensitivity and specificity for pulmonary embolism for groups of patients aged 18 to 59, 60 to 79, and 80 to 99 years did not differ to a statistically significant extent, nor were there significant differences according to gender. Overall, however, the specificity of CT pulmonary angiography was somewhat greater in women, but in men and women, it was > or =93%.

Longitudinal modeling of the relationship between age and maximal heart rate.

Purpose: Maximal heart rate (HRmax)-prediction equations based on a person's age are frequently used in prescribing exercise intensity and other clinical applications. Results from various cross-sectional studies have shown a linear decrease in HRmax during exercise with increasing age. However, it is less well established that longitudinal tracking of the same individuals' HRmax as they age exhibits an identical linear relationship.

Pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis in hospitalized adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Hospitalized patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), when routinely evaluated for pulmonary embolism (PE), show PE in 25-29% of cases. We assessed the rate of diagnosis of PE and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in hospitalized patients with COPD and the influence of age on relative risk compared with hospitalized patients who do not have COPD.

Methods: A retrospective evaluation of data in hospitalized adults with and without COPD from the National Hospital Discharge Survey.

Deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in hospitalized patients with sickle cell disease.

Background: As would be expected with a hypercoagulable state, pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs in sickle cell disease (SCD). Its frequency, however, is undetermined, largely because of difficulties in distinguishing it from thrombosis in situ. The prevalence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is also undetermined in patients with SCD.

Fatal pulmonary embolism and stroke.

Death from pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with ischemic stroke was determined from the United States Census Bureau's Compressed Mortality File, which is based on all death certificates throughout the United States. Among patients with ischemic stroke who died over a 19-year study period, PE was the listed cause of death in 11,101 of 2,000,963 individuals (0.55%).

Multidetector computed tomography for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease: a systematic review.

Purpose: The study's purpose was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (CT) for the detection of coronary artery disease.

Subjects And Methods: A search of the literature in all languages was performed incorporating both electronic and manual components. Manual reference checks of recent reviews and all original investigations supplemented the electronic searches.

Pulmonary embolism as a cause of death in patients who died with cancer.

Little is known about the frequency of death from pulmonary embolism in patients who die with cancer. We investigated this on the basis of data from death certificates, as listed by the United States Bureau of the Census in the period 1980-1998. Among patients with cancer who died over the 19-year period of study, pulmonary embolism was the listed cause of death in 0.

Incidence of venous thromboembolism in patients hospitalized with cancer.

Background: There are sparse data on the frequency of venous thromboembolism in patients with various types of cancer. We sought to determine the incidence and relative risk of venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, and deep venous thrombosis in patients with malignancies.

Subjects And Methods: The number of patients discharged with a diagnostic code for 19 types of malignancies, pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis from 1979 through 1999 was obtained from the National Hospital Discharge Survey.

Venous thromboembolism in patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

The rates of pulmonary embolism (PE), deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and their combination, venous thromboembolism (VTE), in hospitalized patients with stroke from 1979 to 2003 were determined from the National Hospital Discharge Survey. Of 14,109,000 patients hospitalized with ischemic stroke, PE occurred in 72,000 (0.51%), DVT in 104,000 (0.

Usefulness of 4-, 8-, and 16-slice computed tomography for detection of graft occlusion or patency after coronary artery bypass grafting.

The sensitivity and specificity of computed tomographic angiography for the evaluation of coronary artery bypass grafts (CABGs) was reviewed. A search of published studies in all languages was performed, incorporating electronic and manual components. A total of 985 patients with 2,200 CABGs participated in investigations with single-detector computed tomography (CT), 441 patients (1,246 CABGs) with 4-slice CT, none with 8-slice CT, and 144 patients (416 grafts) with 16-slice CT.

Mortality from acute pulmonary embolism according to season.

Background: Varying observations have been made on seasonal differences of mortality from acute pulmonary embolism (PE).

Methods: The number of deaths each year from PE, from 1980 through 1998, based on death certificates, was obtained from the US National Center for Health Statistics Multiple Cause-of-Death Files.

Results: Acute PE as the cause of death ranged from 0.

Obesity as a risk factor in venous thromboembolism.

Purpose: Whether obesity is an independent risk factor for pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis has not been fully determined.

Methods: We used the database of the National Hospital Discharge Survey to further investigate the potential risk of obesity in venous thromboembolic disease.

Results: The relative risk of deep venous thrombosis, comparing obese patients with non-obese patients, was 2.

Trends in the incidence of pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis in hospitalized patients.

Trends in the incidences of pulmonary embolism (PE), deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and venous thromboembolism (VTE) (PE or DVT, or both) in hospitalized adults (aged > or =20 years) were evaluated using data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey. From 1979 to 1999, the incidence of DVT in hospitalized patients increased from 0.8% of admissions to 1.

Predicting methadone maintenance treatment outcomes using the Addiction Severity Index and the MMPI-2 Content Scales (Negative Treatment Indicators and Cynism scales).

We studied the ability of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Content Scales (Negative Treatment Indicators [TRT] and Cynicism [CYN]) and the domain scales of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) in predicting outcome from a methadone maintenance program. Participants were 108 African American males treated in a VA health care outpatient methadone maintenance treatment program and followed for up to 1 year after admission. Dependent variables were 1) length of stay and the percentage of 2) missed medication days, 3) toxicology urine samples free from illicit drugs, 4) full-time employment, 5) attendance at scheduled counseling sessions, and 6) counselor ratings of patient progress.

Venous thromboembolism according to age: the impact of an aging population.

Background: With the aging of the US population, there is concern that the rate of venous thromboembolism will increase, thereby increasing the health burden. In this study we sought to determine trends in the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in the elderly as well as the use of diagnostic tests.

Methods: Data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey were used.

Incidence of venous thromboembolism in infants and children: data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey.

Pulmonary embolism (PE), deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and the combination were not rare in pediatric patients in the United States from 1979 to 2001. They were more frequent in infants 0 to 1 year of age and in teenagers 15 to 17 years of age than in children 2 to 14 years of age. Pregnancies doubled the rate of DVT in teenage girls.

Outcome and complications of retrievable inferior vena cava filters.

The results and risks of retrievable inferior vena cava filters were reviewed. Systematic review identified 6 prospective case series with broad ranges of indications for filters. In these case series, 4 different types of retrievable filters were inserted in 284 patients.

Pulmonary thromboembolism in American Indians and Alaskan Natives.

Background: The rate of diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism (collectively, venous thromboembolism: VTE) among patients discharged from Indian Health Service hospital care from 1980 through 1996 was considerably lower than rates reported in African Americans or whites. Expansion of the national census in 1990 to include American Indians and Alaskan Natives permits a more in-depth examination of this issue.

Methods: Combined data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey (nonfederal hospitals) and the Indian Health Service (federal hospitals) from 1996 through 2001 were used to evaluate the rate of diagnosis of VTE in American Indians and Alaskan Natives.

Twenty-one-year trends in the use of inferior vena cava filters.

Background: Improved inferior vena cava (IVC) filters have led to liberalization of the indications for insertion. Increased use, however, has been followed with a potential for unwarranted insertion. There are only sparse data on trends in the use of IVC filters in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE), patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) alone, and patients at high risk.

Trends in the use of diagnostic imaging in patients hospitalized with acute pulmonary embolism.

From 1979 to 2001, the proportion of imaging tests by computed tomography (CT), ventilation perfusion (VQ) lung scan, pulmonary angiography, and venous ultrasound was assessed in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) from the National Hospital Discharge Survey. By 2001, there was a higher proportion of imaging tests with CT than VQ scans (36% vs 32%). Even so, in the United States, a large proportion of patients continued to have VQ scans.

Estimated case fatality rate of pulmonary embolism, 1979 to 1998.

Trends in the estimated case fatality rate of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the United States were obtained from the Bureau of the Census Compressed Mortality File and the National Hospital Discharge Survey. The estimated case fatality rate of PE increased from 1979 to 1989, then decreased through 1998. It increased exponentially with age and was higher in African-American than Caucasian patients (rate ratio 1.