Treatment of common hip fractures.

Objectives: To conduct a systematic review and synthesize the evidence for the effects of surgical treatments for subcapital and intertrochanteric/subtrochanteric hip fractures on patient-focused outcomes for elderly patients.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, Cochrane databases, Scirus, and ClinicalTrials.gov, and expert consultants.

Parent and emergency physician comfort with a system of on-line emergency-focused medical summaries for infants with significant cardiac disease.

Surveys were developed and administered to assess parental comfort with emergency care for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) with cardiac disease and the impact of a web-based database of emergency-focused clinical summaries (emergency information forms-EIF) called Midwest Emergency Medical Services for Children Information System (MEMSCIS) on parental attitudes regarding emergency care of their CSHCN. We hypothesized that MEMSCIS would improve the parent and provider outlook regarding emergencies of young children with heart disease in a randomized controlled trial. Children under age 2 were enrolled in MEMSCIS by study nurses associated with pediatric cardiac centers in a metropolitan area.

Self-reported vulvar pain characteristics and their association with clinically confirmed vestibulodynia.

Objective: We evaluated a series of questions pertaining to vulvar pain symptoms to determine their association with a localized vulvodynia (vestibulodynia) diagnosis in women from the general population.

Methods: A sample of 12,435 women completed a self-administered screening questionnaire for the presence of specific types and characteristics of vulvar pain lasting 3 months or longer. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for each cross-classification of vulvar pain type and characteristic, using as the gold standard 121 subjects with a clinically confirmed vestibulodynia diagnosis.

Surgery for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review of the video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery versus thoracotomy approaches to lobectomy.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for lobectomy has been touted to provide superior outcomes, compared with thoracotomy, for patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, supporting data are limited to case series and small observational studies. We hypothesized that a systematic review of the literature would enable a more objective evaluation of the evidence in order to determine the potential superiority of the VATS approach, compared with thoracotomy, in terms of short-term morbidity and long-term survival.

Contemporary diagnosis and management of hypercholesterolemia in elderly acute myocardial infarction patients: a population-based study.

There are limited data regarding the diagnosis and treatment of hypercholesterolemia in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The authors describe the in-hospital and discharge prescription patterns of lipid-lowering agents in patients hospitalized with an AMI, and identify factors associated with low rates of utilization of these therapies. The authors analyzed the Minnesota Heart Survey, a population-based surveillance project that retrospectively abstracted the medical records of patients hospitalized with AMI in 2001-2002 from 21 hospitals in the Minneapolis-St Paul metropolitan area.

The influence of a history of diabetes on treatment and outcome in acute myocardial infarction, during two time periods and in two different countries.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of diabetes on treatment and outcome in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), during two time periods, in two countries, and to assess whether this influence has changed over the past decades.

Methods: Patients, aged 30 to 74, with a diagnosis of AMI in two urban areas--Göteborg, Sweden and Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, USA--hospitalized during 1990-1991 and 1995-1996 were included.

Trends in blood pressure, hypertension control, and stroke mortality: the Minnesota Heart Survey.

Objective: The study's objective was to determine population trends in blood pressure, hypertension prevalence, hypertension control, and stroke mortality.

Methods: We performed population-based surveys of 2906 to 5630 adults from 1980 to 1982, 1985 to 1987, 1990 to 1992, 1995 to 1997, and 2000 to 2002, and stroke mortality from 1980 to 2002, in the Minneapolis/St Paul, Minn metropolitan area (2.63 million population according to the 2000 census).

Use of nonprescription medications for perceived cardiovascular health.

Background: Nonprescription products (over-the-counter drugs; vitamins/minerals; and nonvitamin, nonmineral supplements) are promoted or advertised for cardiovascular health. The extent of nonprescription products used specifically for perceived cardiovascular health (NONRX-CVH) is unknown. This study aimed to (1) determine prevalence and types of nonprescription medications used for NONRX-CVH, (2) compare the demographics of NONRX-CVH users to persons using nonprescription medications in general, and (3) determine the prevalence of use of NONRX-CVH among those taking a prescription medication for a cardiovascular reason.

Surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

THE PRIMARY TREATMENT for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, but the minimum acceptable number of hours of nightly CPAP use remains unclear. INTEGRATED SOFT TISSUE and bone surgery may be a viable alternative for patients who have rejected CPAP as a treatment option. Formal sleep testing has shown that surgery and CPAP therapy are equally successful at resolving OSA.

Comparison of treatment and outcomes for patients with acute myocardial infarction in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and Göteborg, Sweden.

Background: Treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is changing, and differences in medical practice are observed within and between countries on the basis of local practice patterns and available technology. These differing approaches provide an opportunity to evaluate medical practice and outcomes at the population level. The primary aim of this study was to compare medical care in patients hospitalized with AMI in 2 large cities in Sweden and the United States.

Trends in the trans-fatty acid composition of the diet in a metropolitan area: the Minnesota Heart Survey.

Objective: In this study, we examine trends in dietary intake of trans-fatty acids from 1980-1982 to 1995-1997 using data collected as part of the Minnesota Heart Survey (MHS).

Design: The MHS is an ongoing observational epidemiologic study among independent cross-sectional probability samples of adults. Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were collected on a subset of participants.

Correlates of breast-feeding in a rural population.

Objectives: To examine the associations of education and employment with breast-feeding initiation and duration in rural mothers, in the context of environmental, social, and intrapersonal factors.

Methods: Data from a telephone survey of 414 mothers from rural Minnesota were examined with regression analyses.

Results: Education and employment had individual and interactive effects of breast-feeding practices.