Pertuzumab Cardiotoxicity in Patients With HER2-Positive Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpressing malignancies, including breast and gastro-esophageal, are associated with a poor prognosis. The cardiotoxicity of trastuzumab, a HER2-targeting monoclonal antibody, is well established. However, the cardiotoxic effect of pertuzumab, another HER2-directed therapy, is less well documented.

Safety of Continuing Trastuzumab Despite Mild Cardiotoxicity: A Phase I Trial.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the safety of continuing trastuzumab in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor-positive breast cancer who developed mild cardiotoxicity.

Background: Cardiotoxicity is the most common dose-limiting toxicity associated with trastuzumab. Current standard of care is discontinuation of trastuzumab, which can lead to worse cancer outcomes.

Caregiver Contribution to Heart Failure Self-Care (CACHS).

Aim: While caregivers (CGs) make an important contribution to the self-care of heart failure (HF) patients, there are no reliable and valid tools for measuring such contributions. Current interventions that strive to optimize patient outcomes through self-care strategies neglect to account for CG contributions, a potential confounder on outcomes. The aim of the study was to develop an instrument that measures CG contributions to HF patients' self-care.

Reliability of vascular access site bruise measurement.

Background And Purpose: Vascular access site (VAS) bruising is common following invasive cardiac procedures. The extent of VAS bruising is underreported because of the lack of reliable measurement methods. This study examined the reliability of linear measurement and planimetry to measure VAS bruise size.

Impact of self-management interventions on stable angina symptoms and health-related quality of life: a meta-analysis.

Background: Chronic stable angina (CSA) has a major negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQL) including poor general health status, psychological distress, and inability to self-manage.

Methods: We used meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of self-management interventions for improving stable angina symptoms, HRQL and psychological well-being. Nine trials, involving 1,282 participants in total, were included.

Caregivers' contributions to heart failure self-care: a systematic review.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review answering the following questions: (a) what specific activities do caregivers (CGs) contribute to patients' self-care in heart failure (HF)?; and (b) how mature (or developed) is the science of the CG contribution to self-care?

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched using the terms heart failure and caregiv* as well as the keywords 'careers', 'family members' and 'lay persons' for studies published between 1948 and September 2012. Inclusion criteria for studies were: informal CGs of adult HF patients-either as dependent/independent variable in quantitative studies or participant in qualitative studies; English language.

Nonischemic chest pain following successful percutaneous coronary intervention at a regional referral centre in southern Ontario.

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predispose individuals to nonischemic chest pain following successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We prospectively followed, for 6 months, a cohort of 110 patients who underwent PCI. We determined baseline factors associated with post PCI pain via nonlinear mixed model regression; a binomial distribution with logit link was used.

Management of patients with refractory angina: Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Pain Society joint guidelines.

Refractory angina (RFA) is a debilitating disease characterized by cardiac pain resistant to conventional treatments for coronary artery disease including nitrates, calcium-channel and β-adrenoceptor blockade, vasculoprotective agents, percutaneous coronary interventions, and coronary artery bypass grafting. The mortality rate of patients living with RFA is not known but is thought to be in the range of approximately 3%. These individuals suffer severely impaired health-related quality of life with recurrent and sustained pain, poor general health status, psychological distress, impaired role functioning, and activity restriction.

Prevalence of bruising at the vascular access site one week after elective cardiac catheterisation or percutaneous coronary intervention.

Aim: To identify the prevalence and predictors of VAS bruising in the 5-7 days following cardiac catheterisation or percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Complication(s) of cardiac catheterisation and/or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) occur commonly at the vascular access site (VAS). While major complications, such as retroperitoneal bleeding, are evident before hospital discharge, the prevalence of VAS bruising in the early post-discharge period is undocumented.

Safety and feasibility of early hospital discharge in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction--a prospective and randomized trial in low-risk primary percutaneous coronary intervention patients (the Safe-Depart Trial).

Background: Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have traditionally been hospitalized for 5 to 7 days to monitor for serious complications such as heart failure, arrhythmias, reinfarction, and death. The Zwolle Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) Index is an externally validated risk score that has been used to identify low-risk STEMI patients who have undergone primary PCI and can safely be discharged from hospital within 72 hours. Previous studies have shown that many low-risk patients remain in hospital significantly longer.