High incidence of epileptiform activity in adults undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Objective: The prevalence of seizures and other types of epileptiform brain activity in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is unknown. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of seizures and ictal-interictal continuum patterns in patients undergoing electroencephalography (EEG) during ECMO.

Methods: Retrospective review of a prospective ECMO registry from 2011-2018 in a university-affiliated academic hospital.

Perceived disability and lifestyle modification following hospitalization for non-ST elevation versus ST elevation acute coronary syndromes: the patients' point of view.

Background And Aims: Medical personnel generally believe that non-ST elevation (NSTE) acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are less damaging than ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), in keeping with the lower morbidity and mortality attributed to these subgroups in randomized clinical trials. We examined whether this concept translates into a difference from the patients' point of view regarding lifestyle modification and return to work following hospitalization for ACS.

Methods: A structured anonymous self-completed questionnaire was mailed and returned by 160 consecutive patients (age 64+/-11 years; 125 (78%) men) 3-12 months after hospitalization for ACS.

Anaemia and heart failure: statement of the problem.

While advances in treatment strategies and pharmacotherapy have produced a dramatic reduction in the mortality of patients with heart failure during the past 15 years, there is still a major challenge to improve patient well being, reduce hospitalizations and reduce mortality further. The prevalence of heart failure is not decreasing, and heart failure is currently a cause for hospitalization in >25% of admissions to internal medicine and cardiology departments. It has recently become apparent that anaemia is present in 20-30% of patients with heart failure, and the severity of anaemia has important implications regarding outcome and prognosis.

Perceived patient comprehension in acute and chronic cardiovascular clinical trials.

An anonymous patient perception comprehension and satisfaction questionnaire was sent to 438 patients 1-3 months after they had participated in a clinical cardiovascular trial to examine the level of patient comprehension as perceived by the patient. We compared perceived comprehension in acute (acute myocardial infarction) and chronic (outpatient heart failure) clinical trials. Partially or fully completed questionnaires were received from 220 patients (70 chronic, 150 acute).

Perceived benefit after participating in positive or negative/neutral heart failure trials: the patients' perspective.

Background: Clinical trials, the gold standard for the evaluation of new therapeutic strategies, may prove a drug to be beneficial, harmful or neutral according to its effect on the end-point(s) under study.

Aims: To study the reaction and perspective of the patients participating in a clinical heart failure trial, particularly in relation to whether the trial subsequently proved to be positive, negative or neutral.

Methods: Anonymous self-completed questionnaire was sent to 78 and returned by 70 consecutive patients 1--6 months after participating in six clinical heart failure trials.

Patient comprehension and reaction to participating in a double-blind randomized clinical trial (ISIS-4) in acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Although randomized clinical trials are currently the standard for the evaluation of new therapeutic strategies, little attention has been paid to the viewpoint of the patients recruited to these trials.

Objectives: To examine the perspective of the Israeli patient cohort who participated in the Fourth International Study of Infarct Survival, a randomized trial in acute myocardial infarction.

Methods: A patient questionnaire was mailed to 360 Israeli patients who participated in the Fourth International Study of Infarct Survival and was returned by 150 of them.

The relationship between cognitive characteristics and decision making.

Team handball players (N = 118) underwent a number of cognitive tests to examine how much of their decision making (DM) ability, as measured through responses to game slides projected to them for 2 seconds under low and high exertion levels (i.e., walking and running), was accounted for by cognitive components.