Insight into the mechanism of failure of the Riata lead under advisory.

Background: Cable externalization and insulation abrasion are known to occur with the St Jude Medical Riata leads under advisory. The distribution of these abnormalities and how they relate to clinical presentation have not been well described.

Objective: In this study, we sought to determine the relationship between structural lead failure and clinical presentation by using the analysis of returned Riata products in Canada.

Familial risk of preeclampsia in Newfoundland: a population-based study.

This study sought to quantify the familial risk of preeclampsia (proteinuric hypertension) in Newfoundland and to identify characteristics in probands that predict increased familial risk. Reviewed were 5173 obstetric charts from 10 hospitals, representing 99% of deliveries on the island of Newfoundland for a 1-yr period from April 1996 to March 1997; pregnancy-induced hypertension was diagnosed according to strict criteria. Family obstetric histories were obtained from identified probands with preeclampsia, and sisters and mothers of probands were interviewed.