Treatment of atrial fibrillation with an implantable atrial defibrillator--long term results.

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term outcome with an implantable atrial defibrillator (IAD) in patients with recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF).

Background: Maintenance of sinus rhythm using repeated internal cardioversion shocks has been shown to be effective and safe in short-term studies but long term follow-up is unknown.

Methods: Since 1995, 136 patients (30 women) with symptomatic, drug-refractory atrial fibrillation were implanted with an IAD (METRIX, InControl).

Independent cycles of exocrine pancreatic secretion, hormones and gastroduodenal motility in healthy fasting humans: reassessment of a complex partnership.

Background: Interdigestive pancreatic secretion cycles in close association with the phases of the migrating motor complex (MMC) and release of regulatory hormones. The extrinsically denervated pancreas exhibits an intrinsic cyclic rhythm. We hypothesized that this intrinsic rhythm is normally present in the intact human pancreas.