Apixaban Plus Mono Versus Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Acute Coronary Syndromes: Insights From the APPRAISE-2 Trial.

Background: Bleeding limits anticoagulant treatment in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

Objectives: We investigated whether background concomitant antiplatelet therapy influences the effects of apixaban after ACS.

Methods: This study examined high-risk ACS patients who were treated with aspirin or aspirin plus clopidogrel and who were randomized to apixaban 5 mg twice daily or placebo.

Plasma exchange improves graft survival in patients with recurrent focal glomerulosclerosis after renal transplant.

Recurrence of primary focal glomerulosclerosis (FGS) after renal transplantation is associated with poor graft survival. Plasma exchange (PE) can reduce proteinuria and even induce complete remission of proteinuria. It is, however, unknown whether the use of PE therapy improves long-term graft survival.

Outcome of renal transplantation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Renal transplantation is considered to be a good treatment option for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and end-stage renal disease. However, in patients with glomerular diseases, the outcome of renal transplantation can be adversely affected by recurrence of the original disease. Furthermore, the post-transplant course might be complicated by pre-transplant morbidity and treatment history.

Improved cardiovascular risk profile and renal function in renal transplant patients after randomized conversion from cyclosporine to tacrolimus.

Cyclosporine is considered to contribute to the high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients after renal transplantation. Tacrolimus may be more favorable in this respect, but controlled data are scarce. In this prospective randomized study in 124 stable renal transplant patients, the effects of conversion from cyclosporine to tacrolimus on cardiovascular risk factors and renal function were investigated.

A new course in age-based medicine at the University Medical Center of Nijmegen.

In 1995 the Medical Faculty of the University Medical Center of Nijmegen revised its curriculum to be more problem-oriented and student-centered. Each of the first four years now consists of ten four-week courses constructed around specific learning objectives. For the new curriculum the authors developed a fourth-year course on age-related health problems in which selected issues of pediatrics, general practice, and geriatrics are integrated.