Lancet
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During instruction in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills, cardiac massage and mouth-to-mouth ventilation are applied without interruption for no longer than a few minutes. The aim of this study was to see if the quality of technique during the first 2 min of CPR reflects the resuscitators ability to perform CPR over a 15 min period. ⋯ No deterioration in CPR skills was seen during 15 min. We conclude that the initial 2 min assessment reflects the resuscitators ability to perform CPR over a longer period.
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Comparative Study
5-alpha-reductase activity and risk of prostate cancer among Japanese and US white and black males.
The incidence of prostate cancer varies widely between countries and ethnic groups. Black-Americans have the highest incidence rates world wide, whereas native Japanese have among the lowest. The reasons for this risk differential are unknown, although we have previously shown that higher circulating testosterone concentrations in young adult black men compared with young adult white men may explain the underlying differences in subsequent prostate cancer incidence between these two populations. ⋯ These two androgens are indices of 5 alpha-reductase activity. Our results raise the possibility that reduced 5 alpha-reductase activity has a role in producing the low prostate cancer incidence rates among Japanese. This finding may have important implications for prostate cancer prevention.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Effect of calcitonin-gene-related peptide in patients with delayed postoperative cerebral ischaemia after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. European CGRP in Subarachnoid Haemorrhage Study Group.
The finding that the carotid vascular beds are sensitive to the potent vasodilator calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) suggested that the drug might help to prevent ischaemic deterioration after surgery for aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). The results of a preliminary study were encouraging, so we have carried out a randomised multicentre single-blind comparison of CGRP and standard best management in patients with ischaemic deficits after surgery for ruptured intracranial aneurysms. Patients aged 18-70 years in whom a focal neurological deficit developed or who had a reduction of 2 or more points on the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) after surgery entered the study after computed tomography had excluded non-ischaemic causes for the neurological deficit. 62 patients were randomly assigned an infusion of 0.6 micrograms/min CGRP for 4 h, then up to a maximum of 10 days, and 55 patients standard best management (controls). ⋯ Outcome, measured on the Glasgow outcome scale, at 3 months was good in 66% of those treated with CGRP and 60% in the controls; the relative risk of a poor outcome in CGRP-treated patients was 0.88 (95% confidence interval 0.60 to 1.28). Hypotension was a common side-effect of the CGRP infusion. 66% of the CGRP group did not complete treatment because of adverse events (19 patients), lack of improvement at 4 h (17 patients) or later (4 patients), or patient's request (1 patient). Although we could not show a significant beneficial effect of CGRP in this trial, the wide confidence interval for the risk of a poor outcome and the fact that only a third of patients completed treatment mean that a clinically useful benefit cannot yet be ruled out.