American heart journal
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Hospices provide end-of-life care for heart failure (HF) patients, but hospice is underused for these patients, and its use has not been well described. ⋯ Our study provides detailed estimates of hospice use and identifies potential areas of hospice care that are unique to HF patients. Our findings generate hypotheses about the Medicare Hospice Benefit, specifically whether changes to the 6-month prognosis criterion for hospice eligibility would result in increased hospice use for HF patients. We hope that our results will stimulate additional studies to elucidate differences in hospice use between HF and cancer patients, including patient perspectives of hospice care and clinician referral patterns.
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American heart journal · Jul 2009
Delayed improvement of right ventricular diastolic function and regression of right ventricular mass after percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation in patients with congenital heart disease.
Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) has been introduced as therapy for right ventricular (RV) to pulmonary artery conduit dysfunction in patients with congenital heart disease. It has been shown that RV systolic function improved early after PPVI. The effects of PPVI on RV diastolic function and RV hypertrophy have not yet been studied. ⋯ After PPVI, in contrast to rapid improvement of RV systolic function, the improvement of RV diastolic function is delayed. The reduction of RV mass appears to be the underlying mechanism for improvement of RV diastolic function. Long follow-up for patients with PPVI is recommended.
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American heart journal · Jul 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyBone marrow mobilization with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor improves endothelial dysfunction and exercise capacity in patients with peripheral arterial disease.
We hypothesized that granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) administration will be safe and will improve endothelial dysfunction and exercise capacity by mobilizing progenitor cells in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). ⋯ Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor therapy in patients with PAD was associated with mobilization of progenitor cells, improvement of endothelial dysfunction, and exercise capacity. The efficacy of strategies designed to mobilize bone marrow progenitors warrants further study in patients with PAD.