Annals of internal medicine
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No regulations govern placebo composition. The composition of placebos can influence trial outcomes and merits reporting. ⋯ Placebos were seldom described in randomized, controlled trials of pills or capsules. Because the nature of the placebo can influence trial outcomes, placebo formulation should be disclosed in reports of placebo-controlled trials.
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Nosocomial transmission has been described in extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and HIV co-infected patients in South Africa. However, little is known about the rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis among health care workers in countries with high tuberculosis and HIV burden. ⋯ Health care workers in this HIV-endemic area were substantially more likely to be hospitalized with either MDR-TB or XDR-TB than were non-health care workers. The increased risk may be explained by occupational exposure, underlining the urgent need for tuberculosis infection-control programs.
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Review Meta Analysis
Patient-level meta-analysis: effect of measurement timing, threshold, and patient age on ability of D-dimer testing to assess recurrence risk after unprovoked venous thromboembolism.
In patients with a first unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE), an elevated d-dimer level after anticoagulation is stopped is a risk factor for recurrent VTE. However, questions remain about the utility of measuring d-dimer in clinical practice. ⋯ In patients with a first unprovoked VTE who have their d-dimer level measured after stopping anticoagulation, the timing of d-dimer testing, patient age, and the assay cut point used do not affect the ability of d-dimer to distinguish patients with a higher or lower risk for recurrent VTE.