Arch Intern Med
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Comparative Study
Evaluation of a noninvasive system for determining left ventricular filling pressure.
Measurement of left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP) provides an accurate assessment of left ventricular failure. Clinical and radiographic methods of estimating LVFP are unreliable. The noninvasive method of analyzing the decline in the arterial pressure during the strain phase of the Valsalva maneuver may be used to directly measure LVFP. ⋯ VeriCor is a reliable noninvasive tool for measuring LVFP.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
The prevention of dementia with antihypertensive treatment: new evidence from the Systolic Hypertension in Europe (Syst-Eur) study.
After the double-blind, placebo-controlled Systolic Hypertension in Europe (Syst-Eur) trial ended in February 1997, randomized patients were offered active study medication for a further period of observation. ⋯ The extended follow-up of Syst-Eur patients reinforces the evidence that blood pressure-lowering therapy initiated with a long-acting dihydropyridine protects against dementia in older patients with systolic hypertension.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Glucosamine sulfate use and delay of progression of knee osteoarthritis: a 3-year, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
Conventional symptomatic treatments for osteoarthritis do not favorably affect disease progression. The aim of this randomized, placebo-controlled trial was to determine whether long-term (3-year) treatment with glucosamine sulfate can modify the progression of joint structure and symptom changes in knee osteoarthritis, as previously suggested. ⋯ Long-term treatment with glucosamine sulfate retarded the progression of knee osteoarthritis, possibly determining disease modification.
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Multicenter Study
Coinfection with hepatitis viruses and outcome of initial antiretroviral regimens in previously naive HIV-infected subjects.
The effect of chronic coinfection with hepatitis viruses on the response to therapy against human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) remains debated. ⋯ Clinical progression of HIV-1 disease after starting potent antiretroviral therapy is accelerated by concomitant infection with HCV. Compared with patients without coinfection, coinfected patients showed impaired CD4+ cell recovery, despite similar virologic response to HIV-1 therapy. These findings may have important implications for the treatment of HCV and for the timing of initiation of HIV-1 therapy in coinfected individuals.
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To elicit ratings of quality and satisfaction with care from medical inpatients, especially those near the end of life. ⋯ Patients with do-not-resuscitate orders who were treated by a house-staff service gave the lowest ratings of physician quality and satisfaction. Only private patients who were not depressed were highly satisfied with their nursing care. Further study is required to better understand these findings and whether they are amenable to quality improvement.