Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Heart failure (HF) patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) now more commonly die of non-cardiovascular causes than they did in the past. In patients with both HFrEF and ischemic cardiomyopathy (as the cause of HFrEF or as an accompanying condition), the effect of myocardial revascularization-i.e. percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)-on long-term outcome is unclear. ⋯ Optimal guideline-directed medical therapy is a key determinant of long-term survival in patients with HFrEF.
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Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition of multifactorial origin, is a major cause of irreversible vision loss in industrialized countries. The dry late stage of the disease, known as geographic atrophy (GA), is characterized by progressive loss of photoreceptor cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells in the central retina. An estimated 300 000 to 550 000 people in Germany suffer from GA. ⋯ In Europe at present, there is no approved treatment for GA due to AMD. There is thus a continuing need for preventive and rehabilitative measures such as smoking cessation, a balanced diet, and magnifying visual aids for patients in the advanced stages of the disease.
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Adaptive radiotherapy (ART) involves the continuous adaptation of the radiation plan according to patient- and tumor-specific feedback. In online ART, the plan is optimized in real time during the treatment; in offline ART, the plan is recalculated between treatment sessions. Hybrid linear accelerators with integrated CT, MRI, or PET are required to perform online ART. ⋯ Initial studies confirm the feasibility of online ART and arouse the hope that it will enable more precise radiotherapy with less damage to surrounding structures. Phase 3 trials are needed so that the patient groups who stand to benefit most from online ART can be identified.
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Observational Study
The Effect of Parental Weight and Genetics on the BMI of Very Low Birth Weight Infants as They Reach School Age.
Prematurely born individuals are usually of low or normal weight in childhood; in adulthood, however, their probability of being overweight is twice that of persons born at full term. There is not yet any way to predict the weight development of premature babies. ⋯ Extreme values of a polygenic BMI score are strongly associated with the weight development of preterm infants as they develop into children aged 10-14. The large effect size implies that this score may aid in the counseling of prematurely born children and their parents.