Circulation
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Patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack presumably related to patent foramen ovale (PFO) are at risk for recurrent cerebrovascular events. Differences in long-term clinical outcome were investigated among patients with percutaneous PFO closure and those who received medical treatment. ⋯ In this long-term observational, propensity score-matched study, percutaneous PFO closure was more effective than medical treatment for the secondary prevention of recurrent cerebrovascular events among patients with PFO-related transient ischemic attack or stroke.
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The authors of the following article have requested that it be retracted from publication in Circulation: Kawakami A, Osaka M, Tani M, Azuma H, Sacks FM, Shimokado K, Yoshida M. Apolipoprotein CIII links hyperlipidemia with vascular endothelial cell dysfunction. Circulation. 2008;118:731–742. ⋯ In the process of following up the findings reported in this study, they were unable to reproduce some experiments due to Dr Akio Kawakami's negligence in keeping proper original records. This information was reported to the editors by Dr Kawakami directly. The authors apologize to the readers of Circulation for any inconvenience caused by this retraction.
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Comparative Study
Hyponatremia, hypernatremia, and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease with and without congestive heart failure.
Hyponatremia is common in patients with conditions such as congestive heart failure and is associated with increased mortality in hospitalized patients. Congestive heart failure is common in patients with chronic kidney disease, but the association of serum sodium concentration with mortality in such patients is not well characterized. ⋯ Both lower and higher serum sodium levels are independently associated with higher mortality in patients with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease, irrespective of the presence or absence of congestive heart failure.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Myocardial ischemic events in patients with atrial fibrillation treated with dabigatran or warfarin in the RE-LY (Randomized Evaluation of Long-Term Anticoagulation Therapy) trial.
There is a modest risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and myocardial ischemic events in patients with atrial fibrillation. ⋯ There was a nonsignificant increase in MI with dabigatran compared with warfarin, but other myocardial ischemic events were not increased. Treatment effects of dabigatran were consistent in patients at higher and lower risk of myocardial ischemic events.