Lancet
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Osteoporosis is a serious public health issue. The past 10 years have seen great advances in our understanding of its epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment, and further advances are rapidly being made. ⋯ Bisphosphonates will probably remain the mainstay of therapy, but improved understanding of the optimum amount of remodelling suppression and duration of therapy will be important. At the same time, other diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, including biological agents, are likely to become more widespread.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of enhanced feedback and brief educational reminder messages on laboratory test requesting in primary care: a cluster randomised trial.
Laboratory services play an important part in screening, diagnosis, and management of patients within primary care. However, unnecessary use of laboratory tests is increasing. Our aim was to assess the effect of two interventions on the number of laboratory tests requested by primary-care physicians. ⋯ Enhanced feedback of requesting rates and brief educational reminder messages, alone and in combination, are effective strategies for reducing test requesting in primary care. Both strategies are feasible within most laboratory settings.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome after repeat exposure to antenatal corticosteroids: a randomised controlled trial.
The efficacy and safety of repeat doses of prenatal corticosteroids remains uncertain. Our aim was to establish whether repeat prenatal corticosteroids given to women at risk of preterm birth can reduce neonatal morbidity without harm. ⋯ Exposure to repeat doses of antenatal corticosteroids reduces neonatal morbidity. Pending long-term outcome results, the short-term benefits for the babies in our study support the use of repeat doses of corticosteroids in women who remain at risk of very preterm birth 7 or more days after an initial course.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Clopidogrel plus aspirin versus oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation in the Atrial fibrillation Clopidogrel Trial with Irbesartan for prevention of Vascular Events (ACTIVE W): a randomised controlled trial.
Oral anticoagulation therapy reduces risk of vascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, long-term monitoring is necessary and many patients cannot achieve optimum anticoagulation. We assessed whether clopidogrel plus aspirin was non-inferior to oral anticoagulation therapy for prevention of vascular events. ⋯ Oral anticoagulation therapy is superior to clopidogrel plus aspirin for prevention of vascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation at high risk of stroke, especially in those already taking oral anticoagulation therapy.