Journal of internal medicine
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Long-term effects of weight loss with a very low carbohydrate and low fat diet on vascular function in overweight and obese patients.
To compare the effects of an energy reduced very low carbohydrate, high saturated fat diet (LC) and an isocaloric high carbohydrate, low fat diet (LF) on endothelial function after 12 months. ⋯ Both LC and LF hypoenergetic diets achieved similar reductions in body weight and were associated with improvements in PWV and a number of endothelium-derived factors. However, the LC diet impaired FMD suggesting chronic consumption of a LC diet may have detrimental effects on endothelial function.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Use of B-type natriuretic peptide in the risk stratification of community-acquired pneumonia.
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading infectious cause of death in developed countries. Risk stratification has previously been difficult. ⋯ In patients with CAP, BNP levels are powerful and independent predictors of death and treatment failure. When used in conjunction with the PSI, BNP levels significantly improve the risk prediction when compared with the PSI alone.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Homocysteine-lowering therapy does not affect inflammatory markers of atherosclerosis in patients with stable coronary artery disease.
A high level of total homocysteine (tHcy) is a risk marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and is related to inflammation. We wanted to test the effect of homocysteine-lowering B-vitamin therapy, as used in the Western Norway B-vitamin Intervention Trial (WENBIT), on inflammatory markers associated with atherosclerosis. ⋯ In patients with stable CAD, homocysteine-lowering therapy with B-vitamins does not affect levels of inflammatory markers associated with atherogenesis. Failure to reverse inflammatory processes, may partly explain the negative results in clinical secondary B-vitamin intervention trials.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Prevention of serious vascular events by aspirin amongst patients with peripheral arterial disease: randomized, double-blind trial.
To assess the prophylactic efficacy of aspirin and a high-dose antioxidant vitamin combination in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in terms of reduction of the risk of a first vascular event (myocardial infarction, stroke, vascular death) and critical limb ischaemia. ⋯ For the first time direct evidence shows that low-dose aspirin should routinely be considered for PAD patients, including those with concomitant type 2 diabetes.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Levofloxacin does not decrease mortality in Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia when added to the standard treatment: a prospective and randomized clinical trial of 381 patients.
To study whether levofloxacin, added to standard treatment, could reduce the high mortality and complication rates in Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. ⋯ Levofloxacin combined with standard treatment in S. aureus bacteraemia did not decrease mortality or the incidence of deep infections, nor did it speed up recovery. Interestingly, deep infections in S. aureus bacteraemia appeared to be more common than previously reported.