American heart journal
-
American heart journal · Feb 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyDesign of the RELAXin in acute heart failure study.
Acute heart failure (AHF) remains a major public health burden with a high prevalence and poor prognosis. Relaxin is a naturally occurring peptide hormone that increases cardiac output, arterial compliance, and renal blood flow during pregnancy. The RELAX-AHF-1 study will evaluate the effect of RLX030 (recombinant form of human relaxin 2) on symptom relief and clinical outcomes in patients with AHF. ⋯ Pre-RELAX-AHF results suggested that infusion of RLX030 may accelerate dyspnea relief and improve prognosis in patients hospitalized with AHF. RELAX-AHF-1 will further evaluate these effects.
-
American heart journal · Feb 2012
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyPatient and hospital characteristics associated with traditional measures of inpatient quality of care for patients with heart failure.
The purpose of this study was to determine patient and hospital characteristics associated with 4 measures of quality of inpatient heart failure care used by both the primary payer of heart failure care in the United States (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) and the main hospital accrediting organization (The Joint Commission). ⋯ Recommended heart failure care is less likely in patients with certain characteristics (older age and abnormal renal function) and those cared for in smaller hospitals. Programs to improve evidence-based care for heart failure should consider interventions specifically targeting and tailored to smaller facilities and patients who are older with comorbidities.
-
American heart journal · Jan 2012
Multicenter StudyDiagnostic accuracy of a point-of-care troponin I assay for acute myocardial infarction within 3 hours after presentation in early presenters to the emergency department with chest pain.
Guidelines recommend that serial cardiac marker testing to rule out acute myocardial infarction (AMI) be performed for 8 to 12 hours after symptom onset. We aim to determine the diagnostic accuracy of a contemporary point-of-care (POC) troponin I (TnI) assay within 3 hours for patients presenting within 8 hours of symptom onset. ⋯ In suspected patients with acute coronary syndrome presenting to the emergency department within 8 hours of symptom onset, 3 hours of serial testing with the Cardio3 TnI POC platform provides similar diagnostic accuracy for AMI as longer periods.
-
American heart journal · Jan 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialDesign of the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT).
TACT is an National Institutes of Health-sponsored, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2 × 2 factorial clinical trial testing the benefits and risks of 40 infusions of a multicomponent disodium EDTA chelation solution compared with placebo and of an oral, high-dose multivitamin and mineral supplement. TACT has randomized and will follow up 1,708 patients for an average of approximately 4 years. ⋯ The trial is designed to have >85% power to detect a 25% relative reduction in the primary end point for each treatment factor. Enrollment began in September 2003 and was completed in October 2010.
-
American heart journal · Jan 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialRationale and design of the coronary artery bypass grafting surgery off or on pump revascularization study: a large international randomized trial in cardiac surgery.
Uncertainty remains regarding the benefits and risks of the technique of operating on a beating heart (off pump) for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery versus on-pump CABG. Prior trials had few events and relatively short follow-up. There is a need for a large randomized, controlled trial with long-term follow-up to inform both the short- and long-term impact of the 2 approaches to CABG. ⋯ CORONARY is the largest trial yet conducted comparing off-pump CABG to on-pump CABG. Its results will lead to a better understanding of the safety and efficacy of off-pump CABG.