The American journal of the medical sciences
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This study aimed to assess sex and racial differences related to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in those presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). ⋯ High HDL-C levels (> 40 mg/dL), considered cardio-protective, were seen in women and blacks with ACS more often than in men and whites. Significant differences in HDL-C levels between sexes were seen in whites but not in blacks. Relevance and quality of HDL-C levels in racial groups need further study as this may have important implications in the interpretation of current guidelines.
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Aortic stenosis (AS) patients with eccentric hypertrophy (Ecc-LVH) have increased left ventricular (LV) size and possibly reduced ejection fraction (EF). However, previous studies suggest worse outcomes with concentric remodeling and hypertrophy. We hypothesized that Ecc-LVH pattern in AS patients will also be associated with greater heart failure (HF) and all-cause mortality (ACM). ⋯ Patients with AS and Ecc-LVH have greater ACM than other LV geometries with both moderate and severe AS and greater HF in moderate AS.
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Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) carries high mortality and morbidity as compared to native valve endocarditis (NVE). Contemporary data on PVE are lacking, we aimed to study contemporary trends, outcomes, and burden of PVE using nationally representative data. ⋯ Over the years the adjusted in-hospital mortality in PVE has trended down but the average cost of stay has increased despite decrease in length of stay.
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Previous studies have demonstrated a correlation between national economic indicators and academic productivity. However, such a relationship has not been studied in the field of internal medicine (IM). ⋯ This study demonstrated a positive correlation between academic productivity in the field of IM and economic indicators of the OECD countries, mainly health expenditure, implying the advantage of domestic investment in health.