PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Heart failure patients who are more likely to benefit from implantation of pacemaker

2013-08-14
(Press-News.org) In a large population of Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure who underwent implantation of a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator, patients who had the cardiac characteristics of left bundle-branch block and longer QRS duration had the lowest risks of death and all-cause, cardiovascular, and heart failure readmission, according to a study in the August 14 issue of JAMA.

"Clinical trials have shown that cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves symptoms and reduces mortality and readmission among selected patients with heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Following broad implementation of CRT, it was recognized that one-third to one-half of patients receiving the therapy for heart failure do not improve. Identification of patients likely to benefit from CRT is particularly important, because CRT defibrillator (CRT-D) implantation is expensive, invasive, and associated with important procedural risks. A primary question regarding optimal patient selection for CRT is whether patients with longer QRS duration or left bundle-branch block (LBBB) morphology derive greater benefit than others," according to background information in the article. QRS duration is a measurement of the electrical conducting time of the heart on an electrocardiogram. Left bundle-branch block is a cardiac conduction abnormality.

Pamela N. Peterson, M.D., M.S.P.H., of Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, and colleagues conducted a study to determine the long-term outcomes of patients undergoing CRT-D implantation and associations between combinations of QRS duration and presence of LBBB and outcomes, including all-cause mortality; all-cause, cardiovascular, and heart failure readmission; and complications. The study included Medicare beneficiaries in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry's ICD Registry between 2006 and 2009 who underwent CRT-D implantation. Patients were stratified according to whether they were admitted for CRT-D implantation or for another reason, then categorized as having either LBBB or no LBBB and QRS duration of either 150 ms or greater or 120 to 149 ms. Patients underwent follow-up for up to 3 years, through December 2011.

Mortality rates in the primary overall study cohort were 0.8 percent at 30 days, 9.2 percent at 1 year, and 25.9 percent at 3 years. Rates of all-cause readmission were 10.2 percent at 30 days and 43.3 percent at 1 year. The researchers found that after adjustment for demographic and clinical factors, compared with patients with LBBB and QRS duration of 150 ms or greater, the other 3 groups had significantly higher risks of mortality and all-cause, cardiovascular, and heart failure readmission. The adjusted risk of 3-year mortality was lowest among patients with LBBB and QRS duration of 150 ms or greater (20.9 percent), compared with LBBB and QRS duration of 120 to 149 ms (26.5 percent), no LBBB and QRS duration of 150 ms or greater (30.7 percent), and no LBBB and QRS duration of 120 to 149 ms (32.3 percent). The adjusted risk of l-year all-cause readmission were also lowest among patients with LBBB and QRS duration of 150 ms or greater (38.6 percent), compared with LBBB and QRS duration of 120 to 149 ms (44.8 percent), no LBBB and QRS duration of 150 ms or greater (45.7 percent), and no LBBB and QRS duration of 120 to 149 ms (49.6 percent).

There were no observed associations with complications.

"Although prior data regarding the effects of CRT as a function of QRS duration are largely limited to meta-analyses of clinical trials, this study provides an important perspective on the role of QRS duration in outcomes after CRT implantation in clinical practice," the authors write.

"These findings support the use of QRS morphology and duration to help identify patients who will have the greatest benefit from CRT-D implantation." ### (JAMA. 2013;310(6):617-626; Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com)

Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Surgery for heart valve disorder associated with greater long-term survival

2013-08-14
In a study that included patients with mitral valve regurgitation due to a condition known as flail mitral valve leaflets, performance of early surgical correction compared with initial medical management was associated with greater long-term survival and lower risk of heart failure, according to a study in the August 14 issue of JAMA. "Degenerative mitral regurgitation [backflow of blood from the left ventricle to the left atrium due to mitral valve insufficiency] is common and can be surgically repaired in the vast majority of patients, improving symptoms and restoring ...

Study examines incidence of sports-related sudden death in France

2013-08-14
"Although screening programs prior to participation in sports have been used for many years for young competitive athletes, it has been suggested that screening programs might also be worthwhile in the general population. Description of the incidence of sports-related sudden death by specific sports as well as by sex and age may help inform the debate," write Eloi Marijon, M.D., of the Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, and colleagues. As reported in a Research Letter, the study was performed in France between 2005 and 2010, and overall, 60 of 96 ...

Ancient mammal relatives cast light on recovery after mass extinction

2013-08-14
The study's findings are surprising as much research so far suggests that the survivors of mass extinctions are often presented with new ecological opportunities because the loss of many species in their communities allows them to evolve new lifestyles and new anatomical features as they fill the roles vacated by the victims. However, it turns out that not all survivors respond in the same way, and some may not be able to exploit fully the new opportunities arising after a mass extinction. Dr Marcello Ruta of the University of Lincoln, with colleagues from the Field ...

Frontiers news briefs: Aug. 13

2013-08-14
Frontiers in Psychology People who often recall their dreams respond more strongly to their name Dreaming remains one of the great mysteries of human cognition. It is still not fully known when dreams occur, and which mechanisms in the brain produce them. A major difficulty for studying dreams is that they leave only a fleeting memory upon awakening. Perrine Ruby and colleagues from the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center chose a new approach to investigate dreaming. They recorded brain activity of two groups of participants: high dream recallers who recall dreams ...

Brain scans may help diagnose dyslexia

2013-08-14
CAMBRIDGE, MA -- About 10 percent of the U.S. population suffers from dyslexia, a condition that makes learning to read difficult. Dyslexia is usually diagnosed around second grade, but the results of a new study from MIT could help identify those children before they even begin reading, so they can be given extra help earlier. The study, done with researchers at Boston Children's Hospital, found a correlation between poor pre-reading skills in kindergartners and the size of a brain structure that connects two language-processing areas. Previous studies have shown that ...

Shortening tails gave early birds a leg up

2013-08-14
A radical shortening of their bony tails over 100 million years ago enabled the earliest birds to develop versatile legs that gave them an evolutionary edge, a new study shows. A team led by Oxford University scientists examined fossils of the earliest birds from the Cretaceous Period, 145-66 million years ago, when early birds, such as Confuciusornis, Eoenantiornis, and Hongshanornis, lived alongside their dinosaur kin. At this point birds had already evolved powered flight, necessitating changes to their forelimbs, and the team investigated how this new lifestyle related ...

'Hyper-vigilance' about race linked to elevated blood pressure in black patients

2013-08-14
Black patients preoccupied with racial concerns have higher blood pressure than those who aren't, according to results of new Johns Hopkins-led research. The findings suggest that heightened race consciousness could at least in part account for the disproportionately high rate of hypertension in black Americans — the highest prevalence of any group in the United States and one of the highest rates in the world. "A preoccupation with race among blacks leads to hyper-vigilance, a heightened awareness of their stigmatized status in society and a feeling that they need to ...

Children with allergy, asthma may be at higher risk for ADHD

2013-08-14
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL. (Aug. 13, 2013) – The number of children being diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder (ADHD), allergy and asthma is increasing in the United States. And according to a new study, there might be a link between the growth of these three conditions. The study, published in the August issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), found there is an increased risk of ADHD in boys that have a history of allergy or asthma. "ADHD, a chronic mental health disorder, ...

Wildfires in central Canada

2013-08-14
Wildfires continue to be a problem in Canada. Currently in the central region, including the Northern Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, numerous fires were spotted by the Aqua satellite on this image captured on August 12, 2013. In the past week, 508 new fires started in Canada, burning over half a million acres (208,308 ha). Most of the past week's fires occurred from Manitoba westward, particularly in British Columbia, while Saskatchewan accounted for roughly half of the area burned. Seasonal fire occurrence remains below average, but the area burned ...

New compound prevents first steps of fungal infection

2013-08-14
Worcester, Mass. – Targeting serious and sometimes deadly fungal infections, a team of researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) has discovered a chemical compound that prevents fungal cells from adhering to surfaces, which, typically, is the first step of the infection process used by the human pathogen Candida albicans (C. albicans). After screening 30,000 chemical compounds in a series of tests with live C. albicans, the team found one molecule that prevented the yeast from adhering to human cells ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

$3 million NIH grant funds national study of Medicare Advantage’s benefit expansion into social supports

Amplified Sciences achieves CAP accreditation for cutting-edge diagnostic lab

Fred Hutch announces 12 recipients of the annual Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award

Native forest litter helps rebuild soil life in post-mining landscapes

Mountain soils in arid regions may emit more greenhouse gas as climate shifts, new study finds

Pairing biochar with other soil amendments could unlock stronger gains in soil health

Why do we get a skip in our step when we’re happy? Thank dopamine

UC Irvine scientists uncover cellular mechanism behind muscle repair

Platform to map living brain noninvasively takes next big step

Stress-testing the Cascadia Subduction Zone reveals variability that could impact how earthquakes spread

We may be underestimating the true carbon cost of northern wildfires

Blood test predicts which bladder cancer patients may safely skip surgery

Kennesaw State's Vijay Anand honored as National Academy of Inventors Senior Member

Recovery from whaling reveals the role of age in Humpback reproduction 

Can the canny tick help prevent disease like MS and cancer?

Newcomer children show lower rates of emergency department use for non‑urgent conditions, study finds

Cognitive and neuropsychiatric function in former American football players

From trash to climate tech: rubber gloves find new life as carbon capturers materials

A step towards needed treatments for hantaviruses in new molecular map

Boys are more motivated, while girls are more compassionate?

Study identifies opposing roles for IL6 and IL6R in long-term mortality

AI accurately spots medical disorder from privacy-conscious hand images

Transient Pauli blocking for broadband ultrafast optical switching

Political polarization can spur CO2 emissions, stymie climate action

Researchers develop new strategy for improving inverted perovskite solar cells

Yes! The role of YAP and CTGF as potential therapeutic targets for preventing severe liver disease

Pancreatic cancer may begin hiding from the immune system earlier than we thought

Robotic wing inspired by nature delivers leap in underwater stability

A clinical reveals that aniridia causes a progressive loss of corneal sensitivity

Fossil amber reveals the secret lives of Cretaceous ants

[Press-News.org] Heart failure patients who are more likely to benefit from implantation of pacemaker