Coated-stent technology has emerged as an important advance in the prevention of restenosis after coronary stenting. This clinical trial shows that, as compared with a bare-metal stent, a polymer-based, paclitaxel-coated stent substantially reduces the rate of restenosis after stenting.

Previous studies have shown that a sirolimus-eluting stent is also very effective in reducing restenosis, and it will be important to conduct trials directly comparing the two types of stents.

Antiplatelet therapy is used as an adjunct in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty and stenting in order to reduce the incidence of ischemic complications and improve the outcome. In this study of elective coronary stenting, patients were pretreated with aspirin and clopidogrel and then randomly assigned to receive the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor abciximab or placebo. Abciximab added no benefit to the combination of aspirin and clopidogrel.

If patients undergoing elective coronary stenting are pretreated with aspirin and clopidogrel, they need not also receive abciximab; this simplifies antiplatelet therapy.

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease is a type of gastrointestinal lymphoma that responds to antibiotics and may be triggered by a bacterial pathogen. The authors identified Campylobacter jejuni in gastrointestinal-tissue samples from a patient with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease. The pathogen was no longer detectable eight days after treatment with antibiotics. Campylobacter was also found in archival tissue samples from four of six additional patients with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease.

This study provides preliminary evidence that C. jejuni may trigger immunoproliferative small intestinal disease.

Neurocysticercosis is a major cause of seizures worldwide. This double-blind trial of a 10-day course of albendazole included 30 months of follow-up. With the antiparasitic treatment there was some reduction in the number of partial seizures and a significant reduction in the number of seizures with generalization.

The use of antiparasitic treatment in neurocysticercosis may remain controversial. The treatment is safe, but there are benefits in only some of those who receive it.

A 33-year-old woman presents with a seven-year history of hand washing for two to six hours a day, as well as urges to check doors and stoves extensively before leaving her home. Her life is restricted, and her family members are upset about her behavior. How should she be evaluated and treated?

This Special Report discusses the implications of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between the states and the tobacco industry. In the context of current state budget crises, a decreasing proportion of the settlement dollars is being spent on programs to reduce smoking. This report presents an overview of local, state, and federal tobacco-control policies and reviews recent developments focused on taxation, smoking cessation, bans on smoking in public areas, and international trade policies.

This Health Policy Report describes the malpractice system in the United States, examines its shortcomings, and analyzes the forces that have led to past and current malpractice crises. The authors review options for reform of the U.S. malpractice system. Conventional tort reforms include caps on damages, limits on attorneys' fees, and shortening of the statute of limitations. Experts have also proposed major system reforms, such as enterprise liability or administrative compensation.