The West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study demonstrated a significant reduction in coronary events after 5 years of treatment with pravastatin as compared with placebo. Participants were followed for an additional 10 years; approximately one third used statins. The rate of coronary events was reduced by 27% over the entire follow-up interval.

In this cohort study of Danish children at high risk for asthma, colonization of the airway at the age of 1 month with Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, or a combination of these organisms, but not with Staphylococcus aureus, was associated with the development of asthma by the age of 5 years.

The tissue blocks from a large group of women who had participated in a randomized trial of the treatment of node-positive breast cancer were analyzed for the expression of HER2 and the estrogen receptor. A significant interaction was found between HER2 positivity and a benefit from the addition of paclitaxel after adjuvant treatment with doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide.

This report describes three siblings with stop mutations in the muscle glycogen synthase gene, resulting in a severe reduction or complete absence of muscle and heart glycogen. One brother died suddenly; another had muscle fatigue, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and an abnormal exercise response.

This study assessed the extent to which recommended pediatric outpatient care is delivered and documented. On average, children received 46.5% of the overall indicated care, 67.6% of the indicated care for acute medical problems, 53.4% of the indicated care for chronic conditions, and 40.7% of the indicated preventive care.

A 52-year-old woman receives a diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis. Treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid is recommended. Therapy with this drug appears to prolong transplantation-free survival, although the mechanism of benefit is unclear.

A 41-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of abdominal pain, nausea, and an elevated serum creatinine level. Six days earlier, he had had chills and malaise and had taken ibuprofen. Symptoms persisted, and weakness, abdominal pain, nausea, and anorexia developed. He went to an emergency room, where elevated serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels were noted. The urinary sediment contained granular casts.

In rats with myocardial infarction, the boosting of levels of cardiac periostin — a matrix molecule derived from fibroblasts — was associated with increased DNA synthesis by cardiomyocytes, enhanced angiogenesis, and improved cardiac function.

Chest-tube insertion can be lifesaving. The technique requires an understanding of the chest anatomy, equipment, indications, and complications. This video demonstrates a common technique used to insert a chest tube.