In this New York State registry study, outcomes of patients with multivessel coronary disease treated with drug-eluting coronary stents or coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) were compared during 18 months of follow-up. The rates of death, death or myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization were consistently lower after CABG than after treatment with drug-eluting stents.

In patients in a large registry who received coronary stents for off-label indications, there was no difference in mortality or rates of myocardial infarction at 1 year between those receiving bare-metal stents and those receiving drug-eluting stents. In the group receiving drug-eluting stents, there was a reduced need for revascularization.

Five patients with end-stage renal disease received bone marrow and kidney transplants from HLA-mismatched living related donors. Transient hematopoietic chimerism developed in all five. In one patient, irreversible humoral rejection occurred. In the other four recipients, immunosuppressive therapy was discontinued after 9 to 14 months and renal function has subsequently remained stable.

A patient received a kidney graft from his HLA-identical brother, followed by an infusion of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells from the same donor. An apparent state of immunologic tolerance to the kidney allograft developed, allowing withdrawal of all immunosuppressive therapy within 6 months.

Complete hematopoietic chimerism and tolerance to a liver allograft developed in a 9-year-old girl who received a liver transplant from a deceased male donor. Tolerance was preceded by a period of severe hemolysis, reflecting partial chimerism that was refractory to standard therapies. The hemolysis resolved after the gradual withdrawal of all immunosuppressive therapy.

In this study of women between the ages of 65 and 69 years who were enrolled in Medicare managed-care plans from 2001 through 2004, enrollees were less likely to undergo screening mammography if their health plan charged patients a copayment.

A previously healthy 2-year-old girl has the onset of crouplike symptoms at 11 p.m. She is seen in an emergency department 2 hours later with a barking cough and, when upset, inspiratory stridor. Her temperature is 36.1°C, respiratory rate 20 breaths per minute, heart rate 151 beats per minute, and oxygen saturation 94% while breathing ambient air.

An 80-year-old woman was seen in the dermatology clinic because of painful ulcerated lesions of the scalp. Basal-cell carcinomas had first developed on her back at 34 years of age and had spread to involve much of her body, particularly the scalp. Multiple excisions and grafts had been performed, but lesions recurred.

In this report of voters' views, respondents listed health care as an important issue in the 2008 presidential primary election. Democratic voters reported dissatisfaction with the health care system and favored government efforts to expand coverage for the uninsured. Republican voters were less dissatisfied and were less likely to favor increased government involvement in health care.