Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

Real wages, inflation and labour productivity in Australia

This article presents an analysis of real wages, inflation and labour productivity interrelationships using cointegration, Granger causality and, most importantly, structural change tests. Applications of tests to Australian data over the 1965 to 2007 period corroborate the presence of a structural break in 1985 and show that a 1% increase in manufacturing sector real wages led to an increase in manufacturing sector productivity of between 0.5% and 0.8%. Comparable estimates for the effect of inflation on manufacturing sector productivity have limited statistical significance. Granger causality test results suggest that real wages and inflation both Granger cause productivity in the long run. © 2012 Taylor & Francis

Educational settings in the management of patients with heart failure Escenarios de educación para el manejo de pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca Cenários de educação para o manejo de pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca

Congestive heart failure (CHF) presents, besides the magnitude of epidemiological data, relevant characteristics, including frequent hospitalizations caused by severe signs and symptoms, which should be studied to reduce the negative impact of the disease on the public health system. With the advent of several clinical trials in the area of CHF, the treatment has become more complex, with the need of a more organized structure to assist these patients. Education is considered essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. The setting, to begin or to continue the educational process, can be a hospital (hospitalization), outpatient clinic, home, a day-hospital or yet, a combination of these. The main researches in this area recognize and motivate an investigation of other paths to get better results in the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. In this study we review recent data, approaching several educational settings in the management of patients with CHF.<br>La insuficiencia cardiaca congestiva (ICC) además de la magnitud epidemiológica, presenta características relevantes, entre las que se incluyen hospitalizaciones frecuentes debidas a la exacerbación de signos y síntomas, los cuales deben ser ampliamente abordados para reducir el impacto negativo de la enfermedad en el sistema público de salud. Con la aparición de nuevos ensayos clínicos en el área de ICC, el tratamiento pasó a ser más complejo, surgiendo la necesidad de una estructura más organizada para la atención de los pacientes afectados. En este contexto, la educación es considerada esencial para reducir la morbimortalidad, siendo el escenario ideal para dar continuidad en el proceso educativo, el ambiente hospitalario (internación), el ambiente de ambulatorio, el domiciliar, en la rutina diaria del hospital, o en la combinación de éstos. Investigadores del área reconocen y estimulan a la investigación, de tal modo que sea posible mejorar los resultados en el tratamiento farmacológico y no-farmacológico. En este artículo revisaremos información contemporánea, abordando los diversos escenarios de educación para el manejo del pacientes con ICC.<br>A insuficiência cardíaca congestiva (ICC) apresenta, além da magnitude dos dados epidemiológicos, características relevantes, incluindo hospitalizações freqüentes devidas à exacerbação dos sinais e sintomas, que devem ser mais amplamente abordados para reduzir o impacto negativo da doença sobre o sistema público de saúde. Com o advento dos vários ensaios clínicos na área de ICC, o tratamento da doença passou a ser mais complexo, necessitando de uma estrutura organizada para o atendimento de pacientes por ela acometidos. A educação, nesse contexto, é considerada essencial para reduzir a morbimortalidade. O cenário, para o início ou a continuidade do processo educativo, pode ser hospitalar (internação), ambulatorial, domiciliar, hospital-dia ou, ainda, ser uma combinação desses ambientes. Os principais pesquisadores nessa área reconhecem e estimulam a investigação de outros caminhos, que melhorem os resultados no tratamento farmacológico e não-farmacológico. Neste artigo, revisaremos dados contemporâneos, abordando os diversos cenários da educação para o manejo de pacientes com ICC