N,N′-[1,3-Phenylenebis(methyl­ene)]dibenzene­sulfonamide

The complete mol­ecule of the title compound, C20H20N2O4S2, is generated by crystallographic twofold symmetry, with two C atoms lying on the rotation axis. The dihedral angle between the central benzene ring and the pendant ring is 68.42 (6)° and the dihedral angle between the pendant rings is 45.11 (5)°. The torsion angles for the C—S—N—C and S—N—C—C fragments are −73.22 (15) and −150.45 (13)°, respectively. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, generating corrugated (001) sheets. Aromatic π–π stacking [centroid–centroid separation = 3.8925 (12) and 3.9777 (12) Å] and weak C—H⋯O inter­actions also occur

N,N′-Diethyl-N,N′-[1,3-phenylene­bis(methyl­ene)]dibenzene­sulfonamide

In the title compound, C24H28N2O4S2, the dihedral angles between the central benzene ring and the pendant rings are 77.44 (11) and 79.23 (10)°, and the dihedral angle between the pendant rings is 23.31 (12)°. Both sulfonamide groups project to the same side of the central benzene ring and the mol­ecule has approximate non-crystallographic mirror symmetry. One of the ethyl side chains is disordered over two sets of sites in a 0.526 (14):0.474 (14) ratio. In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of weak C—H⋯O inter­actions occur, generating R 2 2(28) loops

Effect of increasing age on percutaneous coronary intervention vs coronary artery bypass grafting in older adults with unprotected left main coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis and meta-regression

Background: Older adults (≥70-year-old) are under-represented in the published data pertaining to unprotected left main coronary artery disease (ULMCAD).Hypothesis: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) might be comparable to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for revascularization of ULMCAD.Methods: We compared PCI versus CABG in older adults with ULMCAD with an aggregate data meta-analyses (4880 patients) of clinical outcomes [all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), repeat revascularization, stroke and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events(MACCE)] at 30 days, 12-24 months & ≥36 months in patients with mean age ≥70 years and ULMCAD. A meta-regression analysis evaluated the effect of age on mortality after PCI. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using random-effects model.Results: All-cause mortality between PCI and CABG was comparable at 30-days (OR0.77, 95% CI 0.42- 1.41) and 12-24-months (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.78-1.93). PCI was associated with a markedly lower rate of stroke at 30-day follow-up in octogenarians (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.02-0.76) but an overall higher rate of repeat revascularization. At ≥36-months, MACCE (OR 1.26,95% CI 0.99-1.60) and all-cause mortality (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.00-1.93) showed a trend favoring CABG but did not reach statistical significance. On meta-regression, PCI was associated with a higher mortality with advancing age (coefficient=0.1033, p=0.042).Conclusions: PCI was associated with a markedly lower rate of early stroke in octogenarians as compared to CABG. All-cause mortality was comparable between the two arms with a trend favoring CABG at ≥36-months.PCI was however associated with increasing mortality with advancing age as compared to CABG

In Support of a Patient-Driven Initiative and Petition to Lower the High Price of Cancer Drugs

Comment in Lowering the High Cost of Cancer Drugs--III. [Mayo Clin Proc. 2016] Lowering the High Cost of Cancer Drugs--I. [Mayo Clin Proc. 2016] Lowering the High Cost of Cancer Drugs--IV. [Mayo Clin Proc. 2016] In Reply--Lowering the High Cost of Cancer Drugs. [Mayo Clin Proc. 2016] US oncologists call for government regulation to curb drug price rises. [BMJ. 2015

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Meta-analysis of comparison of 5-year outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with unprotected left main coronary artery in the era of drug-eluting stents

Patients with unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease are increasingly being treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using drug-eluting stents (DES), but long-term outcomes comparing PCI with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remain limited. We performed aggregate data meta-analyses of clinical outcomes (all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, repeat revascularization, cardiac death, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events) in studies comparing 5-year outcomes of PCI with DES versus CABG in patients with ULMCA disease. A comprehensive literature search (January 1, 2003 to December 10, 2016) identified 9 studies (6,637 patients). Effect size for individual clinical outcomes was estimated using odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random effects model. At 5 years, PCI with DES was associated with equivalent cardiac (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.46) and all-cause mortality (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.33), lower rates of stroke (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.84), and higher rates of repeat revascularization (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.63 to 3.91); compared with CABG, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events showed a trend favoring CABG but did not reach statistical significance (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.54). In conclusion, for ULMCA disease, PCI can be considered as a comparably effective and yet less invasive alternative to CABG given the comparable long-term mortality and lower incidences of strok

Effect of increasing age on percutaneous coronary intervention vs coronary artery bypass grafting in older adults with unprotected left main coronary artery disease: A meta‐analysis and meta‐regression

Background: Older adults (≥70-year-old) are under-represented in the published data pertaining to unprotected left main coronary artery disease (ULMCAD).Hypothesis: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) might be comparable to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for revascularization of ULMCAD.Methods: We compared PCI versus CABG in older adults with ULMCAD with an aggregate data meta-analyses (4880 patients) of clinical outcomes [all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), repeat revascularization, stroke and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events(MACCE)] at 30 days, 12-24 months & ≥36 months in patients with mean age ≥70 years and ULMCAD. A meta-regression analysis evaluated the effect of age on mortality after PCI. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using random-effects model.Results: All-cause mortality between PCI and CABG was comparable at 30-days (OR0.77, 95% CI 0.42- 1.41) and 12-24-months (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.78-1.93). PCI was associated with a markedly lower rate of stroke at 30-day follow-up in octogenarians (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.02-0.76) but an overall higher rate of repeat revascularization. At ≥36-months, MACCE (OR 1.26,95% CI 0.99-1.60) and all-cause mortality (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.00-1.93) showed a trend favoring CABG but did not reach statistical significance. On meta-regression, PCI was associated with a higher mortality with advancing age (coefficient=0.1033, p=0.042).Conclusions: PCI was associated with a markedly lower rate of early stroke in octogenarians as compared to CABG. All-cause mortality was comparable between the two arms with a trend favoring CABG at ≥36-months.PCI was however associated with increasing mortality with advancing age as compared to CABG