Pacemaker implantation in small hospitals: complication rates comparable to larger centres

Some countries have a demography that makes it necessary to maintain relatively small pacemaker centres. We wanted to assess the quality of pacemaker surgery in two such hospitals. Through patient records we gathered information on ∼535 consecutive primary pacemaker implantations in two small pacemaker centres with 30 and 80 annual operations, respectively. All patients were followed for 3 years. All complications documented in the patient records were registered. Furthermore, we performed a non-systematic literature search comparing our data with reports from major centres published over the last 10 years.We found 72 complications in 64 (12.0%) of the patients, the most common being bleeding, lead failure, and pneumothorax. If minor bleedings without any consequences for the patients are excluded, the number of complications was 46 in 40 patients (7.5%). We had to reoperate on 5.2% of the patients. There was no statistically significant difference in complication rates between the two hospitals. Education candidates generated statistically significant more complications than experienced doctors (13.7 vs. 7.1%, P < 0.05). There are no generally accepted norms of complication rates in pacemaker surgery. However, we found no indications that our centres have a rate of complications that is unacceptably high

Declining trends in conception rates in recent birth cohorts of native Danish women: a possible role of deteriorating male reproductive health

Recent findings of poor semen quality among at least 20% of normal young men in Denmark prompted us to use unique Danish registers on births and induced abortions to evaluate a possible effect of the poor male fecundity on pregnancy rates among their presumed partners – the younger cohorts of women. We have analysed data from the Danish birth and abortion registries as well as the Danish registry for assisted reproduction (ART) and defined a total natural conception rate (TNCR), which is equal to fertility rate plus induced abortion rate minus ART conception rate. A unique personal identification number allowed the linkage of these databases. Our database included 706 270 native Danish women born between 1960 and 1980. We used projections to estimate the fertility of the later cohorts of women who had not yet finished their reproduction. We found that younger cohorts had progressively lower TNCR and that in terms of their total fertility rate, the declining TNCR is compensated by an increasing use of ART. Our hypothesis of an ongoing birth cohort-related decline in fecundity was also supported by our finding of increasing and substantial use of ART in the management of infertility of relatively young couples in the later cohorts. Furthermore, the lower rates of induced abortion among the younger birth cohorts, often viewed as a success of health education programs, may not be fully explained by improved use of contraception. It seems more likely that decreased fecundity because of widespread poor semen quality among younger cohorts of otherwise normal men may explain some of the observed decline in conception rates. This may imply increasing reproductive health problems and lower fertility in the future, which is difficult to reverse in the short term. The current and projected widespread use of ART in Denmark may be a sign of such an emerging public health problem

Functional Analysis of Ficolin-3 Mediated Complement Activation

The recognition molecules of the lectin complement pathway are mannose-binding lectin and Ficolin -1, -2 and -3. Recently deficiency of Ficolin-3 was found to be associated with life threatening infections. Thus, we aimed to develop a functional method based on the ELISA platform for evaluating Ficolin-3 mediated complement activation that could be applicable for research and clinical use. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was acetylated (acBSA) and chosen as a solid phase ligand for Ficolins in microtiter wells. Binding of Ficolins on acBSA was evaluated, as was functional complement activation assessed by C4, C3 and terminal complement complex (TCC) deposition. Serum Ficolin-3 bound to acBSA in a calcium dependent manner, while only minimal binding of Ficolin-2 and no binding of Ficolin-1 were observed. No binding to normal BSA was seen for any of the Ficolins. Serum C4, C3 and TCC deposition on acBSA were dependent only on Ficolin-3 in appropriate serum dilutions. Deposition of down stream complement components correlated highly significantly with the serum concentration of Ficolin-3 but not with Ficolin-2 in healthy donors. To make the assay robust for clinical use a chemical compound was applied to the samples that inhibited interference from the classical pathway due to the presence of anti-BSA antibodies in some sera. We describe a novel functional method for measuring complement activation mediated by Ficolin-3 in human serum up to the formation of TCC. The assay provides the possibility to diagnose functional and genetic defects of Ficolin-3 and down stream components in the lectin complement pathway

Change in the Gender Division of Domestic Work after Mummy or Daddy Took Leave: An Examination of Alternative Explanations

This study investigates how the duration of child care leave taken by mothers and fathers relates to changes in couples' division of housework and child care after postnatal labour market return in Germany. It explores whether take-up of child care related leave may impact the gender division of domestic work beyond the period of leave and examines three theoretical explanations: 1) development of domestic work skills, 2) bargaining power based on economic resources, and 3) adaptations in gender role or parenting identities. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (1992-2012) on 797 and 762 couples with a first or second birth, respectively, we applied OLS regression models with lagged dependent variables in combination with Heckman selection correction. The results suggested that dual-earner couples where mothers took longer leaves experienced a greater shift towards a gender-traditional division of domestic labour after childbirth even in the medium-term after labour market return. The linear relationship and stronger effects on the division of child care than for housework lent support to identity-based explanations. Paternal leave take-up was associated with a more equal division of housework and child care after first births but not after second birth transitions. The relationship with the leave duration was less clear. In terms of explaining the mechanisms for fathers, the findings provided greatest support for explanations relating to domestic skills development possibly in combination with changes in fathering identities

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Plasma Lipopolysaccharide Is Closely Associated With Glycemic Control and Abdominal Obesity: Evidence from bariatric surgery

OBJECTIVE: It is of vital importance to elucidate the triggering factors of obesity and type 2 diabetes to improve patient care. Bariatric surgery has been shown to prevent and even cure diabetes, but the mechanism is unknown. Elevated levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) predict incident diabetes, but the sources of LPS are not clarified. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the potential impact of plasma LPS on abdominal obesity and glycemic control in subjects undergoing bariatric surgery. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a prospective observational study involving a consecutive sample of 49 obese subjects undergoing bariatric surgery and 17 controls. Main assessments were plasma LPS, HbA(1c), adipose tissue volumes (computed tomography), and quantified bacterial DNA in adipose tissue compartments. RESULTS: Plasma levels of LPS were elevated in obese individuals compared with controls (P < 0.001) and were reduced after bariatric surgery (P = 0.010). LPS levels were closely correlated with HbA(1c) (r = 0.56; P = 0.001) and intra-abdominal fat volumes (r = 0.61; P < 0.001), but only moderately correlated with subcutaneous fat volumes (r = 0.33; P = 0.038). Moreover, there was a decreasing gradient (twofold) in bacterial DNA levels going from mesenteric via omental to subcutaneous adipose tissue compartments (P = 0.041). Finally, reduced LPS levels after bariatric surgery were directly correlated with a reduction in HbA(1c) (r = 0.85; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support a hypothesis of translocated gut bacteria as a potential trigger of obesity and diabetes, and suggest that the antidiabetic effects of bariatric surgery might be mechanistically linked to, and even the result of, a reduction in plasma levels of LPS