Trials

Background The risk/benefit ratio of using statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) events in elderly people has not been established. The main objectives of the present study are to assess the cost-effectiveness of statin cessation and to examine the non-inferiority of statin cessation in terms of mortality in patients aged 75 years and over, treated with statins for primary prevention of CV events. Methods The “Statins in the elderly” (SITE) study is an ongoing 3-year follow-up, open-label comparative multi-centre, randomized clinical trial that is being conducted in two parallel groups in outpatient primary care offices. Participants meeting the following criteria are included: people aged 75 years and older being treated with statins as primary prevention for CV events, who provide informed consent. After randomization, patients in the statin-cessation strategy are instructed to withdraw their treatment. In the comparison strategy, patients continue their statin treatment at the usual dosage. The cost-effectiveness of the statin-cessation strategy compared to continuing statins will be estimated through the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained at 36 months, from the perspective of the French healthcare system. Overall mortality will be the primary clinical endpoint. We assumed that the mortality rate at 3 years will be 15%. The sample size was computed to achieve 90% power in showing the non-inferiority of statin cessation, assuming a non-inferiority margin of 5% of the between-group difference in overall mortality. In total, the SITE study will include 2430 individuals. Discussion There is some debate on the value of statins in people over 75 years old, especially for primary prevention of CV events, due to a lack of evidence of their efficacy in this population, potential compliance-related events, drug-drug interactions and side effects that could impair quality of life. Data from clinical trials guide the initiation of medication therapy for primary or secondary prevention of CV disease but do not define the timing, safety, or risks of discontinuing the agents. The SITE study is one of the first to examine whether treatment cessation is a cost-effective and a safe strategy in people of 75 years and over, formerly treated with statins

MESURE ET CALCUL DES DUREES DE VIE DE NIVEAUX n=3 ET 4 DE Al IV.

Les durées de vie des niveaux 3s 1P1, 3s 3P1, 4s (3/2)2 et de quelques niveaux 4p et 4d ont été mesurées par la méthode du faisceau-lame. Un calcul de probabilités de transition au second ordre est présenté. Résultats expérimentaux et théoriques sont comparés.The lifetimes of the 3s 1P1, 3s 3P1, 4s (3/2)2 levels and of several 4d and 4p lewls in Neon-like Al IV have been determined using the beam-foilmethod. Our calculation of the transition probabilities is made to the second order. Results are compared

Classifications of some transitions in doubly excited Li i and Li II

Using the beam-foil technique, we have observed several new transitions in lithium between 100 and 2000. We suggest classifications for some of these transitions in the doubly excited term schemes of Li I and Li II. The lifetimes and wavelengths of the Li II transitions are found to be in reasonable agreement with variational calculations. © 1973 The American Physical Society

Energy levels, radiative rates and electron impact excitation rates for transitions in C iii

Energy levels, radiative rates and lifetimes are calculated among the lowest 98 levels of the n <= 4 configurations of Be-like Al X. The GRASP (General-purpose Relativistic Atomic Structure Package) is adopted and data are provided for all E1, E2, M1 and M2 transitions. Similar data are also obtained with the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC) to assess the accuracy of the calculations. Based on comparisons between calculations with the two codes as well as with available measurements, our listed energy levels are assessed to be accurate to better than 0.3%. However, the accuracy for radiative rates and lifetimes is estimated to be about 20%. Collision strengths are also calculated for which the Dirac Atomic R-matrix Code (DARC) is used. A wide energy range (up to 380 Ryd) is considered and resonances resolved in a fine energy mesh in the thresholds region. The collision strengths are subsequently averaged over a Maxwellian velocity distribution to determine effective collision strengths up to a temperature of 1.6x10$^7$ K. Our results are compared with the previous (limited) atomic data and significant differences (up to a factor of 4) are noted for several transitions, particularly those which are not allowed in jj coupling.Comment: Text: 5 pages, Tables: 6, Figures: 2, will appear in MNRAS 487 (2014) xx