Multivariable regression was used to assess trends between regional use and responses. We received 1210 responses (12%) and used 1124 after exclusions. Across regions, physicians were equally likely to recommend ICDs to males or females with ischemic (similar to 99% for both; P = NS) or nonischemic cardiomyopathy (85 vs. 88% P = 0.85). Significant increasing trends in the CH5183284 manufacturer probability recommending ICD therapy were found when the patient was “”frail”" (21% to 32%; P = .03) or had a life expectancy < 1 year (5% to 10%; P = .05).
These differences were not associated with attitudes toward ICDs.
Conclusions: Independent of variations in physicians’ attitudes towards ICDs, physicians in regions of low ICD use are not less likely to recommend ICDs in situations EPZ-6438 clearly supported by guidelines while those in regions of high ICD use are more likely to recommend ICDs to patients who might have limited benefit.
(J Cardiac Fail 2011;17:318-324)”
“A simplistic numerical kinetic model to predict the deposited film morphology in dusty plasma chemical vapor deposition reactors is developed. The morphological accretion of a circular object is studied in a two-dimensional geometry and the most important deposition phenomena are taken into account, i.e., surface diffusion and surface ion bombardment. Both isotropic and anisotropic plasmas are considered. It is shown that when the particle is located in an isotropic plasma, the deposited film maintains the original particle sphericity. Whereas, if the particle is assumed to levitate in the (pre) sheath forming around the bottom electrode of the reactor and ions contribute considerably to the deposition, the film develops in a nonuniform VX-765 order manner similar to experimental observations.”
“Background: There is limited evidence to support the recommendation that patients with heart failure (HF) restrict sodium intake. The purpose of this study was to compare differences in cardiac event-free survival between patients with sodium intake above and below 3 g.
Methods: A total of 302 patients
with HF (67% male, 62 +/- 12 years, 54% New York Heart Association [NYHA] Class III/IV, ejection fraction 34 +/- 14%) collected a 24-hour urine sodium (UNa) to indicate sodium intake. Patients were divided into 2 groups using a 3-g UNa cutpoint and stratified by NYHA Class (I/II vs. III/IV). Event-free survival for 12 months was determined by patient or family interviews and medical record review. Differences in cardiac event-free survival were determined by Kaplan-Meier survival curve with log-rank test and Cox hazard regression.
Results: The Cox regression hazard ratio for 24-hour UNa 3 g in NYHA Class I/II was 0.44 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.20-0.97) and 2.54 (95% CI = 1.10-5.84) for NYHA III/IV after controlling for age, gender, HF etiology, body mass index, ejection fraction, and total comorbidity score.