......................................................................................................................6 TIIVISTELMÄ .................................................................................................................8 ABBREVIATIONS .........................................................................................................12 LIST OF ORIGINAL PUBLICATION...

Twelve adult patients with ostium primum atrial septal defects (incomplete endocardial cushion defect) who underwent surgical repair of their lesions were evaluated in the late postoperative period. All had closure of the low-lying atrial septal defect, with suturing of the mitral valve cleft in 11 patients. Although the patients benefited symptomatically from the surgery, all had residual card...

In an article published elsewhere’ we reported observations on 20 cases of residual lesions of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis in veterans of World War II now residing in New York City. Thirteen cases were described in detail. Twelve were of the form known as the initial or primary infection, and one was the progressive or disseminated (coccidioldal granuloma) form of infection. The need for a car...

BACKGROUND The follow-up rate, a standard index of the completeness of follow-up, is important for assessing the validity of a cohort study. A common method for estimating the follow-up rate, the "Percentage Method", defined as the fraction of all enrollees who developed the event of interest or had complete follow-up, can severely underestimate the degree of follow-up. Alternatively, the media...

Twenty-three patients have had calf or pig heterograft aortic valve replacements. Eight of these patients have required Starr-Edwards mitral ball-valve prostheses for associated mitral valve disease. There have been two hospital deaths and one late death. The 20 surviving patients have shown symptomatic improvement. Clinical evidence of incompetence is present in one patient. Pre-operative and ...

One of the grand challenges of human genetics to systematically map by gene-association susceptibility genes for complex diseases is underway. High-throughput genotyping platforms have been developed; a comprehensive map of human genetic variation (HapMap) to guide efficient marker selection is imminent and many researchers have assembled suitable cohorts of patients. Expectations are understan...

Patients admitted to an intensive care unit after cardiac arrest often suffer from severe brain injury. This injury worsens further after restoration of circulation due to the cascade of reactions in the brain. Neuroprotective therapies aim to diminish this secondary brain injury, thereby targeting at a better outcome. Several new large international studies will start soon, next to two smaller...

The third chapter reviews the pharmacologic properties of antiplatelet drugs and the antiplatelet effects of drugs used in general medical practice. The drugs discussed include aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, sulfinpyrazone, prostaglandins PGE1 and PGI2, dipyridamole, and other pyridamole-pyrimidine compounds. Especially helpful is a section on the effects of anesthetics, major...