Patients with a normal exercise thallium-201 myocardial scintigram : always a good prognosis?

The prognostic value of a normal exercise thallium-201 scintigram was determined in 211 patients with a normal exercise and resting scintigram. Endpoints were sudden cardiac death, non-fatal acute myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Forty patients (19%) had a history of a previous myocardial infarction and 40 (19%) were known to have had a previous percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting. Sixty-four patients (31%) were on treatment with -blocking agents. After a mean follow-up period of 23.5 months, 22 patients had had a cardiac event (1 cardiac death, 6 myocardial infarction, 15 revascularization). For the total group, the 1-year event rate for cardiac death, myocardial infarction, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting was 7.0%. For cardiac death or myocardial infarction alone the event rate was 2.8%. The only parameter independently predictive for cardiac events was the regular use of -blocking agents. The high event rate in patients on -blocking treatment is partly due to the fact that these patients were more symptomatic for coronary artery disease. The sustained -adrenergic blockade in this patient group, even in patients advised to stop medication, was suspected to interfere with the results of ²⁰¹Tl scintigraphy. Therefore, more attention should be paid to patient instruction regarding the discontinuation of medication before the test.     

Graded compression ultrasonography and computed tomography in acute colonic diverticulitis: Meta-analysis of test accuracy

The purpose was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of graded compression ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) in diagnosing acute colonic diverticulitis (ACD) in suspected patients. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the accuracy of CT and US in diagnosing ACD. Study quality was assessed with the QUADAS tool. Summary estimates of sensitivity and specificity were calculated using a bivariate random effects model. Six US studies evaluated 630 patients, and eight CT studies evaluated 684 patients. Overall, their quality was moderate. We did not identify meaningful sources of heterogeneity in the study results. Summary sensitivity estimates were 92% (95% CI: 80%-97%) for US versus 94% (95%CI: 87%-97%) for CT (p = 0.65). Summary specificity estimates were 90% (95%CI: 82%-95%) for US versus 99% (95%CI: 90%-100%) for CT (p = 0.07). For the identification of alternative diseases sensitivity ranged between 33% and 78% for US and between 50% and 100% for CT. The currently best available evidence shows no statistically significant difference in accuracy of US and CT in diagnosing ACD. Therefore, both US and CT can be used as initial diagnostic tool until new evidence is brought forward. However, CT is more likely to identify alternative diseases. The Dutch Organisation for Health Research and Development, Health Care Efficiency Research programme, funded the study (ZonMw, grant number 945-04-308).     

Early versus delayed endocrine treatment of pN1-3 M0 prostate cancer without local treatment of the primary tumor: results of European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer 30846--a phase III study

PURPOSE: The timing of endocrine treatment for prostate cancer remains controversial. The issue is addressed in protocol 30846 of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer for patients with lymph node positive cancer without local treatment of the primary tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 302 patients with metastatic regional lymph nodes who had not received local treatment for the primary tumor were included in the trial, of whom 234 were randomized to immediate vs delayed endocrine treatment. Endocrine treatment consisted of an luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist and 1 month of antiandrogen treatment or surgical castration. The main end point of the trial was overall survival. Analysis followed the intent to treat principle. RESULTS: At a median followup of 9.6 years (8.7 in the randomized sample) 190 patients (62.9%) had died, including 76% of prostate cancer. In the randomized sample the HR for survival on delayed vs immediate treatment was 1.23 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.71), indicating a 23% nonsignificant trend in favor of early treatment. However, the wide CI showed that results remained compatible with true effects, ranging from a 12% benefit in favor of delayed treatment to a 71% detriment for the same treatment approach. CONCLUSIONS: While this study suggests an advantage for early treatment, it is under powered to show equivalence or superiority for the early or delayed approach. When dealing with individual patients, the potential survival advantage on early treatment must be balanced against potential advantages in quality of life on delayed treatment.