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Hamilton cardiologist co-authors article in prestigious medical journal Waikato Hospital cardiologist Martin Stiles, pictured right, has had an article published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.this is from Forbes magazine explaining more about it: http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2011/11/14/pallas-poor-results-for-dronedarone-in-permanent-af/ The study was terminated early due to adverse effects of the study drug. New England Journal of Medicine is the most widely read, cited, and influential general medical periodical in the world. As it evolves to meet the changing needs of its readers in the 21st century, it is committed to maintaining that reputation and integrity, while using innovative formats and technologies for new features and faster delivery and access. The Journal’s most recent (2010) impact factor is 53.48. Impact factor is a measure of the number of times papers published in the previous two years have been cited in the scientific literature. This compares to Lancet impact factor of 34 and Nature IF of 36 http://www.nejm.org/page/about-nejm/history-and-mission From theheart.org Orlando, FL (updated) - The latest chapter in the uneasy history of dronedarone (Multaq, Sanofi-Aventis) became official with today's publication of the international Permanent Atrial Fibrillation Outcome Study Using Dronedarone on Top of Standard Therapy (PALLAS) study and its presentation here at the American Heart Association 2011 Scientific Sessions [1]. As heartwire reported in July 2011, the randomized test of dronedarone in high-CV-risk patients with permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) was halted early at an enrollment of 3236 out of a planned >10 000 patients. An interim analysis showed a significant increase in CV events in patients receiving dronedarone. With the PALLAS data now detailed in the New England Journal of Medicine, it's apparent that the dronedarone-related CV events over a median follow-up of 3.5 months consisted largely of stroke, heart failure, CV death, and arrhythmic death. Those events contributed to significant increases, by a factor of about two, in the trial's pair of co-primary end points: stroke, MI, systemic embolism, or CV death; and death or unplanned CV hospitalization. The significant effect of dronedarone on those end points held regardless of NYHA functional class or LVEF. The findings are in contrast to those of the ATHENA trial, which included somewhat lower-CV-risk patients with recent paroxysmal or intermittent AF and had a 24% drop in the primary end point of death or CV hospitalization over 21 months. ATHENA was the basis for the FDA approval of dronedarone in July 2009. On the other hand, CV mortality went up in patients at increased CV risk due to heart failure who received dronedarone in the ANDROMEDA trial. PALLAS patients were at increased CV risk due to age (>65 years), with permanent AF for at least six months and at least one other CV risk factor, such as coronary artery disease, prior cerebrovascular event, history of heart-failure hospitalization, LV systolic dysfunction, or diabetes with advanced age. "Our data show that dronedarone is hazardous in such patients," write the publication's authors, led by Dr Stuart J Connolly (Population Health Research Institute and McMaster University, Hamilton, ON). "It is reasonable to conclude that dronedarone should be avoided in patients with heart failure and other advanced cardiovascular disease, particularly when they also have permanent atrial fibrillation."
Visit the Cardiology web page for more information. ENDS Date: 19 December 2011 Contact: Mary Anne Gill Communications Director Waikato District Health Board 021 705 213 |