Probiotics used in trials should be independently checked microbiologically

Should Aortic Valve Calcification be Checked Before Percutaneous Coronary Intervention?

Should levodopa be used anymore?

Levodopa is the most potent dopaminergic oral drug available in clinical practice. After chronic treatment, many patients with Parkinson's disease develop dyskinesia and motor fluctuations which are difficult to manage. It was hoped that introduction of dopaminergic agonists could diminish these side effects while keeping the same efficacy as levodopa. Prospective clinical data do not support t...

Should Steroids Be Used in Treating Bronchiolitis?

640 SHOULD STEROIDS BE USED IN TREATING BRONCHIOLITIS? S INCE their introduction into clinical use, corticosteroids have been employed as therapeutic agents in virtually every known disease state, ranging from minor dermatologic disorders to major and serious diseases. These agents have undoubtedly altered the clinical picture and prognosis of certain diseases. However, the use of corticosteroi...

Should Steroids Be Used in Treating Bronchiolitis?

640 SHOULD STEROIDS BE USED IN TREATING BRONCHIOLITIS? S INCE their introduction into clinical use, corticosteroids have been employed as therapeutic agents in virtually every known disease state, ranging from minor dermatologic disorders to major and serious diseases. These agents have undoubtedly altered the clinical picture and prognosis of certain diseases. However, the use of corticosteroi...

Early ischemic signs should not be used as exclusion criteria in thrombolysis trials.

Exclusion Criteria in Thrombolysis Trials To the Editor: I read with great interest the article by Higashida and colleagues on the trial design of studies to test intra-arterial thrombolysis.1 The authors are to be congratulated for their prodigious efforts to set standards for intra-arterial thrombolysis trials. Unfortunately, the evidence for using one of the traditional exclusion criteria sh...