BACKGROUND Tobacco-related illnesses are leading causes of death and healthcare use. Our objective was to determine whether implementation of a hospital-initiated smoking cessation intervention would reduce mortality and downstream healthcare usage. METHODS A 2-group effectiveness study was completed comparing patients who received the 'Ottawa Model' for Smoking Cessation intervention (n=726)...

We report on initial measurements of the low-temperature thermal properties of a device that is similar to the experimental apparatus used for absolute cryogenic radiometry (ACR) within the Low Background InfraRed (LBIR) facility at NIST. The device consists of a receiver cavity mechanically and thermally connected to a temperature-controlled stage through a thin-walled polyimide tube which ser...

BACKGROUND Several studies have demonstrated that the use of single tablet regimens (STRs) in hypertension is associated with improved outcomes and reduced healthcare costs compared with individual component regimens. The objective was to carry out a retrospective analysis of a UK general practice population to test these conclusions in a UK context. METHOD A retrospective cohort study was ca...

BACKGROUND The study describes the methodological challenges encountered in an observational study estimating the effectiveness of colonoscopy in reducing colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality. METHODS Using Ontario provincial administrative data, we conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study to assess CRC incidence and mortality in a group of average-risk subjects aged...

The COBE Far InfraRed Absolute Spectrophotometer (FIRAS) observations constitute an unbiased survey over the wavelength range from 100 μm to 1 cm over 99% of the sky. Improved calibration of the FIRAS instrument and the inclusion of all of the FIRAS data allow an improved signal to noise determination of the spectral lines by a factor of ∼ 2 over our previous results. The resolution is low (0.4...

BACKGROUND It is important that patients are well-informed about risks and benefits of therapies to help them decide whether to accept medical therapy. Different numerical formats can be used in risk communication but It remains unclear how the different formats affect decisions made by real-life patients. AIM To compare the impact of using Prolongation Of Life (POL) and Absolute Risk Reducti...

Lipid lowering drugs lower the risk of ischaemic cardiovascular events. The absolute benefit is highest in people at greatest risk of having an event in the near future, but adverse effects and costs are similar whatever the baseline risk. The decision to treat entails balancing expected benefits with expected harms, but is essentially a value judgement. Treatment preferences may vary systemati...

BACKGROUND Coronary heart disease (CHD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries, and its incidence is increasing in the developing world. The effectiveness of interventions in developing countries has been questioned in view of the overwhelming burden of other health problems in such environments. OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of coronary heart ...

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to compare the early outcomes of off-pump and on-pump surgeries in high-risk patient groups. METHODS The outcomes of 83,914 high-risk patients undergoing off-pump or on-pump isolated coronary bypass surgery identified from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2005 to 2010 were compared using propensity analysis. RESULTS Off-pump surgery was associa...

When discussing treatment options with patients, clinicians often use terms such as "frequently" or "rarely" when referring to potential benefits or possible harms. Quantitative measurements of treatment benefits and harms derived from randomized clinical trials or meta-analysis such as odds ratios or risk reduction are more precise terms, yet physicians and their patients find them difficult t...