November 2014, Vol 174, No. 11, Pages 1713-1875

Polyethylene glycol 3350-electrolyte solution (PEG) led to more rapid hepatic encephalopathy (HE) resolution than standard therapy, suggesting that PEG may be superior to standard lactulose therapy in cirrhotic patients hospitalized for acute HE.

Among drug-using emergency department patients, Bogenschutz and colleagues contrast the effects of a brief intervention with telephone boosters with those of (1) screening, assessment, and referral to treatment and (2) minimal screening only, finding that even a relatively robust brief intervention did not improve substance use outcomes.

Gershengorn et al evaluated patients in 139 intensive care units to determine whether an association exists between arterial catheter use and hospital mortality in this population.

Sachar et al compare intermittent proton pump inhibitor therapy with the currently recommended intravenous bolus plus continuous-infusion regimen for reduction of ulcer rebleeding.

Tjia et al estimate the prevalence of medications with questionable benefit used by nursing home residents with advanced dementia and identify the characteristics and costs associated with such use.

This descriptive study discusses how the lack of information on the effect of Postapproval studies ordered in recent years limit their ability to answer important questions about the safety and effectiveness of medical devices. See also the Invited Commentary by Sharfstein.

This study reports a lack of publicly available scientific evidence of substantial equivalence for medical devices and their predicates cleared by the FDA through the 501(k) process between 2008 and 2012.

Du et al compare early mortality after aortic valve replacement (AVR) between the recipients of mechanical and bioprosthetic aortic valves and between the subgroups who undergo isolated AVR vs concurrent coronary artery bypass graft.

In a retrospective cohort study, Edwards et al characterize the association between enrollment in Home-Based Primary Care, a program operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and hospitalizations owing to an ambulatory care–sensitive condition among older veterans with diabetes mellitus. See the Invited Commentary by Federman and Soriano.

Lee and coauthors report that performance of processes of care for elderly patients hospitalized for pneumonia improved substantially from 2006 to 2010.

Landman and colleagues assess the efficacy of device-guided breathing on blood pressure in a meta-analysis of patient data from blinded, randomized, active-controlled trials.

In comparing men and women with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention, this meta-analysis found an increased mortality in women but which is likely confounded by differences in cardiovascular risk factors and clinical profiles between sexes.