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- Aktaa, Suleman, et al.
(author)
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European Society of Cardiology Quality Indicators for the care and outcomes of cardiac pacing : developed by the Working Group for Cardiac Pacing Quality Indicators in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association of the European Society of Cardiology
- 2022
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In: Europace. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1099-5129 .- 1532-2092. ; 24:1, s. 165-172
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIMS: To develop a suite of quality indicators (QIs) for the evaluation of the care and outcomes for adults undergoing cardiac pacing.METHODS AND RESULTS: Under the auspice of the Clinical Practice Guideline Quality Indicator Committee of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), the Working Group for cardiac pacing QIs was formed. The Group comprised Task Force members of the 2021 ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines on Cardiac Pacing and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy, members of the European Heart Rhythm Association, international cardiac device experts, and patient representatives. We followed the ESC methodology for QI development, which involved (i) the identification of the key domains of care by constructing a conceptual framework of the management of patients receiving cardiac pacing, (ii) the development of candidate QIs by conducting a systematic review of the literature, (iii) the selection of the final set of QIs using a modified-Delphi method, and (iv) the evaluation of the feasibility of the developed QIs. Four domains of care were identified: (i) structural framework, (ii) patient assessment, (iii) pacing strategy, and (iv) clinical outcomes. In total, seven main and four secondary QIs were selected across these domains and were embedded within the 2021 ESC Guidelines on Cardiac Pacing and Cardiac Resynchronization therapy.CONCLUSION: By way of a standardized process, 11 QIs for cardiac pacing were developed. These indicators may be used to quantify adherence to guideline-recommended clinical practice and have the potential to improve the care and outcomes of patients receiving cardiac pacemakers.
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- Aronsson, Mattias, et al.
(author)
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The cost-effectiveness of radiofrequency catheter ablation as first-line treatment for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation : results from a MANTRA-PAF substudy.
- 2015
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In: Europace. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1099-5129 .- 1532-2092. ; 17:1, s. 48-55
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIM: The aim of this prospective substudy was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of treating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) with radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) compared with antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) as first-line treatment.METHODS AND RESULTS: A decision-analytic Markov model, based on MANTRA-PAF (Medical Antiarrhythmic Treatment or Radiofrequency Ablation in Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation) study data, was developed to study long-term effects and costs of RFA compared with AADs as first-line treatment. Positive clinical effects were found in the overall population, a gain of an average 0.06 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) to an incremental cost of €3033, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of €50 570/QALY. However, the result of the subgroup analyses showed that RFA was less costly and more effective in younger patients. This implied an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of €3434/QALY in ≤50-year-old patients respectively €108 937/QALY in >50-year-old patients.CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency catheter ablation as first-line treatment is a cost-effective strategy for younger patients with paroxysmal AF. However, the cost-effectiveness of using RFA as first-line therapy in older patients is uncertain, and in most of these AADs should be attempted before RFA (MANTRA-PAF ClinicalTrials.gov number; NCT00133211).
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3. |
- Caspeta-Guadarrama, Luis, 1974, et al.
(author)
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Altered sterol composition renders yeast thermotolerant
- 2014
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 346:6205, s. 75-78
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ethanol production for use as a biofuel is mainly achieved through simultaneous saccharification and fermentation by yeast. Operating at >= 40 degrees C would be beneficial in terms of increasing efficiency of the process and reducing costs, but yeast does not grow efficiently at those temperatures. We used adaptive laboratory evolution to select yeast strains with improved growth and ethanol production at >= 40 degrees C. Sequencing of the whole genome, genome-wide gene expression, and metabolic-flux analyses revealed a change in sterol composition, from ergosterol to fecosterol, caused by mutations in the C-5 sterol desaturase gene, and increased expression of genes involved in sterol biosynthesis. Additionally, large chromosome III rearrangements and mutations in genes associated with DNA damage and respiration were found, but contributed less to the thermotolerant phenotype.
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4. |
- Christensen, Diana Hedevang, et al.
(author)
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Type 2 diabetes classification : a data-driven cluster study of the Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes (DD2) cohort
- 2022
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In: BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care. - : BMJ. - 2052-4897. ; 10:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction A Swedish data-driven cluster study identified four distinct type 2 diabetes (T2D) clusters, based on age at diagnosis, body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, and homeostatic model assessment 2 (HOMA2) estimates of insulin resistance and beta-cell function. A Danish study proposed three T2D phenotypes (insulinopenic, hyperinsulinemic, and classical) based on HOMA2 measures only. We examined these two new T2D classifications using the Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes cohort. Research design and methods In 3529 individuals, we first performed a k-means cluster analysis with a forced k-value of four to replicate the Swedish clusters: severe insulin deficient (SIDD), severe insulin resistant (SIRD), mild age-related (MARD), and mild obesity-related (MOD) diabetes. Next, we did an analysis open to alternative k-values (ie, data determined the optimal number of clusters). Finally, we compared the data-driven clusters with the three Danish phenotypes. Results Compared with the Swedish findings, the replicated Danish SIDD cluster included patients with lower mean HbA1c (86 mmol/mol vs 101 mmol/mol), and the Danish MOD cluster patients were less obese (mean BMI 32 kg/m 2 vs 36 kg/m 2). Our data-driven alternative k-value analysis suggested the optimal number of T2D clusters in our data to be three, rather than four. When comparing the four replicated Swedish clusters with the three proposed Danish phenotypes, 81%, 79%, and 69% of the SIDD, MOD, and MARD patients, respectively, fitted the classical T2D phenotype, whereas 70% of SIRD patients fitted the hyperinsulinemic phenotype. Among the three alternative data-driven clusters, 60% of patients in the most insulin-resistant cluster constituted 76% of patients with a hyperinsulinemic phenotype. Conclusion Different HOMA2-based approaches did not classify patients with T2D in a consistent manner. The T2D classes characterized by high insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia appeared most distinct.
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6. |
- Cosedis Nielsen, Jens, et al.
(author)
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Radiofrequency Ablation as Initial Therapy in Paroxysm Atrial Fibrillation
- 2012
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In: New England Journal of Medicine. - : Massachusetts Medical Society. - 0028-4793 .- 1533-4406. ; 367:17, s. 1587-1595
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundThere are limited data comparing radiofrequency catheter ablation with antiarrhythmic drug therapy as first-line treatment in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.MethodsWe randomly assigned 294 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and no history of antiarrhythmic drug use to an initial treatment strategy of either radiofrequency catheter ablation (146 patients) or therapy with class IC or class III antiarrhythmic agents (148 patients). Follow-up included 7-day Holter-monitor recording at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Primary end points were the cumulative and per-visit burden of atrial fibrillation (i.e., percentage of time in atrial fibrillation on Holter-monitor recordings). Analyses were performed on an intention-to-treat basis.ResultsThere was no significant difference between the ablation and drug-therapy groups in the cumulative burden of atrial fibrillation (90th percentile of arrhythmia burden, 13% and 19%, respectively; P=0.10) or the burden at 3, 6, 12, or 18 months. At 24 months, the burden of atrial fibrillation was significantly lower in the ablation group than in the drug-therapy group (90th percentile, 9% vs. 18%; P=0.007), and more patients in the ablation group were free from any atrial fibrillation (85% vs. 71%, P=0.004) and from symptomatic atrial fibrillation (93% vs. 84%, P=0.01). One death in the ablation group was due to a procedure-related stroke; there were three cases of cardiac tamponade in the ablation group. In the drug-therapy group, 54 patients (36%) underwent supplementary ablation.ConclusionsIn comparing radiofrequency ablation with antiarrhythmic drug therapy as first-line treatment in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, we found no significant difference between the treatment groups in the cumulative burden of atrial fibrillation over a period of 2 years.
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7. |
- Gedebjerg, Anne, et al.
(author)
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CRP, C-Peptide, and Risk of First-Time Cardiovascular Events and Mortality in Early Type 2 Diabetes : A Danish Cohort Study
- 2023
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In: Diabetes Care. - : American Diabetes Association. - 0149-5992 .- 1935-5548. ; 46:5, s. 1037-1045
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We investigated the relationship between hs-CRP, a marker of low-grade inflam-mation, alone or in combination with C-peptide, a marker of hyperinsulinemia/ insulin resistance, and risk for cardiovascular events (CVEs) and mortality in patients recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In patients with recent-onset T2D, we measured serum hs-CRP (n = 7,301) and C-peptide (n = 5,765) in the prospective Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes cohort study. Patients with no prior CVE (n = 6,407) were followed until first myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, or cardiovascular death, and all patients (n = 7,301) were followed for all-cause mortality. We com-puted adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) by Cox regression and tested for the interaction between hs-CRP and C-peptide. RESULTS During follow-up (median 4.8 years), high (>3 mg/L) versus low (<1 mg/L) hs-CRP was associated with increased CVE risk (aHR 1.45 [95% CI 1.07–1.96]) and with even greater risk of all-cause mortality (2.47 [1.88–3.25]). Compared with patients with low hs-CRP (£3 mg/L) and low C-peptide (<1,470 pmol/L), those with high lev-els of both biomarkers had the highest CVE (1.61 [1.10–2.34]) and all-cause mortality risk (2.36 [1.73–3.21]). Among patients with high C-peptide, risk of CVEs did not differ by low or high hs-CRP, whereas risk of all-cause mortality did. CONCLUSIONS The finding of high hs-CRP as a stronger prognostic biomarker of all-cause mortality than of CVEs may facilitate improved early detection and prevention of deadly diseases besides CVEs. Conversely, elevated C-peptide as a strong CVE biomarker sup-ports the need to target hyperinsulinemia/insulin resistance in T2D CVE prevention.
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8. |
- Gron, Kurt J., et al.
(author)
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Archaeological cereals as an isotope record of long-term soil health and anthropogenic amendment in southern Scandinavia
- 2021
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In: Quaternary Science Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-3791. ; 253
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Maintaining soil health is integral to agricultural production, and the archaeological record contains multiple lines of palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental proxy evidence that can contribute to the understanding and analysis of long-term trajectories of change that are key for contextualizing 21st century global environmental challenges. Soil is a capital resource and its nutrient balance is modified by agricultural activities, making it necessary to ensure soil productivity is maintained and managed through human choices and actions. Since prehistory this has always been the case; soil is a non-renewable resource within a human lifetime. Here, we present and interpret carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of charred cereals from southern Scandinavia. Anthropogenic effects on soils are evident from the initiation of farming 6000 years ago, as is amendment to counteract its effects. The earliest cereals were planted on pristine soils, and by the late Neolithic, agriculture extensified. By the Iron Age it was necessary to significantly amend depleted soils to maintain crop yields. We propose that these data provide a record of soil water retention, net precipitation and amendment. From the start of the Neolithic there is a concurrent decrease in both Δ13C and δ15N, mitigated only by the replacement of soil organic content in the form of manure in the Iron Age. The cereal isotopes provide a record of trajectories of agricultural sustainability and anthropogenic adaptation for nearly the entire history of farming in the region.
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9. |
- Hadad, Ronza, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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A Chlamydia trachomatis 23S rRNA G1523A variant escaping detection in the Aptima Combo 2 assay (Hologic) was widespread across Denmark in July-September 2019
- 2020
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In: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 128:6, s. 440-444
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection globally, and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are recommended for highly sensitive and specific diagnosis. In early 2019, the Finnish new variant of Chlamydia trachomatis (FI-nvCT) was identified. The FI-nvCT has a C1515T mutation in the 23S rRNA gene, making it escaping detection in the Aptima Combo 2 (AC2; Hologic) NAAT, and the FI-nvCT has been subsequently reported in Sweden and Norway. In the present study, we investigated the presence of the FI-nvCT and other AC2 diagnostic-escape CT mutants in July-September 2019 in Denmark. The FI-nvCT was present but rare in Denmark. However, another AC2 diagnostic-escape CT mutant (with a 23S rRNA G1523A mutation) was found to be widespread across Denmark, accounting for 95% (76/80) of AC2 diagnostic-escape nvCT samples from five Danish CT-diagnostic laboratories. This nvCT-G1523A has previously only been detected in one single sample in the United Kingdom and Norway, respectively. It is vital to monitor the continued stability of the NAAT targets in local, national and international settings and monitor as well as appropriately analyse incidence, unexplained shifts in diagnostics rates, and/or annual collections of samples diagnosed as negative/equivocal using NAATs with different target(s). Furthermore, diagnostic CT NAATs with dual target sequences are crucial and fortunately, an updated Hologic AC2 assay including one additional target sequence is in advanced development.
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10. |
- Jons, Christian, et al.
(author)
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The Medical Antiarrhythmic Treatment or Radiofrequency Ablation in Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation (MANTRA-PAF) trial : clinical rationale, study design, and implementation
- 2009
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In: Europace. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1099-5129 .- 1532-2092. ; 11:7, s. 917-923
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIMS: No large randomized multicentre trial has evaluated the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) vs. anti-arrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy as a first-line treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND RESULTS: The Medical ANtiarrhythmic Treatment or Radiofrequency Ablation (MANTRA-PAF) trial is a randomized, controlled, parallel group, multicentre study designed to test whether catheter-based RFA is superior to optimized AAD therapy in suppressing relapse within 24 months of symptomatic and/or asymptomatic AF in patients with paroxysmal AF without prior AAD therapy. The primary endpoint is cumulative AF burden on repeated 7 days Holter monitoring. Secondary endpoints are: thromboembolic events, hospitalization due to arrhythmia, pro-arrhythmic events, procedure/treatment-related side effects, health economics, quality of life, and change in left ventricular function. Ten centres in Scandinavia and Germany are participating in the study. Enrolment was started in 2005 and as of November 2008, 260 patients have been enrolled into the study. It is expected that enrolment will end by March 2009, when 300 patients have been included. CONCLUSION: The MANTRA-PAF trial will determine whether catheter-based RFA is superior to optimized AAD therapy as a first-line treatment in suppressing long-term relapse of symptomatic and/or asymptomatic AF.
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