Publications
Department of Medicine faculty members published more than 3,600 peer-reviewed articles in 2024.
2012
2012
2012
2012
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and is a significant burden to healthcare cost. AF causes congestive heart failure, thromboembolic events such as stroke and intolerable symptoms in some patients. With the advances and increasing experience in catheter ablation, there is now an established role for catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation. The risks, complications and patient features associated with it are increasingly recognized. A recent worldwide survey has shown an increasing number of medical centers that are practicing catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation, predominantly with pulmonary vein isolation techniques. However, catheter ablation is an invasive therapy in AF and is associated with a few major complications. Patient selection, ablation technique, and catheter energy source all influence the efficacy and safety of the procedure. Finally, while several randomized control trials have compared the efficacy of catheter ablation versus antiarrhythmic drug therapy, a number of trials are on the horizon to explore its role as a first line therapy for atrial fibrillation. New energy catheter energy sources are also being explored.
View on PubMed2012
BACKGROUND
We evaluated factors associated with long-term dependence on percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes.
METHODS
One hundred fifty-four patients receiving treatment at the University of Alabama at Birmingham between 2002 and 2004 who underwent PEG tube placement were identified through retrospective review of medical records. Using binary logistic regression, we evaluated the association of various factors on long-term dependence on PEG tubes.
RESULTS
A total of 25.3% of survivors remained PEG tube-dependent at 12 months. The odds of long-term PEG tube-dependence were greater for those who did not have partners compared with those who had partners (odds ratio [OR], 3.33; p = .004), for patients who received radiation therapy (OR, 6.21; p = .018), and for those who had a tracheotomy in place for longer than 30 days (OR, 4.328; p = .035).
CONCLUSION
Data suggest that interventions targeted at reducing long-term dependence on PEG tubes take into account not only treatment-related factors, but also the important role that social support plays.
View on PubMed2012