Ochsner Medical Center

About: Ochsner Medical Center is a healthcare organization based out in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 980 authors who have published 1159 publications receiving 49961 citations. The organization is also known as: Ochsner Hospital & Ochsner Foundation Hospital.

Omega-3 fatty acids: cardiovascular benefits, sources and sustainability

Abstract: The evidence for the cardioprotective nature of omega-3 fatty acids is abundant, and currently available data indicate that patients with known coronary heart disease should consume at least 1 g daily of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from either oily fish or fish-oil supplements, and that individuals without disease should consume at least 250-500 mg daily. However, this area of research poses two questions. Firstly, which is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids-fish or fish-oil supplements? Secondly, are recommendations for omega-3 supplementation warranted in view of the rapid depletion of world fish stocks? The argument that eating fish is better than taking fish-oil supplements stems from the fact that several important nutrients, such as vitamin D, selenium, and antioxidants, are missing from the supplements. However, three major prevention trials have clearly indicated that omega-3 fatty acid capsules confer cardiovascular benefits and, therefore, that both are cardioprotective. Sustainable sources of omega-3 fatty acids will need to be identified if long-term cardiovascular risk reduction is to be achieved at the population level.

Coronary Thrombi Increase PTCA Risk Angioscopy as a Clinical Tool

Abstract: Background The presence of angiographically identified intracoronary thrombus has been variably associated with complications after coronary angioplasty. Angiography has been shown to be less sensitive than angioscopy for detecting subtle details of intracoronary morphology, such as intracoronary thrombi. The clinical importance of thrombi detectable by angioscopy but not by angiography is not known. Methods and Results Percutaneous coronary angioscopy was performed in 122 patients undergoing conventional coronary balloon angioplasty (PTCA) at six medical centers. Unstable angina was present in 95 patients (78%) and stable angina in 27 (22%). Therapy was not guided by angioscopic findings, and no patient received thrombolytic therapy as an adjunct to angioplasty. Coronary thrombi were identified in 74 target lesions (61%) by angioscopy versus only 24 (20%) by angiography. A major in-hospital complication (death, myocardial infarction, or emergency bypass surgery) occurred in 10 of 74 patients (14%) with a...

Use of a Constitutively Active Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Transgene as a Therapeutic Strategy in No-Option Critical Limb Ischemia Patients: Phase I Dose-Escalation Experience

Abstract: Background— Critical limb ischemia, a manifestation of severe peripheral atherosclerosis and compromised lower-extremity blood flow, results in a high rate of limb loss. We hypothesized that adenoviral delivery of a constitutively active form of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (ie, Ad2/HIF-1α/VP16 or HIF-1α) into the lower extremity of patients with critical limb ischemia would be safe and might result in a durable clinical response. Methods and Results— This phase I dose-escalation program included 2 studies: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study and an open-label extension study. In total, 34 no-option patients with critical limb ischemia received HIF-1α at doses of 1×108 to 2×1011 viral particles. No serious adverse events were attributable to study treatment. Five deaths occurred: 3 in HIF-1α and 2 in placebo patients. In the first (randomized) study, 7 of 21 HIF-1α patients met treatment failure criteria and had major amputations. Three of the 7 placebo patients ro...

Does arthroscopic partial meniscectomy result in knee osteoarthritis? A systematic review with a minimum of 8 years' follow-up.

Abstract: Purpose Our purpose is to test the hypothesis that arthroscopic partial meniscectomy results in knee osteoarthritis at long-term follow-up. Methods We systematically reviewed PubMed search terms "meniscus AND arthritis AND knee" and "meniscectomy AND arthritis AND knee" and included English-language, Levels I to IV evidence studies reporting either radiographic or clinical osteoarthritis outcome measures with a minimum of 8 years' follow-up after partial arthroscopic meniscectomy. Results Five studies met the inclusion criteria. All reported both radiographic and clinical measures. All studies compared the normal, contralateral knee as a radiographic control, but none included a clinical control group. Follow-up ranged from 8 to 16 years. In all studies operative knees showed a statistically significant incidence of radiographic signs of osteoarthritis compared with control knees. However, clinical symptoms of osteoarthritis were not observed. Furthermore, clinical outcomes did not correlate with radiographic findings. Discussion Our results show that radiographic signs of osteoarthritis are significant at 8 to 16 years' follow-up after knee arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, but clinical symptoms of knee arthritis were not observed. Limitations include absence of clinical control groups and heterogeneity of reported outcome measures. Future research of higher levels of evidence and with longer-term follow-up is required to determine whether the radiographic signs ultimately foreshadow clinical symptoms in patients after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Conclusions Radiographic signs of osteoarthritis are significant at 8 to 16 years' follow-up after knee arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, but clinical symptoms of knee arthritis are not significant. Level of Evidence Systematic review of Level IV clinical evidence and Levels II and III radiographic evidence.