Using the technique of genomewide association analysis, the authors found a locus on chromosome 9 (9p21.3) that is strongly associated with familial coronary artery disease. The precise gene that may be involved is not known and will require further study, but this type of genomic analysis is likely to lead to a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease and other chronic diseases.

Although 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) has been shown to reduce the rate of recurrent preterm birth in singleton gestations, 17P did not reduce the risk of delivery or fetal death before 35 weeks of gestation in this randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving women with twin gestations. These data do not support the use of 17P to reduce the risk of preterm birth in twin gestations.

Asymptomatic women who have a short cervix at midgestation are at increased risk for spontaneous early preterm delivery. In this randomized trial, women with a short cervix (15 mm or less in length) assigned to treatment with vaginal progesterone had a significantly lower rate of spontaneous delivery before 34 weeks of gestation than did women assigned to placebo. In contrast to another trial published in this issue of the Journal, which showed no reduction in the risk of preterm birth among women with twins treated with 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate, this study indicates the efficacy of vaginal progesterone in reducing this risk among women with a short cervix.

Screening for rheumatic heart disease in children was undertaken in Cambodia and Mozambique. In both countries, echocardiographic screening showed a much higher prevalence of rheumatic heart disease in children than did clinical screening. The findings have important public health implications for secondary prevention of this serious disorder, which is particularly prevalent in the developing world.