An important goal in the treatment of COPD is the prevention of exacerbations. In this trial, the investigators found that treatment with tiotropium, as compared with salmeterol, prolonged the time to the first exacerbation of COPD and decreased the number of exacerbations.

This study examined whether pioglitazone can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults with impaired glucose tolerance. As compared with placebo, pioglitazone reduced the conversion of IGT to diabetes by 72% but was associated with significant weight gain and edema.

Stored toenail clippings were used to assess mercury exposure in men and women who had had incident cardiovascular events and in matched controls. Participants with higher mercury exposures did not have a higher risk of cardiovascular events, even after adjustment for fish consumption.

In this prospective study, Han Chinese subjects who were candidates for carbamazepine therapy were screened for the HLA-B*1502 allele because of its association with the Stevens–Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.

A strong association between the HLA-B*1502 allele and SJS and TEN induced by carbamazepine has been shown. This study involving Europeans implicates a different HLA allele, HLA-A*3101, in conferring susceptibility to a broad range of carbamazepine-induced reactions.