Interesting Articles in Today's NEJM

If you can read only one journal, let it be NEJM. Whatever is there, it will be in the next edition of Harrison's.

There are several interesting articles in today's NEJM:

Statins and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer. Did we find the magic drug?
Statins were associated with a 47 % relative reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer. Statins for reducing the rate of cardiovascular events are the standard of care. How about a statin for everybody over 50? Are we heading towards the Polypill?

Exhaled Nitric Oxide (NO) to Guide Treatment in Asthma
No more painful recollections of wheezing symptoms, inhaler use and PEF recordings. Just check the NO in the exhaled air, and you known where you stand with your asthma control.

Will nitric oxide be for asthma what HbA1c is for diabetes (the best test to monitor the activity of a chronic disease)? The NEJM editor is asking the same question - Targeting Biologic Markers in Asthma -— Is Exhaled Nitric Oxide the Bull's-Eye?

Long-Term Outcomes of CABG versus Stent Implantation
CABG was better. It looks like cardiovascular surgeons will not be without a job in the future after all.

By the way, the NEJM has a very interesting online-only section - Featured Images in Clinical Medicine (free access). Great for rapid review.