From MedPage Today:

1. No Benefit to CABG, Mitral Valve Repair Combo. A year after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and mitral valve repair, patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation did not seem to benefit from having the two procedures versus having only CABG.
2. Watchman Proves Long-Term Mettle in AFib. Left atrial appendage closure in atrial fibrillation patients using the Watchman device bested warfarin therapy for preventing the combined outcomes of stroke, systemic embolism, and cardiovascular death.
3. A Role for the Microbiome for Arthritis in Kids?. Children who were exposed to antibiotics had an increased risk of developing juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
4. No Extra Risk With Zoster Vax in RA Patients on Biologics. Herpes zoster vaccination appears to be safe in patients treated with biologic therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), despite widespread recommendations against this practice.