Effect of digitalis treatment on survival after XXXX .

@entity1 @entity908 @entity6838 @entity358 @entity955 @entity583 @entity943 @entity1002
To determine whether treatment with digitalis is associated with decreased survival after @entity583 ( @entity583 ), data from 504 @entity1 who were enrolled in a postinfarction natural history study were analyzed. At the time of discharge, 229 @entity1 (45%) were taking digitalis. After 3 years of follow-up, the cumulative survival rate for @entity1 discharged on a regimen of digitalis was 66%, compared with 87% for those not treated (p less than 0.001). Univariate analysis showed that statistically significant differences existed between the 2 groups with respect to age, previous @entity583 , @entity1002 in the coronary care unit, @entity955 in the coronary care unit, peak @entity908 kinase levels, enlarged heart and @entity358 on the discharge chest x-ray, @entity943 and treatment with diuretic, antiarrhythmic and beta-blocking drugs. Survival analysis using Cox's regression model showed that the association between digitalis and decreased survival was of borderline significance after adjustment for @entity955 and @entity1002 . Serum digoxin concentration was measured in 83% of the @entity1 who took digitalis. Survival was inversely and significantly related to serum digoxin, i.e., the higher the serum @entity6838 concentration, the lower the long-term survival rate. After adjusting for @entity955 and @entity1002 , serum digoxin was not significantly related to survival. Taken together with the results of 3 other large, nonrandomized studies of digitalis treatment after @entity583 , this study suggests that digitalis treatment may have adverse effects on survival during follow-up.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
