The "Buzz" on ACC.13 Late-Breaking Clinical Trials

This post is authored by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, FACC, is editor-in-chief of CardioSource Science and Quality. Late-breaking clinical trials (LBCTs) have become the centerpiece of major cardiology scientific sessions. On the upside, they produce significant advances that will reshape the practice of medicine (if and when we ever adopt them), and, more recently, they’ve challenged long-held beliefs about the benefits of various older treatments.  On the other hand, they can sometimes lead to disappointment (ie. when a study produces negative findings or is too small to be definitive). So, LBCTs—are they all that? I think so. (Although, I will also note that the other sessions are important too.) There is something to be said about being one of the first to get the scoop on new data. I love it when buzz from an LBCT spills into the hallways and gets people asking questions about the data, debating implications, and discussing what other data might be needed. Presenting an LBCT is like undergoing a worldwide peer review. How does this play in Peoria? Or Prague? Would this be something we could adopt? Would it fit in practice? These discussions in the hallways among colleagues are among the most exciting scientific interchanges we can have. I’m particularly interested in the results of the LBCT session on Saturday morning during the Showcase Session, where Jane Armitage will present the results of the Heart Protection Study 2 (HPS2-THRIVE), looking ...
Source: ACC in Touch Blog - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: ACC Scientific Session Science Source Type: blogs