On 2017 May 31, David Nunan commented:

Readers may not be aware of the notice of concern raised with this paper and another paper (Paterna S, 2008) by the same group published in Clinical Science in 2008, both of which were included in a 2012 systematic review published in BMJ Open Heart which was subsequently retracted. Whilst there is a link above to the notice of concern, here I've provided the contents of that notice. This paper has not been retracted.

Concern has been raised regarding a paper published in the Journal of Cardiac Failure: “Long-Term Effects of Dietary Sodium Intake on Cytokines and Neurohumoral Activation in Patients With Recently Compensated Heart Failure,” by Parrinello et al, J Card Fail 2009;15:864–73. The paper contains a dataset identical to that published by the same authors in Clinical Science 2008;114:221–30. The corresponding author, Dr di Pasquale of Palermo, Italy, has indicated that an error was made during a “cut and paste” process, and a table from the 2008 Clinical Science paper was mistakenly reproduced in the 2009 Journal of Cardiac Failure paper. Dr di Pasquale also coauthored an online manuscript in Heart, August 21, 2012, using a meta-analysis of 6 earlier papers, and that online report also includes the duplicated data. When questioned about the data, Dr di Pasquale reported that by unintentional error he had inserted the table from the earlier 2008 paper (Clinical Science) into the 2009 paper (Journal of Cardiac Failure). The Dean of the Medical School at the University of Palermo was notified and asked to investigate the matter. It was reported that Dr di Pasquale lost the raw data owing to a “computer crash” without having made backup files. The data are therefore not verifiable. Based on the information at hand, we have been unable to independently determine with certainty the cause of duplication of the dataset. Given the fact that there are duplicate data published, and there is no way to validate or verify the veracity of the data, readers should be cautioned in the application of the findings reported in these manuscripts to their clinical practice.

Gary S. Francis, MD Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Cardiac Failure http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2013.05.015

On 2017 May 31, David Nunan commented:

Readers may not be aware of the notice of concern raised with this paper and another paper (Paterna S, 2008) by the same group published in Clinical Science in 2008, both of which were included in a 2012 systematic review published in BMJ Open Heart which was subsequently retracted. Whilst there is a link above to the notice of concern, here I've provided the contents of that notice. This paper has not been retracted.

Concern has been raised regarding a paper published in the Journal of Cardiac Failure: “Long-Term Effects of Dietary Sodium Intake on Cytokines and Neurohumoral Activation in Patients With Recently Compensated Heart Failure,” by Parrinello et al, J Card Fail 2009;15:864–73. The paper contains a dataset identical to that published by the same authors in Clinical Science 2008;114:221–30. The corresponding author, Dr di Pasquale of Palermo, Italy, has indicated that an error was made during a “cut and paste” process, and a table from the 2008 Clinical Science paper was mistakenly reproduced in the 2009 Journal of Cardiac Failure paper. Dr di Pasquale also coauthored an online manuscript in Heart, August 21, 2012, using a meta-analysis of 6 earlier papers, and that online report also includes the duplicated data. When questioned about the data, Dr di Pasquale reported that by unintentional error he had inserted the table from the earlier 2008 paper (Clinical Science) into the 2009 paper (Journal of Cardiac Failure). The Dean of the Medical School at the University of Palermo was notified and asked to investigate the matter. It was reported that Dr di Pasquale lost the raw data owing to a “computer crash” without having made backup files. The data are therefore not verifiable. Based on the information at hand, we have been unable to independently determine with certainty the cause of duplication of the dataset. Given the fact that there are duplicate data published, and there is no way to validate or verify the veracity of the data, readers should be cautioned in the application of the findings reported in these manuscripts to their clinical practice.

Gary S. Francis, MD Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Cardiac Failure http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2013.05.015