Cole and Francis explored the consequences of the damage caused by the Don Poldermans research misconduct case. Poldermans research provided the bulk of the evidence to support the liberal use of beta-blockers to protect the heart during surgery for people undergoing non cardiac surgery in the European Society of Cardiology guidelines.
Cole and Francis calculated that this guideline, based on questionable and probably fraudulent research, may have been responsible for as many as 800,000 deaths over 5 years in Europe.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2014/09/23/a-disappeared-article-finally-published-finds-a-desultory-response-to-scientific-misconduct/#
