Coronary stenting for coronary artery narrowing in a heart transplant recipient

Transplant atherosclerotic coronary disease remains the leading cause of death in heart transplant recipients. We report the first case of coronary stent implantation in a heart graft for epicardial focal stenosis. Due to the lower rate of restenosis after stenting in the native coronary artery, we suggest that coronary stenting be considered an acceptable, first intention therapeutic option instead of angioplasty alone whenever possible.     

电针心经对心肌缺血性家兔心力环面积的影响

以心力环面积为指标，静脉滴注垂体后叶素造成家兔心肌缺血动物模型，结果表明，电针心经地心脏功能的调节作用比电针肺经显著，有相对特异性，说明心经作为一条经脉，与心脏机能活动有密切关系。     

冠心病行为模式与心理状态的相关性探讨

目的为探讨Ａ型行为在冠心病（ＣｏｒｏｎａｒｙＨｅａｒｔＤｉｓｅａｓｅ，ＣＨＤ）中的作用及与心理状态的相关性。方法对１１４例ＣＨＤ及３７例非ＣＨＤ应用心理测验方法对照调查。结果发现Ａ型行为的人易患ＣＨＤ。ＣＨＤＡ型行为者在焦虑、抑郁、人际关系、认识、敌对性症状因子分较ＣＨＤ非Ａ型行为者有明显增高。ＣＨＤ非Ａ型行为者也具有一些特有的心理症状。结论ＣＨＤ病人的行为模式与病后的某些心理表现呈正相关。     

先天性心脏病与柯萨奇病毒B3,B4感染的关系

采用配对病例对照研究，探讨先心病与柯萨奇病毒B3、B4感染的关系，结果显示：病例组与对照组患儿CVB3、CVB4．IgG抗体阳性率分别为59．3％、54．3％和53．6％、45．7％，差异天显著性（P值均＞0．05）；经单因素和多因素回归分析均未发现CVB3、CVB4感染与先心病有病因学联系（P＞0．05）     

Antagonism of novel inotropic agents at A1 adenosine receptors and m-cholinoceptors in human myocardium

Summary The effects of the new inotropic agents saterinone, sulmazole, UD-CG 212.C1 and milrinone at A₁ adenosine receptors and m-cholinoceptors were evaluated in human myocardium from patients with heart failure. At A₁ adenosine receptors, all compounds inhibited ³H-DPCPX-binding to ventricular membrane preparations at micromolar concentrations. As judged from the K_i-values, the rank order of potency was saterinone > sulmazole > UD-CG 212.C1 > milrinone. The new inotropic agents also displaced the binding of ³H-QNB at m-cholinoceptors. Except for saterinone, the concentration ranges of mean K_i-values were considerably higher at m-cholinoceptors than at A₁ adenosine receptors. The rank order of potency was saterinone > sulmazole > UD-CG 212.Cl > milrinone. Competition of the A₁ adenosine receptor agonist R-PIA to ³H-DPCPX-binding showed a biphasic curve with a shallow slope (Hill coefficient n_H = 0.63) and revealed two affinity states of the A₁ adenosine receptor. In the presence of guanine nucleotides [Gpp(NH)p], the competition curve showed one low affinity class of binding sites and was shifted to the right. In contrast, the competition curves of the new inotropic agents were characterized by a monophasic, steeper slope (mean Hill coefficient n_H = 0.98). Guanine nucleotides had no effect. Similar results were obtained with saterinone and carbachol at m-cholinoceptors. Competition with carbachol revealed three affinity states of the m-cholinoceptor, the superhigh affinity binding was reversed by Gpp(NH)p. Competition with saterinone revealed one class of binding sites which was not influenced by Gpp(NH)p. Accordingly, in isolated, electrically driven human atrial trabeculae, the negative inotropic effect of adenosine was antagonized concentration-dependently by saterinone, sulmazole and UD-CG 212.Cl. Similarly the negative inotropic effect of carbachol was antagonized concentration-dependently by saterinone. It is concluded that the new inotropic agents bind to A₁ adenosine receptors and that their interaction is of antagonist nature. This mechanism might contribute to their capacity to enhance force of contraction by stimulation of cAMP-formation in addition to phosphodiesterase inhibition. The effects of saterinone may be partially due to antagonism at m-cholinoceptors. This is presumably not the case with the other inotropic agents studied given their low affinity for this receptor.Send offprint requests to M. Böhm at the above addressSupported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

Bicarbon valve - European multicenter clinical evaluation

Objective: Fifteen collaborating centers in eight countries present their pooled experience with the new Bicarbon™ bileaflet valve. Methods: Between 4/90 and 4/96, 1351 patients, 806 males and 545 females, aged 10 to 83, mean 58.4±12.4, underwent valve implantation. Operations: AVR, 726; MVR, 475; DVR, 150. Additional procedures: CABG, 211; TV repair, 64; other, 152. Results: Mortality: 67 early (seven valve related) and 56 late (40 valve related). Valve thrombosis: six obstructive, three non-obstructive; embolism: nine major cerebral, 37 other. Major bleeding: 29. Hemolysis: two clinically significant. Non-structural dysfunction: 24 paravalvular leaks, one leaflet interference. No structural failure! Endocarditis: 24. Reoperation 48: 22 non-structural dysfunctions, 14 endocarditis, seven thrombosis and embolism, five other. Estimated 5-year freedom from valve-related deaths is 97.2% for AVR and 92.4% for MVR; 4-year freedom from valve related deaths for DVR is 90.5%. Mean calculated NYHA improvement is 1.24. Conclusions: The Bicarbon mechanical prosthesis is well designed, durable, has good hemodynamic features and an acceptably low incidence of complications.     

Decreased R-R variation: A criterium for overdosage of tricyclic psychotropic drugs

Objective Since intoxication with tricyclic antidepressants is common, a supplementary screening method for differentiation between therapeutic and supratherapeutic ranges would be a valuable diagnositc tool, particularly in delirious and unconscious patientsSetting 109 patients treated with amitriptyline, 8 patients treated with doxepin, 10 patients treated with clozapine, and 72 normal control subjects matched for age and sex were tested for heart rate variability while resting.Results Considering time and frequency derived measures, which are rather independent of heart rate, the patients showed significantly decreased heart rate variability parameters (p<0.0001), as compared with the normal subjects. Of the patients presenting delirious symptoms 6 showed coefficients of variation more than 4 standard deviations below the mean control value.Conclusions As heart rate variability can be easily calculated, this measurement is suggested as a useful tool to quickly exclude or support the diagnosis of chronic intoxication with tricyclic antidepressants or clozapine.     

Fear and the startle reflex: Blink modulation and autonomic response patterns in animal and mutilation fearful subjects

The present study was designed to examine the pattern of startle reflex modulation and autonomic responses for individuals high in animal or blood-injury fear when viewing pictures of their feared objects. Sixteen individuals in each fear group and 16 low-fear control individuals viewed 32 color slides depicting fear-relevant, unpleasant but fear-unrelated, neutral, and pleasant scenes. Free viewing times were assessed in a second phase of the procedure as an index of avoidance behavior. Exposure to pictures of feared objects resulted in a consistent startle reflex potentiation and behavioral avoidance in both fear groups. This activation of the basic aversive system was independent of the autonomic pattern of the fear responses, which differed for the high-fear groups. These results suggest that the probe startle response indexes the organism's basic motivational disposition and add new information to the assessment of fear.     

Neuronal dysfunction in heart failure assessed by cardiac 123-iodine metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy

In patients with chronic heart failure, increased sympathetic activity and cardiac sympathetic neuronal dysfunction are present and have been related to unfavourable clinical outcome. Modification of these alterations with the objective to improve prognosis has become an important aim of pharmacological therapy for these patients. A noninvasive technique to assess sympathetic neuronal function at the cardiac level may be valuable in evaluating newly developed therapeutic strategies. 123-iodine metaiodobenzylguanidine can be used visualize cardiac sympathetic nerve function and activity. Single photon emission computerized tomographic is preferred to planar scintigraphy since it does not depend on superposition of other anatomical structures and may allow assessment of regional cardiac 123-iodine metaiodobenzylguanidine uptake. Although the quantitation of cardiac uptake in these tomographic images has several limitations, the use of the left ventricular cavity as a reference, calibrated by the 123-iodine activity in a blood sample drawn at the time of acquisition, may have clinical applications, with respect to the evaluation of therapeutical intervention in patients with heart failure.Abbreviations BS blood sample - CD count density - dP/dt change in pressure over time - [¹²³I] 123-iodine - K_m affinity constant - MIBG metaiodobenzylguanidine - MB_q mega Bequerel - SPECT single photon emission computerized tomography - V_m capacity constant