ICD Implantation in Noncompaction of the Left Ventricular Myocardium: A Case Report

Isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium (INVM) is an uncommon cardiomyopathy characterized by the persistence of fetal myocardium with prominent trabecular meshwork and deep intertrabecular recesses, often associated with systolic dysfunction and ventricular dilatation. A 23-year-old man from Burkina Faso was referred to our operative unit with a diagnosis of INVM, made with echocardiogram and magnetic resonance imaging and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. The literature reports the incidence of malignant ventricular arrhythmias in as many as 47% of the patients and sudden cardiac death in almost 50% of them and this supported our decision to perform implantable cardioverter-defibrillators implantation.     

Effects of Different Electromagnetic Fields on Circadian Rhythms of Some Haematochemical Parameters in Rats

Objective To investigate the effects of different electromagnetic fields on some haematochemical parameters of circadian rhythms in Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods The study was carried out in 18 male and 18 female rats in good health conditions exposed to 50 Hz magnetic sinusoid fields at the intensity of 1000 μT, 100 μT, and 0 μT （control group） respectively, and in 18 male and 18 female rats in good health conditions exposed to 1.8 GHz electromagnetic fields at the intensity of 50 V/m, 25 V/m and 0 V/m （control group）, respectively. Following haematochemical parameters for glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol were measured. Results Different effects of electromagnetic fields on circadian rhythms of both male and female rats were observed. Different changes occurred in some haematochemical parameters for glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol （P〈0.05）. Conclusion Exposure to different electromagnetic fields is responsible for the variations of some haematochemical parameters in rats.     

Spinal Cord Stimulation for the Treatment of Refractory Angina Pectoris: A Two-Year Follow-Up

Twenty-three patients affected by severe, refractory angina were submitted to permanent spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and then followed in our outpatient clinic for 24 months. During the follow-up period, the number of weekly angina episodes drastically dropped from 9.2 (preimplant) to 1.8 in the 3rd, 2.5 in the 6th, 4.5 in the 12th, and 4.2 in the 24th month, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01) between the first and last values. A significant increase in the average exercise time from 320 ± 120 seconds (in baseline condition) to 410 ± 115 seconds (during SCS) was observed at the treadmill stress test (P < 0.01). SCS was well tolerated by all the patients. However, 7 patients died during follow-up (3 myocardial infarctions, 2 noncardiac deaths, and 2 sudden deaths). Three generators were replaced because of battery depletion after 15, 17, and 21 months. No serious complication was observed. In conclusion, in patients with otherwise intractable angina or already submitted to myocardial revascularization, SCS is very effective in reducing the number of angina episodes. The time of the work during exercise stress test is also significantly prolonged.     

Quantitative Coronary Angiography in the Current Era: Principles and Applications

Coronary angiography, despite its inherent invasiveness and need for contrast media and radiographic exposure, is still routinely employed every year for the diagnostic and therapeutic management of millions of patients with or at risk for coronary artery disease. Whereas approximate visual estimation is the most common way to evaluate coronary angiography findings, since the late 1980s a number of investigators have developed and investigated methods of quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) analysis exploiting automated or semi‐automated edge detection. Despite the inherent drawback of QCA due to its focus on the contrast‐filled lumen of the vessel, QCA has offered and continues to offer important insights for clinical research and, in selected cases, clinical practice. This review aims thus to provide a comprehensive and updated viewpoint on the actual role of QCA.     

Survival Rates after Pacemaker Implantation: A Study of Patients Paced for Sick Sinus Syndrome and Atrioventricuiar Block

It is still a matter of controversy as to whether the patients paced for atrioventricular block (AVB) have different prognosis and survival rates than those paced for Sick Sinus Syndrome (SSS). We have compared the survival rates of 962 AVB patients (group A) with that of 283 SSS patients (group B) who underwent pacemaker implantation during the period January 1968 to December 1986. The survival rate graphs of the examined groups were calculated using the actuarial method and the differences in the survival rates between the groups were evaluated using the Logrank test. Our results show that SSS patients have a higher survival rate than AV block with a difference on the rate of survival between the two groups reaching the borderline of statistical significance. Multivariate discriminant analysis was then used to assess that of the parameters (i.e., age at the time of implantation, sex, electrophysiological indication to pacing, etiology or pacing mode) could have had the main influence upon mortality and the different pattern of the survival rate graph within the two groups of patients. Our data show that survival is mostly related to age, pacing mode and, although more slightly, to underlying heart disease; the electrophysiological indication to pacing, instead, does not significantly influence it.     

Esters of L-Dopa: Structure-hydrolysis Relationships and Ability to Induce Circling Behaviour in an Experimental Model of Hemiparkinsonism

A number of carboxylate esters of L-dopa, some of which are novel, were examined for their physicochemical and biological properties. A few esters of tyrosine and phenylalanine were included for comparison. The compounds displayed great differences in their lipophilicity and stability towards chemical and enzymatic (human plasma) hydrolysis. Within subseries, relationships exist between structural properties and rate constants of chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis. In an experimental model of hemiparkinsonism (circling behaviour in rats), some of the L-dopa esters (the isopropyl, sec-butyl and 2-(tetrahydropyr-anyl)methyl esters) showed an activity distinctly greater than that of L-dopa, although the difference was not statistically significant.     

Combined Carotid and Coronary Stenting in a Severely Ill Patient

A 71-year-old man symptomatic for critical stenosis of both carotid and coronary arteries was successfully managed with combined carotid and coronary stenting. Such an approach could represent a valuable therapeutic tool for selected patients suffering from coronary artery disease associated with carotid artery stenosis.     

Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry of ceruletide and [Tyr 4] ceruletide

Fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry has revealed a very useful technique in obtaining the mass spectrum of ceruletide (formerly caerulein), a decapeptide with a tyrosyl-O-sulphate residue, and of its desulphated analog. Molecular weight value for ceruletide is obtained only in the negative ion mode, whereas for [Tyr⁴] ceruletide this information is obtained both in negative and in positive ion detection. Positive ion mass spectra show more extended fragmentation which allows the complete amino acids sequence to be checked. The lability of the sulphate group has been confirmed, examining other sulphated peptides by field desorption mass spectrometry.