Echocardiographic characteristics of the left heart ventricle in people with different somatotypes

The objective of this study was to analyze echocardiographic parameters in 143 healthy individuals aged 18-21 years with different somatotypes. The evaluation of somatotype was performed using the the method of R.N. Dorokhov and V.G. Petrukhin (1989). During the echocardiography, left ventricular wall thickness, internal diameter and myocardial mass were measured. The investigation showed marked sex- and somatotype-related differences in left ventricular parameters. The correlations between the studied left ventricular parameters and body mass, length and surface area were demonstrated. The optimal method of the indexation of left ventricular myocardial mass as related to (body length)3, is described.     

The effect of Hirudo therapy on a change in the activity of retinal transport adenosinetriphosphatases in the rabbit with photic eye damage]

Effect of Hirudo therapy on the activities of transport adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases) of the retina and pigmented epithelium (PE) is studied in normal and albino rabbits whose eyes were exposed to potent illumination (100,000 Lux at the level of the cornea for 90 min). The exposure decreased the activities of ATPase, which did not recover in any of animal groups. Hirudo therapy immediately after illumination increased the enzymes activity in pigmented animals in comparison with intact control: by 20% in the retina and by 23% in PE; Mg-ATPase activity increased by 23% in the retina and decreased by 10% in PE. In subsequent 24 h, ATPase activities decreased, but in comparison with exposed retina the activity of Na,K-ATPase in the retina was 70% increased and in PE 78% increased; the activities of Mg-ATPase were increased by 33 and 8%, respectively. Complete recovery of ATPase activities was attained in 8 days. In albino animals, ATPase activities did not recover completely, but they were notably higher than in intact controls. Hirudo therapy before illumination had a marked protective effect.     

Transiently heightened angiotensin II has distinct effects on atherosclerosis and aneurysm formation in hyperlipidemic mice

Experimentally sustained increase in angiotensin II (AngII) promotes tissue destruction in various cardiovascular disorders. We examined whether transiently heightened AngII affects subsequent atherosclerosis and aneurysm formation. AngII or saline was administered for 2 weeks to apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice. Mice were sacrificed at the end of the 2-week infusion or 6- or 14 weeks later. Short-term AngII did not affect atherosclerosis immediately following the infusion or 6 weeks later. By contrast, 14 weeks after infusion there was remarkably more atherosclerosis in previously AngII-exposed mice. Preceding the build up of atherosclerotic lesions, AngII-exposure increased mRNA expression and immunostaining of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and its receptor, CCR2. This was followed by greater macrophage-positivity in AngII-exposed aortae. In contrast to the delayed effects on atherosclerosis, 20% of mice were found to have abdominal aneurysms at the end of AngII-exposure. This effect was not contingent on blood pressure. Moreover, despite amplification in atherosclerosis following AngII, no aneurysms were found 14 weeks later. Our studies reveal that even transient exposure to AngII primes the vessel for subsequent amplification of atherosclerosis which involves activation of MCP-1/CCR2 and influx of macrophages into the nascent atherosclerotic plaque. By contrast, transient AngII-exposure causes prompt aneurysm formation that does not parallel atherosclerosis and disappears even in the face of progressively greater atherosclerotic lesions.     

Superficial femoral artery stent fracture that led to perforation, hematoma and deep venous thrombosis

We describe the case of a 70-year old male with total occlusion of the left superficial femoral artery (SFA) treated with percutaneous implantation of a self-expanding nitinol stent. The patient's course post-stent implantation was complicated by the development of stent fracture with SFA perforation and a large, compressive intramuscular hematoma with deep venous thrombosis (DVT). The patient returned to the catheterization laboratory where the fracture and perforation were successfully treated by the deployment of another stent across the fracture site. The DVT was initially treated with an inferior vena cava filter until anticoagulation could safely be instituted.     

Retroviral gene therapy in ApoE-deficient mice: ApoE expression in the artery wall reduces early foam cell lesion formation.

BACKGROUND: Apolipoprotein E (apoE) has long been known to play an important role in the clearance of plasma lipoproteins. More recently, a direct role for apoE in delaying atherogenesis has been proposed. Macrophage production of apoE in the artery wall has been demonstrated to provide protection against atherosclerotic lesion development independently from its role in lipoprotein clearance. However, whether macrophage apoE can affect lesion growth at all stages of atherogenesis remains to be established. METHODS AND RESULTS: To evaluate the role of macrophage apoE in different stages of atherogenesis, as well as to establish a novel gene therapy approach to atherosclerotic vascular disease, we used an apoE-expressing retrovirus to transduce apoE-deficient (-/-) bone marrow for transplantation into apoE(-/-) recipient mice. Three weeks after bone marrow transplantation, apoE was expressed from arterial macrophages and was detectable in plasma associated with lipoproteins at 0.5% to 1% of normal levels but did not affect plasma cholesterol levels. We used 2 groups of recipient mice: younger mice with lesions consisting primarily of foam cells and older mice with more advanced lesions. When either the mouse or human apoE transgenes were expressed in mice from 5 to 13 weeks of age, there was a significant reduction in lesion area, whereas no effects were detected in mice that expressed apoE from 10 to 26 weeks of age. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that arterial macrophage apoE secretion can delay atherogenesis if expressed during foam cell formation but is not beneficial during the later stages of atherogenesis. These data also provide evidence that apoE transgene expression from arterial macrophages may have therapeutic applications.     

Monocyte/macrophage accumulation and smooth muscle cell phenotypes in early atherosclerotic lesions of human aorta

In a search for early atherosclerotic lesions, we have investigated grossly normal areas of human thoracic aortas taken at autopsy from 40 trauma victims aged from 3 to 40 years. Two areas of aorta were compared: lesion predisposed to atherosclerosis (LP) area localized on the dorsal aspect of the vessel along the row of intercostal branching sites, and lesion resistant (LR) area located on the ventral aspect of the vessel. Accumulation of apolipoprotein B (apo B) was found in LP aortic area of each child older than 6 years. Similar retention of apo B in LR area appeared only in aortas of teenagers. The apo B staining increased with age in both areas tested but was usually of a greater extent in LP area than in LR area. Typical smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and a few monocytes/macrophages (Mn/Mph) were revealed in the intimal layer of all aortas examined. The number of Mn/Mph dramatically increased in LP areas of individuals over 17 years. Quantitative study of double stained sections has shown a 2- to 6-fold enhanced number of Mn/Mph in LP area compared with LR aortic area of 10 men over 21 years. Focal infiltration of Mn/Mph in aortas of young adults occurred without endothelial denudation. In addition, some intimal SMCs in LP area of 12 aortas out of 29 expressed desmin and contained well-developed endoplasmic reticulum, while such cells were seldom detected in LP area of the vessels. Thus, focal accumulation of apo B with subsequent Mn/Mph infiltration and SMC phenotypic modulation in LP aortic area of young adults may be causally involved in fatty streak and atherosclerotic plaque formation.     

Postoperative analgesia with nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs in children

The purpose of the case-study was to evaluate the efficiency of non-steroid antiinflammatory drugs (NAD) for postoperative analgesia in children after small-scope surgical interventions. Diclofenac, 1 mg/kg per day administered as rectal suppositories or intramuscular injections after initial narcosis, was used for postoperative analgesia in children of the main group; postoperative analgesia made by analgin and promedol in the control group was compared with the former. Forty-seven children and 10 children with identical diseases like groin hernia, varicocele and dropsy of testicular membranes, were respectively in the main and control groups. Clinical examinations and registration of functional parameters were made in patients during certain time periods, i.e. before surgery (in the standing and lying postures) and after surgery (in 20 minutes, as well as in 1, 2, and 3 hours after surgical interventions). The efficiency of postoperative analgesia was evaluated by means of cardiointervalography according to Bayevsky method as well as by a state of central hemodynamics and by clinical examinations, including the visual-analogue 10-point scale and the 0-4 point verbal pain assessment scale. The postoperatively obtained data revealed a pronounced misbalance between the main and control groups, which is indicative of that the application of NAD for preventive and postoperative analgesia in children improves essentially the postoperative course and contributes to a fast rehabilitation of patients. A comparative analysis of the efficiency of postoperative analgesia by the discussed drugs showed that diclofenac possesses a sufficient analgetic activity and is free of any side-effects inherent in narcotic analgetics.     

Effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and paracetamol on hemodynamic changes during postoperative analgesia in children

The purpose of the present study was to comparatively assess the adequacy of postoperative analgesia using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and paracetamol in children undergone "minor" surgical interventions. For postoperative analgesia in children, the authors used paracetamol in a single dose of 25-30 mg/kg, diclofenac in a dose of 1.5-2.0 mg/kg, which were rectally administered as suppositories, as well as diclofenac in the same dose as intramuscular injections (Group 1). A comparison was made with postoperative analgesia using analgin and promedole (Group 2 (control)). Group 1 comprised 63 patients and Group 2 included 26 patients with identical diseases (inguinal hernias, varicocele, phimosis). Functional parameters were recorded in patients in the lying position before, 30 min, 1, 2, and 3 hours after surgery. The efficiency of postoperative analgesia was evaluated, by using central hemodynamic parameters that many investigators consider to be one of the major criteria for the adequacy of anesthesia. Comparison of postoperative data has revealed a difference between the groups, which suggests that the use of NSAIDs and paracetamol for preventive and postoperative analgesia in children substantially improves the postoperative period and promotes a rapid rehabilitation in patients. Comparative analysis of the efficiency of postoperative analgesia of the above agents has indicated that diclofenac and paracetamol have a sufficient analgesic activity and at the same time do not show the adverse reactions unique to narcotic analgesics.     

Detection of fibronectin and collagen types I, III, IV and V in semithin sections of the human aorta

Localization of fibronectin and types I, III, IV and V collagen was investigated in semithin sections of fibrous atherosclerotic plaques and apparently normal intima of human aorta. The effect of different techniques of fixation and processing of the sections on immunostaining under peroxidase-antiperoxidase techniques have been examined. The tissue fixation in paraformaldehyde solution, removing the resin with sodium ethoxide and enzymatic pronase digestion of the sections resulted in successful specific staining of the antigens. It was found that some cells in fibrous plaques formed a cap of multiple layers of dense connective tissue containing fibronectin and type III, IV and V collagen in the absence of collagen type I.