Longitudinal ventricular function: normal values of atrioventricular annular and myocardial velocities measured with quantitative two-dimensional color Doppler tissue imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Quantitative 2-dimensional color Doppler tissue imaging is a new method to reveal impairment of left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) longitudinal function, which is a potential marker of early myocardial disease. The aim of this study was to obtain normal values for atrioventricular annular and regional myocardial velocities using this method. METHODS: A total of 123 healthy patients (age range: 22 to 89 years) underwent echocardiography including color Doppler tissue imaging using a scanner (Vivid 5, GE Vingmed, Horten, Norway) with postprocessing analysis (Echopac 6.3, GE Vingmed). Regional myocardial velocities were measured at 12 LV segments in 3 apical views and 2 segments of the free RV wall. Mitral annular velocities from 6 sites, and tricuspid annular velocities at its lateral site, were also assessed. At each site, systolic (S(m)), early diastolic (E(m)), and late diastolic (A(m)) velocities were measured, and the E(m)/A(m) ratio was calculated. RESULTS: Patients were classified into 4 groups aged 20 to 39, 40 to 59, 60 to 79, and >/=80 years. Mitral annular velocity and regional LV myocardial S(m) and E(m) progressively decreased with age. A(m), whereas low in the youngest age group, increased significantly in patients more than 40 years of age. The E(m)/A(m) ratio gradually declined with aging. There were no differences between age groups in S(m) measured at the tricuspid annulus and free RV wall, but the pattern of age-related changes of diastolic velocities and E(m)/A(m) ratio was the same as in the LV. Slight but significant sex-related differences were observed in middle-aged groups. The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility was highest for atrioventricular annular velocities. CONCLUSIONS: A progressive decrease in S(m) reveals a decline in longitudinal systolic LV function with age, whereas systolic RV function remains unaffected. Atrioventricular annular velocity and regional E(m) decrease with aging in both ventricles, suggesting a deterioration in the diastolic properties of the myocardium, whereas A(m) increases from middle age implying a compensatory augmentation of atrial function. The study results can be used as reference data for the quantitative assessment of longitudinal LV and RV function in patients with cardiac disease.     

Factors of an unfavorable prognosis in patients with B-cell chronic lymphoid leukemia: a retrospective analysis of 206 cases

AIM: To assess factors of an unfavourable prognosis in a group of intermediate risk of B-cell chronic lymphoid leukemia (BCCLL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 206 BCCLL patients (mean age 55.5 years, male/female = 1.66) entered the study conducted by Hematological Research Center in 1992-2000. RESULTS: Nine patients under 35 years of age did not survive 5 years except one female who achieved a complete remission on fludarabin. The type of bone marrow infiltration (diffuse vs interstitial and nodular), the time of lymphocyte count doubling (under or over 12 months) discriminate the patients by prognosis in the group of intermediate risk: medians of overall survival 65 months vs 148 months and 72 vs 133 months, respectively (p < 0.005 for both curves, log-rank criterion). Survival medians in groups with low (< 50% cells) and high (> 50% cells) expression of CD38+ cells in the group of intermediate BCCLL risk comprise 55 and 106 months (p = 0.005). The type of bone marrow infiltration and time of doubling of lymphocyte count overlap: > 70% patients with a diffuse type of bone marrow infiltration have the time of doubling under 12 months and vice versa while expression of CD38 do not overlap with these values. Combination of two signs (type of bone marrow infiltration and CD38 expression or time og lymphocyte count doubling and CD38 expression) allows more precise identification of prognostically unfavourable groups. Medians of survival for combination of the first two signs (two positive against two negative) comprise 51 months vs 169 months (p < 0.0001), for combination of the latter two signs 55 months vs 106 months was not reached (p < 0.001). Although most patients with a tumor form of BCCLL are referred to stage II, the prognosis in this form is much worse than in stage II, survival medians are 44 and 69 months, respectively (p < 0.05). A mutation status of the genes of a variable region of immunoglobulins enable identification of the group of patients with a relatively benign course of BCCLL (survival medians 61 and 289 months, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: In patients under 35 years of age BCCLL runs unfavourably and seems to require intensive polychemotherapy. Usage of a combination of the signs (CD38, time of doubling of lymphocyte count and type of bone marrow infiltration) is a simple and reliable method of identification of prognostically different categories of patients in the group of an intermediate BCCLL risk. Prognosis in patients with a tumor form of BCCLL is unfavourable: medians of survival in patients with a tumor form and stage III-IV are comparable. Mutational status of the genes of immunoglobulin variable region may serve a marker of a long-term prognosis.     

The life style and indices of the blood lipid composition of elderly subjects

A study was made of the content of total cholesterol (TCh), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides (TG) in 109 persons aged 75-89 years of both sexes depending on tobacco smoking (14 persons), prolonged alcohol abuse (15 persons), and on hypodynamia (30 persons). A positive correlation was obtained between the content of TCh in blood serum and hypodynamia, between the content of TG, alcohol abuse, tobacco smoking and hypodynamia. Meanwhile a negative correlation was established between the content of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and hypodynamia and tobacco smoking.     

The Role of DNA Methylation and Activity of Neurotransmitter Receptors in the Mechanisms of Specific Anterograde Amnesia and Memory Recovery

Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine - Impairment of reconsolidation of conditioned food aversion memory led to the development of a specific anterograde amnesia: repeated training of...     

Comparative Analysis of the Pharmacological Activity of Bis(3,5-di-Tert-Butyl-4-Hydroxyphenylthiolate)Dimethylol in Different Modes of Administration on a Mouse Model of Melanoma B16 Tumor Growth

Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine - We performed a comparative analysis of the pharmacological activity of the hybrid organotin compound...     

The effects of alpha and beta blockade on ventilatory responses to exercise in chronic heart failure

Objective: To assess the influence of acute α and β blockade on ventilation and symptoms of breathlessness during exercise in patients with chronic heart failure and in controls.     

Association of the CYBA, PPARGC1A, PPARG3, and PPARD gene variants with coronary artery disease and metabolic risk factors of coronary atherosclerosis in a Russian population

Abnormalities in lipid metabolism and enhanced oxidative stress are considered as major risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis. Functional genetic variations in genes whose products are involved in lipid metabolism and antioxidant defense could therefore modulate risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study, we evaluate whether the PPARGC1A Gly482Ser, PPARG3 (−681)C/G, PPARD +294T/C, and CYBA +242C/T gene variants confer the risk of CAD in a Russian population. A total of 313 CAD patients and 132 controls with no clinical sign of CAD were studied. The polymorphic markers were tested using a TaqMan assay. Allele and genotype frequencies in CAD patients and controls were compared using the Yates χ² test. Association of the genetic markers with metabolic risk factors of arterial atherosclerosis was studied using the analysis of variance test and then adjusted for conventional risk factors in the multiple regression analysis. For CYBA +242C/T, both the allele T and genotype T/T showed significant association with higher risk of CAD (odds ratio =1.49 and 3.89, respectively). The allele C and genotype C/C of the +294T/C marker of PPARD were associated with increased risk of CAD providing an odds ratio of 2.12 and 2.78, respectively. The risk variants of CYBA +242C/T and PPARD +294T/C markers were associated with higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increased total serum cholesterol, respectively. In conclusion, the CYBA +242C/T and PPARD +294T/C variants modulate risk of CAD through their associations with atherogenic serum lipid profiles.     

Sympathetic activity, assessed by power spectral analysis of heart rate variability, in white-coat, masked and sustained hypertension versus true normotension

OBJECTIVE: To assess, in a population-based approach, sympathetic nervous system activity by the use of power spectral analysis of heart rate variability, in normotension, white-coat hypertension, masked hypertension and sustained hypertension. METHODS: The electrocardiographic RR interval was registered in the supine and standing positions and the low-frequency and high-frequency components of its variability were quantified. Cut-off values of 140/90 mmHg for conventional blood pressure and 135/85 mmHg for daytime ambulatory blood pressure were used to define the four blood pressure groups. RESULTS: After exclusion of patients with diabetes, myocardial infarction or treated hypertension, 1485 subjects with complete data remained for the analysis in the supine position. Age averaged 39 +/- 14 years; 54% were women. Conventional and ambulatory blood pressure averaged, respectively, 122 +/- 16/79 +/- 11 mmHg and 124 +/- 12/77 +/- 8 mmHg. After adjusting for demographic, anthropometric and lifestyle characteristics, the low-frequency to high-frequency ratio (geometric mean) averaged 0.81 in normotension and was significantly higher in white-coat hypertension (1.11; P < 0.001), based on a higher low-frequency component and a lower high-frequency component (P < 0.01). This ratio was not significantly different between normotension, masked hypertension (0.97) and sustained hypertension (0.93). The adjusted standing-to-supine ratio of the high-frequency component (geometric mean) was significantly higher in sustained hypertension (0.50) than in normotension (0.39; P < 0.01), but not in white-coat (0.40) and masked hypertension (0.45). CONCLUSION: The findings at rest are compatible with increased sympathetic activity and decreased parasympathetic modulation in white-coat hypertension, with normal autonomic cardiac regulation in masked and sustained hypertension. In addition, sustained hypertension is characterized by a blunted decrease of the high-frequency component on standing.     

Study of photodynamic treatment for P-388 lympho-leukemia in mice

Data are presented on the results of photodynamic treatment (PDT) of mice DBA2 with transplantable lympho-leukemia P-388. Different regimens of photosensitizer Dimegin and emission were used. Both intravenous PDT and in combination with local PDT should be recommended.