Antepartum fetal heart rate monitoring: III. Fetal movements and accelerations in fetal heart rate

This third part of the paper deals with the study of the relationships between fetal movements, fetal heart rate accelerations associated with such movements, fetal heart rate instability and neonatal outcome.No correlation has been found between absence of fetal movements and neonatal distress.A correlation has been found between the lack of fetal heart rate accelerations, the flatness of the record and poor neonatal outcome.In extreme situations (i.e. flatness in less than 10% of the record or in more than 80%) the presence or absence of accelerations does not add further useful information. Such information, however, is gained in the intermediary situations (the ‘combined’ recordings) and particularly when the record is between 51 and 80% flat where there appears to be an 85.6% risk to the fetus.Consequently, when trying to analyse an antenatal record it seems advisable to take primarily into account the percentage of flat recordings (providing the records are numerous enough and of sufficient length). Then, in records between 10 and 50% flat, the presence or the lack of spontaneous decelerations requires consideration whereas, when the record is between 51 and 80% flat, it is the presence or absence of fetal heart rate accelerations which is important.     

Frequency and Output-Dependent Change in Conduction Over Slow Pathways in a Patient with Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia Unrelated to Coronary Artery Disease

In a patient with sustained ventricular tachycardia, we obtained two different paced QRS morphologies from a single pacing site. In one QRS morphology the stimulus to the QRS complex was long, 150 msec, and in the other it was 100 msec. At the paced cycle length of 600 msec and the stimulus output of 4 V, one QRS morphology with the stimulus to the onset of QRS activation (St-QRS) interval of 150 msec was observed. At the paced cycle length of 400 msec, the other QRS morphology with a St-QRS interval of 100 msec was observed alternatively with the former. At the paced cycle length of 353 msec or 316 msec, the latter with a shorter St-QRS interval was exclusively observed. When the stimulus output was increased from 4 to 10 V, keeping with the paced cycle length at 400 msec, the St-QRS interval was shortened from 100 to 80 msec. For the two QRS morphologies with two St-QRS intervals, two slowly conducting pathways would be responsible. The site of the block in the faster pathway must be located at the proximity of the pacing site and the conduction at a shorter paced cycle length would be explained by "supernormal conduction."     

Long QT syndrome with a high mortality rate caused by a novel G572R missense mutation in KCNH2

In a four-generation family with long QT syndrome, syncopes and torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia (TdP) were elicited by abrupt awakening in the early morning hours. The syndrome was associated with a novel KCNH2 missense mutation, G572R, causing the substitution of a glycine residue at position 572, at the end of the S5 transmembrane segment of the HERG K(+)-channel, with an arginine residue. This segment is involved in the channel pore and the mutation may cause a reduction in the rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ current (Ikr), or changed gating properties of the ion channel, leading to prolonged cardiac repolarization. The electrocardiograms of affected persons showed prolonged QT interval and notched T waves. Despite treatment with atenolol, 200 mg twice daily, the proband still experienced TdP episodes. Three untreated relatives of the proband died suddenly, and unexpectedly, at 18, 32, and 57 years of age. The G572R mutation is thus associated with a high mortality rate, and the clinical presentation illustrates that some mutations may not be controllable by just beta-blockade.     

The effect of propranolol on exercise induced tachycardia is determined by plasma concentration and the density of adrenergic receptors on leukocytes

Summary The chronotropic response to a single oral dose of propranolol in 23 healthy subjects has been related to the plasma propranolol concentration and the density of -adrenoceptors on peripheral polymorphonuclear leucocytes. The percentage reduction in exercise-induced tachycardia was significantly correlated with the log plasma propranolol concentration within subjects but not between subjects. Taking the concentration of the active metabolite 4-hydroxypropranolol into account did not improve the interindividual correlation. The reduction in exercise-induced tachycardia was significantly correlated with the maximum binding density of (¹²⁵I)-hydroxybenzylpindolol on polymorphonuclear leucocyte membrane fragments measured before medication. A response index (% reduction in exercise-induced tachycardia/plasma propranolol concentration) was correlated with the maximum binding density of (¹²⁵I)-hydroxybenzylpindolol (predrug) at 2 h (r_s=0.72), 4 h (r_s=0.84) and 6 h (r_s=0.73) after dosing. The data suggest that interindividual variation in the response to propranolol after a single oral dose is determined by interindividual differences both in plasma propranolol and adrenoceptor density.     

急性心肌梗塞Q－T离散度分析－－附68例临床报告

目的：探讨急性心肌梗塞（AMI）患首次心电图Q－T离散度（Q－Td)及Q－Tc离散度（Q－Tcd）与严重室性心律失常发生的关系,对预后进行评估。方法：对68例AMI患首次心电图Q－Td及Q－Tcd进行测定。结果：18例AMI并室速室颤组患Q－Td,Q－Tcd显高于50例非室速室颤组患;结论：AMI患Q－Td及Q－Tcd值增大,室速室颤发生率增加,两呈正相关关系,易发生心源性猝死。故Q－Td及Q－Tcd可作为AMI病情危重预后差的标志,对判断预后有重要临床意义。     

Use of ivabradine for treatment of junctional ectopic tachycardia in post congenital heart surgery

Cardiac surgeries especially involving crux of the heart as performed in tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and pulmonary stenosis are mainly responsible for junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET). Diversified antiarrhythmic agents have been used in an impressive way to treat JET but showed suboptimal efficacy and varied associated adverse effects. But, ivabradine has proved as final crusader for its treatment. We report our initial experience of 4 cases in last 6 months with ivabradine in the management of postoperative JET. Encouraged by various reports and our increasing experience with ivabradine in heart failure population, we have moved to ivabradine as the first drug of choice for postoperative JET. Bradycardia was the only significant adverse effect in our series. The availability of atrial and ventricular pacing wires or at least transvenous temporary pacing should be ensured before starting ivabradine.     

Efficacy and Mechanism of Intravenous Sotalol for Termination of Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia

ＳＶＴ ,ｉｎｃｌｕｄｉｎｇＡＶＲＴａｎｄＡＶＮＲＴ ,ｉｓａｋｉｎｄｏｆａｒｒｈｙｔｈｍｉａｏｆｔｅｎｓｅｅｎｉｎｃｌｉｎｉｃａｌｐｒａｃ ｔｉｃｅ .Ｓｏｔａｌｏｌ,ａｃｌａｓｓⅢａｎｔｉ ａｒｒｈｙｔｈｍｉｃｄｒｕｇｗｉｔｈａｄｄｉｔｉｏｎａｌβ ｂｌｏｃｋｉｎｇａｇｅｎｔｐｒｏｐｅｒｔｉｅｓ ,ｈａｓｂｅｅｎｗｉｄｅｌｙｕｓｅｄｔｏｔｒｅａｔｖａｒｉｏｕｓａｒｒｈｙｔｈｍｉａ(ｓｕｐｒａ ｖｅｎｔｒｉｃｕｌａｒａｎｄｖｅｎｔｒｉｃｕｌａｒ)ｅｆｆｉｃｉｅｎｔｌｙｉｎｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｃｏｕｎｔｒｉｅｓ[1 9]…     

Radiofrequency ablation in children

Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation has ushered in a new era in the management of patients with symptomatic tachyarrhythmias. By providing the ability to cure the underlying arrhythmic substrate, RF catheter ablation obviates the need for life-long antiarrhythmic drugs. In the reported series, the success has been high and the complications have been infrequent and relatively minor. Not unexpectedly, RF catheter ablation has become the treatment of choice for patients with symptomatic paroxysmal tachyarrhythmias. The role of radiofrequency catheter ablation in infants and small children remains controversial, and awaits a larger experience and longer follow-up data.     

胎儿房室结微血管构筑的扫描电镜观察

用血管铸型结合扫描电镜方法观察了7例胎儿房室结微血管构筑.微动脉反复分支呈树状,行走方式呈波浪形或螺旋形.毛细血管网可分为内外两层:外层纵行为主,以"H"或"Y"形吻合;内层弯曲行走为主,并互相交错吻合.以房室结动脉主干为界,其下方毛细血管密度较大,其上方及前方较小.房室结的上方、前下方和后下方均有微动脉连接毛细血管网.整个结的毛细血管大致可分为结后部上方、下方及前部三个区域.靠毛细血管网外层处可见管径较粗、呈袋状的微静脉.     

Fascicular tachycardia sensitive to calcium antagonists

Five patients with recurrent tachycardias exhibiting right bundlebranch block with left axis deviation were referred for investigation.In each case, a supraventricular mechanism was suspected. Duringsinus rhythm, the QRS morphology and axis (–10 to +60degrees) and HV intervals were normal. Tachycardia was initiatedby timed ventricular premature stimuli in 4 patients, rapidventricular pacing in 3 patients and rapid atrial pacing in2 patients. The tachycardia cycle length varied from 275 to380 ms with right bundle branch block and a leftward axis changeof 30 to 125 degrees at the onset of the tachycardia. The HVinterval ranged from +15 to –20 ms. In each patient ventriculoatrialdissociation occurred spontaneously or could be induced. Alltachycardias could be terminated or greatly slowed by calciumantagonists. These data are consistent with an unusual reentrantmechanism of tachycardia located in the posterior fascicle ofthe left bundle branch.