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     

心衰患儿红细胞内外钙离子浓度的变化及临床意义 心衰患儿红细胞内外钙离子浓度的变化及临床意义

目的：为了深讨心肌细胞内钙离子浓度的变化与心力衰竭发生的关系。方法：原子吸收分光技术测定红细胞内外Ca2+含量。我们对住院的56例心力衰竭患儿进行了红细胞内及血浆钙离子浓度的测定，并与30例正常小儿对照。结果：心衰患儿红细胞内Ca2+浓度明显升高，血浆Ca2+浓度降低，与对照组相比有非常显著性差异（P＜0．001）。其升高程度与心衰呈正相关（r=0．63，P＜0．01），即心衰越重，心功能越差，红细胞内Ca2+浓度升高亦越明显。而当心衰纠正，心功能恢复后，红细胞内Ca2+浓度则明显下降，血浆Ca2+浓度也恢复正常。而不同病因所致的心衰，其间红细胞内Ca2+浓度升高程度无明显差异。结论：提示钙离子参与了心力衰竭的发生与发展。     

西雅图心绞痛调查量表对冠心病患者机体功能及生活质量的评估研究

目的对冠心病患者机体功能状态及生活质量进行评估。方法采用Ｓｐｅｔｕｓ等设计的ＳｅａｔｔｌｅＡｎｇｉｎａＱｕｅｓｔｉｏｎｎａｉｒｅ问卷对１００例冠心病患者躯体活动受限程度、心绞痛稳定状态及发作情况、治疗满意程度和疾病认识程度进行测评研究。结果重复测定显示该量表有良好的重复性，心理疗法配合药物治疗组的评分明显优于单纯药物治疗组（Ｐ＜０．０５）。结论该量表用于我国冠心病患者有较满意的信度，同时也证实了心理疗法在冠心病治疗中的重要地位。     

Subclinical pulmonary oedema and intermittent haemodialysis

It has been postulated that patients with chronic renal failure,even in the absence of cardiopulmonary symptoms, accumulateinterstitial pulmonary fluid, which is removed by haemodialysis.To test this hypothesis we used the indocyanine green (ICG)-heavywater double indicator dilution method to measure lung water,cardiac output, and central blood volume in relation to haemodialysis.Ten uraemic patients, without cardiopulmonary symptoms, wereinvestigated at the beginning and end, and 2 h after, a regulardialysis session. A group of 18 surgical patients about to undergoelective abdominal surgery served as controls. Despite normalgas exchange, central blood volume, and cardiac output at thestart of dialysis the mean (SD) lung water was significantlyhigher than in the control group [4.8 (0.9) compared with 3.6(0.7) ml/kg, P<0.001]. There was no correlation between weightgain between sessions of dialysis and the magnitude of lungwater at the start of dialysis. Lung water decreased (P <0.001)to the level of the control group in response to dialysis. Therewas no correlation between weight loss and reduction in lungwater induced by dialysis. In conclusion, we have verified thepresence of subclinical pulmonary oedema which was removed bydialysis in a group of patients with established renal failure.The variations in lung water cannot be explained by hydrostaticmechanisms alone.     

Life satisfaction in patients with chest pain subsequently diagnosed as coronary heart disease – connection through depressive symptoms?

The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with life dissatisfaction in symptomatic patients (n = 144) with chest pain subsequently diagnosed as coronary heart disease (CHD) by coronary angiography. Life dissatisfaction was assessed with a four-item life satisfaction scale (LS), depression with the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and other psychiatric symptoms with the symptom check list (SCL). DSM-III-R Axis I and Axis II psychiatric diagnoses were performed by means of the Structured Clinical Interview. All assessments took place one day before angiography. Twenty-four per cent of CHD patients were dissatisfied with their lives. Life dissatisfaction was associated with being unmarried. Dissatisfied patients had Axis I mental disorders and Axis II personality disorders more frequently than others. Psychiatric and depressive symptoms according to the SCL and BDI, respectively, were also higher among dissatisfied patients. In multiple logistic regression analyses, mental disorders were related to life dissatisfaction when age, sex, employment status, New York Heart Association class, duration of chest pain symptoms and work load were controlled in the model. Married subjects had a lower probability of being dissatisfied with their lives than other subjects (Odds Ratio, OR: 0.23). When BDI scores were included in the model, the only factor independently associated with life dissatisfaction was the severity of depressive symptoms (OR: 1.81). To conclude, life dissatisfaction is not primarily determined by the severity of CHD but by the existence of depressive symptoms.     

Nutritional aspects of Acute Renal Failure

The patient with acute renal failure is a very ill patient suffering from high urea levels causing poor appetite, nausea and vomiting. These patients are usually treated with a low sodium, low protein and, if the potassium in the blood is high, with a low potassium diet (1). This paper discusses whether or not this is the correct treatment. The symptoms of high urea levels in the blood together with increased needs for energy and protein makes it very hard to prevent the patient becoming malnourished. Often energy‐enriched drinks are necessary to achieve recommendations and it is prudent to let the patient eat and drink what they desire. By calculating the energy and protein needs and comparing these with the intake and the state of illness and by following the patient's body weight over time we can obtain information about the state of nourishment. When we alter the food that's offered we achieve better intake and reduce the risk of malnourishment.     

Effect of external high-frequency oscillation on severe cardiogenic pulmonary edema

Effective gas exchange can be maintained in animals without endotracheal intubation using external high-frequency oscillation (EHFO). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of EHFO in patients with respiratory failure due to severe cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Seven patients were ventilated with EHFO for 2h at 60 oscillations·min⁻¹, with a cuiras pressure of 36 cmH₂O (−26 to +10) and an inspiratory to expiratory ratio of 1:1, with EHFO. Blood gas values and hemodynamic parameters were measured. Significant increases were noted in cardiac index (2.3±0.5 to 2.5±0.5 l·m⁻²;P<0.05), stroke volume index (24±7 to 28±8 ml·m⁻²;P<0.05), and arterial O₂ pressure (Pao₂) (70±4 to 95±23 mmHg;P<0.01) without a change in pulmonary artery wedge pressure at 1 h after EHFO. The respiratory rate decreased from 28±3 to 22 ±3 breaths·min⁻¹ at 5 min after the termination of EHFO (P <0.01). Arterial CO₂ pressure (Paco₂) did not, however, decrease. Increased stroke volume without a change in pulmonary artery wedge pressure (preload) suggests either improved inotropic function of the left ventricle or reduced left ventricular afterload with EHFO. The use of EHFO may be effective not only for gas exchange but also for left ventricular function in patients with severe cardiogenic pulmonary edema.     

感染性心内膜炎手术时机的初步探讨

本文报道了15例感染性心内膜炎（IE）的外科治疗结果。左心IE9例，其中3例合并风湿性心脏病。右心IE6例，均合并先天性室间隔缺损（VSD）。活动性IE13例，静止期IE2例。右心IE的手术方法是修补VSD，剥除三尖瓣上的赘生物并涂以0.5％活力碘，环缩三尖瓣环。左心IE的处理方法为瓣膜置换。手术死亡2例。本文着重对手术时机进行了讨论。     

Experience with the Berlin Heart Assist Device

Abstract: Different mechanical circulatory support systems (MCSS) have been in clinical use since 1987 to keep patients alive by assisting the heart during cardiac recovery after open heart surgery, myocardial infarction, acute graft failure after heart transplantation, or as a bridge to transplantation in heart transplant candidates. Four different hospitals in Germany used the Berlin Heart Assist Device. Up until 1993, there were 22 patients in the "recovery" group; 4 patients were weaned from the system, and only 1 patient was discharged from the hospital. In 112 patients the Berlin Heart Assist Device was implanted for the purpose of a bridge to transplantation, 68 were transplanted and 46 patients left the hospital. It was concluded that patients may be kept alive with this system for weeks and months after any kind of cardiogenic shock. Complete cardiac recovery may be achieved in patients with early posttransplant graft failure. Reliable prediction of outcome in bridge–to–transplantation patients requires further experience and improvement of system components.