Recurrence of left atrium-pulmonary vein conduction following successful disconnection in asymptomatic patients.

BACKGROUND: The clinical significance of conduction recurrences in isolated pulmonary veins of patients with atrial fibrillation is not established. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with paoxysmal atrial fibrillation underwent successful pulmonary vein isolation. Six months after the procedure, 14 patients were free of atrial fibrillation. Two of these patients were subjected to repeat mapping of the left superior pulmonary vein. RESULTS: There was recurrence of pulmonary vein to left atrium conduction despite complete lack of symptoms or evidence of recurrent atrial fibrillation. CONCLUSION: Successful pulmonary vein isolation with abolition of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation does not confer permanent disconnection of the pulmonary vein musculature from the left atrium.     

Epicardial radiofrequency ablation for chronic atrial fibrillation undergoing simultaneous on-pump beating coronary artery bypass grafting

Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting has become an attractive surgical alternative for myocar-dial revascularization because of the advantage of myocardial protection and other benefits of patients. However, it is still regarded as a controversial treatment for the coronary artery disease accompanied by atrial fibrillation (AF). A significant number of patients in need of coronary revascularization have chronic AF. Although the Cox-Maze III procedure is the gold standard for the surgical treatment of AF, few of these patients undergo AF operations at the time of their coronary bypass grafting. We report herein a case of the pulmonary vein isolation to eliminate the AF by means of epicardial radiofrequency ablation combined with 2 vessels coronary artery bypass grafting on the beating heart with the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass.     

Impaired postural control in patients affected by tension-type headache

Sixteen subjects, affected by chronic tension-type headache (TTH) accordingly to the International Headache Society Classification (1988) criteria, in presence of tenderness in pericranial muscles,with a mean age of 37+/-11.8 years, and ten healthy volunteer subjects, age and sex matched, were submitted to postural analysis by Static Posturography (S.Ve.P. Amplaid). Aim of the study was to evaluate whether patients with TTH have disturbed postural control, as compared to normal subjects. Postural analysis considered all posturographic variables but focused on spectral frequency analysis of body sway. In both open (OE) and closed eyes (CE) condition, spectral frequency analysis showed a significantly increased body sway at low (OE= p < or = 0.01; CE= p < or = 0.01) and middle (OE= p < or = 0.01; CE= p < or = 0.01) frequencies on the antero-posterior (y) plane and at low frequencies (OE= p < or = 0.05; CE= p < or = 0.05) on the lateral (x) plane. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t test for unpaired data, p value 0.05 defined significant. The proprioceptive input seems to be predominant at middle and high frequencies in maintaining posture, our results seem then to suggest a proprioceptive disturbance in TTH patients. The disturbance is likely related to chronic pericranial muscle contraction and tenderness. Posturography and spectral analysis may help not only in the diagnosis of a postural disturbance but even more in the follow-up of TTH patients, during and after a medical and/or a rehabilitative treatment.     

曲美他嗪联合阿托伐他汀治疗原发性高血压伴阵发性心房颤动的疗效观察

Objective To study the efficacy of trimctazidine combined with atorvastatin for primary hypertension with paroxysmal auricular fibrillation,and its effects on LAD and CRP. Methods 160 patients of pri-mary hypertension with paroxysmal auricular fibrillation were randomly divided into 4 groups. Forty patients were treated with amiodarone (control group),600 mg/d for the first week,400 mg/d for the second week and 200 mg/d later;40 patients were treated with atorvastatin (20 mg/d,3 times per day) in addition to amiodarone (the atorvasat-in group);40 patients were treated with trimetazidine (20 mg/d,3 times per day) in addition to armiodarone (the trimetazidine group);40 patients were treated with combination of trimetazidine and atorvastatin in addition to amiod-atone (the combination group),and the dose was the same as the above groups. The treatment was started within 24 hours of recovering from paroxysmal auricular fibrillation and lasted for 1 year. Results After 1 year there was 1 pa-the control group,and 62.5% (25/40) for the atorvasatin group,64.1% (25/39) for the trimetazidine group,and 84.6% (33/39) for the combination group. Compared to the control group,the effective rate of the 3 treatment groups were all significantly higher (X2=4.56、5.13、17.55,P<0.05). The effective rate of the combination group was significantly higher than that of the atorvasatin group and the trimetazidine group (X2=4.95、4.30,P<0.05),and there was no significant difference of effective rate between the atorvasatin group and the trimetazidine group(X2= >0.05). After treatment LAD was (40.96+1.81) mm in the control group,(38.65±1.90) mm in the atorvasatin group,(39.15±1.85)mm in the trimetazidine group,and (37.22±1.74) mm in the combination group. LAD of the 3 treatment groups were all significantly different from the control group(F=3.42,P<0.05). LAD of the combina-tion group was significantly smaller than that of the atorvasatin group and the trimetazidine group (P<0.05),and there was no significant difference of the LAD between the atorvasatin group and the trimetazidine group(P>0.05). There was no significant difference between the 4 groups on CRP before treatment (F=0.96,P>0.05). After treat-ment CRP was (8.85±1.45) mg/L in the control group,(5.96±1.26) mg/L in the atorvasatin group,(6.81± 1.37) mg/L in the trimetazidine group,and (3.75±1.15) mg/L in the combination group. CRP of the 3 treatment groups were all significantly different from the control group (F=3.63,P<0.05). CRP of the combination group was significantly lower than that of the atorvasatin group and the trimetazidine group (P<0.05),and there was no signif-icant difference of CRP between the atorvasatin group and the trimetazidine group (P>0.05). Conclusion The treatment with trmetazidine combined with atorvastatin could prevent recurrence of paroxysmal auricular fibrillation though anti-inflammatory and inhibiting the remodeling of left atrial.     

西部区域经济跨越式发展的动力建构和路径选择

跨越式发展是经济发展相对落后地区在借鉴和吸收先进国家和地区成功经验和优秀成果的基础上 ,通过技术和生产力的跨越、管理和制度的创新、产业结构的优化升级、经济运行质量的提升、速度和效益的并进 ,不平衡推进和超常规增长 ,最终实现经济整体跃升的一种新的发展模式。在国家宏观政策和市场机制的双重作用下 ,充分利用各种有利条件 ,努力实现区域经济跨越式发展已成为西部地区的必然选择。积极推进区域制度创新、技术创新和文化创新 ,构建西部区域经济跨越式发展的动力系统 ,既是西部区域经济跨越式发展的必由之路 ,也是西部地区当前面临的主要任务。在路径选择上必须把发挥比较优势和发挥后发优势有机结合起来 ,使二者相得益彰 ,从而走出一条具有西部特色的跨越式发展之路。     

极低出生体重儿两种喂养效果观察

目的:探讨极低出生体重儿(VLBW)的早期微量持续鼻饲喂养(CNG)与间断鼻饲喂养(ING)的喂养耐受性及喂养效果.方法:将60例VLBW进行随机分组,CNG组起始奶量1-2ml/h,以后泵速增加1-2ml/h.ING组奶量以1-2ml/kg开始, 以后每天增加1-2ml/kg/次.所有VLBW均同时进行部分静脉营养,直至达到完全胃肠道喂养时间(FEF).对比两组喂养不耐受性、达到FEF、停止静脉补液时间及黄疸持续时间.结果:CNG组较ING组患儿发生腹胀、呕吐者明显减少(P＜0.05),黄疸持续时间、吸吮动作出现时间及住院时间较对照组明显缩短(P＜0.05),但两组体重增长情况统计学无差异(P＞0.05).结论:CNG更适合VLBW的早期微量喂养.     

吸食海洛因患者血浆中心钠素的变化

本文研究了57例吸食海洛因患者血浆ANF浓度变化,并与健康对照组进行比较结果显示海洛因成瘾组显著高于对照组(P<0.01),作者认为测定血浆ANF水平可以作为海洛因对心肌损害的一种判断指标。     

Effects of exercise on muscle activation and metabolism in multiple sclerosis

We investigated the role of metabolism in muscle fatigue during voluntary exercise in persons with mild multiple sclerosis (MS). Six MS and 8 healthy control subjects performed intermittent, progressive, isometric contractions of the ankle dorsiflexors, during which we measured maximum voluntary force (MVC), inorganic phosphate (Pi), phosphocreatine (PCr), and pH. During exercise. MVC fell sooner in MS, but by the end of exercise the relative decrease in MVC was similar in both groups. In contrast, at the end of exercise Pi/PCr increased to 1.86 ± 0.22 in controls but to only 0.66 ± 0.04 in MS (P < 0.01); likewise, pH was 6.75±0.04 in controls and unchanged (7.06 ± 0.04) in MS (P <0.01). The smaller metabolic change at the same relative exercise intensity suggests a failure of muscle activation that is present even in mild MS. Neurophsyiologic measures of activation indicated some central activation failure and no neuromuscular junction impairment in MS, and suggested that activation failure beyond the muscle membrane(excitation–contraction coupling) may be important in MS. We conclude that metabolic factors do not play a significant role in the development of muscle fatigue during voluntary exercise in mild MS. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Right atrial myxoma mistaken for recurrent pulmonary thromboembolism

A 69 year old man was admitted for investigation of right sided pleuritic chest pain and dyspnoea, both of which began suddenly four days before admission. Acute pulmonary embolism was diagnosed. Six months after discharge while on warfarin he died. Necropsy found a 50 mm diameter myxoid tumour arising on the right atrial side of the interatrial septum. This lesion may have been discovered earlier by echocardiography although there were no clear indications for this investigation. Presentation was that of recurrent pulmonary embolism with no obvious source or cause of thrombosis. Patients who are thought to have idiopathic pulmonary embolism should undergo early echocardiography to exclude the rare but treatable diseases of the right heart that may be responsible

Keywords: atrial myxoma     

Ballon atrial septostomy under transesophageal echocardiographic guidance

Summary Balloon atrial septostomy is an established method of palliation for several forms of congenital heart disease. Previously performed under fluoroscopic x-ray control, recent reports have demonstrated the utility of transthoracic echocardiographic monitoring. We report the first application of uniplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) (6.7-mm probe) as an alternative imaging modality for control of ballon atrial septostomy on neonates in the intensive care unit.