Donor left ventricular hypertrophy increases risk for early graft failure

A review of factors contributing to early mortality after cardiac transplantation revealed that up to 25 % of deaths were due to primary graft dysfunction unrelated to rejection or infection. In light of this finding, evaluation of a donor heart with regard to its suitability for transplantation takes on added importance. In an effort to screen the suitability of donor hearts in the region covered by the Northwest Organ Procurement Agency (USA), all donors are evaluated by two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography as part of the initial evaluation. A total of 110 donor echocardiograms were reviewed and an attempt was made to correlate the 30-day outcome with the parameters measured. An unexpected finding was that the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy in the donor heart was associated with an increase in the incidence of donor heart dysfunction compared with donors with normal echocardiographic profiles (33 % vs 3 %, P = 0.007). Received: 12 February 1996 Received after resision: 27 June 1997 Accepted: 14 July 1997     

THE EFFECT OF HYPERTENSIVE EPISODES AND CARDIAC HYPERTROPHY ON THE CANINE CARDIAC BAROREFLEX

1. Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy has been implicated in the reduction of baroreflex sensitivity present in hypertension. The aim of the current study was to investigate the mean arterial pressure-heart rate reflex (MAP-HR) in a model which induced left ventricular hypertrophy but no sustained blood pressure elevation. 2. Five mongrel dogs were exposed to transient blood pressure elevation of between 20 and 30 mmHg, through hindlimb compression using a pneumatic pressure suit, for 7 h per day, 6 days per week for 6 weeks. Resting blood pressure was not altered by the 6 week hindlimb compression intervention. 3. Echocardiographically determined LV mass (mean ± s.e.m.) was 116.0 ± 7.4 g prior to hindlimb compression (baseline) and elevated to 125.4 ± 8.1 g (P= 0.003) after 6 weeks of compression. A reduction in the early (E) to late (A) transmitral diastolic flow ratio (E/A) from 1.80 ± 0.06 at baseline to 1.54 ± 0.09 (P = 0.037) after the 6 week intervention suggested that cardiac compliance was reduced. 4. The maximum gain of the MAP-HR reflex, studied using the ‘steady-state’ drug technique, when blood pressure was normal, showed a trend for reduction from 3.85 ± 0.43 beats/min per mmHg at baseline to 3.10 ± 0.45 beats/min per mmHg (P= 0.067) after 6 weeks of compression. This gain reduction became significant after β-adrenoceptor blockade with propranolol (3.13 ± 0.55 vs 2.32 ± 0.25 beats/min per mmHg; P= 0.039). Covariant analysis showed a significant inverse correlation between LV mass and maximum gain (r= 0.96; P<0.001) during the 6 week compression period. 5. The MAP-HR reflex changes in this model mimic those present in hypertension and implicate cardiac hypertrophy as one possible mediator.     

Retinopathy of prematurity in infants less than 29 weeks' gestation at birth

From January 1986 to December 1991 we examined the eyes of 206 infants born at Westmead Hospital, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit who were less than 29 weeks' gestation at birth to determine the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity. Eighty-five infants (41.3%) had no retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in either eye, 82 infants had stages 1 or 2 ROP (39.8%), 29 had stage 3 ROP (14.1%) and 11 had stage 4 ROP (5.3%). Of these, cryotherapy was performed in 18; six now have bilateral retinal detachment and are blind The more severe stages of ROP were significantly associated with an increase in the number of days of oxygen supplementation, an increase in the number of days of mechanical ventilation and the presence of patent ductus arteriosus. Infants receiving steroids for mechanical ventilator dependence had a significantly greater chance of requiring cryotherapy (11 or 22 receiving steroids versus seven of 43 without steroids; P < 0.01).     

高血压大鼠心肌中MMP-2的蛋白表达及其RAS阻断后的变化

[目的]探讨高血压大鼠左室心肌中基质金属蛋白酶-2(MMP-2)蛋白表达的变化以及血管紧张素转化酶抑制剂(ACEI)、血管紧张素Ⅱ1型受体拮抗剂(AT1-ant)单独与联合治疗对高血压大鼠心肌中MMP-2蛋白表达的影响。[方法]40只雄性8周龄的易卒中自发性高血压大鼠(SHRSP)随机分成5组:SHRSP对照组、安慰剂组、缬沙坦组、苯那普利组及缬沙坦与苯那普利联用组。另外,取8只雄性8周龄的京都Wistar大鼠(WKY)作为对照。利用免疫组织化学的方法检测WKY以及SHRSP左室心肌中MMP-2蛋白的表达。[结果]SHRSP的收缩压(SBP)、左室质量指数(LVMI)、胶原容积分数(CVF)、血管周围胶原面积(PVCA)、左室心肌MMP-2蛋白表达较同龄的WKY显著增高。给予苯那普利、缬沙坦单独或联合治疗后SHRSP的LVMI、CVF、PVCA、左室心肌 MMP-2蛋白表达都显著降低。苯那普利、缬沙坦单独应用时的效果没有差异,而联合应用的效果更显著。[结论]SHRSP左室心肌中MMP-2蛋白表达增高,肾素血管紧张素系统(RAS)阻断后MMP-2蛋白表达显著减少;苯那普利、缬沙坦逆转高血压心室重塑的作用可能部分通过下调MMP-2蛋白表达而实现;苯那普利和缬沙坦都能降低SHRSP的血压以及逆转其左室重塑,而联合用药的作用更显著。     

重组促红细胞生成素对腹膜透析患者心功能的影响

目的　了解基因重组人促红细胞生成素 (r HuEPO)对持续性非卧床腹膜透析 (CAPD)患者心室结构及功能的影响。方法　 32例CAPD伴高血压患者 ,其中 1 6例应用降压药物控制血压 ,同时应用r HuEPO纠正贫血 ,1 6例单用降压药物 ,随访 6个月。结果　两组治疗前后差值比较 ,治疗组的LVPWT、E/A与对照组比较有显著差异(P <0 .0 5 )。结论　长期纠正贫血和控制血压有利于透析患者左室结构及功能异常的逆转     

Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator/Permanent Pacemaker Interaction: Loss of Pacemaker Capture Following AICD Discharge

A 78-year-old man treated with amiodarone for recurrent ventricular tachycardia, had sequential placement of a bipolar VVI pacemaker and an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD). During defibrillation threshold testing, there was failure to capture of the pacer in the post-shock period. The time of failure to capture appeared energy-related: the greater the energy delivered, the longer the failure to capture. Careful attention will be necessary in constructing combined AICD/pacemaker units.     

原发性高血压患者微量白蛋白尿与血压及左室重塑的关系

目的探讨原发性高血压(EH)患者微量白蛋白尿(MCA)与血压及左室重塑的关系.方法 84名EH患者按24h尿微量白蛋白值分为微量白蛋白尿组(MCA组)和正常白蛋白尿组(NMCA组),进行动态血压、心脏超声检测,比较两组动态血压值、左室重量指数(LVMI)及左室重塑的特点.结果 MCA组平均收缩压、平均舒张压、脉压、平均动脉压均高于NMCA组(均P＜0.01);MCA组LVMI、左室肥厚与向心性肥厚的发生率均高于NMCA组(均P＜0.01),正常构型率低于NMCA组(P=0.01).LVMI与尿微量白蛋白值、平均收缩压、平均舒张压均呈显著的正相关(均P＜0.05).结论合并有MCA的EH患者血压较高,LVMI较大,左室肥厚与向心性肥厚的发生率较高.MCA与血压及左室重塑密切相关.