Biventricular Bypass: Alternative to Univentricular Bypass and Total Artificial Heart–Bridge

Left ventricular and biventricular bypasses (LVBs, BVBs) were performed in 102 experiments in sheep, goats, and donkeys. Biventricular bypass was performed in the assisted circulation mode or in the paracorporeal artificial heart bridge (PCAHB) mode when the natural heart fibrillates. During implantation of artificial ventricles instead of a heart-lung bypass, counterpulsation was used. Several types of connective conduits were developed and tested in experiments. The conduits included bifurcational connective pipes that permit "intake" of blood into artificial ventricles from atria and ventricles of the natural heart simultaneously and consequently provide effective blood flow through shunts not depending on the state of the natural heart (acute cardiac weakness or asystole). Monitoring gas content (PO2, PCO2, and pH) in the myocardium of both ventricles suggested development of right ventricular failure under conditions of LVB before hemodynamic changes occurred and confirmed the preferability of BVB over other methods of assisted circulation, as it is most effective and capable of normalizing short-term cardiac disturbances in the course of the 1st 2 days. Survival time of experimental animals (2-3 days for dogs, 5-12 days for sheep, goats, and donkeys) is sufficient to overcome acute cardiac insufficiency. This suggests that BVB in the assisted circulation mode or PCAHB mode can serve as a bridge for cardiac transplantation for the time of search for the available organ.     

Mass lesions of the frontal lobes in acute head injuries. A comparison with temporal lesions

Summary Contusions and lacerations of the frontal lobes are very frequent; 43.4% in the whole series of traumatic brain mass lesions. Clinical, ICP, CT scan data and neuropathological findings in patients with such lesions are analysed and correlated. Moreover, the clinical features and the outcome of frontal masses undergoing surgery are also compared with similar lesions located in the temporal lobes.Frontal lesions cannot be differentiated on purely clinical grounds and the factors governing the outcome in both locations are the same. On the whole, surgical indications nowadays seem to be rather rare; only lesions behaving truly as expanding lesions with obvious intracranial hypertension benefiting from surgery.Brain contusion-laceration syndromes in general can no longer be considered separate entities. Neither should they be included in the miscellaneous group of traumatic intracranial mass lesions, since the pathophysiological significance of purely extracerebral effusions is entirely different.Traumatic contusions and lacerations and/or intracerebral haematomas, whether frontal or located elsewhere, should, instead, be considered in the context of head injuries of a different degree of gravity, as having collateral features which, on occasion, may call for surgical management.     

In vitro and in vivo down-regulation of human plateletα 2-adrenoceptors by clonidine

Summary The effect of clonidine on the number of ₂-adrenoceptors in human platelet membranes, determined by³H-yohimbine binding, was investigatedin vitro andin vivo. Incubation of platelet membranes with clonidine (1–100 µM) for 16 h at 25 °C led to a concentration-dependent decrease in the number of³H-yohimbine binding sites of 10–25%; the affinity of³H-yohimbine to the sites was not changed (K_D approximately 3–4 nM). In such desensitized membranes, inhibition of³H-yohimbine binding by clonidine resulted in steep, monophasic displacement curves, which in comparison to the curves from control membranes (IC₅₀ for clonidine 90 nM), were shifted to the right (IC₅₀: 321 nM) and were not affected by 10^–4M guanosine-5-triphosphate (GTP).Treatment of 3 hypertensive patients with clonidine (3×150 µg/d for 7 days) reduced blood pressure and heart rate. Simultaneously, both³H-yohimbine binding sites on platelet membranes and plasma catecholamine levels decreased within three days and remained at a reduced level during treatment. After abrupt cessation of clonidine treatment, blood pressure, heart rate and plasma catecholamines rapidly increased, reaching values after two days similar to or higher than those before treatment.³H-yohimbine binding sites, however, initially decreased further before returning to control values. In platelet membranes derived from hypertensive patients treated with clonidine for at least three weeks, GTP (10^–4M) had no influence on inhibition of³H-yohimbine binding by (—)-adrenaline and clonidine. It is concluded that clonidine desensitizes ₂-adrenoceptors in human platelet membranesin vitro andin vivo. An important step in the desensitization process is the uncoupling of receptor occupancy by agonists and adenylate cyclase activity, as indicated by loss of the regulatory activity of GTP on desensitized membranes. The clonidine withdrawal syndrome may be caused by enhanced release of endogenous catecholamines not adequately regulated by presynaptic ₂-adrenoceptors, which have become subsensitive after chronic clonidine treatment.     

Is sleep-disordered breathing an independent risk factor for hypertension in the general population (13,057 subjects)?

Objective: Sleep-disordered breathing has been hypothesized to have a close relationship with hypertension but previous studies have reported mixed results. This is an important health issue that requires further clarification because of the potential impact on the prevention and control of hypertension.Methods: The relationship between hypertension and three forms of sleep-disordered breathing (chronic snoring, breathing pauses and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS)) was assessed using representative samples of the non-institutionalized population of the UK, Germany and Italy (159 million inhabitants). The samples were comprised of 13,057 individuals aged 15–100 years who were interviewed about their sleeping habits and their sleep symptoms over the telephone using the Sleep-EVAL system.Results: OSAS was found in 1.9% (95% CI: 1.2% to 2.3%) of the UK sample, 1.8% (95% CI: 1.4% to 2.2%) of the German sample and 1.1% (95% CI: 0.8% to 1.4%) of the Italian sample. OSAS was an independent risk factor (odds ratio (OR): 9.7) for hypertension after controlling for possible confounding effects of age, gender, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, life stress, and, heart and renal disease.Conclusions: Results from three of the most populated countries in Western Europe indicate that OSAS is an independent risk factor for hypertension. Snoring and breathing pauses during sleep appeared to be non-significant predictive factors.     

可溶性血管细胞黏附分子1在妊高征发病中的作用

目的　研究可溶性血管细胞黏附分子 1(solublevascularcelladhesionmolecule - 1,sVCAM - 1)在妊高征发病中的作用。方法　用酶联免疫吸附法 (ELISA)测定 6 7例孕妇血清中sVCAM - 1水平 ,其中正常妊娠组 15例 ,妊高征组 5 2例。结果　中、重度妊高征患者血中sV CAM - 1水平显著高于正常妊娠组 (P <0 .0 1) ;轻度妊高征患者与正常妊娠组相比 ,虽无统计学差异 ,但有升高趋势 ;妊高征组产后该指标下降 ,与正常妊娠组比较无显著性差异 (P >0 0 5 )。sVCAM - 1浓度与平均动脉压呈正相关 (r =0 .5 4 2 ,P <0 .0 1)。结论　妊高征患者血中sVCAM - 1水平升高 ,表明内皮细胞损伤在妊高征的发病中起重要作用。     

重度妊高征血清尿酸及β_2-MG监测对评价围产期结局的临床意义

目的 :探讨尿酸 (UA)、β2-微球蛋白(β2-MG)对重度妊高征围产期结局的影响。方法 :测定51例重度妊高征患者血清UA、β2-MG、尿素氮 (BUN)、肌酐(Cr)水平和尿蛋白定量 ,统计孕期及新生儿情况 ,按围产儿存活与否分为死亡组与存活组进行分析。结果 :(1)死亡组前3个指标明显高于存活组 ,尿蛋白定量2组差异无统计学意义。(2)血清UA水平与BUN、β2-MG水平呈正相关 ,与新生儿体重呈负相关。结论 :监测重度妊高征患者血压、尿蛋白、尿素氮、肌酐的同时更应密切监测尿酸和β2-MG的变化 ,以指导临床诊治     

高血压病史对体外循环冠脉搭桥术后早期预后的影响

目的 :了解高血压病史对体外循环下冠脉搭桥术后早期预后的影响。方法 :对高血压和非高血压行体外循环下冠脉搭桥术年龄大于60岁的冠心病患者65例术前和术后早期的临床资料进行分析。结果 :与非高血压患者相比 ,患高血压的病人冠脉搭桥术后心律失常的发生率增高 ,术后30min动脉氧分压与吸入氧浓度 (PaO2/FiO2)比值明显低下 ,机械通气时间明显延长 ,术后24h内胸腔引流量明显增加 ,术后大剂量多巴胺 (>10μg·kg-1·min -1)应用率及重症监护时间无显著性差异。结论 :高血压病史使患者冠脉搭桥术后早期肺功能下降、心律失常发生率增高、出血倾向增加 ,提示维持高血压患者围手术期血压的正常有利于改善患者预后     

山莨菪碱对妊娠高血压综合征子宫胎盘血流影响

目的：观察山莨菪碱对妊娠高血压综合征(妊高征)子宫动脉、脐动脉血流的短期影响.方法：妊高征患者14例给予山莨菪碱10～20 mg加入5%葡萄糖溶液500 mL中,静脉滴注,观察用药前后血压、体重、蛋白尿变化,多普勒超声监测用药前后子宫动脉、脐动脉的收缩期峰值(S)/舒张末期血流速度(D)(S/D),阻力指数(RI)、搏动指数(PI).结果：用药后收缩压及舒张压明显下降(P＜0.05)；水肿、蛋白尿减轻或消退；子宫动脉和脐动脉的S/D、RI、PI均明显下降(P＜0.01).结论：山莨菪碱治疗妊高征能降低子宫、胎盘血流阻力,增加其血流灌注,同时改善孕妇临床症状,有利于母婴预后.     

妊娠合并肺动脉高压23例分析

目的 探讨合并肺动脉高压(PH)妇女能否妊娠及妊娠的适宜时间。方法 回顾性分析1997～2002年在我院诊治的23例合并有PH的孕妇，分析PH的分类，妊娠结局。结果 3例合并原发性肺动脉高压(PPH)孕妇，2例在剖宫产术中死亡，1例在孕早期终止妊娠后存活。14例因合并风湿性心脏病(风心病)致PH的孕妇，妊娠至足月行剖宫产者10例，1例早产，3例引产，无一例孕妇死亡。6例因合并先天性心脏病(先心痛)致PH的孕妇，轻度PH孕妇3例，均妊娠至足月；重度PH孕妇3例，2例死亡，1例存活。结论 PPH患者应避免妊娠。风心病致PH的孕妇，依心功能、PH高低及血氧饱和度决定是否终止妊娠。对先心病致PH者，最好在手术或药物治疗后妊娠；患Eisenrnenger’s综合征妇女禁止妊娠。