Biomedical subjects

A Hansen

Publications and source records attributed to A Hansen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Further evidence of pleiotropy influencing speech and language: analysis of the DYX8 region.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Genetic studies have raised the possibility of common bases for cognitive linguistic disorders such as speech sound disorder (SSD), reading disorder (RD) and language impairment (LI). Thus, some of the same genes may jointly influence cognitive components within and between these three disorders. We examined the plausibility of this theory in a sample of families ascertained on the basis of a child with SSD. METHODS: Using the method of generalized estimating equations to solve a bivariate family predictive model we obtained measures of comorbidity and familial aggregation of SSD and LI. We then used two methods of multipoint model-free linkage analysis to evaluate SSD and LI psychometric test measures over a region previously implicated in linkage studies of RD, DYX8 region, 1p34-p36. RESULTS: Bivariate phenotypic analyses show evidence of comorbidity and within family aggregation and coaggregation of SSD and LI. In addition, two regions on chromosome 1 show suggestive evidence of linkage. The first region was previously reported in dyslexia studies. Our maximum linkage signal in this region measured articulation (p = 0.0009) in SSD sibling pairs. The second region is characterized by processes involved in language production, with the maximum linkage signal measuring listening comprehension (p = 0.0019) using all sibling pairs. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the DYX8 region could bear genes controlling pleiotropic effects on SSD, LI and RD.

Articulation Disorders↗

PubMed2006

Global myocardial perfusion and diastolic function are impaired to a similar extent in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and in patients with coronary artery disease--evaluation by contrast echocardiography and pulsed tissue Doppler.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Using modern echocardiography, we quantified the extent of global myocardial function and perfusion abnormalities in patients with type 2 diabetes and compared this with the hypothetically similar extent of impairments in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This case-control study (66 patients) compared four age-matched groups: control, type 2 diabetic, CAD, and diabetic subjects with CAD (DCAD) and left ventricular ejection fraction >50%. CAD patients had 1-2 vessel disease. Diastolic and systolic myocardial velocities were assessed with pulsed tissue Doppler. Global myocardial perfusion was assessed with contrast echocardiography as indices of capillary blood volume and myocardial blood flow at maximal vasodilatation. In CAD and DCAD patients, functional and perfusion parameters were additionally assessed in the territory with a normal coronary angiogram reading, providing a model for comparison with the global data from control and diabetic patients. RESULTS: Comparing diabetic with control subjects, myocardial velocity at early diastole was impaired (8.8+/-1.8 vs 10.1+/-1.7 cm/s; p=0.02) and correlated inversely with age, HbA(1c) and pulse pressure (R (2)=0.761). Capillary blood volume (16.6+/-5.0 vs 24.4+/-4.9%) and blood flow (56+/-35 vs 114+/-40) were decreased (p=0.001). In CAD patients, myocardial velocity at early diastole was similarly decreased (p=0.02). CAD and DCAD patients were receiving more cardiovascular preventive therapy for the same extent of impaired global perfusion as in the less extensively treated diabetes group without CAD (p<0.002), but had superior perfusion of the 'normal' coronary territory than that group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: In patients with diabetes, global diastolic function and myocardial capillary blood volume and blood flow are impaired to the same extent as in patients with CAD. These impairments could form the basis of new therapeutic concepts.

Blood Pressure↗

PubMed2006

Removal of viruses, parasitic protozoa and microbial indicators in conventional and membrane processes in a wastewater pilot plant.

The aim of this study was to investigate variations in the occurrence and removal of enterovirus and norovirus genomes, Giardia cysts, Cryptosporidium oocysts and the most commonly used faecal indicators in a Swedish wastewater pilot plant. Paired samples were taken from the inlet and outlet of each treatment line: tertiary filtration, membrane bioreactor (MBR) and upflow anaerobic sludge blankets (UASB). (Oo)cysts and indicators were enumerated using standard methods and viruses using RT-PCR. Giardia cysts and enteroviruses were constantly detected, mean numbers 10(3.11) cysts and 10(4.0) PCR units L(-1), respectively. Oocysts were found in 5/19 samples, mean number 5 L(-1). Noroviruses were found in 6/7 influent samples, with an average titre of 10(3.28)L(-1), during winter, but only in 2/15 in the rest of the year (mean 200 L(-1)). MBR treatment removed indicators more efficiently than did the other two lines, with 5log removal of E. coli. Human virus genome removal did not differ between the MBR and tertiary treatment line. Microorganism removal in UASB was significantly lower for all the organisms studied. E. coli, enterococci and Cl. perfringens removal was correlated (p<0.05) with enterovirus genome removal, with R-values around 0.4. However, values for removal of indicators were more strongly correlated to each other. Removal of viruses based on enumeration using RT-PCR probably underestimates infectious virion removal.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Dissemination of a Sjögren's syndrome-associated extranodal marginal-zone B cell lymphoma: circulating lymphoma cells and invariant mutation pattern of nodal Ig heavy- and light-chain variable-region gene rearrangements.

OBJECTIVE: Both the genesis and outgrowth of extranodal marginal-zone B cell lymphomas (MZLs) of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type are generally thought to represent antigen-driven processes. We undertook this study to analyze lymphoma progression and dissemination outside of the MALT-type lesions. METHODS: Histopathologic and Ig heavy- and light-chain variable-region gene (V(H/L)) analyses were performed in sequential tissue samples from a patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) with glandular (parotid) manifestations and subsequent nodal dissemination of a low-grade MZL. RESULTS: This MZL expressed a CD20+,CD27+,sIgM/kappa+,IgD-,CD5-,CD10-,Bcl-6-,CD23-,p53-,p21-,MDM2- phenotype and mutated V(H)1-69/D2-21/J(H)4alpha-V(kappa)A27/J(kappa)2 Ig rearrangements. Notably, circulating lymphoma cells from the parotid glands occurred transiently in the patient's blood, as detected by single-cell polymerase chain reaction. In addition, 2 minor B cell clones (clones 2 and 3, with V(H)3-07/D3-22/J(H)3b-V(lambda)3L/J(lambda)2/3 and V(H)3-64/D3-03/J(H)2-V(kappa)A19/J(kappa)2 rearrangements, respectively) were also detected in the parotid glands and blood, and 1 of these (clone 2) was also detected in the lymph nodes. Ig V(H/L) analyses revealed ongoing (antigen-driven) mutations of the glandular lymphoma rearrangements, but an invariant mutation pattern of their nodal counterparts. CONCLUSION: These data indicate coexpansion and transient (re)circulation of the lymphoma clone and 2 additional glandular B cell clones in a primary SS-associated extranodal MZL. Combined histologic and molecular features of the nodal lymphoma subclone reflect a process of "follicular colonization" that eventually froze the mutation machinery after accumulation of additional (antigen-driven) Ig V(H/L) mutations.

Female↗

PubMed2006

Initiation of hypertension treatment with a fixed-dose combination or its monocomponents -- does it really matter?

Despite efforts to diagnose and treat hypertension effectively, the goal of lowering blood pressure (BP) levels is rarely achieved, as treatment is often initiated with a single antihypertensive agent. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a first-line fixed-dose combination treatment compared with treatment with its monocomponents over a period of 4 weeks. Patients (n = 149) with essential hypertension were randomised to receive 2.5 mg of either ramipril or felodipine ER or the fixed-dose combination of ramipril 2.5 mg/felodipine ER 2.5 mg over a 4-week treatment period. BP and heart rate were measured by conventional methodology and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements. Treatment with the fixed-dose combination was significantly more effective in reducing systolic and diastolic BP (-15.8/-9.2 mmHg) compared with its monocomponents, ramipril (-7.6/-3.8 mmHg) and felodipine ER (-8.0/-5.0 mmHg). No significant difference could be observed in the occurrence of a greater fall in systolic and diastolic BP 6 h after the first dose of the three study medications. The adverse effects reported were mild, and less number of patients in the fixed-dose combination complained of adverse events. It can be concluded that initiating antihypertensive treatment with a low fixed-dose combination of ramipril/felodipine ER is more effective and safe when compared with treatment with its monocomponents.

Antihypertensive Agents↗

PubMed2006

Scrutinizing incident reporting in anaesthesia: why is an incident perceived as critical?

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to measure the incidence and type of incidents that occurred in relation to anaesthesia and surgery during a 1-year period in six Danish hospitals. Furthermore, we wanted to identify risk factors for incidents, as well as risk factors for incidents being deemed critical. METHODS: A four-page questionnaire describing patient data, type of anaesthesia and surgery, and occurrence of incidents was filled in for all anaesthesias in the period, and subsequently processed. The incident reporting form incorporated 59 predefined adverse events. The occurrence of one or more of these events described the incident. When the reporting anaesthetist deemed that an incident had harmed the patient, that incident was defined as critical. RESULTS: A total of 64,312 anaesthesias were reported, and in 7754 of them one or more incidents occurred. A total of 8510 incidents occurred, 4077 of them were solely related to the anaesthetic procedure, 3702 described events related to physiological alterations in the patient (physiological incidents). Three hundred and twenty-three of the incidents were deemed critical. High ASA score, high age, abdominal surgery, urgent surgery, and complex anaesthetic procedure were significant risk factors for physiological incidents and critical incidents. We could not identify a simple subset of adverse events that could adequately be used to describe the critical incidents. However, complex incidents, i.e. incidents involving more than one adverse event, were more likely to be deemed critical than simple incidents. CONCLUSION: The incidence of incidents was 12.1%, and the incidence of critical incidents was 0.5%. Incidents were more likely to be deemed critical in patients with an ASA score of III and above undergoing urgent surgery.

Anesthesia Department, Hospital↗

PubMed2006

Real-time contrast-enhanced sonography of renal transplant recipients predicts chronic allograft nephropathy.

Real-time contrast-enhanced sonography (RT-CES) can assess microvascular tissue perfusion using gas-filled microbubbles. The study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of RT-CES in detecting chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) in comparison to color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS). A total of 26 consecutive renal transplant recipients were prospectively studied using RT-CES and conventional CDUS. Transplant tissue perfusion imaging was performed by low-power imaging during i.v. administration of the sonocontrast Optison. Renal tissue perfusion was assessed quantitatively using flash replenishment kinetics of microbubbles to estimate renal blood flow A *beta (A = peak signal intensity, beta= slope of signal intensity rise). In contrast to conventional CDUS resistance and pulsatility indices, renal blood flow estimated by CES was highly significant related to S-creatinine (r =-0.62, p = 0.0004). Determination of renal blood flow by CES reached a higher sensitivity (91% vs. 82%, p < 0.05), specificity (82% vs. 64%, p < 0.05) and accuracy (85% vs. 73%, p < 0.05) for the diagnosis of CAN as compared to conventional CDUS resistance indices. Perfusion parameters derived from RT-CES significantly improve the early detection of CAN compared to conventional CDUS. RT-CES using low-power real-time perfusion imaging is a feasible method to evaluate microvascular perfusion in renal allograft recipients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Removal of noro- and enteroviruses, Giardia cysts, Cryptosporidium oocysts, and fecal indicators at four secondary wastewater treatment plants in Sweden.

The aim of this study was to investigate variation in the occurrence and removal of enteroviruses, noroviruses, Giardia cysts, Cryptosporidium oocysts, and the most commonly used fecal indicators in four Swedish secondary wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Paired samples were taken from the inlet and outlet of each WWTP. (Oo)cysts and indicators were enumerated with standard methods and viruses with a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Giardia cysts and enteroviruses were constantly detected (mean numbers were 10(3.31) cysts and 10(4.44) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) units L(-1), respectively). Oocysts were found in 5 out of 19 samples (mean number was 20 L(-1)). Noroviruses were found between November and February, with an average titer of 10(3.29( L(-1). Mean cyst removal was 2.6 log, while noroviruses and enteroviruses were removed by 0.9 and 1.3 log, respectively. There was no correlation between the removals of pathogens and indicators (p > 0.05). Coliphage removal resembled human viral removal better than did F-specific phage.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

[Therapy of obesity-associated hypertension].

There is a 50 % prevalence of obesity with arterial hypertension. This ratio can increase up to 80 %, depending on body mass index. Important pathogenetic origins are quantity of visceral body fat along with the activation of neuroendocrineum (sympathicus, renin-angiotensin system), an induction of insulin resistance with hyperinsulinemia, and a direct compression of the medulla by fat deposits in the kidneys, which results in hemodynamic changes and an increase in blood pressure. The primary aim is a reduction in weight by means of a balanced diet and life style modification, which can be augmented by weight reducing medication. Orlistat lowers blood pressure and body weight simultaneously, whereas sibutramine accomplishes this only under certain circumstances. Interestingly, blood pressure increases again over the course of 10 years following weight reducing surgical procedures, despite ongoing weight loss. Antihypertensive differential therapy should be focused on pathophysiology and concomitant and target organ disease. Thus ACE inhibitors (alternatively angiotensin receptor blockers), in combination with low dose diuretics, should be preferentially administered, followed by calcium antagonists. Beta blockers should be used if definite cardiac indications are present.

Antihypertensive Agents↗

PubMed2005

Validity of the Janssen law in narrow granular columns.

We have performed experiments on narrow granular columns to test the validity of the Janssen law under such conditions. The weight at the bottom of the cylinder and the compression and movement of the packing have been measured. The apparent mass dependence on height is not in good agreement with the Janssen law using a one-parameter fit. A two-parameter fit yielded good results for the apparent mass during upward and downward movement at constant velocity of the granular column inside the enclosing cylinder. The dependence of the apparent mass on the diameter of the column does not follow the Janssen law. Rather, it depends strongly on details of the packing. A slow force relaxation was observed when stopping the translational stage after upward motion.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Usefulness of myocardial parametric imaging to evaluate myocardial viability in experimental and in clinical studies.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether myocardial parametric imaging (MPI) is superior to visual assessment for the evaluation of myocardial viability. METHODS AND RESULTS: Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) was assessed in 11 pigs before, during, and after left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion and in 32 patients with ischaemic heart disease by using intravenous SonoVue administration. In experimental studies perfusion defect area assessment by MPI was compared with visually guided perfusion defect planimetry. Histological assessment of necrotic tissue was the standard reference. In clinical studies viability was assessed on a segmental level by (1) visual analysis of myocardial opacification; (2) quantitative estimation of myocardial blood flow in regions of interest; and (3) MPI. Functional recovery between three and six months after revascularisation was the standard reference. In experimental studies, compared with visually guided perfusion defect planimetry, planimetric assessment of infarct size by MPI correlated more significantly with histology (r2 = 0.92 versus r2 = 0.56) and had a lower intraobserver variability (4% v 15%, p < 0.05). In clinical studies, MPI had higher specificity (66% v 43%, p < 0.05) than visual MCE and good accuracy (81%) for viability detection. It was less time consuming (3.4 (1.6) v 9.2 (2.4) minutes per image, p < 0.05) than quantitative blood flow estimation by regions of interest and increased the agreement between observers interpreting myocardial perfusion (kappa = 0.87 v kappa = 0.75, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: MPI is useful for the evaluation of myocardial viability both in animals and in patients. It is less time consuming than quantification analysis by regions of interest and less observer dependent than visual analysis. Thus, strategies incorporating this technique may be valuable for the evaluation of myocardial viability in clinical routine.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Intermittent flow of a collection of rigid frictional disks in a vertical pipe.

We study the quasistatic flow of a collection of rigid frictional disks pushed upward (against the gravity) inside a narrow vertical pipe by a compliant mechanism. The contact dynamics method was used for the numerical simulations in combination with a friction law at disk-disk and wall-disk contacts characterized by discontinuous velocity weakening from a static threshold to a dynamic coefficient of friction. The material is sheared by the rolling of particles at the walls inducing a convective motion in the bulk. We observe a transition from constant flow to an intermittent flow when the driving velocity is reduced below a characteristic velocity that scales as k(-1/2) with the stiffness k of the pushing mechanism. The intermittent flow is composed of alternating phases of creep motion, where the pressure at the bottom of the granular column rises nonlinearly with time, and sudden slip, corresponding to a fast pressure drop. We show that the mean static pressure is correctly predicted by the Janssen model. The interplay between friction mobilization at the walls and structural changes in the bulk gives rise to a broad distribution of slip amplitudes characterized by a power law with an exponent approximately -1.7 that appears to be robust with respect to our system parameters.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Routine database registration of biological therapy increases the reporting of adverse events twentyfold in clinical practice. First results from the Danish Database (DANBIO).

OBJECTIVE: To present from the Danish Database for Biological Therapies in Rheumatology (DANBIO) the frequencies and types of adverse events as well as risk factors during treatment with biological agents in clinical practice. METHODS: Adverse events during the first 2 years of clinical use of biological agents in Denmark were reported to the nationwide DANBIO and compared to the mandatory reports to the Danish Medicines Agency. RESULTS: Almost 90% of the patients treated with biological agents were registered in the DANBIO, and the database picked up 20 times as many adverse events as the Danish Medicines Agency. Infections and hypersensitivity reactions were the most prevalent adverse events. Age, disease duration, and previous number of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) were found to be risk factors for bacterial infections. CONCLUSION: A routine-based Danish database for biological therapies covers approximately 90% of patients and improves the reporting of adverse events.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Activation of nuclear factor kappaB in colonic mucosa from patients with collagenous and ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is greatly upregulated in the colonic mucosa of patients with collagenous and ulcerative colitis. As the transcription factor nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) is a major inducer of iNOS gene expression, we compared activation and transcriptional activity of NFkappaB in colonic mucosal biopsies from these patients. PATIENTS: Eight patients with collagenous colitis, six with relapsing ulcerative colitis, and eight with uninflamed bowel were studied. METHODS: NFkappaB DNA binding activity was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and inhibitor of NFkappaB (IkappaB) kinase (IKK) activity by immunocomplex kinase assay. In vivo recruitment of NFkappaB to the iNOS promoter was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis and transcriptional activity by NFkappaB gene expression profiling arrays. Cells showing NFkappaB activation were identified by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In collagenous and ulcerative colitis, as opposed to uninflamed bowel, IKKbeta activity and strong NFkappaB DNA binding gave rise to activation of identical NFkappaB subunits and recruitment of transcriptionally active p65 to the iNOS promoter. In collagenous colitis, activated NFkappaB was observed only in epithelial cells while up to 10% of lamina propria macrophages showed activation in ulcerative colitis. CONCLUSIONS: In collagenous and ulcerative colitis, colonic mucosal NFkappaB is activated and recruited to the iNOS promoter in vivo via an IKKbeta mediated pathway. As collagenous colitis is not associated with tissue injury, these data challenge the prevailing view that activation of NFkappaB per se mediates tissue injury. Our results suggest that downstream inflammatory reactions leading to tissue damage originate in lamina propria immune cells, as increased NFkappaB activity in collagenous colitis was localised solely in epithelial cells, but present also in macrophages in ulcerative colitis.

Colitis, Collagenous↗

PubMed2004

Superiority of network motifs over optimal networks and an application to the revelation of gene network evolution.

MOTIVATION: Estimating the network of regulative interactions between genes from gene expression measurements is a major challenge. Recently, we have shown that for gene networks of up to around 35 genes, optimal network models can be computed. However, even optimal gene network models will in general contain false edges, since the expression data will not unambiguously point to a single network. RESULTS: In order to overcome this problem, we present a computational method to enumerate the most likely m networks and to extract a widely common subgraph (denoted as gene network motif) from these. We apply the method to bacterial gene expression data and extensively compare estimation results to knowledge. Our results reveal that gene network motifs are in significantly better agreement to biological knowledge than optimal network models. We also confirm this observation in a series of estimations using synthetic microarray data and compare estimations by our method with previous estimations for yeast. Furthermore, we use our method to estimate similarities and differences of the gene networks that regulate tryptophan metabolism in two related species and thereby demonstrate the analysis of gene network evolution. AVAILABILITY: Commercial license negotiable with Gene Networks Inc. (cherkis@gene-networks.com) CONTACT: sascha-ott@gmx.net

Algorithms↗

PubMed2004

Free-energy landscape and the critical velocity of superfluid films.

We briefly review some important properties of superfluid flow, especially the problem of critical velocity. We then present new numerical simulation results for a mesoscopic model of superfluids shedding light on the free-energy landscape, the critical velocity and the formation of vortices, which destroy the superflow when the velocity is high.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

ACE-inhibition is superior to endothelin A receptor blockade in preventing abnormal capillary supply and fibrosis of the heart in experimental diabetes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: There is little information whether cardiac capillary supply is deranged in diabetes. Hyperglycaemia is a potent stimulus for endothelin-1 (ET-1) production. We therefore hypothesised that increased ET-1 production in Streptozotocin-induced Type 1 diabetes causes abnormalities of cardiac capillaries and the aorta. To this end we compared the effects of an ET receptor A blocker (ETA-RB) with that of an ACE-inhibitor (ACE-i) or their combination in rats with Streptozotocin (STZ) diabetes. METHODS: Sprague Dawley rats were injected with 65 mg STZ i.v. and subsequently developed diabetes. Rats were left untreated or received daily either the ACE-i Trandolapril, the ETA-RB Darusentan or a combination of both. After 6 months the experiment was terminated and the heart and the aorta were investigated using quantitative morphological techniques. RESULTS: ACE-i but not ETA-RB lowered blood pressure in STZ Type 1 diabetic rats. Capillary length density was lower in untreated STZ diabetic rats (2932+/-128 mm/mm3) compared to non-diabetic control rats (3410+/-252 mm/mm3). Treatment with ACE-i (3568+/-431 mm/mm3), but not with ETA-RB (2893+/-192 mm/mm3), prevented the decrease in capillary supply. Volume density of the myocardial interstitium was higher in untreated STZ diabetic rats (0.86+/-0.04%) compared to non-diabetic control rats (0.36+/-0.06%). In all three intervention groups the values were lower (ACE-i: 0.53+/-0.05%, ETA-RB: 0.7+/-0.08% and combination: 0.69+/-0.1). CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: Our study identifies a capillary defect of the heart in STZ diabetes, i.e. decreased capillary supply. This abnormality was reversed by ACE-i, but not by ETA-R blockade. A similar trend, although not complete normalisation, was seen in cardiac fibrosis.

Albuminuria↗

PubMed2004

Real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography for the detection of stress-induced myocardial ischemia. Comparison with 99mTc-sestamibi single photon emission computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: Real-time contrast echocardiography (MCE) is a new promising technique for assessing myocardial perfusion. The purpose of this study was to test whether realtime MCE can be used to detect functionally significant coronary artery stenosis in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Myocardial contrast echocardiographic studies were compared with nearly simultaneous 99mTc-sestamibi single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) as a clinical standard reference to evaluate regional myocardial perfusion defects. METHODS: Real-time MCE based on continuous infusion of Optison (8-10 ml/h) was performed in 66 patients during standard 99mTc-SPECT dipyridamole (0.56 mg/kg x 4 min) stress testing. Images were obtained in apical 4- and 2-chamber views, each divided into 6 segments. Tracer uptake and myocardial opacification were visually analyzed for each segment by two pairs of blinded observers and graded as normal, mildly reduced, severely reduced, or absent. In 792 myocardial segments, myocardial opacification by MCE was uninterpretable in 143 (18%) segments and tracer uptake by SPECT was not clearly defined in 92 (12%) segments. Interobserver variability for MCE was good with concordance rates of 83% (kappa=0.72) for rest- and 86% (kappa=0.76) for stress images. Overall concordance between MCE and SPECT was good (83%, kappa=0.63) at a segmental level. In the diagnosis of fixed and reversible defects, and of normal perfusion, concordance rates were 73, 65 and 83%, respectively. When analysis was performed at the regional level, we found comparable levels of concordance rates for LAD (83%, kappa=0.59), LCX (86%, kappa=0.64) and RCA (80%, kappa=0.68) perfusion territories. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that realtime MCE is a clinically acceptable method to evaluate myocardial perfusion defects during dipyridamole stress testing.

Albumins↗