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Biomedical subjects

A Takarada

Publications and source records attributed to A Takarada.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Mitral valve prolapse as an initial clinical feature of dilated cardiomyopathy: report of two cases].

Two cases with mitral valve prolapse (MVP), without any other cardiac abnormalities at the initial evaluation, developed the clinical features mimic to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) during follow-up period. Case 1. A 40-year-old man visited our hospital in May 1982 to evaluate a heart murmur. A standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) showed an abnormal Q wave in lead III. Echocardiography revealed MVP, but neither dilatation nor wall motion abnormality of the left ventricle (LV) were observed. Thallium-201 scintigraphy revealed an abnormal thallium uptake at the apex and inferior wall. He had no episode of acute myocardial infarction or myocarditis, but complete right bundle branch block developed, thus, he was hospitalized in October 1984. He had no coronary artery lesions, and had only mild mitral regurgitation on left ventriculography. The motion of the interventricular septum and apex was reduced on echocardiogram and a persistent perfusion defect was observed at the inferior wall and the interventricular septum on Tl-201 scintigrams. In December 1985, he experienced an Adams-Stokes attack due to complete atrioventricular block. Echocardiographically, the left ventricle enlarged, and the wall motion abnormalities and a perfusion defect on Tl-201 scintigrams were relatively severe. Case 2. A 46-year-old woman occasionally experienced palpitation of short duration and chest oppression since 1977. She was admitted to our hospital because of cardiac symptoms in 1982. A heart murmur of Levine II was heard and a standard 12-lead ECG showed single supraventricular extrasystole and T wave inversion in lead III and aVF. Echocardiography revealed MVP and mild mitral regurgitation, but neither dilatation nor wall motion abnormality of the LV was observed. During 6-year follow-up period, permanent atrial fibrillation developed and LV developed dilatation and wall motion abnormalities progressed. Thus, during follow-up periods, DCM-like features developed in two cases who had had MVP as a sole echocardiographic abnormality with systolic murmur and non-specific ECG changes. We consider that these two may be important cases who may show a relation between cardiomyopathic process and MVP.

Adult↗

Mechanism of development of asymmetric septal hypertrophy in patients with essential systemic hypertension.

In order to understand the mechanism of development of asymmetric septal hypertrophy (ASH) in hypertension, 290 patients with essential hypertension (HT) were examined echocardiographically. Out of them 84 cases of advanced left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) [37 cases of symmetric hypertrophy (HT-SH group) and 47 cases of ASH (HT-ASH group)] were compared in their clinical and echocardiographic findings with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In the 290 HT cases, the highest systolic pressure in each patient's history was found to correlate with left ventricular (LV) posterior wall thickness (PWT), but not with the septal wall thickness (IVST). There were no differences in LV thickness (IVST + PWT) among patients in the HT-ASH, HT-SH and HCM groups. While the HCM group patients showed no significant differences in IVST and PWT from those in the HT-ASH group, they did have greater IVST and smaller PWT than HT-SH group patients. The rapid filling rate (RFR) was also not much different in the HCM and HT-ASH groups, but was significantly lower in the HCM group than in the HT-SH group. Furthermore, HT-ASH group patients has a milder degree of hypertension and a higher incidence of familial occurrence of HCM than did those in the HT-SH group. After treatment for HT, the HT-SH group showed a significant decrease in wall thickness during long-term observation, while the HT-ASH and HCM groups, failed to exhibit such changes. Moreover, the degree of myocardial disarrangement in the HT-ASH group did not differ significantly from that in the HCM group. These results suggested that LVH in HT is related not only to pressure load but also to genetic factors similar to that in HCM.

Adult↗

Cardiac thrombus in dilated cardiomyopathy. Relationship between left ventricular pathophysiology and left ventricular thrombus.

The relationship between left ventricular thrombus and left ventricular dynamics in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) was studied by echocardiography and postmortem examination. The subjects were 57 patients with DCM, 40 were survival patients examined by echocardiography and 17 were autopsy patients. Systemic or pulmonary embolism occurred in 10 of 57 patients, 4 of 40 survival patients and 6 of 17 autopsy patients. Intracardiac thrombus was detected in 11 of 40 survival patients and was found in 8 of 17 autopsy patients. Left ventricular segmental wall motion abnormalities were observed in all 40 patients examined by two-dimensional echocardiography and apical dyskinesis or akinesis was observed more frequently in patients with left ventricular thrombus than in patients without left ventricular thrombus. Of 33 patients examined by pulsed Doppler echocardiography, Doppler ejection flow signals in the apical long axis view were recorded in 9% at the apex, in 17% at the middle portion and in 57% at the portion near the interventricular septal center. The signals at the portion near the interventricular septal center were recorded in only 2 patients with left ventricular thrombus but in 66% of patients without left ventricular thrombus. Systemic or pulmonary embolism and intracardiac thrombus occurred less frequently in patients treated with warfarin than in patients without warfarin. These results indicate that endomyocardial and blood flow disorders of the left ventricle play important roles in the occurrence of left ventricular thrombus and that anticoagulant therapy is useful for the prevention of systemic or pulmonary embolism and cardiac thrombus.

Adult↗

[Magnetic resonance imaging of diseased cervical and lumbar intervertebral discs].

Magnetic resonance images (MRI) of diseased cervical and lumbar intervertebral discs involving both intrinsic and extrinsic cord lesions were examined using either a 0.15 T resistive or a 0.5 T superconductive magnetic imaging system. High resolution images were obtained by means of a surface coil in most cases. The vertebrae, intervertebral discs, and spinal cord were delineated in greatest detail on spin-echo (SE) images with a long repetition time (TR) and a short echo time (proton density-weighted image), on which the spinal cord was appreciated without overshadowing by the cerebrospinal fluid-filled subarachnoid space. Protrusion of degenerated intervertebral discs into the spinal canal was clearly demonstrated not only on sagittal but also on parasagittal and transverse views. The location of protruded discs and compression of the spinal cord, caudal sac, and nerve roots were well visualized three-dimensionally. Pathological features of intervertebral discs were better appreciated on T2-weighted images with long TR and SE pulse sequences. Degeneration of intervertebral discs resulted in decreased signal intensity in cases involving lumbar disc lesions but not those involving cervical disc lesions. In a case of suspected myelomalacia, the intrinsic cord lesion resulting from traumatic disc protrusion appeared as focal low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and as somewhat high intensity on T2-weighted images. The inversion recovery sequence with median inversion time displayed an inferior image of low contrast and was judged uninformative in comparison to SE images. The authors' observations demonstrate that MRI is an essential diagnostic technique for spinal cord disorders.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cervical Vertebrae↗

[Myocardial perfusion assessed by dynamic computed tomography, with respect to viable muscle in the infarcted region].

To clarify the significance of regional myocardial perfusion, 31 patients of old myocardial infarction including 11 cases undergoing PTCA with a left anterior descending artery lesion were studied using dynamic transmission computed tomography with excellent time resolution. Serial one-second dynamic scans with an electrocardiographic triggering system were performed at the middle level of the left ventricle using a bolus injection of contrast medium via the inferior vena cava. The F/V (F = flow, V = volume) ratio, a parameter of perfusion per unit of myocardium, was calculated from gamma-variate fitted time density curves obtained in the myocardium and in the left ventricular cavity. The F/V ratio was significantly lower in patients not only with severe but also mild and no coronary artery stenosis (post PTCA: 185 +/- 54, 50-75% stenosis: 193 +/- 47, 90% stenosis: 181 +/- 51, 99% stenosis: 140 +/- 34, 100% stenosis: 142 +/- 27 ml/min/100 g, control value: 243 +/- 51 ml/min/100 g, post PTCA, 50-75% stenosis, 90% stenosis vs control p less than 0.05, 99%, 100% stenosis vs control p less than 0.005). The functional images depicting myocardial perfusion frequently revealed abnormal perfusion findings in patients not only with severe but also mild and no coronary stenosis. In the patients with mild or insignificant coronary stenosis, the F/V ratio was dependent on the severity of left ventricular wall motion abnormalities (hypokinesis: 192 +/- 51, akinesis or dyskinesis: 141 +/- 32 ml/min/100 g; p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗

[Effects of PTCR and PTCA on serial changes in left and right ventricular wall motion in acute myocardial infarction].

To evaluate the effects of early recanalization on left and right ventricular wall motion in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), we serially observed their degrees in 66 patients with AMI. The patients were categorized as Group 1:17 with spontaneous recanalization within 6 hours of onset of the chest pain; Group 2:34 with effective recanalization within 6 hours (10 by PTCR, 10 by PTCR+ PTCA, and 14 by direct PTCA), and Group 3:21 without effective recanalization. The Group 2 patients were classified in 3 subgroups according to the time intervals from onset of symptoms to recanalization; 11 patients with recanalization within 2 hours (Group 2a), 10 between 2 and 4 hours (Group 2b), and 13 between 4 and 6 hours (Group 2c). The left and right ventricular wall motion abnormality indexes (WMAI) were defined as the means of point scores for the degrees of regional wall motion abnormality at 11 segments of the left ventricle and seven segments of the right ventricle on serial two-dimensional echocardiograms. Results were as follows: 1. The LV-WMAI of Group 1 was smaller on day 1, and improved on day 28 as compared to those of the other groups (0.63 +/- 0.35 to 0.18 +/- 0.18, p less than 0.001). 2. The improvements of the LV-WMAI from days 1 to 28 in Group 2a (WMAI: 1.01 +/- 0.57 to 0.26 +/- 0.26, delta WMAI: 82 +/- 14%) and Group 2b (1.03 +/- 0.38 to 0.52 +/- 0.48, 54 +/- 36%) were greater than that in Group 2c (1.01 +/- 0.46 to 0.64 +/- 0.52, 38 +/- 47%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Effects of a new cardiotonic agent, "TA-064", in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy--relationship between cardiac effect of TA-064 and severity of myocardial lesion.

In 18 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), the effects of a new cardiotonic agent, TA-064, given in both consecutive and intermittent (3 days on, 11 days off) oral doses were studied for 3 months by echocardiography and endomyocardial biopsy. After 3 months of consecutive administration, 11 patients (61%) had improved symptomatically and the %FS increased (p less than 0.001) and LVDd decreased (p less than 0.05), but the other 7 patients had not improved. At the pretreatment state these 7 patients in whom TA-064 was not effective had smaller %FS (p less than 0.01) and larger LVDd (p less than 0.05) than the 11 patients in whom the drug was effective. The non-effective group also had more severe myocardial fibrosis (p less than 0.05) and cellular hypertrophy (p less than 0.01) than the effective group. After 3 months of intermittent administration in 10 patients in whom consecutive administration had been proved effective, 7 patients sustained symptomatic improvement and increased %FS (p less than 0.01), but the other 3 patients did not sustain the improvement. The latter group had smaller %FS, larger LVDd and more severe myocardial fibrosis than the former group at the pretreatment state. These results indicate that the effects of TA-064 are dependent on the severity of basal cardiac function and myocardial damage, and that in patients with milder DCM, the effects can be sustained by intermittent administration.

Adult↗

[Myocardial perfusion assessed by dynamic computed tomography before and after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty].

A method for quantitatively and visually assessing myocardial perfusion using a new transmission computed tomography scanner and contrast media injection was devised. Myocardial perfusion was assessed before and after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Six patients with left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis undergoing PTCA were successfully studied. Dynamic scans, each with a scan time of one sec, were performed at the mid left ventricular level using bolus injections of contrast medium from the inferior vena cava. Regions of interest (ROIs) were located in the left ventricular cavity and in the myocardium perfused by the left anterior descending coronary artery, and gamma-variate fitted time density curves were recorded within the first pass phase, excluding recirculation. Cardiac outputs calculated from the ventricular curves of the ROIs in the left ventricular cavity correlated well with the thermodilution measurements using Swan-Ganz catheters (r = 0.90, p less than 0.01). The ratios of myocardial blood flow (F) to the tissue element volume (V) were calculated (F/V) from the myocardial curves of the ROIs in the myocardium as parameters of myocardial perfusion, according to the Zierler's principle. The F/Vs in the myocardium perfused by the left anterior descending coronary artery before PTCA were significantly less than those of the control subjects (4.4 x 10(-2) +/- 1.2 x 10(-2) vs 8.1 x 10(-2) +/- 2.9 x 10(-2): p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angina Pectoris↗

[Pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy: a study based on comparison of the clinical features with other related conditions].

To investigate the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), we studied 28 patients with DCM by echocardiography and endomyocardial biopsy, and compared their findings with those of 34 patients including eight with myocarditis, seven with alcoholics, 12 with hypertensives and seven patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. All 12 patients in the hypertensive group had congestive heart failure without accompanying high blood pressure, and prominent dilatation and uniform wall motion abnormality of the left ventricle observed echocardiographically on admission. After medical management, both heart failure and the echocardiographic abnormalities gradually resolved. Those in the alcoholic group had larger left ventricles and uniform wall motion abnormality compared to those in the other groups. The myocarditis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy groups had smaller left ventricles, non-uniform wall motion and larger % myocardial fibrosis. Both ventricles in the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy group were thicker than those of the other three groups. Each patient with DCM had individual echocardiographic abnormalities, which could be categorized as two subsets depending on the degree of left ventricular dilatation and uniformity of the wall motion. The one was characterized by a prominently dilated left ventricle and uniform wall motion abnormality similar to the alcoholic group, and the other had less marked left ventricular dilatation and heterogeneous wall motion abnormality similar to the myocarditis group. From these findings, it was suggested that there are common factors to specific myocardial disease in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of DCM, and thus, DCM might include many subsets of different etiologies.

Adult↗

[Relationships between segmental left ventricular wall motion abnormalities and pathological findings in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy].

Relationships between segmental left ventricular wall motion abnormalities and myocardial fibrosis at autopsy were examined in 12 patients who died of dilated cardiomyopathy. In each case, wall motion abnormalities were assessed by two-dimensional echocardiograms for 11 segments, and semiquantitatively evaluated as normokinesis (N) to hypokinesis (H), severe hypokinesis (SH) or akinesis (A). From the necropsy specimens, the myocardial fibrosis ratio was histologically quantitated using a point-counting method in each segment corresponding to the echocardiographic segment. Wall motion abnormalities and the fibrosis ratio correlated significantly in a total of 132 segments of the 12 patients, but there were some discordances. The cases were then categorized in uniform and non-uniform groups based on the patterns of myocardial fibrosis. Wall motion abnormalities correlated much better with the fibrosis ratio in a total of 44 segments among four cases with non-uniform fibrosis, whereas no significant correlation was found in a total of 88 segments in eight cases with uniform fibrosis. The latter group had more severe segmental wall motion abnormalities in the interventricular septum than in the left ventricular free wall; and in the apical portion rather than in the basal portion, although no significant difference was observed in the fibrosis ratio among these regions. Patients with non-uniform fibrosis had higher incidences of chest pain and sudden deaths and a significantly larger left ventricular end-diastolic dimension on M-mode echocardiogram as compared to those with uniform fibrosis. Pathologically, in the former group, the heart was heavier, the mean left ventricular fibrosis ratio was significantly higher, and there was a greater incidence of infiltration of the myocardium by mononuclear cells, but there was no difference in the mean left ventricular wall thickness. These results suggest that myocardial fibrosis mainly contributes to the wall motion abnormalities in cases with non-uniform fibrosis which may be caused by chronic myocarditis, but not in cases with uniform fibrosis. In the latter group, other factors such as reduced contractility of the myocardial cells or lack of a compensatory mechanism for wall stress seem to play important roles in causing left ventricular wall motion abnormalities.

Adult↗

[A trial diagnosis of latent dilated cardiomyopathy].

To diagnose latent dilated cardiomyopathy (latent DCM), we performed loading echocardiography with Angiotensin II and ergometer exercise in 41 patients. Twenty-one patients were suspected of having latent DCM because of histories, of heart failure of myocarditis; 10 patients had DCM; and 10 normal persons served as controls. On angiotensin II loading, cardiac function deteriorated in the DCM group, but it was maintained in the normal controls. Nine patients in the latent DCM group showed the same pattern as normals (L1-group), and 12 did as the DCM group (L2-group). Although % fractional shortening, end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions of the left ventricle did not differ between the L1 and L2-groups, the A/R, the ratio of the pulsed Doppler echocardiogram at the left ventricular inflow tract, was larger and the exercise change of the % fractional shortening and exercise tolerance were less in the L2-group than in the L1-group. Furthermore, the biopsy findings of the L2-group were similar to those of the DCM group in terms of myocardial degeneration, myocardial hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis. Thus, patients in the L2-group were thought to have a risk for DCM, and were cases of latent DCM. Angiotensin II loading is thought to be useful for diagnosing such cases.

Angiotensin II↗

[Regression of mitral valve prolapse to a state masquerading as dilated cardiomyopathy: a case report].

A 40-year-old man was admitted to our hospital in May 1982 for evaluation of a heart murmur. A standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) showed an abnormal Q wave in lead III. Echocardiography revealed prolapse of the anterior mitral valve leaflet (MVP), but neither dilatation nor wall motion abnormalities of the left ventricle (LV) were observed. Thallium-201 scintigraphy revealed an abnormal thallium uptake at the apex and inferior wall. He had no episode of acute myocardial infarction or myocarditis, but complete right bundle branch block suddenly appeared, and he was hospitalized in October 1984. He had no coronary artery lesions, and only mild mitral regurgitation on left ventriculography. The motion of the interventricular septum and apex was reduced on echocardiography and a persistent perfusion defect was observed at the inferior wall and the interventricular septum on T1-201 scintigraphy. In December 1985, he experienced an Adams-Stokes attack due to complete atrioventricular block. Echocardiographically, the left ventricle became enlarged and the wall motion abnormality and a perfusion defect on T1-201 scintigrams were of relatively severe degree. Thus, left ventricular dilatation and wall motion abnormality may progress in some cases of MVP as it did in this one. We consider this case a very interesting one in speculating on the relationship between MVP and DCM.

Adult↗

[Concentrations of cefmenoxime and cefotiam in the bile and gallbladder tissue following intravenous administration in patients with biliary tract diseases].

To test the effectiveness of cefmenoxime (CMX) and cefotiam (CTM) in patients with biliary tract diseases, concentrations of either antibiotic were measured after an intravenous bolus injection of 1.0 g of CMX or CTM, or simultaneous injection of both (1.0 g each). CMX or CTM was injected in 76 patients with biliary tract diseases (mostly cholelithiasis) prior to a cholecystectomy and concentrations of CMX or CTM were measured by the bioassay (agar well) method at 30 to 60 minutes after the injection. Average concentrations of both CMX and CTM in gallbladder bile and gallbladder tissue sufficiently exceeded the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against main causative organisms of biliary tract infections. Concentrations of both antibiotics in gallbladder bile were significantly higher in patients with patent cystic ducts than with obstructed cystic ducts. Concentrations of both antibiotics in the gallbladder tissue reached at a similar high level regardless of the patency of the cystic ducts, but concentrations were lower in severely inflamed gallbladders. CMX and CTM were administered alternatively (cross-over fashion), or simultaneously (combined) to 13 patients with T-tube drainage or percutaneous transhepatic cholangio-drainage, and concentrations of both antibiotics in bile from the drainage tube were measured by high performance liquid chromatography at hourly intervals after the injection. Concentrations of both antibiotics were far greater than MICs against main attributable microorganisms in biliary tract infections. The concentration of CMX slightly exceeded that of CTM. Concentrations of both antibiotics were lower in bile of patients showing abnormally high serum GTP, A1-P, and total bilirubin levels than in bile of patients with normal values of these variables. It is speculated that the secretion of both antibiotics in the bile may decrease in cases with severe hepatic failure, but effective concentrations of both antibiotics in the gallbladder tissue should be maintained as long as the blood circulation in the gallbladder was maintained.

Aged↗

[Mitral valve prolapse with myocardial disarrangement and familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a case report].

This is a report of a patient with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and myocardial abnormalities on endomyocardial biopsy in whose relatives hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) was identified. A 19-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of a heart murmur. A systolic ejection murmur was audible in the third intercostal space at the left sternal border, and a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram showed ST-T wave changes in leads II, III and aVF. Echocardiography revealed prolapse of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve, but no left ventricular hypertrophy. Endomyocardial biopsy disclosed mild hypertrophy and disarrangement of the myocardium. The family study revealed asymmetrical septal hypertrophy in her mother, who had no history of hypertension. Her younger sister had mild hypertrophy of the interventricular septum on echocardiography, and her histopathological findings suggested a diagnosis of HCM. This case was clinically regarded as MVP, but development of left ventricular hypertrophy as noted in her mother may occur in the future.

Adolescent↗