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Biomedical subjects

B Letac

Publications and source records attributed to B Letac.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

[Effects of intensive physical training on blood lipids: a study in long-distance runners (author's transl)].

Triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined in 48 long-distance runners (group I) and in 34 sedentary males of similar age-range and weight serving as controls (group II). Blood samples were taken before and after racing in runners and at rest in controls, but comparisons were made between baseline values only. Taken globally, group I subjects had significantly higher HDL-C levels (p less than 0.01) and lower TC/HDL-C ratios (p less than 0.05) than group II subjects. However, considerable changes were found within and between the groups when subjects were divided according to age. Thus, there was no significant difference in blood lipids between long-distance runners and controls in the 20-34 years subgroups, whereas in the 35-55 years subgroups HDL-C values tended to decrease in controls but remained high in long-distance runners, the difference being highly significant (p less than 0.001). Consequently, there also was a significant difference (P less than 0.01) between group 1 and group II subjects in TC: HDL-C ratios. The increase in TG with age was much greater in controls than in runners. It is suggested that high HDL-C levels might be one of the mechanisms though which intensive physical training exerts a protective effect against coronary disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Hemodynamic and angiographic evaluation of aortic regurgitation 8 and 27 months after aortic valve replacement.

Eighteen patients with chronic aortic insufficiency were evaluated hemodynamically and angiographically 8 months after aortic valve replacement. Both the pulmonary artery diastolic pressure and the left ventricular end-diastolic volume decreased significantly (p less than 0.001), but the mean ejection fraction and the cardiac output remained identically lowered, though some individual cases showed improvement. The relative reduction in end-diastolic volume correlated only with the preoperative ejection (p less than 0.05) and regurgitation fractions (p less than 0.02). In the 10 patients whose left ventricular volume remained high or ejection fraction low, a second evaluation was performed 27 months after surgery. The left ventricular end-diastolic volume was significantly lowered (from 151 to 120 ml/m2, p less than 0.05) back to normal in five cases. The systolic and diastolic ventricular shape returned to normal. Cardiac index and ejection fraction were unchanged. These results show a marked improvement a few months after aortic valve replacement, with a further improvement several months later, as shown mainly by the decrease of left ventricular end-diastolic volume and the return to normal of left ventricular cavity shape. However, in most cases, the ejection fraction remained at its preoperative valve, suggesting that surgery should be performed early, before myocardial deterioration appears.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

[Idiopathic aneurysm of the left ventricle. Apropos of 4 cases operated on with success].

Over a period of 3 years, 4 cases of idiopathic left ventricular aneurysm, 3 white females and one coloured male aged 34, 53, 29 and 47 years respectively, were observed. All presented with paroxysmal ventricular or supraventricular tachycardia, which, in one case, was severe enough in itself to justify surgery. On angiography, large left ventricular aneurysms bordering the mitral annulus and responsible for moderate mitral regurgitation in two patients were demonstrated. Aneurysmectomy was only possible in 2 cases, the other two having pericardial adhesions with a risk of uncontrollable haemorrhage during dissection being managed by suture of the neck of the aneurysm. The surgical results were very satisfactory, especially with respect to the arrhythmias with a follow-up of 48, 24, 15 and 9 months respectively. In a review of the literature, 93 cases of idiopathic left ventricular aneurysm were analysed, less than 20 of which have been managed surgically. Left ventricular aneurysms seem to be large fibrotic structures located at the border of the mitral, or, less commonly, below the aortic annulus. It is important to differentiate them from congenital left ventricular diverticuli which are usually located at the apex, have muscular walls and are therefore contractile. The aetiology of these aneurysms is unknown: the possible role of myocardial infarction may be excluded as the coronary arteries are always normal on angiography and at autopsy. The relatively young age of the patients is also an argument against this hypothesis. Other suggested causes such as syphilis, tuberculosis, Chagas' disease, non-specific myocarditis, sarcoidosis and thoracic trauma may also be excluded. Surgery seems to be indicated in cases complicated by resistant arrhythmias, peripheral embolism or when the aneurysm increases rapidly in size.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[Diclofurime, a new major hypotensive agent. Clinical study in 24 patients (author's transl)].

Diclofurine is a new ketone-oxime derivative with potent peripheral vasodilating properties. Its hypotensive effects were studied in 24 patients suffering from severe hypertension resistant to combinations of most hypotensive drugs. In 22 patients who received diclofurime alone the blood pressure decreased from mean values of 194 +/- 1/118 +/- 3 to 166 +/- 4/97 +/- 3 mmHg after the weeks of treatment and remined at simular levels on further examinations. Most remarkably, the fall in BP was accompanied by a decrease of 15 beats/minute in supine heart rate. The mean daily dosage of diclofurime was 518 mg, the drug being taken in three divided doses. In 7 cases where diclofurime was combined with acebutolol either from the start or (in 5 cases) after an initial period of monotherapy, the efficacy of the treatment was enhanced by the beta-blocking agent. Out of 24 patients studied only one failed to respond. The new drug was generally well tolerated. Diclofurime appears to be one of the most active and best tolerated drugs for long-term oral treatment of arterial hypertension.

Acebutolol↗
PubMed1980

Large multiple coronary artery aneurysm in adult patients: a report on three patients and a review of the literature.

Three cases of large multiple coronary aneurysms, situated on both right and left coronary arteries, were seen in three middle-aged adult patients. These patients were hospitalized for myocardial infarction in two cases and for angina pectoris in the third case. On the coronary angiogram, the coronary lesions were quite unusual as there were multiple voluminous aneurysms on both coronary arteries without evidence of atherosclerotic lesions of the remainder of the coronary tree. These lesions did not seem to be congenital or atherosclerotic, and it was postulated that these lesions might have been the sequelae of a mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome although no previous history of this condition could be found in these three patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Variations in height of jugular "a" wave in relation to heart rate in normal subjects and in patients with atrial septal defect.

Analysis of jugular tracings in seven normal subjects in sinus rhythm whose heart rate varied spontaneously from one moment to another during expiratory apnoea, showed that a pronounced variation occurred in the size of the "a" waves in relation to that of the "v" waves and in accordance with the corresponding RR interval. In the 53 measurements which were carried out, the "a/v" ratio had a mean value of 0.9 for a heart rate above 87, 1.4 for a heart rate between 87 and 68, and 1.1 for a heart rate less than 68. The variations in the size of the "a" waves in relation to heart rate are explained by the place of atrial systole during the different phases of ventricular filling. This variation in the height of the "a" wave has also been found in patients with an atrial septal defect for heart rates between 62 and 86, and this could lead to misdiagnosis, either dismissing the diagnosis of atrial septal defect when the heart rate is around these values, or suspecting it wrongly when the heart rate is either slower or faster. When examining jugular tracings, one should therefore be cautious about interpreting the size of the "a" wave which should be evaluated as a function of heart rate.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Quantitative angiographic evaluation in left ventricular aneurysm.

A new method was used for the quantitative analysis of left ventricular angiography in 22 patients with an anterior aneurysm. The line of demarcation between the aneurysm (A) and the remaining myocardium (RM) was determined accurately by looking at a sudden change in the percentage of shortening of two contiguous half-axes, the left ventricular cavity being divided by 19 parallel and equidistant axes. The total volume of the left ventricle, the volume of the A and that of the RM were calculated using a method derived from Chapman's method. Total ejection fraction, ejection fraction and VCF of the RM were also calculated. A comparison was made between patients with heart failure (Group I) and those without (Group II). In Group I, the A was much larger (P less than 0.01) but volume, ejection fraction and VCF of the RM, were not significantly different, indicating that the surgical resection should give a favorable result. The validity of this method of quantitative analysis was confirmed by a comparison of the calculated preoperative remaining left ventricular volume with the volume of the postoperative cavity in 8 patients. These measurements lead to a better evaluation of patients with ventricular aneurysm in view of selection for surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[Isoenzyme distribution of creatine kinase in various human organs. Interest in human pathology (author's transl)].

The isoenzyme content of creatine kinase was determined in various human organs after autopsy. The results found were on the whole in agreement with the literature. Their analysis dictates the choice of a method of separation of the MB fraction: chromatography or electrophoresis. It permits better interpretation of the results of estimation of the MB fraction in the serum.

Brain↗