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Biomedical subjects

C Mady

Publications and source records attributed to C Mady.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Neoplastic pericardial disease. Analysis of 26 patients.

PURPOSE: To characterize patients with neoplastic pericardial disease diagnosed by clinical presentation, complementary test findings, and the histological type of tumor. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with neoplastic pericardial disease were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Clinical manifestations and abnormalities in chest roentgenograms and electrocardiograms were frequent, but were not specific. Most patients underwent surgery. There was a high positivity of the pericardial biopsy when associated with the cytological analysis of the pericardial liquid used to determine the histological type of the tumor, particularly when the procedure was performed with the aid of pericardioscopy. CONCLUSION: The correct diagnosis of neoplastic pericardial disease involves suspicious but nonspecific findings during clinical examination and in screen tests. The suspicious findings must be confirmed through more invasive diagnostic approaches, in particular pericardioscopy with biopsy and cytological study.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Atrial fibrillation in endomyocardial fibrosis is a marker of worse prognosis.

We studied the incidence of AF in patients with endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) and its influence on prognosis and associated clinical events. One hundred and sixty consecutive patients with EMF were followed for a mean period of 4 years. Their mean age was 39.7 years. There were 114 women. During follow-up there were 56 deaths. Eighty-eight patients (55%) were submitted to surgical intervention. AF was observed in 58 cases (36.2%). The presence of AF was associated with a greater prevalence of dyspnea, peripheral edema, hepatomegaly, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, lower right ventricular systolic pressure (37.8 vs 45.6 mmHg, P=0.0392), and greater incidence of tricuspid regurgitation (86.0 vs 63.2%, P=0.004). AF was more frequent among patients in whom the disease involved the right ventricle, particularly those with intense fibrosis. Overall, patients with AF had a higher mortality rate than those who did not have AF (43.1 vs 30.3%, P=0.0195), but among those submitted to surgery, AF did not have an impact on survival. In conclusion, AF is frequent among patients with EMF. It is more prevalent among patients with right ventricular involvement and its presence is associated with a greater incidence of heart failure. AF is associated with worse prognosis, but surgery potentially reverses this bad evolution.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Value of pericardial biopsy in the etiologic diagnosis of pericardial diseases].

PURPOSE: To determine the value of pericardial biopsy as a complementary exam in the etiology of pericardial effusion. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively (from 1990 to 1997) 38 patients with pericardial effusion. The age ranged between 3 months and 79 years (mean 41.15 +/- 21.78 years). Pericardial biopsy was performed in all cases through a subxiphoid incision. RESULTS: In 4 patients (10.5%) the biopsy was able to define etiology, 2 had tuberculosis and 2 neoplasias (1 undetermined adenocarcinoma, 1 mesotelioma). In 34 patients the biopsy showed non-specific chronic pericarditis. CONCLUSION: Pericardial biopsy was not an effective method to determine the etiological diagnosis in pericardial effusion patients. We believe that we have to individualize the indication of pericardial biopsy especially if tuberculosis or neoplasia are suspected.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Cardiovascular diseases observed during follow-up of a group of patients with undetermined form of Chagas' disease].

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular outcome in patients with the undetermined form of Chagas' disease and whether or not it is related to the infectious disease in the long-term. METHODS: One hundred and sixty patients were prospectively followed-up at three month intervals for up to 177 months. RESULTS: Twenty and three (14.4%) patients developed hypertension complicated by ischemic stroke in two (1.2%) and symptomatic heart failure in one (0.6%). Cardiac arrhythmias occurred in four (2.4%) patients corresponding to isolated ventricular ectopic beats in two (1.2%), isolated supraventricular ectopic beats in one (0.6%) and an isolated episode of acute atrial fibrillation in another (0.6%). Two (1.2%) patients developed symptoms of coronary artery disease, one of them had one episode of acute chest pain diagnosed as myocardial infarction and the other had chronic chest pain diagnosed as angina. CONCLUSION: Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease occurring in the long-term follow-up of patients with the undetermined form of Chagas' disease. Cardiac rhythm disturbances and coronary artery disease were not more frequent than those generally found in a healthy population. These data confirm a favorable long-term prognosis in patients with the undetermined form of Chagas' disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Idiopathic chylopericardium].

We describe a case of a patient with idiopathic pericardial effusion that during investigation proved to be a chylopericardium. Lymphangiography showed the chylopericardium to be due to partial aplasia of the thoracic duct. A brief review the etiology, clinical feature, diagnostic procedures and therapeutic possibilities of chylopericardium is presented.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Cytokine production profile of heart-infiltrating T cells in Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy.

The hallmark of chronic Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy (CCC) is the finding of a T cell-rich inflammatory mononuclear cell infiltrate in the presence of extremely few parasites in the heart lesions. The scarcity of parasites in affected heart tissue casts doubt on the direct participation of Trypanosoma cruzi in CCC heart tissue lesions, and suggests the possible involvement of autoimmunity. The cells in the infiltrate are presumably the ultimate effectors of tissue damage, and there is evidence that such cells recognize cardiac myosin in molecular mimicry with T. cruzi proteins rather than primary reactivity to T. cruzi antigens (Cunha-Neto et al. (1996) Journal of Clinical Investigation, 98: 1709-1712). Recently, we have studied heart-infiltrating T cells at the functional level. In this short review we summarize the studies about the role of cytokines in human and experimental T. cruzi infection, along with our data on heart-infiltrating T cells in human Chagas' cardiomyopathy. The bulk of evidence points to a significant production of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha which may be linked to T. cruzi-induced IL-12 production.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[Maximal functional capacity and diastolic function in patients with cardiomyopathy due to Chagas' disease without congestive heart failure].

PURPOSE: To identify early cardiac dysfunctions in asymptomatic patients with Chagas' cardiomyopathy. METHODS: We studied 38 male individuals: control group consisting of 20 sedentary normal individuals and Chagas' group, of 18 asymptomatic patients with Chagas' disease, with suggestive electrocardiographic alterations and normal fractional shortening (FS) on echocardiogram. Both groups were submitted to evaluation of the maximal functional capacity, with measurements of maximal O2 consumption (VO2max), O2-pulse rate (PO2max), maximal ventilation (VEmax), maximal heart rate (HRmax), and anaerobic threshold of the VO2max (VO2-AT). Left ventricular diastolic function was evaluated by conventional echocardiography (E wave, A wave and E/A ratio). RESULTS: No significant differences occurred between the two groups with regard to FS (p = 0.212) and age means (p = 0.060). The 2 groups were significantly different (p < 0.001) regarding the parameters VO2max, PO2max, VEmax, HRmax and VO2-AT, E wave and E/A ratio. There was no difference (p = 0.520) in A wave. CONCLUSION: Impaired ventricular function may account for the above mentioned differences, a consequence of both systolic and diastolic dysfunctions.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Minimally invasive myocardial bypass surgery using video-assisted thoracoscopy].

PURPOSE: In order to associate the major benefits of the coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) with a less aggressive procedure minimally invasive coronary artery bypass graft (MICABG) has been utilized. The aim of the work is to report our initial experience with this technical approach, using video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) to facilitate the operation. METHODS: Twenty-six patients, 19 males with ages from 44 to 83 years old, and having isolated lesion of the anterior descending artery were operated upon. Left anterior minithoracotomy of 8-10 cm was performed at the fourth intercostal space. Through this incision the optical device for VATS as well as the surgical instruments were placed in order to provide the complete left internal mammary artery (LIMA) dissection. Bypass circulation was not used and cardiac rate was decreased with the use of intravenous betablockers. For LIMA--anterior descending artery anastomosis, proximal and distal tourniquets were used and 1.5 mg/kg of heparin was intravenously administered. RESULTS: All patients presented satisfactory postoperative evolution, being discharged from the hospital at 72 h after surgery in the majority of the cases. There were delay in two patients healing of incisions and 25 patients have remained asymptomatic, with a mean in postoperative follow-up of four months. One patient died in the second postoperative month due to stroke. CONCLUSION: MICABG makes the surgery possible with better esthetic effect, lower cost and enables faster recovery than the conventional one. The use of VATS through the thoracotomy itself, allows the LIMA dissection without other incisions. It also permitted more ample dissection of the LIMA when compared to minithoracotomy without VATS.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Radiological findings in endomyocardial fibrosis].

PURPOSE: To determine through conventional radiology the type of ventricular involvement in endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF). METHODS: We analyzed 56 cases with EMF confirmed by angiocardiography and 9 by postmortem study, aged between 16 and 56 years (mean 32); there were 42 females. Only one radiologist analyzed X-rays without any knowledge of the cineangiography findings. RESULTS: The right side of the heart was primarily involved in 9 patients and the cardiac silhouette was characteristically globular and had oligemic pulmonary fields (66.66%). The cardiothoracic ratio was 0.62 +/- 0.11. Out of 9 patients, 8 were female. The left side of the heart was established as being primarily involved in 11 cases and simulated rheumatic mitral disease. The cardiothoracic ratio was 0.51 +/- 0.09 and there were increased pulmonary fields in 63.6%. The biventricular disease occurred in 36 cases. There were radiologic findings of right and left side. The cardiothoracic ratio was 0.63 +/- 0.06 and there was oligemic pulmonary fields in 38.8%, increased pulmonary fields in 33.3% and was normal in 27.7%. There were 4:1 females. CONCLUSION: The radiological study is fundamental in the initial diagnosis of EMF. The type of involvement could be done in 66.07% of all cases by chest X-ray.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Normal maximal functional capacity in patients with congestive heart failure due to Chagas' cardiomyopathy].

PURPOSE: To compare patients with heart failure due to Chagas' cardiomyopathy and maximal oxygen consumption greater than 20mL/kg-1/min-1 to normal individuals. METHODS: We studied 104 male patients with heart failure due to Chagas' cardiomyopathy, functional classe II-IV, age 18 to 65 years (40.3 +/- 9.0), and 23 normal sedentary male individuals (GI) age 17 to 51 years (35 +/- 8.7). Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was obtained using a Beckman metabolic measurement cart, and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) by conventional transthoracic echocardiography. Comparisons between means were made with t-test. RESULTS: Thirty seven patients (35.6%) presented VO2max above 20mL/kg-1/min-1 (G2), with values ranging from 20.5 to 30 (24.5 +/- 2.9) and EF between 19 and 63% (42 +/- 11.7). GI had VO2max between 21 and 42mL/kg-1/min-1 (33.3 +/- 5.6) and EF between 70 and 82% (75.1 +/- 3.2). Ages were not significantly different for the two groups (p = 0.1136). VO2max and EF were lower in G2, and this was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that patients with congestive heart failure due to Chagas disease may show values of VO2max, greater than 20mL/kg-1/min-1 which does not mean that they have normal maximal functional capacity.

Adolescent↗