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Biomedical subjects

D L Clement

Publications and source records attributed to D L Clement.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Acute myocardial infarction size and myoglobin release into serum.

The kinetics of myoglobin release after acute myocardial infarction were studied. Various algorithms for calculation of infarct size, based on immunonephelometric determination of myoglobin and cumulative myoglobin release into the circulation were compared. The cumulative myoglobin release and maximal serum myoglobin concentration were compared with various measures of infarct size: cumulative release of creatine kinase, electrocardiographic changes, and left ventricular ejection fraction. After acute myocardial infarction, time to peak for myoglobin in serum was correlated with time to peak for creatine kinase (r = 0.645). On average, the myoglobin concentration peaked 8.8 h earlier than creatine kinase activity. The rate of elimination of myoglobin showed a large variation (0.041-0.628 h-1) and was not correlated with the elimination rate of creatine kinase. The elimination rate of myoglobin after acute myocardial infarction was shown to depend on the patient's age and infarct size. The elimination constant of myoglobin is preferably estimated on an individual basis in large and complicated infarctions. Cumulative myoglobin release correlated with algorithms based on the cumulative release of creatine kinase (r = 0.622) and its isoenzyme MB (r = 0.660), and to a lesser extent with the residual left ventricular ejection fraction (r = 0.513) and the sum of ST-segment deviations on electrocardiography (r = 0.469). Maximal myoglobin values in serum correlated moderately with the calculated infarct size (r = 0.488; based on creatine kinase-MB) and electrocardiographic changes (r = 0.554). In combination with fast immunological methods for myoglobin determination, myoglobin peak height offers the advantage of providing reliable results within 12 h after onset of symptoms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Value of ambulatory blood pressure recordings.

In the present paper, the value of ambulatory blood pressure recordings is discussed. Such recordings can be very helpful in the management of high and low blood pressure. The fact that more readings are obtained and that they are made in normal life conditions are the strongest arguments in favour of those recordings. Whether ambulatory recordings predict long term prognosis better than office blood pressure is still open for discussion; the long term European study OvA should help clarifying this important question. Data coming from these techniques are especially useful when conflicting elements are present such as high pressure with no organ damage or blood pressure resistant to all drugs and side effects occurring with even minor doses of antihypertensive drugs. Short term episodes of high or low pressure are best documented with ambulatory blood pressure recordings and this holds particularly true in patients with arterial hypotension. Finally several research aspects can be approached by ambulatory recordings of pressure such as the study of pharmacokinetics of drugs and analysis of blood pressure variability.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Long-term (2-year) isradipine data in the treatment of mild-to-moderate hypertension.

At the end of a short-term (3-month) study of antihypertensive treatment of mild-to-moderate hypertension, 141 of the 200 study patients continued into a 2-year follow-up of isradipine as monotherapy or in combination with other antihypertensive agents. Although all 141 patients completed the first year, only 102 completed the study. Twenty-four patients dropped out: 2 with flushing; 1 each with arrhythmia, edema, angina, and headache; 12 who were noncompliant; 2 with disease unrelated to the study drug; and 4 for reasons unknown. Before the follow-up, 70% of the 141 patients were taking isradipine; after 2 years, 63% were still taking isradipine as monotherapy. During the follow-up study, the blood pressure remained stable (142.9/86.8 mm Hg after 3 months, and 142.9/86.2 mm Hg after 2 years), whereas the normalization rate was only slightly changed (73 vs. 75.2%). The incidence of reported adverse events decreased with time. At the end of the short-term study, 44.7% of patients had reported one or more adverse events; after 2 years of treatment, only 14.4% reported adverse events. Two patients had ECG signs of left ventricular hypertrophy: one showed no relevant changes while the other presented clear signs of regression. No clinically relevant laboratory abnormalities were noted during the study. In conclusion, isradipine is effective, well tolerated and safe in the long-term treatment of mild-to-moderate hypertension.

Calcium Channel Blockers↗

Influence of the arterial blood pressure and nonhemodynamic factors on left ventricular hypertrophy in moderate essential hypertension.

In a group of 36 untreated patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension (office systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BPs) 160 +/- 3.4 and 102 +/- 1.5 mm Hg, respectively), a 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring and determination of left ventricular (LV) mass index according to the formula of Devereux were performed. After an overnight fast, blood samples were taken for the determination of serum aldosterone, plasma renin activity and serum parathyroid hormone. Urinary catecholamines were sampled for 24 hours. LV mass index (143.7 +/- 8 g/m2) did not correlate significantly either with office systolic or diastolic BP. The correlation of LV mass index with mean 24-hour systolic BP (145 +/- 3 mm Hg) was statistically significant: r = 0.395, p = 0.026. However, the best correlation was obtained with mean 24-hour diastolic BP (90 +/- 3 mm Hg) with r = 0.500 (p = 0.004). Urinary catecholamines were not correlated with LV mass index. LV mass index correlated significantly with plasma renin activity (r = 0.346, p = 0.050), and aldosterone (r = 0.559, p = 0.001). There was a very significant correlation between LV mass index and parathyroid hormone (r = 0.719, p = 0.00001) even after adjustment for mean 24-hour systolic and diastolic BPs. These results clearly demonstrate that ambulatory BP determinants but not office BP parameters are well correlated with LV hypertrophy in essential hypertension. Nonhemodynamic factors are important determinants of LV mass as well. Besides the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, parathyroid hormone appears to play an important role in cardiac hypertrophy.

Adult↗

Influence of nebivolol on the cardiovascular hemodynamics during postural changes and isometric exercise.

Nebivolol (R67555), a drug with beta 1 receptor antagonizing properties, was administered once daily (5 mg) for 7 days in 10 healthy volunteers. The hemodynamic parameters were measured noninvasively during postural changes (supine, sitting, standing) and during isometric handgrip at 50% maximal voluntary contraction, before and 3, 8, and 23 hours after the first nebivolol intake of 5 mg; the same measurements were done 23 hours after the last intake. Nebivolol lowered arterial blood pressure acutely and chronically due to a decrease in heart rate and cardiac output. The stroke volume seemed to be preserved, while the total peripheral vascular resistance did not change. Nebivolol did not change the orthostatic responses, except that the absolute value was lowered. Nebivolol was unable to prevent the blood pressure increase during isometric handgrip. However, this blood pressure increase was obtained by an increase in the total peripheral vascular resistance and not by an increase in the cardiac output, as observed during control measurements before nebivolol intake.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Assessment of myocardial ischemia by 12-lead electrocardiography and Frank vector system during coronary angioplasty: value of a new orthogonal lead system for quantitative ST segment monitoring.

The optimal number and placement of electrocardiographic (ECG) leads to detect myocardial ischemia induced by coronary balloon inflation was assessed by analyzing ST segment changes in the standard 12-lead ECG and Frank X, Y, Z leads at 90-s intervals during 34 consecutive coronary angioplasty procedures. Mean occlusion time during angioplasty was 218 +/- 65 s. Myocardial ischemia, defined as transient angina or ST segment deviation greater than or equal to 1 mm in at least one lead, occurred in 33 (97%) of the 34 procedures. The most sensitive single leads (V2 or V3) detected 17 (51%) of 33 ischemic episodes. The best dual-lead combinations (leads V2 and V5, leads a VF and V3 and leads V3 and Y) increased the sensitivity of 69% (23 of 33). The three-lead combination V2, V5, Y had the highest detecting power (78% [26 of 33]). The X, Y, Z leads by themselves had a sensitivity of only 60% (20 of 33). From this proposed orthogonal lead system (V2, V5, Y), which combines anteroposterior (V2), left to right (V5) and inferosuperior (Y) forces, the spatial ST vector magnitude was calculated and monitored during balloon inflations. A good correlation was observed between this ST vector magnitude and the sum of ST deviations on the standard ECG (r = 0.940, p less than 0.00001), and these data were reproducible over sequential balloon inflations. The results of the study suggest that this orthogonal lead system is of considerable value in the detection and quantification of acute myocardial ischemia and, in this respect, is more useful than the Frank orthogonal vector system.

Adult↗

Diagnostic approach to patients with primary hyperaldosteronism.

We report the case of a 38-year-old patient with primary hyperaldosteronism. The diagnosis was made by the demonstration of a non-suppressible high aldosterone level in association with a hypokalemia, an inappropriate kaliuresis and low plasma renin activity. As the choice of the therapeutic approach is dictated by the subtype, further investigation was needed. Using a number of hormonal studies and noninvasive imaging techniques, we could establish the diagnosis of adrenocortical adenoma. Histological examination confirmed our diagnosis. We further discuss briefly the characteristics of the four subtypes of primary hyperaldosteronism and show that the used biochemical markers and imaging techniques are able to differentiate them.

Adenoma↗

Effects of isradipine on peripheral hemodynamic reflex responses in mild-to-moderate essential hypertension.

In a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of isradipine (5 mg twice daily), effects on peripheral hemodynamic reflex responses were studied in nine patients (mean age 48 years) at baseline and after six weeks of active treatment. Assessments included vital signs, resting blood flow in the calf and finger (using an electrocardiograph-triggered venous occlusion plethysmograph), reflex responses during isometric exercise and cold pressor resistance, and venous capacitance in the forearm and calf. Isradipine lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as mean arterial pressure in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension without reflex tachycardia or venoconstriction. All of the reflex responses studied were attenuated. It is concluded that vasodilatation of the peripheral circulation induced by isradipine contributes partially to the blood pressure-lowering effect.

Adult↗

Humoral immune response against contractile proteins (actin and myosin) during cardiovascular disease.

Sensitive and highly specific ELISA assays were developed to determine humoral immune response against actin and myosin in 122 patients suffering from various cardiovascular diseases: acute viral myocarditis (n = 10, MYO), acute myocardial infarction (n = 28, AMI), valve surgery (n = 35, VALVE), coronary bypass surgery (n = 35, CABG), and peripheral vascular surgery (n = 14, VASC). Anti-actin and anti-myosin antibodies were determined on admission and serially during a period of 90 days. Anti-actin and anti-myosin immune response (IgG, IgM) was expressed comparing absorbance of the patients' serum with a reference serum. In the different patient groups significantly (P less than 0.01) higher anti-actin and anti-myosin antibody concentrations were found on admission compared with age-matched control groups. During follow-up, all patient groups except the vascular surgery group showed a significant immune response against actin and myosin, with an immune response ratio (peak/admission) for AMA IgG and IgM respectively of 2.12 and 2.40 in the VALVE group, 1.30 and 1.99 in the CABG group, 1.42 and 1.48 in the AMI group and 1.66 and 1.25 in the MYO group; and for AAA IgG and IgM respectively of 1.57 and 3.00 in the VALVE group, 1.54 and 1.64 in the CABG group, 1.25 and 1.07 in the AMI group, and 1.42 and 1.42 in the MYO group. A significant correlation between pre-cardiac injury and peak post-cardiac injury anti-myosin and anti-actin autoantibody levels could be demonstrated suggesting that pre-injury sensitization to these antigens plays an important role in evoking post-cardiac injury immune response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Actins↗

Radiofrequency ablation of a slow pathway in AV-nodal tachycardia.

A 35-year-old woman with frequent attacks of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and psychiatric background was submitted to ablation of AV-nodal tachycardia. Before ablation, tachycardia with a cycle length of 455 ms was easily induced with regular atrial stimulation or with one extrastimulus. Radiofrequency current (35 Watts) was applied on a site, localized between the His bundle and the ostium of the coronary sinus. The local electrogram showed an atrial activation 20 ms before the atrial activation at the His bundle site during tachycardia. Application terminated AV-nodal tachycardia within 2.5 seconds. Two back-up applications were given during sinus rhythm. At the control study, conduction over the slow pathway was abolished, and the fast conduction remained intact with a Wenckebach 2:1 block point at 180 beats/min. She remained free of recurrences with a follow-up of more than 3 months. The possibility of selective ablation of the slow pathway in AV-nodal tachycardia is discussed.

Adult↗

Ambulatory blood pressure and prognosis: summary of ongoing studies.

Two multicenter European trials studying the correlation between ambulatory blood pressure and long-term prognosis of hypertension are at present underway. The Office versus Ambulatory trial (OvA) has accepted primary hypertensives of all ages, with systolic and diastolic hypertension; in the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly study (Syst-Eur) only elderly patients with systolic hypertension are being studied. In both trials, blood pressure is being recorded at intervals of 30 min over 24 h, using fully validated non-invasive recorders. Treatment in both studies is based on office blood pressure. As both studies are expected to answer many current questions on the value of ambulatory blood pressure recordings, participation is strongly encouraged.

Aged↗

Comparison of the fibrinolytic response to desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) infusion versus venous occlusion in patients with coronary artery disease.

A 20-min venous occlusion and a desmopressin acetate (DDAVP, 0.4 microgram.Kg-1, 15 min) infusion test have been compared to evaluate fibrinolytic capacity in proven coronary artery disease. Basal values of plasma tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) activity and antigen and of t-PA inhibitor (PAI) were normally distributed in this patient group. However, after both stimuli, highly significant (P less than 0.005) increases of t-PA antigen and activity have been observed. Renormalization of t-PA levels after DDAVP infusion occurred more rapidly for antigen (120 min) than for activity concentrations (greater than 240 min). A DDAVP infusion test seems more appropriate for evaluation of the fibrinolytic capacity as the induced decrease in PAI level was significant (P less than 0.005) and lasted for at least 240 min, while it was not significant for the venous occlusion test.

Arm↗