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D Pennell

Publications and source records attributed to D Pennell.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Measurement of left ventricular volume after anterior myocardial infarction: comparison of magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography, and radionuclide ventriculography.

We have compared echocardiography (echo) and radionuclide ventriculography (RNV) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the measurement of left ventricular (LV) volume and ejection fraction. Seventy asymptomatic patients were studied up to 12 days after first Q wave anterior myocardial infarction and again after 6 months. Each patient had LV volume measured by all three techniques within 24 hours of each other on each occasion. LV end-systolic and end-diastolic volume index (LVESVI and LVEDVI) and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured using the modified Simpson formula (echo), a counts-based method (RNV), and a multislice area summation method (MRI). Radionuclide volumes were measured both with and without correction for attenuation of isotope. Echocardiography overestimated LV volume compared with MRI. Mean (SD) differences (echo-MRI) were: LVEDVI + 10.6 ml/m2 (16.8), LVESVI + 13.7 ml/m2 (12.9), LVEF -8.5% (11.2). RNV underestimated both volume and ejection fraction compared with MRI. Mean differences (RNV-MRI) were: LVEDVI -25.4 ml/m2 (23.8), LVESVI -5.0 ml/m2 (18.6), LVEF -13.8% (10.4). Variability in the difference between echo and MRI and between RNV and MRI was very similar for LVEF (coefficient of variation 23.9% echo, 22.2% RNV) but there was greater variability in the radionuclide than the echo measurements of absolute volume. Variability of the radionuclide measurements was reduced by not correcting for attenuation, and this finding may improve the radionuclide technique for serial measurements of percentage change in volume. Long-term inter-study reproducibility of MRI for LVEF (coefficient of reproducibility) was 10.9%, for echo it was 10.6%, and for RNV it was 14.6%. We conclude that measurements of LV volume depend on the method used and are not interchangeable. Echocardiography agrees more closely with MRI than RNV for the measurement of absolute volume, but the two techniques are similar for the measurement of LVEF.

Echocardiography↗

Bradykinin B2BKR receptor polymorphism and left-ventricular growth response.

Angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) activity regulates left-ventricular growth. The deletion (D), rather than the insertion (I), ACE gene variant is associated with increased ACE activity and kinin degradation, and the absence (-) rather than the presence (+) of a 9 bp deletion in the gene encoding the bradykinin 2 receptor (B2BKR) is associated with greater gene expression. We determined the ACE and B2BKR genotype of 109 male army recruits, and measured their physiological left-ventricular growth response to a 10-week physical training programme. Mean left-ventricular growth was 15.7 g (SE 3.5) in those with ACE genotype D/D and B2BKR genotype +9/+9, but -1.37 g (4.1) in those with ACE genotype I/I and B2BKR genotype -9/-9 (p=0.003 for trend across genotypes). These results suggest that kinins regulate left-ventricular growth, mediating some of the effects of ACE in this regard.

Adult↗

Atrial thrombus and central venous dialysis catheters.

A native arteriovenous fistula is the first choice for hemodialysis access. Despite improved catheter designs and the use of internal jugular veins, thrombotic complications still occur when tunneled central venous catheters are used as an alternative. Although right atrial thrombus (RAT) is a well-characterized complication of long-term central venous cannulation, particularly when used for parenteral nutrition and chemotherapy in pediatric practice, only 9 reported cases previously have been associated with the long-term use of central venous catheters for hemodialysis. We report five cases of RAT seen at our unit between 1994 and 1998 in patients who had been dialyzed using tunneled catheters. In four of five cases, the diagnosis was made during the investigation of hemoptysis or dyspnea. In the fifth case, a screening transthoracic echocardiogram revealed the thrombus. Three of five of the patients suffered pulmonary emboli, and a fourth patient had an unexplained electromechanical dissociation cardiac arrest without definite evidence of pulmonary embolus. Our experience suggests that anticoagulated patients with RAT remain at risk of pulmonary embolism. One of our patients successfully underwent atrial thrombectomy. In four of five of our cases and four of nine cases in the literature, the central venous catheter tip was within the right atrium. Positioning of the central venous catheter tip low down in the superior vena cava or in the right atrium has been advocated to improve dialysis adequacy and to reduce the incidence of catheter thrombosis. However, placement of the catheter tip within the right atrium may be associated with an increased risk of RAT.

Adolescent↗

A comparison of adenosine and arbutamine for myocardial perfusion imaging.

We have compared our standard stress protocol (adenosine combined with exercise) with the new stress agent arbutamine, for thallium-201 myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in order to assess the comparative value of arbutamine. We studied 23 patients referred for MPI, and each patient had two studies (18 males, median age 66 years, five with previous myocardial infarction). Uptake scores were assigned to each of nine segments, and the extent and severity of defects were measured using a polar plot. Haemodynamic changes were greater with arbutamine (rate-pressure product increase 78% vs 51%, P = 0.003). Symptoms were experienced by 21 patients with arbutamine and 16 with adenosine (P = 0.07). Agreement between the techniques for classification of patients as normal or as having reversible, fixed or mixed defects was good (19 of 23 studies, 83%, kappa = 0.76). Agreement for similar classification of segments was also good (82%, kappa = 0.71). Segmental agreement for stress scores was good (86%, kappa = 0.77). However, mean size of stress defect was larger with adenosine (83+/-52 pixels vs 65+/-48 pixels, P<0.05), though severity and reversibility were similar (P = NS). We conclude that arbutamine provides comparable results to those obtained with adenosine and exercise and that the observed differences are not clinically significant.

Adenosine↗

A comparison of resting images from two myocardial perfusion tracers.

We have compared stress-redistribution and delayed rest thallium-201 with rest technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) tomograms in order to compare the tracers for the assessment of myocardial viability and to validate a rapid protocol combining the two tracers. We studied 30 consecutive patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease [group 1: 16 with normal left ventricular function, mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 55%, SD 6%; group 2: 14 with abnormal function, mean LVEF 28%, SD 8%]. 201Tl was injected during infusion of adenosine followed by acquisition of conventional stress and redistribution tomograms. On a separate day, 201Tl was injected at rest with imaging 4 h later. 99mTc-MIBI was then given at rest and imaging was performed. Three images were compared: redistribution 201Tl, rest 201Tl, and rest 99mTc-MIBI. Tracer activity was classified visually and quantitatively in nine segments and segments with > 50% activity were defined as containing clinically significant viable myocardium. Mean (+/- SD) global tracer uptake as a percentage of maximum was similar in group 1 (rest 201Tl 69% +/- 12%, redistribution 201Tl 69% +/- 15%, rest 99mTc-MIBI 70% +/- 13%, ANOVA P > 0.05), but in group 2 mean tracer uptake was significantly greater in the rest 201Tl images (59% +/- 16%) than in redistribution 201Tl images (53% +/- 17%) or rest 99mTc-MIBI images (53% +/- 19%) (ANOVA P = 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenosine↗

Avoidance of upward creep artifact during TI-201 myocardial perfusion tomography using adenosine infusion. A case report.

Upward motion of the heart during tomographic data acquisition of stress TI-201 myocardial perfusion images may lead to artifacts in the reconstructed tomograms. The authors report a patient in whom this occurred, giving the impression of reversible perfusion defects. Although correction of the raw data abolished the artifact, a separate study using adenosine vasodilation produced normal images. The authors conclude that adenosine vasodilation should be considered in preference to dynamic exercise in patients at risk of this artifact, such as those with a high exercise tolerance.

Adenosine↗

Chemical caution.

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Disinfectants↗