Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Daniel F Pauly

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel F Pauly.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Vascular effects of sildenafil in hypertensive cardiac transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Sildenafil is commonly used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in hypertensive male cardiac transplant recipients (CTR); however, little is known about the vascular effects of sildenafil in these patients. METHODS: Central and peripheral arterial blood pressure (BP), heart rate, and brachial artery reactivity were determined in 15 hypertensive male CTR before and after oral sildenafil (50 mg) administration. RESULTS: Sildenafil improved brachial and aortic systolic BP, pulse pressure, aortic augmentation index, left ventricular tension time index, travel time of the reflected aortic pressure wave, and brachial artery reactivity (P <.01 for each comparison). No patient became hypotensive with sildenafil despite continuation of usual antihypertensive medications. CONCLUSIONS: Sildenafil (50 mg) is well tolerated in hypertensive CTR and improves BP, aortic augmentation index, and endothelial function. By decreasing the amplitude of the reflected pressure wave and delaying its return to the heart, sildenafil reduces left ventricular afterload and systolic stress.

Aged↗

Comparison of dobutamine versus milrinone therapy in hospitalized patients awaiting cardiac transplantation: a prospective, randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: The use of dobutamine or milrinone for inotropic support in patients with heart failure awaiting cardiac transplantation is largely arbitrary and based on institutional preference. The costs and effectiveness of these drugs have yet to be compared in a prospective, randomized study. METHODS: We compared clinical outcomes and costs associated with the use of dobutamine or milrinone in 36 hospitalized patients awaiting cardiac transplantation. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either dobutamine or milrinone at the time of initial hospitalization and were followed until death, transplantation, or placement of mechanical cardiac support (intra-aortic balloon pump or left ventricular assist device). RESULTS: Seventeen patients were randomly assigned to receive dobutamine (mean dose 4.1 +/- 1.4 microg/kg/min) and 19 patients received milrinone (mean dose 0.39 +/- 1.0 microg/kg/min). Therapy lasted 50 +/- 46 days for those in the dobutamine group and 63 +/- 45 days in the milrinone group. We did not detect differences between the 2 groups in right heart hemodynamics, death, need for additional vasodilator/inotropic therapy, or need for mechanical cardiac support before transplantation. Ventricular arrhythmias requiring increased antiarrhythmic therapy occurred frequently in both groups. Total acquisition cost of milrinone was significantly higher than that of dobutamine (16,270 dollars +/- 1334 vs 380 dollars +/- 533 P <.00001). CONCLUSIONS: Both dobutamine and milrinone can be used successfully as pharmacologic therapy for a bridge to heart transplantation. Despite similar clinical outcomes, treatment with milrinone incurs greater cost.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

Association between the severity of angiographic coronary artery disease and paraoxonase gene polymorphisms in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) study.

Paraoxonase (PON), a high-density lipoprotein-associated enzyme, is believed to protect against low-density lipoprotein oxidation and thus affects the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Three polymorphisms in the PON1 (Leu55Met and Gln192Arg) and PON2 (Ser311Cys) genes have been shown to be associated with the risk of CAD in several European or European-derived populations. In the present study, we examined the associations between these three markers and the severity of CAD as determined by the number of diseased coronary artery vessels in 711 subjects (589 whites and 122 blacks) from the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) study. WISE is a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored multicenter study designed to address issues related to ischemic-heart-disease recognition and diagnosis in women. Subjects were classified as having normal/minimal CAD (<20% stenosis), mild CAD (20%-49% stenosis), and significant CAD (>/=50% stenosis). The women who had >/=50% stenosis were further classified into groups with one-, two-, or three-vessel disease if any of the three coronary arteries had diameter stenosis >/=50%. No significant association was found between the PON polymorphisms and stenosis severity in either white or black women. However, among white women, when data were stratified by the number of diseased vessels, the frequency of the PON1 codon 192 Arg/Arg genotype was significantly higher in the group with three-vessel disease than in the other groups (those with one-vessel and two-vessel disease) combined (17.02% vs. 4.58%; P=.0066). Similarly, the frequency of the PON2 codon 311 Cys/Cys genotype was significantly higher in the group with three-vessel disease than in the other groups combined (15.22% vs. 4.61%; P=.018). The adjusted odds ratios for the development of three-vessel disease were 2.80 (95% confidence interval 1.06-7.37; P=.038) for PON1 codon 192 Arg/Arg and 3.68 (95% confidence interval 1.26-10.68; P=.017) for PON2 codon 311 Cys/Cys. Our data indicate that the severity of CAD, in terms of the number of diseased vessels, may be affected by common genetic variation in the PON gene cluster, on chromosome 7.

Adult↗

Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (rituximab) therapy for acute cardiac humoral rejection: a case report.

Humoral or antibody-mediated rejection in cardiac transplant recipients is mediated by donor-specific cytotoxic antibodies and is histologically defined by linear deposits of immunoglobulin and complement in the myocardial capillaries. Antibody-mediated rejection often is accompanied by hemodynamic compromise and is associated with reduced long-term graft survival. Standard immunosuppression, designed to target T cell immune function, is largely ineffective against this B cell-driven process. Current treatment options for humoral rejection are limited by a lack of specific anti-B cell therapies. We present the case of a 50-year-old woman with hemodynamically significant humoral rejection resistant to steroids, cyclophos-phamide, and plasmapheresis who responded to the addition of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy (rituximab). One year posttransplant, the patient is rejection-free, with normal left ventricular systolic function and coronary arteries.

Acute Disease↗

Correction of the enzymatic and functional deficits in a model of Pompe disease using adeno-associated virus vectors.

Pompe disease is a lysosomal storage disease caused by the absence of acid alpha-1,4 glucosidase (GAA). The pathophysiology of Pompe disease includes generalized myopathy of both cardiac and skeletal muscle. We sought to use recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors to deliver functional GAA genes in vitro and in vivo. Myotubes and fibroblasts from Pompe patients were transduced in vitro with rAAV2-GAA. At 14 days postinfection, GAA activities were at least fourfold higher than in their respective untransduced controls, with a 10-fold increase observed in GAA-deficient myotubes. BALB/c and Gaa(-/-) mice were also treated with rAAV vectors. Persistent expression of vector-derived human GAA was observed in BALB/c mice up to 6 months after treatment. In Gaa(-/-) mice, intramuscular and intramyocardial delivery of rAAV2-Gaa (carrying the mouse Gaa cDNA) resulted in near-normal enzyme activities. Skeletal muscle contractility was partially restored in the soleus muscles of treated Gaa(-/-) mice, indicating the potential for vector-mediated restoration of both enzymatic activity and muscle function. Furthermore, intramuscular treatment with a recombinant AAV serotype 1 vector (rAAV1-Gaa) led to nearly eight times normal enzymatic activity in Gaa(-/-) mice, with concomitant glycogen clearance as assessed in vitro and by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Animals↗

Percutaneous coronary intervention versus medical therapy for coronary allograft vasculopathy. One center's experience.

BACKGROUND: Coronary allograft vasculopathy, a rapidly progressive form of atherosclerosis, remains the limiting factor in the long-term survival of heart transplant recipients. Some centers have attempted percutaneous coronary intervention to slow the disease process and thereby reduce mortality in these patients, but long-term follow-up data are scarce. We compared clinical outcomes in heart transplant recipients with coronary allograft vasculopathy who were treated either with percutaneous coronary intervention or with aggressive medical therapy alone. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all heart transplant recipients at our institution who underwent surveillance coronary angiography for coronary allograft vasculopathy between 1995 and 2000 was performed. Patients with coronary allograft vasculopathy were stratified according to whether they received medical therapy or percutaneous coronary intervention. Baseline demographics, results of re-vascularization procedures and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: From 1995 to 2000, 301 patients underwent 602 coronary angiograms. Of the 79 patients who had angiographic evidence of coronary allograft vasculopathy, 53 were treated with aggressive medical therapy, while 26 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in addition to aggressive medical therapy. At baseline, patients treated with aggressive medical therapy tended to be younger (54.6 +/- 13.8 years) than patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (62.6 +/- 7.6 years; p = 0.0079). Ejection fraction at time of diagnosis of coronary allograft vasculopathy was similar for both groups (medical therapy group, 44.4 +/- 13.4% vs percutaneous coronary intervention group, 47.2 +/- 12.7%; p = 0.38). In our cohort, heart transplant recipients with coronary allograft vasculopathy demonstrated greater mortality than heart transplant recipients without coronary allograft vasculopathy (p = 0.016). Patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention had a 60% re-stenosis rate at 6 months if they were treated with coronary angioplasty and an 18% re-stenosis rate if they received a coronary stent. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant difference in survival in either treatment group at 1 year (80% for medical therapy group vs 95% for percutaneous coronary intervention group) or 3 years (68% for medical therapy group vs 79% for percutaneous coronary intervention group) after the angiographic diagnosis of coronary allograft vasculopathy. CONCLUSION: In this non-randomized trial, heart transplant recipients with coronary allograft vasculopathy were less likely to survive than patients without it. In addition, we found no statistical difference in mortality in heart transplant recipients with coronary allograft vasculopathy, regardless of whether they received percutaneous coronary intervention or aggressive medical therapy alone.

Aged↗

Managing the post-left ventricular assist device patient.

The implantation of ventricular assist devices allows the opportunity for patients with intractable heart failure to have improved quality and quantity of life. The devices may be implanted after failed attempts to wean from bypass, as a bridge to transplantation, or as destination therapy. Key issues following the implantation of assist devices include the prevention of right ventricular failure, appropriate pharmacologic management, prevention and management of infection, and detection and treatment of device dysfunction.

Assisted Circulation↗