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Biomedical subjects

F Camerini

Publications and source records attributed to F Camerini.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

The use of associated propafenone in patients with amiodarone-resistant ventricular tachycardia.

To clarify the risk-benefit ratio involved in association of antiarrhythmic drugs, a combined therapy of amiodarone and propafenone was tested by means of continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, analysis of levels of the drug in the plasma and programmed electrical stimulation in a selected group of 10 patients who had left ventricular dysfunction and spontaneous relapses of sustained ventricular tachycardia despite treatment with amiodarone. Induction of sustained ventricular tachycardia, possible in each case during treatment with amiodarone, was suppressed after addition of propafenone in 2 patients (responders), who had the best ejection fractions of the entire group (greater than 45%). Worsening of spontaneous tachycardias developed in 4 cases during the combined therapy. These ventricular arrhythmias, although generally at a low rate, sometimes had the potential to degenerate into ventricular fibrillation and disappeared after both discontinuation of propafenone or increase of its dosage (1 patient). Of the six cases undergoing chronic combined treatment, only the responders to premature electrical stimulation were completely protected from recurrences of arrhythmia. Three cases, on the other hand, needed permanent endocardial pacing for symptomatic bradyarrhythmias. The combination of treatment with amiodarone and propafenone, although potentially useful in limiting dosages of and toxicity from amiodarone, is frequently associated with undesirable, and occasionally has severe, side-effects. The best candidates for this pharmacological association seem to be patients without severely depressed left ventricular function who have a greater probability of not presenting the inducibility of ventricular tachycardia after the addition of propafenone to the regimen for treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Efficacy of continuous and intermittent transdermal treatment with nitroglycerin in effort angina pectoris: a multicentric study. The Collaborative Nitro Group.

Eighty-eight patients (84 men and 4 women; mean age 59.3 years) with stable exercise-induced angina pectoris were enrolled in this within-patient, placebo-controlled study aimed at comparing the efficacy of the continuous and intermittent (12 hour on, 12 hour off) application of transdermal nitroglycerin. Eighty-one patients completed the study. After a 1-week placebo run-in period, during which the stability of angina was assessed on a bicycle ergometer, the patients received continuous treatment (two 10 mg/24 hour patches twice daily, at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.), intermittent treatment (two 10 mg/24 hour patches at 8 a.m. and two placebo patches at 8 p.m.) and placebo (two placebo patches twice daily, at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.), each given for one week in a double-blind randomised sequence, according to a 3 x 3 latin-square design. A cycloergometric exercise test was performed at the end of each period of treatment, 4 and 10 hours after the application of the morning patch. In comparison with placebo, both schedules of the active treatment induced a significant increase in both the ischemic (duration of exercise to 1 mm ST segment depression) and the angina threshold (duration of exercise to mild angina) at the 4th and at the 10th hours after-dosing. A significant difference was also found between continuous and intermittent treatment at the same times of observation, in favour of the intermittent schedule. The limited number of anginal attacks recorded during placebo prevented any clinical evaluation of the treatments. This study shows that the efficacy of transdermal nitroglycerin is more pronounced when it is given following an intermittent schedule.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Clinical aspects and haemodynamics in the follow-up of dilated cardiomyopathy and myocarditis.

Many studies on the natural history of dilated cardiomyopathy show high probability of death or of cardiac transplantation in a large percentage of patients. These studies have several methodological limitations. Our prospective study, carried out from 1971, and which evaluated 120 patients, showed improved survival in more recent years. Survival 3 years after diagnosis changed from 30% (1971-6/1981) to 88.4% (7/1986-1/1989). Thirty patients were investigated by haemodynamic exercise test to assess their haemodynamic behaviour during exercise, to evaluate the effects of pharmacological treatment and to define parameters of prognostic value. Different haemodynamic behaviours were observed. Haemodynamic investigation during exercise is useful to assess the effect of treatment and may have prognostic value. Myocarditis presents a spectrum of clinical symptoms and echocardiographic abnormalities. In patients with congestive heart failure left ventricular dysfunction is common. Patients with atrioventricular block or chest pain usually have good left ventricular function. During follow-up, improvement is possible but persistent left ventricular dysfunction is associated with a high mortality rate. When left ventricular function is good at presentation and does not deteriorate during follow-up the prognosis is good.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated↗
PubMed1991

Two-dimensional echocardiography in myocardial amyloidosis.

Two-dimensional echocardiography is the best means of identifying early cardiac amyloid infiltration and gauging its subsequent progression. The early asymptomatic phase is characterized on echocardiography by a mild-to-moderate increase in left ventricular and/or right ventricular wall thicknesses. The distinctive combination of low electrocardiography voltage and increase in left ventricular mass on the echocardiogram, both compatible with substantial amyloid infiltration, is valuable in diagnosis and appears to indicate the severity of the disease. Other ancillary but common findings are left atrial dilatation, a small pericardial effusion, thickening of cardiac valves, papillary muscles, and interatrial septum. Finally, there is a peculiar texture of myocardial walls, with highly refractile areas that are typical, although not specific, of myocardial amyloidosis and can also be quantitatively described by digital image analysis techniques. The echocardiographic appearance of amyloidosis can closely mimic several other diseases. Asymmetric hypertrophy of the septum due to amyloid deposition may occur, simulating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The granular sparkling of myocardial walls is also found in myocarditis with severe fibrosis, and it is quite common in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, as well as in other infiltrative diseases of the myocardium. It is not uncommon that the echocardiographic examination represents a turning point in the work-up of the patient, briskly orienting the clinician towards the correct diagnostic pathway. However, the likelihood of the cardiologist-echocardiographer to successfully and prospectively identify myocardial amyloidosis is substantially higher if all the clinical and electrocardiographic information is reviewed at the time of the echocardiographic examination.

Amyloidosis↗
PubMed1990

Clinical and pathologic study of familial dilated cardiomyopathy.

To evaluate the occurrence of familial cases of dilated cardiomyopathy (DC), 165 consecutive patients were studied. Diagnosis of myocardial disease was based on clinical, hemodynamic, bioptic, postmortem or a combination of these criteria. Twelve patients (7% of cases) showed evidence of myocardial disease in greater than or equal to 1 relative; 27 patients with myocardial disease were detected in the 12 families, but a suspected history of myocardial involvement was present in a further 16 cases. In 6 families proband and relatives were affected by DC (total 14 cases); in 1 of these families the disease began with an atrioventricular block. In 4 families the relatives showed the presence of myocarditis at the endomyocardial biopsy. In 2 families the relatives presented a right ventricular cardiomyopathy. The mode of inheritance was autosomal dominant in 7 families, recessive in 4; X-linked pattern may be hypothesized in 1. Nine patients died under the age of 45 years: 2 of sudden death, 6 of chronic heart failure and 1 of cerebral embolism. Familial transmission is not rare. Different modes of genetic transmission (autosomal dominant, recessive and X-linked) and different forms of myocardial disease suggest that familial DC may be a multifactorial disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Peripartum cardiomyopathy: clinical, echocardiographic and biopsy aspects].

In order to characterize the features of peripartum cardiomyopathy, clinical, echocardiographic and right ventricular endomyocardial bioptic data obtained from 6 patients (pts) (age range: 34.1 +/- 5.5. yrs) who fulfilled peripartum cardiomyopathy diagnostic criteria, were analyzed. Five of these pts had clinical and non-invasive studies for a mean period of 41.6 +/- 59.6 months. All but one were multiparous. Five developed heart failure one month before delivery. Three patients had active myocarditis at endomyocardial biopsy and were treated with immunosuppressive therapy. At follow-up, 3 pts improved by two or three grades of the NYHA functional classification. All 3 showed a reduction in the left ventricular end diastolic diameter (from 3.9 +/- 0.4 to 3.4 +/- 0.3 cm/m2) and a normalization of the shortening fraction in 2 (from 15 to 36% and from 13 to 46% respectively) at echocardiography. These two patients had active myocarditis at the first endomyocardial biopsy. At follow-up, all 3 pts with active myocarditis showed histological evidence of healed myocarditis. In conclusion, peripartum cardiomyopathy is characterized by a high incidence of active myocarditis and improvement seems more frequent in this subgroup of pts.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Small vessel disease (SVD) in patients with unexplained ventricular arrhythmia and dilated congestive cardiomyopathy.

Small vessel coronary disease is not commonly found in endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) of nondiabetic patients with clinical evidence of ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, or ventricular arrhythmia (VA). In 166 patients studied by heart catheterization and multiple right ventricle EMB, we identified 4 patients with histologic evidence of small vessel disease and normal coronary arteriograms. Two patients were suffering from VA without an obvious cardiac cause. Of the other two, one initially showed frequent ventricular tachycardia attacks followed by congestive heart failure alone. In both patients, the cardiac chambers were dilated and the left ventricular function seriously impaired. In all four patients, the histologic examination of right EMB revealed a wall thickening of the precapillary arterioles and capillary vessels. At ultrastructural examination, an increased thickening (four or five times normal) of the subendothelial lamina and of the basement membrane of capillary pericytes was found. Degenerative changes of cardiac myocells were found in all cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Correlation between histomorphometric findings on endomyocardial biopsy and clinical findings in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Multivariate analysis was used to analyze the morphometric data of endomyocardial biopsies (area, perimeter and minor diameter) of myocardial cells obtained at light microscopy by a computerized approach with 16 clinical parameters and prognosis in 52 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The best morphometric parameter was "area" (R2 = 0.47). A positive correlation was found with age (p less than 0.02), interval between first symptoms and diagnosis (p less than 0.02), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (p less than 0.02), cardiac index (p less than 0.05) and echocardiographic end-diastolic diameter (p less than 0.1). A negative correlation was found with prognosis (p less than 0.02), ejection fraction (p less than 0.02), shortening fraction (p less than 0.05), echocardiographic end-systolic diameter (p less than 0.06) and mitral regurgitation presence (p less than 0.1). The parameters that provided no correlation were New York Heart Association class, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, right atrial pressure, cardiothoracic ratio, presence or absence of heart failure, fever or alcohol intake. These findings suggest that endomyocardial biopsy may provide prognostic information and confirm clinical diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Immunosuppressive treatment in myocarditis.

Twenty patients (13 males and seven females) with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of myocarditis underwent a period of treatment with prednisone and azathioprine. The primary objective of the study was the observation of histologic changes which occur during treatment and after treatment withdrawal. The secondary objective was the detection, if any, of changes in left ventricular ejection fraction. Multiple endomyocardial biopsies were obtained and the treatment was adjusted in order to achieve complete disappearance of the myocardial inflammation. The histologic status was improved in all patients, although complete disappearance of the signs of active disease was seen in 15 patients only. Two patients died during the observation period. A clear relationship between histologic status and immunosuppression was established in some patients (50% of all cases showed a worsening after withdrawal from the treatment). An overall improvement of the ejection fraction was observed (from 0.37 +/- 0.14 to 0.46 +/- 0.17), but a direct effect of the treatment on the recovery of ventricular function cannot be stated. In some patients, however, a direct relationship between the histological changes and the changes in ejection fraction was seen. These data suggest that treatment with prednisone and azathioprine may be beneficial in some patients with biopsy-proven myocarditis and depressed ventricular function.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Quantitative texture analysis in two-dimensional echocardiography: application to the diagnosis of myocardial amyloidosis.

Qualitative and subjective analysis of two-dimensional echocardiographic images of the myocardial wall allows one to identify amyloid heart disease; the quantitative analysis of regional image texture might be an accurate method to differentiate normal from amyloid myocardial structures. To test this hypothesis, two-dimensional echocardiograms of nine normal subjects and six patients with histologically documented amyloid heart disease were evaluated. Quantitative texture measurements of the first order (mean gray level, skewness, kurtosis, energy and entropy) overlapped between the two groups. Among the second order statistics variables, entropy was significantly and consistently higher in amyloid versus normal patient data (septum in parasternal long-axis view: 6.3 +/- 0.3 versus 5.9 +/- 0.4; septum in apical four chamber view: 6.2 +/- 0.2 versus 5.8 +/- 0.3). Therefore, amyloid-involved myocardial walls show ultrasound image texture alterations that may be quantified with digital image analysis techniques.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Left ventricular involvement in right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

The characteristics of left ventricular (LV) involvement in 31 patients with right ventricular cardiomyopathy (RVCMP) were studied by two-dimensional echocardiography (2D echo). Two groups were identified: in group 1 (19 patients) the LV appeared normal initially, but became abnormal in four patients during follow-up. LV involvement was present at diagnosis in the 12 patients of group 2; LV function worsened in one of them. In conclusion, LV involvement is frequent in RVCMP. At least in some cases the disease appears to be progressive.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Echocardiographic findings in myocarditis.

This study analyzes morphologic and functional alterations detected by M-mode and 2-dimensional echocardiography in 41 patients with histologically proven myocarditis and different clinical presentations: congestive heart failure (63%), atrioventricular block (17%), chest pain (15%) and supraventricular arrhythmias (5%). Left ventricular dysfunction was common (69%), particularly in patients with congestive heart failure (88%), often without or with minor cavity dilatation. Patients with atrioventricular block or chest pain had usually preserved ventricular function. Right ventricular dysfunction was present in 23%. Additional findings included asynergic ventricular areas (64%), left ventricular "hypertrophy" sometimes reversible (20%), hyperrefractile myocardial areas (23%), ventricular thrombi (15%) and "restrictive" ventricular filling (7%). It is concluded that echocardiographic features of myocarditis are polymorphous and nonspecific. The echocardiographic pattern can simulate alternatively dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive or "right" ventricular cardiomyopathy, as well as coronary artery disease. In an appropriate clinical context, echocardiography can be helpful in the diagnosis of myocarditis and in the selection of patients for endomyocardial biopsy.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Importance of early recanalization of the occluded coronary artery in acute myocardial infarction for preservation of left ventricular function.

Ninety-two patients with acute myocardial infarction, treated with intracoronary thrombolysis within 3 h from the onset of ischemic symptoms, were studied with coronary arteriography and left ventriculography. These examinations were repeated after 2 to 4 weeks to assess the importance of duration of ischemia on recovery of regional and global left ventricular pump function. Patency was achieved acutely and maintained at control angiography in 73 patients (87%), who were subdivided into three groups according to duration of ischemia before reperfusion: group 1 (29 patients): revascularized within 3 h; group 2 (22 patients): revascularized between 3 and 4 h; group 3 (22 patients): revascularized after 4 h. Patency was acutely achieved, but not maintained at control angiography in 11 patients (group 4), while thrombolysis was unsuccessful in eight patients (group 5). In group 1 there was a significant reduction in the number of hypokinetic segments (P less than 0.001) and a significant increase in mean percentual area change of hypokinetic segments (P less than 0.001) and in global ejection fraction (P less than 0.001). A still significant, but less evident improvement in these parameters was also seen in group 2 (P less than 0.05, P less than 0.01, P less than 0.01 respectively). Insignificant changes, with only occasional improvements were observed on group 3, while a tendency toward deterioration was found in group 4. A clear and significant (P less than 0.001) worsening of local and global ventricular function was detected in group 5. Our results indicate a significant inverse relationship between duration of ischemia and left ventricular functional improvement. Particularly, the first 3 to 4 h after onset of ischemic symptoms are critical for preservation of left ventricular function (group 1 and 2). Reperfusion after 4 h (group 3) is only rarely associated with improvement of ventricular motion. The importance of very early pharmacological thrombolysis and of maintenance of coronary patency is stressed.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Primary pulmonary hypertension: an Italian multicenter study. A retrospective epidemiological survey in the period 1975-1985.

An epidemiological retrospective survey on primary pulmonary hypertension was undertaken in Italy in 1985-6. The aim of the study was to obtain clinical and laboratory data on patients observed in the major cardiological Institutions, both Universities and Hospital Clinical Centers, in the period 1975-85. Forms were sent to 67 centers and twenty-three of them communicated their data on 124 cases of primary pulmonary hypertension. The diagnosis was considered certain or probable in 91 patients by the referring center. The mean age of patients was 38.5 years, with an overall female-to-male ratio of 2:1. Data were subjected to statistical analysis which confirmed the poor prognosis of the disease particularly for patients with high pulmonary resistances, low cardiac output and in class 3-4 of the NYHA. Half of the 124 cases were treated with calcium antagonists after 1980, but the results of therapy in modifying the clinical course of the disease could not be assessed by the study. Like all retrospective studies even the Italian Multicenter Study is biased but it can be considered as an useful preliminary investigation which can form the basis for a prospective registry of primary pulmonary hypertension cases.

Age Factors↗