Biomedical subjects

G Bellotti

Publications and source records attributed to G Bellotti.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Cytomegalovirus and other herpesviruses infections in heart and bone marrow transplant recipients.

From January 1988 to January 1989 all the heart transplant and bone marrow recipients at the Instituto do Coração of the Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo Medical School were studied for the incidence and morbidity associated with herpesviruses infections after transplantation. Five bone marrow and 5 heart transplant recipients were followed for a mean of 4.2 months post-transplantation. All the patients were seropositive for cytomegalovirus (CMV) before admission and 80% experienced one or more recurrences during the observation period. Of the 12 episodes of CMV infection, that were identified in this study, 83% were accompanied by clinical or laboratory abnormalities. However, there was only one case of severe disease. The overall incidence of infection for herpes simplex (HSV) was 50%. Although most of HSV reactivations were oral or genital, one case of HSV hepatitis occurred. One of the 6 episodes of HSV infections that were treated with acyclovir showed an unsatisfactory response and was successfully managed with ganciclovir. All the individuals had anti-varicella zoster virus antibodies, but none of them developed infection. The study emphasizes the importance of active diagnostic surveillance of herpesvirus infections in transplant patients. Both CMV and HSV reactivations showed high incidence and important morbidity and thus, deserve prophylactic therapy.

Adolescent↗

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Compliance with pharmacological treatment in outpatients from a Brazilian cardiology referral center.

To evaluate the degree of compliance with pharmacological therapy, and to identify predictors of non-compliance in outpatients from a cardiology referral center in São Paulo, Brazil, we studied 485 outpatients 230 (47.4 percent) males and 255 (52.6 percent) females, through an interview guided by a questionnaire during medical consultation. The ages ranged between 17 and 86 (mean 54, standard deviation 15) years. Heart disease and socioeconomic factors (residence, means of transport, educational level and professional status) were studied. In addition, we examined the drugs prescribed including: difficulties in taking them; the source of supply, and the patient's knowledge of the drugs. Assessment of compliance was based on the patients' response. The patients' answers were compared with the prescription and progress notes. Errors were recorded if the patient reported using one or more nonprescribed medicines. Compliance with therapy was recorded if the patient said the prescription was taken correctly without interruption and without error. The variables with significant differences in univariate analysis were further analyzed by multivariate log-linear regression analysis. Noncompliance occurred in 286 (59 percent) of the patients, and was predicted by the reported difficulty in taking medication (P < 0.001), and by the lack of knowledge of medication names (P < 0.001). Thus, noncompliance with medical therapy was common. The main predictors of non-compliance were the reported difficulty in taking medication and inability to identify medicines' names.

Adolescent↗

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Myocardial fiber diameter as a good indicator of outcome in Batista's operation.

BACKGROUND: Despite the initial promissory results of partial left ventriculectomy, or Batista's operation, the postoperative mortality associated with the procedure has been too high. We described a histopathologic study performed to identify histological parameters that could help to determine outcomes of patients undergoing this procedure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Myocardial fiber diameter, myocardial fibrosis, thickness of the compact wall, and number of cells presenting from the endocardium to epicardium were analyzed in 32 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy who underwent Batista's operation. Data were grouped by patients who died < or = 6 months and patients who survived for > 6 months after the surgical procedure. Additional analyses were performed to compare results according the causes of death and to test the application of these results to biopsy. RESULTS: Myocardial fiber diameter was the only index that could distinguish the two groups. Myocardial fiber diameter < 22 microm distinguished the group of patients who survived the 6-month postoperative period from patients who died during that time with sensitivity of 85.7 and specificity of 72.2. The subendocardial region of the compact wall and the trabecular portion of the wall exhibited comparable results. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the myocardial fiber diameter of samples from the trabecular or subendocardial compact wall regions may help predict the outcome of left ventriculectomy. Samples from the trabecular or subendocardial compact wall regions were used for analysis. Further prospective studies involving left ventricular endomyocardial biopsies are necessary to confirm if the use of myocardial fiber diameter in the selection of patients for surgery improves the index of success of Batista's operation. Other factors that are involved remain unclear.

Biopsy↗

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[Course of pregnancy and puerperium in women with mitral valve stenosis].

PURPOSE: To study pregnancy, delivery, puerperium and the newborn in cases of mitral valve stenosis, asymptomatic at conception. METHOD: Sixty-two pregnant women, 30 with mitral valve stenosis (GE group) and 32 without cardiac disease (GN group) had their functional class, kind of delivery, anesthetic technique and newborn characteristics evaluated during gestation. RESULTS: In GE group 16 (53.3%) patients changed from functional class (FC) I/II to FC III and 10 (33.3%) to FC IV. In GN group 18 (56.2%) changed from FC I to II during the gestation. Delivery was vaginal in 21 patients (70%); anesthetic technique was regional block in 17 (56.6%). These findings were not statistically different between (p > 0.1) the groups. Premature (20.0%) and small babies for gestational age (36.7%) were higher (p > 0.001) in GE group. There were no cases of maternal death. CONCLUSION: The majority of GE women who started pregnancy in FC I/II changed to FC III/IV during gestation. Probably adequate medical treatment and valvoplasty in one case allowed fetal viability; but we had higher incidence of pre-term and small for gestation age babies in the GE group.

Adolescent↗

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Acute myocardial infarction with diffuse endarteritis, contraction bands, and distal thrombosis of the coronary arteries in a heart transplant patient.

The case history of a heart transplant patient who died of an acute myocardial infarction 6 months after the procedure is described. The finding of contraction bands and thrombosis associated with endarteritis suggests that coronary vasospasm may have contributed to the acute myocardial infarction during an episode of vascular rejection.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Usefulness of T-cell phenotype characterization in endomyocardial biopsy fragments from human cardiac allografts.

The mean numbers of cytotoxic/suppressor (CD8+) and helper/inducer (CD4+) T cells were determined in 111 successive endomyocardial biopsy fragments from eight cardiac allograft patients in an attempt to define their significance in the rejection process. Endomyocardial fragments from autopsy or donor hearts without myocarditis were evaluated as controls. The mean numbers of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in the control group were 0.8 and 0.5 cells/field at x400 magnification, respectively. The mean numbers of CD8+ T cells per field in the cardiac allograft biopsies were 2.4, no rejection group; 5.4 mild rejection group; 11.1, moderate rejection group; and 4.9, resolving rejection group. The mean numbers of CD4+ T cells per field for the same groups were slightly lower than those of the CD8+ T cells. The number of CD8+ T cells per field reliably indicated the severity of rejection. Patients with normal numbers of CD8+ T cells and no evidence of rejection had better long-term outcomes (two or fewer moderate rejection episodes) than those with higher numbers. Analysis of the data suggests that the presence of two or fewer CD8+ T cells/field may be considered normal in the myocardial interstitium. The diagnosis of no evidence of rejection should be coupled to the presence of a normal number of CD8+ T cells. High numbers (greater than 10) of CD8+ T cells, even in absence of myocytolysis, should be treated more assertively, including the use of high doses of prednisone, because all our cases with high numbers showed a worse histologic picture at the subsequent biopsy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

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Mycotic aneurysm of the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery in a case of infective endocarditis.

Mycotic aneurysms of the celiac artery are extremely rare, and in our review of the literature we found that in only one case was it due to infective endocarditis. In our case a 19-year-old female patient with culture-negative infective endocarditis presented with pain in the epigastric area. A celiac artery aneurysm was diagnosed by ultrasonography and confirmed on CT scan and angiography, which also demonstrated an associated aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery. Since excellent collateral circulation was present, simple ligation of the two aneurysms was performed. The patient presented no major complications in the postoperative course.

Adult↗

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Calcific aortic stenosis presenting as acute myocardial infarction.

A previously asymptomatic 38-year-old male with calcific aortic valve stenosis (instantaneous peak-to-peak systolic gradient: 46 mmHg) suffered an acute myocardial infarction. Coronary arteriography revealed an obstruction in a distal branch of the left circumflex artery. Left ventricular angiography demonstrated impairment of contraction of the lateral wall. We suggest that the myocardial infarction was the result of calcific embolism from the calcified aortic valve stenosis and may occur as a first manifestation of the disease.

Adult↗

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[Plasminogen activators as thrombolytic agents in myocardial infarction].

Administration of thrombolytic agents can determine recanalization of thrombosed coronary arteries. Apparently, the earlier reperfusion is performed the better the prognosis of myocardial infarction. Streptokinase was administered to 117 patients with myocardial infarction at the "Instituto do Coração da Universidade de São Paulo" and angiographic patency of the vessel was restored in as many as 87% of them. New thrombolytic agents, such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), single chain urokinase-type Plasminogen Activator (scuPA) and Anisoylated Plasminogen Streptokinase Activator Complex (APSAC) have been evaluated in clinical trials. Recent advances in thrombolytic therapy and comparative aspects of the various agents currently available are reviewed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

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Gallium-67 imaging in human heart transplantation: correlation with endomyocardial biopsy.

Endomyocardial biopsy seems to be the most accurate method to use for diagnosis and follow-up of acute rejection of the transplanted heart. This investigation compared a noninvasive procedure, gallium-67 imaging, with endomyocardial biopsy in the detection of acute rejection in heart transplantation. Seven male patients (aged 41 to 54 years) sequentially had 46 gallium-67 scintigrams and 46 endomyocardial biopsies between 1 week and 8 months after transplantation. Both studies were obtained in the same day, 48 hours after the administration of an intravenous injection of gallium-67 citrate. Cardiac uptake was graded as negative, mild, moderate, and marked according to an increasing count ratio with rib and sternal uptakes. Histologic findings were graded as negative, mild acute rejection, moderate acute rejection, severe acute rejection, resolving rejection, and nonspecific reaction. Negative biopsies were not found with moderate uptake, and neither moderate nor severe acute rejection were found with negative scintigrams. Imaging sensitivity was 83% with 17% false negatives and 9% false positives. Of seven studies with moderate uptake, five showed moderate acute rejection, and the patients had specific therapy with a decline in uptake, which correlated with resolving rejection. It is conceivable that in the future this technique may be used as a screening procedure for sequential endomyocardial biopsies in the follow-up of heart transplant patients.

Adult↗

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Heart transplantation in patients with Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy.

Among 26 heart transplant patients, four had Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy. They were male patients, aged 28 to 43 years; three were in New York Heart Association class IV, and one was in class II but with refractory arrhythmias. The immunosuppressive protocol was cyclosporine and steroids in the first patient, and cyclosporine, azathioprine, and steroids in the last patient. Three patients had one or more rejection episodes, and one had none. One patient had a lymphoproliferative intestinal disease. Three patients had a new acute phase of Chagas' disease in postoperative days 59, 81, and 420, with fever, skin lesions, and myocarditis. The Trypanosoma cruzi was found in skin lesions in all three patients and in the myocardial biopsy in two patients. The laboratory tests did not show the expected results for the acute phase. All the alterations were reversed by specific therapy in a few days. One patient died on postoperative day 197 from rejection, and the immunosuppression was diminished because of the lymphoproliferative disease; the others were well 107, 160, and 500 days after the transplantation. The conclusions were as follows: (1) It seems that steroid pulse therapy predisposes the patient to a new acute phase of Chagas' disease. (2) Clinical presentation and laboratory test results of the acute phase are not the usual. (3) Specific drug therapy reverses all the alterations of this acute phase in a few days. (4) Although additional care is necessary and specific complications are expected, heart transplantation can be done with good results in patients with Chagas' cardiomyopathy.

Adult↗

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