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Biomedical subjects

G Bellotti

Publications and source records attributed to G Bellotti.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Infective endocarditis: analysis of 300 episodes].

PURPOSE: Study of clinical features and etiologic agents, treatment and mortality of patients with infective endocarditis (IE). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 300 episodes of IE occurring in 288 patients, ages ranged between 0.2 and 78 (mean 30.76) years; 185 (62%) episodes occurred in males. RESULTS: a) etiologic agents: viridans group streptococci in 93 (31%) episodes, enterococci en 21 (7%), group D-non enterococci in 19 (6%) (13 S. bovis), other streptococci in 14 (5%), Staphylococcus aureus in 59 (20%), Staphylococcus epidermidis in 14 (5%), gram-negative bacteria in 16 (5%), gram-positive bacteria other than streptococci and staphylococci and staphylococci in 8 (3%), fungi in 4 (1%). The etiologic agents were not identified in 52 (17%) episodes; b) underlying cardiac diseases: valvular heart disease in 119 (40%) episodes, congenital heart disease in 37 (12%), prosthetic heart valves in 69 (23%), other heart diseases in 6 (2%). There was no evidence of previous heart disease in 69 (23%); c) treatment: surgical treatment was undertaken in 102 (34%) episodes. The frequency of surgical treatment in relation to the etiologic agents ranged between 1% (non-group D streptococcus) and 62% (negative blood cultures). The frequency of operation in relation to underlying heart disease ranged between 17% (other heart diseases), 19% (congenital heart disease) and 54% (prosthetic heart valve); d) mortality: 78 (26%) patients died, 56 (28%) of the 198 submitted to medical treatment and 22 (21%) of the 102 submitted also to surgical treatment. The mortality in the different groups of etiologic agents ranged between 5% (non group D streptococcus) and 62% (gram-positive bacteria other than streptococci ans staphylococci); in relation to the underlying with other heart disease, 19% in valvular heart disease patients, 21% in patients with congenital heart disease, 23% in patients without known heart disease and 43% in patients with prosthetic heart valves. CONCLUSION: The mortality associated with IE remains still high in spite of modern treatment; the mortality is different in relation to the cardiac status before the IE.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Acute aortic dissections. Hospital outcome of 186 cases].

PURPOSE: To determine in hospital outcome acute aortic dissection patients. METHODS: We revised 186 consecutive cases (up to 14 days of dissection), in a period of 6 years. The patients were divided according to Daily's classification (types A and B). RESULTS: Type A--127 cases: a) 75 were surgically treated (37 died); b) 2 were medically treated (both died); c) 39 died before the definitive treatment could be initiated; d) 11 died misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. The total mortality was 70.0%. Type B--59 cases: a) 11 complicated cases were surgically treated (6 died); b) 40 were medically treated (8 died); c) 7 died before the definitive treatment could be initiated; d) one died misdiagnosed. The total mortality was 37.25%. In summary, 41.4% of the patients survived. 28.4% died despite the definitive treatment, 24.7% died before the definitive treatment could be initiated and 6.4% died without the correct diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The acute aortic dissection is a dramatic situation, mainly type A. In this type of dissection many patients (41%) died misdiagnosed, undiagnosed or without enough time to surgical therapy. So, an earlier diagnosis and treatment are imperative.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

[Malnutrition in dilated cardiomyopathy. Correlation with echocardiographic indices of left ventricular function].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence of severe protein-calorie malnutrition in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DC), and its correlation with left ventricular contractility. METHODS: Group A--51 patients with DC in decompensated congestive heart failure class III or IV, 36 men, aged 51.9 +/- 15.6 years. Group B--25 patients admitted for elective myocardial revascularization with normal LV contractility, 20 men, aged 57.2 +/- 10.5 years. Tricipital skinfold thickness (TS) and mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC) were obtained in all patients. Severe protein-calorie malnutrition was defined when both measurements were below the fifth populational percentile (Frisancho tables). In Group Am the echocardiographic left ventricular (LV) diastolic diameter (DD), ejection fraction (EF) and systolic volume (SV) were obtained. Those LV parameters were compared between DC patients with and without severe malnutrition. Correlation analysis were performed between TS, MAMC and LV DD, EF, and SV, in the patients of Group A. RESULTS: Severe malnutrition occurred in 7/51 (13.7%) of Group A, and none in Group B. TS values were of 8.90 +/- 4.47 cm in Gr. A and 23.48 +/- 8.52 in B (p < 0.001). MAMC measured 22.25 +/- 3.13 cm in Gr. A and 23.58 +/- 8.52 in B (p = 0.03), LVEF was of 36.29 +/- 9.43% in severe malnutrition patients and of 37.84 +/- 9.78 in the other patients of Group A (p = 0.70). Conversely, LVDD was of 70.90 +/- 11.3 mm vs. 70.75 +/- 8.54 mm (p = 0.98), and LVSV was of 113.0 +/- 52.7 ml vs. 137.6 +/- 56.8 (p = 0.45), when compared severe malnutrition with the rest of patients of Group A. No correlation was found between TS and MAMC and LV, EF, DD and SV in Group A. CONCLUSION: Severe malnutrition was frequent in patients with DC and heart failure. TS measurements, reflecting caloric reserves, were more affected. Echocardiographic parameters of LV function did not correlate with nutritional status.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Clinical course of women with mitral valve stenosis during pregnancy and puerperium].

PURPOSE: The clinical evolution of women with mitral stenosis was studied during pregnancy, delivery and puerperium in initial function (FC) class I/II. METHODS: Ninety-three women were divided in three groups: Group GE--Pregnant women with mitral stenosis (n = 30, mean age 28 years); 26 (86.7%) patients had electrocardiographic signs of left atrial enlargement and nine (30%) had signs of right ventricular hypertrophy. The mitral valvar area was between 0.7 and 1.9 (mean = 1.26) cm2 at echodopplercardiogram; Group GM--Normal pregnant women (n = 32; aged 25.4 years); the electrocardiogram and echodopplercardiogram were normal. Group EM--non pregnant patients, with mitral stenosis (n = 31.33 years); 19 (61.3%) had left atrial enlargement and four (13%) had right ventricular hypertrophy. The mitral valvar area between 0.50 and 1.80 (mean = 1.19) cm2. The variables analyzed were FC and occurrence of the following complications: infective endocarditis, cardiac arrhythmias and thromboembolism. RESULTS: In GE group, 26 (86.7%) patients worsened the FC during gestation, 16 to FC III and 10 to FC IV. In GN group, 18 (56.2%) patients changed from FC I to FC II during the gestation and in EM group 5 (16.2%) patients changed from FC I/II to III during the study. Cardiac arrhythmias and infective endocarditis were not observed; thromboembolic event was registered in one (3.2%) patients from EM group. There were no death in all groups. CONCLUSION: The large majority of pregnant with mitral stenosis that started pregnancy in FC I/II worsened to FC III/IV during gestation. Medical treatment and eventually balloon valvuloplasty were successful measure to allow a full-term gestation without mortality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Silent ischemia after an uncomplicated myocardial infarct. A study in asymptomatic patients].

PURPOSE: To verify the prognostic value of silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) after an uncomplicated myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: Forty asymptomatic patients were studied after a first uncomplicated MI. They were submitted to 48 hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring and exercise-testing, during the 2nd and 8th weeks after the acute event. Thirty-nine patients were submitted to cardiac catheterization and coronary arteriography; one patient was submitted to necropsy. The electrocardiographic study identified 11 (27.5%) individuals with SMI (group A); the other 29 patients were considered group B. RESULTS: Groups A and B were similar in relation to clinical characteristics, infarct site and ventricular function. Group A had significantly more extensive coronary artery disease when compared to group B. After a two-year follow-up, patients from group A had significantly more coronary events (36.3%) when compared to group B (3.4%). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a significantly higher cumulative probability of not experiencing a new coronary event for the group B patients. CONCLUSION: SMI may have a prognostic value after uncomplicated MI, as in other clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[The surgical treatment of nodal reentry tachycardia. The late results].

PURPOSE: To analyze the long-term results of surgical treatment of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNT). METHODS: From March 1987 to March 1990, 20 patients with AVNT were submitted to surgical therapy, 14 female, aged 12 to 70 (42.8 +/- 17) years. All presented crisis of AVNT from 6 months to 60 (18.4 +/- 15.9) years. Ten of them had syncope or near syncope and two with cardiac arrest during reversion of AVNT with antiarrhythmic drugs. They used 1 to 6 (3.75 +/- 1.45) antiarrhythmic drugs before surgery. The electrophysiologic study (EPS) showed the common form of AVNT in all cases. The surgical procedure was anatomically directed to the posterior area of the AV node. Programmed atrial stimulation (PAS) were applied on 18 patients after surgery. The long-term results were analysed by clinical evaluation, EPS and Holter when they were necessary. RESULTS: The postoperative PAS was done in 18 patients and did not induce any AVNT, even after atropine IV. The PR interval was 153 +/- 50 ms before and 152 +/- 38 ms after surgery (p > 0.05). During follow up (26 +/- 10 m) there were not AVNT recurrence. Two patients developed chronic atrial fibrillation after 24 months of surgery. CONCLUSION: The perinodal dissection technique used was safe and successful to treat AVNT, preserving AV nodal conduction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[The electrocardiogram in endomyocardial fibrosis].

PURPOSE: To detail the most common electrocardiographic findings on the endomyocardial fibrosis and to correlate with the ventricular form. METHODS: One hundred patients with endomyocardial fibrosis (68 female) with ages between 5 and 64 years old (mean 34 years). According to ventriculographic aspect the patients were divided in three groups: group I--11 patients with predominant right ventricular compromise; group II--58 patients with biventricular involvement, but not necessarily similar in intensity; group III--31 patients with predominant left ventricular compromise. RESULTS: On patients with predominant right ventricular compromise, the electrocardiographic pattern was of QRS complex of low voltage in the frontal plane, presence of incomplete right bundle block and QRS complex with low voltage and with qr or qs aspect in V1 contrasting with QRS complex of great amplitude on V2 and V3. Left anterior hemiblock, aspect of inactive area, and R waves of high voltage on left precordial leads were observed on patients with predominant left ventricular involvement. CONCLUSION: The electrocardiogram of endomyocardial fibrosis, in spite of inespecific, may help in the identification of ventricular involvement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Dextrocardia in situs inversus totalis with obstructive coronary disease. Its treatment by coronary angioplasty by the brachial approach].

Dextrocardia in "situs inversus totalis" with obstructive coronary disease is a rare clinical situation, with few cases treated by coronary angioplasty using the femoral approach being reported. In this report we describe the case of a 61-year-old male patient who underwent successful dilatation of two arteries by the brachial approach. We discuss technical aspects related to the procedure, which may be easily performed when proper equipment is available.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗
PubMed1992

[The late results of fulguration of the atrioventricular node using high-energy shocks in patients with supraventricular tachycardias].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety at long term after atrioventricular junction fulguration (complete AV block induction, using high energy shocks, to control drug-resistant supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients, 17 (60.7%) men, with mean age 48.1 years, were submitted to one up to six ablation sessions with high energy shocks. The total delivered energy per patient was 1304 +/- 868 J. Each shock ranged from 100 to 400 J. RESULTS: After 12 months, at least, 60.6% of patients were in complete atrioventricular block; three (10.8%) were asymptomatic without complete AV block, and in five (17.8%) the ablation was unsuccessful. CONCLUSION: AV junction ablation with high energy shocks is safe and efficient in long-term follow-up.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Effects of dynamic cardiomyoplasty on regional wall motion, ejection fraction, and geometry of left ventricle.

BACKGROUND: Dynamic cardiomyoplasty may provide functional and hemodynamic improvement in patients with heart failure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cardiomyoplasty on global ejection fraction, regional wall motion, and geometry of the left ventricle. METHODS AND RESULTS: These parameters were determined in 10 patients submitted to cardiomyoplasty for treatment of refractory heart failure by left ventricular (LV) angiography. The studies were performed before and 16.5 +/- 4.8 months after cardiomyoplasty with the myostimulator turned on. They were repeated 24 +/- 1 hours with the myostimulator turned off in eight patients. LV ejection fractions were determined by the area-length method, and the centerline method was used for assessment of regional wall motion. LV geometry was studied by LV major-to-minor axis ratio and sphericity index. A LV ejection fraction improvement from 15 +/- 8% to 30.9 +/- 8.3% (p < 0.01) was demonstrated with the myostimulator turned on after cardiomyoplasty. The values with the myostimulator turned off were 23 +/- 13%, remaining higher than the values observed before surgery (p < 0.05). Regional wall motion analysis showed an improvement in all studied regions. Regarding the LV shape, the left ventricle became markedly more spheric in the diastole. CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic cardiomyoplasty may improve LV function in selected patients. The analysis of LV wall motion corroborated these results, and these changes were associated with modifications in the LV geometry.

Assisted Circulation↗
PubMed1992

[Mapping with Technetium-99 methoxy-isobutyl isonitrile at the bedside after coronary thrombolysis].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of bedside Technetium99-methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile (99mTc-MIBI) cardiac imaging to assess perfusion after thrombolytic therapy (TT) for myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: We studied 9 patients (mean age 59 +/- 9 years) submitted to TT with 100 mg of rt-PA in 90 minutes within the 6 hours of the onset of MI with subsequent angiography. 99mTc-MIBI was injected intravenously in a doses of 740 MBq immediately before TT start. Imaging was performed in three moments: study 1--as soon as the TT finished, study 2--3-18 hours after TT; study 3--7-10 days after TT. A perfusion score was established in each study and then compared to determine the perfusion patterns after TT. We compared through linear regression, the perfusion score with left ventricle ejection fraction, and with CKMB enzymatic peak. RESULTS: All patients had a patent infarct related artery. The perfusion score of study 1 varied from 12 to 22, mean 15.8 +/- 3.7, and correlated with ejection fraction (r = 0.9, p < 0.01) and peak CKMB (r = 0.78, p = 0.03). Four (44%) patients presented perfusion score improvement in study 2 (varied from 12 to 23, mean 16.8 +/- 4.3) and 8 (88%) in study 3 (varied from 12 to 28, mean 19.0 +/- 4.3). CONCLUSION: Bedside 99mTc-MIBI cardiac imaging is useful to quantify myocardial area under risk before TT, and to identify the late (7 to 10 days) benefit of TT.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

The complications of infective endocarditis. A reappraisal in the 1980s.

BACKGROUND: The frequency of complications of infective endocarditis and their influence on the outcome of the patients changed in the antibiotic era. Therefore, we evaluated the complications in a recent large series of patients with infective endocarditis. METHODS: We studied 300 episodes of endocarditis in 287 patients in a tertiary cardiology referral center. Predisposing cardiac conditions were valvular heart disease in 147 episodes, congenital heart disease in 37, other heart diseases in five, and prosthetic heart valves in 69. In 69 episodes, there was no previous heart disease. The infecting microorganisms were streptococci in 147 episodes, Staphylococcus aureus in 59, Staphylococcus epidermidis in 14, gram-negative bacteria in 16, other gram-positive bacteria in eight, and fungi in four. In 52 episodes, blood cultures were negative. Seventy-eight patients (26%) died. Complications were defined as any clinically unfavorable event occurring during treatment. RESULTS: A total of 386 complications occurred in 223 episodes (74%); one complication occurred in 128 episodes (57%), two in 57 (26%), three in 18 (8%), four in 13 (6%), five in three (1%), and six or more in three (1%). The complications were as follows: cardiac, 100 occurrences; neurological, 72; septic, 46; associated with medical treatment, 41; renal, 27; extracranial systemic arterial embolism, 16; septic pulmonary embolism, 26; complications related to surgical treatment, 11; acute prosthetic heart valve insufficiency, six; splenic infarction or abscess, three; cardiac rhythm disturbances, three; and other, 19. The distribution of the complications relative to outcome of the patients revealed that fatality exceeded survival rates for neurologic and septic complications. CONCLUSIONS: Complications may be common in patients with infective endocarditis. Cardiac complications were the most common ones, but fatality rates were higher for neurologic and septic complications. Hence, heart failure was replaced by neurologic and septic complications as the leading causes of death in patients with infective endocarditis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Recurrent ventricular tachycardia associated with postinfarction aneurysm. Results of left ventricular reconstruction.

Left ventricular reconstruction was used to control recurrent ventricular tachycardia in 19 patients (16 male), mean age of 56 years, with postinfarction anteroseptal aneurysms. The "origin" of recurrent ventricular tachycardia was not determined because the ventricular tachycardia induced by programmed stimulation produced hemodynamic deterioration in all patients. The average ejection fraction was 30.7% +/- 10.1%. In the left ventricular reconstruction technique, the plication of the aneurysmal septum and the reduction of the orifice of the left ventricular cavity after aneurysmal resection with a purse-string suture appear important to prevent the functioning of the reentry circuits. There was one death in the immediate postoperative period. The mean ejection fraction was 47.8% +/- 8.1% (p less than 0.001). The postoperative programmed stimulation induced ventricular tachycardia in only one patient. There were two late deaths. The other 16 patients are asymptomatic (five with antiarrhythmic drugs) in functional class I and without recurrence of ventricular tachycardia. Left ventricular reconstruction is an acceptable technique that changes the spatial orientation in eventual tachycardia circuits. Hence this technique is an alternative for long-term control of the right ventricular tachycardia associated with postinfarction anteroseptal aneurysm without previous electrophysiologic mapping.

Bundle-Branch Block↗
PubMed1991

Incessant ectopic atrial tachycardia and sudden death.

A patient with refractory and incessant ectopic atrial tachycardia (IEAT) is reported in whom it was possible to document, during ECG (Holter) the occurrence of aborted sudden death by spontaneous ventricular fibrillation (VF). Following the second of two attempts at surgical ablation of the origin of the IEAT, the patient has been asymptomatic without antiarrhythmic drugs and in sustained sinus rhythm for 24 months. Although we cannot exclude the residual action of amiodarone and flecainide (proarrhythmia) or the residual peripartum cardiomyopathy it is probable that the observed VF was a true complication of a cardiomyopathy induced by a chronically increased heart rate (HR). Although unclear, this VF might be considered as a form of adrenergic-dependent long QT syndrome due to early afterdepolarization in the presence of predisposing myocardial conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Spontaneous variability of ventricular extrasystole in chronic Chagas cardiopathy].

PURPOSE: To study the spontaneous variability of single (VPCs) and coupled (CVPCs) in patients with chronic Chagas' disease (CCD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with CCD, 14 male, in class I and II NYHA, with frequent VPCs and VCPCs, free of drug therapy were studied. 21 hour Holter monitoring was done for 4 subsequent days. The data analysis assessed the variation in the frequency of VPCs and CVPCs between patients, seven hour periods one hour periods in a hierarchical model by a Poisson process. RESULTS: a) the frequency of VPCs follows a circadian rhythm, closely related to the hourly variations of the mean heart rate; b) disregarding the heart rate influence on the variability of the ventricular arrhythmia, its behavior was at random and unpredictable; c) the minimal percentual reduction in VPCs/h that discriminated between antiarrhythmic effect and spontaneous between antiarrhythmic effect and spontaneous between antiarrhythmic effect and spontaneous variability was 121.86% for seven-hour, 58.42% for 21-hour and 38.45% for 42-hour electrocardiographic monitoring periods; d) the same approach for the VCPCs revealed values of 133.6%, 63.21% and 41.3% respectively. CONCLUSION: The large variability of ventricular arrhythmia in CCD during a 24 hour period makes necessary observations always longer. The minimal percentual reduction in VPCs/h that discriminated between antiarrhythmic effect and spontaneous variability might be 58.42% for two 21-hour electrocardiography monitoring periods.

Adult↗