[Lethal pulmonary arterial hypertension in a heroin and amphetamine addict].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G Delorme.
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Enoximone (MDL 17043) is a new generation inotropic drug which acts by inhibiting phosphodiesterase and is endowed with both inotropic and vasodilator properties. The purpose of this study, which involved 23 patients aged from 18 to 75 years in NYHA class III or IV and with evidence of severe haemodynamic disturbances (cardiac index below 2.5 1/mn/m2, pulmonary wedge pressure above 15 mmHg), was to evaluate the acute haemodynamic responses to doses of enoximone that ranged from 0.25 to 2.50 mg/kg administered by bolus intravenous injection. Heart failure was either of ischaemic origin (6 cases) or idiopathic (10 cases) or due to various causes (7 cases). Group A patients (n = 11) received the drug in low doses (less than or equal to 1 mg/kg) as opposed to group B patients (n = 12) who were given high doses (greater than 1 mg/kg). Results were evaluated from the amplitude and duration of the haemodynamic response at maximum effect time (30 min). The following parameters were measured: cardiac index, pulmonary wedge pressure, systemic vascular resistance, mean arterial pressure and heart rate. Cardiac index and pulmonary wedge pressure were significantly improved in both groups (P less than 0.005): cardiac index +39 p. 100 in group A, +55 p. 100 in group B; pulmonary wedge pressure -36 p. 100 in group A, -48 p. 100 in group B; systemic vascular resistance -46 p. 100 in group B. Heart rate and arterial pressure were not significantly altered. The duration of response was 1 to 3 hours in group A patients and 4 to 8 hours in group B patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Until recently, the diagnosis of aortic dissection rested on aortography. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of echocardiography in that disease and its ability to inform on the extent of the dissection and on the presence of associated lesions. Twenty-six patients (mean age 64 +/- 10 years) admitted for suspected aortic dissection were explored by echocardiography and the results were compared with those of angiography and/or anatomical findings. Echocardiography provided the diagnosis in 14 of the 16 patients with aortic dissection and excluded it in the remaining 10 patients. The sensitivity and specificity of the method were 87.5 p. 100 and 100 p. 100 respectively. The type of dissection was correctly determined in 90 p. 100 of the patients whose aorta had been totally explored by echocardiography. Aortic regurgitation and pericardial effusion were detected in 81 p. 100 and 50 p. 100 respectively of patients with aortic dissection. These results confirm the diagnostic value of echocardiography in dissection of the aorta. The extent of the lesion can only be evaluated when the whole of the aorta is visualized. The echocardiographic diagnosis is easier when the ascending aorta is involved (type I), while in type III aortic dissection there is a risk of missing a retrograde lesion of the aorta and confusing this type with type I. In this study two kinds of intimal flap motion were observed: in the first one the motion was independent of that of the aorta, while the second one resembled a division of the aortic, wall the motion of which is parallel to that of the aorta.
A case of serum sickness was observed 7 days after administration of intravenous streptokinase in the acute phase of myocardial infarction. The clinical presentation was the sudden development of fever, a papuloerythematous skin rash, myalgia and polyarthritis accompanied by a severe biological inflammatory syndrome without any signs of bacterial or viral infection. Spontaneous regression was observed within 72 hours. Although this complication of streptokinase fibrinolysis seems to be rare, clinicians should be aware of it and not confuse the allergic reaction with that of another drug, the withdrawal of which could be prejudicial for the patient.
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Previous clinical studies with intravenous enoximone have used cumulative dosing to quantify enoximone's hemodynamic effects. The magnitude and duration of the hemodynamic effects of single intravenous doses of enoximone were evaluated in patients with congestive heart failure. Sixty patients, who were in New York Heart Association functional classes III and IV, received single intravenous doses of enoximone, either 0.25 (12 patients), 0.5 (13 patients), 1 (14 patients), 1.5 (10 patients) or 2 mg/kg (11 patients). Cardiac index was increased by 20% with the 0.25 mg/kg dose and by 48% and 42% with the 1.5 and 2 mg/kg doses, respectively. These increases were statistically significant (Student's paired t test with Bonferroni's correction, p less than 0.007) for 1 hour after 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg, for 2 hours after 1 mg/kg and for 4 hours after 1.5 and 2 mg/kg. Enoximone also reduced pulmonary artery diastolic pressure by 19% with 0.25 mg/kg and by 29% with 2 mg/kg. The duration of effect varied from 1 hour with 0.25 mg/kg to 4 hours with 2 mg/kg. Enoximone produced no consistent or dose-related effects on heart rate or blood pressure. Eighteen adverse reactions were reported by 15 patients, of which 11 were minor and transient (vein pain, flushes, nausea). In 5 patients ventricular or supraventricular arrhythmias were observed, including nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and extrasystoles; 3 of these patients had evidence of arrhythmias before enoximone. Laboratory studies before and after treatment showed no drug-related effects. Dose-related effects on the magnitude and duration of hemodynamic responses to intravenous enoximone were evident within the dose range of 0.25 to 2 mg/kg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
In 14 patients requiring aggressive therapy for circulatory failure resulting from massive pulmonary embolism, hemodynamic and two-dimensional echocardiographic data were obtained at bedside (acute phase) and again after circulatory improvement (intermediate phase) and during recovery. The acute stage was characterized by a low cardiac output state despite inotropic support (cardiac index 1.9 +/- 0.6 liters/min per m2) associated with increased right atrial pressure (12.4 +/- 4.2 mm Hg), increased right ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic area (12.4 +/- 3.4 and 15.4 +/- 4.1 cm2/m2, respectively) and reduced right ventricular fractional area contraction (20.1 +/- 8.6%). Two-dimensional echocardiography also revealed interventricular septal flattening at both end-systole and end-diastole and markedly decreased left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions. Left ventricular fractional area contraction remained normal. Hemodynamic improvement occurred during the intermediate phase as shown by restoration of cardiac index (3.3 +/- 0.6 liters/min per m2), decrease in right atrial pressure (8.3 +/- 4.8 mm Hg), reduction in right ventricular end-systolic area (9.0 +/- 3.6 cm2/m2 at the intermediate stage and 6.1 +/- 1.8 cm2/m2 at recovery) and end-diastolic area (10.5 +/- 3.6 cm2/m2 at the intermediate stage and 8.9 +/- 2.9 cm2/m2 at recovery) and improvement in right ventricular fractional area contraction (31.5 +/- 16.4%). The interventricular septum progressively returned to a more normal configuration at both end-systole and end-diastole, and left ventricular diastolic dimension steadily increased. It is concluded that circulatory failure secondary to massive pulmonary embolism was mediated through a profound decrease in left ventricular preload, resulting from both pulmonary outflow obstruction and reduced left ventricular diastolic compliance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Iniencephaly is a rare lethal malformation. It is associated with a defect in the occiput, alterations in the spinal column that are variable and retroflexion of the fetus. Antenatal diagnosis by ultrasound is possible because of the typical appearance: the fetal head is hyperextended, with distortion and shortening of the cervical spine. The occiput can be fused with lower vertebrae. Many associated malformations may be found: polyhydramnios, neurologic, facial and visceral abnormalities.
The increasing number of physicians competent to carry out emergency echocardiography, and the availability of high performance equipment, facilitated the development of this technique in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU). This paper reports our experience of 610 2D echocardiographic recordings performed on 319 patients admitted to the CCU. The quality of the recording was excellent or satisfactory in 67% of cases and mediocre in 30% of cases. In 11 patients (3%) the quality of the recording was too poor to obtain reliable data. In this group of patients, the apical 4-chamber and subcostal views seemed better than the apical 2-chamber and parasternal views. An echocardiographic diagnosis was made in 94% of cases. It contributed to the diagnostic process in 70% of cases. Of the patients studied, 54% were admitted for a recent myocardial infarction. Echocardiography was particularly useful in atypical forms or when the diagnosis was difficult. It was also helpful in detecting complications of recent myocardial infarction, the frequency of which was determined. With respect to other cardiovascular emergencies, echocardiography was determined. With respect to other cardiovascular emergencies, echocardiography was very useful in the diagnosis of dissection of the aorta, pericarditis and for assessing left ventricular function and the causal mechanism in cases of decompensated cardiac failure. The non invasive nature of the investigation allows repeated examination of the patient at the bedside and makes it a particularly valuable technique to monitor the evolution of acute cardiac conditions requiring admission to the Coronary Care Unit.
The authors report two ovarian fibromas observed in two sisters whose clinical story suggested a basal cell naevus syndrome or Gorlin-Goltz syndrome.
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Adriamycin is known to be effective in the treatment of breast cancer. Serial radionuclide determinations of the left ejection fraction can provide advanced warning of adriamycin cardiotoxicity, prior to clinical signs of the left ventricular dysfunction. Patients at high risk of congestive heart failure can be detected. Depending on the results of the second course of chemotherapy, guidelines and criteria can be laid down to predict the appropriate time for drug discontinuation.
Distant metastases from carcinoma of the breast are most commonly located in the skeleton. Although it has been clearly shown that bone radionuclide scanning is more sensitive than X-rays in detecting such metastases, diverging opinions have recently been voiced concerning its sensitivity and specificity. The authors have quantitatively analyzed 1631 focal alterations, taking the uptake index value as yardstick. They found that quantitative scanning increases the sensitivity of the method and makes it possible to differentiate between malignant and benign bone lesions.
This first part of this paper is a review of the literature on the functional anatomy of the sacroiliac joint followed by a preliminary biomechanical study of the fresh post mortem pelvis. The latter was done in order to determine the coefficients of the screw matrix and the position of the instantaneous centers of rotation during the symmetrical movements of nutation and contranutation simulated in the biomechanics laboratory. The main part of this work deals with the spatial analysis in vivo of the relative displacements of the iliac bones with respect to the sacrum in the course of dissymmetrical movements of the pelvis. In the different phases of movement, the roentgenographic observation of the position of the bony components with respect to a three-dimensional orthonormal reference system required the use of material based on the principles of photogrammetry. This technique was used to achieve spatial reconstruction of the data recovered from a series of orthogonal x-ray films of the sacroiliac joints. Data retrieval was carried out on a digital table linked to a computer with a graphic terminal so that the information could be displayed in the form of rectangular coordinates of defined points on the bone. Owing to the limited amplitude of articular displacement, a statistical study was required to retrieve the coordinates from the projection of these points on the X-ray film with an estimated threshold of significance of 0.1 and an error of +/- 0.1 mm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
In connection with 141 cases of parotid tumours, 21 adenopathies of the parotid region and 22 cases of parotitis, the authors define the role of ultrasonography in the exploration of the salivary glands. Use of simple criteria permits differentiation of benign from malignant tumours with a good degree of sensitivity (79.8% in our series). This score allows ultrasonography to be offered as the first complementary examination when dealing with a tumefaction of the parotid region. When ultrasonographic findings evoke a malignant lesion, a CT scan seems necessary to evaluate any extension in depth. In contrast, ultrasonography does not appear justified in cases of parotitis or lithiasic pathologies.