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J Bergler-Klein

Publications and source records attributed to J Bergler-Klein.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Heart rate behaviour at different stages of congestive heart failure.

Depressed heart rate variation has been shown to predict a high mortality rate in patients with severe congestive heart failure. To determine whether the degree of altered heart rate correlates with the clinical state, 24-h Holter monitoring was performed in 21 patients (mean ejection fraction: 18 +/- 11%) at baseline and after 6 months of oral therapy. At baseline, the overall 24-h heart rate variation and night/day heart rate ratio was reduced, depending on the NYHA functional class. The typical morphology of R-R interval histograms was a sensitive marker of the clinical state at baseline: the higher the NYHA class, the smaller the R-R interval variability and standard deviation of R-R intervals (total variability NYHA III versus II: P less than 0.05). Clinical deterioration after 6 months (n = 8) was accompanied by a tendency to further shortening of the mean total R-R interval variability (676 +/- 34 to 586 +/- 25 ms). This was shown in three patients, who were reclassified to NYHA class IV. In stable patients (n = 5) and those with clinical improvement (n = 8) no significant change in R-R variability was observed. It is concluded that variations in R-R interval histogram shapes correspond to different NYHA functional classes. While severe clinical disease progression may be associated with further reductions in the heart rate variability, improvement in the clinical state of congestive heart failure is not necessarily associated with changes in heart rate behaviour.

Adult↗

[Pimobendan (UDCG 115 BS) in long-term therapy of chronic heart failure].

Pimobendan is a positive inotropic agent with additional calcium-sensitizing effects of the phosphodiesterase III-inhibitor group. In short-term studies, beneficial hemodynamic effects have been demonstrated in patients with congestive heart failure. The aim of this prospective study was to examine the long-term effect of pimobendan (during at least 6 months) on subjective state, hemodynamic parameters, and arrhythmias in patients with congestive heart failure NYHA classes II and III. After double-blind randomization, 24 patients received pimobendan 5 mg bid or placebo orally in addition to a basic therapy (diuretics, digitalis). After 3 months, pimobendan-treated patients showed a significant clinical improvement (p < 0.03). In the placebo group, one patient underwent acute cardiac transplantation due to rapid clinical deterioration; another patient died suddenly after 5 months. No cardiac events occurred in the pimobendan group. In comparison to placebo, no proarrhythmogenic effect of pimobendan was detected. Clinical stabilization of patients in the pimobendan group was not paralleled by improvement of the hemodynamic parameters of left-ventricular performance.

Cardiac Volume↗

Primary hyperparathyroidism and the heart: cardiac abnormalities correlated to clinical and biochemical data.

Comparing patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) to a normocalcemic control population, those with PHP have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and cardiac abnormalities. This study aimed at correlating cardiac findings (valvular and myocardial calcification, myocardial hypertrophy) with clinical data (age, sex, clinical manifestation, nephrolithiasis, nephrocalcinosis, hypertension, skeletal abnormalities, hypercalcemic syndrome) and biochemical data (serum calcium, serum phosphate, serum iPTH level, serum creatinine). A group of 132 consecutive patients with surgically verified PHP (94 women, 38 men; ages 15-86, mean age 57 +/- 16 years) were included in this study. Blood chemistry, clinical presentation, radiography, and echocardiography were carried out in all patients for univariate and multivariate analyses of all parameters. There was no statistical correlation between clinical symptoms, biochemical data, and cardiac calcific alterations. Typical skeletal manifestations (osteolysis/subperiostal resorption) and valvular calcifications were significantly correlated to left ventricular hypertrophy (p = 0.005). Cardiac abnormalities such as calcific myocardial deposits or mitral and aortic valvular calcifications do not correlate with laboratory findings and clinical presentation at the time of diagnosis. There was no biochemical or clinical variable that could predict the frequency or severity of valvular sclerosis or calcific deposits in the myocardium. However, PHP-related skeletal abnormalities and valvular calcification were predicting factors for left ventricular hypertrophy, a reversible cardiac manifestation of PHP. Myocardial hypertrophy is more often found with classic symptomatic PHP with osseous abnormalities.

Adolescent↗