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Biomedical subjects

J Fukushige

Publications and source records attributed to J Fukushige.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Antitachycardia pacemaker treatment of postoperative arrhythmias in pediatric patients.

An automatic antitachycardia pulse generator (Intertach 262-12) was implanted in each of six pediatric patients (mean age, 10 years) with drug-resistant and persistent postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias. Four had bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome, two after a Mustard procedure for transposition of the great arteries, one after a Senning procedure for the same anomaly, and one after a Fontan procedure for univentricular heart with transposition of the great arteries. Of the two remaining patients, one had atrial flutter after a modified Fontan procedure for univentricular heart and one had intra-atrial reentry tachycardia after a modified Fontan procedure for double-outlet right ventricle with pulmonary stenosis. During a mean follow-up interval of 31 months after implantation, pacemakers were activated on multiple occasions and functioned appropriately in all six patients. Complications necessitated six invasive interventions in three patients: erosion or infection of the system, adaptor fracture, and connector block fracture on one occasion each and lead dislodgment on three occasions. Four of the six patients continued to take drugs at the end of this study; however, all patients had their drug therapy reduced and one was taking digoxin only. The number of hospital admissions decreased after implantation. Despite a number of technical challenges, this newer multiprogrammable antitachycardia pacemaker appears to be a valuable addition to the treatment of refractory postoperative supraventricular tachyarrhythmias in pediatric patients.

Adolescent↗

Suppression of established atherosclerosis and xanthomas in mature WHHL rabbits by keeping their serum cholesterol levels extremely low. Effect of pravastatin sodium in combination with cholestyramine.

We investigated the possibility that established atherosclerosis and xanthomas in mature WHHL rabbits could be suppressed or even regressed when their serum cholesterol levels were kept extremely low. Ten-month-old WHHL rabbits were divided into 3 groups, i.e. control rabbits, sacrificed at age 10 months, and placebo and treated rabbits, sacrificed at age 18 months. The treated rabbits were given pravastatin sodium (50 mg/kg/day), an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, in combination with cholestyramine (2% in diet), a bile acid sequestrant, for 36 weeks. The serum cholesterol levels and atherogenic lipoproteins in the treated group were markedly reduced, by about 60% (P less than 0.005 and P less than 0.001). Consequently, the degrees of both coronary and aortic atherosclerosis in the treated group were significantly reduced compared with the placebo group, and were almost the same as in the control group. The histopathological findings supported the above results. In addition, the incidence and degree of xanthomas in digital joints in the treated group were significantly reduced. These results suggest that established atherosclerosis and xanthomas in mature WHHL rabbits could be suppressed by keeping their serum cholesterol levels extremely low by the combination drug treatment.

Animals↗

Supraventricular tachycardia in acquired rubella infection: a case report.

A 6-year-old boy developed supraventricular tachycardia nine days after onset of the exanthem of clinical rubella. The diagnosis of rubella virus infection was confirmed serologically. Except in the neonatal period, only eight cases of cardiac involvement in acquired rubella infection have been previously reported. During epidemics, rubella virus infection should be considered in patients who manifest cardiac symptoms and signs of unknown etiology.

Child↗

Influence of crying on plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration.

Infants and toddlers often start crying at venopuncture and the stress of crying has been known to increase the levels of plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), but no precise information is available. We measured the levels of PRA and PAC in blood samples taken from 30 infants and toddlers within 1 min after the onset of crying, as induced by venopuncture, and 3 and 5 min after continuation of crying (PRA1.0, PRA3.0, PRA5.0, and PAC1.0, PAC3.0, PAC5.0). The age of these subjects ranged from 1 to 30 months (median 16 months). PRA1.0, PRA3.0 and PRA5.0 were 4.0 +/- 1.8 ng/ml per hour, 5.5 +/- 2.7 ng/ml per hour, and 7.8 +/- 4.2 ng/ml per hour, respectively. PAC1.0, PAC3.0 and PAC5.0 were 210 +/- 110 pg/ml, 231 +/- 118 pg/ml and 269 +/- 145 pg/ml, respectively. Both PRA and PAC increased with elapsing time. The increase in PRA was marked after a short episode of crying, but that in PAC was of a mild degree.

Aldosterone↗

Exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmia after repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

Treadmill exercise electrocardiography (TE) was recorded in 50 patients to evaluate the incidence of exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in a group of patients who underwent corrective surgery of tetralogy of Fallot (TF) more than four years previously. The results of rhythm evaluation were correlated with cardiac catheterization data as well as clinical information such as the age at surgery and the interval from surgery. Of the 50 patients tested, ventricular premature contraction (VPC) was confirmed in 12 patients (24%) on TE, while five patients (10%) demonstrated VPC on the standard ECG. The interval from surgery was significantly longer in those patients with VA (Group 1) than those without VA (Group II) on TE (p less than 0.05). There was no significant difference of the age at corrective surgery between the two groups. In group I, the preoperative hemoglobin level was higher (p less than 0.05) and the right ventricular ejection fraction was lower (p less than 0.01). Exercise-induced VAs are closely related to the length of period after surgery and the depressed right ventricular function.

Adolescent↗

Beneficial renal effects of CS-905, a novel dihydropyridine calcium blocker, in SHR.

CS-905 is a potent dihydropyridine calcium blocker that has a gradual and long-lasting antihypertensive action with little tachycardia in SHR. In this study, we investigated chronic and acute effects of CS-905 on renal functions in SHR. To examine the chronic effects, 23 week-old male SHR were treated with CS-905 (1 or 3 mg/kg/day, p.o.) or 0.3% CMC (carboxymethylcellulose). After the 15 week-treatment, the agent dose-relatedly lowered systolic blood pressure measured 24 hr after the final administration (184 +/- 2 and 173 +/- 3 mmHg at 1 and 3 mg/kg/day vs. 218 +/- 4 mmHg for the control group). Natriuresis and the reduction of urinary protein excretion were also observed in the CS-905 treated groups. Urinary NAG (N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase) activity tended to decrease, but not significantly. Histopathological changes observed in the SHR kidney were reduced by chronic treatment with CS-905. On a single oral administration in 38 week-old SHR, CS-905 caused natriuresis at a dose of 3 mg/kg, but did not affect urinary protein excretion and urinary NAG activity. These effects of CS-905 on renal functions may be beneficial in the treatment of hypertension.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗

Blood pressure in Japanese children during the first three years of life. The Hisayama Study.

Blood pressure (BP) measurements were obtained from 522 healthy young children aged from 3 months to 3 years in Hisayama, Japan. The measurements were performed using a Doppler ultrasound device applied to children who were awake and sitting quietly on their mothers' laps. This method of obtaining BP was successful in 80% to 90% of children aged 3, 6, and 36 months, and in 60% to 70% of children aged between 12 and 18 months. Mean systolic BP varied from 88 mm Hg at 3 months to 96 mm Hg at 3 years and showed a tendency to elevate with increasing age, with the increment being the greatest between ages 3 and 6 months. Mean diastolic BP was constant throughout the first three years of life.

Aging↗

Thrombocytopenia: a complication of Kawasaki disease.

Thrombocytopenia was observed in 10 (2.0%) of 486 children with Kawasaki disease. In nine of the ten, the minimal platelet count of 94,000 +/- 38,000 (SD)/mm3 was seen on day 6.8 +/- 2.2 (SD) of illness and the platelet counts were elevated to the normal level in 1-2 weeks. Thrombocytopenia in the nine appeared to be caused via coagulation-mediated platelet consumption, while the remaining child was diagnosed as having idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. One of the two who had severe coagulation-mediated thrombocytopenia of less than 50,000/mm3 developed coronary aneurysms persisting over 1 year.

Aspirin↗

Atrial septal defects in neonates with reference to spontaneous closure.

Early diagnosis of atrial septal defects (ASDs) by means of two-dimensional echocardiography has facilitated studies on the natural course of this lesion. Among 12 Japanese infants in whom a diagnosis of opening of the atrial septum was made in the neonatal period, eight had spontaneous closure at age 2 to 16 months, as shown by two-dimensional echocardiography. To study the exact incidence and natural course of atrial openings in the neonatal period, another 102 consecutive infants from two neonatal care units were followed prospectively with the use of two-dimensional echocardiography. Atrial openings were evident in 24 infants (24%) within the first week of life, in 13 (13%) older than 1 week, in seven (7%) older than 1 month, in five (5%) older than 6 months, and in two (2%) older than 1 year. Twenty-eight of the 30 infants with spontaneous closure in both groups had valvelike openings of the atrial septum that closed by fusion of the valves. ASDs that closed spontaneously in infants with clinical signs and symptoms of atrial shunt may be the same clinical entity as the valvelike openings of the atrial septum frequently observed in neonates with few clinical symptoms and may be differentiated morphologically from ASDs with openings without valve formation, which have little tendency to close.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Incidence and severity of ventricular arrhythmia in patients after repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

To evaluate the incidence and severity of ventricular arrhythmias (VA) in a large group of patients who underwent corrective surgery for tetralogy of Fallot (TF) more than 4 years previously (mean age at surgery: 6 years 5 months), cardiac catheterization and cineangiography as well as 24 hour ambulatory Holter electrocardiography (HE) were performed in 45 patients. Fifteen (33%) of the 45 patients had VA of Lown grade 2 or greater. Patients with VA (group I) were found to be significantly older at surgery than patients without VA (group II) (p less than 0.05). There were no significant differences in the ratio of postoperative right and left ventricular systolic pressures (RVSP/LVSP), and also right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) between the 2 groups. As far as we know, none of our patients has suffered a sudden late death after repair of TF. Still, the overall incidence of VA was significantly high.

Adolescent↗

Mother-to-child transmission of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I): a fifteen-year follow-up study in Okinawa, Japan.

Okinawa prefecture is one of the endemic areas for adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) in Japan. In this study, 2,013 serum specimens drawn serially over a period of 15 years (1968-1983) from 311 mother/child pairs in Okinawa were tested for antibodies to human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and by indirect immunofluorescence. The prevalence rate of HTLV-I antibodies was 20.9% (65 cases) in the mothers and 3.2% (10 cases) in the children. Of the 65 seropositive mothers, 10 (15.4%) had seropositive children. This study revealed a significant difference between the prevalence rates of HTLV-I antibodies in mothers and children. In addition, children born to seropositive mothers had acquired their HTLV-I antibodies by the age of 3 years, and were still seropositive at the age of 18 years. No initially seronegative child was found to have seroconverted during the period investigated.

Adolescent↗

Hemagglutination inhibition antibodies in congenital rubella syndrome. A 17-year follow-up in the Ryukyu Islands.

We studied long-term rubella hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers in 381 children born between 1965 and 1966 with congenital rubella syndrome and in 344 of their mothers, who had had postnatally acquired rubella infection. Serum specimens were obtained 12 times during a 17-year period. The initial geometric mean titer of the rubella HI antibody was higher in the children than in their mothers, but the titer declined more rapidly in the children. After 17 years it was 2(5.4) in the children and 2(6.9) in the mothers. In 13 (3.4%) of the children, the rubella HI antibody titer reverted to negativity after three to 17 years. None of the mothers showed a reversion.

Adolescent↗

Facial palsy in Kawasaki disease. Report of two cases and a review.

A case of facial palsy was reported initially in 1974 by Murayama as one of the neurological manifestations in Kawasaki disease. Thereafter, an additional nine case have been documented in Japan. This facial palsy, in the revised "Diagnostic Guideline of Kawasaki Disease" released in 1984, has been added recently as one of the neurological signs and symptoms of Kawasaki disease. This is a report on two cases of Kawasaki disease showing facial palsy with indurative oedema during their clinical course, and also a clinical review of the ten previously reported cases of facial palsy complicating Kawasaki disease.

Aspirin↗