[The Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia in CD-ROM].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Quininha.
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OBJECTIVES: To present the initial experience of a surgical team from Santa Marta Hospital using exclusive arterial grafts on coronary bypass surgery. SETTING: Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Departments. POPULATION AND METHODS: From November 1987 to May 1994, 176 consecutive patients were submitted to surgical myocardial revascularization with the exclusive use of arterial grafts. The patients were operated by one cardiothoracic surgical team. A revision of clinical and angiographic characteristics of the patients was done along with the surgical procedure and intrahospital morbidity. After hospital discharge, follow-up was done by direct evaluation and/or by a questionnaire made using phone or letter on a periodical basis. RESULTS: The medium number of coronary bypasses performed were 2.07 +/- 0.8. The left internal mammary artery was the vessel more frequently used, specially to the myocardial area supplied by the left coronary descending artery. The right internal mammary artery was the second arterial graft more currently used. Gastroepiploic artery was utilized preferentially to coronary arteries supplying the inferior wall of the heart. Hospital mortality was 3.4%-6 patients. One hundred twenty patients have a normal life, without physical restrictions, 25% of the patients have symptoms of angina that is severe in 9. Mean follow-up time was 34 +/- 10 months. IN CONCLUSION: Coronary artery bypass surgery with exclusive use of arterial grafts can be executed with an acceptable mortality and low morbidity rates, even in urgent cases, with relieve of cardiac symptoms and good quality of life.
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OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic role of emergency hemodynamic studies, in the coronary intensive care (UCI). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of--patients (P) submitted to emergency catheterization. PATIENTS: 183 P (152 M and 31 F), mean age 56 +/- 11.5 years, admitted to UCI of Hospital Santa Marta and who had cardiac catheterization performed, between October 88 and November 92. METHODS: Patient clinical files were reviewed. We considered the reasons for emergency cardiac catheterization; final diagnosis; complications in the first 24 hours; catheterization role in the therapeutic orientation. RESULTS: Reasons for hemodynamic study were: coronary artery disease (CAD) in 127 P (69%); aortic dissection in 33 P (18%); valvular disease in 19 P (10%) and other in 4 P (3%). Clinical diagnosis was confirmed in 92% and changed in 8% by hemodynamic study results. Left main coronary artery disease was diagnosed in 6.5% of CAD patients. Coronary artery disease was excluded in 5 P with previous CAD diagnosis, in 19 P with aortic dissection and in 11 valvular patients. 32% of P were sent to emergent surgery: 93% ascending aortic dissection and 20% of CAD, 76% of valvular disease. The hemodynamic study was decisive in the therapeutic option of myocardial revascularization in 77% of P with CAD: 39 emergent PTCA (31%), 13 primary (33%) and 14 P oriented to elective PTCA (11%); 26 emergent surgery and 19 P oriented to elective surgery (15%). The emergency cardiac catheterization mortality rate was 0.5%, and the morbidity 2.7%. CONCLUSIONS: The contribution of Hemodynamic Department to UCI was decisive in the diagnostic and therapeutic orientation of critical patients.
OBJECTIVE: To analyse early and medium-term results of patients (pts) with acute aortic dissection (DAO) regarding the importance of the different therapeutic modalities adopted. DESIGN: Retrospective study of the cases with DAO admitted in the cardiology intensive care unit of Santa Marta Hospital. POPULATION: 46 pts (aged 25 to 80 years) with the diagnosis of DAO from January/1989 throughout December/1993. RESULTS: early mortality rate (30 days) was 36%. DAO type A Two cases were treated only with medical therapy for they suffer from severe associated pathology. Twenty eight pts were treated surgically. In this group mortality concerning time passed from the beginning of the symptoms throughout the surgery was: < 24 h-31%, 24-72 h-40%, > 72 h-63%. Among 17 discharged pts mortality occurred in 7% during the first year. DAO type B In pts with uncomplicated Stanford type B DAO survival was 90%. Emergency surgery was performed in pts who developed complications such as rupture of the aorta, occlusion of major arteries or extension of dissection. In this particular group mortality was 66%. Among 11 discharged pts with type B DAO 9% died within one year. During the follow-up period of 17.4 +/- 14.8 months one third of the pts discharged from hospital had clinical events. CONCLUSION: despite new advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, DAO still's reported as a relatively high hospital mortality situation. Remove pts to an institution with ability to perform quickly the correct diagnosis and treatment becomes essential. Clinical presentation, type of DAO, surgery timing when indicated and major complications were of particular importance in the prognosis of pts with DAO. The frequency of cardiovascular events in pts who left the hospital alive emphasized the need to maintain blood pressure within normal limits.
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The AA describe a clinical case of acute myocardial infarction (A.M.I.) with prodromal angina and an initial diagnosis based exclusively on clinical criteria; the patient was submitted to thrombolysis and had recurrent angina which led to the performance of rescue percutaneous coronary angioplasty (P.T.C.A.) that was successful. The clinical situations that may precede A.M.I. are discussed and the importance of the clinical presentation in its diagnosis are stressed. The indications and benefits of rescue P.T.C.A. are also discussed and the AA. conclude that the patients with prodromata of A.M.I. must be kept under clinical observation, so that prompt necessary therapeutic measures may be undertaken and that rescue P.T.C.A. is a therapeutic option of proven clinical benefit.
Aortic Dissection seldom affects young women. Nevertheless, the structural changes in the arterial wall, that occur during pregnancy, may predispose women to this complication, particularly in the third trimester and peripartum period. Aortic Dissection in gestation is associated specially with the Marfan's syndrome. The authors report a case of a pregnant woman in the 35th week of gestation, without Marfan's disease, admitted to Hospital on suspicious of type A aortic dissection.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical and angiography date of patients (pts) in whom coronary arteriovenous fistula were detected. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of diagnostic coronary angiographies done between 1988 and 1993 in whom coronary arteriovenous fistula were detected. SETTING: Patients submitted to cardiac catheterisation in the Cardiology Department of Santa Marta Hospital in whom coronary arteriovenous were detected. PATIENTS: Fourteen pts, 10 male and 4 female, with a mean age of 49 years (21-72). INTERVENTIONS: A retrospective analysis of clinical data and coronary artery anomalies was done. Whenever available, the Pulmonary Artery and the shunt (calculated through oximetries) were evaluated. RESULTS: The following pathologies were associated: rheumatic valve heart disease (3 pts), Tetralogy of Fallot (2 pts), atrial septal defect--ostium primum (1 pt), dilated cardiomyopathy (1 pt), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (1 pt), atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (2 pts). Four pts were in atrial fibrillation and the others in sinus rhythm. Four pts had normal ECG. In 6 pts there was cardiomegaly on the chest X-rays. The fistula was single in 11 pts, double in one and multiple in 2 other pts. The fistula originated from the right coronary artery in 6 pts, the left anterior descending coronary artery in 5 pts, the circumflex coronary artery in 3 pts and the left main coronary artery in one pt. Eight drained to the pulmonary artery (or its branches), 2 to the coronary sinus, one directly to the right atrium, one to the right ventricle and one to the left atrium. In only 2 pts the fistula was closed. In 6 pts the associated anomalies were corrected. With a mean follow up of 24 months (1-72), 8 pts are asymptomatic, 4 complain of slight heart failure, 3 of angina pectoris and the pt with dilated cardiomyopathy died 1 year after being studied. CONCLUSION: A male predominance was found. Most fistulae were single. The artery mostly involved was the right coronary artery and the fistula drained more often to the pulmonary artery or its branches.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to analyze the possible influence of coronary lesion morphology on the prognosis of patients (pts) with Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) evaluated by coronary angiography before hospital discharge. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Study performed at the Cardiology Department of a Central Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 141 consecutive pts admitted because of AMI were evaluated, with an age average of 53.4 +/- 9.6 years, who had hospital discharge. All pts were submitted to angiography between the 2nd and 3rd week after AMI. The ventriculography was evaluated to determine the ventricular function score, as defined by the CASS protocol. The coronarography was performed to access the number of diseased vessels and to analyze their lesion morphology. Complexity was defined by the presence of one of the following characteristics: irregularity, shoulder, ulcers, filling defects, contrast retention and ecstasy. TWO GROUPS OF PTS WERE CONSIDERED: Group I--n = 64 pts, with complex lesions, and Group II--n = 69 pts with non complex lesions. Seven pts were excluded from the study because they had no significant coronary disease. Mean time of the follow up was 21.4 +/- 8.5 months and was similar in the two groups. The cardiac events considered were angina after AMI; reinfarction; heart failure; new hospital admission, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty; coronary artery bypass grafting and death. RESULTS: In relation to both groups no statistically significant difference was found concerning sex, age, left ventricular function score and number of diseased vessels. In group I a higher incidence was found for cardiac events (p 0.006) and for the occurrence of angina after AMI (p < 0.02). In this group the number of pts with cardiac events was also higher (p < 0.01). No difference was found in relation to each of the morphologic characteristics and a high risk profile could not be found. CONCLUSIONS: Besides left ventricular function and the number of diseased vessels, the analysis of coronary lesion morphology, evaluated 2 to 3 weeks after AMI, could be useful in risk stratification after AMI.
OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients (pts) with angiographic coronary artery disease and its relation with clinical and angiographic parameters. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Six hundreds consecutive pts, submitted to diagnostic coronary angiography, performed in Hemodynamic Laboratory of Santa Marta Hospital (from 88/04/03 to 90/05/04). MATERIAL AND METHODS: From six hundreds pts were excluded 43 because they had also valvular heart disease and/or minimal coronary artery lesions. Two groups were considered: Group I-pts with atrial fibrillation (n = 7) and Group II-pts in sinus rhythm (n = 549). We evaluated the following parameters: age, sex, clinical history, basal ECG, cardiac enlargement in chest X-ray, angiographic score of LVF, left ventricular diastolic pressure (LVDP), ventricular aneurysm, mitral regurgitation and number of vessels disease. RESULTS: We only found significant statistically differences between the two groups concerning the following parameters: a) age-mean age was superior in group I (Group I-64.2 +/- 8.2 versus 56.3 +/- 9.6), the number of pts older than 60 years in group I was 75% vs 33.8% in group II (p < 0.02); b) heart failure-the incidence was superior in group I, 37.5% vs 9% in group II (p < 0.03); c) cardiac enlargement in chest X-ray-75% pts of group I vs 22% of group II (p < 0.002); d) moderate to severe mitral regurgitation-25% of pts in group I vs 5% of pts of group II (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Atrial fibrillation is an unusual rhythm in pts with angiographic coronary artery disease. Its presence is related with age, clinical evidence of heart failure, cardiac enlargement and moderate to severe mitral regurgitation.
UNLABELLED: To find a possible correlation between the transmitral diastolic flow, obtained by pulsed Doppler echocardiography, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVedP), we studied 95 patients (p) (58 +/- 9 years), with coronary artery disease (76 p) and dilated cardiomyopathy (19 p). P with atrial fibrillation, heart rate > 100 b/m or mitral regurgitation > 2+/4+ were excluded. We analyzed E and A wave peak velocities (v), time-velocity integrals (i) and diastolic filling intervals. Restriction to filling pattern was considered in the presence of an E wave deceleration time (DecT) < or = 120 ms (Group B- 22 p); the other 73 p (group A) ranged from abnormal relaxation to normal diastolic patterns, with DecT > 120 ms. RESULTS: -LVedP ranged from 3 to 38 mmHg in group A and from 16 to 39 mmHg in group B. In group A, the Ai/Ei ratio showed a significant linear correlation with the LVedP (r = 0.83, y = 14 chi + 2); Ai/El ratio > 1.0 identified pts with LVedP > 18 mmHg with a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 98%. In group B, there was a correlation between LVedP and the inverse ratio of integrals (Ei/Ai) (r = 0.72), as well as Ev/Av ratio (r = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: In myocardial active relaxation abnormalities, Ai/Ei ratio increases proportionally to LVedP. A short DecT (< or = 120 ms) identifies a subgroup of p with predominant impairment of LV compliance and high filling pressures, in which the atrial contribution decreases as LVedP rises. Thus, whatever the prevailing mechanism of diastolic dysfunction, echo-Doppler transmitral diastolic flow can provide a noninvasive assessment of LVedP.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the morbidity and mortality with cardiac catheterization (diagnostic and intervention). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of complications occurring within 24 h of a cardiac catheterization, in three consecutive years (1989-1991). SETTING: Patients admitted to the Haemodynamic Laboratory of Santa Marta Hospital-Lisbon. PATIENTS: 4014 patients submitted to diagnostic and interventional procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Registry analyze in order to obtain the following data: pathology, age, vascular approach and complications of cardiac catheterization. RESULTS: In three years there were 4014 cardiac procedures. 53.6% were performed in patients with coronary artery disease, 20% with valvular heart disease, 8.1% with congenital heart disease, 16.1% with others pathologies and 2.2% revealed normal vessels in coronary angiography. The incidence of ischemic heart disease was progressively higher in the studied years: 51.9% in 1989, 52.4% in 1990 and 55.2% in 1991. Data from population age showed the same tendency: mean age was 51, 53 and 55 years, respectively. Femoral approach was attempted in 95% of the studies, and the axillary in 2.15%. Complications of diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures occurred in 3% of the patients. Dead occurred in 0.14%; arrhythmia, 0.37%; vascular, 0.14%; vasovagal/pyrogen reactions, 0.73%; myocardial infarction, 0.05%; and others, 1.58%. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization in experienced laboratories are a safe procedure with a reduced incidence of major complications.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, by 2D-Doppler echocardiography, the patterns of left ventricular filling in groups of patients with left ventricular systolic disfunction and different pulmonary wedge pressures. STUDY DESIGN: perspective study of different indexes of left ventricular diastolic filling measured by Doppler echocardiography and compare them with a normal group. SETTING: Patients studied in the Cardiology Department of the Santa Marta Hospital with a diagnosis of dilated cardiopathy and submitted to cardiac catheterisation. PATIENTS: Twenty-four patients, aged 39 years old, submitted to hemodynamic study (group A) and nineteen subjects, aged 34 years old (group B). Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PWP) was determined in group A and the patients were divided in two groups: group A1 (with PWP < 16 mmHg) and group A2 (with PWP > or = 16 mmHg). INTERVENTIONS: Every patient was submitted to cardiac catheterisation. The echocardiographic study showed global decrease of left ventricular systolic function. With pulsated Doppler left ventricular diastolic flow indexes were determined. The following parameters were studied: peak protodiastolic flow velocity (Vel E), peak telediastolic flow velocity (Vel A), E/A ratio, protodiastolic acceleration time (O-E) and diastolic flow time (O-C). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: There were no statistical differences between group A as a whole and group B. However in group A1, with a lower PWP there was a decrease of E flow velocity in relation to the control group (54.6 cm/sec +/- 14 vs 66.4 cm/seg +/- 12.8 p < 0.05) or to the group A2 (75.3 cm/sec +/- 29.9 p < 0.05). In the group A1 there was an increase of the flow velocity A in relation to group B (56.1 cm/sec +/- 15.9 vs 36.4 cm/sec +/- 7.3 p < 0.05) and to the group A2 (56.1 cm/sec +/- 15.5 vs 28.2 +/- 9.1 p < 0.05). The relation E/A in group A1 was deceased in relation to group B (1.0 +/- 0.4 m vs 1.8 +/- 0.6 p < 0.05) and in group A2 its increased in relation to B (2.6 +/- 0.9 vs 1.8 +/- 0.6 p < 0.05). The E-D time was increased in group A1 in relation to group B (162.1 +/- 8.7 cm/sec vs 140.5 +/- 42.0 cm/sec p < 0.05) and slightly reduced in group A2 (134.5 +/- 78 msec vs 140.5 +/- 42.0 msec NS). All the patients with mitral regurgitation belonged to group A2. There was only statistical difference in the velocity between the patients in group A with and without mitral regurgitation (29.6 +/- 17.4 cm/sec vs 26.4 +/- 8.5 cm/sec p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In spite of some limitations, Doppler echocardiography is useful in the evaluation of left ventricular filling of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. It shows different patterns that vary according to the hemodynamic states of the patient.
OBJECTIVE: Comparative analysis of the histomorphological characteristics of left (LIMA) and right (RIMA) internal mammary arteries, right gastroepiploic (RGEA) and anterior descending artery (ADA) with evaluation of the respective prevalence of atherosclerotic changes. SETTINGS: Laboratory of Anatomo-Pathology of a Central Hospital with necropsy material obtained from consecutive individuals, deceased of a non-cardiac cause and older than 60 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 31 cadaver fragments of the RIMA, LIMA, GEA and ADA, were obtain, subsequently fixed and stained in order to become evident the structure of the medial layer, and the presence of possible atherosclerotic changes (intimal Hyperplasia, cholesterol clefts, foam-cells, inflammatory cells infiltrate, rupture of the internal elastic lamina, medial fibroses and calcifications). RESULTS: 1--The RGEA has the structure of a muscular artery as the ADA, opposed to the LIMA and RIMA that are elastic arteries. 2--The atherosclerotic changes were predominantly found in the ADA with no significative differences in there prevalence in the RIMA, LIMA or RGEA. CONCLUSIONS: The RGEA despite having histological characteristics diverse than the LIMA and RIMA, has a similar prevalence of atherosclerotic changes and intimal hyperplasia; those allow us to predict a behaviour and a long-term patency comparable, when used as bypass graft for myocardial revascularization.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of diltiazem on the characteristics of ischemic episodes detected by Holter monitoring in a group of patients with proven coronary artery disease. SETTING: Department of Cardiology, Santa Marta Hospital, Lisbon. METHODS: Eleven selected out-patients, aged 48 to 79 years, with transient ST-segmental depression on Holter monitoring and proven coronary artery disease, were submitted to a double-blind crossover placebo controlled study, during hospitalization. The total ischemic burden of each patient and an analysis of ischemic episodes were evaluated before and during the drug/placebo phase trial. Three groups of ischemic episodes were considered: group I constituted by 66 episodes found on basal Holter recording; group II by 28 episodes detected during placebo trial and group III by 12 episodes detected during diltiazem trial. RESULTS: A reduction of the number of ischemic episodes was predominantly observed with the diltiazem administration. Statistically significant differences were observed between basal and placebo groups and especially between basal and diltiazem groups concerning the mean maximum ST-segment depression (2.17 vs 1.80; p = 0.030 and 2.17 vs 1.54; p = 0.0091). Significant differences were also obtained between the above mentioned groups concerning the heart rate variation from the onset of ST-segment depression to its maximum depression (13.5 vs 9.69; p = 0.023 and 13.5 vs 2.91; p = 0.01) and from two minutes before the onset of ST-segment depression to its maximum depression (21.2 vs 12.67; p = 0.012 and 21.2 vs 8.75 p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Diltiazem seems to reduce the number of ischemic episodes in patients with coronary artery disease, during hospitalization. The study of its effects on the characteristics of ischemia requires further investigation with a greater number of patients. The limitations of the present study, described in the discussion, must be taken into account in future pharmacological investigations with Holter monitoring.
Myocardial abscesses are a serious complication of infectious endocarditis. A 60 years old male patient with subaortic ring abscess is reported. A fistula developed between the left ventricular outflow tract and the left atrium. Doppler echocardiography was of outmost importance for diagnosis. Surgery was successfully performed.
OBJECTIVES: (1) To obtain a relation between clinical and electrophysiologic characteristics in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern. To evaluate the atrial vulnerability for inducing atrial fibrillation and its relation to the electrophysiologic protocol phase. (3) To study the effects of flecainide on the treatment of induced sustained supraventricular arrhythmias. SETTING: Department of Cardiology at Santa Marta Hospital. METHODS: An electrophysiologic testing was performed in twenty-three consecutive patients aged from 14 to 55 years, with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) pattern on ECG. Two groups of patients were considered: group I with 12 asymptomatic or nearly asymptomatic patients; group II with 11 symptomatic patients. The parameters studied were the anterograde effective refractory period of the accessory pathway, the number of patients with different types of supraventricular tachycardias (SVT), the relation between the stimulation protocol phase (scanning/DDT/burst) and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation, and the effects of the flecainide on the treatment of induced sustained supraventricular arrhythmias. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were obtained between group I and II concerning the number of patients in whom induced atrial fibrillation with conduction by the accessory pathway and RR < or = 250 msec was found (0 vs 6, p = 0.0045). No differences were obtained among the anterograde refractory period, the induction of atrial fibrillation independently of the type of atrioventricular conduction, and the induction of atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia and or atrial flutter. The induction of atrial fibrillation was attained during the Scanning/DDT protocol phase in 7 patients in whom this arrhythmia was found with conduction by the accessory pathway and in 2 without preexcitation. All the induced sustained supraventricular arrhythmias were converted by intravenous flecainide. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Only the symptomatic patients have a high risk profile which suggest that electrophysiologic testing do not need to be performed in those with no symptoms. (2) As atrial vulnerability is higher in patients with induced atrial fibrillation and conduction by the accessory pathway, a more intensive ambulatory control seems to be necessary. (3) The results of intravenous flecainide administration on the treatment of sustained induced supraventricular arrhythmias, advocate its use during the electrophysiologic procedures in patients with ventricular preexcitation and WPW pattern.