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Biomedical subjects

K I Lie

Publications and source records attributed to K I Lie.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Distal coronary hemoperfusion during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Distal coronary hemoperfusion during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)-with an autoperfusion balloon or active system-facilitates prolonged balloon inflation. Prolonged inflations may tack up intimal dissections and improve the primary angioplasty result in complex lesions. Additionally, distal perfusion may reduce the likelihood of cardiogenic shock during high-risk PTCA. Autoperfusion balloons are most frequently used to treat acute or threatened closure. There currently is no prospective clinical study showing that stent implantation for this complication is more successful and more cost-effective. The blood flow rates through autoperfusion balloons may not abolish myocardial ischemia, and higher flow rates can often be achieved with pumps. Therefore, during high-risk PTCA, pumps may be preferred to prevent hemodynamic collapse. Clinical application of perfusion pumps is hampered by the risk for mechanical hemolysis during prolonged perfusion and the high velocity of the bloodstream that exits the PTCA catheter, causing distal vessel wall trauma.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗

Angina pectoris refractory for conventional therapy--is neurostimulation a possible alternative treatment?

The treatment of angina pectoris as a symptom of coronary artery disease usually is focused on restoring the balance between oxygen demand and supply of the myocardium by administration of drugs interfering in heart rate, cardiac pre- and afterload, and coronary vascular tone. For nonresponders to drug therapy or for those with jeopardized myocardium, revascularization procedures such as coronary bypass surgery and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are at hand. However, the atherosclerotic process is not stopped by these therapies and, at longer terms, angina may recur. It is not always possible to revascularize all the patients who do not positively react to medical treatment. Those with angina, not responding to adequate medication and who are not suitable anymore for revascularization, are considered to suffer from refractory angina pectoris. This group of patients has a poor quality of life, for their exercise tolerance is severely afflicted. For these patients, neurostimulation has been described repeatedly as an effective and safe therapy. The mechanism of action of neurostimulation is not completely known, but recent studies suggest an anti-ischemic effect, exerted through changes in myocardial blood flow. As soon as its safety is sufficiently established, it may become a useful alternative in the treatment of refractory angina pectoris.

Angina Pectoris↗

Activated tissue renin-angiotensin systems add to the progression of heart failure.

In this paper, we review the hypothesis that activated tissue renin-angiotensin systems play a detrimental role in heart failure. The main arguments for this idea are discussed: a) tissue renin-angiotensin systems behave functionally distinct from the circulating renin-angiotensin system; b) tissue renin-angiotensin systems are activated in heart failure; c) activated tissue renin-angiotensin systems induce cardiovascular dysfunction. Finally, this hypothesis predicts that optimal treatment in heart failure requires the inhibition of tissue renin-angiotensin systems. However, studies pertaining to this prediction are still lacking, particularly in human subjects.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Propafenone versus disopyramide for maintenance of sinus rhythm after electrical cardioversion of chronic atrial fibrillation: a randomized, double-blind study. PRODIS Study Group.

Safety and efficacy of propafenone and disopyramide for long-term maintenance of sinus rhythm after electrical cardioversion was studied in 56 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (median arrhythmia duration, 5 months). After cardioversion, patients were randomly assigned to receive double-blind propafenone 300 mg tid (25 patients) or disopyramide 250 mg tid (31 patients). Downward dose adjustment was allowed in case of intolerable side effects. The endpoints were arrhythmia recurrence; and side effects not amenable to dose reduction. For patients randomized to propafenone (mean dose, 878 +/- 65 mg/day), 66% [95% confidence interval [(CI) 46-85%] and 55% (95% CI, 34-76%) remained in sinus rhythm at 3 and 6 months, respectively (Kaplan-Meier method). Similar figures were found with disopyramide (mean dose, 704 +/- 81 mg/day): 71% (95% CI, 54-87%) and 67% (95% CI, 50-84%) at 3 and 6 months, respectively (p = NS). In the patients with a relapse of atrial fibrillation, the ventricular rate while still using the prophylactic agents did not increase significantly compared with precardioversion. However, one patient on disopyramide had an excessively high relapse heart rate (170 vs. 100 beats/min). Side effects were more frequent on disopyramide. Side effects necessitating drug discontinuation occurred in 12 patients: 4 patients (16%) on propafenone and 8 (26%) on disopyramide. Severe adverse effects occurred in two patients, who developed heart failure while on disopyramide. There were no proarrhythmic events or deaths. Thus, propafenone and disopyramide are equally effective for maintaining sinus rhythm after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. Propafenone is, however, better tolerated than disopyramide, which may cause heart failure.

Aged↗

Long-term cigarette smoking is associated with increased myocardial perfusion heterogeneity assessed by positron emission tomography.

The pathophysiology of smoking-related coronary events in patients with normal coronary arteries is incompletely understood. This study was conducted to explore, in subjects without symptoms of cardiovascular disease, the long-term effects of smoking on regional coronary artery vasoactivity, especially during sympathetic stimulation. In ten smoking and ten non-smoking sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers, segmental myocardial perfusion was studied using dynamic parametric nitrogen-13 ammonia positron emission tomography at rest and during sympathetic stimulation evoked by the cold pressor stimulation. Smokers demonstrated a higher myocardial perfusion at rest (116+/-17 ml/min/100 g vs 96+/-20 ml/min/100 g, P <0.01) and an impaired myocardial perfusion increase during cold pressor stimulation (1.02+/-0.15 vs 1.18+/-0.17, P <0.05). The heterogeneity of perfusion, expressed as coefficient of variation, was significantly different between the smoking and the non-smoking group. The coefficient of variation of segmental myocardial perfusion was higher in smokers at rest (17.5%+/-4.2% vs 13.5%+/-1. 9%, P <0.05) and during cold pressor stimulation (17.0%+/-3.2% vs 13. 9%+/-1.8%, P <0.05). We conclude that the long-term effects of smoking in healthy volunteers are associated with (1) increased myocardial perfusion at rest, (2) impaired myocardial perfusion response to cold pressor stimulation, and (3) increased myocardial perfusion heterogeneity both at rest and during cold pressor stimulation. These results may suggest that in healthy subjects the long-term effect of smoking is related to abnormal coronary artery vasoactivity, presumably induced by an interplay of regional endothelial dysfunction and autonomic dysregulation.

Adult↗

Dose-finding study of imidapril, a novel angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, in patients with stable chronic heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: To study the haemodynamic profile and tolerability of imidapril, a new long-acting ACE inhibitor, and to investigate the effect of inhibition of circulating ACE on blood pressure in patients with stable chronic heart failure. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with stable, chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional Class II-III) were randomised to receive either 2.5 mg or 5 mg imidapril. Other vasodilators were withheld for > or = 5 half-lives. Blood pressure and ACE activity were carefully monitored for 24 h after dosing. RESULTS: Both 2.5 mg and 5 mg imidapril decreased systolic blood pressure, while diastolic blood pressure fell only after 5 mg imidapril. The two doses produced a significant and similar inhibition of circulating (serum) ACE. No serious adverse effects were observed, although symptomatic hypotension occured in 1 patient (5 mg). The decrease in blood pressure was not related to baseline ACE activity, serum sodium or serum creatinine concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Imidapril significantly lowered systolic blood pressure and was well tolerated. The difference in the first dose response to the two doses with respect to diastolic blood pressure suggests that this haemodynamic effect of ACE-inhibition is not related to inhibition of circulating ACE.

Administration, Oral↗

Acute hemodynamic and long-term clinical effects of isradipine in patients with coronary artery disease and chronic heart failure. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

To assess the acute hemodynamic and long-term clinical effects of isradipine, a calcium antagonist of the dihydropyridine class, we performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel study in 19 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and stable chronic heart failure (CHF). Their mean age was 56 +/- 5 years, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 0.18 +/- 0.05. Patients were treated with diuretics and digoxin only. All were clinically stable and in sinus rhythm. The acute hemodynamic study showed that (intravenous) isradipine increased cardiac index (+36%) and stroke volume index (+30%) (both P < 0.001), while systemic vascular resistance (-33%) and mean arterial pressure (-10%) decreased (both P < 0.005). Filling pressures and heart rate were not affected. Of the 19 patients, 17 completed the 12 week study; 2 patients on placebo (1 death, 1 side-effects) but no patient on isradipine (5 mg 3 times daily) dropped out. After 12 weeks, peak oxygen consumption (VO2), LVEF, echocardiographic indices, and other clinical parameters were unaffected by treatment. Repeat invasive hemodynamic measurements showed that the initial improvement by isradipine was not present anymore. In conclusion, despite a beneficial acute hemodynamic effect, isradipine has no favorable clinical influence during prolonged treatment in patients with mild to moderate CHF.

Calcium Channel Blockers↗

Assessment of quantitative hypertrophy scores in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: magnetic resonance imaging versus echocardiography.

To compare the diagnostic value of spin-echo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and transthoracic echocardiography in quantitative assessment of the extent of hypertrophy in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), we examined 52 consecutive patients with HCM. The Spirito-Maron and Wigle hypertrophy scores were calculated with wall thickness measurements obtained by both imaging modalities. MR imaging yielded complete assessment of anatomic features and allowed calculation of hypertrophy scores in 49 patients (94%). Adequate echocardiograms were obtained in 33 patients (63%) and correlated well with MR imaging for wall thickness measurements and for determination of the two hypertrophy scores (both r> 0.9). MR imaging provided additional information not available by echocardiography in 16 patients (31%). We conclude that the Spirito-Maron and Wigle hypertrophy scores correlated well between echocardiography and MR imaging. Because echocardiography was of insufficient quality for calculating adequate hypertrophy scores in 19 (37%) patients, MR imaging provided the most comprehensive diagnostic information in patients with HCM.

Adult↗

New diagnostic options in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The pathophysiologic features and clinical manifestations of HCM have been elucidated by the introduction of several new diagnostic options. Knowledge of the molecular defects of HCM has advanced rapidly, and genetic screening studies have reemphasized the value of the standard electrocardiogram as an initial screening tool. Analysis of heart rate variability, late potentials, and QT dispersion were not found to be reliable prognostic markers in HCM. However, measurement of dispersion of conduction is probably a sensitive technique in identifying a high risk for sudden cardiac death. Significant developments include transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and their role in studying the mitral valve, early detection of left ventricular chamber dilatation, analysis of coronary flow, and intraoperative echocardiography. Finally, advances in the application of magnetic resonance imaging and positron-emission tomography are underway.

Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic↗

Value of digoxin in heart failure and sinus rhythm: new features of an old drug?

Digoxin has been a controversial drug since its introduction >200 years ago. Although its efficacy in patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation is clear, its value in patients with heart failure and sinus rhythm has often been questioned. In the 1980s, reports of some large-scale trials indicated that digoxin, with or without vasodilators or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, reduced signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure and improved exercise tolerance. This beneficial influence was mainly found in patients with more advanced heart failure and dilated ventricles, whereas the effect in those with mild disease appeared to be less pronounced. In the last few years, new data have shown that digoxin may also have clinical value in mild heart failure, either when used in combination with other drugs or when administered alone. As neurohumoral activation has increasingly been recognized to be a contributing factor in the disease progression of chronic heart failure, the modulating effects of digoxin on neurohumoral and autonomic status have received more attention. Also, there is evidence that relatively low doses of digoxin may be at least as effective as higher doses and have a lower incidence of side effects. Further, the recognition that the use of digoxin too early after myocardial infarction may be harmful and the development of other drugs, in particular angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, have obviously changed the place of digoxin in the treatment of chronic heart failure. The large-scale survival trial by the Digitalis Investigators Group (DIG), whose preliminary results have recently been presented, has shown that although digoxin has a neutral effect on total mortality during long-term treatment, it reduces the number of hospital admissions and deaths due to worsening heart failure. The potentially new features of the old drug digoxin are discussed in this review.

Anti-Arrhythmia Agents↗

Biplane transesophageal color-flow Doppler imaging in assessing severity of mitral regurgitation: influence of hemodynamic circumstances and mechanism of regurgitation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of biplane transesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of severity of mitral regurgitation compared with left ventricular angiography. DESIGN: Prospective study of consecutive patients. SETTING: Two university hospitals, one community hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-seven patients with angiographically proven mitral regurgitation. INTERVENTION: Transthoracic and biplane transesophageal echocardiography. In 19 patients, transesophageal echocardiography was performed during general anesthesia. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The largest mitral regurgitation jet area and longest jet as obtained with Doppler color-flow mapping from transthoracic and biplane transesophageal echocardiography and pulsed-Doppler pulmonary venous flow characteristics. Sensitivity and 100-minus-specificity were plotted to constitute receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. Areas under ROC curve for transverse, longitudinal, and biplane jet area were 0.77, 0.75, and 0.81, and for jet length, 0.82, 0.84, and 0.88, respectively; this was for biplane jet area in conscious patients; 0.99 compared with 0.72 in anesthetized patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Biplane measurements identified severe mitral regurgitation slightly more reliably than the transverse or longitudinal measurements alone. In conscious patients, jet area was an excellent test for estimating severity of mitral regurgitation. In anesthetized patients, a combination of biplane jet area and length and of systolic pulmonary venous flow reversal accurately predicted angiographic severity of mitral regurgitation. In anesthetized patients, the optimal cut-off value for jet area to distinguish between moderate and severe mitral regurgitation was lower than in conscious patients. In the total population, regardless of hemodynamic and technical variations, a combination of biplane jet area and length and of systolic pulmonary venous flow reversal accurately predicted the severity of mitral regurgitation.

Adult↗

Clinical and autonomic effects of ibopamine as adjunct to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the additive value of ibopamine in heart failure patients who are treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Ibopamine exerts hemodynamic and neurohumoral effects, and is beneficial in mild heart failure; however, its additive value in more advanced disease in unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study was a stand-alone, double-blind, randomized parallel group comparison of ibopamine (100 mg 3 times daily) and placebo in 59 patients with New York Heart Association functional class III-IV heart failure. Patients were clinically stable on drug treatment, including an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and they were randomized to ibopamine (n = 29) or placebo (n = 30). Assessments were performed at baseline and after 3 months of treatment, and included measurement of peak oxygen consumption, plasma neurohormones, ambulatory arrhythmias, and heart rate variability. At baseline, the two groups were well matched, including age (mean, 63 years), left ventricular ejection fraction (0.23), and peak oxygen consumption (15.4 mL/min/kg). After 3 months, four patients had dropped out of the study because of progressive heart failure (ibopamine, n = 1; placebo, n = 3; not significant) and two because of side effects (n = 1/1). Exercise time and peak oxygen consumption were not significantly affected (exercise time: ibopamine, +54 [95% confidence interval, -12, 120] seconds; placebo, +19 [-42, 81] seconds; peak oxygen consumption: ibopamine, +0.3 [-0.5, 1,2] mL/min/kg; placebo, +0.2 [-0.7, 1.0] mL/min/kg). Plasma neurohormones and ventricular arrhythmias during ambulatory monitoring were also unaffected. In contrast, heart rate variability parameters, in particular those associated with vagal tone (rMMSD, high-frequency power), significantly increased after 3 months on ibopamine (P = .01 vs placebo). CONCLUSIONS: In this group of patients with clinically stable moderate to severe chronic heart failure, only a marginal and statistically nonsignificant effect on clinical parameters was observed after 3 months of treatment with ibopamine. Heart rate variability parameters, however, were significantly affected by ibopamine, despite the absence of an effect on plasma neurohormones.

Aged↗

Alteration of peripheral vasodilatory reserve capacity after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.

In atrial fibrillation, exercise capacity is often reduced. This is usually ascribed to a decreased cardiac output as compared with sinus rhythm. Very few studies, however, have focused on changes in the peripheral blood flow during atrial fibrillation as a potential mechanism for exercise limitation. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm on peripheral blood flow. Calf blood flow, using an electrocardiogram-triggered venous occlusion plethysmograph, and peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2), using treadmill exercise testing, were studied in 28 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation eligible for electrical cardioversion. Measurements were performed before cardioversion, and repeated 1 day and 1 month thereafter. Calf blood flow at rest, maximal calf blood flow, and minimal calf vascular resistance during the hyperaemic response immediately following 700 J of calf exercise were determined plethysmographically. One day and 1 month after cardioversion, 23 and 14 patients were still in sinus rhythm, respectively. In patients who still had sinus rhythm after 1 month, maximal calf blood flow increased from 33.7 +/- 12 to 40.0 +/- 13 ml. 100 ml-1.min-1 (P < 0.01) and minimal calf vascular resistance fell from 3.2 +/- 0.9 to 2.7 +/- 0.7 mmHg. ml-1. 100 ml-1. min-1 (P < 0.01); peak VO2 increased from 21.3 +/- 4 to 24.2 +/- 5 ml. min-1. kg-1 (P < 0.001). Calf blood flow at rest did not improve. In contrast, no significant changes in maximal calf blood flow, minimal calf vascular resistance and peak VO2 occurred in patients who had atrial fibrillation 1 month after cardioversion. A significant correlation was found between changes in maximal calf blood flow and peak VO2 1 month after cardioversion (r = 0.53, P < 0.01). One day after cardioversion, no changes in calf blood flow or peak VO2 were found, either in patients with sinus rhythm or atrial fibrillation. In conclusion, transition from chronic atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm is associated with a (delayed) improvement in maximal calf blood flow, minimal calf vascular resistance, and peak VO2. Our findings suggest that increase in vasodilatory reserve capacity may contribute to the improvement of exercise capacity after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.

Aged↗

Rate-dependent effects of the class III antiarrhythmic drug almokalant on refractoriness in the pig.

The electrophysiologic effects of intravenously administered almokalant, a new class III antiarrhythmic drug, in 7 isoflurane-anesthetized pigs after low and high dose were investigated. Low-dose almokalant included bolus infusion of 0.05 mumol/kg/min for 5 min followed by a continuous infusion of 0.0025 mumol/kg/min for 40 min. Thereafter, a high dose of 0.2 mumol/kg/min for 5 min and 0.01 mumol/kg/min for 40 min was given. PR, QRS, AH, and HV intervals did not change during almokalant administration. The QT interval increased dose dependently from 337 +/- 17 to 442 +/- 20 ms at high dose (p < 0.05). Atrial refractory periods (AERP) were prolonged dose dependently at a 500-ms pacing cycle length from 178 +/- 15 at baseline to 227 +/- 27 and 253 +/- 23 ms during low- and high-dose almokalant infusion, respectively. For pacing cycle lengths of 400 and 300 ms, these values were 180 +/- 11, 207 +/- 25, and 259 +/- 34 and 157 +/- 12, 193 +/- 21, and 234 +/- 28 ms, respectively. At a pacing cycle length of 500 ms, mean ventricular effective refractory period (VERP) was 270 +/- 25 ms as compared with 306 +/- 24 and 337 +/- 17 during low and high dose, respectively. A similar pattern of VERP changes during both low- and high-dose infusion was noted at the shorter pacing cycle lengths, with an increase from 240 +/- 23 to 274 +/- 22 and 279 +/- 24 ms during a 400-ms cycle length and from 210 +/- 17 to 235 +/- 19 and 234 +/- 21 ms during a 300-ms cycle length. The ratio of the VERP and ventricular monophasic action potential duration (VAPD) did not change significantly. The Wenckebach cycle length increased by 36 +/- 36 and 83 +/- 37 ms with low- and high-dose almokalant infusion, respectively. The percent increase of AERP at pacing cycle lengths of 500, 400, and 300 ms during high-dose almokalant was 42, 44, and 49%, respectively; these increases for VERP were 25, 16, and 11%, respectively. In conclusion, prolongation of refractoriness by almokalant was more pronounced at the atrial than the ventricular level. Prolongation of refractoriness was maintained at short pacing cycle lengths especially in the atrium, indicating absence of reverse-use dependence of almokalant in the porcine heart. The marked atrial effects, paralleled by atrioventricular conduction slowing, and the absence of reverse use-dependence all contribute to the feasibility of use of almokalant, in particular in the treatment of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Animals↗

Effect of mibefradil on left ventricular diastolic function in patients with congestive heart failure.

Calcium antagonists have antihypertensive and antianginal properties. In heart failure, however, their use can be hazardous, as systolic function can deteriorate. This may not be true of the new calcium antagonist mibefradil, which has a new chemical structure. Calcium antagonists may also be beneficial for diastolic left ventricular function in coronary artery disease. To investigate the possible effects of mibefradil on diastolic left ventricular function, we performed the present study as a multicenter, double-blind,placebo-controlled, multiple-dose safety trial. Fifteen patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II or III for dyspnea and depressed ejection fraction (<40%) due to a previous myocardial infarction were investigated. The measured nuclear angiographic parameters included ejection fraction (EF), peak ejection rate (PER), and peak filling rate (PFR). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) and heart rate (HR) were also obtained. Group I (5 patients) received placebo medication; group IIA (6 patients) received mibefradil 6.25, 12.5, or 25 mg/day; and group IIB (4 patients) received mibefradil 50 or 100 mg/day. Measurements were made before and after the first dose and after 1 week of treatment before and after the final dose. Mibefradil clearly decreased HR (repeated-measures analysis of variance p < 0.05). No statistically significant effects of mibefradil were noted on SBP or DBP or on systolic and diastolic left ventricular function. In our study conditions, mibefradil caused no worsening of systolic function and preserved diastolic function in short-term treatment of patients with decreased EF and heart failure.

Adult↗