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Biomedical subjects

M Nigam

Publications and source records attributed to M Nigam.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Ryanodine-affinity chromatography purifies 106 kD Ca2+ release channels from skeletal and cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum.

A 106 kD protein was isolated from skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles and shown to have the properties of SR Ca2+ release channels, including blockade by 5 nM ryanodine. In view of extensive reports that the ryanodine-receptor complex consists of four 565 kD junctional feet proteins (JFPs) and is the 'physiological' Ca2+ release channel, we prepared ryanodine-affinity columns to isolate its receptor site(s). Conditions known to maximize the association and dissociation of ryanodine to SR proteins were respectively used to link, then elute, the receptor(s) from ryanodine-affinity columns. The method purified a protein at about 100 kD from both rabbit skeletal and canine cardiac SR vesicles. The skeletal and cardiac proteins isolated by ryanodine-affinity chromatography were identified as the low molecular weight Ca2+ release channel through their antigenic reaction with an anti-106 kD monoclonal antibody. Upon reconstitution in planar bilayers, both skeletal and cardiac proteins revealed the presence of functional SR Ca2+ release channels. Surprisingly, ryanodine-affinity columns did not retain JFPs but purified 106 kD Ca2+ release channels which are a minor component (0.1-0.3%) of SR proteins.

Animals↗

Assessment of mitral valvar stenosis by echocardiography: utility of various methods before and after mitral valvotomy.

Cross-sectional and Doppler echocardiography are currently the most important non-invasive tests for the evaluation of mitral stenosis. Recent experience has, however, shown that parameters that are reliable before mitral valvotomy may not be valid after the procedure. We have studied the validity of estimation of the area of the mitral valve by echo-planimetry, by Doppler pressure half time and the transmitral end-diastolic pressure gradient calculated by continuous wave Doppler in 100 patients (aged 10-30 years) before and after balloon mitral valvoplasty (n = 70) or surgical closed mitral valvotomy (n = 30). These patients underwent cardiac catheterisation and echocardiographic studies before, immediately after and 8-12 (9.3 +/- 2.2) weeks following balloon valvoplasty or closed valvotomy. The area as estimated echocardiographically correlated well with that obtained by the Gorlin formula before (r = 0.80), but not immediately after (r = 0.67) or on follow up after mitral valvotomy. There was good correlation between Doppler pressure half time and the area as estimated by the Gorlin formula before (r = 0.89) and on follow up after valvotomy (r = 0.82), but the correlation was not as good in the immediate period after valvotomy (r = 0.60). The end-diastolic pressure gradients obtained by Doppler examination and at cardiac catheterisation correlated well with each other before (r = 0.94), immediately after valvotomy (r = 0.92) and on follow up (r = 0.94). Hence, the reliability of estimation of the area of the mitral valve by echo-planimetry and by Doppler pressure half time varies according to the time at which the examination is performed following commissurotomy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Unusual thrombi in the setting of rheumatic heart disease.

We report two patients with unusual intracavitary thrombi in association with rheumatic mitral stenosis. One patient had a large free-floating left atrial thrombus immediately after successful closed mitral valvotomy causing recurrent acute pulmonary oedema in the post-operative phase. The other patient was detected to have multiple, discrete and calcified left ventricular thrombi in the presence of severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The diagnosis in both cases was made by cross-sectional echocardiography.

Adult↗

Percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty in children and young adults with rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Twenty-eight patients with mitral stenosis, 17 females and 11 males, underwent percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMV). The age range was 10 to 30 (mean 17.8 +/- 6.7) years and all were symptomatic (New York Heart Association [NYHA] class III, 12 patients; class IV, 16 patients). BMV was done with a single balloon in 10 patients and double balloon in 16 patients. Following BMV, there was a significant reduction in transmitral end-diastolic pressure gradient from 23.1 +/- 5.8 to 7.6 +/- 4.2 mm Hg (p less than 0.001) and a significant increase in mitral valve area from 1.06 +/- 0.29 to 2.64 +/- 1.35 cm2 (p less than 0.001), along with an increase in cardiac index from 3.40 +/- 1.18 to 4.26 +/- 1.46 L/min/m2 (p less than 0.01). Improvement in symptomatic status by at least one NYHA class was seen in all patients. Mild mitral regurgitation developed in four and moderate mitral regurgitation developed in one patient. Angiographic evidence of atrial septal defect was present in one patient. Follow-up at 8 to 12 weeks in 12 patients has shown sustained hemodynamic improvement. These short-term results indicate that BMV is an effective nonsurgical procedure for the management of patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Adolescent↗

[Use of an antibioprophylaxis with pefloxacin and fosfomycin in cardiac surgery in patients with beta-lactam hypersensitivity].

An association of pefloxacin plus fosfomycin was used as antibioprophylaxis in beta lactam allergic patients who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiovascular-bypass. Pefloxacin (800 mg), was administered orally, one hour before anesthetic induction and fosfomycin (60 mg/kg) was injected at the time of induction. The whole course of prophylaxis wat 24 hours. Antibiotic concentrations were measured in serum before (P1, P2) during (C1, C2, C3, C4) and after cardiovascular-bypass (P3) and in bone, endocardiac and pleural tissues. The efficacy was evaluated on clinical and biological data. Antibiotic levels of pefloxacin were measured by HPLC and those of fosfomycin by bacteriological method. Antibiotic concentrations are high in blood and tissues, without evidence of cardiovascular-bypass influence. The tissue penetration of both drugs is excellent. Two patients have presented serious post-operative infections. The pharmacokinetic of pefloxacin associated with fosfomycin is appropriate during cardiovascular-bypass and the local antibiotic concentrations are above the MIC of the strains commonly responsible of post operative infections in cardiovascular surgery. The clinical efficacy of this prophylaxis must be studied in a large population of patients.

Aged↗

Gd-DOTA: characterization of a new paramagnetic complex.

The relaxivity, biodistribution, and toxicity of the gadolinium-tetraazacyclododecanetetraacetic acid (Gd-DOTA) complex were evaluated. This cyclic complex has much greater in vitro stability (10(28)) than similar noncyclic complexes such as gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) (10(23)) or gadolinium-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (Gd-EDTA) (10(17)). The T1 relaxivity of Gd-DOTA (meglumine salt) determined in saline and in liver tissue at 20 MHz was similar to the relaxivity of Gd-DTPA. Tissue proton relaxation enhancement (PRE) correlated closely with chemical measurement of tissue gadolinium concentration. In rats, the biodistribution of Gd-DOTA was similar to Gd-DTPA with a distribution half-life of 3 minutes and an elimination half-life of 18 minutes. The median lethal dose (LD50) in mice of Gd-DOTA was 93% higher than that of Gd-DTPA; the calculated safety factor (ratio of LD50 to effective dose) was 53 for Gd-DOTA and 28 for Gd-DTPA. The data suggest that in vitro stability correlates with in vivo safety.

Animals↗

Tissue distribution of lymphocytes in rheumatic heart valves as defined by monoclonal anti-T cell antibodies.

Fresh cardiac valvular tissues and atrial appendages removed from 106 Indian patients with rheumatic heart disease at the time of corrective cardiac surgery were examined to determine the characteristics of valvular interstitial lymphocytic infiltrates using conventional histologic staining along with indirect immunofluorescent techniques. Precise identification of the phenotypic profiles of inflammatory mononuclear cells was attempted using anti-IgG, anti-Ia, and monoclonal mouse hybridoma reagents identifying T cells (OKT3) as well as T cell subsets (OKT4 helper/inducer and OKT8 suppressor/cytotoxic cells). A similar group of 21 patients undergoing cardiac valvular resection in Albuquerque was studied. The mean age of Indian patients providing valve tissues was 27.7, whereas in those in Albuquerque, it was 52 years. Twenty-five percent of rheumatic heart valves in Indian patients showed significant interstitial lymphoid infiltrates, and one third of the rheumatic valves from patients in Albuquerque showed similar mononuclear cell collections. Lymphoid infiltrates contained a predominance of T cells (70 to 80 percent) and only occasional B cells. Most of the T cells were OKT4-positive, with only a minor representation of suppressor/cytotoxic OKT8-positive T cells. In many instances, OKT4-positive helper T cell collections were closely juxtaposed to fibroblasts and collagen fibrils. These findings suggest that the chronic rheumatic scarring process may involve helper/inducer T cells as an ancillary factor in the indolent contracture and fibrosis of deformed cardiac valvular structures. Attempts to demonstrate residual streptococcal antigens by indirect immunofluorescence using a wide panel of heterologous rabbit F(ab')2 reagents with specificity for group A streptococcal membranes, cell wall mucopeptide, or group A carbohydrate gave negative results.

Adult↗

Complications of rectal suction biopsy.

Complications following use of the rectal suction biopsy technique in the diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease, are rare. In a series of 1,340 consecutive biopsies, complications included three clinical perforations of the bowel, one resulting in death, and three rectal hemorrhages requiring transfusion. A plea is made for the use of greater care in this technique.

Biopsy↗

Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect using self-expandable septal occluder.

Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect is an accepted alternative to surgical closure. It was attempted in 63 patients (age range 1.5-55 years) using self-expandable Amplatzer septal occluder (AGA Med. Co., USA). The atrial septal anatomy was evaluated by transthoracic and multiplane transoesophageal echocardiography with special reference to septal margins and adjacent structures. The size of atrial septal defect on echocardiographic evaluation varied from 9-28 (17.5 +/- 4.7) mm. Fifty (79.4%) patients had adequate septal margins of 5 mm or larger, while remaining 13 (20.6%) had insufficient anterosuperior margin. Cardiac catheterisation revealed Qp/Qs ranging from 1.5 to 5.3 and balloon-stretched atrial septal defect diameter of 10-32 (20.3 +/- 5.3) mm. The procedure was overall successful in 62 (98.4%) patients and in all patients with insufficient anterosuperior margin. Embolisation of the device occurred in one (1.6%) patient within five minutes of the device release, which could not be retrieved non-surgically. Size of the device used was either same or preferably 1-3 mm more than the balloon-stretched atrial septal defect diameter. Total procedure time was 40-90 (59 +/- 12.4) minutes and the fluoroscopy time was 12-30 (17.3 +/- 4.2) minutes. Immediate post-procedure and pre-discharge echocardiography in patients with successful deployment of the device revealed complete abolition of shunt in 61 (98.4%) and trivial residual shunt in one (1.6%) patient. No patient developed atrioventricular valve regurgitation or cardiac arrhythmias. Thus, atrial septal defect closure using self-expandable septal occluder is a safe and efficacious procedure requiring a short procedural time. There is full control in the system for proper positioning or repositioning of the device with excellent technical success rate even in cases with insufficient anterosuperior septal margin.

Adolescent↗

Colour Doppler echocardiographic quantification of prosthetic aortic valve regurgitation in patients with normally functioning Bjork-Shiley prostheses.

Colour Doppler echocardiographic studies were performed in 46 patients (age range 16-35 years, mean 26 +/- 8; male 31, female 15) with normally functioning Bjork-Shiley prostheses in aortic position to estimate transprosthetic regurgitation. Regurgitant jet length and height were measured and assessed in multiple views. All patients showed prosthetic regurgitation of varying degree. Regurgitant jets were central in all but 3 (6.5%) patients. Single jets were seen in 28 (61%) and double jets in 18 (39%). Jet height in parasternal long axis view ranged from 0.4 to 1.2 cm (mean 0.7 +/- 0.4 cm) and jet height to left ventricular outflow tract diameter ratio was 0.22 to 0.48 (mean 0.38 +/- 0.13). Prosthetic regurgitation was < or = 2/4 grades in 42 (91%) patients, and combined height of double jets (n = 18) was less than that of the single jets (n = 28) (0.5 +/- 0.3 cm vs 0.8 +/- 0.4 cm, p < 0.05). In conclusion, colour Doppler examination frequently detects prosthetic regurgitation in patients with aortic Bjork-Shiley prostheses; regurgitation is grade 2/4 or less in most of the patients, is overestimated in patients with a single jet and weakly correlates with prosthesis size.

Adolescent↗

Surgical management of cardiac myxomas.

Cardiac myxomas are rare cardiac lesions, though they are the commonest tumours of the heart. Seventeen cases of cardiac myxomas have been operated during the last one decade. Exertional dyspnoea, palpitation and chest pain were the main presenting symptoms. Echocardiographic assessment was the only definitive diagnostic investigation required prior to surgery. Early surgical excision was planned in all the cases. Irrespective of the exposure techniques, removal of the tumour with wide excision of its base was practised. There was one early death due to low cardiac output in a patient brought in a shock like state. Follow up study has revealed 14 patients in NYHA class I and two patients are having class II symptoms. Periodic echocardiographic follow up study has not revealed any recurrence till date. It is concluded that an early diagnosis and surgery gives excellent long term results in these cases.

Adult↗

Immunological alterations following open heart surgery.

Immunological changes in thirty patients undergoing various cardiac surgical procedures (twenty patients undergoing open heart surgery with either the bubble or the membrane oxygenator and ten patients undergoing closed surgical procedures) were studied. There was an activation of suppressor T cells and secretion of lymphokines in patients undergoing open heart surgery with activation of the classical complement pathway. The immunological alterations were similar in all patients irrespective of the type of oxygenator used.

Adolescent↗

Non-surgical mitral valvuloplasty for rheumatic mitral stenosis.

One hundred and twenty-six patients of rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS), aged 10-30 (mean 19.5 +/- 5.9) years underwent balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMV). All valvuloplasties were done by the anterograde transvenous, transatrial route. The procedure was successful in 120 (95%) cases. Single balloon was used in 10 patients early in the series and double balloon was used in the other 110 patients. BMV resulted in a significant increase in the mitral valve area (MVA) from 0.96 +/- 0.35 to 2.3 +/- 0.8 cm2 (p less than 0.0001) and a significant fall in the transmitral pressure gradient (TMG) from 28.2 +/- 3.2 to 7.4 +/- 4.8 mmHg (p less than 0.001). The MVA achieved by BMV was found to have a significant positive correlation with the balloon diameter to body surface area ratio (BD/BSA) (r = 0.69, p less than 0.001). New mitral regurgitation (MR) developed in 15 patients--trivial in 11, 2+ in 2 and 3+ in 2. One patient required emergency mitral valve replacement. Procedure induced MR did not have a significant relation to the balloon size, degree of mitral sub-valvular pathology or the severity of mitral stenosis. Iatrogenic atrial septal defect was detected by oximetry in none, by angiography in one patient, and by Doppler color flow imaging in 5 patients. Cardiac tamponade was the most frequent serious complication, occurring in 6 patients, 4 of whom died following emergency surgery. Sixty-five patients have been followed up for at least 6 months (range 6-30, mean 16.3 +/- 6.3 months) following BMV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗