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Biomedical subjects

Masaki Tanabe

Publications and source records attributed to Masaki Tanabe.

20 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[A patient with limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2B (LGMD2B) manifesting cardiomyopathy].

A 57-year-old woman first noticed difficulty in walking at the age of 34 years, and since then muscle wasting and weakness in the lower limbs and proximal portion of the upper limbs had progressed slowly. Serum CK was elevated. Immunohistochemical study of the biceps brachii muscle showed deficiency of dysferlin in sarcolemma, and the dysferlin gene analysis disclosed 3370 G-->T missense mutation. These findings led us to diagnose her as LGMD2B. Moreover echocardiogram revealed ventricular enlargement and diffuse hypokinesia suggesting secondary cardiomyopathy atributable to muscular dystrophy. Careful cardiac monitoring should be carried out in dysferlinopathy patients.

Cardiomyopathies↗

Addition of angiotensin II receptor antagonist to an ACE inhibitor in heart failure improves cardiovascular function by a bradykinin-mediated mechanism.

Whether cardiovascular responses to bradykinin are augmented by additional treatment with angiotensin II receptor antagonism (ATRA) to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition (ACEI) in congestive heart failure (CHF) is unknown. To clarify the level and functional effects of endogenous bradykinin in CHF with combined ATRA and ACEI, 35 dogs were assigned to the following treatment protocols: 1). rapid ventricular pacing (240 bpm), 2). concomitant ATRA (TCV116, 1.5 mg x kg-1.day-1) and rapid pacing, 3). concomitant ACEI (enalapril 1.9 mg x kg-1.day-1) and rapid pacing, 4). concomitant combined ATRA (TCV116, 0.75 mg x kg-1.day-1) and ACEI (enalapril 0.95 mg x kg-1.day-1) and rapid pacing, and 5). sham-operated control. Plasma bradykinin levels were increased and B(2) receptors were synergistically upregulated in CHF groups treated with combined ATRA and ACEI compared with those treated with ATRA or ACEI alone. HOE-140 (0.3 mg/kg), a bradykinin B(2) receptor antagonist, produced an increase in total systemic resistance and a decrease in left ventricular contractility in CHF with combined therapy compared with either monotherapy. Thus, endogenous bradykinin partially contributes to the synergistic improvement of cardiovascular function in CHF with additional treatment with ATRA to ACEI.

Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists↗