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Biomedical subjects

R E Clark

Publications and source records attributed to R E Clark.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction with mitral valve replacement in small ventricular cavities.

The inference that mitral valve replacement (MVR) may produce left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction has been made, but no comparative hemodynamic studies with various types of prostheses have been done. The purpose of the present study was to compare the gradients created across the LVOT with MVR in young sheep with small left ventricular cavities. Mitral valve replacement was accomplished using cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothermic cardioplegic arrest. Five animals were used for each of the following valves studied: 25-mm Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial valve, 25-mm Hancock porcine aortic valve, 2M-6120 28-mm Starr-Edwards ball-valve prosthesis, 25-mm Björk-Shiley 60-degree flat tilting-disc prosthesis, and 25-mm St. Jude Medical hemidisc valve. Gradients across the LVOT were measured after MVR and then during infusion of isoproterenol hydrochloride (0.05 micrograms/kg/min). Following MVR, only the Starr-Edwards valve produced an LVOT gradient (32 +/- 23 mm Hg). Substantial gradients after MVR were seen, however, with isoproterenol administration with the Ionescu-Shiley (47 +/- 4 mm Hg), Hancock (13 +/- 8 mm Hg), and Starr-Edwards (65 +/- 30 mm Hg) valves but not with the low-profile valves (Björk-Shiley and St. Jude Medical). The results of the present study demonstrate that MVR can produce LVOT obstruction. The greatest degree of obstruction was with the high-profile mechanical and bioprosthetic valves.

Animals↗

Acute rejection after cardiac transplantation: detection by interstitial myocardial pH.

Intramyocardial pH was assessed as a potential marker for clinical evaluation and treatment of acute rejection following cardiac transplantation. Fifteen cats underwent forty operative procedures. Following intra-abdominal heterotopic heart transplantation, serial laparotomies were performed in the early (days 0 to 2), intermediate (days 5 to 7), and late (days 7 to 16) postoperative periods. Rejection was assessed by serial clinical examinations, ECG analyses, B-mode echocardiography, histological and ultrastructural analyses, and measurements of interstitial myocardial pH. Intramyocardial pH was measured by a new miniature (0.6 X 3.0 mm) fiberoptic pH transducer. At confirmed rejection, concomitant laparotomy and thoracotomy were performed and pH sensors were implanted in both native (anatomical) and graft hearts. Nine animals at rejection were given methylprednisolone and changes in graft and native heart pH were measured. The pH during absence of rejection, mild acute rejection, and severe acute rejection averaged 7.430 +/- 0.019, 7.233 +/- 0.040 (p less than .02), and 6.860 +/- 0.066 (p less than .02), respectively (mean +/- standard error of the mean). A progressive decline in pH was noted in each heart. In animals receiving steroids, graft heart pH increased over 90 minutes from 6.852 +/- 0.065 to 7.043 +/- 0.077 (p less than .05). Although pH decline may be secondary to either inflammatory or ischemic etiology, histological and ultrastructural analyses demonstrate a predominant inflammatory response with progressive mononuclear cell infiltration, interstitial edema, vascular wall edema, infiltration by polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes, vacuolation of sarcoplasmic reticulum, and disarray of myocytes associated with falling pH. Degree of pH change correlated closely with degree of histological rejection, presence of ECG voltage decline, and change in wall thickness by ultrasound.

Acute Disease↗

Platelet deposition on vascular grafts. The accuracy of in vivo quantitation and the significance of in vivo platelet reactivity.

An in vivo platelet imaging system utilizing indium-111-labeled platelets and technetium-99m-labeled red cells was used to serially study and compare platelet deposition on autologous external jugular vein grafts, autologous arterial grafts, polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-tex) and two Dacron (Meadox and USCI) small diameter (4mm) vascular grafts implanted end-to-end in canine carotid and femoral arteries. This method of quantitating platelet deposition was validated by correlating deposition measured in vivo with deposition measured directly on explanted grafts (r = 0.94, p less than 0.01). Platelet accumulation on all grafts was greatest immediately after implantation and declined over time. None of the artery or vein grafts thrombosed, and they had the lowest level of platelet deposition at all times. Platelet deposition on Gore-tex grafts was significantly less than on USCI Dacron grafts from 24 hours to 1 month after implantation. There was no statistical difference in 1-month patency among the synthetic graft groups. Synthetic grafts that thrombosed during the first month accumulated significantly more platelets immediately after operation than did those grafts that remained patent. Patent Dacron grafts with low levels of platelet deposition had less thrombotic debris at explantation on the luminal surface than did those grafts with high levels of platelet deposition. Differences in initial platelet deposition appeared to be more a function of platelet reactivity within each dog rather than the material used in graft construction.

Animals↗

DNA content and cell cycle analysis of bone marrow cells in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

DNA distribution in bone marrow cells from 10 normal subjects and 34 patients with MDS (24 with refractory anaemia (RA) and 10 with excess blasts (RAEB] was determined by flow cytometry using a FACS III. DNA histograms were resolved into G0/1, S and G2/M compartments by fitting Gaussian distributions and the DNA content of G0/1 cells, expressed as DNA index (DI), was determined. In 19 MDS patients the DI was outside the normal range, those with RA tending to be hyperdiploid. Two patients with RAEB had a second G0/1 peak. In five cases of RA the number of cells in G0/1 was below the normal range and the mean value was significantly lower than normal for this group as a whole (P = 0 X 018). Eleven (RA) patients had a higher percentage of cells in G2/M than normal (P = 0 001). In RAEB patients there is a suggestion of increased numbers in G0/1 and a decrease in S phase and G2/M cells. All three of the deaths amongst RA patients and four out of the five deaths in RAEB patients since the beginning of this study were associated with an abnormal DI at the initial investigation.

Bone Marrow↗

Right ventricular assistance for experimental right ventricular dysfunction.

Right ventricular dysfunction frequently occurs in patients undergoing correction of congenital cardiac defects, as well as in other clinical settings. The purpose of the present study was to surgically induce right ventricular dysfunction and then provide circulatory support with a right ventricular assist device. Right ventricular hypertrophy was created in 13 neonatal lambs by pulmonary artery banding. Right ventricular dysfunction was produced in all animals by performing a right ventriculotomy with the animal supported by cardiopulmonary bypass. In four unassisted animals the circulation failed after separation from bypass. Seven experimental animals underwent the insertion of a pneumatically activated ventricular assist device between the proximal pulmonary artery and the right ventricular apex. Periods with the right ventricular assist device on and off in each animal were compared. The right ventricular assist device increased cardiac output from 0.72 +/- 0.15 to 2.24 +/- 0.23 L/min (p less than 0.0002), increased left atrial pressure from 7 +/- 1 to 11 +/- 1 mm Hg (p less than 0.0005), and increased aortic systolic pressure from 53 +/- 9 to 85 +/- 9 mm Hg (p less than 0.0001). Right ventricular assistance significantly reduced the right ventricular end-diastolic pressure from 19 +/- 3 to 12 +/- 1 mm Hg (p less than 0.0001). Pulmonary artery peak pressure distal to the band increased from 27 +/- 3 to 52 +/- 5 mm Hg (p less than 0.0001). The results indicate that right ventricular dysfunction can be produced by a vertical cardiotomy in a hypertrophied right ventricle with persistent outflow tract obstruction. Right ventricular dysfunction can be effectively reversed by a right ventricular assist device, which may prove clinically useful in managing patients with refractory right ventricular failure.

Animals↗

Use of nifedipine during cardiac surgery for improved myocardial protection.

The combined results of extended clinical trials conducted in two centers following successful laboratory trials are evaluated. From a population of 4,777 patients who underwent open heart surgery, 205 high-risk patients were selected for study. One hundred seventy patients (3.6 percent) were given nifedipine in cardioplegic solution. The remaining 35 patients served as control subjects and were compared with 39 treated patients in the randomized subset of 74. One third of the patients underwent valve replacement, one quarter underwent coronary artery bypass, and 40 percent underwent combinations of valve replacement, coronary artery bypass, and other procedures. Characteristically, the third group had a 50 percent increase in end-diastolic volumes and low cardiac indexes (1.7 +/- 0.1 liters/minute/m2). Average cross-clamp time was 77 minutes. At one center, an extracellular hyperkalemic-type solution was used to deliver an average dose of 407 +/- 22 micrograms nifedipine per patient. At the other center, a low-sodium hyperkalemic solution was used, and the average nifedipine dose was 476 +/- 22 micrograms. Hemodynamic studies in the randomized subset demonstrated approximately a twofold improvement in the treated group in cardiac index, stroke volume, stroke work index, and pulmonary vascular resistance following cardiopulmonary bypass. The incidence of acute low cardiac output death was 4 percent versus 11 percent in the control group. Survival for all treated patients was 86 percent. It is concluded that the addition of nifedipine reduced the incidence of acute global cardiac failure in the immediate postoperative interval.

Cardiac Output↗

Use of nifedipine to decrease ischemic-reperfusion injury in the surgical setting.

This report summarizes studies that provided a basis for a randomized clinical trial of nifedipine in cold hyperkalemic cardioplegic solution. Data from normothermic, isolated working rabbit heart studies demonstrated that presence of micromolar concentrations of nifedipine in the perfusate during continuous low flow or nifedipine used as bolus washouts during global ischemia prevented increases in systolic and diastolic stiffness, which could be related to dose and prevention of intracellular accumulation of calcium. Other studies in open-chest dogs in whom regional ischemia was produced showed that nifedipine was superior to sodium nitroprusside when infused during the ischemic and reperfusion intervals with respect to preservation of hemodynamic variables and reduction of myocardial injury. Further, data from cardiopulmonary bypass experiments in dogs conducted at myocardial temperatures of 37, 28, 18 and 12 degrees C with 1, 2 and 3 hours of global ischemia all demonstrated significant efficacy. To date, the randomized clinical trial has shown a small reduction in the incidence of low cardiac output syndrome in high-risk patients. Those receiving nifedipine had improved hemodynamic variables. No patient in the treated group had myocardial injury in the postoperative interval shown by radionuclide pyrophosphate scan. The conclusions from this trial are that nifedipine was efficacious when included in a cold hyperkalemic cardioplegic solution. The responses observed, however, appear to be dose-, vehicle- and species-dependent.

Animals↗

Granulocyte and monocyte surface membrane markers in the myelodysplastic syndromes.

The expression of lineage specific surface antigens on granulocytes and monocytes was quantitated using monoclonal antibodies in 16 healthy adults and 21 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. In nine of 19 patients the granulocytes showed a decrease in myeloid or an increase in monocyte antigen expression or both. In 11 of 19 patients the monocytes showed a decreased expression of monocyte antigens or an increase in myeloid antigens or both. The data suggest that in the myelodysplastic syndromes the granulocyte-macrophage progenitors do not develop along two divergent lines but differentiate with the emergence of dual characteristics.

Adult↗

Survival and functional results after valve replacement for aortic regurgitation from 1976 to 1983: impact of preoperative left ventricular function.

Recent studies suggest that preoperative left ventricular function may no longer be an important determinant of survival or functional results after operation for aortic regurgitation because of improved operative techniques. To assess the effect of left ventricular function on prognosis in the current surgical era, we performed echocardiographic and radionuclide angiographic studies in 80 consecutive patients undergoing valve replacement from 1976 to 1983. No patient had associated coronary artery disease. For all patients, 5 year survival was 83 +/- 5%, significantly better than the 62 +/- 9% 5 year survival in our patients operated on from 1972 to 1976. Preoperative resting left ventricular ejection fraction (p less than .001), fractional shortening (p less than .001), and end-systolic dimension (p less than .01) were the most significant predictors of survival (univariate life-table analysis). Five year survival was 63 +/- 12% in patients with subnormal ejection fraction (n = 50) compared with 96 +/- 3% in those with normal ejection fraction (n = 30). Patients with subnormal left ventricular ejection fraction and poor exercise tolerance or prolonged duration of left ventricular dysfunction (greater than 18 months) comprised the high-risk subgroup (5 year survival 52 +/- 11%). Patients in this subgroup also had persistent left ventricular dysfunction after operation, with greater left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions and reduced ejection fraction (both p less than .001) compared with patients with normal preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction or a brief duration of left ventricular dysfunction (less than 14 months). Cold hyperkalemic cardioplegia was used for myocardial preservation in 46 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Actuarial Analysis↗

Imidazole-buffered cardioplegic solution. Improved myocardial preservation during global ischemia.

Progressive acidosis is a constant finding in global myocardial ischemia and is associated with reduced myocardial contractility after ischemia. The hypothesis tested in these experiments was that imidazole (pKa = 6.7 at 37 degrees C), a commonly used buffer in physiology and microbiology, would provide superior buffering capacity when used in lieu of bicarbonate (pKa = 6.1 at 37 degrees C) in a cardioplegic solution. Twenty-eight isolated, working rabbit hearts were perfused, and preischemic and postischemic determinants of performance were measured. The 30 minute interval of normothermic global ischemia was altered by the injection at 0 and 15 minutes of 2 ml/gm wet weight of a buffered cardioplegic solution. Control hearts received a bicarbonate-buffered cardioplegic solution and experimental hearts received a solution buffered with imidazole. In the imidazole-buffered group, there was a superior recovery of coronary flow, developed left ventricular pressure, peak rate of rise of left ventricular pressure, peak rate of relaxation, and stroke work indices (p less than 0.05). Recovery of mechanical parameters was coincident with an improved acid-base status of the coronary sinus effluent at the end of ischemia. Coronary sinus effluents in the imidazole group had significantly higher pH values and lower partial pressures of carbon dioxide than coronary sinus effluents in the bicarbonate-buffered group (p less than 0.001). The data suggest that improved buffering of the extracellular and possibly intracellular space during global ischemia with a nonbicarbonate buffer is beneficial and provides improved postischemic myocardial recovery.

Animals↗

Acute control of pulmonary regurgitation with a balloon "valve". An experimental investigation.

Operations for certain congenital cardiac lesions can produce pulmonary regurgitation. Pulmonary regurgitation contributes to right ventricular dysfunction, which may cause early postoperative morbidity and mortality. To ameliorate the problems of pulmonary regurgitation during the early postoperative period, we evaluated a method for its acute control. Complete pulmonary valvectomy was performed utilizing inflow occlusion in eight sheep. A catheter with a 15 ml spherical balloon was positioned in the pulmonary arterial trunk; its inflation and deflation were regulated by an intra-aortic balloon pump unit. Blood flow from the pulmonary arterial trunk and forward and regurgitant fraction were determined from electromagnetic flow transducer recordings. The regurgitant fraction with uncontrolled pulmonary regurgitation was 38% +/- 3% (forward flow = 42 +/- 5 ml/beat and regurgitant flow = 16 +/- 2 ml/beat). Inflation of the balloon during diastole was timed to completely eliminate pulmonary regurgitation. This balloon control of pulmonary regurgitation increased pulmonary arterial diastolic pressure from 12 +/- 1 to 17 +/- 1 mm Hg (p less than 0.0001) and decreased pulmonary arterial systolic pressure from 31 +/- 3 to 27 +/- 1 mm Hg (p = 0.06). Pulmonary arterial pulse pressure decreased from 19 +/- 3 to 9 +/- 1 mm Hg (p less than 0.003). Elimination of pulmonary regurgitation decreased right ventricular stroke volume (25 +/- 3 versus 42 +/- 5 ml/beat, p less than 0.0002) and resulted in a 46% reduction in right ventricular stroke work (5.0 +/- 0.6 versus 9.4 +/- 1.0 gm-m/beat, p less than 0.001) with no change in net forward pulmonary artery flow. Thus, acute pulmonary regurgitation can be controlled and this control improves overall hemodynamic status and decreases right ventricular work.

Animals↗

Reduction of platelet deposition on vascular grafts using an antiplatelet graft coating technique.

The systemic use of platelet inhibitors has been shown to improve vascular graft function. In this study a biodegradable coating of polymeric polylactic acid (PLA) containing a microparticulate suspension of aspirin (ASA) 30% by weight, was applied to the lumenal surface of small diameter vascular prostheses to reduce platelet deposition on canine implanted arterial grafts. USCI 4-mm ID Dacron internal velour grafts were used. Coated and contralateral noncoated (control) prostheses were implanted in canine carotid and femoral arteries. Graft performance was assessed by determination of aspirin elution rates, in vivo red cell subtracted 111indium-labeled platelet scans, and post implant platelet aggregation studies. Eighty percent of the aspirin in the coated grafts was released during the first 24 hr of perfusion and approximately 20% of the aspirin remained in grafts after 1 month. In vivo platelet scans documented less platelet deposition on ASA-coated grafts when compared to controls 2 and 24 hr post implant (P less than 0.01, P less than 0.05, respectively). There was no significant difference in platelet deposition on ASA-coated and control grafts at 2 weeks or 1 month post implant. Post implant platelet aggregation studies indicated systemic platelet inhibition for 4-5 days. It was concluded that aspirin incorporation in a polylactic acid coating applied to 4-mm ID vascular prostheses reduced the platelet affinity of Dacron grafts and exerted a temporary local and systemic platelet inhibiting effect.

Animals↗

Reversal of left ventricular dysfunction after aortic valve replacement for chronic aortic regurgitation: influence of duration of preoperative left ventricular dysfunction.

Preoperative left ventricular systolic function is an important predictor of postoperative prognosis in patients with aortic regurgitation. Although left ventricular dysfunction is reversible after aortic valve replacement to a greater extent in patients with good preoperative exercise capacity compared with patients with impaired exercise capacity, not all patients with preserved exercise capacity demonstrate improved left ventricular function after aortic valve replacement. To determine the influence of duration of preoperative left ventricular dysfunction on postoperative reversal of left ventricular dysfunction, we studied 37 patients with aortic regurgitation who preoperatively had left ventricular dysfunction, defined as subnormal echocardiographic fractional shortening (less than 29%), and good preoperative exercise capacity, defined as completion of stage I of the NIH treadmill protocol without limiting symptoms. Eight patients were asymptomatic. In 11 patients left ventricular dysfunction was documented 18 to 57 months preoperatively (prolonged); in 10 patients left ventricular dysfunction developed in an interval of 14 months or less preoperatively (brief); in 16 patients duration of left ventricular dysfunction was unknown. Patients with brief vs those with prolonged left ventricular dysfunction did not differ with respect to severity of preoperative symptoms or exercise tolerance, echocardiographically determined left ventricular dimensions or fractional shortening (25 +/- 3% [SD] vs 25 +/- 3%), or radionuclide angiographic ejection fraction (42 +/- 5% vs 42 +/- 5%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Prostaglandin production and platelet reactivity of small-diameter grafts.

This article examines the relationship of platelet deposition to thromboxane and prostacyclin (PGI2) production in arterial autografts (n = 8), para-anastomotic native artery (n = 40), nonseeded control (n = 6), and endothelial cell-seeded (n = 17) small-diameter Dacron grafts implanted in the carotid and femoral arteries of dogs. Platelet deposition was measured by a dual-isotope subtraction platelet-imaging technique that expresses platelet deposition as percent indium excess (%IE). PGI2 and thromboxane assays were performed with the use of an immunoreactive assay. The %IE in the nonseeded grafts was significantly higher than in the seeded prostheses (p less than 0.001). Arterial autografts accumulated significantly less platelets than did seeded grafts (p less than 0.05) or nonseeded grafts (p less than 0.001). The thromboxane A2 (TXA2) production in nonseeded grafts was significantly higher than in seeded grafts (p less than 0.001), arterial autografts (p less than 0.001), or in para-anastomotic native artery (p less than 0.001). The PGI2 production by the arterial autografts was significantly higher than by the nonseeded grafts (p less than 0.005), seeded grafts (p less than 0.001), or para-anastomotic native artery (p less than 0.025). The PGF1 alpha/TXB2 ratio was significantly higher in the arterial autografts when compared with the nonseeded grafts (p less than 0.001), endothelial cell-seeded grafts (p less than 0.001), or para-anastomotic native artery (p less than 0.025). We conclude that platelet deposition can be significantly decreased by endothelial cell seeding of small-diameter grafts. The transmural production of TXA2 by native arteries and prosthetic grafts may have an important influence on platelet deposition and patency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Influence of endothelial cell seeding on platelet deposition and patency in small-diameter Dacron arterial grafts.

Serial platelet deposition, surface topography, and patency were evaluated in control (N = 28) and endothelial cell-seeded (N = 28) small-diameter (4 mm inner diameter) USCI Dacron grafts implanted in the carotid and femoral arteries of dogs. All dogs received aspirin (325 mg) daily for 2 weeks starting 24 hours prior to graft implantation. Endothelial cell seeding was performed by mixing suspensions of autologous endothelial cells that had been enzymatically harvested from segments of external jugular vein with blood that was used to preclot the prostheses. The platelet deposition on each graft was quantitated by means of indium 111-labeled platelets and technetium 99m-labeled red cells in a dual-isotope platelet-imaging technique. Platelet deposition on seeded grafts 24 hours after implantation was significantly higher than on the controls (p less than 0.05). Two weeks after implantation platelet deposition on seeded prostheses had decreased to a level significantly lower than that on the controls and continued to decline on serial studies up to 7 months. In contrast to seeded grafts, platelet accumulation on control grafts dramatically increased after the withdrawal of aspirin therapy and was associated with a sharp rise in control graft thromboses. Gross and scanning electron microscopic evaluation of endothelial cell-seeded grafts after 1 month indicated complete neointimal coverage, whereas none of the control grafts explanted at 1 month or later exhibited a continuous neointimal lining. Cumulative 7-month patency for seeded prostheses was significantly higher than for the controls (96% and 29%, respectively; p less than 0.001). We conclude that endothelial cell seeding in combination with short-term aspirin therapy is a simple, reliable diameter Dacron prostheses. Abrupt withdrawal of aspirin therapy may be contraindicated in nonseeded control grafts because it results in increased platelet deposition and thrombosis.

Animals↗