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Biomedical subjects

R Nordlander

Publications and source records attributed to R Nordlander.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Synchronized coronary venous retroperfusion for support and salvage of ischemic myocardium during elective and failed angioplasty.

To determine the safety and efficacy of synchronized coronary venous retroperfusion during brief periods of ischemia, 30 patients undergoing angioplasty of the left anterior descending coronary artery were studied. Each patient underwent a minimum of two angioplasty balloon inflations. Alternate dilations were supported with retroperfusion; the unsupported inflations served as the control inflations. Synchronized retroperfusion was performed by pumping autologous femoral artery blood by means of an electrocardiogram-triggered retroperfusion pump into the great cardiac vein through a triple lumen 8.5F balloon-tipped retroperfusion catheter inserted percutaneously from the right internal jugular vein. Clinical symptoms, hemodynamics and two-dimensional echocardiographic wall motion abnormalities were analyzed. Retroperfusion was associated with a lower angina severity score (0.8 +/- 1 vs. 1.2 +/- 1) and delay in onset of angina (53 +/- 31 vs. 37 +/- 14 s; p less than 0.05) compared with the control inflations. The magnitude of ST segment change was 0.11 +/- 0.14 mV with retroperfusion and 0.16 +/- 0.17 mV without treatment (p less than 0.05). The severity of left ventricular wall motion abnormality was also significantly (p less than 0.01) reduced with retroperfusion compared with control (0.7 +/- 1.4 [hypokinesia] vs. -0.3 +/- 1.6 [dyskinesia]). There were no significant changes in hemodynamics, except in mean coronary venous pressure, which increased from 8 +/- 3 mm Hg at baseline to 13 +/- 6 mm Hg with retroperfusion. Four patients required prolonged retroperfusion for treatment of angioplasty-induced complications. The mean retroperfusion duration in these patients was 4 +/- 2 h (range 2 to 7). In the three patients who underwent emergency bypass surgery, the coronary sinus was directly visualized during surgery and found to be without significant injury. There were no major complications. Minor adverse effects were transient atrial fibrillation (n = 2), jugular venous catheter insertion site hematomas (n = 4) and atrial wall staining (n = 1), all of which subsided spontaneously. Thus, retroperfusion significantly reduced and delayed the onset of coronary angioplasty-induced myocardial ischemia and provided effective supportive therapy for failed and complicated angioplasty.

Aged↗

Percutaneous cooling of ischemic myocardium by hypothermic retroperfusion of autologous arterial blood: effects on regional myocardial temperature distribution and infarct size.

The effects of synchronized coronary venous retroperfusion of cooled autologous arterial blood on regional myocardial temperature distribution and infarct size were studied in open chest dogs with 3.5 h of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion. After 30 min of occlusion, the dogs were randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) untreated control group (n = 5), 2) normothermic retroperfusion group (infusion temperature 32 degrees C) (n = 7), and 3) hypothermic retroperfusion group (infusion temperature 15 degrees C) (n = 7). Regional myocardial temperatures were measured by using needle-tipped thermistors stabbed in the 1) anterior wall distal to the occlusion site, 2) anterior wall proximal to the occlusion site, 3) left lateral wall, 4) posterior wall, and 5) right ventricular free wall. Rectal and pulmonary artery temperatures were also measured. In the hypothermic retroperfusion group, the anterior wall temperature decreased rapidly by 5 degrees C at 15 min of retroperfusion (p less than 0.05 vs. normothermic retroperfusion or untreated control groups), whereas the temperature at other sites decreased with a linear trend over time. Myocardial temperatures in the ischemic area (distal anterior wall) were generally lower than those in the other sites during the first 60 min of hypothermic retroperfusion and the largest intramyocardial temperature difference (3.6 degrees C) was found at 15 min after retroperfusion. Infarct size expressed as a percent of the risk area was significantly smaller in the hypothermic retroperfusion group (6.2 +/- 3.3%) than in the control (64.9 +/- 14%) or normothermic retroperfusion groups (24.1 +/- 6.7%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Hemodynamics and exercise capacity during pacemaker stimulation.

This review summarizes the present knowledge concerning the hemodynamic and myocardial effects of various pacing modalities with special reference to the importance of heart rate variability and atrioventricular synchronization. An adequate increase in heart rate, irrespective of atrioventricular synchronization, seems to be the most important denominator for cardiac output and exercise tolerance. Atrioventricular synchronization will add some hemodynamic benefit, which is most pronounced at rest. The importance of a rate-adaptive atrioventricular delay and a normalized ventricular activation sequence remains, however, to be fully established. Myocardial oxygen consumption does not differ during fixed rate ventricular pacing, atrial synchronous or non-synchronous rate-adaptive ventricular pacing, neither at rest nor during exercise, despite a higher cardiac output during the rate-adaptive modes. This indicates a more "economic" cardiac work with rate-adaptive pacing. Fixed rate ventricular pacing, on the other hand, may have negative long-term effects on myocardial function due to an increased cardiac sympathetic activity compared with rate-adaptive ventricular pacing, in particular during exercise. It is concluded that the majority of pacemaker-dependent patients will benefit from restored rate variability, with the atrial electrogram still being the most appropriate trigger for rate-adaptive ventricular pacing. When the atrial signal cannot be used or when it is unreliable, however, other rate-triggering signals can be used with comparable results regarding hemodynamics and exercise tolerance.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗

Effects on cyclo-oxygenase of low and high dose aspirin.

The study was undertaken to develop clinically applicable methods to detect the influence of low dose treatment with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on the platelet function. The cyclooxygenase activity of the platelets was measured by determination of the metabolite 12-HHT after challenge with arachidonic acid. Two healthy subjects received 600 mg ASA in a single dose. Two hours after intake the salicylate concentration level in plasma was 600 nmol/ml, with a 90 per cent reduction after 24 hours. The platelet cyclooxygenase activity (12-HHT) was completely and irreversibly inhibited within two hours after ASA intake. Five subjects received 75 mg ASA for eight consecutive days. The salicylate concentrations two hours after the intake of the first and last tablet were within 65 and 71 nmol/ml plasma, indicating that no accumulation of salicylate occurred during the treatment period. The decrease in cyclooxygenase activity during low dose treatment varied in the different subjects between 60 and 90 per cent. The rate of recovery of cyclooxygenase activity after termination of the low dose ASA treatment was faster than after the large single dose.

Adult↗

Comparison of two different electrodes for the delivery of dc-shocks.

Twenty-six consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation, planned for elective cardioversion were randomised to cardioversion with ordinary or self-adhesive electrodes. The two types of electrodes were found equally efficient for conversion to sinus rhythm. With the self-adhesive electrodes there was a tendency towards the need for a lesser number of DC-shocks and a lower cumulated energy. The post-cardioversion maximal serum creatine kinase activity adjusted for number of shocks was significantly lower when the self-adhesive electrodes were used, indicating a lesser degree of skeletal muscle damage.

Adhesives↗

Effects of mental and physical stress on central haemodynamics and cardiac sympathetic nerve activity during QT interval-sensing rate-responsive and fixed rate ventricular inhibited pacing.

The effects of mental stress and dynamic exercise on central haemodynamic variables and cardiac sympathetic nerve activity were studied in 15 patients during both fixed rate ventricular-inhibited (VVI) and QT interval-sensing rate-responsive (TX) pacing. Haemodynamic measurements were made at rest, during a mental stress test and during supine exercise at 30 W. Cardiac sympathetic nerve activity was assessed by measuring the arterial and coronary sinus plasma concentrations of noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (ADR), the NA kinetics in arterial plasma (radiotracer infusion) and the overflow of NA into the coronary sinus. During exercise the paced ventricular rate increased by 47% with TX. TX provided a higher cardiac output than VVI despite a similar myocardial oxygen consumption and a lower level of cardiac sympathetic activity. Cardiac NA overflow based on 3H-NA extraction over the heart increased from 182 to 1046 pmol min-1 in the VVI mode (P less than 0.01) and from 178 to 793 pmol min-1 in the TX mode (P less than 0.001). The difference in cardiac NA overflow in response to exercise (P less than 0.05 by ANOVA) was not reflected in similar differences in arterial NA concentrations or spill over rates. During mental stress the ventricular rate increased in 12/14 patients. Noradrenaline overflow increased similarly in the two modes. Changes in cardiac NA overflow during mental stress and exercise were correlated with increases in TX pacing rate. This study confirms that both mental and physical stress cause significant changes in cardiac sympathetic nerve activity and central haemodynamic variables, and that the TX pacemaker responds by increasing its pacing rate in a physiological manner.

Aged↗

Atrial rate-responsive pacing in sinus node disease.

Patients with sinus node disease (SND) who are unable to achieve an adequate increase in heart rate during exercise are candidates for atrial rate-responsive pacing (AAI-R). We have implanted 40 AAI-R systems in SND patients with an average follow-up of 12.5 +/- 8 (range 3-30) months. All the patients received an activity-sensing pulse generator (Activitrax, Medtronic or Sensolog, Siemens-Pacesetter) with a single atrial lead. Only patients with an intraoperative AV nodal block cycle-length above 100 beats min-1 were included. During follow-up, one patient was observed to have transient asymptomatic 2:1 AV-block during sleep. No patient developed persistent AV-block or chronic atrial fibrillation. Twelve patients with persistent chronotropic incompetence were assigned for a randomized double-blind crossover study, comparing exercise treadmill capacity in AAI-R with conventional atrial inhibited pacing (AAI). During AAI-R pacing the maximum heart rate during exercise was 120 +/- 1 beats min-1 compared with 97 +/- 21 beats min-1 during AAI pacing (P less than 0.01). The average exercise time increased from 11.2 +/- 2 min during AAI-pacing to 13.4 +/- 3 min during AAI-R pacing (P less than 0.01). AAI pacing should be considered for patients with SND and chronotropic incompetence.

Cardiac Pacing, Artificial↗

Enzyme release after elective cardioversion.

Electrical cardioversion is reported to be associated with some degree of skeletal muscle and myocardial damage. In the present study, total creatine kinase (S-CK) and the activity of the subunit S-CK-B activity have been measured in serum after elective cardioversion in 30 patients. The enzyme activity peaked during a 28-h observation period. S-CK increased from 72 +/- 6 (mean +/- SEM) Ul-1 (1.2 +/- 0.1 ukat l-1) to a maximal value of 990 +/- 258 u l-1 (16.5 +/- 4.3 ukat l-1) and S-CK-B (analysed as a measure of S-CK-MB) increased from 3.0 +/- 0.6 U l-1 (0.05 +/- 0.01 ukat l-1) to a maximum of 10.2 +/- 1.8 U l-1 (0.17 +/- 0.03 ukat l-1), with seven patients reaching a S-CK-B value above the discrimination limit for myocardial infarction. The relationship between S-CK and S-CK-B values, however, indicated a skeletal muscle origin of the enzyme release. The maximal activity of both S-CK (r = 0.79; P less than 0.001) and S-CK-B (r = 0.70; P less than 0.001) correlated positively to the cumulative delivered energy. Thus, the release of S-CK and S-CK-B after elective cardioversion is correlated to the cumulative energy delivered, indicating increased skeletal muscle damage with greater energy. If the S-CK activity curve is interpreted without access to the S-CK-B activity this might interfere with the diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

Atrial Fibrillation↗

Long-term comparison of the electrical characteristics of polyurethane and polyethylene insulated ventricular leads.

Two types of pacing leads with different insulation material, polyurethane, and polyethylene, were followed for 44 months with respect to their electrophysiological characteristics and complications. In 48 patients, 32 polyurethane leads (Lifeline 493-03) and 16 polyethylene leads (EMT 588 D) were implanted and connected in all cases to the same type of programmable ventricular inhibited (VVI) pulse generator (Programalith, Pacesetter). There was a significant fall during the follow-up in lead impedance with the polyurethane leads (495 +/- 62 to 444 +/- 58 ohms, P less than 0.01), whereas the corresponding measurements for the polyethylene leads were essentially unchanged (360 +/- 58 to 378 +/- 71 ohm, ns). The energy of the stimulation threshold tended to increase in the polyurethane group, whereas an opposite tendency was observed in the polyethylene group. Pacing and/or lead failures were not observed in any case. The observed fall in impedance with the polyurethane leads was seemingly of no clinical significance.

Aged↗

QT sensing rate responsive pacing compared to fixed rate ventricular inhibited pacing: a controlled clinical study.

Eighteen patients, five women and 13 men, (mean age 70 +/- S.E.M. 2 years) treated with QT sensing rate responsive pacemakers due to symptomatic high degree AV block took part in a double-blind study, comparing the rate responsive (TX) mode with fixed rate ventricular inhibited (VVI) pacing. The pacemaker was blindly programmed to either mode in a cross-over design. During the 1 month period a daily diary of symptoms (chest pain, vertigo, dyspnea, and palpitations) was kept. At the end of each period, a mental stress test and an exercise test were performed. The patient rated the general well-being and stated a preference for one of the modes. In the TX mode the heart rate was significantly higher at the end of exercise compared with VVI (107 +/- 4 vs 73 +/- 3 bpm; P less than 0.001) and the exercise tolerance was improved by 9% (104 +/- 8 vs 96 +/- 7 W; P less than 0.01). The patients reported significantly less dyspnea and fatigue at comparable workloads with TX pacing. During the mental stress test the pacing rate increased by 10% in the TX mode (from 73 +/- 2 to 82 +/- 4 bpm; P less than 0.001). There was a physiological rate variability on 24-hour Holter monitoring. Ten patients reported a significant improvement in feeling of general well-being in the TX mode. Eleven patients preferred the TX mode, five patients could not distinguish between the modes and two patients preferred the VVI mode due to worsening of angina pectoris with TX pacing. This preference for the TX mode was significant (P less than 0.05). The results of this controlled study indicate that TX is preferable to VVI in most cases, but the worsening of angina pectoris in two of the patients and the occurrence of rapid rate oscillations in a third patient are factors that warrant some caution in selecting patients.

Aged↗

QT sensing rate responsive pacing and myocardial infarction: a case report.

A 65-year-old man, treated with the QT sensing rate responsive pacemaker required to manage high degree AV block, sustained a transmural inferior wall myocardial infarction 6 months after the pacemaker implant. The rate response of the pacemaker during the acute phase of the infarction was physiological as evidenced by increased pacing rate during pain and with the gradual decrease in rate during the first postinfarction days. The underlying mechanisms are discussed.

Aged↗

The reliability of rate-pressure product as an index of myocardial oxygen consumption in atrial synchronized versus fixed rate ventricular pacing.

The product of heart rate and blood pressure was tested as an index of myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) and compared with directly determined MVO2 during ventricular demand (VVI) fixed rate pacing and atrial synchronized (VAT) pacing at rest and during exercise. Systolic brachial artery pressure, pulmonary wedge pressure and MVO2 were similar in the two pacing modes and showed similar response to exercise. The correlation between rate-pressure product and MVO2 was closer with VAT than with VVI pacing (r = 0.74 and r = 0.64, respectively), and the latter value was not improved by using the product of atrial rate and systolic pressure (r = 0.61). The rate-pressure product was significantly higher during VAT pacing compared to VVI during exercise, although MVO2 was similar. The similarity of MVO2 during exercise indicated some other contributory factor than heart rate in VVI pacing, probably increase of contractility and/or volume. Because such factors are not included in currently used indices of MVO2 assessments must be interpreted cautiously, particularly in cases of complete heart block with VVI pacing.

Aged↗

Early stages of spinal ganglion formation during tail regeneration in the newt, Notophthalmus viridescens.

Stages in the development of sensory ganglia in the regenerating newt tail after amputation are described by taking advantage of the rostrocaudal developmental gradient of the regenerating tail. A series of ganglia, beginning at the tip of the regenerate and progressing rostrally, were examined. Eight-week regenerates were used because they showed the most complete array of stages. The first recognizable ganglia appear as small clusters of cells sitting dorsally on the already established ventral roots. The cluster of ganglionic cells steadily expands with the addition of many new cells. Signs of cell differentiation within the ganglion precede the formation of the dorsal root rudiment, which assumes several different configurations but most commonly enters the cord close to the ventral root. Our material suggests that ganglion precursor cells originate in the ventral region of the developing spinal cord and migrate out of the cord by travelling along the ventral root until, at a suitable distance from the cord, they halt, proliferate, and eventually differentiate. In the regenerate, we saw no evidence of neural crest cells--such as those that give rise to ganglia in the trunk region during development--forming at the dorsal region of the regenerated neural tube. Nor was there any morphological evidence of mesenchymal contribution to the ganglion cell clusters.

Animals↗

Changes in QT and Q-aT intervals induced by mental and physical stress with fixed rate and atrial triggered ventricular inhibited cardiac pacing.

We have investigated the influence of mental stress and physical stress, i.e., exercise, on the QT and Q-aT intervals (measured from the pacemaker stimulus to the end or the apex, respectively, of the T wave). The study was made on ten patients with high degree atrioventricular block treated with AV universal (DDD) pacemakers. These were programmed to a fixed rate ventricular (VVI) or an atrial triggered (VDD) function for different parts of the study. An arithmetic mental stress test and a bicycle exercise test were performed with each mode of pacing. In the VVI pacing mode, the atrial rate increased by 11% during mental stress and by 46% during exercise. There was a significant shortening of QT and Q-aT intervals with both types of stress. With VDD pacing, mental stress induced a 12% increase in rate and a significant shortening of QT and Q-aT. The paced rate increased by 50% during the exercise test. This increase in ventricular rate was associated with the most marked changes in QT and Q-aT intervals. Thus, both types of stress cause a significant shortening of the QT and Q-aT interval even in the absence of a simultaneous increase in ventricular rate. When the latter is allowed to increase during VDD pacing, both intervals shorten considerably more. There was a marked inter-individual variability in the response to both types of stress. These findings are of importance with regard to the QT sensing rate responsive pacemaker which can be expected to respond to mental stress in most patients, but that response might be unpredictable in the individual.

Cardiac Pacing, Artificial↗

A comparison of sympathoadrenal activity and cardiac performance at rest and during exercise in patients with ventricular demand or atrial synchronous pacing.

Cardiac sympathetic function was assessed by measuring the coronary sinus overflow of noradrenaline and dopamine at rest and during supine exercise in eight patients with high degree atrioventricular block treated with dual chamber pacemakers (DDD). Patients exercised (30-60 W) during both ventricular inhibited (VVI) and atrial synchronous (VAT) pacing. During exercise cardiac output increased less markedly in the VVI mode than in the VAT mode. The cardiac output response was entirely stroke volume dependent in the VVI mode and mainly heart rate dependent in the VAT mode. Coronary sinus noradrenaline concentrations were higher in the VVI mode at rest and during exercise. Noradrenaline overflow from the heart was enhanced during VVI pacing and increased from about 100 pmol/min (17 ng/min) at rest to 1087 pmol/min during exercise (60 W) in the VVI mode and 545 pmol/min in the VAT mode. Dopamine overflow from the heart was less than 5 pmol/at rest but increased 2-5 fold during exercise. Also arterial concentrations of catecholamine increased more during exercise in the VVI mode, but the differences between pacing modes were less pronounced. Circulating adrenaline seems to be of little importance for cardiac function under these conditions; in healthy individuals the arterial concentrations of adrenaline attained in this study have small effects. Cardiac noradrenaline overflow correlated with pulmonary capillary venous pressures and atrial rates in both pacing modes, indicating a relation between cardiac sympathetic activity and cardiac function. Enhanced cardiac release of noradrenaline may increase cardiac contractility and thereby partially compensate for the lack of heart rate responsiveness to exercise during VVI pacing.

Aged↗