bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Superficial Thrombophlebitis and Anticardiolipin Antibodies
Authors: Pereira de Godoy José Maria , Batigália Fernando , Braile Domingo Marcolino 
Published: July 2008

The aim of this study was to determine a possible association between recidivist superficial thrombophlebitis and anticardiolipin antibodies. Forty-five patients with two or more episodes of superficial thrombophlebitis in lower limbs (33 women and 12 men with ages ranging from 17 to 60 years, average: 39.8) were studied. The control group was formed by 100 voluntary donors from the blood bank (83 men and 17 women, age range: 21 to 59 years, average: 35.4). Anticardiolipin antibody concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For semiquantitative detection in human sera with use of QUANTA Lite™ ACA IgG/IgM-INOVA Diagnostic, Inc., and positive values were considered as 15 GPL units/mL and 12.5 MPL units/mL for immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM, respectively, as recommended by the test. The Odds Ratio method was chosen for statistical analysis with a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. In 15 patients (33.3%) anticardiolipin antibody positivity was detected, whereas in 12 patients (26.7%) it occurred as immunoglobulin M (IgM) anticardiolipin and in 3 (6.7%) as immunoglobulin G anticardiolipin. In the control group, positivity was found in 7 patients (7%) for those antibodies. Furthermore, the Odds Ratio = 6.64 with CI = 95% and values ranging from 2.48 to 17.82 (p<0.05) were significant, as well as for IgM/IgG anticardiolipin proportion with Odds Ratio = 5.09, CI=95% and values varying from 1.33 to 19.54 (p<0.05). The authors conclude that there is a correlation between the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies and recurrent superficial thrombophlebitis.
Prevalence of Subclavian Artery Stenosis in Patients with Peripheral Vascular Disease
Authors: Gutierrez Godofredo R. , Mahrer Peter , Aharonian Vicken , Mansukhani Prakash , Bruss Jeffrey 
Published: July 2008

Internal mammary arteries (IMA) as conduits in coronary artery bypass grafting are superior to saphenous vein grafts. If there is subclavian artery stenosis (SAS) proximal to the IMA graft, impairment of flow to the IMA may occur. If the stenosis is severe, retrograde flow from the grafted coronary artery to the brachial artery may lead to angina. Following the identification of 2 cases of angina secondary to subclavian artery stenosis at their institution, the authors prospectively performed arch angiography in a cohort of patients with manifestations of periph eral vascular disease undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography to assess the prevalence of subclavian stenosis. Fifty-two patients were enrolled in the protocol, with 48 patients having technically acceptable studies. Of these 48, 41.6% had measurable stenosis of at least one of the brachiocephalic arteries, with 35% of patients with at least a 30% stenosis of the left subclavian artery and 18.7% with more than 50% stenosis. They conclude that patients with significant peripheral vascular disease undergoing coronary angiography who are potential candidates for revascularization may benefit from arch angiography as part of their initial evaluation.
Intact Insulin, Insulin Propeptides, and Intima-media Thickness in the Femoral Artery in 58-year-old Clinically Healthy Men
Authors: Bokemark Lena , Wikstrand J. , Fagerberg B. 
Published: July 2008

The aim of this study was to examine the association between intact insulin, insulin propep tides, and femoral artery intima-media thickness. The design was a cross-sectional study and the study group (n = 391) consisted of randomly recruited clinically healthy 58-year-old Swedish men. The intima-media thickness of the common femoral artery was measured with ultrasound. Fasting plasma insulin; intact insulin; proinsulin; 32,33 split-proinsulin; and C-peptide concen trations were assessed. The results showed that the common femoral artery intima-media thickness correlated significantly and univariately with waist-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, serum total choles terol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, ApoB, low-density lipoprotein peak particle size, and cigarette years. Furthermore, of intact insulin and insulin propeptides, only intact insulin and C-peptide were univariately associated with common femoral artery intima-media thickness (r= 0.14, p < 0.01; r= 0.18, p < 0.01; respec tively). In a multiple regression analysis, common femoral artery intima-media thickness was independently associated with systolic blood pressure (beta-coefficient = 0.004, p = 0.002), ApoB (beta-coefficient = 0.338, p < 0.001) and cigarette years (beta-coefficient = 0.0004, p < 0.001), (R2 = 25%, p < 0.00 1 ). In conclusion, smoking, systolic blood pressure, and ApoB but not insulin or insulin propep tides were independently associated with femoral atherosclerosis.
Cardiac Troponin I Levels in Patients with Left Heart Failure and Cor Pulmonale
Authors: Güler Niyazi , Bilge Mehmet , Eryonucu Beyhan , Uzun Kürcat , Avci Mehmet Emin , Dülger Haluk 
Published: July 2008

Cardiac troponin levels are regarded as the most specific of currently available biochemical markers of myocardial damage. Elevated levels of troponin have been previously reported in patients with left heart failure, reflecting small areas of undetected myocardial cell death. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of the cardiac troponin I (cTnl) in patients with left- and right-sided heart failure. Cardiac troponin I levels were studied with immunochemical methods in patients with right heart failure (n = 17) resulting from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischemic left heart failure (n = 23), and nonischemic left heart failure (n = 18) who were admitted to departments of cardiology and chest diseases. Also, cTnl levels were measured in 32 healthy subjects as control group. Protein markers of myocardial injury (cTnl and myoglobin) in patients with left and right heart failure were collected approximately 12 to 36 hours after onset of obvious symptoms. Serum creatine kinase MB band was determined on admission and thereafter twice a day during the first 3 days. Elevated levels of serum cTnl were found in patients with nonischemic (0.83 ±0.6 ng/mL, p<0.01) and ischemic left heart failure (0.9 ±0.5 ng/mL, p<0.01) when compared to healthy subjects, whereas serum cTnl levels in patients with right heart failure due to chronic obstruc tive pulmonary disease were not significantly different from those of control subjects (0.22 ±0.1 vs 0.16 ±0.1 ng/mL, p> 0.05). In addition, creatine kinase MB band and myoglobin levels were not significantly different between patient and healthy groups. The mean of cTnl levels in ischemic and even nonischemic left heart failure were increased compared to the mean of values in healthy individuals but without significant creatine kinase MB band and myoglobin elevations. But cTnl levels were not increased in patients with right heart failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These data indicate that the cTnl levels are abnormal in left heart failure but not in cor pulmonale.
Effects of Atrial Pacing on QT Dispersion in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Without Angina Pectoris and ST Segment Depression
Authors: Demir Ahmet Duran , Senen Kubilay , Balbay Yücel , Soylu Mustafa , Tikiz Hakan , Korkmaz Sule 
Published: July 2008

The aim of this study was to investigate QT dispersion during atrial pacing in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) without clinical ischemia, such as angina pectoris and ST segment depression. Thirteen patients with normal coronary arteries and 42 patients with CAD (12 with single-vessel, 16 with two-vessel and 14 with three-vessel disease) having no angina pectoris or ST segment depression during atrial pacing with maximum rate of 120/minute were enrolled in the study. Twelve-lead surface ECGs were recorded at 100 mm/second paper speed before pacing, at maximum pacing rate, and during the recovery period for measurement of QT interval parameters. Corrected QTd (QTcd) increased from 43.4 ±8.1 to 49.3 ±9.5 ms (p<0.05) in the control group, from 46.1 ±8.1 to 74.3 ±7.7 ms (p < 0.000 1) in the single-vessel disease group, from 48.5 ±10.4 to 93.8 ±22.1 ms in the two-vessel disease group (p< 0.0001), and from 49.7 ±13.6 to 128.5 ±31 ms (p<0.0001) in the three-vessel disease group at peak atrial pacing period. A positive correlation was found between the severity of CAD and QTcd (r=0.49, p<0.0001). It was found that pacing-induced QTc dispersion identifies coronary disease extent, even when there is no ST depression or T wave inversion during pacing.
Relationship Between Internal Risk Factors for Development of Decubitus Ulcers and the Blood Flow Response Following Pressure Load
Authors: van Marum R.J. , Meijer J.H. , Ooms M.E. , Kostense P.J. , van Eijk J.T. , Ribbe M.W. 
Published: July 2008

The objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which internal risk factors for the development of decubitus ulcers are related to the blood flow response following the relief of a pressure load. There were 122 nursing home patients (43 men, 69 women, mean age: 81 ±8 years; range: 60-97). The following potential, internal risk factors for the development of decubitus ulcers were assessed: chronic disorders (diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease [congestive heart failure, history of myocardial infarct or angina pectoris] and cerebrovascular accident), fever, blood pressure, nutritional status, serum hemoglobin concentration, and serum urea and serum creatinine concentrations. Skin temperature response (latency time and total response time) was measured following relief of a 100 kPa test pressure. The presence of cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular accident, poor nutritional condition, high serum urea and male gender showed a significant relationship with an impaired blood flow response. The delayed latency found showed a similarity to the so-called "no-reflow phenomenon." The association of cardiovascular disease and a cerebrovascular accident with a delay in the blood flow response may result from endothelial damage. A poor nutritional condition may be associated with a deficit of scavengers of oxygen-derived free radicals. The presence of free radicals may damage endothelium during reperfusion, thus influencing the blood flow response. The association of high serum urea with delayed vasodilatation may theo retically be explained by the association of serum urea and impaired kidney functioning, since the kidney is an important organ in the production of vasoactive substances. Serum urea can also be considered a measure for nutritional condition. Gender may function as a substitute for other, unmeasured factors that are related to blood flow response.
Slow Coronary Flow: A Distinct Angiographic Subgroup in Syndrome X
Authors: Goel Pravin K. , Gupta Suresh K. , Agarwal Ajay , Kapoor Aditya 
Published: July 2008

Patients evaluated for chest pain with angiographically normal coronary arteries are usually labelled syndrome X. A portion of these patients may not have a cardiac cause for their symptoms. The authors aimed to study a subset within this group who showed the phenom enon of slow coronary flow (SCF) as evidenced by a slow antegrade progression of the dye on the coronary arteriogram to see if this could be used as a marker of myocardial ischemia. This observational study included 207 patients being evaluated for suspected coronary artery disease and found to have normal coronary angiograms. SCF was seen in 49 of these patients (23.7%) while the remaining 158 (76.3%) had normal coronary flow (NCF), as detected by the corrected thrombosis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count method (TIMI frame count more than 2 SD of normal). Forty of the 49 patients (82%) in the SCF group had classical angina as compared with only 51 of the 158 patients (32%) in the NCF group (p<0.01). Also, a definitively positive exercise test was observed more commonly in the SCF group than in the NCF group (71% vs 42%, p<0.01). The authors conclude that SCF patients constitute a definite subset within the wide spectrum of syndrome X and that the phenomenon of SCF could be used as a marker for myocardial ischemia.
The Acute Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Treadmill Exercise Distances in Patients with Stable Intermittent Claudication
Authors: Waller P.C. , Solomon S.A. , Ramsay L.E. 
Published: July 2008

The hypothesis that smoking has an acute effect on treadmill exercise per formance in patients with peripheral vascular disease was investigated in a crossover trial. Twelve patients with stable intermittent claudication who were regular smokers attended on two occasions within one week and treadmill tests were performed after 1/2, 1, 1½, and 2 hours. Immediately before the second exercise test, two standard cigarettes were smoked or an unlit cigarette was "sham-smoked." Because participants could not be blinded, an attempt to con trol for patient bias was made. Half were told that we expected smoking to make no difference or possibly cause some improvement, and half were told that we expected it to make no difference or possibly cause some deterioration. These explanations and the order of study days were determined by balanced random ization. Suggestion had a significant influence on claudication distance immediately after smoking (p < 0.01) but no significant effect on walking distance. Combin ing data from both groups assumes that no overall bias was introduced by the explanations given. Immediately after smoking, small, nonsignificant increases in claudication distance (+10%, 95% CI-7%, +27%) and walking distance (+9%, 95% CI-2%, +19%) were observed. Smoking caused a mean increase in heart rate of 9 beats per minute, which persisted for one hour, but no consistent change in blood pressure. The results show that suggestion may have a signifi cant influence on treadmill exercise distances. Smoking is unlikely to have an important acute effect on exercise performance in claudicants.
Myocardial Infarction Caused by Blunt Chest Injury: Possible Mechanisms Involved — Case Reports
Authors: Foussas Stefanos G. , Athanasopoulos Georgios D. , Cokkinos Dennis V. 
Published: July 2008

Two cases are reported in which blunt chest trauma caused myocardial in farction. Coronary angiography revealed apical aneurysms in both patients with normal coronary arteries in the first and total occlusion of left anterior descending artery in the other. The main possible mechanisms of myocardial infarction after blunt chest trauma are discussed.
Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia: Experience with Propafenone
Authors: Santinelli Vincenzo , De Paola Mario , Turco Pietro , Smimmo Domenico , Chiariello Massimo 
Published: July 2008

The authors studied the efficacy of intravenous (IV) (1.5-2 mg/kg) and oral propafenone (450 to 900 mg/day) in 16 patients with paroxysmal, sus tained, recurrent supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). In 5 patients IV propafenone was not given, because of intolerant SVT. Nine patients had Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. IV propafenone immediately stopped and prevented reinduction of SVT in 9/11 patients. Oral propa fenone prevented SVT induction in 3 of 5 patients. In the 9 patients re sponsive to IV propafenone, oral pro pafenone was effective: in particular, in 6 patients SVT tachycardia was not induced by serial transesophageal pacings, and in the remaining 3 pa tients the arrhythmia was still in duced but was slower and of brief duration (3-5 seconds). In 11/12 pa tients responsive to oral propafenone the minimum effective dosage in pre venting the induction of the arrhyth mia was 600 mg/day. In only 1 patient was the dose of 450 mg/day equally effective. Propafenone administration was not associated with major side ef fects. In conclusion, propafenone is very effective in the control of parox ysmal supraventricular tachycardia; intravenous propafenone can predict the efficacy of oral therapy.
Pressure-Controlled Reperfusion Improves Postischemic Recovery of LV-Hypertrophied Rat Hearts
Authors: Müller Christian , Isselhard Wolf , Sturz Josef , Wahle Alfred , Witmanowski Henryk , Armas-Molina Jose V. , Saad Stefano 
Published: July 2008

The influence of pressure-con trolled postischemic reperfusion (Rp) on functional and metabolic parame ters in hearts of sham-operated rats and hypertrophied hearts of rats with aortic constriction were studied. Hy pertrophied hearts are considered to be more susceptible to ischemia. The hearts were perfused in the Langendorff-technique for thirty minutes at 35°C with Krebs-Hense leit bicarbonate buffer at a perfusion pressure (PP) of 75 mmHg and for five minutes at 15°C with St. Thomas' Hospital cardioplegic solu tion at a PP of 60 mmHg. After a per iod of global ischemia of forty min utes' duration at 15 ° C, reperfusion was started either abruptly (aRp: PP 75 mmHg immediately) or gently (gRp: PP 75 mmHg within thirty minutes); it lasted for forty-five min utes. Intraventricular peak systolic pressure (ISP) was monitored and en ergy-rich compounds (ATP, ADP, AMP, CrP, free Cr) were analyzed. In normal hearts, metabolic re covery was not affected by the mode of reperfusion, but functional recov ery (ISP) averaged 88% of the preis chemic control value after gRp as compared with 73% after aRp. In hypertrophied hearts, gentle reperfusion ameliorated both meta bolic and functional recovery. At forty-five minute recovery, CrP aver aged 5.1 μmol/g ww after aRp and 6.6 μmol/g ww after gRp (p < 0.01), and ISP amounted to 73% of the pre ischemic control after aRp and to 85% after gRp.
Giant Cell Arteritis (Horton's Disease) of the Axillary Artery — Case Reports
Authors: Van Damme H. , Fourny J. , Zicot M. , Limet R. 
Published: July 2008

The authors recently observed 2 elderly female patients with ischemic pain of the upper extremity as the first manifestation of giant cell arteri tis. They presented with rest pain of both upper extremities and even gan grene of the thumb in 1 case. Subcla vian and radial pulses were absent while peripheral pulses in the lower limbs were preserved. The angiogra phy was so typical that the diagnosis of inflammatory arteritis was made, despite negative temporal artery bi opsy. The patient with thumb gangrene was successfully operated on, the oc clusive axillary lesions being by passed by a long venous carotidohu meral bypass graft. A biopsy of the axillary artery showed a granuloma tous lymphoplasmocellular infiltra tion. A high-dose corticotherapy (24 mg daily) was begun in both cases, with dramatic improvements of gen eral state, lowering of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and even reappa rition of a reduced radial pulse in 1 patient. The authors discuss the incidence, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of systemic giant cell arteritis, with special attention to extracranial in volvement. These case reports may broaden the knowledge of the diverse manifestations of giant cell arteritis and of its systemic character with widespread vascular involvement.
Complementary Mechanisms of Atenolol and Diltiazem in the Clinical Improvement of Patients with Stable Angina
Authors: Merino A. , Alegría E. , Castelló R. , Fidalgo M. , Abecia A. , Martínez-Caro D. 
Published: July 2008

The combination of atenolol with diltiazem has been shown to be useful in the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease. Eighteen patients with proven coronary artery disease, stable angina, and no previous myocardial in farction were studied before and after treatment with atenolol (100 mg/day) (9 patients) or diltiazem (180 mg/day) (9 patients). Ischemic threshold at stress test, pressure-rate product at ischemic threshold, direct oxygen consumption at ischemic threshold, and exercise ejection fraction were determined. There was a slight increase in the duration of exercise, maximal oxygen con sumption, and ischemic threshold after treatment with each drug. Double prod uct at ischemic threshold decreased from 20.9 to 19.8 (p = NS) with atenolol but increased from 20.1 to 21.9 (p=NS) with diltiazem. Conversely oxygen con sumption at ischemic threshold increased with atenolol to nearly significant val ues from 17.2 to 23.6 (p = 0.067) but not with diltiazem (16.2 to 22.3; p = 0.16) . Before treatment, exercise ejection fraction increased less than 10% or de creased from its resting values in all patients but 1 with atenolol and 1 with diltiazem, but exercise ejection fraction increased significantly after treatment with atenolol (60.6 to 67.5; p=0.02) but not with diltiazem. This improvement was due to a significant reduction in end systolic volume (103.8 to 78.6; p=0.019), despite a similar increase in heart rate and blood pressure in all patients. There was a trend to increase ischemic threshold with both drugs that could have been produced by: (1) atenolol, by increasing oxygen consumption at the ischemic threshold, which suggests an improvement in ventricular perform ance; (2) diltiazem, by increasing double product at the ischemic threshold, which reflects an increase in myocardial oxygen consumption at the ischemic threshold and suggests a parallel improvement in myocardial flow. Atenolol produces a significant increase in exercise ejection fraction owing to a reduction in end systolic volume. This finding suggests a protective effect of atenolol in exercise-induced ischemia and agrees with the trends observed in stress tests.
Monoclonal Antibody—Defined Lymphocyte Subsets in Normal Nigerians
Authors: Adedeji M.O. 
Published: July 2008

Lymphocyte subsets using monoclonal antibodies have hitherto not been re ported in normal Nigerian subjects. In all 8 subjects, the average number of lymphocytes showed a clear rhythmicity with higher values in the morning (8 AM) than in the afternoon (2 PM). The time of day variation in circulating lymphocytes appears to affect T cells rather than B cells. The absolute numbers of 0KT4+ cells at 8 AM was significantly higher than at 2 PM (p < 0.05). It would appear that the 0KT4+ cells are largely responsible for the time of day variation in peripheral blood lymphocytes, owing probably to a greater sensitivity to changes in plasma cortisol levels.
Therapeutic, Hemodynamic, and Metabolic Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygenation in Peripheral Vascular Disease
Authors: Visonà Adriana , Lusiani Luigi , Rusca Fabrizio , Barbiero Damiano , Ursini Fulvio , Pagnan Antonio 
Published: July 2008

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBT) consists of inhaling 100% oxy gen under pressure exceeding atmos pheric pressure. Patients with various degrees of peripheral vascular disease (stages II, III, and IV according to Fontaine's classification) were treated with HBT. Clinical symptoms improved in 70%. Ankle/brachial index increased by more than 0.10 in 47%. Photo plethysmographic pulse appearance has been detected in roughly one third of patients. Transcutaneous ox ygen tension did not, however, im prove significantly. Plasma malon dialdehyde (MDA) was evaluated as a marker of lipid peroxidation, possi bly influenced by hyperbaric oxygen. Surprisingly, the authors found that MDA levels decreased after HBT, probably as a result of the activation of antioxidant systems. These results show that HBT represents a useful approach in the treatment of periph eral vascular disease, since it im proves clinical and hemodynamic parameters, with no potentially harmful side effects, such as en hanced lipid peroxidation, at least in the short term.