bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical Evaluation of a Novel Ambulatory Automatic Blood Pressure Monitoring System
Authors: Modesti P.A. , Gensini G.F. , Brogi E. , Neri Semeri G.G. 
Published: November 2007

Reliability and reproducibility of a new automatic ambulatory blood pressure recorder were tested on 31 subjects (18 normotensives and 13 hypertensives). Of 3688 recordings, 1424 measurements were cross-checked with a sphygmomanom eter in standing or sitting position at the beginning and at the end of a twenty-four hour monitoring period. In the normotensive subjects cross-checkings were performed also during a treadmill exercise stress test. Analysis of variance did not indicate statistical differences between the two types of measurement (p>0.09 for systolic and p>0.62 for diastolic), and a significant linear correlation was found at rest (r = 0.99, p<0.001 for systolic and r = 0.98, p<0.001 for diastolic pressure). During the effort test the device was unable to correctly measure blood pressure values after the first step. During the twenty-four hour monitoring period only 1.1 % of the preprogrammed measurements were lost for each subject. The recorder seems to be a suitable and reliable tool for automatic blood pressure monitoring.
Treatment of Angiomas with Sclerosing Injection of Hydroxypolyethoxydodecan
Authors: Seccia Antonio , Salgarello Marzia 
Published: November 2007

The authors discuss the indications for hydroxypolyethoxydodecan in the sclerosing treatment of angiomas, with particular reference to cavernous, ve nous, and evolutive angiomas (ie, immature angiomas that fail to involute by eight to ten months). Moreover, the sclerosing agent may be employed, in connection with embolization and subsequent surgery, in arteriovenous angio mas with a relevant cutaneous-subcutaneous development. The authors have successfully used the "interstitial" sclerosing technique, according to Andrews' method. This technique involves interstitial injections to obtain the sclerosis of the thin threads of fibrous tissue stroma between the blood vessels. The sclerosing therapy may cause the complete regression of "low flow" angiomas or, at least, a partial reduction that simplifies the ensuing surgical excision. In the case of partial regression of the angioma obtained with the sclerosing therapy, the surgery of the remaining angioma causes a lesser degree of bleeding (especially in areas that do not particularly lend themselves to surgical exploration, ie, the oral cavity); an increased reliability in the radicality of the intervention (due also to the reduced size of the lesion); and better results from an aesthetic-functional point of view.
A Rheolytic System for Percutaneous Coronary and Peripheral Plaque Removal
Authors: Drasler William J. , Jenson Mark L. , Wilson Gregory J. , Thielen Joseph M. , Protonotarios Emmanuil I. , Dutcher Robert G. , Possis Zinon C. 
Published: November 2007

A method for plaque dissolution has been identified that percutaneously delivers a pulsatile high-velocity stream of saline to the site of an atheromatous lesion within a coronary or peripheral artery. In vitro evaluation and in vivo canine and porcine testing were performed using this 'rheolytic' system to deter mine its feasibility in ablating calcified plaque and soft thrombotic tissue. A prototype rheolytic guidewire capable of providing 30,000 psi of internal pressure was designed to fit within the guidewire lumen of a standard percutane ous transluminal coronary angioplasty catheter. An additional over-the-wire rheolytic catheter was fabricated to follow a standard .014-inch guidewire. The rheolytic devices were tested in vitro with simulated atheromatous and thrombotic lesions to evaluate the size and quantity of the particulate effluent. The particulate was then sterilized, mixed with saline, and introduced percutaneously into the animal kidney and heart for evaluation. The in vitro studies demonstrated that the rheolytic catheter and guidewire were able to follow both a coronary and femoral arterial model and successfully ablate the simulated lesions. The particle size for osseous, muscular, and car tilagenous tissue. ranged from 2 to 6 micrometers; for fresh human plaque the particles ranged from 2 to 15 micrometers. Injection of cartilagenous and plaque particles into the animal model caused very slight regions of necrosis but no clinical sequelae . Applications of the rheolytic devices to the animal femoral artery demonstrated that both devices could ablate and cross calified or soft thrombosed lesions without damage to the vessel wall; the rheolytic catheter provided a debulking of the plaque. The ability to cut through calcified and soft lesions with the rheolytic devices without thermal damage may provide this system with advantages over current atherectomy methods. Its flexibility suggests that it may have applications in the coronary position.
Isoxsuprine in Nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy: Effect on Human Retinal Circulation Assessed by Fluorescein Angiography—A Pilot Study
Authors: Dandrieu Maurice R. , Brood-van Zanten Monique M.A. 
Published: November 2007

The retinal vessel filling time of 10 patients with early nonproliferative diabetic retinography was measured by fluorescein angiography. Initially, the reproduc ibility of the authors' standardized fluorescein angiography was assessed by control angiograms on two different dates in each patient. Thereafter, prolonged use (six months) of isoxsuprine sustained release (80 mg/day) led to a nearly 50 % reduction of the arterial filling time and a nearly 25 % reduction of the arteriove nous filling time, whereas no changes were seen in control patients. This effect of isoxsuprine might be explained by an increase of red cell deformability and, concomitantly, a decrease of platelet adherence in the micro circulation of patients with diabetic mellitus.
Regional Intravenous Ketanserin and Guanethidine Therapy in Raynaud's Phenomenon
Authors: Caputi C.A. , De Carolis G. , Tomasetti C. 
Published: November 2007

The authors report the results of a study of 25 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (primary, posttraumatic, and secondary to diffuse connective tissue deseases) treated with regional intravenous injections of guanethidine or ketanserin. These two drugs were chosen because of the different etiopathologic profiles of the conditions. All the patients showed a substantial clinical improvement with a remission of trophic lesions. Conditions secondary to connective tissue disorders did not demonstrate much improvement based on instrumental data alone, possibly because of the intrinsic limitations of the techniques used for evaluating peripheral blood flow. This specific type of pharmaceutical treatment appeared to be especially suitable for this disease owing to a combination of therapeutic efficacy and a substantial reduction in the total dosage for each patient.
Venous Thrombosis After Long-Term Transvenous Pacing in the Chinese
Authors: Chow Wing-Hing , Yip Alex S.B. , Tai Yau-Ting , Cheung King-Loong 
Published: November 2007

To determine the incidence of venous thrombosis after long-term transvenous pacing in the Chinese, venograms were performed in 50 consecutive Chinese pa tients seen at the pacemaker clinic. There were 25 women and 25 men. The mean age was sixty-six years (range thirty-two to eighty-one). The indications for pac ing were complete heart block in 16 patients and sick sinus syndrome in the re mainder. All pacemakers were of the single-chamber ventricular pacing type and had been implanted for a mean period of four years (range two to seven). In 27 patients the route of entry for the pacing electrode was through the cephalic vein and in the other 23 patients the subclavian veins were used. Of the 50 veno grams, 1 showed partial and 1 showed total obstruction at the subclavian vein. Both patients (4%) were asymptomatic. All others (96%) were normal. The in cidence of venous thrombosis was not related to the routes of entry of the pac ing electrodes. All patients tolerated the procedure well and had no complications.It is concluded that the incidence of venous thrombosis after long-term trans venous pacing is extremely low in the Chinese (4%), and venograms are both safe and useful for identifying venous thrombosis related to transvenous pacing.
The Role of Two-Dimensional Echocardiography in the Diagnosis of Ineffective Endocarditis
Authors: Burger Andrew J. , Peart Brenda , Jabi Haytham , Touchon Robert C. 
Published: November 2007

Two-dimensional echocardiography has had a significant impact on and is considered the technique of choice for the diagnosis and management of infec tive endocarditis. Over a thirty-six month period, 106 patients were evaluated by echocardiography for the possibility of endocarditis. The diagnosis of en docarditis was determined by strict clinical and laboratory criteria. All clinical histories, blood cultures, echocardiograms, and autopsy results were reviewed. Five echocardiograms were technically inadequate, resulting in a study popula tion of 101 patients. The age of the patients ranged from forty-five days to eighty-eight years (mean fifty-seven years). The clinical manifestations of endocarditis included fever (83%), chills (60%), congestive heart failure (25%), and splenomegaly (18%). Twelve patients had preexisting valvular or congenital heart disease. Gram-positive cocci were the most common microorganisms. Complications included mitral regurgitation, subarachnoid hemorrhage, renal infarction, stroke, and a pulmo nary embolus. The patients were divided into two groups: Group I consisted of 36 patients with definite vegetations by echocardiography, and Group II had 65 patients with no vegetations. In Group I, acute infective endocarditis was present in 35 patients, whereas only 4 patients had endocarditis in Group II. The sensitivity of two-dimensional echocardiography for detecting endocarditis was 90%. The specificity was 98%. The predictive accuracy for a positive test was 97%, and the predictive accuracy for a negative test was 94%. Thus, two-dimensional echocardiography appears to have a high sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value in the evaluation of patients with suspected endocarditis.
Laser-Assisted Angioplasty in the Treatment of Prosthetic Graft Stenosis
Authors: Diethrich Edward B. , Santiago Osvaldo , Bahadir Ilhan 
Published: November 2007

Late failure of peripheral bypass grafts has been treated primarily by secon dary reconstruction. Laser-assisted angioplasty is an optional therapy that the authors investigated in 28 prosthetic grafts over a two-year period. Twenty-five symptomatic patients with 28 peripheral prosthetic arterial bypass grafts (25 polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE] grafts and 1 each of knitted Dacron, Teflon, and umbilical vein) demonstrated graft occlusion (25) or high-grade stenoses (3). All patients underwent standard laser-assisted angioplasty using a continuous wave Nd:YAG laser source and hybrid probe. Twenty-one grafts (75%) were successfully recanalized with adequate resto ration of flow through the conduit. All 7 failures were in occluded PTFE grafts that presented with either recalcitrant lesions (5) or perforations (2) at the distal anastomoses. There have been 3 long-term failures (14%) to date in the successfully treat ed group, all in PTFE grafts. Two patients suffered recurrent thrombosis and 1 developed an inexplicable graft infection five months after laser treatment. Laser-assisted angioplasty appears to be a clinically viable alternative treat ment for prosthetic graft stenosis and recanalization of grafts occluded at their distal anastomosis.
Effects of Nifedipine GITS and Atenolol Monotherapy on Serum Lipids, Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, and Weight in Mild to Moderate Hypertension
Authors: Houston M.C. , Olafsson L. , Burger M.C. 
Published: November 2007

Forty-nine patients, with ages ranging from eighteen to seventy years and with mild to moderate primary hypertension (sitting diastolic blood pressure of > 95 mmgH and < 115 mmHg) were randomized into a twenty-one-week, double-blind, prospective study to determine the effects of monotherapy of nifedipine GITS (gastrointestinal therapeutic system) versus atenolol on serum lipids, lipid subfractions, apolipoproteins, (apo), and blood pressure (BP). Nifedipine GITS and atenolol significantly reduced blood pressure, but nifedipine GITS reduced sitting and standing systolic BP significantly more than atenolol (p = .001). Sitting and standing heart rate decreased significantly (p = 0.001) during atenolol therapy but did not change significantly during nifedipine GITS therapy. Atenolol increased weight (mean change + 2.2 lb; p = 0.011), but nifedipine GITS decreased weight (mean change - 2.4 lb; p = 0.07). Nifedipine GITS had a more favorable effect on the lipid profile. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and HDL2 subfractions were increased significantly (p = .001) as were apo A1 (p = 0.037) and apo A2 (p = 0.025). Nifedipine GITS increased HDL3 (NS), reduced triglycerides (TG) (NS), and had no significant effect on total cholesterol (TC) low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apo B. Atenolol significantly increased serum total cholesterol (p = 0.039) and HDL-C and HDL2 (p = 0.049 and 0.048 respectively). Atenolol increased TG (NS) and apo B (NS) with little change in apo A1 and apo A2. It is concluded that nifedipine GITS had equal or better antihypertensive efficacy than atenolol and had a more favorable effect on the lipid profile. These effects may offer advantages in reducing CHD risk.
Early Exercise Test in Acute Myocardial Infarction Treated with Intravenous Streptokinase
Authors: Hamouratidis Nikolaos , Katsaliakis Nikolaos , Manoudis Floros , Lazaridis Kyriakos , Tselegaridis Theophilos , Stravelas Vasilios , Simeonidou Eftihia , Roussis Stefanos 
Published: November 2007

The aim of this study was to assess the value of the early exercise test (ET) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treated with IV streptokinase (SK). The authors studied 70 patients with first AMI; 31 were treated with SK and 39 were not. Before discharge everyone was given early exercise up to 5-6 METs and catheterized within 22.9 ± 7.2 days. There was no significant difference in the number of positive ETs between the two groups (11/31 and 14/39 respectively). There was significant difference in favor of: (1) the recanalization of the infarct-related artery in the SK group, (2) the negative ET in patients with recanalized vessels in both groups, (3) the positive ET in patients with multi-vessel coronary disease. It is concluded that the results of early ET in patients with AMI are related to the recanalization of the infarct-related artery and the coexistence of multi-vessel coronary artery disease, regardless of SK treatment. Patients with successful thrombolysis have negative ET more frequently.
The Venoarteriolar Response in Diabetics
Authors: Belcaro G. , Nicolaides A.N. 
Published: November 2007

Resting skin blood flow and the venoarteriolar response (VAR) were studied in 40 patients with diabetic microangiopathy and neuropathy, in 40 diabetics with microangiopathy, and in 30 normal subjects by means of laser-Doppler flowmetry. In patients with microangiopathy and neuropathy, resting flow (RF) was in creased and the VAR was impaired to a greater extent than in patients without neuropathy. There was also a significant delay in the VAR in diabetics, particu larly in patients with neuropathy. The microangiopathy index (VAR/RF) was on the average 71.3 in normal subjects, significantly lower (p<0.05) in diabetics without neuropathy (34.8), and even lower in those with neuropathy (13.6). The VAR was evaluated with different postural changes; The authors observed that in the passage from su pine to standing the VAR is more evident. In conclusion these results confirm that the postural control of blood flow in the skin of the foot is impaired in diabetic microangiopathy, particularly in patients with neuropathy. The increased skin blood flow and the impaired VAR are causes of edema and may contribute to the thickening of capillary basement membranes observed in diabetics.
Single-Dose Sublingual Nifedipine as the Only Treatment in Hypertensive Urgencies and Emergencies
Authors: Gonzalez-Carmona Victor M. , Ibarra-Perez Carlos , Jerjes-Sanchez Carlos 
Published: November 2007

One hundred and eighteen patients with hypertensive urgencies and emer gencies and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at least 120 mm Hg by the cuff method were seen at the Emergency Care Department; none had received calcium chan nel blockers during the previous twelve hours. Patients with DBP of 120 to 139 mm Hg received 10 mg of sublingual nifedi pine; patients with left ventricular hypertrophy or failure, renal disease, hyper tensive encephalopathy, angina, papilledema, or a DBP over 140 mm Hg received 20 mg of the drug. The criterion for control was the achievement of a DBP of 100 mm Hg or less within sixty minutes of receiving sublingual nifedipine and maintenance of the effect until discharge. Control was achieved in all patients; a sixty-three-year-old man died of a brain hemorrhage after pulmonary edema and a DBP of 210 had been controlled; the other 117 were discharged to their attending physicians, either as outpatients or to a hospital ward. No patient developed hypotension, clinical or electrocardio graphic signs of myocardial ischemia, or clinical signs of neurologic dysfunction. Practical, fast, safe, and dependable control of hypertensive urgencies and emergencies has made sublingual nifedipine the treatment of choice of such pa tients in the Emergency Care Department.
Clinical and Instrumental Evaluation of the Family of a Patient with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricle Dysplasia
Authors: Mocchegiani Roberto , Mazzanti Marco , Gili Alberto , Purcaro Augusto 
Published: November 2007

The aim of the present study is a clinical and instrumental evaluation of the family of a patient with arrhythmogenic right ventricle dysplasia (ARVD), ini tially complicated by recurrent ventricular tachycardia and later by congestive cardiac failure. Because the probability of familial involvement is very high in those cases described in the literature, the authors evaluated the patient's 3 chil dren : 2 daughters. twenty-four and twenty years old, respectively, and a twenty- one-year-old son; his niece, thirty-one years old; and her sons three and eight years old. The authors did not evaluate his fifty-six-year-old sister, because she was affected by rheumatic mitral valve disease. All in the study were asympto matic, and clinical examination did not show any pathologic findings. Rest ECG was normal in all cases, and the exercise stress test (Bruce protocol) showed nor mal functional capacity. Holter recordings were normal without arrhythmias; chest x rays showed normal cardiothoracic ratio and cardiac morphologic volume. Two-dimensional echocardiography and pulsed and continuous wave Doppler demonstrated normal sizes of cardiac chambers and normal function and mor phology of cardiac valves. Nevertheless, in 4 cases (66.5%) the right ventricles showed an apical bulging with normal systolic thickness, without hypokinetic or akinetic areas or diverticular outpouchings. The authors did not find those abnormalities in 5 control subjects who were studied in the same way. Conclusions: In 4 family members (66.5%) of a patient with ARVD pro gressed to cardiac congestive failure, the authors found anomalies of right ven tricle morphology: apical bulging, not revealed in a control group, and an ab sence of symptoms. They believe that these minor anomalies of the right ventricle need further investigation in suspicion of the initial signs of right ventricular dysplasia.
Defibrotide Inhibits Ca2+ Dependent Neutrophil Activation: Implications for its Pharmacological Activity in Vascular Disorders
Authors: Di Perri Tullio , Pasini Franco Laghi , Ceccatelli Linda , Pasqui Anna Laura , Capecchi Pier Leopoldo 
Published: November 2007

Defibrotide (DEF) is a polydeoxyribonucleotide agent provided with profibrinolytic and antithrombotic properties. Moreover, an antiischemic, cardi oprotective effect of the drug has recently been demonstrated in experimental animals. Increasing evidence exists of the important role played by neutrophils in the development of tissue damage during chronic and acute ischemia and in the early phases of reperfusion. In order to evaluate whether the overall cytoprotective effect of DEF could be based, at least in part, on a neutrophil- involving mechanism, the authors studied the in vitro effects of the drug on hu man neutrophil activation triggered by several specific stimuli. The drug dose-dependently (10-100 μM) inhibited enzyme release, superoxide anion generation, and chemiluminescence induced in neutrophils by the chemoat tractant oligopeptide fMLP and by the divalent cation ionophores A23187 and ionomycin. The increase of extracellular calcium concentration from 0.5 to 2.0 mM antagonized the inhibitory effect of DEF. The use of the fluorescent probe Fura 2/AM led them to show that DEF is able to reduce the cytosolic free calci um increase following specific stimulation by affecting extracellular calcium en trance. Such a behavior resembles that of calcium-antagonistic drugs, thus suggesting that DEF works, at least in part, similarly to calcium entry blockers. Such an activity on cell calcium translocation could represent the underlying molecular mechanism of cytoprotection. Finally, the inhibitory action on neu trophil functions may play a role in tissue protection during ischemic injury.
Influence of Short Atrioventricular Delay on Late Diastolic Transmitral Flow and Stroke Volume
Authors: Ronaszeki Aladar , Denef Boudewijn , Ector Hugo , Aubert Andre E. , Van de Werf Frans , De Geest Hilaire 
Published: November 2007

Atrial transport function and the corresponding transmitral flow and stroke volume depend on the timing of atrial contraction. To study the influence of short atrioventricular delay (AVD) on these hemodynamic parameters, transmitral flow velocity (by pulsed wave Doppler) and aortic flow (by electromagnetic technique) were studied and compared (paired t test) during normal and short AVD at fixed rate DDD pacing (80 bpm) in AV-blocked, open-chest canine preparations (n:16). The short AVD resulted in a shorter acceleration (difference 4.1 ± 4.9 msec, mean ± SD, p<0.05), a lower peak velocity (difference: 7.1 ± 3.2 cm/sec, p < 0.001), a shorter (difference: 26.9 ± 16.2 msec, p<0.001) and more rapid deceleration (difference: 220.7 ± 291.7 cm/sec2, p < 0.005) of the late diastolic transmitral flow elicited by atrial systole. Stroke volume decreased (7.8 ± 5.2%, p < 0.001) during short AVD as a consequence of a reduced left ventricular filling due to the interruption of the active atrial transport by the onset of the ventricular contraction.