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Duplex scanning, i.e. combined real time ultrasonography and pulsed Doppler velocity measurement, of the inferior vena cava and portal vein was performed in 85 patients subjected to routine left and right heart catheterization. Mean blood velocity and volume blood flow in the inferior vena cava were found to be pulsatile, reflecting both cardiac action and respiration. Different flow patterns could be related to various heart conditions. The cross-sectional area of the inferior vena cava was also pulsatile, the normal variation with respiration being partial collapse during inspiration and maximum distension at end expiration. In the majority of patients, portal vein flow showed variation with respiration only, maximum flow occurring during expiration. The flow patterns found in the two veins were well in accordance with previous invasive findings in animals. It is concluded that duplex scanning is a useful tool in the assessment of abdominal venous return.

Cardiac transplantation in 10 patients with congestive heart failure resulted in reduction of high plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), preoperatively five-fold above normal, to a level two-fold above normal, which was maintained throughout a 12-week follow-up period. Cardiac function was normalized in all patients. Transient increases in plasma ANP, in four cardiac recipients 3-10-fold their basal levels, could neither be related to rejection episodes nor to cardiac dysfunction, but rather to signs of fluid and sodium retention. High plasma ANP levels in cardiac transplant recipients suggest that the capacity to secrete ANP is preserved in the transplanted heart.

The accuracy with which the pressure gradient in the Hancock mitral valve can be determined from noninvasive ultrasound Doppler data was explored in a study of eight adult patients. The mean manometric pressure gradient (delta PM) was determined by performing simultaneous left atrial and left ventricular catheterization. The mean diastolic pressure gradient was also determined from noninvasive ultrasound data (delta PU). Identical cardiac cycles were used to compare delta PM and delta PU. In the eight patients delta PM ranged from 3.0 to 9.0 mmHg and cardiac output from 3.7 to 5.5 l/min. The difference delta PM-delta PU was 0.3 +/- 0.9 mmHg (mean +/- SD). The results thus indicated that noninvasive ultrasound can determine the mean diastolic gradient in the Hancock mitral valve with an accuracy which approaches that attained with conventional manometric methods.

The case of a patient with the new type Bjørk-Shiley aortic and mitral valve prosthesis is described. Three months after implant she suffered acute heart failure and died. Post-mortem examination revealed a fractured outlet strut in the mitral valve prosthesis with dislocation of the disc. The fracture was regarded as due to excessive brittleness caused by demonstrated deposition of chromium-tungsten-carbide.

A haemodialysis fistula may be a factor in the development of cardiac failure, and surgical reduction of fistula blood flow can improve the condition. We have investigated 6 patients with dialysis fistulas and closed the fistula in one of them, with marked improvement of cardiac failure. It is unlikely that a peripheral dialysis fistula can cause cardiac failure by itself, but it may be a contributing factor when the cardiac reserve is reduced due to other causes.

The present series was comprised of 48 patients, 25 of whom received the Björk-Shiley (B-S) and 23 the Lillehei-Kaster (L-K) disc valves. The 2 groups were comparable with regard to age, and to preoperative clinical and hemodynamic status. The randomized selection was carried out at the beginning of the operation. The total mortality in the B-S and L-K groups was 16% and 21% respectively. All surviving patients were restudied 13-40 months (mean 27) after surgery. Late thromboembolic complications occurred in 2 patients with B-S and in 3 with L-K valves, all leaving minor neurological sequelae. There was a relatively large number of patients in the L-K group with unmeasurable values of haptoglobin, indicating more hemolysis in these patients. However, the difference was not statistically significant. The clinical and hemodynamic status was improved in both groups. In the aortic position a significant gradient was found across the L-K valve, while no significant obstruction in the flow was found in the B-S valve. The pulmonary arteriolar resistance was significantly higher in patients with B-S than in those with L-K valves. Otherwise, there was no significant differences between the 2 groups, neither with regard to clinical nor to hemodynamic status.

In 38 patients with "pure" aortic stenosis, P terminal force in V(1)(V(1)Ptf) correlated well with left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (n = 38, r =-0.59, p smaller than 0.001), Poorer, but nevertheless significant correlations were observed with aortic systolic pressure gradient (r = -0;32, p smaller than 0,05) and cardiac volume measured by X-ray (r = -0.34, p smaller than 0.05). No significant correlation was found between V(1)Ptf and peak systolic left ventricular pressure. If V(1)Pft more negative than -0.03 mm sec is used to detect elevated LVEDP (above 12 mm Hg), the sensitivity is 81 percent, and the specificity 86 percent. Increased left atrial volume is probably the most important mechanism of this relationship. V(1)Ptf is a useful tool for the assessment of the functional and hemodynamic state of the left ventircle in aortic stenosis.

We analyzed data from 26 patients with left ventricular aneurysm and severe congestive heart failure to evaluate our selection criteria for aneurysm surgery and heart transplantation. The operative results for patients who underwent aneurysm resection (group A, n = 14) were compared with those of patients who were accepted for heart transplantation (group B, n = 12). All patients were monitored and reinvestigated after surgery. Functional status and left ventricular angiographic and hemodynamic findings were significantly worse in group B than in group A, but with great overlap between the groups. The presence of mitral insufficiency or right ventricular dysfunction (or both), however, was important in our selection for transplantation. Two patients died after aneurysm surgery, whereas one died before heart transplantation. Functional status (p less than 0.004) and left ventricular ejection fraction (p less than 0.05) improved after aneurysm resection, whereas hemodynamic values remained unchanged. Symptoms were relieved (p less than 0.001), and, except for cardiac index, hemodynamic values were normalized in group B. We conclude that the combination of a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 25%, mitral insufficiency, and right ventricular dysfunction favors heart transplantation in patients with left ventricular aneurysm and end-stage heart disease. The lack of donor organs and acceptable results of aneurysmectomy, however, justify conventional surgery even in high-risk patients.

We report on the effect of verapamil in 12 patients suffering from pulmonary hypertension. The drug caused a slight, but statistically significant decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure and in the work performance by the right ventricle. The mean pressure of the right atrium, the end-diastolic pressure of the right ventricle, the pulmonary arteriolar resistance, the cardiac index and the stroke volume were not significantly changed, however, and there was a wide spread of the values observed. In some patients the drug exerted a marked negative inotropic effect, with a concomitant increase in the pulmonary arteriolar resistance.

Eight patients underwent orthotopic heart transplantation in Norway during 1984, with retransplantation in one case. The age range of the 5 men and 3 women was 19-53 years. The preoperative diagnosis was cardiomyopathy in 6 patients, ischaemic heart disease in one, and a combination of the two disorders in one patient. The immunosuppressive regimen, with cyclosporin A and low-dose prednisolone, and the treatment of graft rejection, followed the Stanford University protocol. There was no operative mortality. Three patients died shortly after the transplantation, 2 of them after about a week from acute rejection; in one of these 2 cases a second transplant was made, but was followed by pulmonary and renal complications. The third death occurred about 10 weeks postoperatively, from donor heart failure due to Toxoplasma myocarditis. The 5 survivors are clinically in good condition.

Cardiac output determined by Doppler echocardiography was compared with that determined by thermodilution at rest and during dobutamine infusion in 10 patients (group A) and by the Fick method at rest in 11 patients (group B). All patients had angina pectoris without valvular heart disease. Maximum spatial blood velocity and cross sectional aortic area were estimated by the Doppler technique and echocardiography. Cardiac output was calculated by multiplying blood velocity by aortic area at various levels in the ascending aorta. The best correlation of cardiac output between the invasive and non-invasive methods was obtained when maximum velocity in the aortic root and the aortic orifice area were used in the calculations. Cardiac output was considerably overestimated when area measurements in the aortic root were used.

In the present study we have examined adenylate cyclase (AC) activity, the stimulation by isoproterenol and inhibition by propranolol, in endomyocardial biopsies from eleven patients with suspected cardiomyopathy. Biopsies were obtained by heart catheterization from the right endomyocardial surface of the interventricular septum. Three biopsies were taken from each patient (mean weight, 2.1 mg; range, 1.2-4.0 mg). One biopsy was studied by light microscopy. The two other biopsies were homogenized and AC activity in the homogenates was determined in the presence of different concentrations of isoproterenol and isoproterenol (5 micrograms/ml) combined with different concentrations of propranolol. Thus stimulation and inhibition curves were established for a pair of biopsies from each patient. Appropriate biopsy material was obtained in triplicate from only seven patients. In these patients the variance in maximal receptor stimulation (by isoproterenol) and inhibition (by propranolol) was significantly smaller in pairs of biopsies compared to the variance between all biopsies (p values from less than 0.05 to less than 0.025). Hence it is possible to determine AC activity, and adrenergic receptor function, in very small endomyocardial biopsies. New diagnostic possibilities could thereby be introduced.

Haemodynamic responses to 50% nitrous oxide in oxygen during coronary artery surgery were investigated in 10 patients. Morphine, diazepam and pancuronium were given intravenously as both induction and maintenance anaesthesia. A significant decrease was seen in heart rate, arterial pressure, pulmonary artery pressure, heart rate-systolic arterial pressure product, peripheral vascular resistance, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, dP/dT of the left ventricle and resistance as measured in the graft to the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). No variations occurred in cardiac output, stroke volume, flow in the LAD-graft, pulmonary artery pressure or heart rate-systolic pulmonary artery pressure product or in dP/dT of the right ventricle. Pulmonary vascular resistance increased. It was concluded that left ventricular performance did not decrease and that no deterioration of the oxygenation to the myocardium seemed to occur.

The accuracy in determining the pressure gradient in the Björk-Shiley mitral implant from noninvasive ultrasound Doppler data was explored in nine adult patients. Manometric and ultrasound data were collectd simultaneously, and identical diastolic periods were used to compare the manometric gradient (delta Pm) with the gradient obtained from ultrasound data (delta Pu). In the nine patients the mean diastolic value of delta Pm ranged from 2-12.5 mm Hg and the difference between the mean diastolic values of delta Pm and delta Pu was 0.3 +/- 1.0 mm Hg(SD). The results of the investigation indicated that the method is accurate and reliable in the nonivasive determination of the mean diastolic gradient in the Björk-Shiley mitral implant.

A transplanted (Tx) heart will probably compensate its sympathetic denervation by increasing the sensitivity to adrenergic stimulants. To evaluate whether this also engages the myocardial adenylate cyclase (AC) system, small endomyocardial biopsies were collected at right heart catheterization both from patients with heart Tx with no signs of rejection and from a group of patients serving as controls. In crude homogenates from these biopsies, AC activity was measured at basal conditions and following in vitro stimulation with optimal concentrations of beta-receptor agonists, histamine and sodium fluoride (NaF). The Tx group exhibited a 75% (p = 0.01) higher activation of AC with isoproterenol, and a 62% (p less than 0.05) higher AC activation with terbutaline compared with the control group. The differences in AC activation by histamine and NaF were insignificant. Thus, sympathetic denervation leads to increased activation of the beta-adrenoceptor-coupled AC system, leaving the histaminergic system unaltered. The upregulation does probably engage the receptor part of the receptor-AC system exclusively, since no elevation of NaF stimulation of AC was found in the Tx hearts.

The parmacokinetics of disopyramide (DP) in 10 patients with imminent to moderate cardiac failure has been studied and compared with the results in normal volunteers. The biological half life of rapid distribution (T1/2 alpha) and of elimination (T1/2 beta) were increased (11.1 +/- 4.4 min and 9.7 +/- 4.2 h, respectively). Total body clearance (Clt) was decreased (0.467 +/- 0.215 ml . min-1 . kg-1), and the volume of distribution (Vd) was slightly reduced (0.610 +/- 0.1361 . kg-1), probably due to the lower cardiac index. After oral administration, the time of peak serum concentration was increased (139 +/- 89 min), and the mean peak serum concentration (2.4 +/- 0.8% dose . 1-1) was also higher than reported in normal subjects. Comparison of the areas under the concentration versus time curves after intravenous and oral administration (AUC i. v. and AUC oral) showed that DP was almost completely absorbed, its bioavailability being 97.5 +/- 15.0%.

In a consecutive series, 125 patients with isolated ventricular septal defect (VSD) and age 10 or more were observed until death or beyond the age of 30 (31-73) years. Reinvestigation was performed after a mean observation time of 15 (4-21) years. Among the 41 patients who primarily underwent surgery (group 1) there were four postoperative deaths--three patients with severe aortic insufficiency and one with systemic pulmonary artery pressure. Surgery was not initially regarded as indicated in 70 patients with small defects (group 2). The remaining 14 patients were judged to be inoperable (group 3). The long-term mortality was 5% in group 1, 9% in group 2 and 71% in group 3. At the reinvestigation, the pulmonary artery pressure was significantly higher than the initial level in group 2 and significantly lower than that level in group 1. As compared with the surgically treated patients, group 2 showed higher incidence of valvular lesions (22% v. 14%) and of bacterial endocarditis (4.3% v. 2.7%), but not to statistically significant level. Spontaneous closure occurred in 6% of the group 2 cases. Residual defects were found in 34% of group 1, but were small. The intergroup differences, though of minor degree, favour surgical treatment, and patients with significant shunt should be recommended operation.

A 52-year-old woman is described with the clinical picture of congestive heart failure, electro- and vectorcardiographic evidence of myocardial infarction, combined with angiographically hypokinetic left ventricle, but with patent coronary arteries. Endomyocardial biopsy disclosed changes consistent with 'congestive cardiomyopathy'. Thus, the study shows that the Q wave pattern on the electrocardiogram provides insufficient evidence for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction, and may be misleading in patients with cardiomyopathy. In such circumstances, endomyocardial biopsy from the left or right ventricle appears to be a helpful diagnostic method, and further use of this technique may permit a more precise diagnosis in patients with a history of myocardial infarction, but with normal coronary arteries.

A series of 125 consecutive patients with isolated ventricular septal defect (VSD) aged 10 or over, were followed until death or beyond the age of 30 (31-73) years. A prospective restudy was performed after a mean follow-up of 15 (3-21) years. Forty-one patients (group 1) were treated with surgical repair of VSD at a mean age of 23 (10-51) years, and early mortality was 10%, i.e. 3 with severe aortic insufficiency and one with systemic pulmonary artery pressure. Surgery was initially not regarded indicated in 70 patients with small defects (group 2). A further 14 patients were judged inoperable (group 3). Long-term mortality was 5% in group 1, 9% in group 2 and 71% in group 3. When restudied, group 2 patients had significantly higher (p less than 0.01) and group 1, lower (p less than 0.01) pulmonary artery pressures than initially. A moderate deterioration in NYHA-rating was noted in group 2 (p less than 0.05) vs. a slight improvement in group 1 (p less than 0.05). The non-operated patients had a higher incidence of valvular lesions (19% vs. 13%) and bacterial endocarditis (4.3% vs. 2.7%) than the operated but not to a statistically significant level. Spontaneous closure was 6% in group 2 whereas mostly small residual defects were found in 34% of the operated. Patients with uncomplicated VSDs (absence of valvular lesions or coronary heart disease) had subnormal exercise tolerance as judged from a standardized ergometer bicycle test. These patients also had impaired left ventricular function based upon haemodynamic studies during moderate supine exercise. No major differences were noted between groups 1 and 2, but operated patients with residual VSDs tended to have the poorest cardiac performance. Non-cardiac disease represented only a minor problem and no significant differences in psychosocial function were observed between groups 1 and 2. Only 50% in group 1 and 60% in group 2 attended a regular medical clinic. Antibiotic prophylaxis had only been practiced by 50% in both groups. Although small, but differences between groups 1 and 2 favour surgery. This must be regarded as a positive result of surgical treatment since those operated on had basically larger and thus more severe defects than the others. In view of the very low operative risk associated with modern surgical technique one should direct patients with significant shunts to operative treatment.

The single bolus thermodilution method for measurement of renal vein blood flow was tested. In model experiments the thermodilution method was compared with graduated cylinder measurements over a flow range from 50 to 1050 ml/min. There was a good correlation between the two methods (r = 0.98) with a mean of differences of 5.2%. In eighteen patients measurements were performed in duplicate in thirty-one renal veins. Comparison was made between the first (x) and second (u) measurement--performed within 3 min. The correlation between the two was very good (r = 0.99; y = 1.03x - 11.48). In twelve patients bilateral renal vein blood flow measurements were performed simultaneous to blood flow measurement by PAH clearance. The correlation between total flow measured by thermodilution (y) and by the clearance method (x) was good (r = 0.98; y = 0.79x + 221). It is concluded that the thermodilution method requires catheterization of the renal veins, but is otherwise simple to perform, is inexpensive and gives reliable results. It is particularly advantageous when repeated measurements in the study of acute changes in renal haemodynamics is desirable.

The accuracy of a non-invasive ultrasound Doppler technique for the determination of the pressure gradient in mitral stenosis was evaluated in a study of 8 adult patients. Transseptal left atrial catheterisation and retrograde left ventricular catheterisation were performed. The same diastoles were used to compare the gradient constructed from the ultrasound data (delta PU) with that constructed from the manometric data (delta PM). In the 8 patients the difference betweent he mean diastolic values of delta PU and delta PM was - 0.54 +/- 1.0 (SD) mmHg. The corresponding figure for mid-diastole was 0.01 +/- 0.9 (SD) mmHg. The results indicate that the ultrasound technique is sufficiently accurate for diagnostic purposes.

Thirty-nine vectorcardiographic (VCG) data from 45 patients with pure adult aortic stenosis have been tested as to their ability to reflect quantitatively the peak systolic left ventricular pressure (LVPSP), the left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), and the X-ray estimated heart volume. VCG was recorded with the axial lead system and simple and multiple linear regression analyses were applied. Eight VCG data correlated significantly (p less than 0.001) with LVPSP, the best indicator being the maximum posterior dislocation in the Z lead (r = 0.65). Through multiple regression analysis a formula was derived which gave a correlation coefficient between observed and calculated pressures of 0.82. The best indicator of LVEDP was the maximum positive P amplitude in the X lead (r = 0.41). The relationship was, however, too poor to have practical significance. A good correlation was found between ST segment dislocation and heart volume (r = 0.65), in good accordance with previous observations as to the effect of right ventricular dilatation on the ECG. The study illustrates how ventricular volume and pressure exert different effects on the ECG, and how all the important hemodynamic aspects in aortic stenosis to some degree are reflected. Only the pressure correlations have, however, practical importance.

The new non-ionic contrast medium iohexol (Omnipaque) was compared with the ionic medium sodium meglumine calcium metrizoate (Isopaque Coronar) in a double blind, two-group trial. Iohexol resulted in significantly fewer and smaller subjective reactions than metrizoate. Changes of left ventricular and aortic pressure were statistically significantly less after injection of iohexol than of metrizoate. ECG recordings did not significantly differ in the two groups. Analysis of biochemical parameters showed no statistical differences between the two groups. Determination of serum enzyme activities revealed no signs of myocardial injury, and no impairment of glomerular filtration rate was detected by radionuclear renal function test. Similar radiographic quality was obtained with both media.

A 2 MHz continuous waveform non-invasive ultrasound doppler system has been used in the present investigation. With the aid of the audio signals of the frequency shifts, the ultrasound probe was positioned on the external chest so that the axis of the incident ultrasonic beam coincided with the direction of the maximum velocity vectors of the mitral jet. The frequency shifts due to the mitral jet were frequency analyzed and the time course of the maximum frequency shift was determined. The time course of the maximum mitral jet velocity was then determined from the doppler equation and the time course of the mitral pressure gradient from an orifice equation. The usefulness of the technique was evaluated by studying 25 patients with mitral stenosis and 10 without heart disease. The patients with mitral stenosis were studied during cardiac catheterization and the ultrasound data, the pulmonary artery wedge pressure, and the left ventricular pressure were recorded simultaneously. A table is presented where the gradient determined with the ultrasound technique, deltaPU, is compared with the gradient determined from the pressure tracing, deltaPM. Averaged over the 25 patients studied, deltaPU was 1.7 mmHg smaller than deltaPM at 0.08 sec diastolic time and 1.8 mmHg smaller at 0.25 sec diastolic time. The findings in the patients without heart disease differed distinctly from those in the patients with mitral stenosis. The investigation demonstrated that the non-invasive ultrasound technique can be used with confidence to gain an impression of the magnitude of the mitral pressure gradient. The findings also suggest that deltaPU represents the actual pressure gradient more accurately than deltaPM. Another investigation is proposed to assess the accuracy of the technique more completely.

Disopyramide exerts a quinidinelike effect on the heart and is a valuable drug for treating atrial and, especially, ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The therapeutic plasma concentration of disopyramide is thought to be 2.0-4.0 (5.0) microgram/ml. We here report the cardiac effects of a high dose of disopryamide in a patient with extensive coronary artery disease complicated by ventricular extrasystoles. At plasma levels above approximately 7.0 micrograms/ml, heart rate was decreased, while PQ interval, width, and QT interval were increased. At concentrations above approximately 6.0 micrograms/ml, disopyramide exerted negative intropic effects as judged by increases in mean right atrial, pulmonary arteriolar, and pulmonary capillary venous pressures and a decrease in cardiac output.