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A Egré

Publications and source records attributed to A Egré.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

[Provocation tests for coronary spasm. Methods, value and indications].

Five methods are currently used to demonstrate coronary spasm: they use derivatives of ergotamine, alkalinisation, cold, adenosine triphosphate and exercise stress test. The criteria used to confirm spasm are either direct visualisation at coronary angiography or indirect electrocardiographic changes. The value of these test is beginning to be established: --their specificity is excellent with all methods (a positive test is diagnostic); --their sensitivity is mediocre (a negative test does not exclude the diagnosis). This depends on three factors: the choice of criteria of positivity: angiographic appearances is the most reliable; the timing of the test: it is more likely to be positive when the test is carried out close to episodes of chest pain; the method of provocation: the most sensitive tests use either the ergotamine derivatives or alkalinisation; --reproductibility is satisfactory at short and long term. These tests have diagnostic and therapeutic indications. It is preferable to perform diagnostic tests during coronary angiography in patients with normal coronary arteries and unexplained episodes of chest pain. However, in patients with fixed coronary lesions (except triple vessel and left main stem disease) when coronary bypass surgery is planned, the results of the test can help in the choice of associated therapy, such as plexectomy and calcium antagonist drugs. The repetition of the test is useful in the evaluation of antispastic therapy: when the test becomes negative the drug used is probably effective. In conclusion, with equal patient comfort and MSR, provocation tests using the ergotamine derivatives would seem to be the method of choice: alkalinisation is a good alternative.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

[Detection of left intraventricular thrombi in the acute phase of myocardial infarction by 2-dimensional echocardiography. Apropos of 103 cases].

Two-dimensional echocardiography (2D echo) was performed in 103 patients (94 men, 9 women, aged 35 to 76 years; mean 55,4 years) during the acute phase of primary myocardial infarction in order to detect left ventricular thrombi (LVT). This investigation was carried out between the 7th and 30th days with an 84 degrees phased array sector scanner. A total of 17 LVT were visualised, all at the apex of the left ventricle. There factors seemed to predispose to this condition: --the site of infarction: LVT were more common in anterior (16/56) than inferior infarcts (1/47) (p less than 0,001); --the extent of the necrosis: LVT occurred in 13/30 antérior infarcts when the akinesia involved at least two antero-apical segments, compared to only 3/26 when the necrosis was less extensive (p less than 0,05); --cardiac failure in anterior myocardial infarction: LVT were found in 11/21 cases with cardiac failure and in only 5/35 without cardiac failure (p less than 0,01). The outcome of 45 patients was assessed by 2D echo 3 to 12 months after the acute episode (mean 7,6 months). Control echo was unchanged in 35 patients (15 inferior, 20 anterior infarcts) without LVT. In 10 patients with LVT treated by oral VitK antagonists, the thrombus disappeared in 5 cases without embolism; it decreased in volume in 3 cases and persisted unchanged in 2 cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[Outcome of vasospastic angina with normal or near-normal coronary arteries (author's transl)].

The outcome of vasospastic angina with normal or near-normal coronary arteries was investigated in 48 patients followed up for periods of 3 to 55 months (mean : 19.1 months). The course of the disease was unfavorable in 13 patients, of whom 3 died, 5 developed myocardial infarction and 5 refractory angina. It was favourable in 16 patients who remained asymptomatic for at least 6 months, and intermediate in 16 patients whose anginal attacks became less frequent. Three patients were lost sight of. Calcium antagonists were administered to 32 patients; they proved superior to beta-blockers but imperfectly controlled the course of the disease : the anginal attacks completely ceased in 12 patients, became less frequent in 11 and persisted or became worse in 5. A close correlation was found between long-term outcome and the results of provocation tests performed at the beginning of treatment, and it is proposed that these tests should be used as therapeutic guide-lines.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

[Disappearance of coronary collateral circulation during a crisis of spontaneous angina. The role of spasm].

Disappearance of the collateral coronary circulation was observed during an attack of spontaneous angina. During coronary angiography, the patient developed precordial pain, ST depression in Leads I, II, III, AVL, AVF, and V2 to V6. The two coronary arteries were opacified: there was no change in the left coronary tree but the collateral circulation arising from the right coronary artery and revascularising the obstructed left anterior descending artery the ECG reverted to its previous state and the collateral circulation reappeared. This case suggests that coronary artery spasm may lead to disappearance of the collateral circulation. It raises problems of methodology in the demonstration of spastic phenomena and emphasises the role of the collateral circulation in the genesis of ischaemia. It is another illustration of coronary artery spasm accompanied by ST depression.

Angina Pectoris, Variant↗

[Medical treatment of ilio-caval venous thrombosis].

120 patients with ilio-caval thrombosis were managed medically. 55 patients were given heparin (5 mg/Kg/day for 15 days), 50 patients received streptokinase (loading dose 250,000 u; maintenance dose 100,000 m/h for 48 hours) and 15 patients had urokinase (112,500 u/h for 44 hours). Thrombolytic therapy was prescribed, in the absence of contraindications, for patients below 70 year of age: other patients were treated with heparin. The results were assessed by venography performed before and after treatment: success was defined as the complete disappearance of the thrombus of disobliteration of the ilio-caval axis. The overall success rate was 32%, with 68% failures. Success was higher with streptokinase (50%) than with heparin (20%) or urokinase (13%). The site, extension ans aetiology of the thrombosis did not affect the results. On the other hand, two other factors seemed to play an important role: - the duration of thrombosis: this only affected the streptokinase group; 23 of the 25 successes were obtained in patients treated before the tenth day. The results were unaffected by the duration of the thrombosis in the heparin group; - the biological effectiveness of therapy: 7 out of the 11 successes in the heparin group had been constantly well anticoagulated; there were only 4 successes out of 38 patients in whom the biological effectiveness had been intermittent. There were 21 successes out of 32 patients treated by streptokinase with serum fibrin levels of less than 1 g. There were only 4 successes in the 18 other cases. The incidence of haemorrhage was identical in the 3 groups. Embolism was slightly commoner in the streptokinase (3) than in the heparin group (2).

Adult↗

[Value of continous electrocardiography (Holter monitoring) in mitral valve prolapse].

Twenty three patients with mitral valve prolapse underwent ambulatory 20 to 24 hour electrocardiography to study the incidence and severity of ventricular arrhythmias. These arrhythmias were found in 20 cases (87 p. 100). Ventricular extrasystoles were usually grouped (14 cases) causing doublets in 8 cases and bursts of ventricular tachycardia in the 6 others. The importance of the information obtained by Holter monitoring should not detract from the value of the standard resting electrocardiogramme. In fact, there appears to be a good correlation between the severity of the ventricular arrhythmia and the presence of ST changes over the postero-inferior zones. These abnormalities were never present in patients without ventricular extrasystoles but on the other hand they were observed in 5 of the 6 patients with ventricular tachycardia. From a practical point of view this may represent a simple means of identifying patients at high risk of dangerous arrhythmias.

Adolescent↗