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Biomedical subjects

A Hartmann

Publications and source records attributed to A Hartmann.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Reopening chronic arterial occlusions].

Chronic complete occlusions still represent the major technical limitation of percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty, both in peripheral and coronary vessels. The clinical use of low speed rotational angioplasty (ROTACS) started in 1986 for the peripheral and in 1987 for the coronary vessels, and has already become part of the clinical routine in several centers. Up to now, more than 300 patients with peripheral and more than 200 patients with coronary occlusions were treated in Frankfurt. In peripheral occlusions the acute success rate was more than 80% if used as the first attempt; after failure of conventional techniques still more than 60% of the vessels could be recanalized successfully. In addition to occlusions of the arteries of the lower limbs, the indication now includes the iliac artery and several other indications are under investigation. In each of the patients with chronic coronary occlusions an attempt with conventional techniques had failed before. Following a learning curve, which was also influenced by a better understanding of morphological preconditions, the acute success rate has now reached 70%. Both in patients with peripheral and those with coronary occlusions no deaths occurred. First angiographically documented long-term results in both indications are comparable to conventional balloon angioplasty. It is concluded that the use of low speed rotational angioplasty (ROTACS) can improve the results of nonoperative invasive treatment, both in peripheral and in coronary arteries.

Angiography

[Drug therapy of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy].

INTRODUCTION: Hypertrophy of the myocardium occurring in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) may affect different locations of the left ventricle. If the hypertrophy is sited in the region of the basal septum, obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy [HOCM]) occurs. characteristic of left ventricular function in HCM is hypercontractility and disordered diastolic relaxation. THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES: In the medical treatment of HCM, the calcium antagonists play a leading role. They improve relaxation and, through their negative inotropic effect, decrease the intraventricular gradient. Although beta-blockers reduce the gradient in outflow tract obstruction, they do not improve relaxation. In individual cases the use of diuretics and anti-arrhythmic agents may be necessary; in the case of atrial fibrillation the use of marcumar is recommended. CAUTIONARY REMARK: In the event of dental treatment or invasive diagnostic procedures being necessary, prophylactic measures against endocarditis should be initiated.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists

Differentiation and retrodifferentiation of human myeloid leukemia cells is associated with reversible induction of cell cycle-regulatory genes.

Treatment of human myeloid leukemia cells (HL-60, U-937, THP-1) with the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) is associated with differentiation along the monocytic lineage. This induction by TPA is characterized in part by growth arrest and the appearance of differentiated monocytic phenotype. The present studies demonstrate that myeloid leukemia cells exit the cell cycle to G0-G1 between 24 and 36 h following TPA treatment. This G0-G1 arrest was accompanied by down-regulation of the cell cycle-regulatory genes cdc2, cyclin A, cyclin B, and cdc25. Similar findings were obtained for histones H1 and H4. Cell cycle progression of synchronized U-937 cells revealed low to undetectable mRNA levels for these genes in G1 and maximal transcription in G2-M phase. Results obtained from mRNA half-life studies demonstrate that the stability of cdc2, cyclin A, cyclin B, and cdc25 transcripts is similar in control and TPA-treated U-937 cells. Nuclear run-on assays demonstrated down-regulation of histone gene transcription, while there was no signal detectable for the cell cycle-regulatory genes. The present findings also demonstrate that long term culture of TPA-differentiated U-937 cells is associated with a decrease in G0-G1-arrested cells and an increase of cells in S and G2-M after 25 days. This reentry into the cell cycle was accompanied by loss of adherence, down-regulation of markers for the monocytic phenotype, and induction of the cell cycle-regulatory genes. This process of retrodifferentiation was completed after 36 days when patterns of cell cycle-regulatory and histone gene expression were identical to that in untreated U-937 cells.

Cell Cycle

Fifteen years' experience with renal transplantation in systemic amyloidosis.

At our center 62 renal transplantations (31 living donor and 31 cadaveric donor grafts) have been performed in 58 patients with amyloid renal disease since 1974. The amyloidosis was secondary to rheumatic disease in 74% of the patients. Predialytic transplantation was performed in 28% of the patients. Mean follow-up time was 5.1 years (0.3-14.5 years). One-year actuarial patient survival was 79%, decreasing to 65% after 5 years. First graft survival was 74% at 1 year and 62% at 5 years. Patient death with a functioning graft caused 16 out of 25 graft losses. Infections caused 11 out of 18 deaths (61%), more than half of them within 3 months. Renal transplant amyloid was diagnosed in about 10% of the cases (6/62); however, only about 3% of the grafts (2/62) were lost. These long-term results encourage transplantation in amyloid renal end-stage disease.

Adolescent

Psychotherapy of bulimia nervosa: what is effective? A meta-analysis.

The present paper assesses the state of the art of psychotherapy of bulimia nervosa. Five hundred and fifty publications available up to April 1990 were systematically screened. Included in subsequent analysis were all studies with samples of five or more bulimic patients which used operational diagnostic criteria, and reported results of binging and vomiting or other means of purging quantitatively. Only 18 independent studies with a total of 433 patients in 24 treatments and 61 patients in 6 control groups fulfilled these criteria. Therapy outcome across studies was assessed meta-analytically. Therapy process across studies was assessed through ratings of interventions used (behavioural, cognitive, educational, humanistic, psychodynamic techniques and symptom-, conflict-, and relationship-orientation), setting and dose parameters. Settings were out-patients only, mostly group or individual. Most studies were on short-term therapies and follow-ups. Stepwise regression analysis revealed no definite advantage of one setting or therapeutic approach over another. Thirty-six per cent of variance was explained by the number of treatment sessions in combination with relationship orientation.

Bulimia

Right ventricular volumes and hemodynamics after successful orthotopic heart transplantation. A comparison to coronary artery disease using thermodilution.

Only few data exist concerning right ventricular function in the chronic stage after cardiac transplantation. Therefore, we investigated hemodynamic and right ventricular volumetric data by a computerized thermodilution Swan-Ganz catheter in 17 patients (median age: 53, range: 18-63 yr) at a median of 24 (4 to 44) months after cardiac transplantation during rest and supine bicycle exercise. Myocardial biopsy showed grade one or less according to the classifications of Billingham. Sixteen patients with coronary artery disease, but without prior myocardial infarction, served for comparison. While angiographic left ventricular ejection fraction was nearly identical in transplant recipients [77 (60-92)%, median (range)] and in patients with coronary artery disease [78 (64-94)%], right ventricular ejection fraction was lower (p < 0.001) in patients after cardiac transplantation [37 (16-58)%] as compared to patients with coronary artery disease [56 (46-62)%]. In transplant recipients right atrial pressure was significantly higher both at rest [10 (2-18) mmHg] and exercise [18 (8-30) mmHg] than in patients with coronary artery disease [5 (1-11) and 8 (3-18) mmHg]. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure behaved similar in both groups. To further evaluate reasons for right ventricular impairment, a correlation analysis was performed. This showed a negative correlation between right ventricular ejection fraction and the time interval after transplantation (p < 0.0002). However, there was no correlation between right ventricular ejection fraction and acute rejection or a rejection score. In conclusion, right ventricular function may be severely altered in transplant recipients, in contrast to an only slight impairment of left ventricular function.

Adolescent

Effect of propranolol and disopyramide on left ventricular function at rest and during exercise in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

In 19 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (15 males, 4 females, mean age 49.2 +/- 10.8 years) left ventricular function was studied with radionuclide ventriculography at rest and during exercise in a crossover design without intervention and after disopyramide and propranolol treatment. 15 of the 19 patients had a resting or latent intraventricular gradient of more than 30 mm Hg. Left ventricular function at rest and during exercise was evaluated before medication, 90 min after oral administration of 200 mg disopyramide or 160 mg propranolol and after 3 weeks of oral therapy with disopyramide 200 mg 2 times a day or propranolol 80 mg 4 times a day. After long-term treatment with disopyramide, resting ejection fraction decreased from 72 +/- 12 to 69 +/- 14% (p less than 0.01) and peak ejection rate (PER) decreased from 3.46 +/- 135 to 3.24 +/- 65 end-diastolic volume (EDV).s-1 (p less than 0.01). Peak filling rate (PFR) at rest decreased from 3.01 +/- 0.8 to 2.77 +/- 0.63 EDV.s-1 (p less than 0.05). Time to peak filling rate (TPFR) at rest and during exercise after acute and chronic therapy did not change compared to control values. Acute and long-term administration of propranolol lead to a significant reduction in heart rate at rest and during exercise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Oral

[Reading, hearing, understanding].

The relationship between reading comprehension, listening comprehension, and two indicators of intelligence (verbal reasoning, speed of information processing) is analyzed on the basis of a hierarchical monistic model. Two tests (reading comprehension, listening comprehension) were administered to 221 4th graders in classroom context at two sessions. Order of administration was balanced. Additionally, verbal reasoning and speed of information processing were assessed, marks in German were collected. On the whole, performance in listening comprehension exceeds reading comprehension as expected for children at that age. In spite of this mean difference a high correlation between the variables was found. In accordance with theory, the relationship between reading and listening comprehension is stronger when the influence of reading specific abilities is lower and reading material is less complex. Listening comprehension appears to be of more relevance to the prediction of reading comprehension than verbal intelligence, speed of information processing, and marks in German, even when listening comprehension is introduced as the last predictor in multiple regression analysis. It is suggested to emphasize the role of listening comprehension in the assessment and prognosis of reading disabilities.

Attention

[Stage-independence and individual outcome of neuro-cognitive deficits in HIV. A follow-up study of 62 HIV-positive hemophilic patients].

62 of a series of 188 HIV-positive hemophiliacs, who had been neuropsychologically evaluated already in 1988 (T1), were re-examined 1 1/2 years later (T2). The aims of the study were to confirm the cross-sectional results of the 1988 study and to compare cross-sectional and longitudinal aspects of HIV infection and associated neurocognitive deficits. Patients were staged at T1 and T2 according to CDC classification criteria and retested using parallel tests of attention, verbal/nonverbal memory performance and depression. The following results were observed: (i) Data at T2 paralleled the findings from 1988, indicating increased deficits in attention and verbal learning and memory at an advanced stage of the disease. No association with the T4/T8 ratio was found. (ii) Between T1 and T2, 65% of the patients showed no change in stage, 27% changed one stage and only 8% showed a rapid progression through two stages. (iii) Only this latter group showed a significant cognitive deterioration over time. The remaining groups exhibited inconsistent performance changes which did not correlate with depression of changes of the T4/T8 ratio. Conclusively, the longitudinal data support the assumption of stage independent and individual different courses of the neurocognitive manifestations of HIV. A small minority of patients, however, manifested a rapid progression of the disease during the T1-T2 interval.

AIDS Dementia Complex

Ocular pseudo-myasthenic reaction induced by interferon in an AIDS patient.

A 32-year-old, HIV-positive homosexual with Kaposi's sarcoma was given subcutaneous interferon-A (IFN) for two- and a-half months. The patient complained of ocular symptoms (ptosis of the left eyelid and intermittent diplopia) after the application of IFN-A. These symptoms persisted for the period of treatment and subsided after therapy was stopped. However after IFN-A was resumed, ptosis and diplopia recurred. Intensive serological and neurological diagnostic investigations failed to present any reason for these ocular symptoms. From data and the clinical appearance we suppose that in this case the patient suffered a pseudo-myasthenic reaction to IFN-A.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

[20 years of selective coronary angiography (1968-1987). The indications, results and therapeutic consequences].

10,975 diagnostic left-heart catheterizations, performed between 1968 and 1987 in 8,436 men and 2,539 women, were analysed regarding indication, results and therapeutic implications. 6,974 patients (64%) had coronary heart disease, 2,573 (23%) a valvar defect and 849 a cardiomyopathy. The proportion of patients with coronary heart disease increased from 21% to 74% during the 20-year period, while that of patient with valvar defects fell from 52% to under 19%. Severe cardiac complications in relation to the procedure occurred in 0.88%, ending fatally in 8 patients (0.07%). 61% of patients with coronary heart disease and 31% of those with valvar defects were treated conservatively. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) gradually became more common after its introduction in 1977. In 1987, PTCA was indicated as often as a bypass operation.

Age Factors

Impairment of left ventricular function during coronary angioplastic occlusion evaluated with a nonimaging scintillation probe.

Impairment of left ventricular function during controlled myocardial ischemia induced by coronary angioplasty has been reported from angiographic and echocardiographic studies. Ejection fraction, peak ejection, peak filling rates, and end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes were investigated before, during and after coronary occlusion on-line with a nonimaging scintillation probe. The study consisted of 18 patients (mean age 59 +/- 10 years) with coronary artery stenosis of greater than 70%. During balloon inflation of 60 seconds' duration, coronary occlusion pressure was 31.6 +/- 12 mm Hg. There was no significant change in heart rate. Delay between first and second dilatation was 109 +/- 63 seconds. Ejection fraction decreased from 53 +/- 16 to 40 +/- 12% (first dilatation, p less than 0.01) and to 39 +/- 14% (second dilatation, p less than 0.01) and recovered to 51 +/- 16% 5 minutes after the second dilatation. Peak ejection rate was significantly reduced during the first and second balloon inflations. Peak filling rate decreased from 2.5 +/- 0.8 to 2.0 +/- 0.7 end-diastolic volume.s-1 (first dilatation, p less than 0.01) and to 1.8 +/- 0.7 end-diastolic volume.s-1 (second dilatation, p less than 0.01) and remained reduced at 2.2 +/- 0.7 end-diastolic volume.s-1 (p = not significant) at 5 minutes after the second dilatation. End-systolic and end-diastolic volumes increased significantly during the first and second dilatations and returned to normal after dilatation. It is concluded that short, controlled myocardial ischemia during coronary angioplasty leads to a decrease in systolic and diastolic left ventricular function. Sequential dilatations do not further decrease function if a sufficient interval is kept.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary

[Recanalization of chronically obstructed coronary vessels using ROTACS (low-speed rotational angioplasty. Early and long-term results in 152 patients following unsuccessful conventional angioplasty].

Total coronary artery occlusion is the main limiting factor of non-surgical recanalization procedures. With conventional methods, recanalization of total occlusions older than 6 months has a low success rate. Low-speed rotational angioplasty (ROTACS, Osypka, Medtronic) was employed in 152 patients with chronic coronary occlusions in whom conventional guide wire techniques failed. The average success rate was 60% and, although not correlated to site of occlusion, revealed a clear correlation to the duration of the occlusion: 93% (1-3 months), 74% (4-6 months), 52% (6-12 months) and 8% (greater than 12 months). Emergency surgery was needed in 2 patients in whom an attempt was made to recanalize an occluded LAD branch. In both cases, the occlusion was located in the immediate vicinity of the main trunk of the left coronary artery. Thereafter, this anatomical situation was considered a contraindication and no further complications occurred in the subsequent 120 patients. Among the 152 patients, no deaths, no myocardial infarction and no perforation of the vessel wall occurred. Long-term results were monitored by angiography in 95% of successfully treatment patients; good results were documented in 72%.

Angioplasty, Balloon

Long-term metabolic control in recipients of combined pancreas and kidney transplants.

Metabolic glucose control was followed in 36 patients at 12-month intervals for up to 5 years after a successful combined kidney and segmental duct-occluded pancreas transplantation. All recipients had normal blood glucose levels at each examination. HbA1 values, intravenous glucose tolerance test, C-peptide levels and C-peptide responses to glucagon stimulation were also, on average, within the normal range. Several individual patients had, however, abnormal values for these parameters. At most 46% had abnormal values for HbA1 and intravenous glucose tolerance test, up to 13% showed low C-peptide values and up to 46% of the stimulated C-peptide responses were inadequate at the different intervals. These parameters did not deteriorate with time. This was true both for the whole group of patients as well as for the 6 patients with a 5-year observation time evaluated separately. Despite these abnormalities in glucose metabolism, all patients remained normoglycaemic without need for exogenous insulin up to 5 years after transplantation. The long-term ability of duct-occluded segmental pancreatic grafts to preserve euglycaemia therefore seems to remain intact at least for 5 years.

Adult