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C Mady

Publications and source records attributed to C Mady.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Histopathological findings in skeletal muscle used in human dynamic cardiomyoplasty.

Patients submitted to dynamic cardiomyoplasty had an initial clinical improvement followed by a decrease in cardiac failure indices. A histopathological study of the skeletal muscle was undertaken to explain this. Latissimus dorsi fragments from 15 patients submitted to dynamic cardiomyoplasty in a 1:1 (heart beat:muscle stimulation) conditioning were analysed by light microscopy. The interval between surgery and obtaining the specimens (13 from necropsies, two from heart transplants) ranged from 37 days to 6 years. Nuclear clumps and internalization, the presence of round fibres, inflammation, and fibrosis were analysed semi-quantitatively; the thickness of muscle fibres and the percentage of tissue fat were measured by image analysis. The quantitative data were also compared, in 12 cases, with gender- and age-matched necropsy controls. The mean thickness of muscle fibres in cases and controls was 27.21+/-5.33 and 40.84+/-9.42 microm, respectively (p=0.001). The percentage of tissue fat in cases and controls was 12.04+/-12.66% and 0.93+/-0.91%, respectively (p=0.008). The duration of grafts correlated positively with the quantity of nuclear clumps (R=0.80, p<0.001) and round fibres (R=0.53, p=0.04), as well as with the percentage of tissue fat (R=0.68, p=0.005). Accordingly, a negative correlation was found between the duration of grafts and the mean diameter of fibres, characterizing muscle atrophy (R=-0.66, p=0.01). The longer the post-surgical period, the more intense the degenerative lesions. This study shows that skeletal muscle used in human dynamic cardiomyoplasty may atrophy and be replaced by fat when stimulation is synchronized to every cardiac beat. These findings could play a role in explaining the long-term results of this surgical procedure.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2001

Chronic Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy patients display an increased IFN-gamma response to Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

One-third of all Trypanosoma cruzi -infected patients eventually develop chronic Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy (CCC), a particularly lethal inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy, where parasites are scarce and heart-infiltrating mononuclear cells seem to be the effectors of tissue damage. Since T. cruzi is a major inducer of interleukin-12 production, the role of inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of CCC was investigated. We assayed cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from CCC and asymptomatic T. cruzi -infected (ASY) individuals, as well as by T cell lines from endomyocardial biopsies from CCC patients. PBMC from CCC and ASY patients produced higher IFN-gamma levels than normal (N) individuals in response to B13 protein and phytohaemagglutinin PHA; IFN-gamma high responders (> or =1 ng/ml) were 2-3 fold more frequent among CCC patients than ASY individuals. Conversely, IL-4 production in response to the same stimuli was suppressed among T. cruzi -infected patients. The frequency of PHA-induced IFN gammaproducing cells on PBMC was significantly higher among CCC than ASY and N individuals. IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha were produced by ten out of ten PHAstimulated T cell lines from CCC patients; IL-2 and IL-10 were produced by four out of ten and one out of ten lines, respectively; IL-4, IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-12 were undetectable. Our results suggest that CCC and ASY patients may respond differentially to the IFN-gamma-inducing stimulus provided by T. cruzi infection. Given the T(1)-type cytokine profile of heart-infiltrating T cell lines from CCC patients, the ability to mount a vigorous IFN-gamma response may play a role on the differential susceptibility to CCC development.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Left ventricular function after a new pregnancy in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: A new pregnancy is usually discouraged in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), particularly when there is persistent left ventricular dysfunction. This study was undertaken to evaluate left ventricular systolic function after a new pregnancy in patients with PPCM. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nine of 44 patients with PPCM became pregnant and were selected for this study. Two patients were lost to follow-up, 1 immediately after the new pregnancy diagnosis, and the other 1 after the latest delivery, and, thus, were excluded. The remaining 7 patients had regular clinical and obstetric examinations until delivery, continued follow-up, and were submitted to echocardiography 6 to 12 months thereafter. Pregnancy was relatively well tolerated in the patients, and they gave birth to 7 healthy newborns. After this latest pregnancy, 4 patients with heart failure functional class II and 2 patients with functional class III remained unchanged. A patient, initially in functional class III, improved and was then in functional class II. Although left ventricular end-diastolic diameter did not change (61 to 58 mm), left ventricular end-systolic dimension decreased (50 to 47 mm, P =.008), resulting in a significant increase in left ventricular fractional shortening (19% to 23%, P =.02). CONCLUSION: Although based only in a small number of patients, the present results suggest that cardiac function does not deteriorate during a new pregnancy in patients with PPCM.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Primary neoplasms of the heart. Clinical and histological presentation of 50 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze clinical and histologic findings of 50 patients with primary neoplasms of the heart in a tertiary referral center. METHODS: From 1980 to 1998, we retrospectively analyzed 50 patients, 32 of whom were females, whose ages ranged from 9 to 73 years (mean age = 44.16+/-18 years). RESULTS: Most tumors were located in the left side of the heart (72%), myxoma being the most common (84%) histologic type. The other histologic types found were as follows: fibroma (4%), lipoma (2%), rhabdomyosarcoma (2%), hemangioma (2%), sarcoma (2%), angiosarcoma (2%), and lymphoma (2%). Diagnosis was established by echocardiography in 94% of the cases. Clinical findings were as follows: dyspnea (36%), weight loss (20%), palpitations (18%), chest pain (16%), fever (8%), and arthralgia (6%). All patients with thromboembolic phenomena (10%) had left atrial myxoma. Approximately 20% of the patients were asymptomatic at the initial clinical assessment. CONCLUSION: Primary cardiac tumors are a rare entity with diverse clinical and histologic findings, requiring, therefore, a high level of clinical suspicion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Effect of spironolactone on ventricular arrhythmias in congestive heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated or to ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Epidemiologic studies have shown an important increase in the high mortality of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) despite optimal medical management. Ventricular arrhythmia was recognized as the most common cause of death in this population. Electrolyte imbalance, myocardial fibrosis, left ventricular dysfunction, and inappropriate neurohumoral activation are presumed responsible for sudden cardiac death. In this study, we focused on the deleterious effects of the overproduction of aldosterone that occurs in patients with CHF. Secondary hyperaldersteronism can be part of several factors thought to be responsible for sudden cardiac death. We randomized 35 patients (32 men, aged 48 +/- 9 years) with systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction 33 +/- 5%) and New York Heart Association class III CHF secondary to dilated or ischemic cardiomyopathy into 2 groups. The treatment group received spironolactone, an aldosterone receptor antagonist, along with standard medical management using furosemide, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and digoxin. The control group received only the standard medical treatment. Holter monitoring was used to assess the severity of ventricular arrhythmia. After 20 weeks, patients who received spironolactone had a reduced hourly frequency of ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) (65 +/- 18 VPCs/hour at week 0 and 17 +/- 9 VPCs/hour at week 16) and episodes of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) (3.0 +/- 0.8 episodes of VT/24-hour period at week 0, and 0.6 +/- 0.3 VT/24-hour period at week 16). During monitored treadmill exercise, a significant improvement in ventricular arrhythmia was found in the group receiving spironolactone (39 +/- 10 VPCs at week 0, and 6 +/- 2 VPCs at week 16). These findings suggest that aldosterone may contribute to the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia in patients with CHF, and spironolactone helps reduce this complication.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2000

HLA and beta-myosin heavy chain do not influence susceptibility to Chagas disease cardiomyopathy.

An inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy occurs in 30% of Chagas' disease patients, chronically infected by Trypanosoma cruzi, while the remaining infected individuals are asymptomatic. Studies have indicated a role for genetic factors in the susceptibility to Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy. In an attempt to identify the genetic factors influencing the development and outcome of Chagas' cardiomyopathy, we compared the frequencies of alleles from two candidate gene loci, class II HLA and a microsatellite marker for the human cardiac beta-myosin heavy chain gene in different clinical groups. Patients were grouped as asymptomatic or with severe or mild cardiomyopathy. The results indicate that the HLA and myosin microsatellite allele profiles in all cardiomyopathy and in asymptomatic groups are similar. In conclusion, these results establish that polymorphism of HLA-DR and -DQ molecules, as well as beta-cardiac myosin, do not influence the susceptibility to different clinical forms of Chagas' disease or the progression to severe Chagas' cardiomyopathy. On the other hand, male sex was identified as a risk factor for progression to the more severe forms of cardiomyopathy (relative risk = 8.75).

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Maximal functional capacity in patients with Chagas' cardiomyopathy without congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Chagas' disease is a known dilated form of cardiomyopathy. However, a great number of patients, although showing electrocardiographic (ECG) well-recognized changes, maintain normal ventricular chamber dimensions and are asymptomatic. The aim of the present study was to objectively characterize functional capacity in asymptomatic patients with Chagas' disease and normal left ventricular function. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighteen asymptomatic male patients with Chagas' disease, aged 33+/-6 years, were selected for the study. All showed ECG changes typical of the disease, as well as left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) greater than 0.30 on M-mode 2-dimensionally guided echocardiography. Twenty sedentary normal male patients, aged 29+/-6 years, served as controls. Both groups were submitted to ergoespirometry testing for assessment of exercise functional capacity. Patients with Chagas' disease, when compared with controls, showed lower (P < .001) maximal O2 consumption (VO2max, 24.3+/-4.2 v 37.0+/-5.4 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1) respectively); O2 pulse rate (PO2max, 10.5+/-1.4 v 15.1+/-2.5 mL/beat, respectively); maximal ventilation (VEmax, 50.1+/-13.5 v 113.0+/-17.6 L x min(-1), respectively); anaerobic threshold of maximal O2 consumption (VO2-AT, 15.8+/-3.6 v 24.6+/-4.7 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1), respectively); and maximal heart rate (HRmax, 154+/-21 v 186+/-7 beat x min(-1), respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic patients with Chagas' disease, although presenting normal left ventricular systolic function at rest, display a substantial impairment of exercise functional capacity.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Decreased cardiopulmonary baroreflex sensitivity in Chagas' heart disease.

No study has been performed on reflexes originating from receptors in the heart that might be involved in the pathological lesions of Chagas' heart disease. Our study was undertaken to analyze the role of cardiopulmonary reflex on cardiovascular control in Chagas' disease. We studied 14 patients with Chagas' disease without heart failure and 12 healthy matched volunteers. Central venous pressure, arterial blood pressure, heart rate, forearm blood flow, and forearm vascular resistance were recorded during deactivation of cardiopulmonary receptors. By reducing central venous pressure by applying -10 and -15 mm Hg of negative pressure to the lower body, we observed (a) a similar decrease of central venous pressure in both groups; (b) a marked increase in forearm vascular resistance in the control group but a blunted increase in the Chagas' group; and (c) no significant changes in blood pressure and heart rate. To analyze cardiopulmonary and arterial receptors, we applied -40 mm Hg of lower-body negative pressure. As a consequence, (a) central venous pressure decreased similarly in both groups; (b) blood pressure was maintained in the control group, whereas in patients with Chagas' disease, a decrease in systolic and mean arterial pressure occurred; (c) heart rate increased in both groups; and (d) forearm vascular resistance increased significantly and similarly in both groups. Unloading of receptors with low levels of lower-body negative pressure did not increase forearm vascular resistance in patients with Chagas' disease, which suggests that the reflex mediated by cardiopulmonary receptors is impaired in patients with Chagas' disease without heart failure. Overall control of circulation appears to be compromised because patients did not maintain blood pressure under high levels of lower-body negative pressure.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Apical aneurysm and left ventricular hypertrophy.

A 59-year-old woman presented with an embolic transient ischemic attack and a history of controlled hypertension for 16 years. Both echocardiogram and MRI showed severe biventricular hypertrophy and an apical aneurysm with a thrombus. The occurrence of an apical aneurysm in the presence of cardiac hypertrophy is a rare finding and has been described in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, it has not been reported in patients with systemic arterial hypertension. In this patient the lack of a relationship between the severity of the hypertrophy and the levels of blood pressure, together with the presence of histologic disorganization of myocardial cardiac muscle cells by endomyocardial biopsy suggested the diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1999

Neoplastic pericardial disease. Analysis of 26 patients.

PURPOSE: To characterize patients with neoplastic pericardial disease diagnosed by clinical presentation, complementary test findings, and the histological type of tumor. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with neoplastic pericardial disease were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Clinical manifestations and abnormalities in chest roentgenograms and electrocardiograms were frequent, but were not specific. Most patients underwent surgery. There was a high positivity of the pericardial biopsy when associated with the cytological analysis of the pericardial liquid used to determine the histological type of the tumor, particularly when the procedure was performed with the aid of pericardioscopy. CONCLUSION: The correct diagnosis of neoplastic pericardial disease involves suspicious but nonspecific findings during clinical examination and in screen tests. The suspicious findings must be confirmed through more invasive diagnostic approaches, in particular pericardioscopy with biopsy and cytological study.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Atrial fibrillation in endomyocardial fibrosis is a marker of worse prognosis.

We studied the incidence of AF in patients with endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) and its influence on prognosis and associated clinical events. One hundred and sixty consecutive patients with EMF were followed for a mean period of 4 years. Their mean age was 39.7 years. There were 114 women. During follow-up there were 56 deaths. Eighty-eight patients (55%) were submitted to surgical intervention. AF was observed in 58 cases (36.2%). The presence of AF was associated with a greater prevalence of dyspnea, peripheral edema, hepatomegaly, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, lower right ventricular systolic pressure (37.8 vs 45.6 mmHg, P=0.0392), and greater incidence of tricuspid regurgitation (86.0 vs 63.2%, P=0.004). AF was more frequent among patients in whom the disease involved the right ventricle, particularly those with intense fibrosis. Overall, patients with AF had a higher mortality rate than those who did not have AF (43.1 vs 30.3%, P=0.0195), but among those submitted to surgery, AF did not have an impact on survival. In conclusion, AF is frequent among patients with EMF. It is more prevalent among patients with right ventricular involvement and its presence is associated with a greater incidence of heart failure. AF is associated with worse prognosis, but surgery potentially reverses this bad evolution.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Value of pericardial biopsy in the etiologic diagnosis of pericardial diseases].

PURPOSE: To determine the value of pericardial biopsy as a complementary exam in the etiology of pericardial effusion. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively (from 1990 to 1997) 38 patients with pericardial effusion. The age ranged between 3 months and 79 years (mean 41.15 +/- 21.78 years). Pericardial biopsy was performed in all cases through a subxiphoid incision. RESULTS: In 4 patients (10.5%) the biopsy was able to define etiology, 2 had tuberculosis and 2 neoplasias (1 undetermined adenocarcinoma, 1 mesotelioma). In 34 patients the biopsy showed non-specific chronic pericarditis. CONCLUSION: Pericardial biopsy was not an effective method to determine the etiological diagnosis in pericardial effusion patients. We believe that we have to individualize the indication of pericardial biopsy especially if tuberculosis or neoplasia are suspected.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Cardiovascular diseases observed during follow-up of a group of patients with undetermined form of Chagas' disease].

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular outcome in patients with the undetermined form of Chagas' disease and whether or not it is related to the infectious disease in the long-term. METHODS: One hundred and sixty patients were prospectively followed-up at three month intervals for up to 177 months. RESULTS: Twenty and three (14.4%) patients developed hypertension complicated by ischemic stroke in two (1.2%) and symptomatic heart failure in one (0.6%). Cardiac arrhythmias occurred in four (2.4%) patients corresponding to isolated ventricular ectopic beats in two (1.2%), isolated supraventricular ectopic beats in one (0.6%) and an isolated episode of acute atrial fibrillation in another (0.6%). Two (1.2%) patients developed symptoms of coronary artery disease, one of them had one episode of acute chest pain diagnosed as myocardial infarction and the other had chronic chest pain diagnosed as angina. CONCLUSION: Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease occurring in the long-term follow-up of patients with the undetermined form of Chagas' disease. Cardiac rhythm disturbances and coronary artery disease were not more frequent than those generally found in a healthy population. These data confirm a favorable long-term prognosis in patients with the undetermined form of Chagas' disease.

Adolescent↗