Plasma lipoproteins are not related to restenosis after successful coronary angioplasty.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D Gilon.
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The effect of immediate recoil on the results of balloon angioplasty was examined in a group of 416 patients (596 lesions) who underwent successful coronary angioplasty. Immediate recoil was responsible for loss of 0.42 +/- 0.64 mm from the potentially achievable lesion diameter, and represented 23% of the actual gain in diameter. The immediate recoil was determined mainly by the degree of arterial stretch, which is best represented by the balloon to normal artery size ratio (correlation coefficient 0.49, p < 0.0001). Classic risk factors for coronary artery disease did not affect immediate recoil, except for a trend toward lower values in patients with history of hypercholesterolemia. There was a tendency for lower recoil in patients with residual coronary thrombus and in those who underwent angioplasty within 1 week of acute myocardial infarction. Recoil was larger in the left anterior descending artery than in the circumflex or the right coronary artery. Patients with more immediate recoil developed more restenosis (> 50% stenosis at follow-up). However the late loss of luminal diameter due to the restenotic process was smaller in those who had larger initial recoil. It is concluded that immediate recoil after balloon angioplasty is an elastic phenomenon that is related mainly to the degree of arterial stretch. The relative importance of immediate recoil in determining the late outcome of coronary angioplasty is at least as important as the late restenotic process.
The case of a patient with an anomalous origin of the circumflex coronary artery causing myocardial ischemia and infarction is presented. Even though the anomalous artery was not located between aorta and pulmonary artery, this anomaly, which is usually considered benign, was responsible for the ischemic symptoms. Transesophageal echocardiographic study demonstrated an acute angulation at the proximal portion of this abnormal vessel, very close to its origin from the right coronary sinus, which we believe caused the abnormality in coronary flow in this patient.
Atheromatous coronary artery disease progresses by atheroma accretion, plaque rupture and thrombus formation, with or without spontaneous fibrinolysis. The natural history may be altered by modifying risk factors in an attempt to induce regression, or treated by mechanical means such as balloon angioplasty, directional coronary atherectomy or drills, or flow modulated by the insertion of an aorto coronary bypass graft with or without endarterectomy. Here we discuss the natural history of the atheromatous disease in a series of 355 patients who underwent at least one PTCA procedure and then underwent a second angiographic study to determine the changes in the dilated and nondilated arteries.
In order to assess early changes in heart rate variability, we studied 81 patients with acute myocardial infarction during the initial 24 hours after thrombolytic therapy. The standard deviation of the mean heart rate and the low (0 to 0.05 Hz), mid (0.05 to 0.20 Hz), and high (0.20 to 0.35 Hz) frequency band power were evaluated with 24-hour ECG Holter recordings. We found diminished variance in the time domain and reduced power spectrum in the frequency domain compared with a group of 41 normal subjects (p < 0.01). Patients with anterior infarction had significantly (p < 0.01) higher heart rates and lower heart rate variability values than patients with inferior infarction. Reduction in heart rate variability occurred within the first 8 hours in patients with anterior infarction; a significant fall (p < 0.03) was especially noted in the high-frequency band after a decline in ST-segment elevation. Heart rate variability alterations in patients with inferior infarction were most evident in the final 8-hour interval. These findings may be viewed in terms of sympathovagal imbalance and may be related to clinical signs of intense autonomic nervous system activity that are observed early in the course of acute anterior and inferior myocardial infarction.
Cardiac rupture is a catastrophic complication of acute myocardial infarction. We describe a patient with acute myocardial infarction who received thrombolytic therapy and then developed cardiac rupture and tamponade during rescue angioplasty.
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To determine the frequency, severity and predictors of bleeding and azotemia after envenomation in humans by Echis coloratus, a retrospective survey of 68 cases in Israel between 1970 and 1989 was carried out. We used univariate and multivariate analyses of clinical variables on admission for the outcome variables of bleeding, hemoglobin and platelet levels, and blood urea. Within hours or days after envenomation, a major bleeding episode occurred in 18% of the victims, a drop in hemoglobin to 10 g/dliter or less in 14%, and an increase in blood urea to 9 mmole/liter or more in 15%. These complications correlated with time interval between envenomation and hospital admission, and the following admission variables: degree of bleeding, hemoglobin level, platelet and white blood cell counts, blood urea and proteinuria. Complications were unlikely in patients who were presented with all of the following: a hemoglobin level of 13 g/dliter or more, a platelet count of 100,000/mm3 or more, a blood urea level of 7 mmole/liter or less, no proteinuria and no bleeding. Treatment on admission with a specific monovalent antiserum was associated with a shorter duration of hemostatic failure and a reduced incidence of anemia and thrombopenia. Infusion of fresh frozen plasma on admission did not appear to be effective in preventing complications.
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Acquired right ventricular outflow tract obstruction due to extrinsic compression of the pulmonary artery is a rare manifestation of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We report a case of a 17 year old boy who was referred for evaluation of a large anterior mediastinal mass, causing dyspnea and cough and resulting in a harsh systolic murmur. Echocardiography demonstrated compression of the pulmonary artery by the mass, with a severe pressure gradient. Biopsy revealed intermediate grade, diffuse large cell NHL. Systemic chemotherapy rapidly led to a significant decrease in the size of the mass, and virtual disappearance of the pressure gradient. In this report, the use of echocardiography for diagnosis and follow up of extracardiac tumors is reviewed. It is suggested that this technique may also be useful for the routine staging of mediastinal lymphomas because of the potential consequences of clinically undetectable hemodynamic compromise.
Clinical and therapeutic experience with 24 cases of envenomation by Echis coloratus, the Mideast saw-scaled viper, is reported. These cases were seen between 1979-1989 at this hospital (Mt. Scopus). A clinical classification is proposed, based on severity of the bleeding diathesis and platelet count at presentation. It is suggested as a predictor of clinical outcome and as a guide to whether antiserum should be administered.
We explore the trade-off between the risk and expected benefits from resection of giant liver hemangioma (GLH), one larger than 4 cm in diameter. We searched the English-language literature for studies of the postoperative mortality after resection of GLH and of the outcome of expectantly treated patients. The results of the data synthesis showed an operative mortality of 1.5% (90% confidence intervals, 0.1-3.0%) and an early surgical morbidity of up to 13%. Mortality among the 37 reported cases with ruptured GLH was 78%. There were no cases of spontaneous or traumatic rupture of unresected GLH during a follow-up of a total of 282 patient years. The main source of ambiguity regarding the management of GLH is the uncertain risk of its rupture. Rough estimates of this risk based on published data suggest that surgical resection is not justified in asymptomatic GLH. Yet, although rare, rupture of GLH does occur with disastrous consequences. Future research may attempt to define patient subsets whose GLHs are at higher risk of rupture, and in whom preventive resection may improve survival.
This study examines the response of 3 different groups of patients to anticoagulants: 50 patients previously treated with streptokinase for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (group 1), 24 patients with AMI who had received anticoagulants without prior thrombolysis (group 2) and 11 subjects who received anticoagulants for noncoronary indications (group 3). No significant differences were detected between groups 2 and 3; therefore, they were combined for analysis. After streptokinase, patients required 37,755 +/- 1,516 (mean +/- standard error of the mean) U of heparin per day to achieve the desired activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). The dosage was 30,294 +/- 1,089 U/day in patients without antecedent thrombolysis (p less than 0.001). Group 1 patients required 5 +/- 0.4 days until adequate anticoagulation was achieved, compared with 3 +/- 0.2 days in the control group (p = 0.01). Despite higher heparin requirements, group 1 patients had a lower APTT value than the other subjects (87 +/- 5 vs 101 +/- 6 seconds, p = 0.08). Group 1 patients required 5 +/- 0.3 days to reach anticoagulation with warfarin versus 4 +/- 0.2 days in groups 2 + 3 (p = 0.05). Comparison of groups 1 and 2 yielded similar, although smaller, differences. Patients treated with streptokinase for AMI seem to be partially resistant to anticoagulation, which may increase the risk of reocclusion.
The objective of the study was to explore the risks and benefits of splenectomy in advanced agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (AMM). We searched the literature (Medline, 1970-1987) for studies of postoperative survival, operative mortality and effects of splenectomy on painful splenomegaly, and portal hypertension or transfusion requirements in patients with AMM. We employed formal decision analysis to determine the relative value of medical and surgical treatment of advanced AMM. Results of data synthesis showed that splenectomy in AMM is associated with an operative mortality of 13.4% (95% confidence intervals (CI): 9.5-17.2%), an early morbidity of 45.3% (CI: 39.6-51.1%), and a late morbidity of 16.3% (CI: 9.9-22.5%). Almost all patients with portal hypertension and painful splenomegaly, but only about half of those with thrombopenia and anemia were reported to have experienced relief in their symptoms or signs after splenectomy. We found no evidence that splenectomy affects survival in AMM. We concluded that splenectomy in advanced AMM is a palliative procedure that carries a substantial risk. It may be considered for symptomatic patients after they have been informed about the operative mortality, morbidity, and chances of palliation. Decisions about treatment of advanced AMM should be guided predominantly by the patient's preferences.
A 73-year-old woman with a meningioma presented with hemiballism. This is the report of an unusual presentation of a primary brain tumor.
A case of late haematogenous pneumococcal infection of a prosthetic hip joint is presented. In view of the relatively benign nature of pneumococcal arthritis, the patient was treated with parenteral antibiotics and surgical drainage without removal of the prosthesis. This was followed by complete resolution.
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