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Biomedical subjects

G Chamorro

Publications and source records attributed to G Chamorro.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Effects of captopril versus milrinone therapy in modulating the adrenergic nervous system response to exercise in congestive heart failure.

The potential adverse consequences of increased adrenergic nervous system activity in patients with heart failure are now recognized. Modulation of the plasma noradrenaline response to submaximal exercise should be desirable. The long-term (9 weeks) effects of milrinone (10 mg 4 times a day) or captopril (50 mg 3 times a day) compared to placebo were evaluated in a double-blind crossover study, in 16 patients with stable, congestive heart failure receiving digoxin and furosemide. After treatment, clinical status (score range 0 to 14 points) improved significantly with both milrinone (4.4 +/- 0.5, p less than 0.01) and captopril (4.1 +/- 0.4, p less than 0.01). Plasma noradrenaline at rest was similar with both drugs and not significantly different from placebo. During submaximal exercise it increased significantly to 1,228 +/- 58 pg/ml with placebo and to 1,295 +/- 174 pg/ml with milrinone; this response was reduced significantly with captopril, to 820 +/- 100 pg/ml (p less than 0.01). Thus, long-term therapy with both captopril and milrinone improved the clinical score, but only captopril reduced the plasma noradrenaline response to submaximal exercise. These findings suggest that angiotensin-enzyme inhibition with captopril will modulate the adrenergic system response to daily activities in patients with chronic congestive heart failure and therefore could have additional salutary effects beyond vasodilatation.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Teratogenic study of Spirulina in mice].

The embryotoxic and fetotoxic potential of Spirulina was investigated in mice. The algae was given to pregnant animals at the levels of 0, 10, 20 and 30 g/100 in the diet through days 7-13, 1-13 and 1-19 of gestation. On day 19, the rats were sacrificed, and the uterine horns were examined for live, dead and resorbed fetuses. The live fetuses were weighed and examined for external malformations and either skeletal or visceral abnormalities. With the litter as the unit of analysis and when the total number of fetuses affected was considered, no significant difference was found in the number of resorbed or malformed among groups. These results indicate that the feeding of pregnant mice with algae, up to a dietary level of 30 g/100, did not evoke any signs of embryotoxic effects. The Spirulina levels tested in this study represent exaggeration over any anticipated human consumption.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1990

[The long-term evolution of aortic valve replacement with a mechanical prosthesis: experience with the Starr-Edwards (1965-1974) and Bjork-Shiley (1973-1981) prostheses].

We compared the short- and long-term results of isolated aortic valve replacement in 98 patients receiving a Starr-Edwards (SE) prosthesis from 1965 to 1974 and 80 pts receiving a Bjork-Shiley (BS) prosthesis from 1973 to 1981 at our institution. Operative mortality was 20% (SE) and 6% (BS). Follow-up information was obtained in 88% (SE) and 96% (BS) of pts discharged alive. The mean period of follow up was 8.2 and 6.7 years respectively. The 5 and 10 year actuarial survival rates were 72% and 61% (SE) vs 89% and 83% (BS). Complications per 100 pt-years among pts with SE and those with BS were: systemic emboli 2.8 vs 0.6, major hemorrhagic events 1.25 vs 1.36, perivalvular leak 1.6 vs 1.15, endocarditis 0.31 vs. 0.39, prosthetic thrombosis 0 vs 0.58 and ball variance 0.47 vs 0, respectively. Some of these differences may reflect shortcomings of the initial surgical experience during the period in which the SE prosthesis was used, rather than different performance of both valves.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Alcohol and the risk factors of coronary cardiopathy. A study in 571 men].

In 571 healthy professional males we correlated alcohol consumption with serum total cholesterol (C), HDL-C, triglycerides, blood sugar, cigarette consumption, body mass index and arterial blood pressure. An outstanding finding was a positive independent, correlation of alcohol consumption and serum HDL-C levels (r 0.22, p < 0.0001). Univariate analysis showed correlation of alcohol consumption with body mass index, blood pressure and total serum C, however this was dependent on age and/or body mass. No correlation was found between alcohol consumption and blood sugar or TG levels. Alcohol consumption did not identify a group of subjects with high risk factors. Consumption of more than 10 cigarettes per day decreased the strength of the association between elevated HDL levels and alcohol consumption. We conclude that a moderate intake of alcohol is associated to increased serum HDL levels with no significant change of other coronary risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Teratological evaluation of Juniperus sabina essential oil in mice.

Juniperus sabina essential oil was evaluated for its fetotoxic potential on mice. Pregnant dams were injected s.c. (15-45 or 135 mg essential oil/kg body weight) on days 6 to 15 of gestation. They were killed and the uterine contents were examined on day 19 of pregnancy. The fetuses were removed for examination. The dams of the two higher treated groups showed a significant weight loss as compared to controls. An hepatotoxicity was observed among females that resorbed their whole litter, thus indicating a greater susceptibility towards Juniperus sabina essential oil during pregnancy. The essential oil induced, in the three treated groups, an embryotoxicity as manifested by a statistically significant increase in the number of affected litters; but no fetotoxicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[Teratogenic study of Spirulina in rats].

The algae Spirulina has been considered for use as a supplementary protein to feed and food. Any form of single cell protein destined to this purpose should be previously subjected to detailed toxicological investigations in animals or another experimental models. The present study was therefore designed to determine the teratogenic potential of Spirulina in rats. The algae was administered in the diet at the levels of 0, 10, 20 and 30 g/100 g on days 7-14, 1-14 and 1-21 of gestation. The dams were sacrificed prior to term, and the fetuses examined for external, visceral and skeletal abnormalities. Maternal and fetal weights were not affected. Neither fetotoxicity nor teratogenicity was associated with the dietary ingestion of Spirulina. It is also considered important to extend these studies to other animal species.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1989

[Value of 2-dimensional echocardiography in infective endocarditis].

We analyzed the two dimensional echocardiograms (2D echo) of 41 patients with infective endocarditis (IE). The diagnosis of endocarditis was based on typical clinical findings, positive blood cultures or anatomical findings at operation or necropsy. Age ranged from 21 to 73 years. Endocarditis was localized in a native valve in 30 patients (aortic 18, mitral 11 and tricuspid 1), a biologic prosthesis in 9 (mitral 4, aortic 4, unknown 1) and a mechanical valve in 4 (aortic 3, mitral 1). The echocardiogram showed vegetations, valve rupture or abscess in 83% of IE in native valves, 56% of IE in biologic prosthesis and 25% of IE in mechanical valves (p less than 0.05, native vs prosthetic valves). The sensitivity of 2D echo was studied in 27 subjects with known anatomical findings. It was 79% for vegetations (mitral 91%, aortic 72%, NS), 53% for valve rupture (mitral 83%, aortic 33%, p less than 0.05) and 70% for abscess. Specificity was over 89% for all lesions. Systemic embolism occurred in 41% of patients with vegetations and in 25% of those without (p = 0.07).

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Role of programmed electrical stimulation of the heart in risk stratification post-myocardial infarction.

Programmed electrical stimulation (PES) of the heart was evaluated as a method of identifying patients at risk of sudden death post-myocardial infarction (post-MI). Eighty-four patients (mean age, 56 +/- 10 years) underwent PES 6 to 8 weeks post-MI. PES was performed at the right ventricular apex at twice diastolic threshold. Prior to stimulation patients were studied with exercise stress testing, 24-hour Holter monitoring and radionuclide ejection fraction. The patients were placed into two groups, according to their responses to electrical stimulation. Group 1:65 patients in whom no arrhythmias were induced or who had repetitive responses that lasted less than six cycles; Group 2:19 patients in whom ventricular tachycardia was induced. At the end of follow-up (20 +/- 9 months) six patients from Group 1 had died. Complex ventricular ectopy and ventricular tachycardia were more frequently detected on Holter in Group 2 (9/19) than in Group 1 (14/65) (p less than 0.03). The results of exercise testing and radionuclide ejection fraction did not correlate with the response to PES. However all but one of the patients who died had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) under 40% and four out of six patients had ventricular tachycardia on Holter monitor. We draw the conclusion that PES did not contribute to the identification of high-risk patients post-MI, as none of the 19 patients in whom ventricular tachycardia was induced died during follow-up. In addition, high-risk patients were characterized by poor ventricular function and complex ventricular arrhythmias on Holter recording.

Electric Stimulation↗