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Josef Necas

Publications and source records attributed to Josef Necas.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

What is a "normal" right ventricle?

AIMS: The aim of this project was to define normal values of right ventricular (RV) volumes and ejection fraction (EF) in healthy population using 2D echocardiography. METHODS AND RESULTS: The "patient" group comprised 91 healthy volunteers aged 17-62 years. RV volumetry was based on ellipsoidal shell model method. Left ventricular (LV) volumes were assessed by Teichholz formula. All volumes were indexed per m(2) of BSA and the rate distribution of measured and calculated values were evaluated. The normal range of individual parameters was expressed as mean value+/-2 standard deviations (delta). A pair test was used to compare corresponding results of the RV and LV measurements. The regression analysis was used to test the relationship between LV and RV volumes and age. Indexed enddiastolic and endsystolic RV volumes were 79.1+/-29.9ml and 32.6+/-19.7ml, respectively, EF being 50+/-9.7% in men and 58+/-13.6% in women. No correlation with patient's age was observed. CONCLUSION: Enddiastolic and endsystolic volumes of RV were significantly higher than those of LV. EF of RV was lower as compare to LV. Right ventricular EF in men was lower than that in women. There was no correlation between EF and patient's age.

Adolescent↗

Daclizumab in the induction phase of immunosuppression in heart transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVES: Acute rejection episodes negatively effect both short-term survival and development of graft vasculopathy. METHODS: We assessed the incidence and severity of acute rejection episodes under a new protocol using a monoclonal antibody daclizumab in the induction phase of immunosuppressive therapy. The study group B (26 patients) was given daclizumab (1 mg/kg), the control group A (25 patients) was treated without daclizumab. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the important data. A total of first 10 EMB in every patient was classified according to the ISHLT recommendation. We also analysed the incidence of infections. RESULTS: During the first two months there was a significant lower incidence and/or severity of rejection episodes in the daclizumab group with p < or = 0.0016, 0.001 and 0.005 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Induction therapy with daclizumab significantly reduces the incidence of acute rejection episodes during the first two posttransplant months in heart transplant recipients. It does not increase the risk of infection.

Adult↗

Echo-guided endomyocardial biopsy in heart transplant recipients.

After heart transplantation the effect of immunosuppression is monitored by histopathology of endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). EMB is usually carried out under X-ray guidance. Between January 1998 and March 2003, 1,262 biopsies were collected under echo-guidance in 156 patients. The biopsy access was gained through the internal jugular vein, by the standard catheterization technique. The average time of the procedure was 17 min. Four or five specimens were obtained from each patient, with a success rate of 96%. Complications involved two episodes of partial pneumothorax in one patient, atrial flutter in another and ventricular fibrillation in three patients. Conversion from echo to X-ray guidance was indicated in 11 patients. No case of significant tricuspid regurgitation related to the EMB procedure was recorded. The echo-guided endomyocardial biopsy appears to be a prospective alternative to the conventional approach under X-ray guidance. Its duration is comparable, it eliminates X-ray exposure, enables continuous echocardiographic monitoring and can be performed at the bedside.

Adolescent↗