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Biomedical subjects

M Anselmi

Publications and source records attributed to M Anselmi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[Modifications in left atrial function in response to changes in left ventricular filling].

In order to investigate the effects of increasing degrees of left ventricular filling impairment on left atrial function, in 9 A-fillers (E/A ratio less than 1, E wave deceleration time greater than 170 ms) and 9 E-fillers (E/A ratio greater than 1, E wave deceleration time less than 150 ms) we constructed the left ventricular and the left atrial volume curves according to a previously validated Doppler 2-dimensional echo method which combines mitral and pulmonary venous flow. Eight normals served as control. The left atrial reservoir (defined as maximum-minimum atrial volume), pump (defined by the volume of blood that enters the left ventricle with the atrial contraction) and conduit functions (defined as left ventricular filling volume--the reservoir and the pump volume) expressed as % of the left ventricular filling volumes, varied significantly between normals (37 +/- 9%, 25 +/- 3%, 37 +/- 11%), A-fillers (48 +/- 9% p less than 0.05, 39 +/- 5% p less than 0.05, 14 +/- 10% p less than 0.001) and E-fillers (27 +/- 6% p less than 0.05, 19 +/- 7% p less than 0.05, 54 +/- 10% p less than 0.01). Also maximum left ventricular and left atrial volumes differed significantly (normals 165 +/- 31 ml, 76 +/- 20 ml; A-fillers 174 +/- 33 ml, 100 +/- 20 ml p less than 0.05; E-fillers 322 +/- 34 ml p less than 0.001, 136 +/- 41 ml p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angina Pectoris↗

Assessment of the biliary tract after liver transplantation: T tube cholangiography or IODIDA scanning.

Biliary tract obstruction or anastomotic leakage are common problems following liver transplantation. In a sequential study, 31 patients with a liver transplant were investigated by 99mTc-IODIDA (IODIDA) scanning and T tube cholangiography (TTC) and the results were compared with clinical outcome. Seven patients had an extrahepatic biliary obstruction and one patient had a biliary leak. In the detection of biliary complications TTC and IODIDA scanning were similar in terms of sensitivity (63 per cent for both) but TTC had a better specificity (79 per cent versus 60 per cent) and accuracy (74 per cent versus 60 per cent) than IODIDA scanning. When liver function was taken into account, the diagnostic efficacy of both tests in patients with bilirubin levels of less than 200 mumol/l was similar. With levels greater than 200 mumol/l there was a greater number of false positive results with IODIDA scanning (12 per cent versus 54 per cent). The only significant biliary leak was clearly detected by TTC but not IODIDA scanning. TTC remains the more effective way of evaluating the biliary tract after transplantation. IODIDA scanning has limited value when bilirubin levels are elevated, but may provide additional information about blood supply, hepatocyte function and intrahepatic cholestasis.

Adolescent↗

[Effects of magnesium pidolate on cardiovascular hemodynamics].

Aim of this study is to define the hemodynamic effects of magnesium (Mg) in patients with ischemic heart disease. Thus, the effects of 1 g of Mg pidolate injected over 3 min iv were evaluated in 10 patients by analysis of pressure data from a micromanometer catheter in the left ventricle and of volume data derived from Doppler and 2-dimensional echocardiography. Recordings were made before and immediately after the injection, at 3, 5, and 8 min. At 5 min, Mg induced a significant reduction in left ventricular peak systolic pressure (from 132.4 +/- 19.4 to 122.7 +/- 17.5 mmHg, p = 0.015, with early filling notably augmented (E wave of Doppler curve; from 39.4 +/- 8.5 to 43.9 +/- 9.7 cm/s, p = 0.013) and a slight increase in cardiac output (from 6.23 +/- 1.4 to 6.9 +/- 1.7 l/min, p = 0.092). Heart rate increased (from 75.9 +/- 9.6 to 78.13 +/- 8.4 b/min, p = 0.062) and the constant of isovolumetric pressure decay decreased (from 48.9 +/- 13.2 to 45.7 +/- 14.9 ms, p = 0.065), probably as a final effect of aortic pressure reduction. The diastolic pressure-volume relationship was insignificantly displaced downward (p = 0.11) and to the right (p = 0.62). In conclusion, Mg unloads the ischemic left ventricle through a reduction of systemic aortic pressure, with a secondary increase in early filling; this increase may derive from a rise in the atrioventricular diastolic gradient, subsequent to an improvement in ventricular emptying. Active relaxation is improved, and passive diastolic properties are not affected, in spite of the reported calcium-antagonist action of the drug.

Adult↗

The effect of antimalarial chloroquine therapy and prophylaxis on concurrent infection with Onchocerca volvulus in Ecuador.

The effect of chloroquine phosphate on Onchocerca volvulus in vivo was studied in Ecuadorians undergoing treatment for malaria. All persons with a diagnosis of acute malaria and treated with 2500 mg of chloroquine over 3 d showed a 100% reduction of dermal O. volvulus microfilariae 7 d after treatment. However, 28 d after treatment the microfilarial densities returned to their pre-treatment levels and at 35 d they had increased to 121.6% of their pre-treatment values. Treatment did not appear to have any effect on the adult O. volvulus examined histologically in extirpated nodules. Patients treated for acute malaria and subsequently kept on a prophylactic regimen of 500 mg chloroquine weekly showed a reduction of 56.7% from pre-treatment microfilarial density after 27 weeks. Patients who underwent nodulectomy as well as treatment for acute malaria and were given 500 mg of chloroquine prophylactically for 27 weeks showed a reduction in dermal microfilarial density of 93.6%. Symptoms of onchocerciasis were reduced in the latter group of patients, with the elimination of all acute dermatological changes within 6 weeks. Ocular examination of these surgically and chemotherapeutically treated individuals revealed reductions of 94.9% of microfilariae in the anterior chamber, 95.9% of live microfilariae in the cornea, and 95.1% of dead microfilariae in the cornea. There was a reduction of 69.8% in corneal fluffy opacities. No alteration in the visual acuity or in visible lesions in the posterior segment was recorded. The results suggest that a complex interaction between chloroquine and O. volvulus takes place in vivo, which can be beneficial to the patient over a long period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗

Onchocerciasis and reproductive health in Ecuador.

A retrospective study was performed comparing the number of spontaneous abortions in a hyperendemic area for onchocerciasis in Ecuador before and after invermectin treatment with that of a comparable non-endemic area. The frequency of spontaneous abortions was associated with a change in the community microfilarial load, suggesting that there may be a relationship between spontaneous abortions and infection with Onchocerca volvulus. In the endemic area, a significantly greater rate of spontaneous abortions was seen in the period before ivermectin distribution compared to that after the start of ivermectin treatments every 6 months. In the non-endemic area, no change in the rate of spontaneous abortions was seen over the same time period. In addition to the well-documented improvements in skin and ocular disease, ivermectin may also improve the reproductive health of endemic populations.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

Prognostic implications of evaluation of contractile reserve in akinetic and hypokinetic segments during low dose dobutamine echocardiography in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported the prognostic value of myocardial viability (MV) detected using low-dose dobutamine echocardiography (DbE). However, viability was frequently evaluated as improvement in regional wall motion score index, which includes increased function in hypokinetic segments, in which viable myocardium is necessarily present. It is not known whether an evaluation focusing on akinetic segments, in which the possible presence of viable myocardium is unknown, might have more prognostic value. The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic value of the improvement of myocardial function during dobutamine infusion in akinetic and hypokinetic regions in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: 191 patients with uncomplicated AMI and at least one akinetic segment were retrospectively selected from those consecutively examined at our echo-laboratory to evaluate MV using DbE. Myocardial viability was evaluated both as an increment in RWMSI (Delta RWMSI), which takes into consideration improvement in both akinetic and hypokinetic regions, and as an improvement of function in akinetic (Delta akinetic) and hypokinetic (Delta hypokinetic), segments considered separately. Follow-up evaluation was performed at 30+/-13 months. RESULTS: On the basis of the Delta RWMSI, 94/191 patients were judged to have myocardial viability, whereas considering myocardial viability in akinetic segments only, 72/191 patients showed viability. At follow-up 18 patients had died (six viable considering Delta RWMSI; three viable considering Delta akinetic). The presence of a previous AMI, the site of AMI, RWMSI and the number of akinetic segments, and Delta RWMSI and Delta akinetic were related to mortality at univariate Cox analysis. At multivariate stepwise Cox regression analysis Delta akinetic, but not Delta hypokinetic proved to be significantly related to mortality. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were no different in patients with or without viable myocardium evaluated as Delta RWMSI, while they were significantly different considering patients with or without viability in akinetic segments (P=0.04). CONCLUSION: In conclusion our study confirms the prognostic importance of the evaluation of myocardial viability in infarcted patients. However, it points out that it is the presence of viability in akinetic segments that affects long-term survival in these patients. This supports the hypothesis that other mechanisms, above and beyond the effect on regional wall motion, are involved in the beneficial effects of myocardial viability.

Aged↗

Left atrial overload can be used to estimate mitral regurgitant volume.

This study was conducted to assess the accuracy of the estimated mitral regurgitant volume using both the left atrial filling volume and the systolic component of pulmonary vein flow expressed as the percent of its total. Since mitral regurgitation fills the left atrial chamber, the variation in atrial volume during ventricular systole has been proposed as a means to evaluate the severity of regurgitation. Although the correlation with invasive grading of mitral regurgitation is good, there is an unacceptable overlap among grades caused by the absence of information concerning pulmonary vein flow, which enters the left atrium while regurgitation occurs. The Doppler regurgitant volume, or Dp-RVol (mitral stroke volume minus aortic stroke volume) was quantified in 74 patients with any degree and etiology of mitral regurgitation. Atrial volumes were measured from the four-chamber apical view (biplane area-length method). The systolic time-velocity integral of pulmonary vein flow was expressed as the percent of the total (PVs%) (systolic-diastolic) time-velocity integral. These parameters were subjected to multivariate analysis and a regression equation was obtained. The equation was subsequently applied to a group of 31 patients without mitral regurgitation, as evaluated by color Doppler or continuous-wave Doppler and to the overall population (105 patients) in order to estimate the mitral regurgitant volume. In 74 patients with mitral regurgitation, the Doppler regurgitant volume was univariately correlated with the left atrial filling volume (r= 0.74; p<0.0001) and the systolic pulmonary vein velocity integral expressed as the percent of the total (r=0.67; p<0.0001). In multiple regression analysis, the combination of atrial filling and the pulmonary vein velocity integral provided the more accurate estimation of the regurgitant volume (R2=0.84; standard error of the estimate [SEE], 13.9 mL; p<0.0001; Dp-RVol equals 7.84+[1.08*left atrial filling volume] 2 [0.839*PVs%]). In 31 patients with no mitral regurgitation detected by color Doppler or continuous wave Doppler the estimated regurgitant volume was 4.3±6.6 mL. In the overall population the estimated regurgitant volume and the Doppler regurgitant volume correlated well with each other (R2=0.85; SEE, 11.5 mL; p<0.0001). The equation was 100% sensitive and 98% specific in detecting a regurgitant volume higher than 55 mL. The combination of the atrial filling volume and the systolic pulmonary vein time-velocity integral expressed as the percent of the total allows reliable estimation of the regurgitant volume in patients with mitral regurgitation. (c)2001 CHF, Inc.

Journal Article↗

Macrofilaricidal effects of chloroquine on adult Onchocerca volvulus by local infiltration of palpable onchocercal nodules.

The macrofilaricidal effects of local infiltration of high concentrations of chloroquine into the capsule of onchocercal nodules on adult worms of Onchocerca volvulus was determined. Six weeks post infiltration, histological examination of single nodules showed all adult worms to be dead. With nodule conglomerates, there was localized action of chloroquine only on the adult worms in the infiltrated nodule, with no diffusion of the drug to adjacent nodules. Chloroquine infiltration of young, recently formed nodules to reduce the adult worm load of infected individuals may be an alternative method to costly nodulectomy.

Adult↗

Onchocerciasis in Ecuador: changes in prevalence of ocular lesions in Onchocerca volvulus infected individuals over the period 1980-1990.

Trends in prevalence rates of onchocercal ocular lesions were examined over the period 1980 to 1990 using data from two cross-sectional surveys. There was evidence for increasing prevalence of anterior chamber microfilariae, iridocyclitis, optic atrophy, and chorioretinopathy. Large increases in prevalence, in particular, were seen for posterior segment lesions: optic atrophy increased from 2.7% to 6.4% and chorioretinopathy from 8.8% to 35.6%. Greatest increases in these lesions were seen in the Chachi which was attributed to the large increases in prevalence of microfilariae in the anterior chamber particularly in those aged 30 years or greater. The study findings suggest that ocular onchocerciasis is evolving in parallel with the well documented parasitological changes.

Adolescent↗

Onchocerciasis in Ecuador: prevalence of infection on the Ecuador-Colombia border in the Province of Esmeraldas.

The prevalence of onchocerciasis infection was determined in communities on 7 rivers located in the northern area of the canton San Lorenzo, province of Esmeraldas. Diagnosis of the infection was obtained by skin biopsies and recombinant-antigen based-serology. No evidence of infection was detected in 9 communities studied along the Rio Mataje, which forms the frontier between Ecuador and Colombia, nor in 10 adjacent communities located on 5 interior rivers. Evidence for Onchocerca volvulus infection was found in 4 communities on the Rio Tululvi with the following prevalence: La Boca (3.5% by biopsy and 3.9% by serology), Guayabal (9.1% by both biopsy and serology), La Ceiva (51.5% by biopsy and 53% by serology), and Salidero (4% by biopsy and 7.7% by serology). A few individuals in these communities were seropositive for O. volvulus in the absence of detectable dermal microfilariae: these might harbor very light or prepatent infections. No clinical disease attributable to onchocerciasis was found. The infected communities will be included in the ivermectin-based National Control Program for the disease, with no evidence of the infection having extended north of the Ecuadorian-colombian border.

Colombia↗

The role of myocardial viability in deriving benefit from reestablishing infarct-related artery flow after acute myocardial infarction.

Early, sustained patency of the infarct-related artery (IRA) induces myocardial salvage, which preserves left ventricular (LV) function and mediates better long-term outcome. However, the time course and the mechanisms of muscle recovery after myocardial infarction are not completely understood. A large body of evidence suggests that most of the improvement occurs during the hospital phase and is related to early and sustained thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 3 flow in the IRA. Nevertheless, the relationship between IRA status and regional and global LV mechanics in the chronic phase of the disease remains controversial. Some late recovery may occur, either spontaneously or after revascularization, even in the absence of documented myocardial ischemia. The interplay between vessel patency, coronary flow grade and severity of the residual stenosis, and the presence of stunned or hibernating myocardium in the area at jeopardy may explain this delayed improvement. Although there seems to be a limited time window in which myocardium can be salvaged, timely testing for viability, particularly in patients with poor LV function, is justified even in a later phase of the disease to challenge potential cardiac recovery.

Animals↗

[Care of skin infections in patients in peritoneal dialysis].

The incidence of exit-site infections among peritoneal home-dialysis patients was quantified following for 1 year all home dialysis patients of 23 dialysis centres. The exit site conditions were observed and classified according to Twardowsky. When an infection occurred data on its treatment were collected. 393 patients were observed. The infection occurred in 40 patients (10.1%). 82.2% of patients wear a Tenckoff catheter, 3% do not protect the exit site with any kind of dressing. The strategies adopted by different centres vary for the choice of antiseptics, the suggested frequency of changes dressing and the routine use of nasal swabs. Due to the limited number of patients with infection no association was found between tunnel direction or frequency of dressing changes and infections occurrence. Discussion on controversial aspects and the definition of common guidelines for instance for frequency of dressing changes, use of antiseptics is warranted.

Adult↗