This study examined the age-related criteria of signal-averaged electrocardiographic (SA-ECG) parameters in children. SA-ECGs were obtained in 82 healthy volunteers in six groups depending on age (group 1: 1 day to < 1 month; group 2: 1 month to < 1 year; group 3: 1 to < 6 years; group 4: 6 to < 12 years; group 5: 12 to < 20 years; group 6: 20 to < 40 years). To examine the effect of heart rate on the parameters of SA-ECG, right atrial pacings were performed in 4 children with a ventricular septal defect aged 1-7 years. The root mean square voltage (RMS) was high; and the filtered QRS (f-QRS) duration and the duration of the low amplitude signal (LAS) were low during childhood, especially in infants (group 2), compared with those in adults. Late duration (LD) had no significant difference among age groups. The criteria for ventricular late potential were as follows: RMS < 25 microV, LAS > 35 ms, f-QRS duration > 110 ms, and LD > 35 ms for those age 1 day to < 1 month; RMS < 40 microV, LAS > 30 ms, f-QRS duration > 100 ms, and LD > 35 ms for those age 1 month to < 1 year; RMS < 20 microV, LAS > 40 ms, f-QRS duration > 130 ms, and LD > 35 ms for those age 1 to < 20 years; and RMS < 15 microV, LAS > 45 ms, f-QRS duration > 135 ms, and LD > 35 ms for those age 20 to < 40 years. RMS and LAS correlated with f-QRS duration (r = -0.78 and 0.76, respectively; p < 0.05), suggesting that these parameters are associated with the thickness of the ventricular muscle and the ventricular conduction time. Right atrial pacing had no effect on the measured SA-ECG parameters. The age-related differences in SA-ECG parameters might be due to age-related differences in the thickness of the ventricular muscle and the ventricular conduction time but are not due to differences in the heart rate. The age difference of each parameter on SA-ECG should be considered for ventricular late potentials.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Suitable analyzed signal duration and criteria for abnormal signal-averaged electrocardiogram on frequency-domain analysis in patients with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy.

To establish the criteria for an abnormal signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SA-ECG) in patients with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (DMD), we used the technique of fast-Fourier transformation and studied the effects of analyzed signal phase and attenuation of low frequency components by filter processing. Twenty-three patients with DMD and twenty age-matched healthy volunteers were studied. An abnormal SA-ECG was defined as an area ratio of high frequency components/low frequency components over the 97th percentile of normal controls. Frequency domain analysis of the terminal 40 ms of the QRS complex and 80 ms of the initial ST segment was most predictive for distinguishing DMD patients at risk for ventricular tachycardia (VT). Although filter processing reduced the power of low frequency components and increased the area ratios, the sensitivity for the prediction of VT was not significantly enhanced. The area ratios of 40-100 Hz/0-40 Hz were superior to the area ratios of 20-50 Hz/0-20 Hz for predicting patients with VT.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Increased frequency of lipoprotein disorders similar to type III hyperlipoproteinemia in survivors of myocardial infarction in Japan.

We have investigated serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoprotein levels in 97 survivors of acute myocardial infarction in order to clarify the characteristics of lipid and lipoprotein disorders in coronary artery disease among Japanese. Although the HDL cholesterol level was lower and the atherogenic index was higher in the myocardial infarction (MI) group than in the control group, in agreement with previous papers, there was no significant difference in total serum cholesterol level between the MI and the control groups. On the other hand, the triglyceride level was significantly higher in the MI group. The MI group also had higher levels of both cholesterol and triglyceride in the VLDL fraction (d less than 1.006) with a statistically significant increase in the ratio of cholesterol to triglyceride compared with the control group. Levels of both lipids in the IDL fraction (1.006 less than d less than 1.019) were higher in the MI group than in the control group. Lipoprotein analysis with PAG disc electrophoresis revealed a more frequent occurrence of a "midband", which appeared as an additional band between the LDL and VLDL positions, in the MI group than in the control group (MI:51% versus control: 25%, P less than 0.02). The midband-positive subgroup had a higher ratio of cholesterol to triglyceride in the VLDL fraction and higher levels of both lipids in the IDL fraction. Isoelectric focusing of apo VLDL revealed that the incidence of the suspected apo E-ND (E3/2 or E4/2) constitution, which was determined by a low ratio (less than 1.1) of the peak area of E3 to that of E2, was three times higher in the MI group than in the control group (MI:25% versus control: 7%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Superselective intraarterial chemotherapy in combination with irradiation: preliminary report.

Since 1984, a new method for the intraarterial administration of antineoplastic drugs, termed "superselective intraarterial chemotherapy," has been used in combination with simultaneous irradiation in the treatment of 49 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Under the fluoroscope, a retrograde catheter is inserted into the superficial temporal artery and the tip is led selectively into the main feeding artery of the tumor. In our series of 49 patients, catheter-related complications occurred in only 12.5%. Forty-five patients (91.8%) completed more than 80% of the planned irradiation dosage. The therapeutic effect was excellent. The initial response rate was 100%. Systemic toxicity was uncommon, but local mucositis was frequent in the infused area. These results demonstrate that this new combined therapy is easy, safe, effective, and confers the highest possible initial response rate.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Tear lipid layer interference changes after dacryocystorhinostomy.

PURPOSE: Specular images of the tear film in the central cornea were examined in patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction to observe changes before and after dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). METHODS: We observed the specular images in 4 patients (5 eyes) by a noncontact observation device and recording system. Observed patterns were classified into five grades. The specular images and tear meniscus height (TMH) were recorded. RESULTS: Three of the 4 eyes with TMH values over 0.4 mm before DCR showed decreased TMH postoperatively. The 1 eye with a TMH value of 0.2 mm showed no change after DCR. Using specular images, 4 eyes were classified grade 1 or 2, and 1 eye was classified grade 4 before DCR. After DCR, the 5 eyes were classified as grade 3 or grade 4. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the eye after DCR has a thicker lipid layer than the eye before DCR.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Psychiatric symptoms in renal transplant patients in relation to alexithymia.

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Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Characteristics of prion protein (PrP(Sc)) in the brains of hamsters inoculated serially with a mouse-passaged scrapie strain.

Syrian hamsters were inoculated intracerebrally with a mouse-passaged scrapie strain. After serial passage, the incubation period decreased, but the vacuolar lesion profiles remained unchanged. In immunoblot analysis, accumulated prion protein (PrP) showed hamster PrP characteristics from the first passage. However, immunohistochemical examination revealed a changing pattern of accumulated PrP with each passage. In particular, there were many PrP plaques in the subpial and subependymal region at the third passage, no such plaques having been observed in the same region at the first passage. These results suggest that the species barrier influences not only the incubation period but also the pattern of accumulation of PrP in affected brains.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Detection of two species of low density lipoprotein particles in cholesteryl ester transfer protein deficiency.

By equilibrium density gradient ultracentrifugation, we analyzed the chemical composition and particle size of low density lipoproteins (LDLs) in 16 subfractions separated from the LDL fractions (1.019 less than d less than 1.063 g/ml) of two hyperalphalipoproteinemic patients who had a deficiency of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP). The LDLs of these patients comprised a group of heterogeneous lipoprotein particles distributed almost equally in a wide density range from d = 1.025 g/ml to d = 1.053 g/ml, whereas LDLs from normal controls were a homogeneous group of lipoprotein particles distributed in a narrow density range from d = 1.030 g/ml to d = 1.046 g/ml. The LDL in each subfraction derived from the patients' plasma samples was poor in cholesteryl ester and rich in triglycerides and apolipoproteins. Each subfraction of normal control LDL contained only one species of homogeneous LDL particles, which progressively decreased in size with an increase in the density of the fraction. In contrast, each subfraction of patient LDL contained two species of LDL particles: smaller LDLs existed, in addition to those that were found to be identical to the normal control LDL particles observed in the corresponding subfractions. The intermediate density lipoproteins of the two patients were also composed of two species of lipoproteins. From these results, we speculate that two metabolic pathways may exist in the LDL formation process. In this process, the transfer of cholesteryl ester from high density lipoproteins by CETP may convert the smaller lipoprotein particles to the larger ones, forming the homogeneous LDL species.

Carrier Proteins↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hypersensitivity reaction to carboplatin during treatment for ovarian cancer: successful resolution by replacement with cisplatin.

Development of hypersensitivity reactions to carboplatin (CP) during cancer treatment makes optimal chemotherapy difficult to achieve. Many approaches have previously been used following the development of reactions to CP. We report on a patient with ovarian cancer who developed a hypersensitivity reaction to CP. The patient was successfully treated following replacement of carboplatin with cisplatin.

Aged↗