Biomedical subjects

M Vázquez Blanco

Publications and source records attributed to M Vázquez Blanco.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Multiple myeloma with scleroderma-like changes.

We present a case of a patient who presented concomitantly with generalized pruritus, brownish sclerodermatous plaques, sclerodactyly and a monoclonal band for IgG-kappa. The patient was diagnosed as having multiple myeloma by bone marrow examination. The rapidly progressive evolution with acute anuric renal failure, malignant hypertension and the skin sclerosis seem to be related to the neoplastic disorder. The scleroderma-like changes have to be differentiated from systemic scleroderma.

Abdomen↗

PubMed2001

Dimensions of the left ventricle, atrium, and aortic root in pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Chronic hypertension induces changes in the structure of the left ventricle, atrium, and aortic root. However, the effects of transient hypertension are unclear. Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) offers a natural and spontaneous model of this condition. Using M-mode echocardiography, we studied 95 consecutive patients with PIH, who were compared with 83 normal pregnant women (NPW). We evaluated diastolic diameter (DD), systolic diameter (SD), septal thickness (ST), posterior wall thickness (PWT), shortening fraction (SF), relative wall thickness (RWT), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left atrial dimension (LAD), and aortic root dimension (ARD). Patients with PIH had higher ST (9.98 +/- 1.47 mm v 8.96 +/- 1.43 mm, P < .000), PWT (9.28 +/- 1.48 mm v 8.55 +/- 1.35 mm, P < .000), LVMI (107.65 +/- 27.87 g/m2 v 92.38 +/- 17.99 g/m2, P < .000), and RWT (0.406 +/- 0.06 v 0.377 +/- 0.06 mm, P < .002). There were no significant differences in DD, SD, SF, LAD, and ARD. In conclusion, PIH increases the LVMI due to an increase in the ST and PWT. The dimensions of the left ventricle, left atrium, and aortic root do not change.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Left ventricular function impairment in pregnancy-induced hypertension.

The changes induced by transient hypertension on cardiac structure and function are unclear. Pregnancy-induced hypertension offers a natural and spontaneous model of this condition. To assess the potential of echocardiographic Doppler to unmask left ventricular function impairment, we studied 28 women aged 26.4 +/- 7.2 years with pregnancy-induced hypertension defined as blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg in the third trimester of pregnancy without a history of hypertension. Twenty normal pregnant women, aged 27.5 +/- 6.4 years, were the controls. Left ventricular diastolic diameter, fractional shortening, E velocity, A velocity, E/A ratio, isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT), isovolumetric contraction time (ICT), ejection time (ET), and the combined index of myocardial performance (Tei index = IRT + ICT/ET), were calculated by echocardiography Doppler 2 to 4 days postpartum. There were statistically significant differences between groups in the following parameters: E/A ratio: 1.3 +/- 0.3 in pregnancy-induced hypertension v 1.5 +/- 0.3 in normal pregnant women (P < .05), IRT: 104 +/- 14 msec v 84 +/- 7 msec (P < .000), and the Tei index: 0.51 +/- 0.15 v 0.35 +/- 0.04 (P < .00), respectively. According to this data pregnancy-induced hypertension evaluated 2 to 4 days after delivery showed left ventricular dysfunction, mainly diastolic. The IRT and the Tei index are the most useful echocardiographic parameters to unmask left ventricular dysfunction in pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Efficacy of amiodarone for the termination of chronic atrial fibrillation and maintenance of normal sinus rhythm: a prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled, double blind trial.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the efficacy and safety of amiodarone for restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation in a prospective, randomized, double blind trial. BACKGROUND: Restoration and preservation of sinus rhythm is difficult in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. The efficacy of oral amiodarone has not been conclusively established. METHODS: Ninety-five patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, lasting an average of 35.6 months, were randomized to either amiodarone (600 mg/d) (47 patients) or placebo (48 patients) during four weeks. Nonresponders underwent electric cardioversion, and those who reverted continued with amiodarone (200 mg/d) or placebo. End-points were successful cardioversion and sinus rhythm maintenance. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (34.04%) in the amiodarone group reverted within 27.28 +/- 8.85 days in comparison with 0% in the placebo group (P < 0.000009). The conversion rate rose to 51.72% in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation lasting less than 12 months. Twenty-eight patients in the amiodarone group and 39 in the placebo group underwent electric cardioversion, which was successful in 19 patients (67.8%) of the amiodarone group and in 15 (38.46%) of the placebo group (P = 0.017). Altogether, conversion was obtained in 79.54% of the amiodarone group patients and in 38.46% of the placebo group patients (P < 0.0001). During follow-up, atrial fibrillation relapsed in 13 (37.14%) of 35 patients of the amiodarone group within 8.84 +/- 8.57 months and in 12 (80%; P = 0.009) of 15 patients of the placebo group within 2.74 +/- 3.41 months. CONCLUSIONS: Oral amiodarone restored sinus rhythm in one third of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, increased the success rate of electric cardioversion, decreased the number of relapses and delayed their occurrence.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Left ventricular geometry in pregnancy-induced hypertension.

The changes induced by transient hypertension upon cardiac geometry (G) are unclear. Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) offers a natural and spontaneous model of this condition. To assess geometric changes according to two-dimensionally guided M-mode echocardiography, we compared patients with PIH with normal pregnant women (NPW). Fifty-five women, aged 28.5 +/- 7.5 years, with PIH (defined as blood pressure >140/90 mm Hg in the third trimester of pregnancy and without a history of hypertension) were compared with 57 NPW aged 30.7 +/- 7.5 years. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) (Devereux formula) and relative wall thickness (RWT) (Ganau formula) were calculated by means of echocardiography done in the left lateral decubitus 2 to 4 days postpartum. Subjects were considered to have: normal geometry (NG) if both LVMI and RWT fell below the mean +/- 1 SD or 2 SD; concentric hypertrophy (CH) if both were elevated; eccentric hypertrophy (EH) if LVMI was elevated and RWT was normal; and concentric remodeling (CR) if LVMI was normal and RWT was elevated. Comparisons were performed by the Student t test. Patients with PIH had higher LVMI (106 +/- 29.4 v 90.6 +/- 19.8 g/m2; P < .05) and RWT (0.41 +/- 0.07 v 0.38 +/- 0.05; P < .05). Considering the mean +/- 1 SD of NPW as the limit of normality the G pattern was NG in 26 (47%) and abnormal in 29 (53%), of which 14 (25.5%) had EH, 11 (20%) had CR, and four (7%) had CH. If we considered the mean +/- 2 SD, the G pattern was NG in 46 (84%) and abnormal G in nine (16%), EH in four (7%), CR in three (5%), and CH in 2 (4%). According to these data, women with PIH had higher LVMI and RWT compared with NPW. The most frequent abnormal G patterns were EH and CR.

Adult↗

PubMed1987