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Biomedical subjects

M Varricchio

Publications and source records attributed to M Varricchio.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Noninvasive evaluation of left-to-right shunts by pulsed Doppler echocardiography.

The systemic and pulmonary blood flows and the ratio of pulmonary to systemic flow were noninvasively evaluated by pulsed Doppler echocardiography in 25 children with left-to-right shunts. Fourteen patients had atrial septal defect and 11 had ventricular septal defect. In patients with atrial septal defect, right ventricular stroke volume was obtained from the recordings of mean velocity flow and the diameter at the level of pulmonary valve in short-axis view. The left ventricular stroke volume was evaluated from the suprasternal approach by positioning the sample volume within the ascending aorta just above the valvar leaflets. In children with ventricular septal defect, the pulmonary blood flow was determined at the level of the mitral orifice, whereas the systemic blood flow was estimated from the ascending aorta. The systemic and pulmonary blood flows and their ratio determined by pulsed Doppler echocardiography in the 25 patients examined, were compared using simple linear regression analysis with the results obtained by cardiac catheterization. The ratio of pulmonary-to-systemic flow showed an excellent correlation in patients with atrial septal defect (r = 0.82) and in those with ventricular septal defect (r = 0.79). Our study validates the accuracy of cross-sectional Doppler echocardiography, especially for minimizing some possibility of errors in the presence of left-to-right shunts by employing new approaches.

Blood Circulation↗
PubMed1986

[Post-necrotic endoventricular thrombosis. Comparative evaluation of the diagnostic reliability of 2-dimensional echocardiography and cineventriculography].

The purpose of this study was to assess the relative diagnostic value of two-dimensional echocardiography (2D-Echo) and biplane left ventricular cineangiography (CV) for detecting the presence of left ventricular mural thrombi (LVT) in selected patients (pts) with left ventricular aneurysm (LVA). The Echocardiographic and Angiographic data of 19 pts selected from a group of 58 pts with coronary artery disease who underwent surgery for aorto-coronary bypass and/or aneurismectomy, were retrospectively examined. The presence of LVA was shown at surgery in all patients, located near the cardiac apex in 10 pts, at the level of the antero-septal wall of left ventricle in 7 pts and of the antero-lateral wall in 2 pts. In 11 of the 19 pts (57.9%) a LVT was identified at surgery. The thrombus was large (greater than 2 cmq) in 6 pts and small (greater than 2 cmq) in 5 pts. In 10 of the 11 pts with LVT 2D-Echo showed the thrombus prior surgery (sensitivity = 91.6%) whereas CV identified the thrombus only in 7 pts (sensitivity = 73.3%). No false positive diagnosis of LVT was made by the two techniques (specificity = 100%). Six large and 4 small thrombi (1 false negative) were identified by 2D-Echo; 6 large and 1 small thrombi (4 false negative) were identified by CV. In conclusion, 2D-Echo showed a significantly higher sensitivity for LVT than CV in patients with prior Acute Myocardial infarction, especially for small thrombi.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Echocardiographic assessment of the subaortic root after implantation of high or low profile mitral prostheses.

In order to evaluate the influence of the profile of mitral prostheses on the outflow tract of the left ventricle, 99 patients underwent M-Mode echocardiography before and after surgery. In 67 cases high profile mitral prostheses had been implanted (48 mechanical and 19 biological); in 32 cases low profile mitral prostheses had been implanted (22 mechanical, 10 biological). Echocardiography showed that the implantation of high profile mitral prostheses did not induce changes of left ventricular diastolic and systolic dimensions ( EDDLV and ESDLV ) while induced significant reduction of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) dimension and LVOT/ EDDLV index with subsequent changes in transaortic flow. On the other hand, low profile prostheses did not induce significant changes of left ventricular dimensions, LVOT and LVOT/ EDDLV index. Finally, low profile biological mitral valve prostheses ( Liotta type) induced a significant increase of post-operative dimension of LVOT and LVOT/ EDDLV index. Authors conclude: that the implantation of high profile mitral prostheses changes LVOT dimension and transaortic flow and, that M-Mode echocardiography is a reliable technique to point out these changes.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Effects of acetylsalicylic acid on plasma glucose, free fatty acid, betahydroxybutyrate, glucagon and C-peptide responses to salbutamol in insulin-dependent diabetic subjects.

The selective beta 2-adrenergic agonist salbutamol increases plasma glucose concentration and the rate of lipolysis when infused in pregnant diabetic women. The aim of the present study was twofold: (a) to focus on the actions of salbutamol on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in insulin-dependent diabetics: and (b) to investigate possible interferences of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) with the metabolic responses to i.v. salbutamol. The results obtained during salbutamol infusion (5 microgram/min) in 6 insulin-dependent diabetic subjects demonstrated that this drug caused sustained increases in plasma glucose, free fatty acid and beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations, as well as a small and transient rise of plasma glucagon. No change in plasma C-peptide concentration occurred during salbutamol. A concurrent infusion of lysine acetylsalicylate reduced the increase in free fatty acids by half, blunted the weak glucagon response but enhanced the rise in plasma glucose following salbutamol administration. The present data show that salbutamol exerts a potent hyperglycemic, lipolytic and ketogenic effect in insulin-dependent diabetics. We suggest that this beta-adrenergic agent should be used cautiously in human diabetes mellitus.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Impairment of insulin secretion in man by nifedipine.

The effect of nifedipine, a calcium antagonist, on carbohydrate metabolism and insulin secretion was evaluated in patients who required treatment with this drug. 20 subjects underwent two oral glucose tolerance tests (100 g), one under basal conditions, and the other after ten days of treatment with nifedipine 30 mg/day by mouth, in three divided doses. 10 subjects had normal glucose tolerance; in them nifedipine administration reduced the insulin response to oral glucose in the first 60 min, but improved glucose tolerance. The other 10 subjects had impaired glucose tolerance and nifedipine treatment resulted in a further reduction both of insulin secretion and glucose tolerance. No such effects were seen in the placebo (weight- and disease-matched) group. The mechanism by which nifedipine influences carbohydrate metabolism and insulin secretion is discussed.

Adult↗