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Biomedical subjects

R Bach

Publications and source records attributed to R Bach.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Influence of a non-ionic radiography contrast medium on the microcirculation.

UNLABELLED: PURPOSE, MATERIAL AND METHODS: Microcirculatory disturbances may be responsible for some of the adverse effects induced by contrast media. The influence of iopromide 370 (Ultravist) on cutaneous microcirculation was therefore investigated in 15 patients in a prospective study. Twenty ml of iopromide and 20 ml 0.9% NaCl were injected as reference in the subclavian artery at the beginning of a diagnostic coronary angiography. Erythrocyte velocity was measured in ipsilateral nailfold capillaries at the beginning of, during, and after the injection continuously up to 6 min after injection. RESULTS: On average, 30 s after injection of contrast medium, erythrocyte velocity decreased significantly by 51.3% (p<0.0001) and remained reduced up to 120 s. This reaction was observed in 14 out of 15 patients. Three patients showed a temporary cessation of capillary blood flow. CONCLUSION: The adverse effects sometimes seen during coronary angiography can be explained if similar contrast medium induced microcirculatory disturbances in the myocardial vasculature.

Adult

Differential characterization of blood flow, velocity, and vascular resistance between proximal and distal normal epicardial human coronary arteries: analysis by intracoronary Doppler spectral flow velocity.

To characterize coronary blood flow velocity parameters and to determine the relation among velocity, volumetric flow, and vascular resistance in awake human beings, we performed paired proximal and distal velocity measurements in 28 angiographically normal coronary arteries. Mean velocity, peak velocity, diastolic-to-systolic velocity ratio, and diameter and cross-sectional area of proximal and distal arteries were determined and coronary flow and vascular resistance computed. Mean velocity and coronary vasodilator reserve were similar for all three native arteries and were preserved from proximal to distal segments. Volumetric flow decreased from proximal to distal segments. The demonstrated inverse and curvilinear (polynomial) relation between volumetric flow and vascular resistance agrees with theoretical and animal models of coronary physiologic characteristics and suggests a nadir of coronary vascular resistance below which coronary flow no longer increases.

Adult

Factors affecting the restenosis rate after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

In an open study follow-up angiographies were performed independently from the clinical course on altogether 131 consecutive patients (99 men, 32 women) six months after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). During this period patients received at least 320 mg of aspirin daily. Possible factors affecting the restenosis rate included age, sex, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, abnormal lipid metabolism, smoking, dosage of aspirin administered, degree of stenosis shown by affected vessels before dilatation, number of vascular segments dilated and platelet reactivity. Restenosis was defined as a renewed narrowing of the dilated segment by 50% or more, with an increase in stenosis by at least 20%. In the present study the following restenosis rates were found six month after a primarily successful PTCA: 30% for the entire sample (39 out of 131 patients); 25% in patients with normal platelet function, 50% in those with mildly abnormal platelet function, and 60% in those with frankly abnormal platelet function; 24% in non-diabetic patients and 45% in diabetics. Analysis of the findings showed that abnormal platelet function and the presence of diabetes mellitus were the most important factors in the subsequent development of restenosis after angioplasty. The same also applied in a more restricted manner to the degree of stenosis present before angioplasty.

Aged

Intraaortic balloon pump support during high-risk coronary angioplasty.

Intraaortic balloon pump support has been demonstrated to be of clinical benefit when used therapeutically and prophylactically in high-risk patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Afterload reduction and post-PTCA-enhanced coronary blood flow afforded by diastolic augmentation during intraaortic balloon pumping provides hemodynamic stabilization, attenuates clinical perturbations of myocardial ischemia, and may provide an important 'bridge' to emergent coronary bypass surgery following abrupt vessel closure complicating PTCA. Recent studies demonstrate a reduction in cardiac morbidity and improved coronary artery patency among patients receiving prophylactic intraaortic balloon pumping after establishing infarct artery reperfusion during acute cardiac catheterization for acute myocardial infarction. A modest increase in cardiac output (20-30%), the requirement of a stable, regular cardiac rhythm, peripheral vascular disease and aortic insufficiency limits the use of intraaortic balloon pump support in relatively few patients. These studies demonstrate that intraaortic balloon counterpulsation provides an effective and safe form of mechanical support in many high-risk patients undergoing PTCA.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary

A monoclonal antibody against rabbit tissue factor inhibits thrombus formation in stenotic injured rabbit carotid arteries.

Tissue factor (TF) is a transmembrane protein that binds factor VII/VIIa, thus activating the extrinsic blood coagulation pathway. Since this pathway appears to be involved in the formation of intravascular thrombi, the anti-rabbit TF monoclonal antibody, AP-1, was produced and tested as an antithrombotic agent in a rabbit model of recurrent intravascular thrombosis. In this model, a plastic constrictor is positioned around the injured rabbit carotid arteries, and flow is monitored with a Doppler flow probe. This produces cyclic flow variation (CFV) in the carotid artery, which is caused by recurrent formation and dislodgment of thrombi at the site of the stenosis. After monitoring CFV pattern for 30 minutes, AP-1 was infused intravenously into nine rabbits at doses of 0.05 to 1.5 mg/kg body weight, and a control monoclonal antibody that does not react with rabbit TF was infused into four additional rabbits. In all rabbits receiving AP-1, CFV was abolished, and a steady normal blood flow was restored, indicating that thrombus formation had been blocked by AP-1. By contrast, in all rabbits that received the control monoclonal antibody, CFV continued unaltered. There was no change in the partial thromboplastin time and ex vivo platelet aggregation to several different agonists after infusion of AP-1, indicating an absence of systemic effects on the coagulation process. We conclude that activation of the extrinsic coagulation pathway has a key role in triggering intravascular thrombosis and that an anti-TF monoclonal antibody is an effective antithrombotic agent that could have therapeutic potential for humans.

Animals

Efficacy and quality in clinical trials. Requirements to the investigator site. European Economic Community.

Guidelines and recommendations to conduct clinical trials have been defined for Europe since 1st July 1991 to ensure high quality standards. Thus, cost and speed of clinical trials are becoming more and more important in clinical research. The article tries to summarize specific requirements to the investigator site considering the aspects of quality and data evaluation. Furtheron a model is proposed to optimize realization of clinical trials in hospital institutions. Realization of "Good Clinical practice" (GCP) at the sponsor and the investigator site will improve the quality of clinical trials for the sake of the patients and finally leads to the acceptance of European clinical trials abroad.

Clinical Trials as Topic

[Complications after coronary angiography and balloon dilatation].

All major complications within four weeks after diagnostic cardiac catheterization (DCCA; n = 4,778) or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA; n = 3,073) were analysed prospectively in 7,851 patients (5,769 men, 2,082 women; mean age 59.4 [16-88] years). There were 116 such complications in 114 patients, 46 (0.9%) after DCCA, 70 (2.3%) after PTCA. 76% of all complications occurred during the first two days after the procedure: bleeding in 29 patients, false aneurysms in 15, arterial occlusions in 12, venous ones in three, cerebral ischaemia in 12, fulminant pulmonary emboli in three, cardiac complications in 27, and others in 15. There were five deaths in connection with a DCCA, 18 with PTCA. Complications were twice as common in women as in men (DCCA: 1.5% vs 0.7%, P < 0.05; PTCA: 4.2% vs 1.7%, P < 0.001). Complications after DCCA were more frequent in those aged over 55 years (1.2% vs 0.3%, P < 0.05); after PTCA they were more frequent in those aged over 65 years (4.1% vs 1.3%, P < 0.05). Other risk factors for complications were: peripheral arterial occlusive disease for arterial occlusion (P < 0.001), high heparin dosage with DCCA (P < 0.05), and additional venous puncture with DCCA (P < 0.01).

Adolescent

Interpretation of cardiac pathophysiology from pressure waveform analysis: simultaneous left and right ventricular pressure measurements.

In addition to demonstrating constrictive and restrictive cardiac physiology, simultaneous right and left ventricular pressure measurements can be helpful to identify various aspects of myocardial dysfunction. Intracardiac conduction defects will displace the right ventricular pressure under the left ventricular pressure upstroke and identify differences in the timing of ventricular contraction. Right ventricular dysfunction will also produce abnormal right ventricular pressure waveforms which may overlap left ventricular pressure and contribute to abnormalities in right atrial and ventricular pressure waveforms.

Adult

Examination of the effects of hemodynamic and pharmacologic interventions on coronary collateral flow in a patient during cardiac catheterization.

The vasomotor response of native human collateral vessels to pharmacologic or hemodynamic vasodilatory stimuli is not well known. We describe a case where retrograde collateral flow velocity was measured both at baseline and following selected hemodynamic and pharmacologic interventions. This index case represents the first in a series of potential human physiologic studies designed to address questions pertaining to control of collateral blood supply in humans.

Adenosine

Interpretation of cardiac pathophysiology from pressure waveform analysis: multivalvular regurgitant lesions.

Multivalvular regurgitant lesions may have a common etiology, such as an underlying connective tissue disorder, Marfan's disease or cardiomyopathy. Careful collection of routine simultaneous left and right heart hemodynamics will document the individual valvular lesions. Combined echocardiography and angiographic data will further support the interpretation of the hemodynamic waveforms. Clinical decisions for valve repair or replacement will be based on the severity of associated lesions, myocardial function and other patient specific characteristics [9] indicating the acceptable limits of surgical risk.

Cardiac Catheterization

Superior accuracy of anatomic positioning with echocardiographic- over fluoroscopic-guided endomyocardial biopsy.

To assess the superior anatomic positioning of echocardiographic-guided endomyocardial biopsy compared to traditional fluoroscopic-guided technique, these two modalities were compared in a blinded fashion during femoral sheath endomyocardial biopsy in 21 patients, 19 being evaluated after orthotopic cardiac transplantation. The simultaneous fluoroscopic and echocardiographic imaging indicated that traditional fluoroscopic positioning of the bioptome against the septum is inaccurate in over half of patients undergoing biopsy. This finding should be considered in cardiomyopathy patients or those at high risk for biopsy-related complications.

Biopsy

Primary and secondary microcirculatory disorders in essential hypertension.

In this prospective cross-sectional study blood fluidity and peripheral microcirculation were measured in patients suffering from essential hypertension with and without macroangiopathy. The cutaneous microcirculation was evaluated by intravital microscopy and the intramuscular by pO2 needle electrode. Disorders in the microcirculation without macroangiopathy in the system of the feeding arteries are defined as primary microangiopathy. Disturbed microcirculation with macroangiopathy in the feeding arteries in one area but no detectable microcirculatory disorder in another region is defined as a secondary microcirculatory disorder. Of the 57 patients in this study 27 had a primary microcirculatory disorder. It was remarkable that all 27 hypertension patients had a microcirculatory disorder in the area of the skin. Intramuscular microcirculatory disorder on its own without affection of the skin was not detected in any case. An exclusively secondary microcirculatory disorder occurred in 16 patients. This study shows that 93% of the patients with long-term essential arterial hypertension have microcirculatory disorders. It is most interesting that about one-half of these hypertension patients had a primary microcirculatory disorder, i.e., no indication of a hemodynamically active stenosis was found in the large vessels.

Adult

Augmentation of coronary blood flow by intra-aortic balloon pumping in patients after coronary angioplasty.

BACKGROUND: Controversy exists regarding the ability of intra-aortic balloon pumping to increase coronary blood flow in patients with obstructive coronary artery disease. To assess the effects of intra-aortic balloon pumping on coronary hemodynamics, we measured coronary blood flow velocity with a 0.018-in. Doppler-tipped angioplasty guide wire in 15 patients who received an intra-aortic balloon pump for typical clinical indications. METHODS AND RESULTS: Intra-aortic balloon pumping augmented diastolic pressure 83 +/- 35%. In nine patients before angioplasty, peak diastolic coronary flow velocity beyond the stenosis (mean diameter narrowing, 95 +/- 7%) was 5.3 +/- 9.6 cm/sec and was unaffected by intra-aortic balloon pumping. After angioplasty, the improved coronary luminal diameter narrowing (n = 12; mean narrowing, 18 +/- 12%) was associated with increased distal diastolic flow velocity integral and peak diastolic and mean velocities (13.3 +/- 8.4 units: 36.4 +/- 18.3 and 24.0 +/- 11.4 cm/sec, respectively; all p < 0.01 versus before angioplasty), which were further augmented (36 +/- 37%, 54 +/- 49%, and 26 +/- 17%, respectively; all p < 0.01) with intra-aortic balloon pumping. Intra-aortic balloon pumping did not significantly increase the distal systolic velocity integral (10 +/- 59%) or peak systolic velocity (3 +/- 33%). Similar degrees of balloon pump augmentation of distal coronary flow velocity values were observed in five angiographically normal reference arteries in four patients. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate lack of significant flow improvement beyond most critical stenoses with intra-aortic balloon pumping and the unequivocal restoration and intra-aortic balloon pump-mediated augmentation of both proximal and distal coronary blood flow velocities after amelioration of severe coronary obstructions in patients after successful coronary angioplasty.

Aged