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Biomedical subjects

V Klauss

Publications and source records attributed to V Klauss.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Myocardial contrast echocardiography for the follow-up after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty].

Myocardial contrast echocardiography was performed, before and after successful elective percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) of a main coronary artery, in 35 patients (31 men, 4 women; mean age 56 +/- 6 years). After intracoronary injection of microbubbles-containing 2 ml iopromide, contrast half-life (t/2) and maximal echo-intensity (Imax) in the myocardial region supplied by the target vessel were measured. While t/2 decreased from 8.3 +/- 5.4 s to 5.7 +/- 3.3 s (P less than 0.0002), mean Imax remained unchanged (27.4 +/- 10.7 vs 26.1 +/- 10.1 grey value units). Repeat cardiac catheterization with contrast echocardiography was performed a mean of 37 weeks (7-53) later in 13 of 35 patients with optimal echo image quality. Re-stenosis of at least 75% was demonstrated in six patients, while in seven vessel diameter had decreased by less than 30%. In all patients with re-stenosis t/2 had increased by about 20 to 100% of the initial value. It was always over 5 s (mean 6.2 +/- 1.6 s before, 4.7 +/- 1.7 after PTCA, and 6.2 +/- 1.2 s at the end of the follow-up). In one patient a prolonged t/2 persisted due to vessel dissection. Mean t/2 remained unchanged in patients without re-stenosis (5.6 +/- 2.1 s before, 3.5 +/- 1.15 s immediately after PTCA, and 3.6 +/- 1.25 s at the follow-up examination). These data suggest that contrast half-life is suitable for demonstrating changes in myocardial perfusion after PTCA.

Angina Pectoris

[Causes, surgical methods and results of primary management canaliculus injuries].

A retrospective study of the results obtained from surgical treatment after canaliculus injuries during the period 1981 to 1987 at the Munich University Eye Hospital. The surgical treatment involved a ring intubation of both canaliculi with a silicone rod inserted with a pigtail probe (Kellnar probe). In 45 patients with an average follow up period of 2.1 years we found a 91% success rate with anatomical reconstruction of the injured canaliculus. Although the lacrimal passages were patent, 4% of these patients complained of epiphora. We analyse the circumstances of the injury, the age of the patient and complications. The discussion includes a review of relevant literature.

Adolescent

[Cause of blindness in Bavaria. Evaluation of a representative sample from blindness compensation records of Upper Bavaria].

Blindness certificates from the region of Oberbayern were studied to obtain data for the prevalence, incidence and the causes of blindness in Bavaria. This investigation reveals increasing rates for the prevalence and incidence of blindness. Most (60% of the prevalence and 70-80% of the incidence) of the blind are older than sixty years of age. The prevalence (2.5%) and incidence rate for children (blind before 18 years of age) are low. Macular degeneration (15.4%) has the highest prevalence rate followed by glaucoma (14.3%), retinopathia pigmentosa (10.3%), high myopia (11.5%) and optic atrophy (8%). Blindness from diabetic retinopathy accounts for 7.1% of cases. Macular degeneration is also the leading cause of blindness when incidence rates (28%) for all ages are calculated. Lower incidence rates are found for glaucoma (17%) and diabetic retinopathy (13%). For blind children malformations of the eyes (18.7%) are found to be the leading cause of blindness in regard to prevalence figures. The retinopathy of prematurity (17.2%) and complex cerebral disturbances (16.1%) do present with similar figures.

Adolescent

[Differences in detectability of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in tears and blood lymphocytes].

Reported data on the isolation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) from tears are controversial. The purpose of the study was to try to isolate HIV-1 from tears in a large sample of HIV-1-positive patients at different stages of infection. 53 tear samples were obtained from 50 patients. Additionally isolation of HIV-1 from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was attempted. HIV-1 was isolated from none (= 0%) of the 53 tear samples. Isolation from PBL was successful depending on absolute CD4+ lymphocyte count and Walter Reed staging (Walter Reed stage 6: 83%; stage 2 to 5: 11%; p less than 0.0001). Treatment with zidovudine was not related to the frequency of HIV-1 isolation. These results suggest that tears of patients infected with HIV-1 contain low or no quantities of tissue-culture-infectious units of HIV-1. Nosocomial infection with HIV-1 from tears appears to be unlikely. The known precautions for the prevention of spread of viral disease in ophthalmological practice are sufficient and should be strictly followed.

Adolescent

[Value of dacryocystography in diagnosis of lacrimal duct diseases].

The paper compares the preoperative localization of stenosis in the lacrimal passage after digital dacryocystography with the operative findings in 23 eyes of 22 patients in the years 1988 to 1991 at the Munich University Eye Hospital. In a very high percentage (95.6%) there is a positive correlation. The discussion shows the advantages of the method and includes a review of relevant literature.

Adolescent

[Social costs of visual handicap and blindness. Rehabilitation resources for blind patients].

UNLABELLED: The number of blind and partially sighted persons in Germany is growing. Increasing social cost and human suffering are related. Measures to counteract this development (e.g. prevention, rehabilitation) are needed. This work gives an overview of the social cost of visual impairment; rehabilitation efforts and needs for eye diseases are considered. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from several sources have been analysed in regard to social cost of blindness and rehabilitation efforts for eye diseases: e.g. from the Bavarian and Federal statistical agencies (number of blind and partially sighted), form the German veterans administrations (number of early retired) etc. The results relate to the former Federal Republic of Germany before unification; data from the five new states are not yet available. RESULTS: 1. social cost: The funds needed for blindness compensation payments increased steadily; new figures from Bavaria indicate that in Germany a total of 1,000,000 DM is needed. As a trend the yearly rise over the last 10 years was 6% in Bavaria. Indirect social cost ist caused by early retirement of blind or visually handicapped people; yearly 1% (2000 cases) of all early retirement is due to eye diseases. 2. rehabilitation efforts: For the annual incidence of blind and partially sighted--an estimated 17,000 blind and 50,000 partially sighted--only 12,000 rehabilitation measures are provided in Germany. For the age group over 65 years (which makes up to 60% of all visually impaired) only 800 rehabilitation measures are being completed yearly. In the ophthalmology sector the provision of low vision aids to visually handicapped people is incomplete. A maximum of 60% of all practising ophthalmologists in Bavaria provide this service. On the basis of own data (and from the medical service of medical assistance insurances) it is obvious that 20-50% of the prescribed low vision aids do not fit the requirements of the visually handicapped. In general too high a magnification is prescribed. CONCLUSIONS: More visual rehabilitation services are needed to cope with the growing demand, especially for low vision aids. A prerequisit for a higher coverage with low vision aids is a better reimbursement of the prescribing ophthalmologist by medical assistance insurances.

Blindness

2.5 years survival with sequential ganciclovir/foscarnet treatment in a patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome and cytomegalovirus retinitis.

The case with the longest survival time (30 months) after the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus retinitis in a group of 53 patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome and cytomegalovirus retinitis (median survival time 8.4 months) is described. The patient developed cytomegalovirus retinitis in his left eye and received intravenous virustatic treatment for 29.5 months. Treatment was started with ganciclovir. After withdrawal from maintenance treatment, a relapse of cytomegalovirus retinitis occurred, which was again successfully treated with ganciclovir. A secondary cataract developed, and cataract extraction was performed. After 12.5 months on treatment with ganciclovir, a change to foscarnet was necessary because of neutropenia. Maintenance treatment with foscarnet was well tolerated for 17 months. The cytomegalovirus retinitis showed no signs of reactivation during this period. Vision in the right eye was preserved until death, and no sign of cytomegalovirus retinitis developed in the right eye. This case report demonstrates that an unusual long survival time is possible in a patient sequentially treated with ganciclovir and foscarnet.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections

Short-term effects of oral enoximone on hemodynamics, exercise capacity, anaerobic threshold, and arrhythmias in congestive heart failure.

Enoximone, a phosphodiesterase-inhibitor, is a potent inotropic vasodilator agent that causes a marked improvement in hemodynamics in patients with congestive heart failure. The acute effects of oral enoximone on rest and exercise hemodynamics, ejection fraction, aerobic metabolism, exercise capacity, and arrhythmias were studied in 11 patients with moderate to moderately severe dilative cardiomyopathy after 8 days of enoximone (100 mg tid) in addition to baseline therapy (diuretics and digitalis). The cardiac index increased from 2.44 +/- 0.45 to 2.72 +/- 0.50 l/min/m2 (p less than 0.01) at rest and from 4.00 +/- 0.96 to 4.75 +/- 0.95 l/min/m2 (p less than 0.005) during exercise. Pulmonary wedge pressure decreased from 16.8 +/- 7.3 to 12.5 +/- 6.5 mmHg (p less than 0.005) at rest and from 28.2 +/- 8.0 to 24.5 +/- 10.3 mmHg (p less than 0.05) during exercise. Systemic vascular resistance decreased from 1608 +/- 243 to 1495 +/- 300 dynes*sec*cm-5 (p less than 0.05) at rest and from 1152 +/- 155 to 1027 +/- 236 dynes*sec*cm-5 (ns) during exercise. The anaerobic threshold, which was recorded simultaneously, increased from 13.2 +/- 2.7 to 15.5 +/- 2.5 ml/kg/min VO2 (p less than 0.02). The radionuclide ventriculography ejection fraction improved from 21.7 +/- 5.0 to 28.1 +/- 9.1% (p less than 0.01) during exercise; the changes at rest were not significant (20.8 +/- 6.2 vs 25.8 +/- 8.4%). Exercise tolerance showed an increase of 16% (492 +/- 133 to 573 +/- 135 sec, p less than 0.005). The resting heart rate remained unchanged (81.8 +/- 13.4 vs 81.8 +/- 11.9). Interestingly, 24-h Holter monitoring revealed more or new repetitive arrhythmias in 9/11 patients.

Adult

[A case of external ophthalmomyiasis].

A 9 year old patient with a right ophthalmomyiasis is presented. The infestation happened in Greece during vacation. The symptoms consisted of conjunctivitis and rinitis. The larvaes were removed from the conjunctiva and specified as larvaes I from Oestrus ovis. The infestation possibilities, different clinical evolutions and therapy are discussed.

Animals

[Electro-ophthalmologic studies in HIV patients].

We examined 44 HIV-positive patients in different disease stages with electroretinogram (ERG), pattern-electroretinogram (PERG), and visually evoked cortical potentials (VECP). Sixty-eight of the 88 eyes examined had a normal fundus and full central vision. Twelve eyes showed cotton-wool ecudates and 8 eyes CMV retinitis. Fifty-four eyes with normal fundus were examined by ERG. Of these 28 (52%) showed marked reduction of the amplitude. In the PERG, 20 eyes out of 50 examined (40%) showed an amplitude reduction. In the VECP, 12 out of 65 eyes (19%) had a reduced amplitude. In the ERG, 7 of 11 eyes (64%) with cotton-wool exudates showed marked pathological findings, as opposed to 4 of 10 cases (40%) in the PERG and 3 of 12 (12%) in the VECP. Seventy-five percent of the eyes with CMV retinitis (6 of 8 cases) showed pathological findings in the ERG and VECP and 100% (all 7 cases examined) in the PERG. These electrophysiological findings suggest that there are diffuse disorders in the retina of HIV-positive patients. It is possible that these findings are based on direct infection of the retina with HIV, or that they represent a vascular disorder, subclinical infection or are related to side effects of the drugs used for the HIV infection.

Adult

[Myocardial contrast echocardiography with sonicated iopromide (Ultravist 370) before and after coronary angioplasty].

Thirty-one patients (3 female, 28 male, mean age 56 years) were investigated with myocardial contrast echocardiography before and after successful PTCA (= less than 30% residual stenosis) of one major coronary artery. 2 ml of sonicated lopromid (Ultravist 370, microbubble-size 6 +/- 4 microns) were injected into the coronary vessel. Before, during and after injection a short-axis view or an apical four chamber view was obtained and recorded on videotape. Computer-assisted videodensitometry was performed in a region of interest placed between endo- and epicardium of the myocardial area supplied by the dilated vessel to analyze contrast decay half-time (t/2), time from onset of opacification to t/2 (T-t/2) and maximal videointensity (Imax). 27 patients (87%) had adequate echorecordings before and after PTCA, no side-effects occurred. Contrast decay half-time and T-t/2 showed a decrease in 21/27 (78%) patients (8.7 +/- 6.1 vs 5.8 +/- 3.7s, p less than 0.001) and in 19/27 (70%) patients (12.0 +/- 8.4 vs 8.7 +/- 5.0 s, p less than 0.002) respectively. Imax was not significantly altered by the intervention. Most of the patients without decrease of t/2 and T-t/2 either had moderate coronary stenosis or a preexisting myocardial infarction in the region supplied by the dilated vessel. Thus contrast echocardiography seems to be suitable to assess alterations in myocardial blood flow during PTCA by determination of contrast decay half-time and T-t/2.

Angina Pectoris

[Intraoperative contrast echocardiography using sonicated iopromide (Ultravist 370) for imaging the post-bypass myocardial region].

In order to minimize the rate of inadequate myocardial revascularizations, an intraoperative evaluation of regional myocardial perfusion could have practical impact. Current bypass flow measurements have inherent limitations and can determine only epicardial blood flow. To analyze regional graft-dependent myocardial blood flow an echocardiographic short-axis view of the left ventricle was performed intraoperatively in 11 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery. After injection of 2 ml of sonicated lopromid (Ultravist 370) into 14 vein grafts, contrast enhancement in the corresponding myocardial regions was clearly visible, no side-effects occurred. Contrast decay halftimes (T/2) were determined by computer-assisted videodensitometry and compared to electromagnetic flow (EMF) rates, which were measured immediately before. T/2 ranged from 2.1 to 6.9 (mean 4.1 +/- 1.5) s and did not correlate to the EMF-rates of 55 to 100 (mean 80 +/- 16) ml/min. Thus intraoperative myocardial echocardiography is a safe and feasible method which allows on-line visualization and off-line quantitation of regional myocardial perfusion intraoperatively.

Adult

Intraoperative myocardial contrast echocardiography for assessment of regional bypass perfusion.

The intraoperative determination of the success of surgical myocardial revascularization remains problematic because of major limitations in all currently used methods. To assess the regional blood flow of the bypass graft-dependent myocardial segments, 2 ml of sonicated iopromid (a nonionic x-ray contrast medium) was injected into the bypass graft in the beating heart. Simultaneously electromagnetic flow measurements were performed. Eleven graft injections in 8 men (mean age +/- standard deviation 60 +/- 4 years) were performed without any adverse effects. Excellent 2-dimensional cross-sectional views of the left ventricle were obtained in all cases. Ten of 11 injections resulted in adequate myocardial opacification. Computer-assisted evaluation by videodensitometry resulted in time-intensity curves with contrast decay half-times (T1/2) from 2.2 to 6.9 seconds (mean 4.3 +/- 1.4). The corresponding electromagnetic flow ranged from 55 to 100 ml/min (mean 80.0 +/- 16.2). there was no correlation between contrast 2-dimensional echocardiography-derived T1/2 and electromagnetic flow (r = 0.32; p = 0.38). Thus, myocardial contrast echocardiography is a feasible and safe method for intraoperative evaluation of the success of bypass graft surgery. It offers online visualization of perfusion of revascularized myocardium and may allow immediate intraoperative revision of unsuccessful bypass graft placement.

Aged

[Vitreoretinal dirofilariasis].

The present paper reports on a 41-year-old patient who complained of moving shadows and impaired vision after vacations in southern Europe and central Africa. On ophthalmoscopic examination the cause was found to be an extremely agile worm, whitish, as thin as an end-artery, and approx. 6 mm long, in front of the macula and later in the vitreous. Following treatment with Hetrazan (diethylcarbamazine) and Mintizol (thiabendazole) the worm could no longer be detected. On the basis of morphologic and chemical studies normal helminth worms were ruled out, as were human filariae. It may be assumed with reasonable confidence that the worm observed was an animal parasite of the genus Dirofilaria.

Adult