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Biomedical subjects

W J Ko

Publications and source records attributed to W J Ko.

82 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Continuous monitoring of venous oxygen saturation in critically-ill infants.

A 4-French gauge Opticath catheter, inserted into a neonate's right atrium through the right internal jugular vein, can be used to continuously monitor venous blood oxygen saturation in the right atrium. This method instantly detects subtle changes in cardiopulmonary function in small infants and neonates and enables the appropriate treatment to be given in cases of critical infantile and neonatal cardiopulmonary deterioration. This report discusses four neonatal and infantile patients who underwent continuous monitoring of venous blood oxygen saturation in the right atrium. Continuous monitoring allowed appropriate treatment to be given earlier compared to conventional monitoring methods of blood pressure and heart rate.

Cardiac Catheterization↗
PubMed1996

Emergency use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a patient with post-cardiotomy myocardial stunning.

Myocardial stunning refers to reversible postischemic myocardial dysfunction persisting after reperfusion. We report a patient who presented with biventricular failure, but exhibited neither definite electrocardiographic change nor elevation of serum cardiac enzyme levels in the post-cardiotomy period. The presentation was indicative of myocardial stunning. The patient's hemodynamics could not be maintained even with infusion of high doses of catecholamines. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation successfully restored myocardial function. In conclusion, when the hemodynamic status of a patient with myocardial stunning cannot be maintained with inotropic agents, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should be considered.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study Investigators.

BACKGROUND: Fish contain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, principally eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which are known to interfere with the body's inflammatory response and may be of benefit in chronic inflammatory conditions. METHODS: We studied the relation between the dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 8960 current or former smokers participating in a population-based study of atherosclerosis. Intake of fatty acids was estimated with a dietary questionnaire. The presence of COPD was assessed by a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms and by spirometry. Three case definitions of COPD were used: symptoms of chronic bronchitis (667 subjects), physician-diagnosed emphysema reported by the subject (185 subjects), and spirometrically detected COPD (197 subjects). RESULTS: After control for pack-years of smoking, age, sex, race, height, weight, energy intake, and educational level, the combined intake of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid was inversely related to the risk of COPD in a quantity-dependent fashion. The adjusted odds ratio for the highest quartile of intake as compared with the lowest quartile was 0.66 for chronic bronchitis (95 percent confidence interval, 0.52 to 0.85; P < 0.001 for linear trend across the range of intake values), 0.31 for physician-diagnosed emphysema (95 percent confidence interval, 0.18 to 0.52; P for linear trend, 0.003), and 0.50 for spirometrically detected COPD (95 percent confidence interval, 0.32 to 0.79; P for linear trend, 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: A high dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids may protect cigarette smokers against COPD.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

A new dosing regimen for esmolol to treat supraventricular tachyarrhythmia in Chinese patients.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to find a safe dosing regimen for esmolol infusion to rapidly control supraventricular tachyarrhythmia after cardiac surgery in Chinese patients. BACKGROUND: Tachycardia increases cardiac work but reduces myocardial perfusion. Thus, in the critical period immediately after cardiac surgery, tachycardia itself warrants urgent intervention. Esmolol, an ultrashort-acting beta-adrenergic blocking agent, has been reported in western published reports to have good results and few side effects in the treatment of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. However, its clinical application in Chinese patients has not yet been reported. METHODS: When supraventricular tachyarrhythmia with a rapid ventricular response (> 110/min) was found early after cardiac surgery, esmolol infusion with a different dosing regimen was used to control the tachyarrhythmia. RESULTS: With the dosing regimen recommended in western published reports (repeated loading infusion with stepwise increment), acute hypotension with systolic pressure < 80 mm Hg occurred in all six patients after 1 min of loading infusion of esmolol (500 micrograms/kg body weight per min). To avoid the aforementioned complications, a new dosing regimen was constructed. The initial infusion rate of esmolol was set at 150 or 100 micrograms/kg per min, depending on the patient's age and blood pressure. When the desired heart rate was achieved, the initial infusion rate was reduced to the maintenance infusion rate to maintain the therapeutic effect [Maintenance infusion rate = Initial infusion rate x (1 - e-0.077t), where t is the time period in minutes required by the initial infusion of esmolol to achieve the therapeutic effect]. With this new dosing regimen, tachycardia in most patients (9 of 11) could be controlled within 10 min, and no one experienced the side effect of hypotension. The maintenance infusion rate of esmolol needed to control supraventricular tachyarrhythmia in our patients was only 73 +/- 42 micrograms/kg per min (mean +/- SD), much less than that noted in western reports. CONCLUSIONS: The dosing regimen for esmolol infusion recommended in western studies is not suitable for Chinese patients. In this report we propose a new dosing regimen for esmolol infusion that is both safe and rapid in the treatment of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia in Chinese patients.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1988

A computer-enhanced comparative study of brain region polypeptides and proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

A reproducible and quantitative strategy for identifying tissue-specific proteins of the central nervous system is described. The methods include a simple extraction procedure, two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DGE), silver staining, and computerized analysis. Acetic acid protein extractions of brain regions from three groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were compared by computer analysis using 2-DGE with GELCODE silver staining. Protein spot mapping and characterizations of molecular weight and pI were compiled for the pineal gland, retina, hypothalamus and cerebral cortex. Regionally specific protein spots were identified using the Visage System (BioImage) for data acquisition and a new set of algorithms (University of Arizona) for assigning isoelectric point (pI) and molecular weight determinations, spot matching and selection of unique spots. Seventeen newly identified acidic proteins are unique to the pineal gland. Some others are also common to the retina but not in other regions examined. Further study of these and other regionally specific proteins are of particular interest under conditions which alter biological or disease mechanisms.

Journal Article↗