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PubMed2006

Cardiovascular disease and cognitive performance in middle-aged and elderly men.

BACKGROUND: Decline of cognitive function with age may be due, in part, to atherosclerotic changes. The aim of the present study was to determine the relative contribution of cardiovascular disease (CVD) to cognitive functioning in middle-aged and elderly men. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, cognitive tests were administered to 400 independently living men aged 40-80 years. Compound scores were calculated for memory function, processing capacity/speed, and executive function. The MMSE was used as a measure of global cognitive function. Carotid intima-media thickness, pulse wave velocity and ankle brachial blood pressure index were assessed as measures of sub-clinical CVD. The adjusted association of sub-clinical and prevalent CVD with neuropsychological test scores in the total group and in subgroups was assessed by linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Increased IMT was associated with lower scores on memory performance, and increased PWV was associated with lower scores on processing capacity and executive functioning. Compared with subjects with no CVD, both sub-clinical and prevalent cardiovascular diseases were related to a lower memory performance, beta's (95% CI) were -0.45 (-0.83, -0.07) and -0.45 (-0.84, 0.01), respectively. These associations were present in both middle-aged and elderly men. Furthermore, we observed that for subjects who had sub-clinical or prevalent cardiovascular disease the distribution of MMSE-scores was shifted toward lower values; the distributions were statistically different (p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study support a relation of sub-clinical CVD with cognitive functioning in middle-aged and elderly men. These results suggest that actions to prevent cognitive decline by preventing atherosclerosis should be taken before middle age.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Quantitation of differential renal function with Tc-99m MDP.

This study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of the bone tracer Tc-99m MDP for quantitative assessment of relative renal function as compared with renal imaging radiotracers used for that purpose. Differential renal function, i.e., the percent contribution each kidney makes to global renal function, was determined prospectively in 15 consecutive patients using Tc-99m MDP and a renal radionuclide tracer, either Tc-99m DTPA or Tc-99m GHA. Differential function was computed in all cases from the early (1-3 minutes) renal uptake of the tracers by region-of-interest analysis of the computer-acquired data. There was a high correlation between values of differential function obtained with Tc-99m MDP and those obtained with Tc-99m DTPA or Tc-99m GHA (r = 0.98, P less than 0.0001). Qualitative assessment of the images revealed equivalent scintigraphic patterns in all patients. It is concluded that the early characteristics of renal handling of Tc-MDP are sufficiently similar to those of Tc-DTPA and Tc-GHA so that accurate estimates of differential renal function are possible with this agent, and that Tc-MDP-determined renal differential most likely reflects differential glomerular filtration rate.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Glucose-insulin-potassium preserves systolic and diastolic function in ischemia and reperfusion in pigs.

Clinical and experimental studies have suggested benefit of treatment with intravenous glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) in acute myocardial infarction. However, patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes often experience recurrent myocardial ischemia without infarction that may cause progressive left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. This study tested the hypothesis that anticipatory treatment with GIK attenuates both systolic and diastolic LV dysfunction resulting from ischemia and reperfusion without infarction in vivo. Open-chest, anesthetized pigs underwent 90 min of moderate regional ischemia (mean subendocardial blood flow 0.3 ml x g(-1) x min(-1)) and 90 min reperfusion. Eight pigs were treated with GIK (300 g/l glucose, 50 U/l insulin, and 80 meq/l KCl; infused at 2 ml x kg(-1) x h(-1)) beginning 30 min before ischemia and continuing through reperfusion. Eight untreated pigs comprised the control group. Regional LV wall area was measured with orthogonal pairs of sonomicrometry crystals. GIK significantly increased myocardial glucose uptake and lactate release during ischemia. After reperfusion, indexes of regional systolic function (external work and fractional systolic wall area reduction), regional diastolic function (maximum rate of diastolic wall area expansion), and global LV function (LV positive and negative maximum rate of change in pressure with respect to time) recovered to a significantly greater extent in GIK-treated pigs than in control pigs (all P < 0.05). The findings suggest that the clinical utility of GIK may extend beyond treatment of acute myocardial infarction to anticipatory metabolic protection of myocardium in patients at risk for recurrent episodes of ischemia.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of two different methods for the evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with coronary artery disease.

The evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) may be troublesome in difficult clinical settings in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to compare 2 simple geometrical and nongeometrical methods of LVEF evaluation that could overcome the typical technical limitations of ultrasound examination. The authors studied 26 patients with proven CAD (63+/-10 years) who underwent left ventricular (LV) catheterization and coronary angiography during the hospital stay. A complete 2D-Doppler echocardiography was performed and LVEF was evaluated with the formula by Wyatt (W-LVEF), which relates the left ventricle to a biplane ellipsoidal figure, and by the myocardial performance index (MPI) formula (MPI-LVEF), MPI being an index of systodiastolic function. Mean MPI-LVEF was 41+/-8% and was significantly lower with respect to contrast angiography (52+/-14%, p = 0.0003) and to W-LVEF (49+/-13%, p = 0.0009). There was no statistically significant correlation between MPI-LVEF and geometric (either angiographic or ultrasound) LVEF. Bland-Altman analysis showed lack of agreement between MPI-LVEF and any other method evaluated in the study. MPI-LVEF may not be reliable and accurate for the evaluation of systolic function in patients with CAD. Nonetheless, the evaluation of global LV function by means of MPI may represent a valuable and affordable alternative to expensive and time-consuming methods, especially in the presence of difficult technical settings.

Cardiac Catheterization↗

PubMed2000

High-dose sequential chemotherapy with recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and repeated stem-cell support for inflammatory breast cancer patients: does impact on quality of life jeopardize feasibility and acceptability of treatment?

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the quality of life (QOL) of patients enrolled onto the High-Dose Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer Study Group trial (PEGASE 02), a French pilot multicenter trial of the treatment of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) aimed at evaluating (1) toxicity and feasibility of sequential high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (filgrastim) and stem-cell support and (2) response to HDC in terms of pathologic response and survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: QOL measures were performed at inclusion and four times subsequently up to 1 year using an ad hoc side-effect questionnaire (19 physical symptoms) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). RESULTS: Of the 95 patients entered, the overall QOL questionnaire completion compliance was 75.6%. During cycle 3 of HDC, the number of symptoms was high (mean +/- SD QOL score, 10 +/- 3), with fatigue, hair loss, appetite loss, nausea, change in taste, vomiting, fever, and weight loss reported by more than 60% of patients. Toxicity and distress associated with HDC were reflected in the decline of four EORTC QLQ-C30 scores: global QOL (P =.001), and physical, role, and social functioning (P <.001 for all statistics). However, QOL deterioration disappeared after treatment completion, except for physical functioning (P =.025). One year after inclusion, most QOL scores returned to baseline, and both emotional functioning and global QOL scores were even higher than baseline (P =.030 and P =.009, respectively). CONCLUSION: If it is confirmed that improvements in pathologic response rates with HDC effectively translate into increased probabilities of survival for IBC patients, adoption of such treatment as PEGASE 02 will not involve crucial choices between length of life and QOL and should not be delayed for QOL arguments.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Usefulness of trimetazidine in ischemia-reperfusion lesion. Experimental study in myocardial stunning model].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of trimetazidine (TMZ) on myocardial systolic dysfunction resulting from an isolated episode of induced coronary ischemia. METHODS: In a double-blinded randomized design we studied 13 mongrel anesthetized dogs of either sex (6 of them treated with oral TMZ previously). The anterior descending coronary artery was totally occluded during 15 minutes followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion. Global and regional cardiac variables were recorded in control and ischemic areas. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between TMZ and placebo series with respect to global cardiac function variables. Both series showed no significant variations in global variables during the ischemia-reperfusion process. The shortening fraction in the ischemic area fell significantly during the ischemic period in both TMZ and placebo series reaching dyskinetic values. Myocardial contractility dysfunction persisted after 60 minutes of reperfusion in both series with no significant differences (41% vs 50% placebo). CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to shorter and repeated occlusion periods, myocardial contractility recovery after a complete episode of ischemia did not show significant differences between TMZ-treated and placebo series.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Visual function and quality of life among patients with glaucoma.

This study determines the relation between visual field impairment, visual functioning, and global quality of life in patients with glaucoma. Binocular visual field impairment was calculated from simultaneous Esterman visual field testing using the Humphrey automated perimeter. Visual acuity impairment, defined with the American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment; visual functioning, measured with the VF-14 and the field test version of the National Eye Institute-Visual Functioning Questionnaire; and global quality of life, assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, were determined in 147 consecutive patients with glaucoma. None of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey domains demonstrated more than a weak correlation with visual field impairment. The VF-14 scores were moderately correlated (r = -0.58). Of the National Eye Institute-Visual Functioning Questionnaire scales, peripheral vision (r = -0.60), distance activities (r = -0.56), and vision-specific dependency (r = -0.56) were moderately correlated with visual field impairment; vision-specific social functioning, near activities, vision-specific role difficulties, general vision, vision-specific mental health, color vision, and driving were modestly correlated with visual field impairment (r value between -0.32 and -0.55); visual pain was weakly correlated with visual field impairment; and general health and vision-specific expectations were not notably correlated with visual field impairment. Statistically adjusting for visual acuity weakened the correlations. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey indicated that our patients with glaucoma were comparable with previously studied patients without severe systemic medical problems. However, the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey scores did not correlate with visual field impairment in our study. Based on the moderate correlation between binocular visual field impairment with the VF-14 and the National Eye Institute-Visual Functioning Questionnaire, these questionnaires may be useful among patients with glaucoma.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Improved myocardial function after transmyocardial laser revascularization according to cine magnetic resonance in a porcine model.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to demonstrate that transmyocardial laser revascularization of hypoperfused myocardium improves regional and global myocardial function. METHODS: Cine magnetic resonance imaging was used to monitor regional wall thickening (in millimeters) and cardiac output (in milliliters per kilogram per minute). Cine magnetic resonance imaging was performed before and 8 weeks after transmyocardial laser revascularization was applied to the hypoperfused lateral wall of the left ventricle (target area) in a porcine model (n = 9, transmyocardial laser revascularization group). A second group of animals was left untreated (n = 8, control group). RESULTS: Regional wall thickening in the target area improved after transmyocardial laser revascularization (0.7 +/- 0.3 mm to 3.7 +/- 1.9 mm, P <.02) and was significantly higher (P <.01) after transmyocardial laser revascularization than in the control group, in which it did not improve (0.5 +/- 0.6 mm to 0.5 +/- 1.2 mm). Accordingly, cardiac output and microsphere-derived myocardial blood flows were significantly higher than in the control group (P <.01), and the amount of triphenyltetrazolium chloride-stained myocardium was lower (P <.01). CONCLUSION: Cine magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates improved global and regional myocardial function after transmyocardial laser revascularization in a porcine model.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

Analysis of left ventricular function from multiple gated acquisition cardiac blood pool imaging. Comparison to contrast angiography.

Global ventricular function was evaluated by both multiple gated cardiac blood pool scans (MUGA) and contrast ventriculograms in a group of 17 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. The contrast ventriculograms were analyzed frame by frame to generate a volume versus time curve for each patient, while the tracer data were analyzed by two methods: 1) the standard method, in which the left ventricle is identified on the end-diastolic frame and the background corrected activity under the region of interest obtained from the entire cardiac cycle, and displayed as a time versus activity curve; and 2) by a semi-automatic method in which the computer applies a threshold detection program to define the ventricular borders, and activity in the chamber at each point in the cardiac cycle is defined after background correction. The tracer data in each patient were analyzed independently by four observers. The tracer data correlated with the contrast data on a point by point basis r = 0.87 for the standard method, and 0.93 for the semi-automatic technique. An F test of variance revealed the semi-automatic method superior to the standard approach (P less than 0.05).

Computers↗

PubMed2006

Minor segmental wall motion abnormalities detected in patients with Chagas' disease have adverse prognostic implications.

Recent data from our laboratory have shown that patients with the indeterminate form of Chagas' disease can have impairment of left ventricular contractility, as evaluated by the slope of the left ventricle end-systolic pressure-dimension relationship. We also showed that Chagas' disease patients with minimal baseline wall motion abnormalities detected by two-dimensional echocardiography have more intense contractility impairment when compared to patients with the indeterminate form of the disease without this abnormality. The prognostic implications of these findings have not been established. We evaluated 59 patients (37-76 years, mean = 55 years) with different clinical forms of Chagas' disease, who had normal left ventricular global systolic function at baseline (57.6 +/- 6.9%) and who had at least one additional echo during clinical follow-up (0.4-17.6; mean 4.6 years). Group 1 consisted of 14 patients with minor baseline left ventricle wall motion abnormalities and group 2 consisted of 45 patients without these abnormalities. During follow-up, global left ventricle systolic function deterioration was observed in 10 group 1 patients (71.4%) and in only 10 group 2 patients (22.2%; P < 0.005). Age and duration of follow-up were not independent determinants of left ventricular function deterioration in these patients. The present data indicate that mild segmental left ventricular wall motion abnormalities are associated with worsening of systolic function in Chagas' disease patients who have normal baseline global systolic performance.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Measuring the impact of housing on people with schizophrenia.

Review of the available literature, from various countries, on housing options indicates that, for people with a mental illness, boarding houses are the least desirable type of community accommodation and that living in their own home is the most desirable type of accommodation. The present research project provides a more in-depth examination of people with schizophrenia and the impact of living in their own home compared to living in a boarding house. In this Australian study there were 3231 subjects, 3033 who were living in their own homes and 201 living in boarding house accommodation. The study used two instruments from the Mental Health Classification and Service Cost Project, specifically the Health of the Nation Outcomes Scale, which is a measure of current symptoms, and a shortened version of the Life Skills Profile, which measures global level of functioning. Results indicated that while there were no differences in the level of psychiatric symptoms experienced, people living in boarding houses had less access to social support, meaningful activities and work; they also had a significantly lower level of global functioning. These findings contradict the conventional wisdom that people with schizophrenia resort to living in boarding houses because of their level of disability and highlights an area of potential intervention for community health services.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2000

Comparison of global and regional left ventricular function assessed by gated-SPECT and 2-D echocardiography.

Left ventricular (LV) function and volumes have major diagnostic and prognostic importance in patients with heart diseases. Those measurements are most commonly obtained with echocardiographic techniques. Recently, with the use of electrocardiographic gating during the acquisition of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, it has become possible to simultaneously assess LV perfusion, function and volumes. Both technetium-99m labeled agents and thallium-201, the most commonly used tracers for perfusion scintigraphy, can be used for gated perfusion purposes. Many authors compared gated perfusion images to echocardiography, in regard to LV global and segmental wall motion as well as volumes. We performed gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and echocardiography in 109 consecutive patients (53 male, 56 female, mean age 63 +/- 14 years) within 15 days of each other. Gated tomographic data, including LV volumes, LV ejection fraction and segmental wall motion, were processed using an automatic algorithm whereas echocardiography used standard techniques. To obtain interobserver and intraobserver variability of regional wall motion, we randomly re-analyzed 34 of the 109 gated SPECT studies. The correlations between gated tomography and echocardiography with respect to end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume and left ventricular ejection fraction were good to excellent (all p < 0.001, r values > or = 0.68) regardless of the use of post-stress or rest/redistribution images, thallium-201 or technetium-99m tracers. The agreement between both techniques, regarding segmental wall motion analysis were also good. Intraobserver and interobserver variability for regional wall motion were good to excellent, with an agreement of 90% and 88%, respectively. Other authors also had similar results in different studies with different populations, tracers, imaging acquisition and processing protocols. Thus, quantitative gated SPECT, using a variety of protocols and with either Tl-201 or Tc-99m tracers, has a good correlation with echocardiography for the measurements of absolute LV volumes and LV global and regional function. This technique is highly reproducible and can be used clinically for those measurements, with the additional advantage that the ventricular performance parameters are obtained from the perfusion images. Furthermore, contrary to echocardiographic techniques used to assess LV volumes and LV function, which are quite labor intensive and more observer-dependent, the gated SPECT technique is nearly totally automatic, and highly reproducible.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Quantitative measures for assessing rheumatoid arthritis in clinical trials and clinical care.

There is no single 'gold standard' quantitative measure to assess and monitor the clinical status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Therefore, a variety of measures have been used in clinical research and clinical care, including laboratory tests, radiographic scores, formal joint counts, physical measures of functional status, global measures and patient self-report questionnaires. These measures may address disease activity, joint damage, both activity and damage, or long-term outcomes. Measures of disease activity, such as joint swelling, are reversible and are emphasized in clinical trials. However, activity measures may be improved over 5 years while measures of damage, such as radiographic score, indicate disease progression. Two quantitative indices which are widely used in clinical trials are the (1) American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Core Data Set, which includes swollen joint count, tender joint count, physician assessment of global status, acute-phase reactant-erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein, functional status, pain, patient estimate of global status, a radiograph in studies over 1 year or longer, and (2) the disease activity score(DAs), which includes a swollen joint count, tender joint count, acute-phase reactant, and patient assessment of global status. Randomized controlled clinical trials provide the optimal method to evaluate new therapies, by comparing a therapy with a placebo or another therapy without selecting patients for specific therapies. However, randomized trials in chronic diseases have important limitations, including a relatively short observation period, patient selection for inclusion and exclusion criteria, inflexible dosage schedules, influence of the design on results despite a control group, emphasis on group data while ignoring individual variation in treatment responses, non-standardized interpretation of adverse effects, and others. Therefore, clinical trials in RA must be supplemented by long-term observational studies to assess results of therapy in regard to long-term outcomes such as work disability, joint replacement surgery and premature mortality. The most simple and effective method of collecting important long-term data from patients in routine clinical care is through patient self-report questionnaires.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMed2001

Measuring adaptive behavior in inpatient neuropsychiatry: the Behavioural Assessment Scale.

The Behavioural Assessment Scale (BAS) was administered to a sample of 95 inpatients with neuropsychiatric conditions. The total scores in the sample ranged from 26 to 145 (maximum possible score is 163), without any evidence of the "floor effect" encountered with other tests used with this population. Investigation into the psychometric structure of the BAS revealed three factors interpreted as Daily Living Skills, Communication/Social Skills, and Problem Behavior. The high intercorrelation between the two dominant factors was interpreted as general sensitivity of the BAS to global decline in functioning associated with severity of illness. These results confirm a previous psychometric investigation carried out on an elderly psychiatric sample. A recommendation is made for interpreting subscales based on these factor domains when specific abilities are of interest and using a Global Functioning subscale as a measure of overall adaptive behavior for both adult and geriatric inpatient neuropsychiatry patients.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2000

Differential effects of right versus left stellate ganglion block on left ventricular function in humans: an echocardiographic analysis.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of unilateral stellate ganglion blockade on left ventricular function. DESIGN: Prospective cohort of patients with chronic regional pain syndrome type I and II of the upper extremity requiring therapeutic stellate ganglion blockade. SETTING: University-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Fifteen adult ASA physical status I and II patients with the diagnosis of chronic regional pain syndrome type I and II of the arm were studied. Right stellate ganglion block was performed in nine subjects and a left in six. INTERVENTIONS: Stellate ganglion block was performed with 10 mL of 1% plain Xylocaine. Transthoracic echocardiograms were performed immediately prior and 30 min following the block. MEASUREMENTS: Heart rate and blood pressure were monitored at regular intervals. Global systolic function was determined by calculating ejection fraction. Regional systolic motion was evaluated on the short axis and four-chamber views using the American Society of Echocardiography criteria. Diastolic function was assessed with pulsed-wave Doppler of the left ventricular outflow tract and the mitral valve. Data collected included isovolumic relaxation time and early and atrial velocity patterns. MAIN RESULTS: A successful stellate ganglion block was achieved in all patients. Blood pressure and heart rate were not significantly different during data collection. Patients who underwent a right stellate ganglion block showed no significant differences in systolic or diastolic function. Following a left stellate ganglion block, global and regional systolic function remained unchanged. Isovolumic relaxation time was increased but did not reach statistical significance (80 +/- 13 ms to 88 +/- 9 ms; p = 0.09). Left ventricular end-diastolic (LVEDV) and end-systolic volumes (LVESV) were significantly increased (LVEDV from 73 +/- 9 mL to 100 +/- 9 mL, p < 0.02; LVESV from 31 +/- 4 mL to 37 +/- 4 mL, p < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In patients without cardiovascular disease, unilateral denervation of the left ventricle after stellate ganglion block produces no clinical deleterious effects on left ventricular function.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

[Acute changes in global and regional systolic heart function caused by pentoxifylline in patients with and without coronary sclerosis].

In 36 patients with angina pectoris during complex invasive diagnostic procedure the changes of global and regional systolic heart function by intravenous application of 200 mg pentoxifylline were examined. We observed a significant decrease of preload (reduction of LVEDP and MCS, LVEDV was not influenced) and an improvement of myocardial pump function, possibly combined with a favourable influence on alterated myocardial blood supply. In case of perfusion disturbances of the LV anterior wall the pentoxifylline injection was followed by signs of coronary-steal-mechanism in the LV posterior wall region. We did not found significant changes of afterload. Thus the acute hemodynamic effects of an intravenous application of pentoxifylline are comparable with those of nitrates and non-glycoside-cardiotonic substances with a predominant myocardial effect.

Coronary Artery Disease↗

PubMed1975

Regional and total lung function studies in patients with hemidiaphragmatic paralysis.

Global and regional lung function were studied in 17 subjects with hemidiaphragmatic paralysis. Global lung function (VC, MVV, and FEV1) in the sitting postion was reduced by an average of about 25%. Regional lung function data in the same position showed a considerable decrease in perfusion (19%), ventilation (20%), and lung volume (7%) of the diseased side as compared to reference values obtained in healthy volunteers. Compared to the partition of function in the supine, the perfusion of the affected lung increased when it was lowermost in the lateral decubitus postion, while regional FRC decreased and ventilation changed little. When uppermost, perfusion and ventilation of the affected lung decreased while FRCr increased somewhat. The arterial oxygen tension was significantly below normal in the supine position but in the normal range in the sitting position. It increased further during exercise. Bronchography showed compression of the basal lung segments on the affected side in the erect, and kinking and obliteration of lower lobe bronchi in the supine position and still more when the lung was lowermost in the lateral decubitus position.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1986

[Isolated stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery and regional function of the left ventricle].

This study compared regional and global left ventricular function of a population of patients with a stenosis of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery and a control population in a prospective 18 months protocol. The 25 patients in the LAD group, 21 men and 4 women (55 +/- 9 years), had a pure and isolated stenosis of the LAD artery (70 +/- 8%) without infarction with normal global systolic function. The 12 patients in the control group strictly no cardiovascular disease after extensive investigation. Cardiac catheterisation was carried out in the conventional manner under the same conditions in both groups, after withdrawal of all medication. Regional wall motion was studied on 30 degrees right anterior oblique selective left ventriculography by a technique derived from Ingel's method using every frame of a cycle in terms of amplitude, velocity and time of segmental shortening and lengthening. The patients in the LAD group had normal cardiac function and no hypo or akinesia. The principal characteristic was the finding of anterior wall asynergy which was significantly different from the uneven contraction common in control subjects. This asynergy is observed from the end of systole to early diastole and features: early termination of anterior wall contraction (normalised contraction time: 86 +/- 13% vs 97 +/- 4% in the control group; p less than 0.02; and 90% in the inferior zone, NS, compared with the control group and p less than 0.05 compared with the anterior wall); dephased velocities of segmental shortening at the end of ejection (positive velocities in the inferior zones 0.17 +/- 1.7 circ/sec and negative velocities in the anterior zones, -0.34 +/- 2.2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗