| 1. |
- Emilsson, Kent, 1963-
(författare)
-
Can the amplitude of mitral annulus motion be used in the assessment of left ventricular systolic function in patients with left ventricular wall thickness in the upper limit of normal to mild hypertrophy?
- 2003
-
Ingår i: Experimental and clinical cardiology. - 1205-6626. ; 8:1, s. 29-30
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Mitral annulus motion (MAM) obtained by echocardiography can be used in the assessment of left ventricular systolic function (LVSF). However, it has been shown that the amplitude of MAM is decreased in patients with left ventricular wall thickness (LVWT) greater than 14 mm.OBJECTIVE: To study if the amplitude of MAM can be used in the assessment of LVSF in patients with LVWT in the upper limit of normal to mild hypertrophy (12 mm to 14 mm).METHODS: Eighteen consecutive patients with LVWT of 12 mm to 14 mm were compared to 18 age- and sex-matched patients with LVWT less than 12 mm.RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the amplitude of MAM in the two groups.CONCLUSIONS: MAM can be used in the assessment of LVSF in patients with LVWT in the upper limit of normal to mild hypertrophy and be related to reference values.
|
|
| 2. |
- Emilsson, Kent, 1968-, et al.
(författare)
-
Tricuspid annulus motion and mitral annulus motion : anatomical intimacy causing a good correlation?
- 2005
-
Ingår i: Experimental and clinical cardiology. - 1205-6626. ; 10:2, s. 111-5
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Echocardiographic evaluation of the heart and its function, especially left ventricular systolic function, has great clinical importance. Systolic function can be measured using several methods, such as the amplitude of motion of the left atrioventricular plane (mitral annulus motion [MAM]) toward the apex during systole. Similarly, right ventricular systolic function can be measured using the motion of the right atrioventricular plane (tricuspid annulus motion [TAM]) toward the apex during systole.OBJECTIVES: Because the mitral and tricuspid annuli are situated close to each other in the fibrous skeleton between both ventricles and atria, one might think that a decrease in the amplitude of MAM would be followed by a decrease in the amplitude of TAM. The present study was developed to determinine if this anatomical intimacy causes a good correlation between the amplitudes of TAM and MAM.METHODS: Nineteen healthy subjects and 103 consecutive patients were included in the study and examined using echocardiography. The amplitudes of TAM and MAM were measured and the correlation between the amplitudes was calculated.RESULTS: In the 103 consecutive patients, a significant but relatively weak positive correlation was found between TAM and MAM amplitudes (Pearson's correlation coefficient [r]=0.58; P<0.001). In the 19 healthy subjects, no significant correlation was found.CONCLUSIONS: Despite the anatomical intimacy of the annuli, the correlation between the amplitudes of TAM and MAM in consecutive patients was rather weak, and there was no correlation in healthy subjects. These findings could be due to anatomical and physiological differences between the right and left ventricles.
|
|
| 3. |
- Haugen, Espen, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
Increased interleukin-6 but not tumour necrosis factor-alpha predicts mortality in the population of elderly heart failure patients.
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Experimental and clinical cardiology. - 1205-6626. ; 13:1, s. 19-24
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Increased proinflammatory cytokines have mainly been studied in younger patients with heart failure and are regarded as prognostic markers. However, whether this holds true in elderly patients with heart failure remains uncertain. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether inflammation is equally important in the progression of heart failure in the elderly as has been previously reported in younger patients, and whether cytokine level can predict mortality in this population of elderly heart failure patients. METHODS: The cytokine profile in an elderly patient group with severe heart failure (n=54, mean [+/- SD] age of 80.1+/-5.0 years, New York Heart Association class III or IV) was compared with that of age-matched healthy individuals (n=70). Of the 54 study patients, 46% were hypertensive, 54% had coronary artery disease, 43% had atrial fibrillation and 24% had a previous stroke. One-year mortality was 24%. RESULTS: The results showed increased levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-alpha and epidermal growth factor in the heart failure patients compared with those in the control group. Moreover, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor were significantly increased in patients who died within one year. Further logistic regression analyses showed that IL-6 was the only significant predictor of one-year mortality. In a subgroup of heart failure patients with atrial fibrillation, there were significant cytokine activations, whereas in a subgroup with ischemia or diabetes, cytokines were less activated. CONCLUSIONS: In the present octogenarian group with heart failure, there were significant increases of inflammatory cytokines that were associated with mortality, and IL-6 was the only cytokine to predict one-year mortality. Cytokine activation was more pronounced in the subgroup of patients with heart failure and concomitant atrial fibrillation.
|
|
| 4. |
- Hurtig-Wennlöf, Anita, 1958-, et al.
(författare)
-
Heart sounds are altered by open cardiac surgery
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Experimental and clinical cardiology. - : Pulsus Group Inc.. - 1205-6626. ; 14:2, s. 18-20
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients have reported that they perceive their own heart sounds differently after open cardiac surgery than before the surgery. The present study was designed to investigate whether changes in heart sounds can be quantitatively measured.METHOD: Heart sounds were recorded from 57 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and from a control group of 10 subjects. The so-called Hjorth descriptors and the main frequency peak were compared before and after surgery to determine whether the characteristics of the heart sounds had changed.RESULTS: At a group level, the first heart sound was found to be significantly different after CABG surgery. Generally, the heart sounds shifted toward a lower frequency after surgery in the CABG group. No significant changes were found in the control group.CONCLUSION: Heart sounds are altered after CABG surgery. The changes are objectively quantifiable and may also be subjectively perceived by the patients.
|
|
| 5. |
- Karazisi, Christina, et al.
(författare)
-
The effect of exercise on angiogenic factors in the healthy mouse heart: A short report
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Experimental and Clinical Cardiology. - : Pulsus Group Inc.. - 1205-6626. ; 20:1, s. 2332-2341
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Exercise increases blood levels of crucial angiogenic factors and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1a) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are also increased in skeletal muscle in response to exercise. In the healthy heart, voluntary exercise is not expected to cause local hypoxia. We studied how voluntary exercise affects cardiac expression of HIF-1a, VEGF and stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1), as well as EPC levels in heart and skeletal muscle. Method: Thirty-two NMRI mice were randomized to exercise in running wheels (EX) or regular activity (SED). HIF-1a, VEGF and SDF-1 mRNA levels were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and EPC levels in heart and hind limb were quantified by FACS after 7 and 14 days. Results: There was no significant difference in cardiac expression of HIF-1a, VEGF or SDF-1 between EX and SED. Cardiac EPC levels were not affected by exercise, while skeletal EPC level was more than doubled. Conclusion: Voluntary exercise does not seem to induce cardiac hypoxia or stimulate the angiogenic system. In the healthy normoxic heart, there is a limited need of supporting blood supply, which might explain these findings.
|
|
| 6. |
- Loiske, Karin, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
-
A comparison of right ventricular volume change during systole obtained using the monoplane Simpson's method in two-dimensional echocardiographic apical four-chamber view with right ventricular volume change obtained using a prisma model reflecting the systolic long-axis shortening of the right ventricle of the heart : a pilot study
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Experimental and clinical cardiology. - Oakville, Ont. : Pulsus Group. - 1205-6626. ; 13:2, s. 75-78
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The right ventricle of the heart has a complex geometry, making it difficult to measure its function and volume. In the present study, right ventricular (RV) volume change during systole in two-dimensional echocardiographic apical four-chamber view was estimated using the monoplane Simpson's method. Measurements of volume change using the monoplane Simpson's method were compared with those obtained using a theoretical prisma model, which is believed to reflect RV systolic long-axis shortening. The mean volume change during systole obtained using the theoretical prisma model (10.2+/-3.2 mL) was significantly (P<0.001) smaller than that obtained using the monoplane Simpson's method (20.7+/-7.1 mL). This difference was probably due to the patient group studied, which had a mean (+/- SD) age of 58.6+/-14.1 years. In elderly individuals, systolic shortening in the short-axis direction has a greater impact on volume change during the heart cycle more than in younger individuals. However, not even the volume change during systole obtained using the monoplane Simpson's method in echocardiographic four-chamber view was able to determine the 'real' RV stroke volume. Thus, the volume change during systole in other echocardiographic views needs to be considered as well.
|
|
| 7. |
- Redfors, Björn, et al.
(författare)
-
Myocardial infarct size and area at risk assessment in mice.
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Experimental and clinical cardiology. - 1205-6626. ; 17:4, s. 268-72
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mouse models of myocardial ischemia and infarction are important in cardiovascular research. Reliable and reproducible assessment of the area at risk (AAR) and infarct size (IS) in mice is vital for deciphering mechanisms behind these common diseases, and for developing and evaluating treatment strategies. The present review will briefly describe and discuss the most common methods for determining the AAR and IS in mouse models of cardiovascular disease. Several methods exist for ex vivo assessment of IS. Conventional histological stains target the fibrous scar and require several days to pass from the time of infarct induction until the animal is euthanized, whereas triphenyltetrazolium-based techniques stain the viable tissue surrounding the infarct and can be performed on tissue harvested within a few hours after infarction. The AAR is usually stained by injecting a dye into the circulation. This dye subsequently distributes to perfused tissue but leaves the AAR unstained. In vivo assessment enables serial measurements of the IS and/or AAR and is sometimes preferable to ex vivo techniques. Echocardiography is usually the method of choice but magnetic resonance imaging-based techniques are also used. The aim of the present review was to provide basic researchers with an introduction to the various techniques used to assess and quantify the IS and AAR in experimental mouse models of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion and infarction.
|
|
