OBJECTIVE: To investigate and analyze the changes of postmortem human biochemical indexes. METHODS: Subclavian venous blood samples were collected from 81 cases of traffic fatalities. Thirteen blood biochemical indexes including liver function (ALT, AST, TBIL and DBIL), renal function (UA and Cr), cardiac function (CK, CK-MB and LDH), electrolytes (K+, Na+ and Cl-), and glucose (GLU) were tested by Roche cobas c311 automatic biochemical analyzer. The descriptive analysis was made by SPSS 17.0 statistical software. RESULTS: The values of ALT, AST, CK, CK-MB, LDH and K+ were higher than normal reference values with more fluctuations. The values of TBIL, DBIL, UA, Cr, Na+, Cl- and GLU were relatively stable with less fluctuations. CONCLUSION The postmortem human blood biochemical indexes of liver function, renal function, cardiac function, electrolytes and glucose could be affected by the factors, especially hemolysis and autolysis. The biochemical indexes, particularly enzymes, increased significantly with higher standard deviation.
Accidents, Traffic/mortality* ; Autopsy ; Blood Chemical Analysis/methods* ; Heart Function Tests ; Humans ; Kidney Function Tests ; Liver Function Tests ; Reference Values

Cardio-pulmonary responses to a given step-up exercise test were studied in 43 patients who previously received various thoracic operations such as pleural decortication, one or two segmental resections, right or left upper lobectomy, plombage or pneumonectomy. Fourteen control subjects were also studied for comparison. Following a 30 minute rest, the step-up exercise was performed to heights of 20, 30 and 40cm, in that order, for 8 to 10 min. at each height. During the rest and the steady-state exercise period, the expired gas was collected for a period of 5 minutes for the determinations of the minute volume, the O2 consumption and the CO2 Output. Alveolar gas samples were a1so taken following the expired gas collection. The heart rate and blood pressure were also checked during the rest and immediately after each exercise. Various cardio-pulmonary functions of the patient at rest were little different from those of the control, except the heart rate which tended to be higher in the patient than in the control. Although the work capacity of the patient was lower than in the control, most patients were able to complete the required exercise test. However, in carrying out a given exercise load, the patient groups had a greater minute volume, the respiratory rate, the O2 consumption and the CO2 output as compared to the control, indicating that the mechanical efficiency is considerably lowered in the patient. Of various patient groups, the work performance was most limited in the pneumonectomy group while the group with one or two segmental resections was little affected. It is suggested that the patient with one or two segmental resections may be allowed to engage in physical activity up to 700 kg-m/min or more while those with pneumonectomy should not exert themselves above 500 k-gm/min.
Adult ; *Exercise Test ; *Heart Function Tests ; Human ; Male ; Pleura/*surgery ; *Pneumonectomy ; *Respiratory Function Tests

To comprehensively evaluate the human body's respiratory, circular metabolism and other functions, and to diagnose lung disease, an accurate and reliable pulmonary function test (PFT) is developed. The system is divided into two parts:hardware and software. It realizes the collection of respiratory, pulse oxygen, carbon dioxide, oxygen and other signals, and draws flow-volume curve (FV curve), volume-time curve (VT curve), respiratory waveform, pulse wave, carbon dioxide and oxygen waveform in real time on the upper computer of the PFT system, and conducts signal processing and parameter calculation for each signal. The experimental results prove that the system is safe and reliable, it can accurately measure the basic functions of human body, and provide reliable parameters, and has good application prospects.
Humans ; Carbon Dioxide ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Oxygen ; Heart Rate

Neonatal lupus(NL) is characterized by typical clinical features and the presence of maternal auto- antibodies. The principal serologic markers of NL are anti-Ro/SSA or anti-La/SSB maternal auto- antibodies, which are transferred across the placenta and can be detected for the first few months of the affected child. The major clinical manifestations are cardiac disease, notably congenital heart block, and cutaneous lupus lesions. Hepatobiliary disease is relatively rare clinical manifestation of NL. We experienced a case of NL with abnormal liver function test and skin lesion.
Antibodies ; Child ; Heart Block ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Liver Function Tests* ; Liver* ; Placenta ; Skin*

OBJECTIVETo study the value of Xstrain technology in the evaluation of cardiac function in children with tonsil adenoidal hypertrophy (TAH).

METHODSThirty-five children with TAH (TAH group) and 20 normal age-matched children (control group) were enrolled. The left ventricular wall movement in the vertical, radial and circumferential directions and the right ventricular tricuspid annulus movement were detected using Xstrain technology.

RESULTSThe systolic and early diastolic velocities of tricuspid annulus in the TAH group were higher than those in the control group. The systolic and diastolic circumferential velocities of the middle lateral wall and back wall of left ventricular in the TAH group were lower than those in the control group. The systolic and early diastolic vertical velocities of the basement of left ventricular wall in the TAH group were higher than those in the control group. There was no significant difference in the radial velocity between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSEarly changes in the cardiac function can be found by Xstrain technology in children with TAH. Xstrain technology can provide a reliable basis for cardiovascular evaluation in children with TAH.

Adenoids ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Heart Function Tests ; methods ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Male

OBJECTIVES: The eye movement (EM) has been reported to play a role in enhancing the retrieval of episodic memories and reducing effects of fearful episodes in the past and worries for the futures. However, it is still unclear in the mechanism of EM in normal subjects. We examined the horizontal eye movement (HEM) effect using an aiding apparatus on mental health indices including negative and positive psychological factors, and psychophysiological measures such as heart rate variability and quantitative electroencepaholography (qEEG) in healthy subjects. METHODS: Twenty eight healthy subjects were recruited and randomly allocated into two groups : active HEM group and control group. The active HEM group conducted the HEM training with usual stress management audio-intervention using the apparatus inducing eye movement once a day for 14 days. The control group also conducted the same training once a day for 14 days, however, the saccadic eye movement was not included in this training. Psychological measurements, neurocognitive function tests, heart rate variability measurement and qEEG were conducted before and after the training in both groups. RESULTS: In the active HEM group, sleep status using Sleep Quality Scale (SQS) positive factors significantly increased after the training. By contrast, scores on the negative items of Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS), and negative items of the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) were significantly decreased after the training. The percentage of delta amplitude (1-3 Hz) in qEEG significantly decreased after the HEM training. The percentage of alpha amplitude (8-12 Hz) significantly increased after HEM training. The change of delta amplitude in the active HEM group was positively correlated with the change of sleep satisfaction of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the change of alpha amplitude was negatively correlated with depression of VAS, anxiety of VAS and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). CONCLUSIONS: The HEM training improved sleep quality and well-being, and sense of optimism. The HEM training also increased alpha amplitude and decreased delta amplitude in qEEG. The qEEG changes were well correlated with subjective improvement of mental health indices in healthy subjects. These results suggest some evidences that HEM training using the apparatus that induces EM would be helpful in improving subjective mental health in healthy subjects. Further study with larger samples size would be needed.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Eye ; Eye Movements ; Heart Function Tests ; Heart Rate ; Memory, Episodic ; Mental Health ; Orientation ; Saccades

BACKGROUND: Isoflurane, a common anesthetic for cardiac surgery, reduced myocardial contractility in many experimental studies, few studies have determined isoflurane's direct impact on the left ventricular (LV) contractile function during cardiac surgery. We determined whether isoflurane dose-dependently reduces the peak systolic velocity of the lateral mitral annulus in tissue Doppler imaging (S′) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: During isoflurane-supplemented remifentanil-based anesthesia for patients undergoing cardiac surgery with preoperative LV ejection fraction greater than 50% (n = 20), we analyzed the changes of S′ at each isoflurane dose increment (1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 minimum alveolar concentration [MAC]: T1, T2, and T3, respectively) with a fixed remifentanil dosage (1.0 μg/min/kg) by using transesophageal echocardiography. RESULTS: Mean S′ values (95% confidence interval [CI]) at T1, T2, and T3 were 10.5 (8.8–12.2), 9.5 (8.3–10.8), and 8.4 (7.3–9.5) cm/s, respectively (P < 0.001 in multivariate analysis of variance test). Their mean differences at T1 vs. T2, T2 vs. T3, and T1 vs. T3 were −1.0 (−1.6, −0.3), −1.1 (−1.7, −0.6), and −2.1 (−3.1, −1.1) cm/s, respectively. Phenylephrine infusion rates were significantly increased (0.26, 0.22, and 0.47 μg/kg/min at T1, T2, and T3, respectively, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Isoflurane increments (1.0–2.0 MAC) dose-dependently reduced LV systolic long-axis performance during cardiac surgeries with a preserved preoperative systolic function.
Anesthesia ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Heart Function Tests ; Heart Valves ; Humans ; Isoflurane ; Multivariate Analysis ; Phenylephrine ; Thoracic Surgery

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the effects of a telephone-based self-management support program led by nurses on self-care behavior, biological index for cardiac function, and depression. METHODS: This study is a quasi-experiment in nonequivalent control group design. Thirty-eight heart failure patients underwent medical treatment at the hospital (18 heart failure patients in the experimental group and 20 heart failure patients in the control group). The experimental group (n = 18) received the telephone-based self-management support program, which included a 30-minute face-to-face education session and four telephone consultation and education sessions. The face-to-face education session was conducted at the first visit to the outpatient clinic. Thereafter, weekly telephone consultations and education sessions were performed for 4 weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, independent t test, paired t test, and repeated measures analysis of variance using the SPSS/WIN 21.0. RESULTS: The participants in the experimental group showed significantly increased self-care behavior scores (t = 6.65, p < .001), decreased N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide level (U= −2.28, p = .022), improved left ventricular ejection fraction values (t = 2.24, p = .032), and decreased depression scores (t = −3.49, p = .001) compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that the telephone-based self-management program is an effective intervention to improve self-management in heart failure patients.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Depression* ; Education ; Heart Failure* ; Heart Function Tests ; Heart* ; Humans ; Referral and Consultation ; Self Care* ; Stroke Volume ; Telephone

99mTc-galactosyl human serum albumin (Tc-GSA) is a radiopharmaceutical that binds to asialoglycoprotein receptors, which are specifically present in the hepatocyte membrane. Because these receptors are decreased in hepatic parenchymal damage, the degree of Tc-GSA accumulation in the liver correlates with findings of liver function test. Hepatic images were performed with Tc-GSA in patients with acute hepatic dysfunction by Amantia Subjunquillea poisoning, and compared with these of liver ultrasonography (USG). Tc-GSA (185 MBq, 3 mg of GSA) was injected intravenously, and dynamic images were recorded for 30 minutes. Time-activity curves for the heart and liver were generated from regions of interest for the whole liver and precordium. Degree of hepatic uptake and clearance rate of Tc-GSA were generated by visual interpretation and semiquantitative analysis parameters (receptor index: LHL15 and index of blood clearance: HH15). Visual assessment of GSA scintigraphy revealed mildly decreased liver uptake in all of subjects. The mean LHL15 and HH15 were 0.886 and 0.621, graded as mild dysfunction in 2, and mild to moderate dysfunction in 1 subject. In contrast, liver USG showed no remarkable changes of hepatic parenchyme. Tc-GSA scintigraphy was considered as a useful imaging modality in the assessment of the hepatic dysfunction.
Asialoglycoprotein Receptor ; Heart ; Hepatocytes ; Humans* ; Liver Function Tests ; Liver* ; Membranes ; Poisoning* ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Serum Albumin* ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: This study was preformed to demonstrate the improvement of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function parameters after albuterol inhalation in asthmatic bronchitis using pneumotachography. METHODS: Fifteen asthmatic bronchitis patients admitted to Ewha Womans University Hospital from September in 1998 to July in 1999 were enrolled in this study. Clinical symptoms and pulmonary function parameters including respiratory rate, heart rate, inspiratory tidal volume(Vi), expiratory tidal volume(Ve), peak tidal expiratory flow(PTEF), tidal expiratory flow at 25% of tidal volume(TEF25), mid-expiratory flow(MEF) and mid-inspiratory flow(MIF), compliance, and pulmonary resistance were evaluated by clinical symptom score and pneumotachography before and after albuterol inhalation treatment. RESULTS: The clinical score was decreased significantly after treatment, but heart rate did not show a significant difference. By flow-volume curve, Ve were 7.39+/-2.11 mL/kg, 9.39+/-3.20 mL/kg, and Vi were 7.44+/-2.08 mL/kg, 9.46+/-3.26 mL/kg, and PTEF were 130.1+/-82.1 mL/kg, 123.1+/-64.8 mL/kg before and after treatment, respectively. All the pulmonary function parameters showed no significant differences before and after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical symptoms were improved after albuterol inhalation treatment in asthmatic bronchitis, but pulmonary function was not recovered after a short-term treatment.
Albuterol ; Bronchitis* ; Compliance ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Respiratory Function Tests* ; Respiratory Rate