BACKGROUND: Left ventricular thrombus is a common complication after acute myocardial infarction. Methods and RESULTS: To Study the incidence of left ventricular thrombosis (LVT) after acute myocardial infarction, we performed serial two-dimensional echocardiography (2D-Echo) in 35 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction prospectively ; 10 patients had inferior wall myocardial infarction, 25 patients had anterior wall myocardial infarction. 2D-Echo was obtained within 3 days of acute myocardial infarction, at 4-10 days after symptom onset, and 2-4 weeks after symptom onset serially in each case. 19 out of 35 patients received thrombolytic therapy with urokinase. Left ventricular thrombi were identified in 9(25.7%) of the 35 study patients. The location of myocardial infarction was anterior and apical in all cases with left ventricular thrombi. The shape of thrombi was mural in 6 cases and protruding in 3 cases. The incidence of left ventricular thrombi in patients who received urokinase was not significantly different from that in patients who didn't(31.9% vs 18.8%,p=0.22). Wall motion score was significantly higher in patients who developed left ventricular thrombi than in patients who had no left ventricular thrombus(8.2+/-1.9 vs 5.8+/-2.6, p<0.005). All thrombi appeared within 10 days after myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS: Thus left ventricular thrombi develops within 10 days following myocardial infarction with large anterior and apical location. The thrombolysis therapy has no effect in the incidence of left ventricular thrombi in this study. But because of confounding effect of thrombolysis and location of myocardial infarction and extent of myocardial infarction, further investigation is needed.
Anterior Wall Myocardial Infarction ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Inferior Wall Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Prospective Studies ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Ilizarov Technique* ; Pseudarthrosis* ; Tibia*

BACKGROUND: Although there have been many studies on the risk factors for coronary artery disease, the etiology and risk factor of coronary artery spasm has not yet been determined. The objective of this study was to examine the risk factors for coronary vasospasm through a comparison of patients with angiographically determined vasospastic angina and patients without vasospasm and normal coronary artery. METHODS: Intracoronary injection of acetylcholine in order (20microg, 50microg, 100microg) were administered to all patients (Total 81:34 males, 47 females : mean age 50 years) who had a history of chest pain with normal or near normal coronary arteriographic fingings. After documentation of vasospasm in major epicardial coronary arteries by acetylcholine (Ach)-provocated dcoronary angiography, various risk factors (smoking, hypertension, diabetes, drinking and hyperlipidemia) were compared between patients with vasospasm and patients without vaspasm. RESULTS: 24 patients showed significant luminal narrowing (> or =75%)(Vasospasm group) and 57 patients showed no significant change (Control). Vasospasm group were suffered from typical chest pain in 92% of patients but control complained typical chest pain in 51% of subjects. The sites of vasoconstriction induced by Ach were LAD (11 cases), LCX (4 cases), RCA (11 cases) and vasoconstriction occurred 2 vessels (LAD and LCx) at the same time in two cases. The amount of Ach to provocate vasoconstriction was 20~50microg (90%) and there were no difference between left and right coronary arteries. The ratio of smoker was more frequent in the vasospasm group than control (58.3% vs 30.4%, p=0.046). But total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein (a), diabetes and body mass index, drinking were not statistically significant between two groups. CONCLUSION: Smoking appears to be a major risk factor for vasospastic angina by endotheilal dysfunction without significant coronary artery narrowing. But other fisk for coronary artery disease may not contribute to coronary vasospasm.
Acetylcholine* ; Angiography ; Apolipoproteins ; Body Mass Index ; Chest Pain ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vasospasm ; Coronary Vessels* ; Drinking ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Lipoproteins ; Male ; Phenobarbital ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spasm* ; Triglycerides ; Vasoconstriction

BACKGROUND: Although determination of Doppler echocardiographic transmitral inflow patterns(DETIP) is used as an indrect method assessing LV diastolic function. It is known that DETIP can be affected by certain hemodynamic variables. The aim of this investigation is to assess the serial changes of DETIP and to determine the relation of DETIP with clinical parameter such as initial left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV), ejection fraction(EF), Killip class and thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. METHOD: Four serial Doppler and 2-D echocardiographic studies were performed at 1 day, 1 week, 1mouth, and 3 months after development of AMI in 24 patients(M:F=19:5, aged 58+/-11 year , 15 anterior MI) and 13 normal adults (aged 47+/-9 years) as reference group. On admission 14 patients were in Killip class I and 10 patients in class II. Thrombolytic therapy with IV urokinase were done in 11 patients. E velocity, pressure half-time (PHT), and isovolumic relaxation time(IVRT) were analyzed and LV systolic function was determined in apical 4 chamber view. RESULTS: DETIP did not change until 1month after development of AMI. However, E/A ratio was decreased, and PHT and IVRT were increased at 3 months after AMI. Doppler transmitral flow parameters were not related with Killip class and LV systolic function. Patiens who recieved urokinase intravenously and who had greater intial LVEDV(>118cm3) showed higher E/A ratio and shorter PHTand IVRT than those who did not. These findings indicate that changes in Doppler transmitral inflow pattern in AMI patients are not uniform over a period of 3 months and thrombolytic therapy causes favorable effect on Doppler transmitral flow parameters. CONCLUSION: Changes in Doppler trasmitral inflow pattern may be variable over post-AMI period and this should be taken into account in evaluating LV diastolic function after AMI. Thrombolytic therapy may improve LV diastolic function in AMI patients.
Adult ; Echocardiography ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Relaxation ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

BACKGROUND: The presence of diastolic mitral regurgitation has been described in patients with complete atrioventricular(AV) block, aortic valve regurgitation, hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy, and in patients with long diastolic filling period in atrial fibrillation. However, because of rare incidence and difficulty in making diagnosis of this phenomenon, the frequency and hemodynamic effects of diastolic AV valve regurgitation(DAVVR) and relationship of electrocardiographic(ECG) parameters with DAVVR in patients with complete heart block have not been reported in Korea. METHODS: To evaluate the frequency, hemodynamic effects of DAVVR and relation of ECG parameters with DAVVR in patients with complete AV block, we studied 14 consecutive patients with complete AV block by means of two dimensional and Doppper echocardiography. RESULTS: The DAVVR was observed in all cases of complete AV block except 3 cases on temporary pacemaker. The peak velocy of diastolic mitral and tricuspid valve regurgitaton were 105+/-23cm/sec and 98+/-30cm/sec, respectively. The peak and mean pressure gradient of diastolic mitral regurgitation were 4.7+/-1.7mmHg and 3.1+/-1.5mmHg respectively, and the peak and mean pressure gradient of diastolic tricuspid regurgitation were 4.1+/-2.6mmHg and 2.7+/-2.1mmHg, respectively. There was regular interval between p-wave of ECG and onset of diastolic AV valve regurgitation, which was 215+/-12msec, Diastolic AV valve regurgitation disappeared immediately after recovery of complete AV block to sinus rhythm or insertion of DDD-type permanent pacemaker in all cases. CONCLUSION: In Conclusion, the DAVVR was observed in all cases of complete AV block except cases on temporary pacemaker insertion and its hemodynamic effect was mild. There was regular interval between p-wave of ECG and the onset of diastolic AV valve regurgitation.
Aortic Valve ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Atrioventricular Block* ; Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Block ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Tricuspid Valve ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency

Recent studies have shown that side population (SP) cells, isolated from adult myocardium, represent a distinct cardiac progenitor cell population that exhibits functional cardiomyogenic differentiation. However, information on the intrinsic characteristics and endothelial potential, of cardiac SP cells, is limited. The present study was designed to investigate whether cardiac SP cells exhibit endothelial differentiation potential. The cardiac SP cells more highly expressed the early cardiac transcription factors as well as endothelial cell markers compared to the bone marrow-SP cells. After treatment with VEGF, for 28 days, cardiac SP cells were able to differentiate into endothelial cells expressing von Willebrand factor as determined by immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, expression of endothelial cell markers increased several-fold in VEGF-treated cardiac SP cells compared to the control group when assessed by real-time PCR. We also confirmed that cardiac SP cells provided a significantly augmented ratio of ischemic/normal blood flow, in the cardiac SP cell-transplanted group compared with saline-treated controls on postoperative days 7, 14, 21 and 28, in a murine model. These results show that cardiac SP cells may contribute to regeneration of injured heart tissues partly by transdifferentiation into angiogenic lineages.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Bone Marrow Cells/cytology/drug effects ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects ; Cell Separation ; Colony-Forming Units Assay ; DNA Primers/genetics ; Endothelial Cells/*cytology/drug effects/metabolism/transplantation ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocardium/*cytology/metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/pharmacology

BACKGROUND: Myocardial contrast two-dimensional echocardiography(MC-2DE) has been known to have the real time capabilities for repeat in vivo assessment of ischemic risk areas and for evaluation of the myocardial perfusion. The aims of this investigation are (1) to evaluate the feasibility of MC-2DE for the delineation and quantitation of the area at risk. (2) to determine the relationship between the extent of the echocontrast defect area(EDA) during reperfusion and the size of myocardial infarction as determined by post-mortem tissue examination, and (3) to observe serial changes in the time echo-intensity characteristics of MC-2DE during coronary occlusion and reperfusion. METHODS: Myocardial contrast echocardiographic images were made by injecting bolus 5mL of two-syringe-agitated mixture of sodium meglumine ioxaglate(Hexabrix(R)) and normal saline(2 : 3 by volume) into the aortic root before and during coronary occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery, distal to the first diagonal branch and during reperfusion on eight open-chest dogs. Two-dimensional echocardiographic short axis views were obtained at four anatomic levels : the apex, the low papillary muscle, the high papillary muscle and the mitral valve. The changes in EDA and echo-intensity with its wash-out half time(WHT) at the high papillary muscle level during coronary occlusion and reperfusion were measured every 15 minutes. The total EDA was measured by planimetry at 3 minutes after coronary occlusion and at 60 minutes after reperfusion. Evans blue or methylene blue were used for the measurement of the anatomic area at risk and triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride(TTC) for the measurement of the infarct area. RESULTS: The EDA measured 30 minutes after coronary occlusion(19.6%) was smaller than that at 3 minutes after coronary occlusion(24.0%, p<0.01). Then EDA at 3 minutes occlusion was strongly predictive of the anatomic extent of area at risk(EDA=0.48 Area at risk+16.95, r=0.84, p<0.05). The EDA at 60 minutes after reperfusion, which showed an irregular margin and was located within the subendocardium of the area at risk, also correlated well with the infarct area(IA)(EDA=0.78 IA+3.32, r=0.82, p=0.09). The peak echo-intensity in the ischemic area during coronary occlusion was significantly low(14.2+/-6.5 vs 73.8+/-31.7 in the non-ischemic area, p<0.01) and the WHT was delayed more in the ischemic area than in the non-ischemic area(23.2+/-2.8 sec vs 8.1+/-3.3sec, p<0.01). During the period of reperfusion, WHT in the previously ischemic area was markedly delayed compared to that in the non-ischemic area (p<0.01), although the peak echo-intensity in the ischemic area at 3 minutes after reperfusion increased modestly compared to that in the non-ischemic area(80.9+/-22.8 vs 72.7+/-8.4), suggesting the impairment in the transit of microbubbles is probably due to microvascular damage after reperfusion. There were no adverse hemodynamic or electrocardiographic effects after injection of the contrast agent. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that myocardial contrast echocardiography was useful as a non-invasive technique, first, to delineate the area at risk in vivo during coronary occlusion and, after reperfusion, the infarct area, and secondly, to evaluate indirectly the state of myocardial perfusion during coronary occlusion and reperfusion.
Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Coronary Occlusion* ; Coronary Vessels ; Dogs ; Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography ; Evans Blue ; Hemodynamics ; Meglumine ; Methylene Blue ; Microbubbles ; Mitral Valve ; Myocardial Infarction ; Papillary Muscles ; Perfusion* ; Reperfusion* ; Sodium

BACKGROUND: Dobutamine echocardiography is a useful method to detect myocardial viability in ischemic heart disease. Recently myocardial contrast echocardiography(MCE) is reported to be a new method to evaluate myocardial viability by assessing microvascular integrity of dysfunctional myocardium. We hypothesized if the microvascular integrity is maintained, the dysfunctional myocardium would improve its function by dobutamine infusion. METHOD: 10 myocardial infarction patients (acute : old=8 : 2, M : F=7 : 3, mean age=61+/-11yr) were included in the study. 2 dimensional echocardiography was performed before and during dobutamine infusion and after contrast injection to right and left coronary arteries in the catheterization laboratory. Echocardiographic analysis was done in parasternal short, apical 4 and 2 chamber views. Left ventricule was devided by 20 segments from 3 views. In each segment, will motion score(graded 1, normal, to 5, dyskinesia) before and after dobutamine infusion and opacification grade(0, 0.5, 1 denoting no, intermediate and normal opacification respectively) was compared. RESULTS: The number of segments with abnormal wall motion at baseline were 57 segments. 5 segments was exciuded due to poor image quality. Among 52 segments, 25 segments improved it's function during dobutamine infusion. Improvement of regional function was more frequent in hypokinetic segments than akinetic or dyskinetic segments (69% vs 15%). The improvement of dysfunctional regional wall motion by dobutamine infusion was observed in 80%(19/24), 67%(6/9) and 5%(1/19) of normally, intermediately and none opacified segment respectively. The correlation between wall motion score with opacification grade was 0.598 at baseline and increased to 0.766 after dobutamine infusion. CONCLUSION: In patients with myocardial infarction the dysfunctional segments but intact microvasculature assessed myocardial contrast echocardiography improves function by dobutamine infusion. These findings myocardial contrast echocardiography would be a useful method to detect myocardial viability.
Catheterization ; Catheters ; Coronary Vessels ; Dobutamine* ; Echocardiography* ; Humans ; Microvessels ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocardium

An acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and the apical ballooning syndrome (ABS) are both critical and need proper management during the acute stage. We experienced a case of recurrent severe dyspnea because serious right ventricular dysfunction due to PE and left ventricular dysfunction due to ABS occurred consecutively in the short-term and bedside echocardiography has an important role in management in acute settings.
Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Hemorrhage ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right