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

BACKGROUND: Isolated heterotopic gastric mucosa of the upper esophagus(HGME), often referred to as inlet patch, is an asyptomatic benign lesion. It may, however, cause retrosternal chest pain and dysphagea, and rarely produce complications such as ulceration and stricture. It may be suspected on characteristic finding of endoscopy, and the diagnosis is usually proved by biposy. We studied several characteristics of HGME. METHOD: From January 1996 to May 1997, endoscopy was performed on 2000 consecutive patients (1068 male, 932 female). HGME was seen 25 patients(12 male, 13 female) among 2000 patients. RESULT: Prevalence of HGME is 1.25%. There was no significant difference of the prevalence of HGME between male and female. HGME was presented as a velvety and salmon-pink patch with a distict border from the normally pale squamous cell mucosa of the esophagus, and was seen as multiple lesions in 8 patients among 25 patients. Thirty three locailzed gastric mucosal patches, varying in size 3 mm to 30 mm in the longest diameter, were detected within or just below of upper esophageal spincter in all the twenty five patients. Biopsy specimens taken from the miucosal patches demonstrated gastric mucosa. Among 25 patients with HGME, four patients complained foreign body sensation on throat or heartburn, without other diseases such as GERD, gastritis or peptic ulcer. CONCLUSION: Further studies of a large scale about pathogenesis, prevalence, and complication of HGME will be required.
Bays ; Biopsy ; Chest Pain ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Esophagus* ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Gastric Mucosa* ; Gastritis ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Heartburn ; Humans ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Peptic Ulcer ; Pharynx ; Prevalence ; Sensation ; Ulcer