BACKGROUND: This clinical trial was performed to evaluate the hemodynamic and side effects of enoximone, a newly developed phosphodiesterase inhibitor, in moderately severe congestive heart failure in Korean population and to base the development of long acting oral preparations in the future. METHODS: Principal admission criteria for this trial were a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 45% by radionuclide ventriculography, NYHA functional class II or III and a documented congestive cardiomyopathy. Exclusion criteria were restrictive cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, multisystemic lillness and uncontrolled ventricular tachyarrhythmia. The hemodynamic measurements were made by using the thermodilution Swan-Ganz catheter and radial arterial canulation. Enoximone was administered(continuous infusion) for 24 hours after initial bolus. The hemodynamic parameters to be observed were blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance. The clinical reponse, hematology, blood chemistry, and Holter monitoring were checked before and after enoximone trial. RESULTS: The following results are obtained. 1) The included patients were 15 females, 24 males, total 39 patients and mean age of 55.3 years old(28-70 years old). 2) The causes of congestive cardiomyopathy were idiopathic 35(89.9%), hypertensive 3(7.7%), and alcoholic 1(2.6%). 3) The mean ejection fraction measured by radionuclide left ventriculography were 28. 6%. 4) THe cardiac output was significantly increased(50%), and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure(38%), systemic vascular resistance(34%), pulmonary vascular resistance(27%) were significantly decreased during enoximone infusion. 5) NYHA Functional Class was improved by 1 step with enoximone. 6) There were no significant changes in hematology, blood chemistry, and Holter monitoring with enoximone. CONCLUSION: From the above results, the short term intravenous enoximone was very effective in moderately severe congestive heart failure in congestive cardiomyopathy without major adverse effects in Korean.
Alcoholics ; Blood Pressure ; Capillaries ; Cardiac Output ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive ; Catheters ; Chemistry ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; Enoximone* ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Female ; Heart Failure* ; Heart Rate ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Hematology ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Male ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Radionuclide Ventriculography ; Stroke Volume ; Tachycardia ; Thermodilution ; Vascular Resistance

We experience a case of 34-year-old Turner's syndrome(45, XO) associated with atrial septal defect(secondum type) and mitral valve prolapse who was admitten due to moderate exertional dyspnea. It is well know hat chromosomal abnormality is one of the etiology of congenital heart disease. In case of Turner's syndrome, coarctation of aorta or bocuspid aortic valve is frequently combined, but atrial septal defect simultaneously with mitral valve prolapse is not reported till now in Krea. We report this case with a brief review of the literature.
Adult ; Aortic Coarctation ; Aortic Valve ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Dyspnea ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Prolapse* ; Mitral Valve* ; Turner Syndrome*

BACKGROUND: One of the unique feature of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is its ability to describe the variations of BP throughout the day and night. Left ventricular hypertrophy and other measures of target organ damage in hypertension are more closely related to the average 24-h BP than to clinic BP. In addition to the mean levels of BP, the characteristics of the 24-h BP profile might be a further determinant of organ in essential hypertension. METHODS: Data were obtrained from 105 patients with essential hypertension and 44 normal subjects. Echocardiography and 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were performed in all subjects. At first, relative wall thickness(RWT) and left ventrcular mass index were calculated from normal subject and normal values(RWT<0.44, LV mass index,120gm/m2) were applied to hypertensive patients which were classified to dipper and non-dipper according to the result of ambulatory monitoring. RESULTS: 1) There were 49 dippers and 56 non-dipper in hypertensive patients subjects. 2) Among the dippers, left ventricular mass index and relative wall thickness were normal in 51%, whereas 8.2% had increased relative wall thickness with normal ventricular mass(concentric remodeling), 32.7% had increased mass with normal relative wall thickness(eccentric hypertrophy) and 8.2% had typical hypertensive concentric hypertrophy. 3) Among the non-dippers, left ventriculat mass index and relative wall thicksness were normal in 40%, whereas 41.8% had eccentric hypertophy, 16.4% had concentric hypertrophy, only 1.8% had concentric remodeling. 4) The incidence of concentric hypertophy was significantly increased in non-dipper subjects(15.2%) than dippers(8.2%), especially in non-dipper female patients. 5) The incidence of concentric remodeling was increased in dipper(8.2%), especially in dipper female patients. 6) There were no difference between left ventricular geometies in duration of hypertension, ejecton fracton, fractional shortening, and cardiac index. 7) There were no difference between dipper and non-dipper subjects in total peripheral resistance except dipper female patients(1,484+/-535 dynes.s.cm5). CONCLUSION: Patterns of left ventricular hypertophy and geometric remodeling in essential hypertension may not be influenced by the duration of hypertension, but by gender, blood pressure level, diurnal rhythm and total peripheral resistance.
Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Circadian Rhythm ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertrophy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Incidence ; Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Vascular Resistance

The authors have experienced two cases of general anesthesia for repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Both patients were female (1 year 5 months and 8 months of age) and had left sided Bochdalek hernia. Anesthesia was maintained with halothane-oxygen using nonrebreathing system with Ruben valve, and the patients tolerated the whole procedure very well. The importance of maintaining adequate ventilation with high concentrations of oxygen and avoiding abdominal distension has been stressed.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Female ; Hernia ; Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital* ; Humans ; Oxygen ; Ventilation

BACKGROUND: Cicletanine is a new antihypertensive agent, derived from the furopyridine family. It acts directly on vascular smooth muscle by increasing prostacyclin synthesis and decreasing intracytosolic calcium. In order to investigate the efficacy and safety of cicletanine, a clinical study was performed in the patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. METHOD: The study subject consisted of 30 patients with diastolic blood pressure of 95mmHg~114mmHg(mean age : 55.1+/-7.9 years, 13 males and 17 females). Cicletanine was administrated orally in a daily dose of 100mg Q.D. for 12 weeks after the administration of a placebo for 2 weeks. During cicletanine medication, antihypertensive efficacy, clinical side effects and laboratory changes were monitored. RESULT: Cicletanine decreased mean blood pressure from the baseline value of 123.6+/-3.4mmHg to 108.6+/-7.5mmHg(p<0.001) after 2 weeks, 105.0+/-7.4mmHg after 4 weeks, 103.9+/-6.6mmHg after 6 weeks, 102.5+/-8.9mmHg after 8 weeks, 101.4+/-6.8mmHg after 10 weeks and 99.6+/-6.6mmHg after 12 weeks of medication. There was a highly significant decrease in blood pressure at each of the assessments after 2,4,6,8,10 and 12 weeks of medication when compared to the baseline value(p<0.001). Mean blood pressure after 4 weeks of medication showed a significant decrease when compared to the value after 2 weeks of medication, and the value after 12 weeks of medication showed a significantly decrease when compared to the value after 8 weeks of medication. Heart rate did not change significantly with cicletanine monotherapy for 12 weeks. There was no significant changes in blood chemistry, glucose, lipid and electrolytes. The side effect was pruritus(1 case, 3.3%). CONCLUSION: Cicletanine monotherapy with 100mg once a day regimen was effective and well tolerated in the patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.
Blood Pressure ; Calcium ; Chemistry ; Electrolytes ; Epoprostenol ; Glucose ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular

BACKGROUND: Although the net atrioventricular compliance can be obtained by invasive catheterization (Ccath) in mitral stenosis (MS), feasibility of noninvasive echocardiographic calculation of the compliance (Cecho) and its hemodynamic significance were not tested. METHODS: Using valve area by 2D planimetry (A2D) and deceleration slope (dv/dt) of transmitral velocity decay in continuous wave Doppler echocardiographic tracing, Cecho was defined as -A2D/(gamma dv/dt), which was compared with Ccath obtained directly during the catheterization in 30 MS patients with sinus rhythm. Exercise Doppler echocardiography with symptom-limited treadmill was performed in 66 patients with moderate to tight MS: mean mitral gradient (MG) and peak pressure gradient of tricuspid regurgitation (PGTR) at baseline and immediately after exercise were obtained using continuous wave Doppler echocardiographic tracing. Hemodynamic variables including Cecho, MG, PGTR and mitral valve area were analyzed to determine the association with patients' exercise tolerance. RESULTS: Cecho in 30 patients with tight MS (valve area 0.9+/-0.2 cm 2) was 4+/-1 ml/mmHg (2-7 mmHg), which showed a significant correlation with Ccath (r=0.48, p=0.01). Exercise time in 66 patients with moderate to tight MS showed significant negative correlation with resting MG, resting and postexercise PGTR, and positive correlation with Cecho: exercise time in those patients did not show any significant correlation with resting valve area. In multivariate analysis, Cecho and postexercise PGTR were independent factors determining exercise time in MS. CONCLUSIONS: The net atrioventricular compliance in MS can be calculated by noninvasive echocardiography, and it is an important hemodynamic factor determining exercise tolerance in MS.
Catheterization ; Catheters ; Compliance ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Exercise Tolerance ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Stenosis ; Multivariate Analysis ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: QT interval on ECG strongly depends on heart rate. Prolonged early phase of repolarization may be responsible for mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis. Investigation of physiologic behavior of QT interval and their relation to cardiac cycle length may explain mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis. The aim of this study is to investigate the physiologic behavior of the QT intervals during various stages of treadmill exercise test in healthy airlines pilots. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of treadmill exercise test ws done in 60 healthy men. Each underwent 10 ECG recordings, which were performed in resting, 1 minute, 2 minute and 3 minute of exercise stage 1, 2 and 3 of Bruce protocol respectively. The QT interval was measured as the time interval from the earliest Q onset to the peak T wave (QTp) in precordial lead V2. RESULTS: The mean heart rate before exercise was 72 +/-5 beats/minute, and at 1, 2 and 3 minute of exercise stage 1, 2 and 3 were 96 +/-8, 97 +/-7, 99 +/-9, 112 +/-9, 117 +/-9, 120 +/-10, 137 +/-12, 145 +/-12 and 152 +/-10, respectively. The d-QTp/d-RR at 1, 2 and 3 minute of exercise stage 1, 2 and 3 were 10.4 +/-5.9, 14.1 +/-5.8, 15.1 +/-6.2, 14.8 +/-4.2, 16.1 +/-3.7, 16.3 +/-3.5, 16.8 +/-2.9, 17.1 +/-3.0%, respectively. The QTp interval respond slowly for rapid changes in cycle length. The change of QTp interval showed a linear correlation with the change of the RR interval (y=0.189x-10.864, r=0.83, P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The changes in QT interval lagged behind the rapid and sustained changes in the heart rate elicited by treadmill exercise test. It is concluded that the d-QTp/d-RR showed hysteresis in the changes in the RR interval may be useful in assessing in the dynamic regulation of the ventricular repolariza-tion process.
Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis and treatment of hypertension is imperative to prevent the complications associated with this condition. The development of accurate and convenient methods of blood pressure measurement, therefore, is indispensible. At present, the JNC V has acknowledged the use of automatic sphygmomanometer that can be used without the help of someone else. We compared automatic oscillometric sphygmomanometers manufactured by Sein Electronics, korea(SE-7000 and SE-5000) with the standard Korotkoff auscultatory mercuy sphygmomanometer meter. The correlation between these two methods were calculated to determine whether these products could actually be used in clinical practice. This study was undertaken to ensure the clinical evaluation of these two products and standardization of an antomatic sphygmomanometer in korea before it is actually used. METHODS: The study included eighty-three patients, ranging in age from 14 to 81 years, who were admitted to Hanyang University Hospital in October, 1995. The blood pressure measured by the automatic oscillometric sphygmomanometer(SE-7000) in the right arm and was compared with that measured by the standard mercury sphygmomanometer(baumanometer) in the left arm. Also the blood pressure measured by the automatic oscillometric sphygmomanometer(SE-5000) at the wrist was compared by the baumanometer in the same side arm. The correlation between these methods were determined by the paired Student`s t-test and by the simple liner regression method. RESULTS: The p value of systolic blood pressure between two methods(SE-7000 and baumanometer) in the both arms was 0.896 and correlation coefficient was 0.8286. The p value of diastolic blood pressure between this two methods was 0.352 and correleation coefficient was 0.7455. The p value of systolic blood pressure between two methods(SE-5000 and baumanomter) by the arm and the wrist was 0.00018 and correlation coefficient was 0.8588, the p value of diastolic blood pressure between this two methods was 0.000048 and correlation coefficient was 0.5944. CONCLUSION: The blood pressure measured by the SE-5000 at the wrist was statistically different from that measured with the baumanometer in the arm. Further studies are necessary to use this product in clinical practice. However, the systolic and diastolic blood pressures measured with the SE-7000 in the arm were relatively similar to those measured by the baumanometer enabling this products to be effectively used in clinical practice.
Arm ; Blood Pressure ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Sphygmomanometers* ; Wrist

Hemolytic transfusion reactions may occur after the administration of donor bloods even when they have been shown compatible apparently by crossmatch tests. Such episodes present a diagnostic challenge and raise serious doubts about our understanding of blood group incompatibility. Fever, hemoglobinuria, oliguria and marked fall in hematocrit values developed in a patient 30 hours after she had received one unit of apparently compatible blood during operation under general anesthesia. Results of routine serologic studies at the time of the transfusion reaction were normal. She died on 40 hours after operation.
Anesthesia, General ; Blood Group Incompatibility* ; Fever ; Hematocrit ; Hemoglobinuria ; Humans ; Oliguria ; Tissue Donors

BACKGROUND: A recent case-control study from Finland reported a strong relationship between high antibody titers to Chlamydia pneumoniae , strain TWAR, and both chronic heart disease and acute myocardial infarction. Other studies also suggested an association between C. pneumoniae infection and coronary atherosclerosis, based on the demonstration of increased serologic titers and the detection of bacteria within atherosclerotic tissue, but this association has not been yet regarded as an established theory. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between C. pneumoniae immnoglobulin G antibody titers and angiographically diagnosed coronary artery disease. METHOD: Coronary angiography was performed. Controls (n=89) were coronary angiographically normal cases and coronary artery disease (n=115) was diagnosed if coronary artery luminal diameter is obstructed more than 50% in more than one coronary artery. Micro-IF assay was used to measure C. pneumoniae TWAR antibodies. The sera were titrated in two-fold dilutions starting from 1 in 8, and a titre of 1 in 8 or more was judjed positive. RESULTS: The estimated risk of coronary artery disease, adjusted for age and gender, was greater among subjects with high (> or =1:128) antibody titers than with low (< or =1:8) antibody titers (relative risk, 7.9:95% confidence interval, 1.3-47.9). CONCLUSION: These results support an association between infection with >ENGLISH=Ptimes-i< C. pneumoniae and coronary artery disease only in high (> or =1:128) antibody titers.
Antibodies ; Bacteria ; Case-Control Studies ; Chlamydia* ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae* ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Finland ; Heart Diseases ; Myocardial Infarction ; Phenobarbital ; Pneumonia