No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Cadmium, an environmental pollutant, has implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Biochemical and pathophysiological changes characterized by arterial hypertension, accelerated cholesterol plaque formation on arterial walls, cardiac conduction abnormalities, and reduction in myocardial contractility have been reported in experimental animals chronically exposed to low concentration of cadmium. This study was undertaken to evaluate the ultrastructural changes of the cardiac muscle in rats exposed to cadmium chloride and to ascertain whether these changes are modified after discontinuation of cadmium feeding. METHOD: Wistar strain rats(body weight 200~250gram) were injected intraperitoneally once weekly with 3.75mg/kg of cadmium chloride for 10 weeks and were sacrificed at 1 day, 1 week and 2 weeks after discontinuation of cadmium administration. RESULT: Ultrastructure if rat cardiac muscle fibers after cadmium administration revealed that mitochondria were increased in number and their cristae were severely damaged. Cardiac myofibrils and myofilaments were reduced. Z-disc were partly dislocated and A-bands and I-bands were not clearly defined. Irregularly arranged intercalated disc and disrupted sarcolemma were also found. These structural alterations resulting from cadmium feeding were partly reduced after removal of cadmium exposure for 2 weeks. These structural alterations resulting from cadmium feeding were partly reduced after removal of cadmium exposure for 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that exposure to cadmium chloride was associated with cardiac ultrastructural changes which might be responsible for physiologic abnormalities and these alterations may be partly reversible after discontinuation of cadmium administration.
Animals ; Cadmium Chloride* ; Cadmium* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Hypertension ; Mitochondria ; Myocardium* ; Myofibrils ; Rats* ; Sarcolemma

Clinical findings, electrocardiographic voltage and left ventricular function were evaluated in 104 patients with percardial effusion. Patients were classified into three groups by the amounts of pericardial effusion measured by two-dimensional echocardiography. 49 patients had small pericardial effusion, 31 moderate effusion and 24 large effusion. In 47 patients the effusions were clinically unsuspected prior to echocardiographic examination. Pericardial friction rub was noted in 14 patients, two-thirds of whom had moderate to large effusions. There was no relationship between the size of effusion and the presence of friction rub. Total QRS amplitudes were lower in patients with moderate to large effusions than those in control group. Maximum diastolic endocardial velocity(DEVM) and E-F slope of the anterior mitral leaflet were decreased significantly in patients with moderate to large effusions as compared with those with small effusions. As a result, authors concluded that reduction in the QRS voltages in serial ECGs may suggest the presence and the amount of pericardial effusion and also DEVM and E-F slope of the anterior mitral leaflet can be sensitive measures of left ventricular relaxation in patients with pericardial effusion.
Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography* ; Friction ; Humans ; Pericardial Effusion* ; Relaxation ; Ventricular Function, Left*

Left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) is one of common cardiovascular complications in hypertensive patients and it is well known that hypertensive cardiac disease accompained by LVH is still common cause of congestive heart failure in spite of treatment of hypertension. The authors assessed the prevalence of anatomical and functional abnormalities of left ventricle by EKG, chest X-ray and echocardiography in 45 essential hypertensive patients and also in 20 normal controls. Average values of left ventricular posterior wall thickness(LVPWd), interventricular septal thickness(IVSd), left ventricular mass(LVM), and left ventricular mass index(LVM/BSA) by echocardiography in hypertensive groups with LVH by EKG or chest X-ray were significantly higher than those of hypertensive groups without LVH by EKG or chest X-ray(P<0.005). Among 27 hypertensive patients with LVH by EKG and chest X-ray increased LVPWd was found in 24 patients(18%) and increased LVH in 26 patients(19%). Increased LVPWd and LVM were found in 3 patients(23%) among 13 hypertensives without LVH by EKG and chest X-ray. Hypertensive patients with increased LVH showed LVH by EKG and chest X-ray more frequently than those with increased LVPWd. Also, hypertensive patients without increased LVM showed MVH by EKG and chest X-ray less frequently than those without increased LVPWd. Therefore, echocardiography appears to be superior to routine chest X-ray and EKG for defecting LVH in hypertensive patients, especially without LVH by these tests. In conclusion, even though estimation of LVM by echocardiography seems to be a better method than single measurement of LVPWd, it seems thant estimation of LVM together with LVPWd will be more valuable in diagnosis of LVH in hypertensive patients.
Diagnosis ; Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Prevalence ; Thorax

No abstract available.

This is a case report of the familial olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy (Menzel type OPCA, OPCA III with retinal degeneration). The patient is a 37 year-old male with 5 years history of slowly progressive cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, visual change, horizontal nystagmus and signs of pyramidal dysfunction. The CT brain scan shows significant atrophy of brain stem and cerebellum with dilatation of cisterns. His younger sister, also, has similar clinical manifestations and radiological abnormalities, but mild. By history, his mother who died at 47 years of her age looked like to have same kind of chronic disease.
Adult ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellar Ataxia ; Cerebellum ; Chronic Disease ; Dilatation ; Dysarthria ; Humans ; Male ; Mothers ; Nystagmus, Pathologic ; Olivopontocerebellar Atrophies* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Siblings

No abstract available.
Genes, ras* ; Humans

Immotile cilia syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by specific ultrastructural defects of cilia and associated impairment of ciliary motion and mucociliary clearance. Disorders of ciliary structure or function result in chronic sinopulmonary diseases manifested as chronic sinusitis, bronchitis, otitis media, nasal polyposis, and ultimately bronchiectasis. In addition, situs inversus, dextrocardia, and infertility can be associated with dysfunctional ciliary activity. We experienced a case of immotile cilia syndrome presenting with recurrent bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic sinusitis, otitis media, and bronchiectasis. She was diagnosed by lack of dynein inner arm on electron microscopy. Treatment included chest percussion, bronchodilators, antibiotics, and surgical intervention. She has been followed up at regular intervals. We report this case with related literatures.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arm* ; Bronchiectasis ; Bronchitis ; Bronchodilator Agents ; Cilia ; Ciliary Motility Disorders* ; Dextrocardia ; Dyneins* ; Infertility ; Microscopy, Electron* ; Mucociliary Clearance ; Otitis Media ; Percussion ; Pneumonia ; Sinusitis ; Situs Inversus ; Thorax

No abstract available.

Pulmonary artery sling is a rare congenital condition in which the left pulmonary artery arises from the right pulmonary artery forming a sling around the trachea. This causes tracheal compression with the resulting respiratory symptoms. Most cases are associated with cardiovascular and tracheobronchial abnormalities. Some cases present incidentally without respiratory symptoms in adolescents and adults. We report a case with double left aberrant pulmonary artery associated with multiorgan anomalies which was incidentally found.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Humans ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Trachea