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Diss. (sammanfattning) Göteborg : Göteborgs universitet, 2008. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 147-157).

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Technology: Cardiology, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / Cardiomyopathies and their resultant heart failure (HF) remain a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (Wood and Picard, 2004). Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCMO) is a primary myocardial disease of unknown cause, characterized by left ventricular (LV) or biventricular dilatation and impaired myocardial contractility. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMO), along with rheumatic heart disease and hypertension (HPT), is one of the leading causes of HF in Africa. In fact, in an epidemiology study of 884 patients in Soweto, IDCMO was the second major cause of HF. Thirty five percent of patients in the study, with HF, had IDCMO (Sliwa, Damasceno, Mayosi, 2005). Methodology: Patients referred to the cardiomyopathy (CMO) clinic at Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital, situated in the echocardiographic lab, were recruited, provided they satisfied the exclusion and inclusion criteria and were enrolled after obtaining voluntary informed consent. From May 2009 to September 2010, 70 patients with IDCMO were recruited for this trial. Patients with DCMO were identified by means of echocardiographic criteria which included a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of less than 45% and an end diastolic dimension (EDD) of greater than of 52 mm (2D in long parasternal axis). Results: In the present study the prevalence of left ventricular (LV) thrombus in patients with IDCMO was 18.6%. When using Univariate logistic regression, the only independent predictors of LV thrombus formation was LVEF and age. However, when multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to the data, the only predictor with a significant association was age. The reason for this is not clear. It is postulated that perhaps younger patients have differences in the pathophysiology of their disease such as a greater smoldering inflammatory component which may therefore predispose them to thrombus formation. For example the presence of IL-6 may be important in the formation of LV clot in cases of LV dysfunction (Sosin, Bhatia, Davis, Lip, 2003). The association between LVEF and LV thrombus was borderline significant. Conclusion: The prevalence of LV thrombus formation in this cohort of patients with IDCMO was 18.6%. Echocardiographic parameters alone cannot predict which patients are more likely to develop thrombus formation. / National Research Foundation

Thesis (MSc (Physiological Sciences))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Physiological cardiac hypertrophy is characterized by the heart’s ability to increase mass in a reversible fashion without leading to heart failure. In contrast, pathological cardiac hypertrophy leads to the onset of heart failure. For this study, we investigated a model of physiological hypobaric hypoxia-mediated right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy (RVH). Here our hypothesis was that the hypertrophic response and associated changes triggered in the RV in response to chronic hypobaric hypoxia (CHH) (increased RV mass, function and respiratory capacity) are reversible. To test our hypothesis we exposed male Wistar rats to 3 weeks of CHH and thereafter removed the hypoxic stimulus for 3 and 6 weeks, respectively. Adaptation to 3 weeks of CHH increased the RV to left ventricle (LV) plus interventricular septum ratio by increased (223.5 ± 7.03 vs. 397.4 ± 29.8, p<0.001 versus normoxic controls), indicative of RVH. Hematocrit levels, RV systolic pressure and RV developed pressure (RVDP) were increased in parallel. Mitochondrial respiratory capacity was not significantly altered when using both carbohydrate and fatty acid oxidative substrates. After the 3-week normoxia recovery period, the RV to LV ratio was increased but to a lesser extent compared to the 3-week hypoxic time-point, i.e. 244.7 ± 11.2 vs. 349.64 ± 3.8, p<0.001 versus normoxic controls. Moreover, hematocrit levels were completely normalized. However, the RV systolic pressure and the functional adaptations, i.e. increased RVDP induced by CHH exposure still persisted in the 3-week recovery (3HRe) group. Also, pyruvate utilization was increased versus matched controls (p<0.04 vs. matched controls). Interestingly, we found that at the 6-week recovery time point functional parameters were largely normalized. However, the RV to LV ratio was still increased by 269.3 ± 14.03 vs. 333.9 ± 11.7, p<0.0001 vs. matched controls. Furthermore, palmitoylcarnitine utilization was increased (p<0.03 vs. matched controls). In conclusion, we found that exposure to CHH resulted in various adaptive physiological changes, i.e. enhanced hematocrit levels, increased RV mass linked to greater RV contractility and respiratory function. It is important to note that all these changes only occurred in the RV and not in the LV. Furthermore, when a normoxic recovery period (3 and 6 weeks, respectively) were initiated, these physiological parameters largely normalized. Together, the findings of this thesis clearly show the establishment of a reversible model of RV physiological hypertrophy. Our future work will focus on disrupting signaling pathways underlying this process and to thereafter ascertain whether reversibility is abolished. Elucidation of such targets should provide a unique opportunity to develop novel therapeutic agents to treat patients and thereby reduce the burden of heart disease.

Chronic ventricular sympathectomy elicits changes in the coronary circulation, myocardial oxygen consumption and size of infarction resulting fromcoronary occlusion. These changes indicate a change occurring in the basic metabolism of the heart in response to the removal of its sympathetic nervous input. This hypothesis was tested using two groups of dogs, a shamoperated control and a ventricular sympathectomized group. The sympathectomy procedure was an intrapericardial surgical technique which selectively removes ventricular sympathetic input. Four weeks after surgery, left ventricular tissue samples were obtained and rapidly frozen to -80°C. Selected metabolic variables were then compared between the two groups.

In this study, the relationship between maximal aerobic capacity (VO₂max) and left ventricular function was examined in two distinct age groups. A young group (20 - 30 years of age) and an elderly group (over 60 years of age) were compared. Left ventricular function was examined over wide variations in preload accomplished by 5º head-down tilt (TILT) for ninety minutes and lower body negative pressure (LBNP) to -40 mm Hg. with two-dimensional echocardiography. A greater response to an increase in preload (TILT) was related to high VO₂max levels in the young subjects but not in the elderly groups of subjects, suggesting that lower VO₂max levels of the elderly population affected the mechanism of response to the increased levels of preload. Additionally, in the elderly, greater reductions in ventricular volume reflected increased peripheral pooling due to decreased venous tone and/or increased venous compliance during LBNP and were related to increased VO₂max. In the young, VO₂max does not appear to affect the response to reduced preload.

Introdução: A hipertrofia ventricular esquerda é importante fator de risco de morbidade e mortalidade cardiovascular. Sua associação com variantes funcionais do sistema renina-angiotensina é controversa. Objetivos: Avaliar a associação entre massa ventricular esquerda e função sistólica e diastólica do ventrículo esquerdo e os polimorfismos inserção/deleção do gene da enzima de conversão da angiotensina e M235T do gene do angiotensinogênio. Métodos: Estudo observacional realizado numa amostra da população da cidade de Vitória (Espírito Santo), utilizando como base a metodologia do projeto Mônica da Organização Mundial da Saúde. Realizamos avaliação clínica, perfil antropométrico, análise laboratorial e ecocardiograma em 652 indivíduos previamente genotipados para polimorfismos da enzima de conversão da angiotensina e do angiotensinogênio. Analisamos massa ventricular esquerda indexada pela área de superfície corpórea e pela altura2,13. Classificamos o ventrículo esquerdo em padrões geométricos: padrão normal, remodelamento concêntrico, hipertrofia concêntrica e hipertrofia excêntrica. A função sistólica ventricular esquerda foi avaliada pela fração de ejeção medida ao modo unidimensional. A função diastólica foi analisada pelo fluxo mitral (onda E, onda A, relação E/A, tempo de desaceleração e tempo de relaxamento isovolumétrico) e pelo Doppler tecidual (velocidade miocárdica em região próxima ao anel mitral septal e lateral: ondas E e A e relação E/E). Resultados: A média de idade da população estudada foi 51 ± 10 anos sendo 59% dos participantes do sexo feminino e 20,8% obesos. Em nossa amostra, 47% dos indivíduos foram classificados como hipertensos. Não houve associação entre hipertensão arterial e os genótipos analisados. Após análise univariada, não encontramos associação entre os polimorfismos inserção/deleção da enzima de conversão da angiotensina e M235T do angiotensinogênio e índice de massa ventricular esquerda, padrões geométricos do ventrículo esquerdo, função sistólica avaliada pela fração de ejeção e os vários parâmetros de função diastólica analisados. / Introduction: Left ventricular hypertrophy is an important risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Its association with the reninangiotensin system genetic variants is controversial. Objectives: To assess the association between left ventricular mass, left ventricle systolic and diastolic functions, and polymorphisms of the insertion/deletion angiotensin converting enzyme and M235T angiotensinogen genes. Methods: Observational study in adults from Vitoria (Brazil) using the methodology of the Monica project of the World Health Organization. We performed clinical examination, anthropometric assessment, laboratory analysis and transthoracic echocargiography studies in 652 adults who were previously genotyped for polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme and angiotensinogen. We measured left ventricular mass indexed to body surface area and height 2,13, left ventricular ejection fraction, and diastolic function using mitral flow and tissue Doppler. Left ventricle was classified into following geometric patterns: normal, concentric remodeling, concentric hypertrophy and eccentric hypertrophy. Left ventricular systolic function was assessed by ejection fraction by analysis of the M-mode echocardiogram. Diastolic function was assessed using mitral flow (E wave, A wave, E/A ratio, deceleration time and isovolumic relaxation time), and Doppler tissue imaging (mitral annulus velocity in septal and lateral region: E` and A` waves, and E/E`ratio). Results: Mean age of the studied population was 51±10 years; 59% of the subjects were women and 20,8% were obese. Forty seven percent of the individuals were classified as hypertensive. Hypertension was not associated with any of the studied genotypes. Univarate analysis showed no correlation between polymorphisms of the insertion/deletion angiotensin-converting enzyme and M235T angiotensinogen gene variants, left ventricular mass index, left ventricular geometric patterns, and systolic and diastolic functions. Taking together these data indicated no evidence for the association of ACE and angiotensinogen gene variants with cardiac mass and function assessed by echocardiography.

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2004. / Vita. Bibliography: References located at the end of each chapter.

Orientadores: Jose Wilson Magalhães Bassani, Rosana Almada Bassani / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Eletrica e de Computação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T21:37:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Oliveira_PedroXavierde_D.pdf: 1201901 bytes, checksum: 1bcd2243dc00b131571c89796a38a8f8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: A desfibrilação é a única terapia conhecida para reverter o quadro de fibrilação ventricular. Entretanto, a estimulação do coração com campos elétricos de grande magnitude durante a desfibrilação pode lesar miócitos cardíacos, e, como conseqüência, a eficiência contrátil do coração ser reduzida. Neste trabalho, estudamos o efeito da estimulação por campo elétrico (E) de alta intensidade sobre miócitos cardíacos isolados de rato. O valor máximo de potencial extracelular gerado por E (Ve-max) foi estimado usando-se um modelo eletromagnético. Os principais resultados foram: a) A aplicação de E de alta intensidade causa aumento sustentado de [Ca2+] citoplasmática ([Ca2+ ]i), bem como contratura, que são dependentes de [Ca2+] extracelular; para campos maiores que 50 V/cm, estas respostas são irreversíveis e levam à morte celular; b) retículo sarcoplásmatico, mitocôndrias, trocador Na+-Ca2+ de canais de Ca2+ do sarcolema não contribuem de forma significativa para estes efeitos; c) durante aplicação de choques a células despolarizadas com alta [K+] extracelular, observou-se um incremento de Ve-max semelhante ao valor do potencial transmembrana de repouso (Vm ~-85 mV), o que indica que Ve-max pode ser considerado uma estimativa razoável da máxima variação de Vm durante o choque; d) aumento da resistência celular ao efeito letal de E, avaliada pelo valor de E associado a probabilidade de letalidade de 50% (EL50), ocorreu com a aplicação de pulsos bipolares da mesma energia, durante a estimulação de receptores ß- adrenérgicos, e em miócitos isolados de animais nos quais foi induzido stress por imobilização e choques nas patas repetidos. Conclui-se que: a) O aumento sustentado de [Ca2+]i ocorre provavelmente por influxo do íon através de poros hidrofílicos formados na membrana devido à imposição de E de alta intensidade (eletroporação); b) a superioridade de pulsos desfibrilatórios bipolares, já descrita na literatura, pode dever-se, pelo menos em parte, pelo menor potencial letal desta forma de onda; c) tanto a estimulação ß-adrenérgica in vitro, quanto a condição de stress parecem conferir proteção contra o efeito letal de E. Espera-se que estes resultados representem uma contribuição para o desenvolvimento de procedimentos mais seguros, tanto para desfibrilação, quanto para estimulação marca-passo do coração / Abstract: Electric defibrillation is currently the treatment able to reverse ventricular fibrillation. However, cardiac stimulation with high-intensity electric fields may cause injury to myocardial cells, thus impairing cardiac contractility. In this study, the effects of highintensity electric fields (E) on isolated rat ventricular myocytes were analyzed. The maximum value of field-induced extracellular potential (Ve-max) was estimated using an electromagnetic model. Our main results were: a) Application of high-intensity E causes sustained increase in cytosolic [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]i) and marked cell contracture, and both effects depend on the presence of extracellular Ca2+; for E> 50 V/cm, these responses are irreversible and lethal injury develops; b) sarcoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Na+-Ca2+ exchanger and sarcolemmal L-type Ca2+ channels do not seem to contribute significantly to such effects; c) when shocks were applied to cells depolarized by high extracellular [K+], Ve-max was increased by an extent that was close to the value of the resting transmembrane potential (Vm ~-85 mV), which indicates that Ve-max may be considered a reasonable estimation of the maximum variation of Vm during the shock; d) increase in cell resistance to the lethal effect of E, assessed as the value of E associated to 50% probability of lethality (EL50), was observed during application of biphasic stimuli with the same pulse energy, during ß-adrenergic receptor stimulation, and in myocytes isolated from rats in which stress was induced by repeated immobilization and footshock. It may be concluded that: a) The sustained increase in [Ca2+]i is probably due to Ca2+ influx through hydrophilic membrane pores generated during application of high-intensity E (electroporation); b) the better defibrillation results described in the literature with biphasic shock may be due, at least partly, to the lesser ability of this waveform to cause lethal injury; c) both in vitro ß-adrenergic stimulation and the stress condition in vivo appear to exert a protective effect against the lethal effect of E. We expect that the present results may contribute to the development of safer procedures for both pacemaker and defibrillatory field stimulation of the myocardium / Doutorado / Engenharia Biomedica / Doutor em Engenharia Elétrica