Arbetsutlöst myokardischemi kan diagnostiseras med arbetsprovet, främst genom parametern ST60-sänkning under arbete samt återhämtningsfasen. Tidigare studier har visat arbetsprovets låga diagnostiska förmåga av arbetsutlöst myokardischemi och klassificerat det som en osäker metod, speciellt för kvinnor, och få studier har gjorts på kvinnor för förbättring. En justering av ST60-sänkning med hänsyn till hjärtfrekvensen (HR) har gjorts i flera studier, i försök att utveckla diagnostiken. När hjärtfrekvensen ritas grafiskt mot ST60- sänkning erhålls en ST/HR loop bestående av arbetsfasen och återhämtningsfasen. Den normaliserade arean (NA), som erhålls från ST/HR- loopen, är ett mått på sannolikheten för ischemi och dess grad. Studiens syfte är att, utifrån ST/HR loopars NA-värden från arbetselektrokardiogram, avgöra om diagnostiken av ischemi hos kvinnor kan förbättras i jämförelse med den konventionella bedömningen som baseras på ST60-sänkningen i slutet av arbete. Myokardscintigrafi (facitmetoden) och arbetsprov har utförts på den klinisk fysiologiska avdelningen i lund. Kontrollgruppen bestod av 80 kvinnor med normal myokardscintigrafi medan gruppen ”sjuka” omfattar 26 patienter som med myokardscintigrafi bedömts ha arbetsutlöst myokardischemi. För att i denna studie påvisa om det föreligger en statistisk skillnad mellan sjuka och friska, gällande NA – värdet respektive ST60-sänkningen, användes t-testet. En skillnad mellan sjuka och friska med NA- värde kunde inte påvisas och den konventionella bedömningen med ST60-sänkning visade sig inte heller vara bättre än NA-värdet för bedömning av arbetsutlöst myokardischemi.Nyckelord: arbets- EKG, myokardischemi, myokardscintigrafi, normaliserad area, ST60- sänkning, ST/HR- loop. / Exercise induced myocardial ischemia can be diagnosed with exercise–ECG, mainly through the parameter ST60-depression during the exercise and recovery phases. However, its low diagnostic accuracy, especially in women, has been proven. An adjustment of the ST60-depression with the heart rate has been done in several studies to develop the diagnosis. When the heart rate is plotted against the ST60-depression, an ST/HR- loop is obtained where both the exercise and recovery phases are included. The normalised area (NA) of the loop is believed to be significant for the diagnosis of ischemia. The aim of the study is to decide if the diagnosis of ischemia in women can be improved with the normalised area of the loop, from exercise– ECG, compared to the conventional assessment with ST60-depression at the end of exercise.Myocardial scintigraphy (the reference method) and exercise- ECG have been performed at the department of clinical physiology in Lund. The control group included 80 women with a normal myocardial scintigraphy while the other group consists of 26 patients who, according to their myocardial scintigraphy, have exercise induced myocardial ischemia. A distinction between the groups could not be made with the normalised area. The conventional assessment with ST60-depression was not better than the normalised area for the assessment of myocardial ischemia.Key words: Exercise- ECG, myocardial ischemia, myocardial scintigraphy, normalised area, ST60- depression, ST/HR-loop.

Background: The early non-invasive discrimination of Type 2 versus Type 1 Myocardial Infarction (T2MI, T1MI) is a major unmet clinical need. We aimed to externally validate a recently derived clinical score (Neumann) combing female sex, no radiating chest pain, and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) concentration ≤40.8 ng/L. Methods: Patients presenting with acute chest discomfort to the emergency department were prospectively enrolled into an international multicenter diagnostic study. The final diagnoses of T2MI and T1MI were centrally adjudicated by two independent cardiologists using all information including cardiac imaging and serial measurements of hs-cTnT/I according to the fourth universal definition of MI. Model performance for T2MI diagnosis was assessed by formal tests and graphical means of discrimination and calibration. Results: Among 6684 enrolled patients, MI was the adjudicated final diagnosis in 1079 (19%) patients, of which 242 (22%) had T2MI. External validation of the Neumann Score showed a moderate discrimination (C-statistic 0.67 (95%CI 0.64–0.71)). Model calibration showed underestimation of the predicted probabilities of having T2MI for low point scores. Model extension by adding the binary variable heart rate >120/min significantly improved model performance (C-statistic 0.73 (95% CI 0.70–0.76, p < 0.001) and had good calibration. Patients with the highest score values of 3 (Neumann Score, 9.9%) and 5 (Extended Neumann Score, 3.3%) had a 53% and 91% predicted probability of T2MI, respectively. Conclusion: The Neumann Score provided moderate discrimination and suboptimal calibration. Extending the Neumann Score by adding heart rate >120/min improved the model’s performance.

No description available.

Introdução: Nos pacientes coronarianos, portadores de disfunção ventricular esquerda (DVE), a mortalidade cirúrgica da revascularização miocárdica é 3 a 4 vezes maior do que a encontrada em pacientes com função ventricular normal, sendo fundamental a seleção daqueles que efetivamente poderão ser beneficiados pela cirurgia. As metanálises indicam que a pesquisa da viabilidade miocárdica é útil nesta seleção, impactando em melhora da contratilidade ventricular e redução de mortalidade quando a revascularização é realizada em pacientes com ventrículo esquerdo viável; entretanto, os estudos clínicos randomizados não encontraram os mesmos resultados. Isso porque, apesar de 50% desses pacientes apresentarem quantidades substanciais de viabilidade miocárdica, nem todos conseguem melhorar a contratilidade ventricular esquerda após a revascularização, devido à existência de outros fatores que interferem nessa melhora. Objetivos: Determinar os fatores preditores de melhora da contratilidade ventricular esquerda em pacientes com fração de ejeção < 50% submetidos à cirurgia de revascularização miocárdica (CRM) isolada e o tempo necessário para a ocorrência dessa melhora contrátil. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo observacional que avaliou pacientes coronarianos com DVE submetidos a eletrocardiograma e ecocardiograma no pré-operatório e 1, 3, 6, 9 e 12 meses após a CRM, e à ressonância magnética cardíaca (RMC) com estresse farmacológico com dipiridamol e realce tardio com gadolínio no pré-operatório e após 3 e 12 meses da revascularização, buscando associações entre a melhora da contratilidade ventricular esquerda e as diversas variáveis dos pacientes. Resultados: Foram estudados 306 segmentos miocárdicos de 18 pacientes, com idade de 59,5 + 7,4 anos. Ocorreu melhora contrátil em 47 (29%) segmentos do ventrículo esquerdo que apresentavam alterações contráteis pré-operatórias (p < 0,0001). A análise multivariada identificou três fatores preditores de melhora da contratilidade ventricular esquerda: a ausência de onda Q patológica, que aumenta em 172% a chance de melhora, a presença de viabilidade miocárdica, que aumenta em 282% a chance de melhora e a ausência de isquemia miocárdica, que aumenta em 392% a chance de melhora (razão de chances 2,72, IC 95%, 1,24 a 5,92, p = 0,012; razão de chances 3,82, IC 95%, 1,79 a 8,16, p = 0,0005; e razão de chances 4,92, IC 95%, 2,13 a 11,36, p = 0,0002, respectivamente). Em 9 (75%) pacientes a melhora da contratilidade ventricular ocorreu nos 3 primeiros meses após a CRM e em 3 (25%) pacientes ocorreu nos 9 meses seguintes Conclusões: Os três fatores preditores de melhora da contratilidade ventricular esquerda encontrados foram a ausência de onda Q patológica no eletrocardiograma, e a presença de viabilidade e ausência de isquemia miocárdicas na RMC. A recuperação da contratilidade ventricular esquerda ocorreu predominantemente nos 3 primeiros meses após a CRM, no entanto foi verificada uma melhora progressiva até o final dos 12 meses de seguimento. / Introduction: In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and left ventricular dysfunction, the surgical mortality from coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is 3 to 4 times higher than that reported for patients with normal ventricular function, and selecting those who can effectively benefit from the surgery is essential. Meta-analyses have indicate that myocardial viability assessment is useful in this selection, impacting on left ventricular contractility improvement and mortality reduction when revascularization is performed in patients with viable left ventricles; However, randomized clinical trials have not found the same results. Although 50% of these patients have substantial myocardial viability, not all of them can improve left ventricular contractility after revascularization, due to other factors that interfere with this improvement. Objectives: This study aims to determine the predictors of improvement in left ventricular contractility in patients with an ejection fraction of <50% who underwent isolated CABG, as well as the time required for this improvement in contractility. Methods: This prospective observational study assessed patients with CAD and left ventricular dysfunction who underwent electrocardiography and echocardiography during the preoperative period and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after CABG and cardiac magnetic resonance with pharmacological stress with dipyridamole and late gadolinium enhancement in the preoperative period and 3 and 12 months after revascularization, to determine the associations between the evolution of left ventricular contractility and several patient-related variables. Results: A total of 306 myocardial segments of the 18 patients, aged 59.5 ± 7.4 years, were studied. There was a contractile improvement in 47 (29%) segments of the left ventricle that presented preoperative contractile abnormalities (p < 0.0001). The multivariate analysis identified three predictors of left ventricular contractility improvement: the absence of pathological Q waves, which increases the chance of improvement by 172% (odds ratio (OR) 2.72, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24-5.92, p = 0.012), the presence of myocardial viability, which increases the chance of improvement by 282% (OR 3.82, 95% CI, 1.79-8.16, p = 0.0005), and the absence of myocardial ischemia, which increases the chances of improvement by 392%, (OR 4.92, 95% CI, 2.13-11.36, p = 0.0002). In 9 (75%) patients the improvement in ventricular contractility occurred in the first 3 months after CABG, and in 3 (25%) patients, it occurred in the following 9 months. Conclusions: The three predictors of left ventricular contractility improvement were the absence of pathological Q waves on an electrocardiogram, the presence of myocardial viability and the absence of signs of ischemia on cardiac MRI. The improvement in left ventricular contractility occurred predominantly in the first three months after CABG, but a progressive recovery was observed until the end of the 12-month follow-up period.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O infarto agudo do miocÃrdio (IAM), definido como a morte do mÃsculo cardÃaco decorrente de isquemia, à um dos diagnÃsticos mais comuns em pacientes hospitalizados nos paÃses industrializados. Para se estudar efeitos de drogas sobre a injÃria miocÃrdica decorrente de IAM, um dos modelos experimentais bastante utilizado à a induÃÃo de infarto do mocÃrdio (IM) com administraÃÃo de isoproterenol em ratos, uma vez que esta substÃncia causa uma lesÃo miocÃrdica semelhante a observada em IAM nos humanos. Nesse estudo o Ãleo essencial de Alpinia zerumbet, na dose de 100 mg/kg de peso, administrado por catroze dias consecutivos, foi avaliado no infarto do miocÃrdio induzido por isoproterenol (150 mg/kg de peso do animal) em ratos wistar. A injÃria miocÃrdica induzida pelo isoproterenol foi indicada pela elevaÃÃo de marcadores de injÃria miocÃrdica, como TGO e troponina I, reduÃÃo dos nÃveis de catalase e glutationa, bem como por alteraÃÃes histopatolÃgicas avaliadas no Ãpice do ventrÃculo esquerdo. Avaliou-se ainda a mortalidade, os nÃveis de hemoglobina, contagem de leucÃcitos e neutrÃfilos e nÃveis de marcadores da funÃÃo renal. O prÃ-tratamento com o Ãleo essencial de Alpinia zerumbet apresentou efeitos protetores no infarto do miocÃrdio induzido por isoproterenol em ratos, uma vez: atenuou as elevaÃÃes de TGO e troponina I; atenuou a elevaÃÃo do nÃmero de neutrÃfilos; preservou os nÃveis de catalase no miocÃrdio e preservou os nÃveis de glutationa no miocÃrdio. No entanto, nÃo exerceu efeitos sobre: mortalidade, variaÃÃo do peso dos animais; nÃveis sÃricos de TGP; nÃveis sÃricos de hemoglobina e contagem de leucÃcitos; nÃveis sÃricos de marcadores da funÃÃo renal; alteraÃÃes histopatolÃgicas no Ãpice do ventrÃculo esquerdo. Os provÃveis mecanismos de aÃÃo responsÃveis pelos efeitos benÃficos deste Ãleo em reduzir o grau de injÃria miocÃrdica neste modelo experimental podem estar relacionados a propriedades antioxidantes e em aumento dos nÃveis de Ãxido nÃtrico. / O infarto agudo do miocÃrdio (IAM), definido como a morte do mÃsculo cardÃaco decorrente de isquemia, à um dos diagnÃsticos mais comuns em pacientes hospitalizados nos paÃses industrializados. Para se estudar efeitos de drogas sobre a injÃria miocÃrdica decorrente de IAM, um dos modelos experimentais bastante utilizado à a induÃÃo de infarto do mocÃrdio (IM) com administraÃÃo de isoproterenol em ratos, uma vez que esta substÃncia causa uma lesÃo miocÃrdica semelhante a observada em IAM nos humanos. Nesse estudo o Ãleo essencial de Alpinia zerumbet, na dose de 100 mg/kg de peso, administrado por catroze dias consecutivos, foi avaliado no infarto do miocÃrdio induzido por isoproterenol (150 mg/kg de peso do animal) em ratos wistar. A injÃria miocÃrdica induzida pelo isoproterenol foi indicada pela elevaÃÃo de marcadores de injÃria miocÃrdica, como TGO e troponina I, reduÃÃo dos nÃveis de catalase e glutationa, bem como por alteraÃÃes histopatolÃgicas avaliadas no Ãpice do ventrÃculo esquerdo. Avaliou-se ainda a mortalidade, os nÃveis de hemoglobina, contagem de leucÃcitos e neutrÃfilos e nÃveis de marcadores da funÃÃo renal. O prÃ-tratamento com o Ãleo essencial de Alpinia zerumbet apresentou efeitos protetores no infarto do miocÃrdio induzido por isoproterenol em ratos, uma vez: atenuou as elevaÃÃes de TGO e troponina I; atenuou a elevaÃÃo do nÃmero de neutrÃfilos; preservou os nÃveis de catalase no miocÃrdio e preservou os nÃveis de glutationa no miocÃrdio. No entanto, nÃo exerceu efeitos sobre: mortalidade, variaÃÃo do peso dos animais; nÃveis sÃricos de TGP; nÃveis sÃricos de hemoglobina e contagem de leucÃcitos; nÃveis sÃricos de marcadores da funÃÃo renal; alteraÃÃes histopatolÃgicas no Ãpice do ventrÃculo esquerdo. Os provÃveis mecanismos de aÃÃo responsÃveis pelos efeitos benÃficos deste Ãleo em reduzir o grau de injÃria miocÃrdica neste modelo experimental podem estar relacionados a propriedades antioxidantes e em aumento dos nÃveis de Ãxido nÃtrico. / O infarto agudo do miocÃrdio (IAM), definido como a morte do mÃsculo cardÃaco decorrente de isquemia, à um dos diagnÃsticos mais comuns em pacientes hospitalizados nos paÃses industrializados. Para se estudar efeitos de drogas sobre a injÃria miocÃrdica decorrente de IAM, um dos modelos experimentais bastante utilizado à a induÃÃo de infarto do mocÃrdio (IM) com administraÃÃo de isoproterenol em ratos, uma vez que esta substÃncia causa uma lesÃo miocÃrdica semelhante a observada em IAM nos humanos. Nesse estudo o Ãleo essencial de Alpinia zerumbet, na dose de 100 mg/kg de peso, administrado por catroze dias consecutivos, foi avaliado no infarto do miocÃrdio induzido por isoproterenol (150 mg/kg de peso do animal) em ratos wistar. A injÃria miocÃrdica induzida pelo isoproterenol foi indicada pela elevaÃÃo de marcadores de injÃria miocÃrdica, como TGO e troponina I, reduÃÃo dos nÃveis de catalase e glutationa, bem como por alteraÃÃes histopatolÃgicas avaliadas no Ãpice do ventrÃculo esquerdo. Avaliou-se ainda a mortalidade, os nÃveis de hemoglobina, contagem de leucÃcitos e neutrÃfilos e nÃveis de marcadores da funÃÃo renal. O prÃ-tratamento com o Ãleo essencial de Alpinia zerumbet apresentou efeitos protetores no infarto do miocÃrdio induzido por isoproterenol em ratos, uma vez: atenuou as elevaÃÃes de TGO e troponina I; atenuou a elevaÃÃo do nÃmero de neutrÃfilos; preservou os nÃveis de catalase no miocÃrdio e preservou os nÃveis de glutationa no miocÃrdio. No entanto, nÃo exerceu efeitos sobre: mortalidade, variaÃÃo do peso dos animais; nÃveis sÃricos de TGP; nÃveis sÃricos de hemoglobina e contagem de leucÃcitos; nÃveis sÃricos de marcadores da funÃÃo renal; alteraÃÃes histopatolÃgicas no Ãpice do ventrÃculo esquerdo. Os provÃveis mecanismos de aÃÃo responsÃveis pelos efeitos benÃficos deste Ãleo em reduzir o grau de injÃria miocÃrdica neste modelo experimental podem estar relacionados a propriedades antioxidantes e em aumento dos nÃveis de Ãxido nÃtrico. / Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), defined as death of the cardiac muscle after an ischemic process, is worldwide known for its frequent diagnosis within hospitalized patients in modern industrialized countries. Myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol (ISO) in rats is a very useful assay to study the effect of drugs on myocardial injury as a result of AMI, once its administration is responsible for a post-infarction human-like myocardial lesion. In this study, essential oil of Alpinia zerumbet (EOAZ), at a dose of 100 mg / kg, administered for fourteen consecutive days, was assessed in myocardial infarction induced by ISO (150 mg / kg bodyweight) in Wistar rats. The myocardial injury induced by ISO was indicated by elevated markers of myocardial injury, such as AST and troponin I, reduced levels of catalase and glutathione, as well as histopathological changes evaluated at the apex of the left ventricle. It was also evaluated mortality, hemoglobin levels, leukocyte and neutrophil counts and levels of markers of renal function. Pretreatment with the EOAZ showed protective effects on myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol in rats, as attenuated the elevation of AST, Troponin I, attenuated the increased number of neutrophils; preserved the levels of catalase in the myocardium and preserved glutathione levels in the myocardium. However, do not exert any effects on mortality, weight variation of animals, serum ALT, serum levels of hemoglobin and white blood cell count, serum markers of renal function, histopathological changes in left ventricular apex. The probable mechanisms of action responsible for the beneficial effects of this oil in reduce the degree of myocardial injury in this experimental model may be related to antioxidant properties and increased levels of nitric oxide. / Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), defined as death of the cardiac muscle after an ischemic process, is worldwide known for its frequent diagnosis within hospitalized patients in modern industrialized countries. Myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol (ISO) in rats is a very useful assay to study the effect of drugs on myocardial injury as a result of AMI, once its administration is responsible for a post-infarction human-like myocardial lesion. In this study, essential oil of Alpinia zerumbet (EOAZ), at a dose of 100 mg / kg, administered for fourteen consecutive days, was assessed in myocardial infarction induced by ISO (150 mg / kg bodyweight) in Wistar rats. The myocardial injury induced by ISO was indicated by elevated markers of myocardial injury, such as AST and troponin I, reduced levels of catalase and glutathione, as well as histopathological changes evaluated at the apex of the left ventricle. It was also evaluated mortality, hemoglobin levels, leukocyte and neutrophil counts and levels of markers of renal function. Pretreatment with the EOAZ showed protective effects on myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol in rats, as attenuated the elevation of AST, Troponin I, attenuated the increased number of neutrophils; preserved the levels of catalase in the myocardium and preserved glutathione levels in the myocardium. However, do not exert any effects on mortality, weight variation of animals, serum ALT, serum levels of hemoglobin and white blood cell count, serum markers of renal function, histopathological changes in left ventricular apex. The probable mechanisms of action responsible for the beneficial effects of this oil in reduce the degree of myocardial injury in this experimental model may be related to antioxidant properties and increased levels of nitric oxide. / Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), defined as death of the cardiac muscle after an ischemic process, is worldwide known for its frequent diagnosis within hospitalized patients in modern industrialized countries. Myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol (ISO) in rats is a very useful assay to study the effect of drugs on myocardial injury as a result of AMI, once its administration is responsible for a post-infarction human-like myocardial lesion. In this study, essential oil of Alpinia zerumbet (EOAZ), at a dose of 100 mg / kg, administered for fourteen consecutive days, was assessed in myocardial infarction induced by ISO (150 mg / kg bodyweight) in Wistar rats. The myocardial injury induced by ISO was indicated by elevated markers of myocardial injury, such as AST and troponin I, reduced levels of catalase and glutathione, as well as histopathological changes evaluated at the apex of the left ventricle. It was also evaluated mortality, hemoglobin levels, leukocyte and neutrophil counts and levels of markers of renal function. Pretreatment with the EOAZ showed protective effects on myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol in rats, as attenuated the elevation of AST, Troponin I, attenuated the increased number of neutrophils; preserved the levels of catalase in the myocardium and preserved glutathione levels in the myocardium. However, do not exert any effects on mortality, weight variation of animals, serum ALT, serum levels of hemoglobin and white blood cell count, serum markers of renal function, histopathological changes in left ventricular apex. The probable mechanisms of action responsible for the beneficial effects of this oil in reduce the degree of myocardial injury in this experimental model may be related to antioxidant properties and increased levels of nitric oxide.

Introdução: Nos pacientes coronarianos, portadores de disfunção ventricular esquerda (DVE), a mortalidade cirúrgica da revascularização miocárdica é 3 a 4 vezes maior do que a encontrada em pacientes com função ventricular normal, sendo fundamental a seleção daqueles que efetivamente poderão ser beneficiados pela cirurgia. As metanálises indicam que a pesquisa da viabilidade miocárdica é útil nesta seleção, impactando em melhora da contratilidade ventricular e redução de mortalidade quando a revascularização é realizada em pacientes com ventrículo esquerdo viável; entretanto, os estudos clínicos randomizados não encontraram os mesmos resultados. Isso porque, apesar de 50% desses pacientes apresentarem quantidades substanciais de viabilidade miocárdica, nem todos conseguem melhorar a contratilidade ventricular esquerda após a revascularização, devido à existência de outros fatores que interferem nessa melhora. Objetivos: Determinar os fatores preditores de melhora da contratilidade ventricular esquerda em pacientes com fração de ejeção < 50% submetidos à cirurgia de revascularização miocárdica (CRM) isolada e o tempo necessário para a ocorrência dessa melhora contrátil. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo observacional que avaliou pacientes coronarianos com DVE submetidos a eletrocardiograma e ecocardiograma no pré-operatório e 1, 3, 6, 9 e 12 meses após a CRM, e à ressonância magnética cardíaca (RMC) com estresse farmacológico com dipiridamol e realce tardio com gadolínio no pré-operatório e após 3 e 12 meses da revascularização, buscando associações entre a melhora da contratilidade ventricular esquerda e as diversas variáveis dos pacientes. Resultados: Foram estudados 306 segmentos miocárdicos de 18 pacientes, com idade de 59,5 + 7,4 anos. Ocorreu melhora contrátil em 47 (29%) segmentos do ventrículo esquerdo que apresentavam alterações contráteis pré-operatórias (p < 0,0001). A análise multivariada identificou três fatores preditores de melhora da contratilidade ventricular esquerda: a ausência de onda Q patológica, que aumenta em 172% a chance de melhora, a presença de viabilidade miocárdica, que aumenta em 282% a chance de melhora e a ausência de isquemia miocárdica, que aumenta em 392% a chance de melhora (razão de chances 2,72, IC 95%, 1,24 a 5,92, p = 0,012; razão de chances 3,82, IC 95%, 1,79 a 8,16, p = 0,0005; e razão de chances 4,92, IC 95%, 2,13 a 11,36, p = 0,0002, respectivamente). Em 9 (75%) pacientes a melhora da contratilidade ventricular ocorreu nos 3 primeiros meses após a CRM e em 3 (25%) pacientes ocorreu nos 9 meses seguintes Conclusões: Os três fatores preditores de melhora da contratilidade ventricular esquerda encontrados foram a ausência de onda Q patológica no eletrocardiograma, e a presença de viabilidade e ausência de isquemia miocárdicas na RMC. A recuperação da contratilidade ventricular esquerda ocorreu predominantemente nos 3 primeiros meses após a CRM, no entanto foi verificada uma melhora progressiva até o final dos 12 meses de seguimento. / Introduction: In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and left ventricular dysfunction, the surgical mortality from coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is 3 to 4 times higher than that reported for patients with normal ventricular function, and selecting those who can effectively benefit from the surgery is essential. Meta-analyses have indicate that myocardial viability assessment is useful in this selection, impacting on left ventricular contractility improvement and mortality reduction when revascularization is performed in patients with viable left ventricles; However, randomized clinical trials have not found the same results. Although 50% of these patients have substantial myocardial viability, not all of them can improve left ventricular contractility after revascularization, due to other factors that interfere with this improvement. Objectives: This study aims to determine the predictors of improvement in left ventricular contractility in patients with an ejection fraction of <50% who underwent isolated CABG, as well as the time required for this improvement in contractility. Methods: This prospective observational study assessed patients with CAD and left ventricular dysfunction who underwent electrocardiography and echocardiography during the preoperative period and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after CABG and cardiac magnetic resonance with pharmacological stress with dipyridamole and late gadolinium enhancement in the preoperative period and 3 and 12 months after revascularization, to determine the associations between the evolution of left ventricular contractility and several patient-related variables. Results: A total of 306 myocardial segments of the 18 patients, aged 59.5 ± 7.4 years, were studied. There was a contractile improvement in 47 (29%) segments of the left ventricle that presented preoperative contractile abnormalities (p < 0.0001). The multivariate analysis identified three predictors of left ventricular contractility improvement: the absence of pathological Q waves, which increases the chance of improvement by 172% (odds ratio (OR) 2.72, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24-5.92, p = 0.012), the presence of myocardial viability, which increases the chance of improvement by 282% (OR 3.82, 95% CI, 1.79-8.16, p = 0.0005), and the absence of myocardial ischemia, which increases the chances of improvement by 392%, (OR 4.92, 95% CI, 2.13-11.36, p = 0.0002). In 9 (75%) patients the improvement in ventricular contractility occurred in the first 3 months after CABG, and in 3 (25%) patients, it occurred in the following 9 months. Conclusions: The three predictors of left ventricular contractility improvement were the absence of pathological Q waves on an electrocardiogram, the presence of myocardial viability and the absence of signs of ischemia on cardiac MRI. The improvement in left ventricular contractility occurred predominantly in the first three months after CABG, but a progressive recovery was observed until the end of the 12-month follow-up period.

Die kardiale Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) ermöglicht nach einem akuten Myokardinfarkt (AMI) die Visualisierung und Quantifizierung der Myokardschädigung anhand verschiedener Parameter wie Ejektionsfraktion (EF), Infarktgröße, Mikrovaskuläre Obstruktion (MO) und „Myocardial Salvage Index“ (MSI). Anhand dieser MRT-Marker kann das Risiko für kardiovaskuläre Komplikationen eingeschätzt werden, was für die Weiterversorgung des Patienten sowie für die kardiologische Forschung von großem Interesse ist. In dieser Arbeit wurde die prognostische Relevanz der MRT-Parameter erstmals in einer großen, multizentrischen Studie untersucht. Zudem sollte unter den vier genannten MRT-Markern derjenige mit der größten prognostischen Aussagekraft ermittelt werden. Dazu wurden 795 Patienten aus der AIDA STEMI Studie einer MRT unterzogen und dann zwölf Monate lang im Hinblick auf den kombinierten Endpunkt „Major Adverse Cardiac Events“ (MACE; bestehend aus Tod, Reinfarkt und Klinikaufnahme wegen Herzinsuffizienz) nachbeobachtet. Die Ergebnisse belegen, dass die genannten MRT-Parameter prognostisch relevant sind und insbesondere die MO und die Infarktgröße einen Einfluss auf die Prognose ausüben, welcher über den Wert etablierter klinischer Risikomarker hinausgeht. Herausragende Bedeutung kommt dabei der MO zu, welche nach multivariater Analyse der potenteste MRT-Prädiktor für kardiovaskuläre Ereignisse ist. Somit sollten die MRT-Parameter in kommenden kardiologischen Studien als Surrogatmarker für klinische Endpunkte berücksichtigt werden. Zudem könnten sie für den klinischen Alltag die Möglichkeit bieten, die Patientenversorgung enger an die individuelle Prognose anzupassen.

Thesis (MScMedSc (Biomedical Sciences. Medical Physiology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Background and purpose. To limit ischaemic injury, rapid restoration of coronary blood flow is required, which will in turn reduce infarct size. However, reperfusion itself causes myocyte death – a phenomenon termed lethal reperfusion-induced injury, which limits protection of the ischaemic myocardium. Thus the reperfusion of irreversibly damaged myocytes may accelerate the process of cell necrosis. Additive protection of the ischaemic myocardium in the form of adjunct therapy remains a topic of intensive research. Levosimendan, a calcium sensitizing agent with positive inotropic effects has in several studies been found to alleviate the damaging effects of reperfusion injury. Levosimendan has been shown to be a KATP channel opener. These channels have been implicated to play an important role in ischaemic preconditioning (IPC). With this knowledge, the aim of this study was to determine whether levosimendan and IPC have certain cardioprotective mechanisms in common and whether protection with pharmacological preconditioning could be elicited with levosimendan. In this study, we investigated whether: 1) the isolated guinea pig heart could be protected by ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) and postconditioning (IPostC), 2) the heart could be pharmacologically pre- and postconditioned, using levosimendan (LPC & LPostC), 3) a combination of IPC & LPC had an additive protective effect on the heart, 4) the KATP (both mitochondrial and sarcolemmal) channels are involved in this protection and 5) the pro-survival kinases of the RISK (reperfusion injury salvage kinase) pathway are involved. Experimental approach. Isolated perfused guinea pig hearts were subjected to three different IPC protocols (1x5, 2x5 and 3x5 minutes of ischaemia) or levosimendan (0.1μM) preconditioning, before coronary artery occlusion (CAO – 40min@36.5ºC), followed by 30 minutes of reperfusion. Hearts were also subjected to a combination of IPC & LPC, to establish whether they had additive protective effects. In addition, hearts were pre-treated with levosimendan directly before induction of sustained ischaemia (without washout of the drug – levosimendan pre-treatment (LPT)) for 10min. With the postconditioning protocol, iii the hearts were subjected to 3x30second cycles of ischaemia/reperfusion or levosimendan/vehicle. In a separate series of experiments, hearts were treated with KATP channel blockers (for both sarcolemmal & mitochondrial), before LPC, LPT and LPostC. The endpoints that were measured were: cardiac reperfusion function, myocardial infarct size and RISK pathway expression and phosphorylation (PKB/Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase – ERK42/44). Results. IPC, IPostC, LPC & LPostC decreased myocardial infarct size significantly compared with their controls (21.9±2.2%, 21.4±2.2%, 20.6±3.1% and 20.6±1.8% respectively vs. 46.4±1.8% for controls, p<0.05). The combination of IPC & LPC had no additive protective effect. Pre-treating the hearts with levosimendan (without washout), before index ischaemia, proved to be the most effective method of cardioprotection (infarct size: 5.8±0.9% vs. 46.4±1.8% for controls, p<0.001). With LPT a significant increase (p < 0.05 vs. control) in phosphorylation of ER42/44 was also observed. An increase in the activity of one of the RISK pathway kinases, ERK42/44 seems to be one of the reasons for LPT’s efficacy. Treating the hearts with KATP channel blockers before subjecting them to LPC, LPT & LPostC abolished the protective effects induced by levosimendan, suggesting a role for the sarcolemmal and mitochondrial KATP channels in levosimendan-induced cardioprotection. Conclusions and implications. 1) Isolated guinea pig hearts could be pre- and postconditioned within the setting of ischaemia, 2) Hearts could be pharmacologically pre- and postconditioned with levosimendan, 3) levosimendan pre-treatment is the most effective way to reduce infarct size, possibly acting by increasing the phosphorylation of ERK42/44, 4) Myocardial protection was not increased by combining IPC & LPC (suggesting similar mechanisms of protection), 5) LPC, LPT and LPostC were abolished by both sarcolemmal and mitochondrial KATP channel blockers. .LPC and especially LPT, could be useful before elective cardiac surgery while LPostC may be considered after acute coronary artery events.

Nous avons démontré la présence d'apoptose dans le système limbique suivant un infarctus du myocarde. Cette mort cellulaire serait partiellement reliée à l'augmentation de cytokines pro-inflammatoires. Des études démontrent que certains probiotiques ont des effets bénéfiques en diminuant le ratio de cytokines pro/anti-inflammatoires. La prise de probiotiques en prévention, avant l’occlusion d’une artère coronarienne, pourrait-elle diminuer l’apoptose dans le système limbique? Méthodes : La combinaison de probiotiques Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 et Bifidobacterium longum R0175 ou son véhicule fut additionné dans l’eau des rats pendant 28 jours consécutifs. Un infarctus du myocarde fut provoqué par l’occlusion de l’artère coronaire gauche. Après 40 minutes d'occlusion, les régions ischémiques ont été reperfusées pour 72 heures. Les animaux furent sacrifiés et la taille de l'infarctus mesurée. L'amygdale et l'hippocampe furent prélevés pour déterminer l'activité de la caspase-3 (pro-apoptotique), le ratio Bax/Bcl2(proapoptotique/ anti-apoptotique) et l'activité d'Akt (survie cellulaire). Résultats : La taille de l’infarctus n'est pas diminuée dans le groupe probiotique (45% de la région à risque)comparé au groupe placebo. Nos marqueurs d’apoptose démontrent une diminution dans les régions du gyrus denté, de l’amygdale latérale et médiane dans le groupe probiotique par rapport au placebo. L’activité de la caspase-3 et le ratio Bax:Bcl2 furent réduits dans le groupe probiotique de 50% et 40% respectivement (p < 0.05) et phosphorylation d’Akt fut augmentée de 35% (p<0.05). Aucune différence fut observée pour les régions Ca1 et Ca3. Conclusion : La combinaison de probiotiques utilisée réduit l’apoptose dans différentes régions du système limbique 72 heures après un IM. / Apoptosis is observed in limbic system after a myocardial infarction (MI). This cell death is due to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Since probiotics reduce the pro/anti-inflammatory cytokine ratio, we hypothesise that probiotics will lessen apoptosis in the limbic system following MI. Methods: Rats were given probiotics or placebo for 4 consecutive weeks. Rat in the probiotic group received a daily dose of over 1 billion live bacterial cells of Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175 in combination. A MI was then induced in anesthetised rats by a 40-minute occlusion of the left anterior coronary artery followed by a 72 hours of reperfusion. Infarct size was measured and apoptosis was determined in the amygdala and hippocampus in both groups. Results: Infarct size was not diminished in the probiotic group (45% of the risk area), apoptosis was lessened in the dentate gyrus (DG), the lateral (LA) and medial (MA)amygdala compared to the placebo group. Caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl2 ratio were reduced in the probiotic group by about 50% and 40% respectively. Akt activity was increased by 35% in these regions. No difference was observed in the hippocampus Ca1 and Ca3 regions. Conclusion: This probiotic combination can reduce the apoptosis found in specific regions of the limbic system following a MI, which may have significance for post-MI depression.

Les cardiopathies ischémiques sont une cause majeure de mortalité cardiovasculaire pouvantaboutir à la mort subite par fibrillation ventriculaire (FV). Un des objectifs thérapeutiqueschez les coronariens est de diminuer la demande en O2 par réduction de la fréquencecardiaque (RFC). Plusieurs médicaments dont les bêta-bloquants et inhibiteurs calciquesrépondent à cet objectif, mais peuvent être responsable d’altération de la contractilitécardiaque et d’effets secondaires limitant leur utilisation. Nous nous sommes intéressés auxeffets d’un inhibiteur sélectif du courant pacemaker If, l’ivabradine (IVA) dontl’administration induit une RFC sinusale. L’objectif de ce travail a été d’évaluer l’impact dela RFC sur la propension à la FV et de comprendre les mécanismes fonctionnels etmétaboliques impliqués. Un premier travail a été réalisé sur un modèle d’ischémiemyocardique aigue. Dans un second travail l’impact de la RFC sur la sélection des substratspour la production d’énergie a été évalué sur coeur isolé et perfusé en mode travaillant. Nosrésultats démontrent que l’IVA dans les deux modèles a induit une RFC qui était associée invivo à une amélioration de la perfusion coronaire, une préservation de la structuremitochondriale et du statut énergétique myocardique, réduisant la propension à la FV. Exvivo, la RFC n’a pas modifié la sélection des substrats et le statut énergétique. Enthérapeutique, il est important d’améliorer les conditions tissulaires et de réduire la perte desubstrats lors d’ischémie myocardique, l’IVA semble répondre à cette attente. Son effetspécifique sur l’automaticité sinusale lui confère la possibilité d’agir en préventif et en curatif / Ischemic cardiopathies are a major cause of cardiovascular mortality potentially leading tosudden death by ventricular fibrillation (VF). In patients with coronary disease, onetherapeutic goal is to reduce oxygen requirements via slowing of heart rate (SHR). Severalmedicinal drugs, such as beta-blockers and calcium inhibitors can achieve this goal, but canresult in altered cardiac contractility and various adverse effects, which restricts their use. Wefocused our interest on the effects of a selective inhibitor of the pacemaker current If, namelyivabradine (IVA), which can reduce sinusal heart rate. The aim of the present work was toevaluate the impact of SHR on the propensity to VF and to better understand thephysiological and metabolism mechanisms involved. The first study was performed on a pigmodel of acute myocardial ischemia leading to VF. In the second study, the impact of SHRwas evaluated using a mouse model of isolated perfused working heart. Our resultsdemonstrated that IVA induced SHR in both models and this was associated in vivo withenhanced coronary flow, conservation of mitochondrial structure and myocardial energeticstatus, thus reducing the risk of triggering ischemia-induced VF. Moreover, ex vivo, theobserved SHR did not change the selection of substrates for energy production. From atherapeutic point of view, it is critical to improve the conditions within tissues and to reducethe loss of substrates during myocardial ischemia. IVA apparently met this goal. Indeed, viaspecific effects on sinusal automaticity, it can act both preventively and curatively