Effects of α-lipoic acid therapy on sympathetic heart innervation in patients with previous experience of transient takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Background: Takotsubo syndrome is a stress cardiomyopathy, characterized by reversible left ventricle (LV) apical ballooning in the absence of significant angiographic coronary artery stenosis. The frequent association with emotional stress suggests in this disease an autonomic nervous system involvement. We could think that a therapeutic treatment targeting heart sympathetic dysfunction could be of crucial importance.

Peri-procedural tight glycemic control during early percutaneous coronary intervention is associated with a lower rate of in-stent restenosis in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Objective: We examined the effects of peri-procedural intensive glycemic control (IGC) during early percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on restenosis rate in hyperglycemic patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Research Design And Methods: A total of 165 hyperglycemic patients (glucose ≥ 140 mg/dl) with first STEMI undergoing PCI were studied. Patients were randomized to IGC for almost 24 h after PCI (n = 82; glucose, 80-140 mg/dl) followed by multidose sc insulin during the hospital stay or conventional glycemic control (CGC; n = 83; glucose, 180-200 mg/dl) followed by conventional therapy.

Comparison of two diets of varying glycemic index on carotid subclinical atherosclerosis in obese children.

Childhood obesity is associated with an increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and stiffness. Increased carotid wall thickening and rigidity are considered markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to test the effect of two hypocaloric diets of varying glycemic index on weight loss and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in obese children.

Adeno-tonsillar surgery in Italy.

Indications to surgery for adeno-tonsillar inflammatory disorders and analysis of the effectiveness of surgical treatment, compared with watchful waiting strategy, continue to be the subject of scientific debate. The present investigation focuses on the surgical activity of 14 Italian Otorhinolaryngological Units between 1999 and 2004. Surgical interventions (adeno-tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy) on 26915 children (age range: 2-11 years) were considered.

Effects of different degrees of sympathetic antagonism on cytokine network in patients with ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: The proinflammatory cytokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of heart failure. Recent studies have shown that beta-adrenergic blockade can modulate cytokine production. This study investigates the different impact of different degrees of sympathetic antagonism on circulating levels of cytokines in patients with heart failure resulting from ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC).

Frequency of surgery among children who have adenotonsillar hypertrophy and improve after treatment with nasal beclomethasone.

Objective: To describe the long-term outcome of a cohort of children with symptomatic adenotonsillar hypertrophy treated with aqueous nasal beclomethasone.

Methods: The children enrolled completed a 4-week single-blind, saline solution controlled crossover study of aqueous beclomethasone (total: 400 micro g/d). In a 24-week open-label follow-on study, beclomethasone 200 micro g/d was offered to all patients.

Exercise training improves diastolic perfusion time in patients with coronary artery disease.

Exercise training elicits an improvement in work capacity and in left-ventricular function in patients with coronary artery disease. An improvement in myocardial oxygen supply accounts for these effects. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that exercise training could favorably influence diastolic perfusion time, a major determinant of subendocardial perfusion.

[Physical training of patients with ischemic heart disease. Effects on diastolic time].

In patients (pt) with coronary artery disease diastolic duration is an important determinant of myocardial oxygen supply. To assess the effects of physical training on diastolic duration, twelve male pt with previous infarction were studied. During 12 month training program the physical exercise was of progressively increasing intensity, duration and frequency.

Diastolic time at ischemic threshold in patients with syndrome X.

The patients with so-called syndrome X experience true myocardial ischaemia in spite of their anatomically normal coronary arteries. The pathogenetic mechanism of the effort-induced ischaemia in these patients should be obviously different from that of patients with atherosclerotic coronary artery lesions. An inadequate coronary dilatory capacity in response to increased oxygen demand has been proposed as mechanism responsible of ischaemic response to effort (Canon et al.

Exercise-induced impairment of diastolic time in patients with X syndrome.

Since an abnormal shortening of diastolic duration during exercise in the patients with coronary artery disease was demonstrated, time course of diastolic period (cardiac cycle minus electromechanical systole) calculated from polycardiographic recording has been assessed in patients with X syndrome and in normal age-matched subjects during supine ergometer exercise. All patients with X syndrome had positive exercise stress response (more than 0.1 mV of ST segment depression).

Alinidine in chronic stable angina: the effect on diastolic perfusion time.

The present study has been performed to assess the effects of alinidine on diastolic duration during exercise in chronic coronary artery disease. Twelve male patients with stable effort angina and without previous myocardial infarction were studied. They received alinidine or placebo in a double-blind randomized crossover trial for 3 days after a wash-out period of 4 days.

Non-invasive assessment of left ventricular performance in patients with coronary artery disease after chronic diltiazem therapy.

To evaluate the effects of diltiazem (240 mg/day) on the left ventricular function, we studied 13 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Comparison with placebo was made in a double-blind randomized crossover study. Both placebo and diltiazem were administered for 5 weeks.

[Influence of posture on exercise-induced electrocardiographic and hemodynamic changes in patients with stable effort angina pectoris].

The present work was performed in order to assess the differences in electrocardiographic and hemodynamic responses to supine and upright dynamic exercise of patients with coronary artery disease. Changes in heart rate (HR), systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, rate-pressure product (RPP) and ST segment depression during supine and upright bicycle stress test were compared in twenty patients suffering from stable effort angina and without previous myocardial infarction. In the supine posture lower values of HR were observed at rest, during stress test and during three minutes of the recovery period.

Early diastolic time intervals during hypertensive pregnancy.

Early diastolic time intervals have been assessed by means of the echopolycardiographic method in 17 pregnant women who developed hypertension during pregnancy (HP) and in 14 normal pregnant women (N). Systolic time intervals (STI), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF), and mean velocity of myocardial fiber shortening (VCF) were also evaluated. Recordings were performed in the left lateral decubitus (LLD) and then in the supine decubitus (SD).