Relationship between plasma levels of procainamide, suppression of premature ventricular complexes and prevention of recurrent ventricular tachycardia.

We compared the relationship between plasma levels of procainamide and suppression or prevention of various forms of ventricular arrhythmias in 18 patients, six of whom had premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) during acute myocardial infarction (AMI), six of whom had PVCs in the setting of stable chronic ischemic heart disease (CIHD), and six of whom had recurrent symptomatic ventricular tachycardia (VT) with chronic PVCs between episodes of VT. The mean plasma level of procainamide required for 85% suppression of PVCs in the AMI patients was 5.0 +/- 0.

Antecedent tonsillectomy and appendectomy in rheumatoid arthritis.

The prevalence of tonsillectomy and appendectomy was higher in 196 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), prior to the onset of articular disease, than in their spouses and siblings. The estimated increased risk of developing RA with tonsillectomy was 1.5 and 3.

Antiarrhythmic drug therapy in survivors of prehospital cardiac arrest: comparison of effects on chronic ventricular arrhythmias and recurrent cardiac arrest.

We studied the long-term effects of membrane-active antiarrhythmic agents on chronic ventricular arrhythmias in patients who have survived prehospital cardiac arrest. Among 16 patients treated with a dose-adjusted, plasma level-monitored antiarrhythmic regimen, eight have survived for longer than 12 months and eight have had recurrent cardiac arrests (RCAs). Monthly Holter monitor tapes (HM) recorded during the 4 months before the eight RCAs were compared with monthly HM tapes matched for time of entry and duration of follow-up in the eight patients who did not have RCAs.

Intratendon sheath corticosteroid treatment of rheumatoid arthritis-associated and idiopathic hand flexor tenosynovitis.

Flexor tenosynovitis (FT) is a common manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), contributing to hand deformity and manual dysfunction. The efficacy of intratendon sheath corticosteroids was assessed by reviewing the results of such treatment in 173 episodes of FT documented in 46 patients with definite or classic RA. Ninety-three percent of initial episodes resolved completely for 3 or more months (median: 25 months); tenosynovitis did not recur in 59%.