[Work capacity of mitral stenosis patients before and after mitral commissurotomy].

Analysis of the working capacity of 1,000 patients who underwent mitral commissurotomy showed that 67.0% of individuals who were operated on for grade III stenosis and 27.99% of those operated on for grade IV stenosis resumed work.

[Course of the rheumatic process in mitral heart defects after primary and repeated courses of treatment with titrated gamma-globulin].

Titrated gamma-globulin, which the authors used in the preoperative management of patients with acquired valvular disease and minimum rheumatism activity, contained high titers of antibodies against the antigens of streptococcus (streptokinase, streptohyaluronidase, streptolysin 0) and Coxsackie A13, A18, and B3 viruses. Its use in combination with antirheumatic agents did not cause any complications and made it possible to reduce the activity of the process in most cases with grade I and after repeated courses also in grade II activity of rheumatism. Treatment with titrated gamma-globulin stimulates the organism's defence forces (factors of nonspecific immunity: complement, lysozyme, interferon) and leads to diminution of the isolation of cardiotropic viruses from blood and bioptic material of the atria of patients.

[Electric counter shock therapy as a rehabilitation stage for patients with surgically treated acquired heart diseases].

A total of 910 case-reports on electropulse treatment of fibrillation arrhythmia are analyzed in the light of rehabilitating patients operated upon for acquired heart diseases. Experience has shown that re-establishment and retention of the sinus rhythm is of decisive importance in the restitution of physical activity and capacity for work. However, investigations have confirmed that the electropulse therapy helps achieve but good immediate results, whereas the remote ones remain unsatisfactory.