Blood lactate levels during cardiopulmonary bypass for valvular heart surgery.

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is widely used to maintain systemic perfusion and oxygenation during open-heart surgery. Tissue hypoperfusion with resultant lactic acidosis during CPB, may occur during hypothermia, extreme haemodilution, low flow CPB, and excessive neurohormonal activation. There has been no documentation of the correlation between blood lactate level elevations in the perioperative period, and its relation to preoperative New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification and the use of ionotropic support during weaning from CPB, duration of postoperative ventilatory support and perioperative mortality.

Antioxidant status in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Free radicals play an important role in the pathogenesis of tissue damage in many clinical disorders, including atherosclerosis. Antioxidants protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. In this study we investigated oxidative stress, antioxidants and inflammatory molecules in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Study of leukocytic hydrolytic enzymes in patients with acute stage of coronary heart disease.

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major killer worldwide. Atherosclerosis, which is the basis of CHD, is believed to be an inflammatory disorder. Though various aspects of atherosclerosis are extensively studied, leukocytic hydrolytic enzymes are not studied very well with respect to CHD.

Effect of atorvastatin on type 2 diabetic dyslipidemia.

Hyperlipidemia is commonly observed in patients with type 2 diabetes and is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The authors tested the effect of atorvastatin (10 mg/d) on 110 hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetes patients with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels exceeding 130 mg/d. The primary efficacy end point was the percentage change in LDL-C and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and secondary efficacy included the percentage change in apolipoproteins at weeks 6, 12, and 24.

Impairment of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme activities in tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: During the last decade, disorders of the respiratory chain, so-called mitochondrial disorders, have emerged as a major clinical entity. Tetralogy of fallot (TOF) children>2 month of age are at risk for postoperative myocardial contractile failure. Myocardial ischemia is associated with a reduction in mitochondrial enzyme activity and have impaired metabolism resulting in decreased postoperative myocardial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations and increased lactate levels.

Defect in mitochondrial functions in damaged human mitral valve.

Mitochondrial diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders in which a primary mitochondrial dysfunction is proven by morphological, biochemical, and genetic examinations. The mitral valve has important function in the regulation of blood flow from one chamber to another. Often, the mitral valve becomes abnormal with age, in Rheumatic fever or it is abnormal from birth (Congenital) or it can be destroyed by infection i.

Biochemical changes in erythrocyte membrane in uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The levels of lipid peroxidation and alterations in lipid composition and ATPase activities were determined in erythrocyte plasma membrane of uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. The study groups consisted of 30 patients (16 males, 14 females) attending the Out Patients' Department of Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Mumbai, and 23 age- and sex-matched control subjects (15 males, 8 females). Glycated haemoglobin (an index of long-term glycaemic control), erythrocyte membrane cholesterol, phospholipid and cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio, lipid peroxidation products in the form of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity were found to be significantly increased, and Mg(2+)-ATPase activity significantly decreased, in the diabetic subjects, as compared to controls.

Glutaric aciduria type I associated with learning disability.

The authors report a 7-year-8-months-old boy with glutaric aciduria type I who had associated dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia. The diagnosis of glutaric aciduria type I was confirmed on the basis of characteristic neuroimaging and biochemical findings. Axial T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scan of the brain showed fronto-temporal atrophy, open opercula and bat-wing dilatation of the sylvian fissures.