[Transesophageal echography and peripheral arterial embolism. A new etiologic approach. Apropos of 87 cases].

This prospective study (September 1989 to November 1990) was undertaken to evaluate the utility of transesophageal echocardiography in acute peripheral ischaemic syndromes. After embolectomy or thrombolysis, 87 patients with an average age of 69.7 years underwent not only the usual investigations (conventional echocardiography, abdominal ultrasonography and Holter monitoring) but also transesophageal echocardiography within 2 days of the ischaemic events (lower limb 84%, multiple embolism 11%, recurrent embolism 13%).

Caffeine-induced Ca2+ release inhibits GABAA responsiveness in rat identified native primary afferents.

It has been shown previously that an increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration depresses the GABA-A response. However, little attention has been paid to the Ca2+ source involved. In the present study, we show that the Ca2+ increase triggered by caffeine-induced Ca2+ release from the intracellular pool inhibits the GABA-A response, whereas Ca2+ influx through voltage-activated Ca2+ channels has no effect on this response.