[The efficacy of the substitution of carnivit in patients with chronic failure treated with hemodialysis].

Low serum concentration of the carnitine is one of the causes of muscle weakness and cardiomyopathy in patients with chronic renal failure treated by hemodialysis. The carnitine facilitate transport of the free fatty acid into the straitened muscle cells where the product of oxidation is energy-ATP. In the present paper we presented the investigation of the influence of L-carnitine substitution on cardiac performance.

[Echocardiographic heart assessment in systemic lupus erythematosus].

A prospective two dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic studies were performed in 41 patients to assess the incidence and spectrum of cardiac abnormalities. All patients included in the study fulfilled the 1982 revised criteria of the American Rheumatism Association for classification of SLE. There were 37 women and 4 men with average age of 38 years.

[Prognostic significance of doppler-derived and left ventricular diastolic filling variables in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy].

The purpose of this echocardiographic study was to evaluate the frequency of restrictive left ventricular filling pattern in dilated cardiomyopathy, as well as its clinical and echocardiographic correlations and prognostic implications. The study included 49 pts (39 males, 10 females) aged 32 to 56 years (mean age: 46 years), with a diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy, according to the World Health Organization criteria. Pulsed Doppler echocardiographic analysis was performed at discharge and during a two year follow-up and compared with clinical and 2-dimensional echocardiographic findings.

[Echocardiographic evaluation of mitral regurgitation after myocardial infarction].

Pulsed Doppler and echocardiographic analysis of the incidence of mitral regurgitation (MR) was performed. Moreover, an attempt at finding out factors conducive to the development of MR in patients after myocardial infarction (MI) was undertaken. The study included 70 patients (53 males and 17 females) aged 29-70 years, mean age: 56 years, with (first in their life) Q-wave infarction.

[Late outcome of patients with myocardial infarction complicated by mural thrombi in the left heart ventricle].

The study was aimed at the evaluating of the remote clinical course and death rate in patients with myocardial infarction, in whom mural thrombi in the left cardiac ventricle were diagnosed during hospitalization. During a 24-month follow up, 23 (20%) out of 116 patients died, including 10 (43.5%) patients with myocardial infarction complicated with mural thrombi during hospitalization.

[Clinical observations and echocardiographic features of mural thrombi in the left ventricle during myocardial infarction].

The incidence and changes in the mural thrombi in left ventricle in ECHO-2D in the acute myocardial infarction as well as relationship between clinical parameters and echocardiographic indices of the left cardiac ventricle contractability asynergy and dynamics of changes in mural thrombi have been investigated. The studies included 137 consecutive patients (98 males and 39 females) treated for the acute myocardial infarction. Patients' age ranged from 35 to 87 years (mean 62 years).

[Non-invasive evaluation of function in both cardiac ventricles and arrhythmias in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy].

Resting echocardiography with M-mode technique under the control of bidimensional picture and pulsating Doppler ultra sound and a 24-hour ECG with Holter technique were performed in 19 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (6 females and 13 males; mean age 46 years, mean duration of the disease 23 months). A group of 7 patients with electrocardiographic features of the left ventricle hypertrophy, according to Sokolov index, was distinguished and compared with a group of patients without ventricular hypertrophy. The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension with progressing dilatation and failure of the right cardiac ventricle were found in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy without coexisting hypertrophy, despite of significant deterioration of the contractive function.

[Early and late ventricular fibrillation in myocardial infarction. Prognostic value of clinical and echocardiographic indicators].

Our studies were aimed at evaluating the prognostic value of certain clinical and echocardiographic parameters as well as cardiac arrhythmias in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by ventricular fibrillation. The studies comprised 66 patients with previous ventricular fibrillation selected out of 637 patients undergoing treatment after recent myocardial infarction at the Clinic of Cardiology, Institute of Cardiology, Medical Academy, Poznań. The group included 51 males and 15 females aged 30-83, mean age 68.

[Thrombolytic therapy of myocardial infarction. Prognostic value of early reduction of elevation of ST segment].

In-hospital mortality, infarction mass (estimated enzymatically) and electrocardiographic indexes (total ST-segments elevation, number of leads with R-wave presence and total R-waves amplitude) were assessed in 532 patients with acute myocardial infarction, randomized to two treatment groups: 272 treated with streptokinase (SK) and 260 with heparin (H). Echocardiographic contractility indexes (contractility disturbances area index, contractility disturbances index, left ventricle diastolic diameter) and heart volume estimated from X-ray film were also assessed. There were no significant differences in mortality and infarction area between the two groups.

[Comparison of the diagnostic value of echocardiographic, ecg and enzymatic investigations in acute myocardial infarction].

Two dimensional echocardiography (ECHO 2D) was performed in 133 patients 1-2, 3-5, 7-10, 21-28 days and 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after myocardial infarction. Standard ecg examination was carried out at the admission time, every 15 minutes during the first 2 hours, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours later, and afterwards in the same time as ECHO 2D. At the admission time and 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours later creatine kinase activity was determined.

[Dynamics of disorders of ventricular contraction studied by two-dimensional echocardiography 2 years after myocardial infarction].

Two-dimensional echocardiography (ECHO 2D) was performed in 133 patients 1-2, 3-5, 7-10, 21-28 days and 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after myocardial infarction. During 2-years observation after myocardial infarction a gradually diminishing occurrence of left ventricular (LV) systolic wall motion abnormalities, is seen mostly--akinesia. Dyskinesia is the most persistent form of asynergy appearing with similar frequency during the whole study period.

[Value of two-dimensional echocardiography in predicting the clinical course and fates of patients 2 years after myocardial infarction].

133 patients with acute myocardial infarction, admitted to hospital 24 hours or less from the beginning of chest pain were investigated. Two-dimensional echocardiography (ECHO 2D) was performed 1-2, 3-5, 7-10, 21-28 days and 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after myocardial infarction. Relations between ECHO parameters, clinical course and prognosis.

[The value of echocardiography in interpreting exercise ST elevation 3-4 weeks after myocardial infarction].

To assess the value of echocardiography in interpretation of exercise ST-elevation 61 patients (age 29-70, mean 53 years old) underwent exercise stress test and echocardiography 3-4 weeks after an acute myocardial infarction. Isolated ST-elevation in exercise ecg was found in 12 patients (19.7%), significant more frequently in anterior than inferior infarction.

[The effect of intravenous streptokinase on selected echocardiographic and clinical parameters of patients followed up for 2 years after myocardial infarction].

54 patients (pts) aged 70 years or younger with acute transmural myocardial infarction and onset of chest pain less than 12 hours were assigned in a blind manner to streptokinase group (SK), 54--to control group, 34 pts received intravenous infusion of 1,500,000 IU of SK/hour, 14 pts--2,000,000 IU/hour, and 6 pts--3,000,000 IU/2.5 hours. Intravenous streptokinase reduced left ventricular (LV) asynergy during hospital phase, decreased LV thrombus formation, and limited myocardial necrosis size 2 years after myocardial infarction.

[Myocardial infarction in patients with arterial hypertension. Changes in the creatine kinase MB isoenzyme activity in relation to myocardial hypertrophy].

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship of arterial hypertension coexisting with myocardial hypertrophy to the infarct size evaluated by serial CK-MB measurements. The group of 98 patients (72 males and 26 females) with the first Q-wave infarction was selected from 137 patients admitted to I Clinic of Cardiology of Poznan Medical School with acute myocardial infarction (AMIO). Age of the patients ranged from 35 to 82, mean 60 years.

[Effect of psychological stress on the development of arrhythmia in patients with acute myocardial infarction].

The effect of mental stress was demonstrated on the development of arrhythmias in patients after acute myocardial infarction. During 24-hour Holter's monitoring (3 weeks after infarction onset) a stressful psychological experiment (free association test) was carried out on the patients observing their reactions during the experiment, and heart action during and after it. During the experiment changes were observed in heart action such as increased heart rate, appearance or intensification of quantitative and qualitative ventricular arrhythmias.

[Myocardial infarction in patients with hypertension].

Hypertension is a well known risk factor of coronary artery disease. The aim of the study was to evaluate a clinical course and prognosis in hypertensive patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). 100 consecutive patients with acute MI underwent the study.

[Echocardiographic studies and electrocardiographic examination by the Holter method of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus].

The aim of the study was to evaluate the left ventricular function and cardiac arrhythmias in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes, but without observable changes of the circulatory system in clinical examination. 30 patients underwent the study with the insulin-dependent diabetes treated for 2 months--30 years. There was no evidence of hypertension, renal and hepatic failure.

Echocardiographic abnormalities in acromegalic patients.

Unlabelled: The aim of our study was the evaluation of the cardiac size and left ventricular function in 26 patients with acromegaly and 20 control subjects using echocardiography. The following parameters were evaluated: systolic and diastolic ventricular dimensions, diastolic posterior wall and interventricular septal thickness, left ventricle ejection fraction and left ventricular mass, amplitude of the posterior left ventricular wall movement, speed of the circular fibres shortening area of the left ventricular muscle and left ventricular contractility index.

Results: In 91% of patients with acromegaly echocardiographic abnormalities were found.