Insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin, and angina pectoris secondary to coronary atherosclerosis, vasospasm, and syndrome X.

We measured growth hormone-related substances in patients with angina pectoris precipitated by different underlying disorders. Although hyperinsulinemia was more pronounced in patients with angina pectoris secondary to atherosclerotic coronary disease than in patients with syndrome X and variant angina, we found no evidence that growth hormone-related substances including insulin-like growth factor-I are associated with coronary atherosclerosis.

Glucose uptake and lumped constant variability in normal human hearts determined with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose.

Background: Myocardial glucose uptake can be measured with [18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET). However, changes of myocardial metabolism may alter the ratio between the net rates of FDG and glucose uptake, known as the lumped constant. We tested the hypothesis that the variability of the lumped constant determined in animals explains the disagreement between human net myocardial glucose uptake calculated from aortocoronary sinus deficits and measured with PET.

Atherosclerosis in the human brachial artery.

Objectives: We sought to assess the prevalence of atherosclerotic lesions in the human brachial artery.

Background: Many investigators have recently studied endothelial and vascular function in the brachial circulation in humans to further their understanding of coronary artery disease and early atherogenesis. However, the prevalence of brachial atherosclerosis and its relation to coronary disease have never been documented.

Endogenous TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2 are not essential for epithelialization and neovascularization in the hairless mouse ear wound model.

Background And Aims: TGF-beta stimulates neovascularization and epithelialization in healing wounds, yet relatively little is known about the mechanisms involved. Using the hairless mouse ear wound model, we studied the effects endogenous TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2 have on epithelialization and neovascularization following the application of neutralizing antibodies.

Material And Methods: Forty-three adult male hairless mice had an excisional wound made on the dorsum of each ear.

Chronic total occlusions of coronary arteries--medical versus surgical treatment.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is an established treatment of patients with angina pectoris and chronic total coronary occlusion of major coronary arteries. However, in patients with mild or absent angina and chronic total coronary occlusion, optimal treatment is unsettled. We compared the prognosis of patients with chronic total coronary occlusion treated medically because of mild or absent angina with a matched group of patients undergoing CABG.

M-mode echocardiography in aortic stenosis. Clinical correlates and prognostic significance after valve replacement.

To relate preoperative findings at M-mode echocardiography to preoperative clinical and haemodynamic status and to identify possible echocardiographic risk factors for mortality after aortic valve replacement (AVR), 250 patients with AVR for aortic stenosis (AS) were studied. In follow-up averaging 3.2 years there were 22 early (< 30 days) and 23 late deaths.

Alarm treatment: influence on functional bladder capacity.

Home recordings were used to study the effect of alarm treatment, over a period of 6 weeks, in children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis. Vasopressin day/night ratios were shown to be a good indicator of alarm treatment success. Serial measurement of plasma vasopressin levels is, however, unsuitable for use in the clinic, as extensive analyses would have to be performed to obtain the necessary results.

Bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of desmopressin in elderly men.

The bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of desmopressin (Minirin, DDAVP) have been studied in elderly males, aged between 55 and 75 years. In a four-way randomised study, subjects received a dose of desmopressin either intravenously (2 micrograms) or orally (200 micrograms) and either at 11 am or 10 pm. Daytime and night-time urine samples were collected both with and without desmopressin treatment.

Desmopressin tablet treatment: factors influencing gastrointestinal absorption.

The effect of food ingestion on the gastrointestinal absorption and antidiuretic action of oral desmopressin (Minirin, DDAVP) was assessed in 16 healthy volunteers, aged 20-35 years. The gastrointestinal absorption of desmopressin was reduced and delayed if administered with or 90 minutes after a meal, but this did not influence the antidiuretic action of the drug, at least for the first 3 hours following desmopressin administration.

Do aquaporins have a role in nocturnal enuresis?

Aquaporins are proteins that mediate transmembrane water transport in a variety of tissues including the kidney. Vasopressin plays an important role in regulation of water metabolism, and under normal conditions the kidney collecting duct is extremely sensitive to vasopressin. Vasopressin stimulates the synthesis of aquaporin 2 (AQP2) in kidney collecting duct principal cells.

The effect of the full bladder on vasopressin secretion in healthy young adults.

Interactions between the central nervous system, bladder and kidneys have been investigated for many years in animal studies and have shown that bladder distension, in animals, leads to decreased urine production. The objectives of the current study were to determine the effect of a full bladder on urinary output, vasopressin secretion and urine osmolality in humans. The study involved healthy volunteers.

Long-term home studies of water balance in patients with nocturnal enuresis.

A 2-week, home-based study was conducted on 75 children with nocturnal enuresis to monitor the frequency of enuretic episodes and the volume of nocturnal urine production. The objectives of the study were to correlate nocturnal urine production to the occurrence of nocturnal enuresis and response to desmopressin (Minirin, DDAVP) treatment. Furthermore, patient compliance was evaluated.

The enuretic episode--a complete micturition from a bladder with normal capacity? A critical reappraisal of the definition.

Fifty-five normal children, aged between 7 and 12 years, were hospitalised for four consecutive nights. On three of these nights, the subjects received 25 ml/kg body weight of fluid prior to bedtime. Such fluid-loading provoked 28 enuresis-like episodes in 17 children, most of which occurred during the first few hours of sleep.

The acute effects of FK-506 on renal haemodynamics, water and sodium excretion and plasma levels of angiotensin II, aldosterone, atrial natriuretic peptide and vasopressin in pigs.

FK-506 has been shown to be an effective immunosuppressive drug with possible nephrotoxic side effects. In this study we have investigated the acute effects of FK-506 on renal haemodynamics, water, sodium and lithium excretion rates and plasma levels of angiotensin II, aldosterone, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and vasopressin in 29 anaesthetized Lancaster/Yorkshire female pigs. A continuous intravenous infusion was given over a 2-h period to 4 groups: A: 0.

Distal oesophageal motility characteristics in relation to amplitude of contraction in healthy persons.

Objectives: We wanted to supply a new 'vertical' approach in the analysis of oesophageal contraction data by describing variables of oesophageal function in relation to the amplitude of contraction.

Methods: Twenty-four-hour oesophageal manometry was performed in 20 healthy volunteers (11 women and 9 men; mean age, 47.5 years).

Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure and vasoactive hormones in valvular aortic disease.

The aim of this study was to assess the blood pressure profile and vasoactive hormones in valvular aortic disease. Thirteen aortic stenosis and/or aortic regurgitation patients were matched with 13 control subjects. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed for 24 h.

Porcine coronary artery pharmacodynamics in vitro evaluated by a new intravascular technique: relation to axial stretch.

A new intravascular balloon catheter-based technique, impedance planimetry and the wire-mounted isometric tension technique commonly employed to study vessel pharmacodynamics in vitro, were compared. Porcine left anterior descendent coronary artery reactivity to nifedipine was assessed and the influence of 20% axial stretch was investigated. There were no histological differences between segments where the impedance planimetry balloon had been inflated and untouched segments.

Effect of prednisolone on amino acid-induced changes in renal haemodynamics and tubular function.

The effect of oral prednisolone treatment on renal haemodynamics, tubular function and various hormones during amino acid infusion was studied in 14 normal men. A balanced amino acid solution was infused for 120 min, before and after 4 days of prednisolone treatment (40 mg day-1). During amino acid infusion before prednisolone glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, urinary sodium excretion, fractional excretion of sodium, lithium clearance, fractional excretion of lithium, serum insulin (s-insulin), plasma glucagon (p-glucagon) and s-growth hormone increased, whereas p-atrial natriuretic peptide, p-aldosterone, p-vasopressin and s-insulin-like growth factor 1 were unchanged, and potassium excretion and fractional excretion of potassium fell.

Frequency of systemic microvascular dysfunction in syndrome X and in variant angina.

In addition to coronary vascular abnormalities, patients with syndrome X and variant angina often have systemic vascular symptoms. To determine whether these patients exhibit a generalized abnormality of vasoreactivity, we used high-resolution ultrasound to compare flow responses and endothelial function in the brachial artery in 21 patients with syndrome X, 15 patients with variant angina, and 20 healthy controls. Arterial diameter was measured at rest, after reactive hyperemia (endothelium-dependent flow-mediated vasodilation), and after sublingual glyceryl trinitrate (endothelium-independent vasodilation).

Rupture of Aortic Dissection During Attempted Transesophageal Echocardiography.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) provides a rapid and accurate diagnosis in patients with dissection of the thoracic aorta. The procedure is considered to be safe. We report a case where rupture of a dissecting thoracic aneurysm occurred during attempted TEE in a patient, who had been clinically stable for 1 week.

Renal and hormonal actions of atrial natriuretic peptide during angiotensin II or noradrenaline infusion in man.

In order to study the renal and hormonal actions of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) during background infusions with angiotensin II (ANG II) or noradrenaline (NA), 69 healthy subjects were examined in three main groups receiving a 90-min infusion with either placebo, ANG II (1.5 ng kg-1 min-1), or NA (25 ng kg-1 min-1). Each of these three main groups were subdivided into two groups receiving an infusion with either placebo or ANP (10 ng kg-1 min-1) for the last 60 min of the background infusion.

Effects of systemic NO synthesis inhibition on RPF, GFR, UNa, and vasoactive hormones in healthy humans.

Animal studies have implicated an important role of nitric oxide (NO) in the regulation of blood pressure, renal hemodynamics, and renal excretion of sodium. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) is a specific, competitive inhibitor of NO synthesis interfering with NO synthase. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of L-NMMA on renal plasma flow (RPF), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), urinary sodium excretion (UNa), fractional sodium excretion (FENa), fractional lithium excretion (FELi), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR) in healthy humans.

The pituitary gland in nocturnal enuresis: MR findings.

Nocturnal enuresis is considered a benign condition partially explained by a defect circadian rhythm of vasopressin. An organic cause may be responsible for an abnormal pituitary function, when enuresis persists into adulthood. In the present study the pituitary gland and surroundings of 8 adults suffering from primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis were studied by magnetic resonance imaging.

Discrimination between artefacts and contractions in pressure signals from the gastrointestinal tract by pattern recognition method.

A pattern recognition algorithm has been developed to discriminate between artefacts and contractions in interdigestive motility recorded by a pressure catheter with four channels from the human duodenum. A learning and a test set, both containing natural and induced artefacts, such as respiration and body movement, are obtained from five volunteers. The event classes were phase I, II and III contractions of the interdigestive motility complex and artefacts from respiration, cough, calibration signals and movements.