Decreased plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels after a successful maze procedure.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Previous reports indicate that plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) increase in atrial fibrillation (AF), but decrease after successful direct current (DC) cardioversion. Although the maze procedure is the only curative therapy for AF, the effects on atrial and left ventricular function remain unclear. The study aim was to determine whether plasma ANP and BNP levels decrease after the maze procedure in patients with mitral valve disease.

[Traumatic aortic regurgitation with an ascending aortic aneurysm: report of a case].

We reported a case of an aortic regurgitation due to nonpenetrating chest trauma with an ascending aortic aneurysm. A 58-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with an acute left cardiac failure. Severe aortic regurgitation and ascending aortic aneurysm were diagnosed on ultrasonic echocardiography (UCG) and computed tomography (CT) scan.

Lung cancer associated with sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is often identified as swollen hilar lymph nodes found in chest radiography during routine physical checkups. We report a patient with concomitant sarcoidosis and lung cancer necessitating thoracoscopic lymph node biopsy to differentiate between sarcoidosis and lung cancer as the cause of mediastinal/hilar lymph node swelling prior to conducting pulmonary lobectomy. Thoracoscopic biopsy of left mediastinal lymph nodes and sampling of frozen sections of right lymph nodes during intraoperative diagnosis did not detect metastasis.

[Problems occurred after Helicobacter pylori eradication and their countermeasures].

Acute esophagogastroduodenal mucosal lesions are the demonstrable adverse events occurred after H. pylori eradication. In our study, acute duodenal erosions were observed in 13.

[Angina pectoris with a left atrial myxoma; report of a case].

A 78-year-old woman who had been diagnosed as left atrial myxoma and angina pectoris underwent simultaneous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and resection of the left atrial myxoma. CABG was preceded by resection of myxoma to avoid systemic embolism of fragment of myxoma. Myocardial protection was secured by combination of antegrade and retrograde infusion of cardioplegia.

Waist-to-height ratio is the best predictor of cardiovascular disease risk factors in Japanese schoolchildren.

In adults, visceral fat accumulation is an important indicator for cardiovascular disease risk. This relationship is not fully understood in children. To determine the best predictor of cardiovascular disease risk factors among anthropometric indices such as body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (%Fat), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio (W/Ht ratio) in Japanese schoolchildren.

[A case of mitral regurgitation with a giant thrombus thought to be caused by anti-phospholipid syndrome].

A 58-year-old woman suffered from mitral valve regurgitation with a giant thrombus in right atrium was thought to be complicated by anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS). Positive anti-loops anti-coagulant and histories of cerebral infarction and miscarriage strongly indicated the diagnosis of APS. She underwent mitral valve replacement using bileaflet mechanical prosthetic value and removal of thrombus.

The event-related potentials elicited by content and function words during the reading of sentences by patients with schizophrenia.

Thought disorder is one of the main symptoms observed in schizophrenia and has been investigated in terms of language dysfunction. The purpose of the present study was to find whether there were any differences in identifying and processing between content (semantic) and function (syntax) words, and to elucidate whether semantic or syntax is more impaired for the schizophrenics. Event-related potentials were recorded in 13 patients with schizophrenia and 14 healthy controls, while they silently read three sets of passages.

Th1 and Th2 cytokines differentially regulate the transformation of Kupffer cells into multinucleated giant cells but similarly enhance the Kupffer cell-induced hepatic stellate cell proliferation.

To investigate the effects of T-helper cytokines on Kupffer cells (KCs), the effects of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma; Th1 cytokine) and interleukin-4 (IL-4; Th2 cytokine) on KC morphology and their role in modulating the growth of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were examined. Fluorescence microscopic and electron microscopic data demonstrated that IL-4 transforms rat KCs into multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) in vitro. This transformation was inhibited by the addition of anti-ICAM-1 and anti-CD18 monoclonal antibodies.

The threshold of acetazolamide vasoreactivity as an indicator of maximum cerebral blood volume.

Using xenon-enhanced computed tomographic (Xe-CT) cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurement, we attempted to determine the extent of vasoreactivity indicating reserve autoregulatory potential by comparing maximal cerebral blood volume (CBV) induced by acetazolamide activation (activated CBV) and the resting CBV. We measured the activated and resting CBVs in two different groups by the subtraction technique using contrast-enhanced CT, and measured the resting and activated CBF in both groups to calculate the percentage increase (%deltaCBF). We extracted CBF and CBV in the territory of the middle cerebral artery on both sides separately for each patient, and treated them independently.

[A case of both lung giant bullae treated by thoracoscopic bilateral resection].

We experienced a case of multiple bilateral giant bullae of the lungs and treated by thoracoscopic bilateral resection. A 46-year-old male was admitted to our hospital on the diagnosis of bilateral giant bullae of the lungs. Chest CT scan and lung perfusion scintigraphy showed giant bullae at the apex of both lungs and at the left lower lobe.

Significance of abnormal root mean square voltages in signal averaged electrocardiogram as a reliable predictor of sustained ventricular tachycardia.

The late potential is useful to predict patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). However, because positive predictive value for sustained VT is low, the validity of late potential for screening the patients to be studied by electrophysiological tests was not high. We examined 923 cases, including 63 cases of sustained VT.

[Pulmonary pseudallescheriasis in a patient with diabetes mellitus and alcoholic liver cirrhosis].

A 62-year-old man with diabetes mellitus and alcoholic liver cirrhosis was admitted to the hospital because of hemoptysis. Chest X-ray films and computed tomograms showed a dense infiltrative lesion and a healed tuberculous cavity with a possible fungus ball in the upper lobe of the right lung. Bronchoscopy revealed that the hemoptysis originated from the right upper-lobe bronchus.

Observational assessment of patient's sleep complaints in the coronary care unit.

Sleep-wake disorders are common in patients who are treated in coronary care units (CCU). We report a clinical trial aimed at developing an observational assessment of patients sleep complaints in a CCU. Thirty-four inpatients with coronary heart diseases in the CCU (Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo General Hospital) participated in the study.

[Flutropium bromide was effective in relieving symptoms of lymphangioleiomyomatosis--a case report].

A 32-year-old woman was admitted with persistent dyspnea. Chest roentgenogram showed hyperinflation of the lungs, and diffuse reticular shadows in both lung fields. Chest CT showed diffuse cystic lesions and thickened vasculature.

[Reperfusion therapy in acute myocardial infarction today: thrombolysis, balloon angioplasty and stenting].

Prompt restoration of coronary flow is the principal mechanism by which reperfusion therapy improves survival and other clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Thrombolytic therapy has been the standard for care over the past decade. The use of accelerated administration of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and modified or mutant t-PA which can be administered with a single bolus intravenous injection might bring further benefits.

Various problems during long-term percutaneous cardiopulmonary support.

A 54-year-old man with a left ventricular free wall rupture following acute anterior myocardial infarction underwent a repair surgery with percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS). During surgery and postoperatively, PCPS provided sufficient support flow. The patient was successfully weaned from PCPS on the 15th postoperative day and discharged subsequently.

Relation between smoking status of physicians and their enthusiasm to offer smoking cessation advice.

Are nonsmoking physicians more likely to give smoking cessation advice to their patients? To determine this, we sent a questionnaire individually to physicians in Tokyo. The average age of the 323 respondents was 59.8 +/- 12.

MR imaging in Guillain-Barré syndrome.

MRI in a 5-year-old girl with Guillain-Barré syndrome showed marked enhancement of nerve roots in the region of the conus medullaris and cauda equina. This enhancement gradually disappeared after high-dose immunoglobulin therapy. This characteristic finding of MRI may have diagnostic utility and represent the clinical course of the disease.

[Effect of on-demand inhalation of dry oxygen on nasal mucociliary clearance].

Aim: To determine whether nasal mucociliary clearance is affected by dry oxygen delivered on demand.

Methods: Saccharin nasal transit time was measured as an index of nasal mucociliary clearance. One group of patients was given dry oxygen via a nasal cannula and a demand delivery system, and another group was given dry oxygen by continuous inhalation.