A. Nitenberg

Assessment and follow-up of patients with aortic regurgitation by an updated Doppler echocardiographic measurement of the regurgitant fraction in the aortic arch.

The purpose of this study was to determine the value and limitations of an updated Doppler echocardiographic measurement of the aortic regurgitant fraction derived from the comparison of forward and reverse flows in the aortic arch. The method was based on the improvements in sampling and displaying Doppler frequencies and blood velocities provided by pulsed-emission, two-dimensional location, and spectral analysis and on an account for variations of aortic diameter through an M mode record of the aortic arch. Relevant statistical comparisons were performed between simultaneous noninvasive and invasive determinations of the regurgitant fraction in a group of 30 patients with aortic regurgitation (group I) and between simultaneous noninvasive and invasive measurements of variations of the regurgitant fraction induced by atrial pacing or vasodilator administration in 12 patients of this group. The two basal determinations were closely correlated (r = .90). The invasive regurgitant fraction ranged from 0% to 80%. The standard error of the Doppler estimate was 8.8% in group I as a whole and was only 6% in a subgroup of 20 patients with a high systolic aortic flow pattern, defined as both peak velocity above 0.8 m/sec and duration of systolic flow above 0.24 sec. This pattern was present in almost all (19/22) patients in whom the aortic regurgitation was more than moderate by invasive criterion (regurgitant fraction above 40%). The standard error of the Doppler estimate of variations of the regurgitant fraction was only 6.6%. Among 100 additional patients with aortic regurgitation (group II), only 12 had no pandiastolic reverse flow in the arch, and their regurgitation was always mild at aortographic examination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Postprandial endothelial dysfunction: role of glucose, lipids and insulin

Endothelium plays a key role in the regulation of vascular tone and development of atherosclerosis. Endothelial function is impaired early in patients with risk factors and endothelial dysfunction is a strong and independent predictor of cardiovascular events. Because in normal subjects blood concentrations of glucose, lipids and insulin are increased after each meals, and postprandial changes last a long time after the meals, these changes might be of importance in the process of atherosclerosis initiation and development. Experimental and human studies have shown that a transient increase of blood concentrations of glucose, triglycerides and fatty acids, and insulin are able to depress endothelium-dependent vasodilation in healthy subjects and that hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperinsulinemia are generator of reactive oxygen species at the origin of a cascade of pathophysiological events resulting in the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB. Nuclear factor-kappaB is an ubiquitous transcription factor controlling the expression of numerous genes and is involved in immunity, inflammation, regulation of cell proliferation and growth and apoptosis. These mechanisms may be involved in the development of atherosclerosis in normal subjects when food intake is chronically modified towards glucids and lipids with cumulative effects both on depression of endothelium dependent dilation and oxidative stress.

Transthoracic echocardiographic abnormalities in asymptomatic diabetic patients: association with microalbuminuria and silent coronary artery disease.

AIMS This study aimed to assess, on routine echocardiography, cardiac left ventricular (LV) disorders, their determinants and their role in the screening process of silent myocardial ischaemia (SMI) in asymptomatic diabetic patients. METHODS A total of 586 asymptomatic diabetic patients with one or more additional cardiovascular risk factors, but no history of heart failure or myocardial infarction, prospectively underwent rest echocardiography and myocardial scintigraphy. Those with SMI (abnormal scintigraphy) were subsequently screened for angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD). RESULTS LV hypertrophy, LV dilatation, systolic dysfunction and hypokinesia were found in 33.6, 8.6, 3.2 and 6.1%, respectively, of the study population. SMI was found in 156 (26.6%) patients, 55 of whom had silent CAD. On multivariate analysis, age (OR: 1.03 [1.00-1.05], P=0.02), microalbuminuria (OR: 2.2 [1.4-3.2], P<0.0001) and silent CAD (OR: 2.4 [1.3-4.6], P=0.007) were predictive of LV hypertrophy. Creatinine clearance (OR: 0.97 [0.96-0.99], P=0.002) and silent CAD (OR: 3.7 [1.3-10.0]) were associated with LV dilatation. LV systolic dysfunction was associated with microalbuminuria (OR: 3.8 [1.3-11.4], P=0.02) and silent CAD (OR: 3.8 [1.1-12.6], P=0.03). Hypokinesia was associated with retinopathy (OR: 2.4 [1.1-5.4], P=0.04), microalbuminuria (OR: 2.3 [1.1-5.0], P=0.04) and LV dilatation (OR: 3.0 [1.1-8.1], P=0.03). In patients with SMI, the positive predictive value of LV hypertrophy associated with another echocardiographic abnormality (n=19) for CAD was 63.2%. CONCLUSION LV hypertrophy was found in one-third of asymptomatic diabetic patients, while LV dilatation, systolic dysfunction or hypokinesia was seen in<10%. The main predictors of LV abnormalities were microalbuminuria and silent CAD. The presence of LV hypertrophy with another abnormality should raise the possibility of the presence of silent CAD.

Microalbuminurie et excrétion urinaire d'albumine: recommandations pour la pratique clinique

Measurement of urinary albumin excretion (UAE) may be done on a morning urinary sample or on a 24 hours-urine sample. Values defining microalbuminuria are: 24 hour-urine sample: 30–300 mg/24 hours; morning urine sample: 20–200 mg/ml or 30–300 mg/g creatinine or 2.5–25 mg/mmol creatinine (men) or 3.5–35 mg/mol (women). Timed urine sample: 20–200 μg/min. The optimal use of semi-quantitative urine test-strip is not clearly defined. It is generally believed that microalbuminuria reflects a generalized impairment of the endothelium; however, no definite proof has been shown in humans.

Alterations in contrast medium-induced coronary reactive hyperemia after bepridil in patients with coronary artery disease

The acute effects of an intravenous infusion of bepridil (BEP) (4 mg . kg-1) on left ventricular (LV) hemodynamics, coronary sinus blood flow (CSBF), and myocardial metabolism were studied in eight patients with coronary artery disease. In contrast with data previously reported with calcium channel blockers, BEP induced an elevation in LV end-diastolic pressure from 12.0 +/- 7.1 to 20.1 +/- 7.2 mm Hg (mean +/- SD, p less than 0.001) and a fall in LV dp/dt max from 1339 +/- 302 to 1177 +/- 251 mm Hg . sec-1 (p less than 0.01). This significant alteration in LV function is likely to be explained by the lack of effect on heart rate and aortic pressure observed after an acute intravenous infusion of BEP. Myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) increased from 448 +/- 272 to 498 +/- 273 mumol . min-1/100 g LV (p less than 0.05) as did CSBF from 79.5 +/- 42.7 to 92.1 +/- 45.1 ml X min-1/100 g LV (p less than 0.01). Lactate extraction fell from 0.33 +/- 0.17 to 0.15 +/- 0.17 (p less than 0.05). A contrast medium-induced coronary reactive hyperemia (HPR) evidenced an increased hyperemic volume from 9.5 +/- 3.6 to 12.1 +/- 4.5 ml/100 g LV (p less than 0.01) and HPR duration from 23.3 +/- 6.9 to 32.3 +/- 15.4 sec (p less than 0.05) after BEP. However, the peak/resting CSBF ratio was blunted after BEP from 1.74 +/- 0.18 to 1.61 +/- 0.12 (p less than 0.05), evidencing a net effect of BEP on HPR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evaluation of left ventricular performance: an insolvable problem in human beings? The Graal quest.

What is needed to assess ventricular function with special reference to contractility indices from a physiological point of view? First, we have to measure pressures, and for a physiological interpretation of the data, pressures should be recorded with intravascular micromanometers. Second, we need to measure left ventricular volumes and to relate each pressure to the corresponding volume to calculate indices of left ventricular function. Third, as most of the contractility indices are frequency-, preload-, and afterload-dependent, we have to interpret the datataking into account these factors which are also very difficult to assess. All these concerns have been extensively discussed in recent decades and the use of very sophisticated invasive methods such as intracardiac micromanometers and impedance catheters have not totally solved the problems [1, 2, 3, 4]. Thus, when non-invasive methods, such as echocardiography and peripheral arterial pressure, are used the problem seems to be almost insolvable.

Effect of diltiazem on coronary reactive hyperemia in patients with flow-limiting coronary artery stenosis

The acute effects of diltiazem on coronary reactive hyperemia were studied in 12 patients with flow-limiting coronary stenosis. Reactive hyperemia was elicited by injection of 8 ml contrast medium into the left coronary artery, while coronary sinus blood flow and left ventricular and aortic pressures were continuously recorded. Relative magnitude of hyperemia was estimated by the ratio of coronary flow at peak hyperemia to baseline flow (hyperemic ratio). Coronary resistance was calculated as the ratio between mean aortic pressure minus left ventricular mean diastolic pressure and coronary sinus blood flow. The 12 patients studied had flow-limiting coronary stenosis since their hyperemic ratio was significantly restrained when compared to that of seven control subjects (1.45 +/- 0.17 vs 2.02 +/- 0.24, respectively; p less than 0.001). The intravenous infusion of diltiazem (0.30 mg X kg-1) reduced heart rate, mean aortic pressure, and myocardial oxygen consumption (all p less than 0.001). After diltiazem the hyperemic ratio was blunted when compared to the basal state (1.36 +/- 0.15 vs 1.45 +/- 0.17, respectively; p less than 0.05), and hyperemia volume was reduced (-33%; p less than 0.001). The decrease in coronary resistance at peak hyperemia was also reduced from -30 +/- 8% to -25 +/- 8% (p less than 0.05). We conclude that diltiazem blunts coronary reactive hyperemia in patients with demonstrated flow-limiting coronary stenosis. This reduction of coronary flow response to a hyperemic stimulus could favorably influence blood flow distribution in patients with significant coronary stenosis.

P39 Déterminants de la viabilité myocardique chez les diabétiques et non diabétiques

Introduction La rigidite arterielle est augmentee chez les diabetiques et en cas de syndrome metabolique. Il est considere par certains auteurs que la rigidite aortique predispose a l’ischemie myocardique en augmentant l’index systolique tension-temps et en reduisant la pression aortique en diastole. L’index de viabilite sous-endocardique (SVI) fourni par la tonometrie d’aplanation a ete valide en le comparant aux methodes invasives. Nous avons montre chez des hypertendus âges que cet index est en fait plus lie au rapport duree diastolique/duree systolique (DD/DS) qu’a la rigidite aortique. Le but etait ici d’examiner les determinants de SVI, en particulier le role respectif du rapport DD/DS et de la rigidite aortique, chez les diabetiques et les non diabetiques. Patients et methodes Nous avons explore 362 sujets a l’occasion d’un bilan de sante propose par l’Assurance Maladie. Parmi eux 62 etaient diabetiques ; parmi les 300 non diabetiques, 60 avaient un syndrome metabolique. Par tonometrie d’aplanation (SphygmoCor®) ont ete mesurees la frequence cardiaque, DD et DS, et au niveau central (aortique) et peripherique (artere radiale), la pression systolique, la rigidite arterielle (index d’amplification AIx), et SVI a ete calcule. Resultats SVI et DD/DS ne differaient pas significativement entre diabetiques et non diabetiques. Dans les deux populations, SVI etait significativement plus bas chez les femmes que chez les hommes (p Conclusion Cette etude retrouve une influence predominante tres forte d’une reduction du temps diastolique dans l’alteration de la viabilite myocardique chez les diabetiques et non diabetiques et ne permet plus de retenir d’influence notable de la rigidite aortique sur la predisposition a l’ischemie myocardique.