2007;88(2) – ABC CARDIOL

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Brief Communication

Circadian pattern of ventricular tachycardia episodes in patients with chagas heart disease

Mauricio Abello et al. Jorge González-Zuelgaray Maria E. Daglio Carlos Lopez … Sebastián Garraza Ariel Szyszko

Chronic Chagas’ cardiomyopathy (CCM) causes ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death, and constitutes the most frequent cause of death in many endemic areas1,2. The circadian variation in the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death differs according to the substrate (e.g., morning and evening peaks in ischemic heart disease and non-Chagasic dilated cardiomyopathy). Third generation implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have the ability to store the time and date of each ventricular tachycardia (VT) episode, enabling the patterns of ventricular tachyarrhythmia occurrence to be analyzed. The aim of our study was to evaluate the circadian variation of spontaneous VT in recipients of an ICD with CCM.

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Artigo Original

Upgrading from VVI to DDD pacing Mode during elective replacement of pulse generator: a comparative clinical-functional analysis

Luiz Antonio Castilho Teno et al. Roberto Costa Martino Martinelli Filho Fabian Cecchi Teno Castilho Ivan Ruiz

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the clinical and functional behavior of the ventricular and atrioventricular stimulation modes in the elective replacement of pulse generator in patients with chagasic cardiopathy and atrioventricular block. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients under ventricular and atrioventricular stimulation were comparatively evaluated at the beginning of the study, and alternately in ventricular and atrioventricular modes in two 90-day phases, with regard to: the clinical behavior evaluated according to quality of life and functional class, and the functional behavior evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography and the six-minute walk test. The statistical analysis was performed with patients at baseline, and under ventricular and atrioventricular modes, using the chi-square test and the repeated measures analysis of variance, and taking into consideration a 0.05 level of significance. RESULTS: The mean quality-of-life scores were: functional capacity (VVI 71.3+/-18.2 , DDD 69.3+/-20.4); overall health status (VVI 68.1+/-21.8, DDD 69.4+/-19.4) and vitality (VVI 64.8+/-24.6 , DDD 67.6+/-25.5); on echocardiography: LVEF (VVI 52.5+/-12.8 , DDD 51.8+/-14.9), LVDD (VVI 53.0+/-7.7 , DDD 42.4+/-7.8), LA (VVI 38.6+/-5.4 DDD 38.5+/-5.1), and in the six-minute walk test: distance walked (VVI 463.4+/-84.7, DDD 462.6+/-63.4). There were four cases of complications, three of them associated with the change in stimulation mode. CONCLUSION: This study showed no differences between the two stimulation modes in the clinical behavior assessed by quality of life and functional class, and in the functional behavior, evaluated according to the ecochardiographic findings and the six-minute walk test.

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Artigo Original

Do Brazilian physicians follow the Brazilian guidelines on hypertension?

Décio Mion Junior et al. Giovanio Vieira da Silva Josiane Lima de Gusmão Carlos Alberto Machado … Celso Amodeo Fernando Nobre José Nery Praxedes Marco Antonio Mota

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether procedures adopted by Brazilian physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension are in compliance with those advocated by the IV Brazilian Hypertension Guidelines. METHOD: Survey carried out by means of telephone interviews with Brazilian physicians. The survey featured application of a questionnaire aimed to assess receipt of and compliance with the guidelines, and to evaluate various aspects regarding the treatment of hypertensive patients. RESULTS: 68.3% of the respondents had received the guidelines and answered the questionnaire in full. The total sample consisted of 483 physicians – 47% cardiologists, 31.7% internists, and 21.3% nephrologists. The survey showed high compliance with certain guideline topics such as more than one measurement at different times for the diagnosis of hypertension (94%), and providing guidance regarding lifestyle changes as a therapeutic strategy. As to arterial pressure levels used for diagnosis and therapeutic target, compliance with guideline recommendations lacks uniformity. The survey showed a clear preference for pressure levels lower than those recommended, especially in patients with comorbidities. Attempts to assess cardiovascular risk also proved to be low. Only 64.7% of the respondents reported that they seek to determine the presence of diabetes mellitus, and 56.4% check for dyslipidemia. The majority (59.3%) mentioned diuretics as the preferred drug class for initial drug treatment of hypertension. CONCLUSION: We concluded that there is only partial compliance with Brazilian Hypertension Guidelines and that certain factors should be taken into consideration when drawing up future guidelines, such as: improved distribution; standardization of values for diagnosis and therapeutic target; more extensive coverage of ways for physicians to approach hypertensive patients to better evaluate their overall cardiovascular risk.

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Ventricular remodeling in right ventricular apical pacing

Rodrigo Tavares Silva et al. Martino Martinelli Filho Júlio César de Oliveira Carlos Eduardo Batista de Lima … Daniela Garcia Moreno Cabral Martins Cinthya Ibraim Guirao Silvana Angelina Dório Nishióka Roberto Costa Eduardo Argentino Sosa José Antonio Franchini Ramires

OBJECTIVE: To determine ventricular remodeling (VR) and the role of clinical and functional variables in patients with normal cardiac function who underwent right ventricular apical pacing (RVAP). METHODS: Among the 268 consecutive patients with standard pacemaker due to complete atrioventricular block (CAVB), those with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 53 mm on Doppler echocardiography were excluded. Ventricular remodeling was defined as echocardiographic changes documented at least six months after implantation, namely, a >10% increase in LVEDD and a > 20% decrease in LVEF. The following variables were analyzed: underlying heart disease, NYHA functional class of heart failure (HF), time of ventricular stimulation, and QRS duration. Statistical analysis included likelihood ratio test, Fisher’s exact test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The study included 75 patients, mean age 70.9 ± 14, of whom 22.6% were male. Mean time between both evaluations was 80.2 months. Before implantation, mean LVEF was 72% and LVEDD was 46 mm; after implantation this values were 69.7% (p = 0.0025) and 48.5 mm (p = 0.0001), respectively. Mean QRS duration after implantation was 156 ms. Ventricular remodeling was observed only in four patients (5.3%), and no exploratory variable specified this behavior. CONCLUSION: In a long-term follow-up, patients without ventricular dysfunction who underwent RV apical pacing (RVAP) showed low VR rate, and no analyzed variable was associated with its occurrence.

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Revisão

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Afonso Akio Shiozaki et al. Raymond J. Kim José Rodrigues Parga Eduardo Marinho Tassi … Edmundo Arteaga Carlos Eduardo Rochitte

REVIEW ARTICLE

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

[…]

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Artigo Original

Relative role of left ventricular geometric remodeling and of morphological and functional myocardial remodeling in the transition from compensated hypertrophy to heart failure in rats with supravalvar aortic stenosis

Edson Antonio Bregagnollo et al. Marco Aurélio Mestrinel Katashi Okoshi Fábio Cardoso Carvalho … Isamara Fernanda Bregagnollo Carlos Roberto Padovani Antonio Carlos Cicogna

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative contribution of left ventricular (LV) geometric remodeling and of morphological and functional myocardial changes in rats with induced supravalvar aortic stenosis (SAS), in the transition from compensated hypertrophy to congestive heart failure (CHF). METHODS: Twenty one weeks after induction of SAS, the rats were classified as controls (CG, n=13), without congestive heart failure (SG, n=11), or with congestive heart failure (SG-HF, n=12). All groups were evaluated with echocardiographic, hemodynamic and morphological study of the myocardium. RESULTS: Twenty one weeks after SAS: mass index (SG-HF>SG>CG, pCG, pSG>CG, pSG>CG, pSG>CG, pSG>CG, p<0.05). In the SG-HF group, LV geometric remodeling was characterized by a significant increase in dimensions and relative thickness of the normal wall (excentric remodeling), whereas the SG group presented a concentric remodeling. Indexes of LV performance in the SG-HF group were significantly lower than those of the SG group. CONCLUSION: The SG-HF and SG groups differed primarily in the LV geometric remodeling and structural myocardial remodeling process, which established a chronically compensated state in the SG group and triggered CHF in the SG-HF group in the presence of equivalent degrees of impaired contractility.

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Reproducibility of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

João Soares Felício et al. Juliana Torres Pacheco Sandra Roberta Ferreira Frida Plavnik … Oswaldo Kohlmann Artur Beltrame Ribeiro Maria Tereza Zanella

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reproducibility of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) (SpaceLabs-90207) and placebo effect on ABPM. METHODS: Blood pressure was measured in the office and over two ABPM periods with an interval from one to ten months (mean 4.9 months), in 26 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Eleven patients (G1) had two ABPMs without taking antihypertensive drugs for 15 days, whereas G2 (N=15) had the second ABPM after administration of a placebo for 15 days. RESULTS: In the evaluation of the coefficient of variation (CV) of diurnal (awake) systolic BP (DSBP), of diurnal (awake) diastolic BP (DDBP), of 24-hour systolic BP (24hSBP) and of 24-hour diastolic BP (24hDBP), the values found were 4.6%, 3.9%, 5.0%, 4.0% for G1 and 4.3%, 5.1%, 3.7%, 5.1% for G2 respectively. We also determined the CV of nocturnal (sleep) systolic and diastolic BP (NSBP and NDBP) for G1 (7.7%; 8.2%) and G2 (5.6%; 6.3%). Heart rate CV during alertness and sleep were: G1=5.9% and 9.0%; G2=6.9% and 5.8% respectively. When the total number of ‘patients was analyzed, all variables showed a strong correlation between the first and second ABPM measurements (DSBP, r = 0.76; P < 0.001; DDBP, r = 0.65; p < 0.001; 24hSBP, r = 0.77; p < 0.001; 24hDBP, r = 0.70; p < 0.001; NSBP, r = 0.62; p < 0.001; NDBP, r = 0.52; p < 0.01). Office systolic and diastolic BP and 24hSBP and 24hDBP also showed correlation (r = 0.65; p < 0.001; r = 0.57; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Mean of pressure levels measured by ABPM presented good reproducibility and were not affected by placebo.

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Image

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with giant left atrium

Uygar Cagdas Yuksel et al. Hurkan Kursaklioglu Turgay Celik

IMAGE

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with giant left atrium

[…]

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Artigo Original

Prognosis of aortic valve sclerosis in cardiovascular mortality of patients seen at the cardiology institute of Rio Grande do Sul

Eduardo Maffini da Rosa et al. João Ricardo Michielin Sant'anna Luciana Pimentel Oppermann Iran Castro

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic effect of aortic valve sclerosis on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality of patients seen at the Cardiology Institute of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul from 1996 to 2000. METHODS: A historical cohort study using information from both the database of the Echocardiography Laboratory of the Cardiology Hospital and the Death Registry of Rio Grande do Sul Health Department. The evaluation was carried out from 1996 to 2000. Study endpoints were all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. RESULTS: A total of 8585 patients were analyzed, 2154 (25%) of whom had aortic valve sclerosis. Mean follow-up was 41±6 months, and all-cause and cardiovascular deaths were 299 (3.5%) and 95 (1.1%), respectively. The group of patients with aortic valve sclerosis had more segmental cardiomyopathy, ventricular dysfunction, ventricular enlargement, and ventricular hypertrophy; yet, they did not show higher risk for all-cause or cardiovascular mortality in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: The presence of aortic valve sclerosis was not associated with increased risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the population studied.

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Case Report

Extrinsic compression of left main coronary artery from aneurysmal dilation of pulmonary trunk in a adolescent: involution after surgery occlusion of sinus venosus atrial septal defect and pulmonary trunk plasty for reduction

Fernando T. V. Amaral et al. Lafaiete Alves Jr. João A. Granzotti Paulo H. Manso … Moysés O. Lima Filho Mauro C. Jurca Alfredo J. Rodrigues Walter V. A. Vicente

We report the case of an adolescent referred with initial diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. Non-invasive investigation disclosed a sinus venous atrial septal defect with pulmonary hypertension. The hemodynamic study confirmed diagnosis, and also showed extrinsic compression of left main coronary artery by pulmonary trunk. Surgical closure of the defect in addition to pulmonary trunk plasty were undertaken. Two years after the surgery the patient is well, with clinical signs of mild pulmonary hypertension, and showing no evidence – also on echocardiogram – of left coronary artery trunk obstruction.

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Artigo Original

Prognostic criteria of success and recurrence in circumferential ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation

Maciel Washington et al. Eduardo Andréa Nilson Araújo Hecio Carvalho … Luiz Gustavo Belo Leonardo Siqueira Claudio Munhoz Rodrigo Cosenza Fabiana Mitidieri Jacob Atié

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the success of circumferential ablation on atrial fibrillation and investigate possible clinical and electro-anatomical predictors of the recurrence of cardiac arrhythmia. METHODS: Analysis was done of 104 consecutive patients, free of structural heart disease and refractory to at least 2 antiarrhythmic drugs, submitted to circumferential ablation for treatment of paroxysmal/persistent atrial fibrillation. Were males 72 of the patients and the average age of the group was 58.6 + 10.9. The procedure consisted in a single transeptal puncture and three-dimensional mapping using the CARTO® system. Images of the left atrium and pulmonary veins were reconstructed. Radiofrequency applications were performed around the pulmonary vein ostia, up to a > 80% reduction in atrial potential amplitude. An additional mitral isthmus line was created, as well as one in the cavo-tricuspid isthmus. Total left-atrial volume, area ablated around the pulmonary veins, and the presence or absence of flaws in the ablation line (complete or incomplete line) were analyzed. A line was considered complete when the distance between two contiguous radiofrequency application points was less than 10 mm. RESULTS: After an average follow-up period of 18 months, 87 patients were in sinus rhythm (84%), while 17 patients presented recidivism (16%). In the multivariate analysis only left-atrial volume (p < 0.0001) and complete ablation (p < 0.05) were independent predictors of success. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the left-atrial volume and the presence of complete ablation are predictors of recurrence.

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Artigo Original

Association between periodontal disease and acute coronary syndrome

Rafael Luiz Rech et al. Natálio Nurkin Ivana da Cruz Fabiano Sostizzo … Carolina Baião José Antônio Perrone Rodrigo Wainstein Daniela Pretto Euler Roberto Fernandes Manenti Luiz Carlos Bodanese

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between PD and ACS and the association of PD and periodontitis in ACS patients. METHODS: Fifty-eight ACS patients and 57 controls with no history of coronary artery disease (CAD) were included in the study. Variables: arterial hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, history of CAD, cigarette smoking, and interleukin-1beta gene polymorphism. RESULTS: One hundred and fifteen subjects were enrolled in the study. In the ACS group, 58 patients were evaluated, 32 of whom (55.2%) were male and 26 (44.8%), female. In the control group, 57 subjects were evaluated, 32 (56.1%) of whom were male and 25 (43.9%), female. Periodontal disease was diagnosed in 26 (44.8%) ACS patients and 15 (26.6%) control patients (beta2 = 4.43, p = 0.04). In a logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for association between PD and ACS was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.0-5.0); p = 0.24. The odds ratio for association of periodontitis with ACS was 4.5 (95% CI: 1.3-15.6); p = 0.019. CONCLUSION: No independent association was found between PD and ACS. There was an independent association between periodontitis and ACS.

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Optimizing the treatment of hypertension in the primary care setting

Maria Teresa Didier et al. Armênio C. Guimarães

OBJECTIVE: To assess the result of the care provided by an interdisciplinary team on the control of hypertension. METHODS: In a Health Unit, 88 patients were treated by an interdisciplinary team for 12 months. Visits to the physician or nurse occurred every one to three months, and to the nutritionist whenever necessary. Educational lectures were delivered regularly. Total cholesterol and fasting plasma glucose levels were determined at baseline and at 12 months. Clinical and laboratory data were analyzed and blood pressure was compared at baseline and at six and 12 months, and total cholesterol and plasma glucose were compared at baseline and at 12 months. RESULTS: Females accounted for 79.41% of the sample and the mean age was 58±9.90 years. Median blood pressure (BP) was 166.00/96.5mmHg at baseline, 146.75/85.25mmHg at 6 months (p<0,000) and 134.00/80.00mmHg at 12 months (p<0.000). The rate of BP<140/90mmHg increased from 10.23% to 48.81% (p<0.000). Median total cholesterol decreased from 217mg/dl to 194.00mg/dl (p<0.004) and median blood glucose from 101mg/dl to 95mg/dl (NS). At baseline, 50% of the patients received two antihypertensive drugs, 25% received three, and 5.68% received four, whereas at 12 months these percentages were 21.18%, 29.41% and 32.94%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The care provided by an interdisciplinary team may significantly improve the control of hypertension and of associated cardiovascular risk factors.

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Proximal left anterior descending coronary artery revascularization with drug-eluting stents

Jorge Humberto Guardado et al. Raúl Moreno João Costa Maria J. Perez-Viscayno … Luís Segura Fernando Alfonso Rosana Hernández Javier Escaned Camiño Bañuelos Carlos Macaya

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical prognosis of patients with coronary artery diseases undergoing percutaneous revascularization with drug-eluting stent implantation in the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. METHODS: One hundred and seventy consecutive patients with mean age of 65 years, 49 of them females (29%), undergoing implantation of at least one drug-eluting stent in our medical center. The total number of drug-eluting stents implanted was 189, of which 115 (61%) were sirolimus-eluting (CYPHER TM) and 74 (39%) were paclitaxel-eluting stents (TAXUS TM). In 100 (60%) of the cases, multivessel coronary artery disease was present. In 61 (36%) patients another coronary artery segment was treated in addition to the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. The mean clinical follow-up period was 11 ± 5 months, and angiographic controls were performed between 6 and 9 months. The final endpoint was a composite of death, acute myocardial infarction and need for reintervention on the anterior descending. The secondary endpoint included the occurrence of restenosis, need for reintervention on the proximal segment of the left anterior descending and stent thrombosis. RESULTS: The procedure achieved immediate angiographic success in all patients. Two deaths, two acute myocardial infarctions, and two percutaneous coronary reinterventions due to stent thrombosis were recorded during in-hospital stay. At the sixth month of follow-up, an additional cardiac death and three myocardial infarctions were observed; three repeat revascularization procedures were required. Up to the end of the follow-up, three additional deaths, three myocardial infarctions and eight revascularization procedures of the anterior descending, two of them surgical, were verified. Survival free from major adverse cardiac events was 91%. Cardiac mortality was 3%. Binary restenosis in the proximal segment of the left anterior descending coronary artery was 4.1%. Target vessel revascularization-free survival was 94%. No cases of late stent thrombosis were observed. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous revascularization of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery with implantation of drug-eluting stents is a safe and very efficient therapeutic strategy in the short and long terms.

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Nutricional risk in the urban population of Ouro Preto, southeastern region of Brazil: the Ouro Preto heart study

Silvia Nascimento de Freitas et al. Waleska Teixeira Caiaffa Cibele Comini César Valéria Andrade Faria … Raimundo Marques do Nascimento George Luiz Lins Machado Coelho

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of combined nutritional risk according to sociodemographic and sedentarism characteristics of the urban population of Ouro Preto, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with a probability sampling of 768 subjects aged 15 years or older. Nutritional risk (NR) was defined according to the BMI and WC classification criteria adopted by the National Institutes of Health. Isolated NR (INR) was defined as women with WC > 80 cm and men with WC > 94 cm, and the combined nutritional risk (CNR) as the same WC values mentioned above and/or BMI > 25 kg/m². Binary logistic regression and the Hosmer & Lemeshow test were used to construct and adjust these models. RESULTS: INR was observed in several BMI categories for both women and men, with the following results: 19.1% and 1.4% among those with normal weight, 91.7% and 56% in overweight patients, and 98.5% and 80% in obese patients, respectively. Age and level of education were independently associated with the CNR. Odds ratios (OR) for CNR in women and men over 60 years of age were 9.94 and 14.35, respectively, when compared to younger patients. For women with < 4 years of schooling, the OR was 1.83 compared to patients with more than 4 years of school attendance, while among men with an average number of years of school attendance, the OR was 2.55 relative to those with more years of schooling. CONCLUSION: These findings show that age and education have an independent effect on the probability of CNR occurrence, and also that a joint analysis of BMI and WC is important in screening groups for nutritional risk.

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Myocardial revascularization and ventricular restoration through pacopexy

João Roberto Breda et al. Luciano Figueiredo Aguiar João Nelson Rodrigues Branco Roberto Catani … Ibraim Pinto Edson Nakano Enio Buffolo

OBJECTIVE: To analyze left ventricle performance after myocardial revascularization associated to ventricular geometrics restoration by “pacopexy” in schemic myocardiopathy patients with significant ventricular dysfunction in whom ventricular restoration was obtained through special technique. METHODS: Myocardial revascularization associated to ventricular geometrics restoration through special technique, with no use of prosthesis or other synthetic materials. RESULTS: Patients’ functional class was shown to have improved 93.10% after surgical procedure. Pre- and post-surgical comparison showed significant increase in left ventricle ejection fraction as well as decrease in left ventricle systolic diameter. No significant change was observed in left ventricle diastolic diameter or systolic volume. Post-surgical follow-up time length ranged from 1 month to 3 years and 4 months. CONCLUSION: Ventricular dysfunction restoration technique through pacopexy showed to be effective for the management of severe ventricular dysfunction from schemic causes. Major impact was observed in the functional class of patients under study.

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Point of view

SAMU-192 and the prehospital approach to acute myocardial infarction in Brazil: hope for patients or one more missed opportunity?

Antonio Luiz da Silva Brasileiro

POINT OF VIEW

SAMU-192 and the prehospital approach to acute myocardial infarction in Brazil: hope for patients or one more missed opportunity?

[…]

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Artigo Original

Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) activity in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Simone Henriques de Castro et al. Hugo Caire de Castro Faria Neto Marilia de Brito Gomes

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) activity and its relationship with clinical and demographic variables, metabolic control, apolipoprotein A and B levels and the susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to in vitro oxidation in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM 1). METHODS: Forty two patients with DM 1 (27 females) and 48 control subjects (16 females) matched for gender, age and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated. The following tests were performed: fast plasma glucose (FG) and postprandial plasma glucose (PPG), lipid profile, uric acid (UA), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation rate using colorimetric assay. The PAF-AH activity was analyzed using colorimetric assay (Cayman Chemical). RESULTS: The analysis of PAF-AH activity showed a higher enzyme activity in patients with DM 1 than in control subjects (0.0150 ± 0.0051 vs. 0.0116 ± 0.0041; p < 0.001). In patients with DM 1, a direct correlation between PAF-AH activity and age and LDL, and an inverse correlation between PAF-AH and HbA1c and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were found. CONCLUSION: In the sample studied, PAF-AH showed a higher activity in patients with DM 1, a factor that may be related to the higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases observed in these patients. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the real participation of this enzyme in the risk of development of atherosclerotic diseases in patients with DM 1.

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Cardiovascular mortality and its relation to socioeconomic levels among inhabitants of São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo state, Brazil

Moacir Fernandes de Godoy et al. Juliana Miranda de Lucena André Rodrigo Miquelin Flávia Ferreira Paiva … Débora Luísa de Queiroz Oliveira Jorge Luiz Augustin Junior Francisco Chiaravalloti Neto

OBJECTIVE: To analyze cardiovascular mortality indicators in São José do Rio Preto – a city in the State of São Paulo, Brazil – and to evaluate the municipality’s mortality rates by socioeconomic levels. METHODS: Data used came from the Mortality Information System and from the Information and Computing Department of the federal government’s Unified Health System (SUS). Standardized mortality rates and proportional cardiovascular mortality rates were calculated. A thematic map of the demographic census sectors of the city’s urban area – grouped according to socioeconomic levels – was drawn up and is presented with the respective rates. RESULTS: The municipal, state, and national mortality rates decreased in the course of the 1980-2002 period. The municipal mortality rate in 2003 stood at 195.9 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, with proportional cardiovascular mortality at 31.3%. The three main causes of death were cerebrovascular disease, myocardial infarction, and hypertensive disease. The mortality rate for the population corresponding to the group featuring the lowest socioeconomic levels was 40% higher than that of the group comprising the highest socioeconomic levels. CONCLUSION: The cardiovascular mortality rate decreased in the three geographical areas analyzed. This group of diseases was responsible for approximately one-third of all deaths in São José do Rio Preto in 2003. The area with the lowest socioeconomic level presented the highest mortality rate.

Cardiovascular Diseases

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Case Report

Isolated noncompaction of the myocardium

Dinaldo Cavalcanti de Oliveira et al. Marcelo Menezes Malta Jairo Alves Pinheiro Leopoldo Soares Piegas

Noncompacted myocardium (NCM) is a rare congenital heart disease, first reported 15 years ago and with only a few published cases. In this paper, we report the main clinical findings and the complementary exams that suports NCM diagnostic. Discretion of anamnesis and physical examination, together with characteristic image complementary exams findings of symptomatic NCM. (Case report). The clinical assessment and the electrocardiogram at the admission found bigeminism ventricular. A tridimensional Doppler echocardiogram was performed and showed numerous and prominent myocardium trabeculations and deep intertrabecular recess filled with blood that communicate with the ventricular cavity, more present in the septal-apical area. Magnetic resonance imaging supported the echocardiographic findings and ruled out the presence of others cardiac malformations. The clinical and imaging complementary exams filled out the touchstones that support isolated NCM diagnose. Is important to know that suggestive NCM findings permits an earlier diagnostic and treatment.

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Artigo Original

Homocysteine and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in subjects undergoing coronary angiography

Luciana Moreira Lima et al. Maria das Graças Carvalho Ana Paulo Fernandes Adriano de Paula Sabino … Andréia Assis Loures-Vale Cirilo Pereira da Fonseca Neto José Carlos Faria Garcia Jamil Abdala Saad Marinez Oliveira Sousa

OBJECTIVE: To determine plasma homocysteine levels and the incidence of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene C677T polymorphism in a group of subjects who underwent coronary angiography, in an attempt to establish a correlation between these parameters and the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as investigate the correlation between hyperhomocysteinemia and the presence of polymorphism. METHODS: Twenty subjects with no coronary atheromatosis (controls), fourteen subjects with mild/moderate atheromatosis, and twenty-nine subjects with severe atheromatosis were evaluated. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in mean homocysteine levels between the control and the severe atheromatosis groups (p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed among the other groups. The severe atheromatosis group showed rates of 62.0% and 6.9% for the C677T MTHFR gene polymorphism, in heterozygous and homozygous subjects, respectively. However, there was no correlation between the presence of mutation and hyperhomocysteinemia. A positive correlation of 41.91% (p 70%; yet, whether elevated plasma homocysteine worsens atherosclerosis or is a consequence remains to be established.

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Artigo Original

Contribution of the electrophysiological and anatomical analysis of the atypical atrioventricular nodal tachycardia circuit

Maila Seifert Macedo Silva et al. Roberto Luiz M. da Silva Sá Márcio Luiz A. Fagundes Fernando E. S. Cruz Filho … Leonardo B. Arantes Silvia Boghossian Adriana Monteiro C. David de Almeida Rafael Lopes Fagundes Luiz José Romeo Filho

OBJECTIVES: To analyze retrograde conduction during junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) episodes and investigate the existence of a relationship between the presence of a retrograde block and the risk of atrioventricular block (AVB) development during radiofrequency ablation procedures in patients with nodal atrioventricular tachycardia (NAVT). METHODS: 145 male and female patients aged 16-84 years, with NAVT who had undergone radiofrequency catheter ablation in the posteroseptal region of the right atrium were studied. Evaluation criteria were anatomical location and electrophysiological behavior of retrograde conduction during NAVT, in order to understand the nodal reentrant circuit (classifying the tachycardia as typical or atypical), and monitoring of retrograde conduction during JET episodes for risk-predicting AVB events. RESULTS: Of the 145 patients studied, 132 (91%) met electrophysiological and anatomical criteria of the typical form of NAVT, and 13 (9%) of atypical form. During the ablation, 5.3% with the typical form and 30.8% of the atypical form presented risk events for AVB. After the ablation, complications were a total AVB episode in one patient and a first-degree AVB episode in another in the typical group, and one first-degree AVB in the atypical group. All three episodes were preceded by risk events and resulted in permanent nodal injury. CONCLUSION: Patients with atypical NAVT presented higher percentages of risk events for atrioventricular block than did patients with the typical form (p=0.021).A careful observation of retrograde conduction during JET episodes is vital in order to avoid permanent damage in AV nodal conduction, such as TAVB, after the ablation procedure.

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Carta ao Editor

Periodontal disease as a potential risk factor for acute coronary syndromes

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Periodontal disease as a potential risk factor for acute coronary syndromes

[…]

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Case Report

Cardiovascular complications in a child with chronic renal failure

Gesmar Volga Haddad Herdy et al. Vânia Gloria Silami Lopes Maria Cecília Olivaes Isabele Coelho Mota Marcio Moacyr Vasconcelos

We describe a case 11 year-old boy, in which a chronic renal disease and secondary hyperparathyroidism was treated by dyalisis, calcitriol, and calcium supplementation. He developed dyslipidemia, calcified lesions with thrombus formation in several organs and vessels. Necropsy findings showed ischemic cerebral necrosis, calcification in arteries including coronaries, and myocardial infarction.

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