2008;90(4) – ABC CARDIOL

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Artigo Original

Impact of weight variation on the metabolic stability of cardiac transplant patients in the state of Ceara

Daniele Maria de Oliveira Carlos et al. Francisco Clineu Queiroz França João David de Sousa Neto Carlos Antonio Bruno da Silva

BACKGROUND: Weight alterations post cardiac transplant (CT) frequently occur and increase the risks of secondary diseases. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at determining the impact of weight variability on serum levels of glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and its fractions of cardiac transplant patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective documental study held with 82 patients submitted to CT between October, 1997 and December, 2005 in Ceará, Brazil. 83% were male and the average age was 45.06±12.04 years. The studied variables were: biopathology profile, the weight and the body mass index (BMI) related to the biochemical-metabolic alterations and to the survival. Data were described using frequencies, measures of central tendency, t-Student test and Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The average global BMI increased from 23.77±3.68kg/m² before CT to 25.48±3.92kg/m² on the first year and to 28.38±4.97kg/m² on the fifth year. The patients with overweight/ obesity (IMC > 25 kg/m²) presented average glucose mean levels, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglycerides higher than the patients with eutrophy/ malnutrition (IMC < 25 kg/m²). CONCLUSION: There was a significant direct relation between nutritional state and weight variability on the metabolic profile of cardiac transplant patients.

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Artigo Original

Diagnostic relevance of the carotid sinus massage during a head up tilt table test (HUTT)

Marcos Benchimol et al. Ricardo Oliveira-Souza

BACKGROUND: Syncope due to carotid sinus hypersensitivity (CSH) may be underdiagnosed due to a low level of diagnostic suspicion and fear of complications caused by massage of the carotid sinus. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relevance of carotid sinus massage in the diagnosis of non-convulsive faints and unexplained falls. METHODS: Two-hundred and fifty-nine patients with a mean age of 50±24 years referred for the investigation of non-convulsive faints or unexplained falls were evaluated with a head up tilt table test (HUTT) without (“passive”) and with pharmacological stimulation. Clinical and laboratory work-up did not reveal an obvious cause for the complaints. Fifty-five volunteers with a mean age of 57±21 years with no history of seizures, faints or falls were used as controls. All participants underwent a HUTT preceded by digital stimulation of each carotid sinus both at zero and 60º. RESULTS: Carotid sinus massage was positive in 4 controls. The relevance of CSH in the evaluation of syncope was supported by a positive response to carotid sinus massage at 60º in 28 patients, most of whom were elderly men. Carotid sinus massage was positive at 0º in only three of such patients. The results of the HUTT did not show statistical difference between patients with and without CSH. CONCLUSION: Carotid sinus massage at 60º under controlled conditions should be included in the assessment of patients with non-convulsive faints or unexplained falls. Routine cardiovascular exams, including the HUTT, are not useful for the diagnosis in such cases. Further studies in normal individuals are needed to establish the significance of a positive response to carotid sinus massage in the absence of a history of fainting or falling.

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Artigo Original

Use of centrifugal pump and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as cardiopulmonary support in pediatric cardiovascular surgery

Fernando A. Atik et al. Rodrigo Santos de Castro Fabiana Moreira Passos Succi Maria Regina Barros … Cristina Afiune Guilherme de Menezes Succi Ricardo B. Corso Cristiano N. Faber Jorge Y. Afiune Luiz Fernando Caneo

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a well-documented resuscitation method in patients with severe hemodynamic and/or respiratory impairment. OBJECTIVE: To describe several aspects related to the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a pediatric heart center and determine its immediate and late outcomes. METHODS: Between October 2005 and January 2007, 10 patients who were submitted to pediatric cardiac surgery underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation implant. Median age was 58.5 days (40% neonates) and median body weight was 3.9 kg. Circulatory assistance was initiated aiming at the recovery and the weaning protocols followed daily clinical and echocardiographic criteria. Support was discontinued when transplant was contraindicated, when the patient was unable to recover or when survival was considered to be limited by a multidisciplinary team. RESULTS: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was employed after corrective or palliative heart surgery in 80% and preoperatively in the remaining ones. It was most often indicated for irresponsive hemodynamic instability (40%), post-cardiotomy shock (20%) and post-cardiac arrest (20%). The mean duration on support was 58 ± 37 hours. Weaning was successfully in 50% of the cases and 30% were discharged home. Actuarial survival was 40%, 30% and 20% at 30 days, 3 months and 24 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an effective and useful tool for the resuscitation of patients presenting severe hemodynamic and/or respiratory failure in the perioperative period of pediatric cardiovascular surgery.

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Review Article

Risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis in childhood and adolescence

Maria Gisele dos Santos et al. Marina Pegoraro Fabiano Sandrini Emílio César Macuco

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a major cause of death in developed countries as well as in developing countries. In general, the clinical manifestations of CVD, such as myocardial infarction, stroke and peripheral vascular disease, are caused by an atherosclerotic process with onset as from the middle age. However, current studies indicate that the atherosclerotic process starts to develop in childhood. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis has been studied as to its inflammatory aspect. Among the inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein (CRP) has been extensively studied in individuals with CVD, including those apparently healthy. High CRP levels have been related to risk factors for atherosclerosis: family history of coronary artery disease (CAD), dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, smoking and sedentary lifestyle. A great part of these risk factors may be influenced by lifestyle modifications, such as changes in eating habits and engagement in physical activities. The effects of physical activity on CRP levels in adulthood are documented in the literature, however little is known on the influence of an active or sedentary lifestyle of children and adolescents on CRP levels. Thus, the objective of this study is to review the impact of physical activity of children and adolescents on CRP levels and the risk factors for the development of CVD.

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Clinical Update

Diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy: risk factors, clinical impact and early diagnosis

Luiz Clemente de Souza Pereira Rolim et al. João Roberto de Sá Antonio Roberto Chacra Sérgio Atala Dib

Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is one of the most clinically significant complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), but one of the least frequently diagnosed. In this review, we discuss the major risk factors for the development and progression of CAN in patients with DM, the natural history of autonomic neuropathy and its impact on cardiovascular disease in DM, as well as the tests for the early diagnosis and staging of CAN in the clinical practice. The bibliographic research was based on two databases: Medline and Tripdatabase, with the following descriptors: diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and diabetes. We selected English and German articles, written between 1998 and 2007. In its initial stages (early and intermediate), CAN may be diagnosed and reversed. However, in advanced cases (severe stage), the only treatment that remains is a symptomatic one. CAN is associated with higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates and poor quality of life in diabetic individuals.

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Relato de Caso

Traumatic fistula between the brachiocephalic trunk and the brachiocephalic vein due to gunshot wound

Pedro Paulo Martins de Oliveira et al. Orlando Petrucci Karlos Alexandre de Souza Vilarinho Lindemberg Mota Silveira … Reinaldo Wilson Vieira Domingo Marcolino Braile

We describe the case of a 49-year old male patient who suffered a gunshot wound in the chest which transfixed the medial mediastinum. He was hemodynamically stable, but had tachycardia and tachypnea. He was submitted to integrated work-up with chest radiogram, transthoracic echocardiography, computerized chest tomography, and arteriography of the aortic arch. A traumatic fistula was evidenced between the brachiocephalic trunk and the brachiocephalic vein. Surgical repair was performed using extracorporeal circulation and deep hypothermia with total circulatory arrest. The patient progressed well and was discharged on the fifth day postoperatively.

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Artigo Original

Very late clinical progression of patients with acute myocardial infarction submitted to primary angioplasty

Dinaldo Cavalcanti de Oliveira et al. João Bosco Oliveira Carlos Romerio Ferro Carla Gonçalves Rosa … Luciano Araujo Borba Francine Knopp Gustavo Porto Oliveira Cleiton Ramos Silva Leopoldo Soares Piegas

BACKGROUND: Information on the clinical progression, in the long term, of patients submitted to mechanical reperfusion is scarce. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to describe the long-term clinical progression of patients submitted to primary stenting. METHODS: Between January 1998 and December 2003 we studied a non-concurring cohort with a fixed population of 202 patients (mean age = 61.2 ± 7.7 years; 74.7% males and 25.3% females) submitted to primary stenting. All the patients were followed up clinically and we assessed the occurrence of deaths, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), cerebral vascular accident (CVA) and surgical or percutaneous myocardial revascularization (MR). Kaplan-Meier survival curves were built for the following events: death, deaths/AMI, deaths/AMI/CVA and major cardiovascular events (MCE). RESULTS: In 91.5% of the patients the procedure was successful. During hospital stay, mortality was 3.4%; reinfarction was 0.9%; CVA was 1.8%; and urgent MR was 1.4%. Clinical follow-up varied from 29 to 100 months (mean = 58.7 ± 19.7 months). Death-free survival was estimated at 93.6%; death/AMI-free survival at 89.6%; death-AMI/CVA-free survival at 87.1%; and MCE-free survival at 71.3% CONCLUSION: Primary stenting presented excellent results during hospital stay. Very late clinical follow-up demonstrated that these good initial results have held up.

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Artigo Original

Flexibility assessment: normative values for flexitest from 5 to 91 years of age

Claudio Gil Soares de Araújo

BACKGROUND: Physical exercise plays a role in health-promotion policies and its prescription should be scientifically based. Flexibility is one of the major components of health-related and performance-related physical fitness, and is defined as the maximum physiological passive range of motion of a given joint movement. According to its specificity, the assessment of flexibility should, ideally, incorporate multiple movements. Introduced in 1980 and with redesigned evaluation maps published in 1986, Flexitest consists of the assessment of mobility with the use of a scale from 0 to 4. By adding the individual results of the 20 joint movements assessed, it is possible to obtain a global score called Flexindex. OBJECTIVE: To present Flexitest updated normative values. METHODS: Data were obtained from 4711 non-athlete subjects (2943 men and 1768 women) with age ranging from 5 to 91 years, and were collected by experienced raters. Approximately 70% of the data were collected by the author of the method himself. RESULTS: Considering the data heteroscedasticity and non-parametric distribution, we chose to use age and gender-percentile tables. Flexindex decreases with age and the median results for females are higher than for males of the same age since childhood. This trend becomes stronger with physical development and, later, with the aging process. CONCLUSION: these normative data contribute to a better knowledge of the flexibility behavior with age and gender and will be useful for professionals who assess flexibility in their professional practice.

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Artigo Original

Effects of metformin on QT and QTc interval dispersion of diabetic rats

Eunice Cristina da Silva Costa et al. Antonio Ari Gonçalves Miguel Arcanjo Areas Rafael Gustavo Birochi Morgabel

BACKGROUND: Several drugs can cause prolonged QT interval, as well as prolonged QT dispersion (QTd) in electrocardiographic (EKG) recordings. QTd may be a potentially sensitive marker of increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Metformin is an effective antihyperglycemic agent used in the treatment of diabetes. However, studies have correlated dose-dependent effects of metformin on glycemia and cardiovascular risk markers. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dose-response effects of metformin on QT and QTd of diabetic rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were distributed in five groups: non-treated control (C), non-treated diabetics (D), diabetics treated with metmorfin at the doses of 3.5, 30 and 74 µg/kg/bw (DM 3.5, DM 30 and DM 74). Diabetes was induced by an alloxan injection (40 mg/kg, IV). EKG was recorded (days 1, 15 and 30) using four electrodes inserted into the subcutaneous layer of the paws. Both RR and QT intervals were measured, and then corrected QT and QT dispersion values were calculated. RESULTS: The DM 3.5 and DM 30 groups showed a significant reduction of glycemia (p< 0.05) when compared with the high dose (DM 74). Rats of the DM 74 group presented prolonged QTc, QTd and QTcd intervals, whereas rats of the DM 3.5 and DM 30 groups presented less prolonged intervals. CONCLUSION: Metformin at high doses provided greater dispersion of the QT interval probably because of the increased ventricular repolarization inhomogeneity, whereas at low doses decreased QT intervals were observed in diabetic rats.

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Image

Multicavitated left atrial myxoma with dual coronary supply

Mariana Couto Vasconcelos et al. Luís Filipe Vilela Pereira Macedo

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Multicavitated left atrial myxoma with dual coronary supply

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Artigo Original

Prevalence of true hypertensive crises and appropriateness of the medical management in patients with high blood pressure seen in a general emergency room

Francisco das Chagas Monteiro Júnior et al. Fernando Antônio Costa Anunciação Natalino Salgado Filho Genise Mayara Alves da Silva … José Bonifácio Barbosa Pedro Antônio Muniz Ferreira Joyce Lages Natália Ribeiro Mandarino Wellington Santana da Silva Júnior Carolina Cipriano Monteiro

BACKGROUND: High blood pressure is a common reason for patients to seek an emergency room, and many of them may possibly be wrongly diagnosed with hypertensive crisis and, consequently, be inappropriately treated. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the cases of patients seen in a general emergency room because of high blood pressure as for meeting the criteria for the diagnosis of hypertensive crisis and the appropriateness of medical management. METHODS: Of the 1012 patients consecutively seen in a private referral general emergency room in the city of São Luís, State of Maranhão, between August and November 2003, 198 (19.56%) had a main diagnosis of high blood pressure in that visit. Of these, proper information could only be obtained from the patient charts of 169 patients; 54.4% of them were females with a mean age of 53.3 ± 15.2 years. Data regarding patients and the attendant physicians were collected, and each case was classified as an urgency, emergency or pseudohypertensive crisis; the medical management was classified as appropriate or inappropriate. We also sought to identify the factors associated with the medical management and with the use of antihypertensive medication. RESULTS: Criteria for the characterization of a hypertensive crisis were present in only 27 patients (16%), and all were classified as urgencies. Medical management was considered appropriate in 72 cases (42.6%), and was neither influenced by specialty (p=0.5) nor by the physician’s experience (p=0.9). Blood pressure levels, but not the presence or absence of symptoms, were predictive of the use of antihypertensive medication (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In the population analyzed, less than one fifth of the patients seen in an emergency room with a presumed hypertensive crisis met defined criteria for this diagnosis. Medical management was considered appropriate in less than half of the occurrences.

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Artigo Original

Local action of sodium alendronate in bone repair of spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR)

Mônica Dal Pian Nobre et al. Raquel Guedes Fernandes Chung Man Chin Horácio Faig-Leite

BACKGROUND: The arterial hypertension is a disorder characterized by relevant alterations in the bone tissue. The sodium alendronate is indicated in the treatment of bone diseases, because of its affinity with the hydroxyapatite, inhibiting the bone reabsorptions. OBJECTIVE: To analyze local action of the sodium alendronate in the bone repair of spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). METHODS: A bone defect was created in the left femur of 80 rat. In agreement with the material used at the place, four groups were created: control (C), starch (St), alendronate 1 mol (A1) and alendronate 2 mol (A2). After 7 and 21 days, the animals were sacrificed. Histomorfometrical and histological analyses were accomplished and the data were submitted the variance analysis (ANOVA) and test of Tukey (5%). RESULTS: At 7 days, in the area of the defect, conjunctive tissue with hemorrhage and inflammation in all of the groups was observed. Some presented osteoid matrix. The groups A1 and A2 presented, further, a fibrin net. At 21 days, the bone trabeculae practically closed the extension of the defect in the groups C and St. In the group A1 of male animals, trabeculae were observed that irradiated from the medullary canal to the area of the defect. In the groups A1 and A2, only presence of conjunctive fabric with low osteoid deposit was observed. An outstanding histological discovery was the formation of extracortical subperiosteal bone tissue in animals of the groups A1 and A2. CONCLUSION: The administration of sodium alendronate did not contribute to bone repair in SHR rat, but possibly has been responsible for the extracortical bone formation observed.

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Artigo Original

Genetic polymorphism, medical therapy and sequential cardiac function in patients with heart failure

Marco Antonio Romeo Cuoco et al. Alexandre Costa Pereira Glória de Fátima Alves da Mota José Eduardo Krieger Alfredo José Mansur

BACKGROUND: Functional variants of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene may be associated with response to therapy in patients with heart failure (HF). OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis of differences in sequential echocardiographic evaluations of left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with HF on medical therapy, including ACE inhibitors in relation to insertion (I) / deletion (D) polymorphism of the ACE gene. METHODS: We studied 168 patients (mean age 43.3±10.1 years), 128 (76.2%) men, with HF and sequential echocardiograms. The I/D polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was analyzed comparatively to genotypes. More than 90% of patients were on ACE inhibitors. RESULTS: There was a significantly greater increase in mean LVEF in patients with the D allele compared to patients with the II genotype (p=0.01) after a mean follow-up of 38.9 months. The D allele was associated with an increase of 8.8% in mean LVEF over the same period. Furthermore, there was a tendency toward a D allele “copy number” effect on the increase of mean LVEF over time: a 3.5% difference in LVEF variation between patients with the II and the ID genotypes (p = 0.03) and a 5% difference between patients with the II and DD genotypes (p=0.02). CONCLUSION: ACE gene deletion polymorphism may be operative in response to medical treatment that included ACE inhibitors in patients with HF. Further controlled studies may contribute to better understanding of genetic influences on response to therapy.

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Correlação Clínico-Radiográfica

Case 2/2008: twenty two year old male with ventricular septal defect of persistently small proportions

CLINICORADIOLOGICAL SESSION

Case 2/2008 Twenty two year old male with ventricular septal defect of persistently small proportions

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Artigo Original

Ventricular mass and electrocardiographic criteria of hypertrophy: evaluation of new score

Cléber do Lago Mazzaro et al. Francisco de Assis Costa Maria Teresa Nogueira Bombig Bráulio Luna Filho … Ângelo Amato Vincenzo de Paola Antonio Carlos de Camargo Carvalho William da Costa Francisco Antonio Helfenstein Fonseca Rui Manoel dos Santos Póvoa

BACKGROUND: The left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an important and independent cardiovascular risk factor. There is a scarcity of studies in Brazil designed to test the efficacy of the electrocardiogram (ECG) in the diagnosis of this important pathological process. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a new electrocardiographic score for the diagnosis of LVH by ECG: the sum of the highest amplitude of the S wave and the highest amplitude of the R wave on the horizontal plane, multiplied by the result of the QRS duration [(S+R) X QRS)] and comparing it with the classic electrocardiographic criteria. METHODS: The echocardiograms and ECG of 1,204 hypertensive patients receiving outpatient care were evaluated. The left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was assessed by the echocardiogram, with a diagnosis of LVH when the LVMI was > 96 g/m² for women and > 116 g/m² for men. Four classic criteria of LVH were analyzed at the ECG, in addition to the new score to be tested. RESULTS: In general, the studied ECG-LVH criteria showed significant statistical correlation to the echocardiographic LVMI. The (R+S) X QRS index, using 2.80 mm.s as the cutoff value, provided test accuracy regarding sensibility and specificity of 35.2% and 88.71%, respectively, representing the best correlation to LVMI (r=0.564) when compared to the other indexes: Romhilt-Estes (r=0.464); Sokolow-Lyon (r=0.419); Cornell voltage (r=0.377); Cornell product r=0.444). CONCLUSION: All the electrocardiographic criteria used for the assessment of the LV mass presented low sensitivity. The new score presented the best correlation with LVMI when compared to the other indexes.

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