Search results for "atria"
showing 10 items of 2230 documents
Daily use, especially of high-potency cannabis, drives the earlier onset of psychosis in cannabis users.
2013
UNLABELLED: Cannabis use is associated with an earlier age of onset of psychosis (AOP). However, the reasons for this remain debated. METHODS: We applied a Cox proportional hazards model to 410 first-episode psychosis patients to investigate the association between gender, patterns of cannabis use, and AOP. RESULTS: Patients with a history of cannabis use presented with their first episode of psychosis at a younger age (mean years = 28.2, SD = 8.0; median years = 27.1) than those who never used cannabis (mean years = 31.4, SD = 9.9; median years = 30.0; hazard ratio [HR] = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.16-1.74; P < .001). This association remained significant after controlling for gender (HR = 1.39; 95% …
Risk factors, atrial fibrillation and thromboembolic events.
2008
AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF) and thromboembolic complications. METHODS: We studied 480 patients (mean age: 71.2+/-11.6 years): 240 with paroxysmal AF, 240 with permanent AF. The association between AF and the presence of risk factors, cardiac and systemic disease was observed and the correlation with the occurrence of complications analyzed. RESULTS: Patients with AF had a high prevalence of the following conditions: hypertension, hypertensive heart disease (HHD), coronary artery disease, hyperthyroidism. Thromboembolism was observed in 26.6% of the patients. A correlation between the occurrence of a thromboembolic…
Wall motion characteristic of the right pulmonary artery in the suprasternal echocardiogram
1980
This study describes the motion pattern of the right pulmonary artery (RPA) as it can be assessed from the suprasternal echocardiogram. The motion characteristic of the RPA is dependent on hemodynamic factors within the lumen of the RPA and those within the left atrium and the aortic arch. During atrial contraction the superior wall of the left atrium separates from the inferior wall of the RPA (IWRPA) and produces an "a" dip in the wall motion of the IWRPA. During isovolumic contraction the RPA is shifted upward (IC point). The incisura in the pulmonary artery pressure curve reflecting pulmonic valve closure can be seen by a sudden decrease in the diameter of the RPA (PC point). In conditi…
Normal values of M mode echocardiographic measurements of more than 2000 healthy infants and children in central Europe
2000
OBJECTIVE—To obtain normal M mode (one dimensional) echocardiographic values in a substantial sample of normal infants and children. DESIGN—Data were obtained over three years from a single centre in central Europe. PATIENTS—2036 healthy infants and children aged one day to 18 years. METHODS—In line with recommendations for standardising measurements from M mode echocardiograms, and using digital echocardiographic equipment, measurements were obtained of the following: right ventricular anterior wall thickness at end diastole, right ventricular end diastolic dimension, thickness of interventricular septum at end diastole and end systole, thickness of posterior wall of the left ventricle at …
Influence of digoxin on sinus node function after pharmacologic autonomic blockade.
1983
The effect of iv digoxin on normal sinus node function was studied after pharmacologic autonomic blockade (AB) in ten patients. Sinus cycle length (SCL), sinus node recovery time (SNRT) and sinoatrial conduction time (SACT) were determined before and after AB with propranolol (0.2 mg/kg body weight) and atropine sulfate (0.04 mg/kg body weight) iv, and 15 min, 30 min, and 45 min after 1 mg iv digoxin. AB resulted in a significant decrease (P less than 0.01) in SCL (916 +/- 158 to 716 +/- 120 ms), in SNRT (1,229 +/- 221 to 871 +/- 190 ms), and in SACT (79 +/- 34 to 44 +/- 10 ms). Fifteen minutes after iv digoxin there was no significant change observed in SCL (716 +/- 120 to 708 +/- 92 ms), …
Salt-regulating hormones in young normotensive obese subjects. Effects of saline load.
1994
To investigate whether the response of salt-regulating hormones to volume expansion is impaired in obese subjects, we assessed the effects of saline load (0.25 mL/kg.min.120 min) in 9 young, healthy, normotensive obese subjects (body mass index, > 30 kg/m2) and in 10 lean control subjects (body mass index, < 25 kg/m2) matched for age, gender, height, and mean blood pressure. Hematocrit, plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone (PA), atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), and urinary sodium excretion (UNaV) were evaluated. Saline load increased ANF levels significantly (P < .001) in lean subjects at both 60 and 120 minutes, whereas they decreased in obese subjects. Such decreases b…
Spontaneous echo contrast caused by platelet and leukocyte aggregates?
2001
Background and Purpose —Spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC) is correlated to clinical thromboembolic events. We sought to determine the origin of SEC by utilizing direct analysis of left atrial blood. Methods —We examined the blood of 13 patients with and 19 without SEC. Blood samples were taken from the femoral vein and artery and from the right and left atria after transseptal puncture. Samples were incubated with fluorescence-labeled antibodies directed against the platelet (CD41a-PE, CD42b-PE, and CD62p-FITC) and leukocyte membrane epitopes (CD45-APC and CD14-FITC). The expressed epitopes were analyzed by dual laser flow cytometry immediately after blood withdrawal. Results —I…
IQ differences between patients with first episode psychosis in London and Palermo reflect differences in patterns of cannabis use.
2019
Aims: Cognitive impairment is a possible indicator of neurodevelopmental impairment, but not all psychotic patients are cognitively compromised. It has been suggested that heavy cannabis use may precipitate psychosis in those who show no such compromise. This study compares two samples of patients with first-episode psychosis and their respective non-psychotic controls, in London (UK) and Palermo (Italy), and examines whether different patterns of cannabis use are reflected in differences in IQ. Methods: The two studies used the same inclusion/exclusion criteria and instruments. The sample comprised 249 subjects from London (106 patients and 143 controls) and 247 subjects from Palermo (120 …
Supraventricular arrhythmias in noncompaction of left ventricle: Is this a frequent complication?
2008
Background: Isolated left ventricular noncompaction is the result of incomplete myocardial morphogenesis, leading to persistence of the embryonic myocardium. The condition is recognised by an excessively prominent trabecular meshwork and deep intertrabecular recesses of the left ventricle. Whether these intertrabecular recesses are a favorable substrate for supraventricular arrhythmias is unclear, even if the incidence of chronic heart failure seems to be high. Results: We evaluated a continuous series of 238 patients affected by noncompaction. In 4 cases the patients reported palpitations and in 4 an episode of syncope. Periodic holter monitoring was performed every 6 months for 4 years. O…
Phenotypic analysis of individuals with Costello syndrome due to HRAS p.G13C.
2011
Costello syndrome is characterized by severe failure-to-thrive, short stature, cardiac abnormalities (heart defects, tachyarrhythmia, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)), distinctive facial features, a predisposition to papillomata and malignant tumors, postnatal cerebellar overgrowth resulting in Chiari 1 malformation, and cognitive disabilities. De novo germline mutations in the proto-oncogene HRAS cause Costello syndrome. Most mutations affect the glycine residues in position 12 or 13, and more than 80% of patients share p.G12S. To test the hypothesis that subtle genotype-phenotype differences exist, we report the first cohort comparison between 12 Costello syndrome individuals with p…