Cor et Vasa, 2003 (vol. 44), issue 6
Original research articles
Incidence of coronary atherosclerosis in the population of heart donors
Miroslav Kocík, Ivan Málek, Bronislav Janek, Michael Želízko, Jan Pirk
Cor Vasa 2003, 44(6):299-303
Introduction:Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) is the established method for the management of end stage heart failure. Although data indicate a high incidence of coronary atherosclerosis (CA) in the young asymptomatic population, the prevalence of CA in heart donors in the Czech population has not been studied to date. Patients and methods:The study group included 51 patients after OHT (mean age 51.06 ± 9.77 years, 82% of males, 18% of females), who had intravascular coronary ultrasound performed in the early post-OHT period. Donors were 41 males and 10 females with a mean age of 33.22 ± 11.83 years. Results:CA...
Long-term follow-up of patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures
Jana Hyánková-Svobodová, Ladislava Harrerová, Jan Pirk, Jaroslav Kramář
Cor Vasa 2003, 44(6):305-316
Aim:To map the development of the health status of patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures. Patients and method:A total of 436 patients from three centers were followed for 2 to 3 years. Each center was evaluated separately. Two questionnaires were used for assessing patients' health status in this study: a follow-up questionnaire addressing issues of cardiology, and the SF-36 Quality of Life questionnaire. Results:Early mortality (30 days) was 5.1%; annualized mortality was 2% of the number of patients undergoing surgery; re-do surgery rate was up to 2.6% per year; percutaneous transluminal coronary...
Review articles
Application of the method of metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) uptake in heart failure patients
Ivan Málek, Marie Buncová
Cor Vasa 2003, 44(6):318-322
Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is a guanidine analog uptaken in the heart in analogy to noradrenaline. MIBG labeling with a radionuclide (I-123) allows to assess myocardial sympathetic activity and its changes.In the normal heart, the activity in a chosen region of the left ventricle exceeds mediastinal activity approximately by a factor of 2.5. In the completely denervated heart, the ratio is close to 1. Patients with chronic heart failure show a decrease in the index, especially so in the advanced stage of the disease. Beta-blocker therapy results in increased accumulation correlating with the degree of LV function improvement. Use of this method...
Hypercoagulation state in acute coronary syndromes. A brief review of the issue as seen by the clinician
Jan Baštecký, Petr Dulíček, Jiří Kvasnička
Cor Vasa 2003, 44(6):323-327
The communication points to the pathogenesis of thrombus formation as the cause of clinical manifestations of acute coronary syndromes. An increase in the activation of the procoagulation markers fibrinopeptide A, prothrombin fragment1+2, thrombin-antithrombin complex on admission of patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and a further rise in their activity during thrombolysis were shown. AMI patients have been shown to have a reduced fibrinolysis activity. The authors note that concomitant administration of heparin and hirudin markedly affects fibrinopeptide A activity by inhibiting the effect of thrombin on fibrinogen....
The genetics of dilated cardiomyopathy and myopathies
Lenka Špinarová, †Jiří Toman
Cor Vasa 2003, 44(6):329-332
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a genetically heterogenic disease. In controlled studies, genetic transfer has been demonstrated in 20-25% of patients. The most frequent mutations associated with dilated cardiomyopathy are those with the cytoskeleton and the nuclear membrane while the dominant defects associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are those related to the sarcomere, beta-myosin, and troponin T. Heredity of genetic mutations is autosomal dominant (A/C laminae, actin, desmin), or recessive (sarcoglycans); with dystrophin, emerin and tafazzin, it is bound to chromosome X, mitochondrial defects are rare.Like Duchenne's muscular dystrophy and...
Short communication
Non-lipid cardiovascular risk factors in the Romany minority of Western Slovakia
Marica Krajčovičová-Kudláčková, Pavel Blažíček, Emil Ginter, Viera Spustová
Cor Vasa 2003, 44(6):333-336
Non-lipid cardiovascular risk parameters (C-reactive protein, homocysteine, insulin) were assessed in a Romany minority group (n = 149) and compared to those in the majority population (n = 197). Mean C-reactive protein was non-significantly increased in the Romany group, with risk-related levels seen in 19% of Romany vs. 11% of majority subjects. Mean total plasma homocysteine levels were the same in both groups. Hyperhomocysteinemia was present in 12% of Romany subjects and 14% of majority individuals despite a higher incidence of deficient folic acid levels in the Romany (20% vs. 13%). Risk-related insulin levels were observed in 21% of the Romany...