[Doppler echocardiographic study of hemodynamic changes of double stimulation mode and atrial detection in patients with dual chamber pacemaker. Value of hysteresis of the atrioventricular delay]

This Doppler echocardiographic study of patients with a dual chamber pacemaker was undertaken to assess the changes in mitral and aortic flow induced by passing from the double stimulation to the atrial detection mode. Thirteen patients totally dependent on ventricular pacing were examined and mitral and aortic blood flow recorded by pulsed wave Doppler. The chronology of left atrial contraction as assessed by the Doppler mitral A wave was measured with respect to the ventricular stimulation. The A wave was recorded on average 177 ms after the right atrial stimulation artefact. For an average AV delay of 168.8 ms and an identical pacing frequency, the passage from the double stimulation to the atrial detection mode led to left atrial contraction occurring on average 70 ms earlier with respect to ventricular stimulation, reflecting prolongation of the programmed AV delay related to the delay in detection of the sinus atrial wave. This earlier atrial systole shortened the total duration of mitral flow from 363 to 317 ms, decreased the early diastolic mitral flow and increased the atrial end diastolic flow; the stroke volume and cardiac output calculated from the aortic velocity time integral decreased significantly from 73 +/- 11 ml to 67 +/- 10 ml and 5.4 +/- 1.11/mn to 4.9 +/- 1.01/mn respectively. The initial parameters were restored (average 74 +/- 9 ml and 5.5 +/- 1.11/mn respectively) when the AV delay in the atrial detection mode was reduced by a value close to that of the calculated increase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Quantification of valvular stenosis by Doppler echography]

Doppler echocardiography has made decisive advances in the non-invasive quantification of valvular stenosis. The simplified Bernoulli formula gives access to the maximum and mean transvalvular pressure gradients which correlate very well with the gradients measured at catheterisation. In addition, it is possible to calculate valve surface area in aortic and mitral stenosis from the continuity equation providing its conditions of application are respected. The Doppler surface area of mitral stenosis can also be estimated with some reservations by measuring pressure half time. Doppler echocardiography provides a reliable non-invasive hemodynamic study of valvular stenosis and should lead to a reduction in the number of indications of cardiac catheterisation, especially as pulmonary artery pressures can be determined from Doppler recordings of tricuspid and pulmonary regurgitation.

[Mid-term results of 50 percutaneous aortic valvuloplasties. Follow-up studies using Doppler echocardiography]

The aim of this study was to assess the results of percutaneous aortic valvuloplasty in 50 patients (29 men and 21 women, mean age 74 years) at 6 months by Doppler echocardiography performed 24 hours before, 24 hours, 3 and 6 months after the procedure. The following parameters were compared: maximum instantaneous transaortic pressure gradient; mean gradient; aortic valve area and index of valve patency. The initial results of catheterisation and valvuloplasty were very satisfactory as the peak-to-peak and mean pressure gradients decreased by 50 per cent and the aortic valve area increased from 0.55 +/- 0.2 to 0.83 +/- 0.30 cm2 and the success rate defined as a final surface area greater than 0.75 cm2 was 84 per cent. Unfortunately, these favourable results were not sustained in most cases: restenosis, defined as a valve area of less than 0.7 cm2, was observed in 18 per cent of patients at Day 1 and 71 per cent of patients at the 6th month; the natural history of disease was little affected with a global mortality rate at 6 months of 18 per cent through cardiac failure and sudden death; only 18 per cent of patients maintained an aortic valve area of over 0.75 cm2 at 6 months. These results suggest that percutaneous aortic valvuloplasty should be reserved for patients in whom surgery is formally contra-indicated.

[Noninvasive measurement of cardiac output by pulsed Doppler echocardiography. Correlation with thermodilution]

Cardiac output was measured simultaneously by pulsed Doppler echocardiography and thermodilution in 22 patients, 18 of whom also underwent atrial pacing at different rates to give a total of 42 different measurements. The aortic diameter was measured firstly at the aortic ring at the level of insertion of the aortic cusps and then at the point of maximum separation of the valve cups in the left parasternal long-axis view. The aortic velocities were recorded in the apical 5-chamber view immediately below the level of the aortic valve. The correlations obtained at the aortic ring (R1) and at the point of maximum separation of the valve cusps (R2) were 0.77 (y = 0.67x + 1.17: standard error = 0.81 l/m) and 0.64 (y = 0.56x + 0.87; standard error = 1.01 l/mn) respectively. The correlations were much better when 7 technically unsatisfactory measurements were excluded (R2 = 0.76: y = 0.59x + 0.74: standard error = 0.79 l/mn) (R1 = 0.87: y = 0.72x + 1.04: standard error = 0.65 l/mn). THe correlations of stroke volume measured at aortic ring level also improved from r = 0.82 (y = 0.75x + 7.29: standard error = 8.9 ml) to r = 0.89 (y = 0.78x + 7.38: standard error = 7.3 ml). The measurement of cardiac output by pulsed Doppler echocardiography in the aortic root seems to be reliable. The correlations of the values of stroke volume and cardiac output with the thermodilution method are good, allowing detection of beat-to-beat variations of cardiac output, in suitable patients in the hands of experienced operators.

[Apical hypertrophic myocardiopathy with mid-ventricular obstruction and apical necrosis]

In a 41-year old man hospitalized for investigation of a systolic ejection murmur, echocardiography revealed an apical (17 mm) and, chiefly, a mid ventricular (38 mm) myocardial hypertrophy resulting in a true stricture at that level. During systole the mid ventricular area became obstructed, dividing the left ventricule into an apical akinetic chamber and a proximal hyperkinetic chamber. Left ventriculography confirmed this abnormality and catheterization showed a left intraventricular pressure gradient of 60 mmHg. Although left coronary arteriography proved normal, myocardial radionuclide scanning at exercise displayed apical necrosis which resulted in a peculiar haemodynamic behaviour well demonstrated by doppler ultrasound. The apex of the left ventricle was filled in two stages: first, during atrial contraction, giving at doppler (mid ventricular sample) a positive flow with a speed of 1m/sec during 120 ms; then, during the isovolumetric period, giving a positive flow with a speed of 1m/sec during 60 ms. The apex drained during systole and protodiastole, giving a negative mid ventricular obstruction flow with a speed of 4 m/sec with protosystolic and mesodiastolic reinforcement.

[Massive poisoning by naftidrofuryl with severe disorders of rhythm and conduction]

The authors report the case of a 35-year old woman with normal heart who voluntarily poisoned herself by swallowing 6 grams of naftidrofuryl. She developed disorders of atrioventricular conduction and a ventricular-like arrhythmia with collapse which resolves after mechanical ventilation. Data from the literature indicate that naftidrofuryl possesses class I electrophysiological properties which must not be ignored and which account for the cardiac effects observed in this particular case and in cases of parenteral overdosage already reported. By analogy with class I antiarrhythmic agents, treatment of naftidrofuryl poisoning with disorders of conduction could include the administration of molar sodium lactate.

[Auricular flutter preceding by several years the discovery of Steinert's disease. 3 cases]

The large frequency of arrhythmias and conduction disorders in the course of Steinert's myotonic dystrophy is well known; most of the time, the muscle disease is already known when the heart disease is discovered. The authors report three cases of young subjects (2, 31 and 35 years) in whom an atrial flutter without obvious etiology preceded by several years (14, 2.5 and 2 years) the diagnosis of muscular disease. On this occasion, the characteristics of the heart involvement in Steinert's disease are reminded: large frequency of atrial and also ventricular rhythm disorders, distalic conduction disorders. Our cases emphasize the importance of diagnosing Steinert's disease by clinical examination, electromyography and neuro-muscular biopsy in front of a rhythm disorder--especially atrial flutter--or an interventricular conduction disorders occurring, without obvious etiology, in a young subject.

[[Doppler echocardiography in the diagnosis of tri-atrial heart in adults]

The authors report a case of isolated and well tolerated cor triatriatum in a 38-year old man without significant history admitted for aetiological diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. Echocardiography displayed the left intra-atrial septum and the openings of the 4 pulmonary veins in the proximal chamber, but there was no evidence of associated anomaly. Colour-coded doppler examination visualized a single systolo-diastolic trans-septal jet. As the maximum velocity of the jet at pulsed doppler velocimetry was 1.1 m/s, the maximum instantaneous gradient could be estimated at 5 mmHg. The mean gradient was estimated at 2.6 mmHg, which showed that the ostium caused little stenosis. All these data were confirmed by cardiac catheterization. Since the malformation was well tolerated, both functionally and haemodynamically, it was decided not to operate.

[Infarction with angiographically normal coronary vessels. (20 cases)]

Over 8 years, 20 cases of infarction with normal coronary angiography have been reported, representing 0.9% of the patients who underwent a coronary angiography after a myocardial infarction. The main characteristics of these patients are compared with those taken from the literature. The occurrence of this disease mainly depends on the age: especially higher when the patients are younger, ranging between 1 and 4% in major series, but it may reach 25% in case of infarction occurring before the age of 30. Therefore, this entity mainly affects young patients (mean age in the literature: 34.3 years), with a large proportion of women (27%). The main risk factor is smoking, found in 3 out of 4 men an more than half of the women; on the contrary, hypercholesterolemia and arterial hypertension are only seldom found. In women, administration of estro-progestative medications in mentioned in almost every other case. Coronary heredity is mentioned in one out of 3 cases. In 68% of the cases, the infarction is the original manifestation and frequently occurs during stress: 60 p. cent of the cases. The site of the necrosis is insignificant. Mortality is low: 2 p. cent but in 5 p. cent of the cases, the course may be complicated by recurrence or heart failure. According to recent findings on coronary angiography during the acute phase, the pathogenesis could involve an arterial coronary thrombosis, perhaps developing on minimal coronary lesions, caused by a spasm and/or a platelets hyperaggregation; then this coronary thrombosis is revascularized.

[Demonstration by Doppler echocardiography of multiple valvular involvement in carcinoid cardiopathy]

We report a case of carcinoid heart disease which was remarkable on three scores: --the value of echocardiography which enabled us to diagnose the disease; --the usefulness of cardiac doppler examination which provided non-invasive haemodynamic evaluation of lesions of the four valves; --the presence of moderate involvement of the right heart, which is classical from the point of view of anatomopathology but is often missed clinically and was ascertained in that case by doppler-echocardiography.

[Streptobacillus moniliformis endocarditis. Apropos of 2 cases]

The authors report two cases of endocarditis secondary to Streptobacillus moniliformis. A 41 year-old man, bitten by a rat, is hospitalized 5 weeks later for an endocarditis demonstrated by echocardiography, with massive aortic escape and hemodynamic failure requiring emergency valve replacement: after a favorable course, the patient dies suddenly 4 months later. A 63 year-old woman is admitted for a septicemic syndrome with sterno-clavicular arthritis which occurred 10 days after a rat bite; followed by a transient ischemic cerebral vascular accident; echocardiogram shows a clubshaped bulge of the distal end of the large mitral valve; the course is uneventful under antibiotherapy. In both cases, blood cultures isolate a Streptobacillus moniliformis. Infections secondary to Streptobacillus moniliformis are rare; this Gram negative bacillus, saprophyte of the rat's rhinopharynx, is transmitted to man, most of the time, by bite, and this causes a septicemia, the evolution of which is usually favorable. Complications, especially endocarditis, are exceptionally rare: only 12 cases are found in the world's literature. The evolution is always fatal in the absence of treatment which must include the association penicillin-aminoside. Prophylaxis of this disease is provided by penicillin antibiotherapy which should be systematic after a rodent's bite.

[Significance of an upward shift of the ST segment during an exercise test]

The objective of this study is to investigate the significance of the occurrence of an upward shift of the ST segment curing a stress test in patients with no previous history of myocardial infarction. Over 10 years, totalling 9,500 stress tests, we have collected 10 cases. They always concern men including one with angina on exertion, one with spontaneous angina, one with spontaneous angina occurring at the end of an intense stress, and 7 with mixed angina. None of them had a previous history of myocardial infarction or documented spastic angina. The upward shift of the ST segment occurred 9 times during stress and once during recovery. 9 patients had a coronary arteriogram with in 8 cases severe fixed coronary lesions. The patient with the upward shift of ST during the recovery period had a normal coronary arteriogram with a positive methylergometrin test. There is a good correlation between the appearance of an upward shift of ST during stress in the anterior derivations and a significant involvement of the anterior interventricular artery. In our series, there were no complications, especially myocardial infarction, in the immediate period following the stress test. 7 patients underwent an aorto-coronary by-pass. The 10 patients are presently asymptomatic after a 47 months follow-up. The occurrence of an upward shift of ST during stress, in the absence of a previous history of myocardial infarction, represents in more than 80 p. cent of the cases the existence of severe coronary lesions leading to hospitalization and the immediate performance of a coronary arteriogram.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Frank's sign and coronary disease]

The authors study the sensitivity, the specificity and the predicting value of Frank's sign (presence of a groove at the level of the earlobe) on a group of 172 patients undergoing a clinical examination, an EKG at rest and effort, and a selective coronary arteriogram for suspicion of coronary disease. The criteria retained for the diagnosis of coronary disease is the presence of stenosis superior or equal to 75 p. cent in one of the three main coronary vascular trunks. Statistical studies using the CHI 2 test reveal a highly significant association between Frank's sign and coronary disease (p less than 0.001). The sensitivity of Frank's sign reaches 75 p. cent, its specificity 57.5 p. cent and its positive predicting value 80.3 p. cent. The predicting value is a function of the sex: it is a great deal lower in women (50 p. cent) than in men (84.7 p. cent). The prevalence of Frank's sign increases progressively with age: 42 p. cent in the 30-39 age group and 75.8 p. cent in the 60-69 age group. The predicting value remains high however beyond 60 years: predicting value of 77 p. cent. Frank's sign is correlated neither with the gravity of the coronary disease, nor the duration of the angina, nor with any of the risk factors studied here: tobacco, hypercholesterolemia, arterial hypertension, diabetes, obesity. Frank's sign is therefore considered as a marker of the coronary disease, independent of risk factors but frequently associated with them. If its absence does not permit in any way to exclude the diagnosis of coronary disease, its presence corresponds in three quarters of the cases to an established coronary disease within a symptomatic population.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Value of the negative U wave during exercise test in the diagnosis of coronary insufficiency]

In order to determine the value of inversion of the U wave during exercise for the diagnosis of coronary insufficiency, the stress tests of 227 patients were reviewed and confronted with the results of coronary angiography which showed 93 subjects with angiographically normal arteries and 134 subjects with left anterior descending disease; 37 patients had single vessel disease (Group I), 38 had double vessel disease (Group II) and 59 had triple vessel disease (Group III). When compared to the two classical criteria, anginal pain and less than or equal to 1 mm ST depression, inversion of the U wave was more specific: 82.8 +/- 7.6 p. 100 vs 77.4 p. 100 for anginal pain, and 66.7 +/- 9.6 p. 100 for ST depression. The sensitivity of this new sign for the detection of coronary insufficiency was 26.9 +/- 7.5 p. 100 vs 80.6 +/- 6.7 p. 100 for ST depression and 56.7 +/- 8.4 p. 100 for anginal pain. The positive predictive value of U wave inversion on effort was 70.9 +/- 12 p. 100 compared to 77.7 +/- 6.9 p. 100 for ischaemic ST depression and 78.3 +/- 8.2 p. 100 for induced anginal pain. Conversely, in angiographically normal coronary arteries, the absence of U wave inversion had a negative predictive value of 44.8 +/- 7.4 p. 100 compared to 70.5 +/- 9.5 p. 100 for the absence of ischaemic ST changes and 55.4 +/- 8.5 for the absence of anginal pain. These results confirm previously published data.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Variations in the amplitude of the Q wave at V5 during computerized exercise test. Value in the diagnosis of coronary insufficiency]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of changes in Q wave amplitude in the V5 chest lead in coronary artery disease, especially for the detection of significant (greater than or equal to 75% narrowing) left interior descending disease. The stress tests of 227 patients were reviewed and confronted with the results of coronary angiography in 93 patients with angiographically normal arteries, and 134 patients with left anterior descending disease of the latter, 37 had single vessel disease, 38 had double vessel disease and 59, triple vessel disease. The average values of the Q wave amplitude in V5 at the peak of effort were 0.97 +/- 1.04 mm in the control group; 0.53 +/- 0.65 mm (p less than 0.01) in the group with single vessel disease; 0.46 +/- 0.66 mm (p less than 0.01) in the group with double vessel disease and 0.64 +/- 0.9 mm (p = 0.04) in the group with triple vessel disease. The mean variations of the amplitude of the Q wave in lead V5 on effort in the same group of patients were: +0.55 +/- 0.73 mm (p less than 0.001); + 0.11 +/- 0.66 mm (NS); + 0.02 +/- 0.5 mm (NS) and + 0.05 +/- 0.53 mm (NS), respectively. The Q wave in lead V5 was generally deeper on effort in the control group and the average variation in its amplitude was statistically significant only in this group. In the coronary patients, the Q wave in lead V5 was generally smaller and its amplitude did not change significantly on effort.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Changes in amplitude of the R wave in V5 during a computerized exercise test: value in the diagnosis of coronary insufficiency]

In order to determine the real value of the amplitude variations of the R wave V5 during a stress test, in the recognition of coronary insufficiency, the stress tests of 227 patients were reviewed and compared to the results of coronary angiography. This permitted to find 93 patients with healthy coronaries and 134 patients presenting an involvement of the anterior inter-ventricular artery (AIVA); 37 have a one-vessel disease, 38 have a two-vessel disease, 59 a tri-vessel disease. Quantitative analysis of the modifications of the R wave in V5 during stress, finds mean values of amplitude variations of 1.46 +/- 2.65 mm (p less than 10(-7)) in the reference group; + 1.36 +/- 3.03 mm (p less than 0.01) in patients with a one-vessel disease; +/- 2.02 +/- 2.73 mm (p less than 10(-5)) in patients with two-vessel disease; +/- 1.77 +/- 2.82 mm (p less than 10(-6)) in patients with three-vessel disease. Mean variations are not significantly different from one group to the other and do not permit to individualize a specific evolutive profile in favor of a coronary disease. Considering the absence of alterations or the increase of the amplitude of R in V5 during stress as a pathological response to a coronary insufficiency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Fab fragments of antidigoxin antibodies and acute digitalis poisoning]

Acute digitalis intoxication is infrequent and severe. The mortality rate is between 15 and 20 per cent. Its treatment has been greatly improved with the appearance, in 1976, of a specific serotherapy: Fab fragments of antidigoxin antibodies. The clinical experiment reported in the literature relates to approximately one hundred cases and establishes that this therapy has a practically constant and non dangerous efficacy. The lack of availability of these fragments Fab represents presently the only obstacle to the development of this treatment, but the use of monoclonal antibodies, already available experimentally, should, in the future, circumvent this last hurdle.

[Left intraventricular and right auricular double thrombus. Apropos of a case with favorable development under medical treatment]

The authors report a case of right auricular and left intraventricular double thrombus involving the tricuspid valve, diagnosed by two-dimensional echocardiography. This double thrombus developed in a male of 54 years presenting dilated cardiomyopathy with heart failure who was admitted as an emergency case due to cerebral embolism. Surgery and fibrinolytic agents were contraindicated and heparin treatment was initiated. The right auricular mass subsided in 24 hours without symptomatology. Only venous pulmonary digitalized angiography showed a moderate defect. Bearing in mind literature reports, the present observation is particularly interesting on three counts: simultaneous double localization, the fortuitous detection of a right auricular clot before development of pulmonary embolism and the rapid subsidence of the thrombus under heparin treatment as wall as the satisfactory progress without symptomatology of pulmonary embolism.

[Pulsed and continuous Doppler in qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of mitral insufficiency]

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of pulsed and continuous wave Doppler in mitral regurgitation. One hundred and twenty-one patients (64 women and 57 men aged 13 to 76 years, average 54 years) investigated for mitral regurgitation or ischaemic heart disease underwent left ventricular angiography and continuous wave and pulsed Doppler echocardiography. In addition to clinical examination, they also underwent M mode, 2D echocardiography and phonocardiography. They were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of mitral regurgitation on angiography, chosen as the reference method. Group I comprised 51 patients with angiographic regurgitation, and Group II 70 patients without mitral regurgitation. The sensitivity of the Doppler examination was 98%. Of the 51 patients in Group I there was only one false negative in a patient with doubtful angiographic regurgitation in the context of an endocardial cushion defect. In comparison, the sensitivity of clinical examination and phonocardiography were 74.5% and 80% respectively; 13 cases of mitral regurgitation on angiography and Doppler echocardiography had no auscultatory signs. The specificity of the Doppler examination was 92.8%; 5 of the 70 patients in Group II had unquestionable systolic turbulence in the left atrium and 2D echocardiography showed the possible mechanism of these valvular leaks in 3 cases: 1 bivalvular prolapse, 1 rheumatic valvular thickening and 1 papillary muscle dysfunction. We interpret these 5 cases as being true mitral regurgitation but intermittent or too slight to be visible on angiography. The positive predictive value of systolic turbulence in the left was 90.9% and the negative predictive value was 98.4%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)