Double-chambered right ventricle in an adult patient diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography

BACKGROUND: Double-chambered right ventricle is a rare congenital disease frequently misdiagnosed in the adult patient. An anomalous muscle band divides the right ventricle in two cavities causing variable degree of obstruction. Although echocardiography is considered a useful method for the diagnosis of this pathology in children, it has been recognized the transthoracic scanning limitation in adults. CASE PRESENTATION: A 29 year-old patient with double-chambered right ventricle presenting mild exercise intolerance referred for follow up of a known ventricular septal defect in whom a complete diagnosis was obtained based only on transthoracic two dimensional echocardiography without the needing of cardiac catheterization. CONCLUSION: Based on non invasive echocardiographic diagnosis, patient was referred to surgical correction, which was completely successful

Early detection of doxorubicin myocardial injury by ultrasonic tissue characterization in an experimental animal model

In the clinical setting, the early detection of myocardial injury induced by doxorubicin (DXR) is still considered a challenge. To assess whether ultrasonic tissue characterization (UTC) can identify early DXR-related myocardial lesions and their correlation with collagen myocardial percentages, we studied 60 rats at basal status and prospectively after 2mg/Kg/week DXR endovenous infusion. Echocardiographic examinations were conducted at baseline and at 8,10,12,14 and 16 mg/Kg DXR cumulative dose. The left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), shortening fraction (SF), and the UTC indices: corrected coefficient of integrated backscatter (IBS) (tissue IBS intensity/phantom IBS intensity) (CC-IBS) and the cyclic variation magnitude of this intensity curve (MCV) were measured. The variation of each parameter of study through DXR dose was expressed by the average and standard error at specific DXR dosages and those at baseline. The collagen percent (%) was calculated in six control group animals and 24 DXR group animals. CC-IBS increased (1.29 +/- 0.27 x 1.1 +/- 0.26-basal; p=0.005) and MCV decreased (9.1 +/- 2.8 x 11.02 +/- 2.6-basal; p=0.006) from 8 mg/Kg to 16mg/Kg DXR. LVEF presented only a slight but significant decrease (80.4 +/- 6.9% x 85.3 +/- 6.9%-basal, p=0.005) from 8 mg/Kg to 16 mg/Kg DXR. CC-IBS was 72.2% sensitive and 83.3% specific to detect collagen deposition of 4.24%(AUC=0.76). LVEF was not accurate to detect initial collagen deposition (AUC=0.54). In conclusion: UTC was able to early identify the DXR myocardial lesion when compared to LVEF, showing good accuracy to detect the initial collagen deposition in this experimental animal model

Myocardial ultrasonic tissue characterization in patients with thyroid dysfunction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Structural myocardial abnormalities have been extensively documented in hypothyroidism. Experimental studies in animal models have also shown involvement of thyroid hormones in gene expression of myocardial collagen. This study was planned to investigate the ability of ultrasonic tissue characterization, as evaluated by integrated backscatter (IBS), to early identify myocardial involvement in thyroid dysfunction.</p> <p>Patients and Methods</p> <p>We studied 15 patients with hyperthyroidism (HYPER), 8 patients with hypothyroidism (HYPO), 14 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and 19 normal (N) subjects, who had normal LV systolic function. After treatment, 10 HYPER, 6 HYPO, and 8 SCH patients were reevaluated. IBS images were obtained and analyzed in parasternal short axis (papillary muscle level) view, at left ventricular (LV) posterior wall. The following IBS variables were analyzed: 1) the corrected coefficient (CC) of IBS, obtained by dividing IBS intensity by IBS intensity measured in a rubber phantom, using the same equipment adjustments, at the same depth; 2) cardiac cyclic variation (CV) of IBS - peak-to-peak difference between maximal and minimal values of IBS during cardiac cycle; 3) cardiac cyclic variation index (CVI) of IBS - percentual relationship between the cyclic variation (CV) and the mean value of IBS intensity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>CC of IBS was significantly larger (p < 0.05) in HYPER (1.57 ± 0.6) and HYPO (1.53 ± 0.3) as compared to SCH (1.32 ± 0.3) or N (1.15 ± 0.27). The CV (dB) (HYPO: 7.5 ± 2.4; SCH: 8.2 ± 3.1; HYPER: 8.2 ± 2.0) and the CVI (HYPO: 35.6 ± 19.7%; SCH: 34.7 ± 17.5%; HYPER: 37.8 ± 11.6%) were not significantly different in patients with thyroid dysfunction as compared to N (7.0 ± 2.0 and 44.5 ± 15.1%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>CC of IBS was able to differentiate cardiac involvement in patients with overt HYPO and HYPER who had normal LV systolic function. These early myocardial structural abnormalities were partially reversed by drug therapy in HYPER group. On the other hand, although mean IBS intensity tended to be slightly larger in patients with SCH as compared to N, this difference was not statistical significant.</p

EFEITO DO TREINAMENTO FÍSICO AERÓBICO EM CORONARIOPATAS SUBMETIDOS A UM PROGRAMA DE REABILITAÇÃO CARDIOVASCULAR

Study Model: Retrospective. Study objectives: Evaluate the effect of aerobic physical training in cardiovascular variables in patients with coronary artery disease participants of a Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program. Methods: Patients with stable coronary artery disease were included and were analyzed the cardiovascular variables of exercise testing, carried out before and after a minimum period of 12 weeks of aerobic physical training in a Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program, from February 2002 to July 2005. Results: A significant increment (p &lt;0.0001) of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) was observed after the cardiovascular rehabilitation (30.1 ± 9.5 versus 35.5 ± 8.8 ml/kg/min). The difference of the VO2 max had negative correlation with the initial physical capacity, with greater benefits in patients with smaller initial values of VO2  max. Significant differences were not observed in maximal systolic blood pressure and double product, and a small difference was observed in maximal heart rate. The improvement in ischemic threshold was more pronounced, with an increment of 7.4 ml/kg/min in oxygen consumption, with statistical significance (p &lt; 0.0001) (21.0 ± 6.9 versus 28.4 ± 8.2 ml/kg/min). Conclusions: The cardiovascular rehabilitation improved physical capacity and ischemic threshold in patients participants of a Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program. The benefit in physical capacity was greater in patients with smaller initial values of maximal oxygen consumption.    Modelo do estudo: Retrospectivo. Objetivos do estudo: Avaliar o efeito do treinamento físico aeróbico nas variáveis cardiovasculares em pacientes coronariopatas participantes do Programa de Reabilitação Cardiovascular. Metodologia: Foram incluídos pacientes portadores de coronariopatia estável e foram avaliadas as variáveis cardiovasculares de testes ergométricos seriados, realizados antes e após um período mínimo de 12 semanas de treinamento físico aeróbico em um Programa de Reabilitação Cardiovascular, de fevereiro de 2002 a julho de 2005. Resultados: Documentou-se incremento significativo (p &lt; 0,0001) do consumo de oxigênio pico (VO2 pico) após a reabilitação cardiovascular (30,1 ± 9,5 versus 35,5 ± 8,8 ml/kg/min). Este delta do VO2 pico apresentou correlação negativa com a capacidade física inicial, com maiores ganhos nos pacientes com menores valores iniciais de VO2 pico. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas na pressão arterial sistólica e no duplo produto pico, e uma diferença de pequena magnitude foi observada na freqüência cardíaca pico. A melhora no limiar isquêmico do miocárdio, avaliada pelo consumo de oxigênio na positivação, foi ainda mais expressiva, com incremento de 7,4 ml/kg/min (p &lt; 0,0001) (21,0 ± 6,9 versus 28,4 ± 8,2 ml/kg/min). Conclusões: A reabilitação cardiovascular melhorou a capacidade física e o limiar isquêmico de pacientes participantes do Programa de Reabilitação Cardiovascular. O benefício na capacidade física foi maior  nos pacientes com menores valores iniciais de consumo de oxigênio pico.   

Evaluation And Application Of The Extended Tbp Curves In Processing And Refining Of Heavy Oil Fractions

Oil reserves in Brazil are characterized by heavy and ultra heavy petroleum. This type of oil is relatively difficult to process. In fact, it is necessary to upgrade such kind of oil in order to increase productivity of light fractions, mainly diesel. An important step in the definition and set up of suitable process to deal with this is the oil characterization. This is made with the aid of the True Boiling Point (TBP) curve through ASTM standard test methods until 565°C and it extension obtained from molecular distillation for heavy oil and residues. In this work, it is proposed a refining evaluation making use of the extended TBP curves. The conceptual process was implemented in Hysys Process Simulator through a novel procedure for the generation of pseudocomponents for characterizing the feeding of distillation columns. It was developed a simulation methodology in order to evaluate the petroleum residues extended TBP curves in the process separation after the FCC (Fluid Catalytic Cracking) reactor, for producing liquefied petroleum gas, gasoline and diesel. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.26195200Sbaite, P., Batistella, C.B., Winter, A., Vasconcelos, C.J., Wolf, M.R., Maciel, R., Gomes, A., Kunert, R., (2006) Petroleum Science and Technology, 24. , 265Abadie, E., (1997) Catalytic Cracking, Petrobras, , Rio do Janeiro, RJPedrosa, P., (1994) Simulation and optimization of the fragmentation and products recuperation section in the fluid catalytic cracking unit, , MS.c. Dissertation, University of Campinas, Campinas SPMiquel, J., Castells, F., (1994) Hydrocarbon Processing, 73, p. 9