High prevalence of antibodies against beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors in patients with primary electrical cardiac abnormalities

Objectives.This study sought to determine the prevalence of autoantibodies directed against the beta-adrenoceptors in patients with primary electrical cardiac abnormalities, including atrial arrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias and conduction disturbances, in the absence of any other cardiac abnormality.Background.Using synthetic peptides corresponding to the predicted sequences for the second extracellular loop of the human beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptors as antigenic targets, autoantibodies directed against the beta-adrenoceptors were recently shown to occur in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and Chagas' heart disease.Methods.Eighty-six patients (57 with primary electrical abnormalities, 29 with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy) and 101 healthy and cardiopathic control subjects were studied. Antibodies against the beta1- and beta2-peptides were detected with an enzyme immunoassay performed in blinded manner. In nine selected (seropositive) cases, the immunoglobulin G (IgG) fraction was tested for functional effects on the rate of beating of cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.Results.Antibodies recognizing the beta1- and beta2-peptides were found in 11 (52.3%) of 21 patients with ventricular arrhythmias (p < 0.01), 5 (35.7%) of 14 patients with conduction disturbances (p < 0.05), 3 (13.6%) of 22 patients with atrial arrhythmias (p > 0.05) and 11 (37.9%) of 29 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (p < 0.05) compared with 15 (14.8%) of 101 control subjects. A rapid increase in the rate of beating of the cultured cardiomyocytes was induced by IgG from a selected group of patients, suggesting an agonist-like interaction with a functional epitope. This response was mediated by stimulation of both the beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptors in the patients with primary ventricular arrhythmias but only the beta1-adrenoceptors in the patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.Conclusions.Primary ventricular arrhythmias and conduction disturbances, like idiopathic cardiomyopathy, show a high prevalence of antibodies interacting with functional epitopes of the beta-adrenoceptors, suggesting a common or similar abnormal immunoregulatory process

Unfavourable results in the repair of the cleft lip

Introduction: Unfavorable results in unilateral and bilateral cleft lip repair are often easy to spot but not always easy to prevent as to treat. We have tried to deal with the more common problems and explain possible causes and the best possible management options from our experience. Unilateral cleft lip repair: Unfavorable results immediately after repair involve Dehiscence and Scaring. Delayed blemishes include vermillion notching, a short lip, deficiency in the height of the lateral vermillion on the cleft side, white roll malalignment, oro-vestibular fistula, the cleft lip nose deformity, a narrow nostril and a "high-riding" nostril. We analyze the causes of these blemishes and outline our views regarding the treatment of these. Bilateral cleft lip: Immediate problems again include dehiscence as also loss of prolabium or premaxilla. Delayed unfavorable results are central vermillion deficiency, a lip that is too tight, bilateral cleft lip nose deformity, problems with the premaxilla and maxillary growth disturbances. Here again we discuss the causation of these problems and our preferred methods of treatment. Conclusion: We have detailed the significant unfavorable results after unilateral and bilateral cleft lip surgery. The methods of treatment advocated have been layer from our own experience