167 research outputs found
Response to "Cardiac output by pulse contour analysis does not match the increase measured by rebreathing during human spaceflight"
Response to āCardiac output by pulse contour analysis does not match the increase measured by rebreathing during human spaceflightā
Viewing Nature Scenes Positively Affects Recovery of Autonomic Function Following Acute-Mental Stress
A randomized crossover study explored whether viewing different scenes prior to a stressor altered autonomic function during the recovery from the stressor. The two scenes were (a) nature (composed of trees, grass, fields) or (b) built (composed of man-made, urban scenes lacking natural characteristics) environments. Autonomic function was assessed using noninvasive techniques of heart rate variability; in particular, time domain analyses evaluated parasympathetic activity, using root-mean-square of successive differences (RMSSD). During stress, secondary cardiovascular markers (heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure) showed significant increases from baseline which did not differ between the two viewing conditions. Parasympathetic activity, however, was significantly higher in recovery following the stressor in the viewing scenes of nature condition compared to viewing scenes depicting built environments (RMSSD; 50.0 Ā± 31.3 vs 34.8 Ā± 14.8 ms). Thus, viewing nature scenes prior to a stressor alters autonomic activity in the recovery period. The secondary aim was to examine autonomic function during viewing of the two scenes. Standard deviation of R-R intervals (SDRR), as change from baseline, during the first 5 min of viewing nature scenes was greater than during built scenes. Overall, this suggests that nature can elicit improvements in the recovery process following a stressor. Ā© 2013 American Chemical Society
Peripheral arterial volume distensibility changes with applied external pressure: significant difference between arteries with different compliance
This study aimed to quantify the different effect of external cuff pressure on arterial volume distensibility between peripheral arteries with different compliance. 30 healthy subjects were studied with the arm at two positions (0Ā° and 45Ā° from the horizontal level) to introduce different compliance of arteries. The electrocardiogram and finger and ear photoplethysmograms were recorded simultaneously under five external cuff pressures (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40āmmHg) on the whole arm to obtain arterial volume distensibility. With the applied external cuff pressures of 10, 20, 30 and 40āmmHg, the overall changes in arterial volume distensibility referred to those without external pressure were 0.010, 0.029, 0.054 and 0.108% per mmHg for the arm at the horizontal level, and 0.026, 0.071, 0.170 and 0.389% per mmHg for the arm at 45Ā° from the horizontal level, confirming the non-linearity between arterial volume distensibility and external pressure. More interestingly, the significant differences in arterial volume distensibility changes were observed between the two arm positions, which were 0.016, 0.043, 0.116 and 0.281% per mmHg (all Pā<ā0.01). Our findings demonstrated that arterial volume distensibility of peripheral arm arteries increased with external pressure, with a greater effect for more compliant arteries
Less invasive indicators of changes in thermodilution cardiac output by ventilatory changes after cardiac surgery
Circadian blood pressure and systemic haemodynamics during 42 days of 6Ā° headādown tilt
Lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with moderate-to-severe versus mild plaque psoriasis
In several studies peripheral blood T-cells have been quantified, yet few data are available on lymphocyte subsets in moderate-to-severe psoriasis (in terms of extent and activity of lesions) versus mild psoriasis. The objective is to compare lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with moderate-to-severe disease (PASI-score ā„12) to patients with mild disease (PASI-score <12) and to healthy subjects. By means of flow cytometry method, lymphocytes in peripheral blood of 27 patients with psoriasis and 10 healthy controls were characterized. The absolute number of total lymphocytes was markedly decreased in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis as compared to patients with mild disease and normal subjects. Cellcounts of all analysed subsets were found to be increased in more severe psoriasis, except for CD8+CD45RO+ cells. The under-representation of CD8+CD45RO+ cells is compatible with the dynamics of acquired immunity, which requires a time log after the relapse of the lesions to differentiate from CD45RA+ naive cells
Evaluation of a new arterial pressure-based cardiac output device requiring no external calibration
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Several techniques have been discussed as alternatives to the intermittent bolus thermodilution cardiac output (CO<sub>PAC</sub>) measurement by the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC). However, these techniques usually require a central venous line, an additional catheter, or a special calibration procedure. A new arterial pressure-based cardiac output (CO<sub>AP</sub>) device (FloTracā¢, Vigileoā¢; Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) only requires access to the radial or femoral artery using a standard arterial catheter and does not need an external calibration. We validated this technique in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) using CO<sub>PAC </sub>as the method of reference.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied 20 critically ill patients, aged 16 to 74 years (mean, 55.5 Ā± 18.8 years), who required both arterial and pulmonary artery pressure monitoring. CO<sub>PAC </sub>measurements were performed at least every 4 hours and calculated as the average of 3 measurements, while CO<sub>AP </sub>values were taken immediately at the end of bolus determinations. Accuracy of measurements was assessed by calculating the bias and limits of agreement using the method described by Bland and Altman.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 164 coupled measurements were obtained. Absolute values of CO<sub>PAC </sub>ranged from 2.80 to 10.80 l/min (mean 5.93 Ā± 1.55 l/min). The bias and limits of agreement between CO<sub>PAC </sub>and CO<sub>AP </sub>for unequal numbers of replicates was 0.02 Ā± 2.92 l/min. The percentage error between CO<sub>PAC </sub>and CO<sub>AP </sub>was 49.3%. The bias between percentage changes in CO<sub>PAC </sub>(ĪCO<sub>PAC</sub>) and percentage changes in CO<sub>AP </sub>(ĪCO<sub>AP</sub>) for consecutive measurements was -0.70% Ā± 32.28%. CO<sub>PAC </sub>and CO<sub>AP </sub>showed a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.58 (<it>p </it>< 0.01), while the correlation coefficient between ĪCO<sub>PAC </sub>and ĪCO<sub>AP </sub>was 0.46 (<it>p </it>< 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although the CO<sub>AP </sub>algorithm shows a minimal bias with CO<sub>PAC </sub>over a wide range of values in an inhomogeneous group of critically ill patients, the scattering of the data remains relative wide. Therefore, the used algorithm (V 1.03) failed to demonstrate an acceptable accuracy in comparison to the clinical standard of cardiac output determination.</p
On the coupling of 3D and 1D NavierāStokes equations for flow problems in compliant vessels
Modeling the Instantaneous PressureāVolume Relation of the Left Ventricle: A Comparison of Six Models
Simulations are useful to study the heartās ability to generate flow and the interaction between contractility and loading conditions. The left ventricular pressureāvolume (PV) relation has been shown to be nonlinear, but it is unknown whether a linear model is accurate enough for simulations. Six models were fitted to the PV-data measured in five sheep and the estimated parameters were used to simulate PV-loops. Simulated and measured PV-loops were compared with the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the Hamming distance, a measure for geometric shape similarity. The compared models were: a time-varying elastance model with fixed volume intercept (LinFix); a time-varying elastance model with varying volume intercept (LinFree); a Langewouterās pressure-dependent elasticity model (Langew); a sigmoidal model (Sigm); a time-varying elastance model with a systolic flow-dependent resistance (Shroff) and a model with a linear systolic and an exponential diastolic relation (Burkh). Overall, the best model is LinFree (lowest AIC), closely followed by Langew. The remaining models rank: Sigm, Shroff, LinFix and Burkh. If only the shape of the PV-loops is important, all models perform nearly identically (Hamming distance between 20 and 23%). For realistic simulation of the instantaneous PV-relation a linear model suffices
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