Eleven patients with rate responsive pacemakers (7 men, 4 women, mean age 41 years with a range of 23‐60) were randomly assigned to a cross‐over study in order to assess their overall exercise ...capacity and quality‐of‐life (QOL) scores. All of the pacemakers were implanted for complete AV block or sick sinus syndrome. The pacemakers were randomly programmed into VVI or rate responsive (VVIR) pacing modes for 3‐week study periods in each mode. At the end of each period, an exercise test was performed and the QOL was evaluated by the “Hacettepe Quality‐of‐Life Questionnaire”. All patients exercised longer in the VVIR mode (mean 10.54 ± 0,73 min) than in the VVI mode (mean 7.81 ± 0.62 min) (P < 0.05). QOL scores were also found to be significantly higher in the VVIR mode (mean 173.81 ± 16.22 points) compared to the VVI mode (mean 156.27 ± 21.22 points) (P < 0.01). In conclusion, our results suggest that VVIR pacing offers a better QOL in addition to an improved exercise capacity, compared to the single chamber nonrate modulated pacing (VVI).
Left ventricular function including regional wall motion (RWM) was evaluated by 99mTc first-pass and equilibrium gated blood pool ventriculography and glycohemoglobin (HbA1c) blood levels determined ...by a quantitative column technique in 25 young patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus without clinical evidence of heart disease, and in healthy controls matched for age and sex. Phase analysis revealed abnormal RWM in 19 of 21 diabetic patients. The mean left ventricular global ejection fraction, the mean regional ejection fraction and the mean 1/3 filling fraction were lower and the time to peak ejection, the time to peak filling and the time to peak ejection/cardiac cycle were longer in diabetics than in controls. We found high HbA1c levels in all diabetics. There was no significant difference between patients with and without retinopathy and with and without peripheral neuropathy in terms of left ventricular function and HbA1c levels.
The levels of serum estradiol, testosterone and progesterone were determined in 13 cases of acute myocardial infarction. Thirteen intensive care patients without coronary, hepatic or renal disease, ...13 cases of unstable angina and 15 normal subjects. The patients were males ranging from 24 to 56 years of age, the average being 40.4 years. The levels of serum estradiol in the acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina groups were significantly higher than in the normal group, and no difference was found between the normal and intensive care patient. The testosterone levels were significantly lower in the acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina groups than in the normal group. Progesterone levels increased in acute myocardial infarction patients. The estradiol: testosterone ratio was considerably elevated in the acute phase of myocardial infarction, and in unstable angina patients. No difference was found between the intensive care patient and normal groups.
Eighteen children (10 females, 8 males; age range 5.5 to 17 years, median: 10 years) who suffered from recurrent syncope, drug refractory supraventricular tachycardia and atrioventricular block or ...bradycardia were evaluated by cardiac electrophysiologic study between August 1988-April 1990. During the study, basal intervals were measured and the conduction system and sinus node functions were investigated. In some patients the mechanism of the tachycardia was investigated and drugelectrophysiologic studies also performed. Two of 6 cases with recurrent syncope had positive electrophysiologic findings and adequate treatment resolved the symptoms. The others have been followed. The mechanism of the tachycardia was determined in 5 cases with drug refractory supraventricular tachycardia and drugelectrophysiologic studies were done in all of them. The site of block was determined in 7 patients with atrioventricular block and pacemaker implantation was done in 5 patients. The results emphasized the usefulness of cardiac electrophysiologic study in childhood arrhythmias.
Two children with exercise-induced tachycardia, one with idiopathic long-QT syndrome, are presented. The patients were evaluated by exercise testing and electrophysiologic study. From the onset of ...treatment with the beta-blocking agent, pindolol, the patients have been symptom-free. These findings emphasize that children with syncope must be evaluated by ECG, exercise testing, 24-h Holter-monitoring, and finally, electrophysiological study.