Análise da resistência vascular coronariana e do fluxo sanguíneo dos enxertos venosos em revascularização do miocárdio / Analysis of coronary vascular resistance and blood flow of venous graft in coronary artery bypass grafting

OBJETIVO: O trabalho tem por objetivo avaliar a resistência vascular coronariana (RVC) e analisar as diferenças de fluxo através dos enxertos em cirurgia de revascularização miocárdica. MÉTODOS: Foi avaliado o perfil da RVC em dez pacientes submetidos, entre 17 de junho e 15 de julho de 2005, a cirurgia de revascularização miocárdica com enxerto de veia safena por meio da aferição direta da pressão arterial (per-operatória) e indireta da RVC e do fluxo sanguíneo durante a infusão cardioplégica sanguínea. RESULTADOS: Foram constatadas significativas diferenças entre segmentos de enxertos coronarianos com variações de fluxo de 36,52 a 100 ml/min. CONCLUSÃO: Conclui-se, assim, que, apesar de inúmeros fatores contribuírem para o sucesso ou insucesso dos enxertos coronarianos, possivelmente pode-se compreender melhor os resultados clínicos das cirurgias por meio da interpretação adequada da RVC.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the coronary vascular resistance (CVR) and to analyze the flow differences through grafts in coronary artery bypass graft surgery. METHODS:Between 17 June and 15 July 2005, we assessed the coronary vascular resistance profile in 10 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery by grafting a section of saphenous vein and checking CVR direct (preoperative) and indirect arterial pressure and blood flow during blood cardioplegic infusion. RESULTS: Significant differences between segments of coronary grafts with flow changes ranging from 36.52 to 100 ml/min were verified. CONCLUSION: Despite various factors that contribute to success or unsuccess of coronary grafts, the CVR preoperative assessment can be a possible method to estimate blood flow through the coronary graft implant during surgical procedure.

Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection in alcoholics

To verify the prevalence of infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in alcoholics we studied 131 alcoholic patients (119 males and 12 females) with a mean age of 44.3 ± 10.8 years. Serum samples were collected from this group and analysed, by ELISA, for antibodies against HIV as well as for serological markers for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). As we have previously described, we found a high prevalence of HBV (26.4 percent) and HCV (4.2 percent) markers as compared to the prevalence of these markers in samples of normal blood donors from Uberlândia's Hemocentro Regional, which are 4 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively. Of the 131 patients, four (3 percent) had antibodies against HIV, three (75 percent) of which were injecting drug users (IDU). In the HIV-negative group, only one patient was an IDU. The prevalence of HIV in our population, according to data from the city's Health Secretary, varies from 3.1 percent to 6.2 percent. We conclude that, at least for the moment, alcoholism per se, did not constitute an important risk factor for HIV infection. However, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a rather recent disease as compared to hepatitis B and C and, as the transmission routes are similar for HIV and hepatitis viruses, an increase in the incidence of HIV infection in alcoholics may be just a question of time