ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although cigarette smoking is a known risk factor for sudden cardiac death, little is known about the effects of smoking on the heart. The QT interval and QT dispersion prolongation have been associated with a lower ventricular fibrillation threshold and the occurrence of sudden cardiac death. Smoking has an unfavorable influence on the autonomic balance and myocardial blood flow. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the relationship between the QT dispersion and coronary flow reserve (CFR) in healthy young male subjects. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included a sample of 30 healthy young male cigarette smokers. The catecholamines level, QTc dispersion, heart rate variability and myocardial blood flow were measured, immediately before and 5 minutes after and during the smoking of 3 cigarettes. RESULTS: Short-term smoking caused significant increases in the serum cortisol (10.9+/-4.9 vs. 15.0+/-7.0 microgram/dL, p<0.01), serum epinephrine (0.038+/-0.026 vs. 0.046+/-0.026 ng/mL, p=0.044), heart rate (78+/-9 vs. 85+/-8 beats/min, p<0.01), maximal QTc interval (412+/-22 vs. 435+/-20 ms, p<0.01), QTc dispersion (43+/-14 vs. 62+/-17 ms, p<0.01), LFnu (68+/-9 vs. 78+/-6%, p<0.01), LF/HF (3.25+/-2.15 vs. 5.22+/-1.89, p<0.01) and peak diastolic velocity (21.7+/-3.9 vs. 23.9+/-5.5 cm/sec, p=0.005), and a decrease in the CFR (3.71+/-0.56 vs. 3.42+/-0.76, p=0.024). The change in the QTc dispersion was closely related to the change in the CFR (r=-0.357, p=0.043). CONCLUSION: The present study is the first to demonstrate that the impaired coronary flow reserve after smoking may contribute to the increased inhomogeneity of ventricular repolarization in healthy young male smokers.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Catecholamines , Coronary Circulation , Death, Sudden, Cardiac , Epinephrine , Heart , Heart Rate , Hydrocortisone , Population Characteristics , Risk Factors , Smoke , Smoking , Tobacco Products , Ventricular FibrillationABSTRACT
This study was performed to investigate effect of dried powders and ethanol extracts of garlic flesh and peel on antioxidative capacity in 16-month- old rats. Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing 618.1 +/- 6.5 g were blocked into five groups according to body weight and raised for 3 months with experimental diets containing 5% (w/w) of dried powders of garlic flesh or peel, or ethanol extracts from equal amount of each dried powder. Total polyphenols, flavonoids, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels were determined in garlic preparations. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels in plasma, liver and VLDL + LDL fraction, oxidative DNA damage (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, 8OHdG) in kidney, xanthine oxidase (XO) activities in plasma and liver, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in erythrocyte and liver, and carotenoid concentration, and total antioxidant status (TAS) in plasma were measured. Total polyphenols and flavonoids contents in garlic preparations were highest in peel ethanol extract. Vitamin C content was not different significantly among preparations, but peel powder contains slightly more vitamin C. The content of beta-carotene was highest in peel ethanol extract and vitmain E content was highest in flesh ethanol extract. The highest level of TAS was observed in peel ethanol extract. Plasma TBARS levels in all the experimental groups were found to be significantly lower than control group, and TBARS concentration in VLDL + LDL fraction was decreased in all the experimental groups in comparison to control group. Also levels of 8OHdG in kidney in experimental groups were lower than that of control group. Plasma and liver XO activities were decreased in all experimental groups, and erythrocyte and liver SOD activities were higher in experimental groups compared to control group. All experimental groups also showed higher plasma TAS levels than control group. Especially, garlic flesh powder group was significantly lower in plasma and liver XO activities, and significantly higher in erythrocyte and liver SOD activities than control group. Moreover, plasma TBARS level and kidney 8OHdG level were decreased in flesh powder group. In conclusion, garlic diets showed effect of improving antioxidative capacity in 16-month old rats, especially, garlic flesh powder was prominent in inhibiting XO activitiy, promoting SOD activity and decreasing kidney 8OHdG level among experimental groups.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Infant , Male , Rats , Ascorbic Acid , beta Carotene , Body Weight , Diet , DNA Damage , Erythrocytes , Ethanol , Flavonoids , Garlic , Kidney , Liver , Plasma , Polyphenols , Powders , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Superoxide Dismutase , Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances , Vitamin E , Vitamins , Xanthine OxidaseABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Pneumothorax develops frequently as a complication of respiratory diseases and in the course of management in newborn. We compared therapeutic effects and complications of conventional tube thoracotomy and Pigtail catheter inserted by modified Fuhrman's technique for pneumothorax in neonates. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of 22 infants with pneumothorax treated with tube thoracotomy and 14 infants with Pigtail catheter, admitted at Kangnarn Sacred Heart Hospital and ChunCheon Sacred Heart Hospital between Jan 1995 and Jul 1998. Sex ratio(13: 9 vs. 7: 7), gestational age(32.7+/-4.3 vs. 31.5+/-5.5 wks), birth weight(1906+/-1025 vs. 1836+/-1128 g) and the incidence of tension pneumothorax(68% vs. 59%) and spontaneous pneumothorax(18% vs. 35%) were not significantly different between two groups. RESULTS: The tube insertion time(5.1+/-4.8 vs. 4.3+/-4.1 days of life), duration of tube insertion(168+/-150 vs. 86+/-78 hrs), duration of mechanical ventilation after tube insertion (8.6+/-6.9 vs. 5.8 and mortality during tube insertion(65% vs. 43%) were not significantly different between tube thoracotomy group and Pigtail catheter inserted group. The complications such as hemothorax and pulmonary hemorrhage were found in 7 cases in tube thoracotomy group but none in Pigtail catheter inserted group. CONCLUSION: Conventional chest tube insertion for pneumothorax can often be traumatic, but Pigtail catheter insertion is safer and easier. Percutaneous placement of Pigtail catheters may be a useful alternative to the conventional method of thoracotomy tube placement in small infants.
Subject(s)
Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Catheters , Chest Tubes , Heart , Hemorrhage , Hemothorax , Incidence , Mortality , Parturition , Pneumothorax , Respiration, Artificial , Thoracostomy , ThoracotomyABSTRACT
In air leak syndrome, a significant portion of the volume delivered during a positive pressure breath can be lost through the leak. HFOV can achieve adequate ventilation at lower peak and/or mean intrapulmonary pressure than conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) and has been an effective treatment of already established air leak syndrome. We report a 1-day-old male infant with severe respiratory failure from pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, who was refractory to CMV with chest tube drainage. HFOV was applied to this patient for 114 hours, and improvement of oxygenation and ventilation as well as significant reduction of pneumothorax followed.