A Patient Presenting with Elevations of Cardiac Enzyme Levels after Veratrum Oxysepalum Ingestion

Veratrum patulum has toxicological relevance because of the potential for misidentification of this plant as mountain garlic. Veratrum patulum has an ester-alkaloid that provokes cardiac arrhythmias by excessive vagal stimulation and depression of the sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes of the heart and hypotension, cardiomegaly. We report on a retrospective case of successful outcome in patients with veratrum patulum poisoning through active treatment from the early phase after ingestion. We report on a case involving a patient who experienced dizziness, dyspnea, hypotension, and elevation of cardiac enzyme, cardiomegaly. These cases were kept under observation and generally recovered with supportive care. We report on cases of veratrum patulum poisoning with review of literature.

Protective effect of GuanXinShiWeiWan on isolated rat hearts with ischemia reperfusion injury / 中国生化药物杂志

Objective To investigate the protective effect of GuanXinShiWeiWan on ischemia reperfusion(I-R) injury rat.Methods 50 Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, GuanXinShiWeiWan low ( 0.3 mg/kg ) and high ( 0.9 mg/kg ) dose group and positive group, each had 10 rats.Adopting the model of ischemia reperfusion injury of isolated rat hearts, the contents of SOD,MDA,LDH,CK and Ca2 +-ATP, Ca2 +-Mg2 +-ATP, Na +-K +-ATP in cardiac muscle tissue were tested and compared.Results Compared with model group, GuanXinShiWeiWan significantly improved the activities of SOD、Ca2 +-ATP,Ca2 +-Mg2 +-ATP and Na +-K +-ATP (P<0.05 or P<0.01) in cardiac muscle tissue which injured by ischemia reperfusion, while reducing markedly the contents of MDA,LDH,CK(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion GuanXinShiWeiWan can profect the cardiac muscle of ischemia reperfusion.

Myocardial Injury in Newborn Infants with Severe Metabolic Acidosis at the First Day of Life

PURPOSE: Severe acidosis by various causes can lead to multi-organ dysfunction including cardiac dysfunction (CD) due to myocardial injury. The aims of this study are to investigate CD in newborn infants with severe acidemia at the first day of life and to evaluate the effect on myocardial injury according to the type and the severity of acidosis. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of infants > or =34 weeks of gestational age with severe acidemia (pH60 mmHg) and non-RA group (pCO2 or =-10) were classified based on the degree of BE. RESULTS: The levels of CK-MB and myoglobin had significant negative relation with BE. CD group had higher incidences of seizure and mortality and higher levels of CK-MB and cTnI than those of non-CD group. Severe BE group had higher incidences of CD and seizure and higher levels of CK-MB, myoglobin and cTnI than those of mild BE group. Non-RA group had higher levels of CK-MB and myoglobin than those of RA group. CONCLUSION: At the first day of life, the newborn infants with severe metabolic acidosis have high incidences of CD and myocardial injury. Aggressive monitoring and appropriate treatment for CD according to myocardial injury should be recommended in the newborn infants with severe metabolic acidosis.

Effect of automated external defibrillator on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and cardiac function / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To investigate the efficiency and safety of the automated external defibrillator (AED); and to compare the defibrillating efficacy between the domestic AED and the imported AED. Method Fourteen Peking white swine weighed (30 ± 1 ) kg, were anaesthetized and arterial cannula was inserted into the left femoral artery for collecting blood samples and measuring artery blood pressure, cardiac output (CO) and external vascular lung water index (EVWI) by using PiCCO monitor, and another cannula was inserted into the left femoral vein to place an electrode as a temporary pace maker, and then ventricular fibrillation (VF) was induced by using a programmed electrical stimulation instrument. The swine were divided into two groups randomly ( random number) after VF was confirmed by electrocardio-monitor,and the domestic made AED (M group, n = 7) or imported AED (Z group, n = 7) were used respectively in 7 swine of each group. The electrodes of defibrillator were stuck to the precordium and sternum separately, and defibrillation was delivered by the AED signal. The entire procedure of defibrillation was repeated four times. The number of defibrillation delivery required to get normal cardiac rhythm was recorded. Twenty minutes after restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), blood sample was taken to measure myocardial enzyme. The CO and EVWI were measured too. Measurement data was analyzed by repeated ANOVA and enumeration data was analyzed by Chi-square test. A value of P ＜0.05 was regarded as being significant statistical difference. Results There were 54 episodes of VF induced in 14 swine and only one swine in Z group was dead after 2nd episode of VF, resulting in 98.1% success rate of resuscitation. There were 37 defibrillation deliveries given to swine of M group, and 75.0% produced normal cardiac rhythm after the first delivery of defibrillation,whereas 80.0% in Z group after 32 defibrillation deliveries. The length of time from AED turned on to the recognition of ECG signal of VF was (29 ± 1 ) s. There were 2 occasions in both groups that the AEDs failed to recognize the VF signal emerged on ECG after the first induction of VF by electrical shock. Similarly, there were 2 occasions in Z group that the AED incorrectly recognized the signal of ventricular tachycardia as that of VF, but no harm was done after defibrillation delivery given following the signal of AED. During the entire course of experiment, heart rate,blood pressure and CO of all survived swine were stable,but the EVWI and myoglobin (MYO) gradually increased as time elapsed until the 3rd or 4th episode of VF leading to significant differences from the original ones. There were no significant differences in all biomarkers between two groups. Conclusions The VF can be ceased by AED safely and efficiently. There are no significant differences in signal recognition, efficacy of defibrillation and myocardial injury found between the domestic made AED and imported AED; but AED may not be good to be recommended to the professional staff of resuscitation because of its incorrect reorganization of ECG owing to over-automation.

Changes of the serum myocardial enzymes in patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To explore the changes of the serurn cardiac enzymes in patients with acute massive pulmonary thromboembolosm(PIE),sub-massive PTE and non-massive FIE between pre-therapy and past-therapy and its relationship.Method The prospective multi-centres trial included 519 patients with confirmed PTE from 24 joint hospitals in Beijing,consisting of 54 massive FIE,195 sub-massive PTE and 270 non-massive PIE.Thrombolytic treatment was used in massive and sub-massive PTE patients with employment of urokinase and recombinant tissue plasminogen activator(rt-PA),and anti-coagulative therapy with unfractionated heparin and low molecular heparin was used in non-massive PTE.Results(1)The values of serum CPK and LDH in massive PTE patients before therapeutical intervention were obfiously higher than those in sub-massive and non-massive PTE patients(P<0.01);(2)Of 45 patients with high pulmonary pressure,24(54.4%)patients had high serum LDH(P<0.01).Of 169 patients with right ventrieular dysfunction,68(40.2%)ones has high serum LDH(P=0.049).Of 48 patients suffered from poor prognosis,15(30.8%)ones had high serum.LDH(P=0.039).Conclusions ①The vMues of serum CPK and LDH in acute PTE patients increase without elevation of CK-MB.②Serum LDH associates with pulmonary presure,right ventrieular function and prognosis.

Clinical Value of BNP (B-type natriuretic peptides) in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

PURPOSE: This study evaluates the roles and the clinical effects of BNP (B-type natriuretic peptides) in patients with AMI (acute myocardial infarction). METHODS: We prospectively analyzed the cases of 20 patients with AMI who visited the Emergency Department, Sanggye Paik Hospital, during the 3 months from Dec.1 to Feb. 28,2003. We measured the BNP and the cardiac enzyme (CK-MB) at admission and at 1 day, 3 days, and 5 days after admission. The patients were divided according to LV (left ventricular) systolic function, site of infarction, infarct-related artery, 6-hour vascular patency, and pattern of BNP change. We compared the values for the BNP for parameters such as sex, age, risk factors, onset time, cardiac enzymes, ejection fraction, hospital days, and etc. RESULTS : BNP at each time was higher in cases with LVSD (LV systolic dysfunction) than it was in cases without LVSD, but no statistically significant difference etistied among the subgroup. BNP is correlated with the onset time, the hospital days, the ejection fraction, and the presence of LVSD, but not with cardiac enzyme (CK-MB) or with necrotic severity. CONCLUSION: the BNP level of a patient with AMI is a predictive marker of LVSD at any measurement time and reflects the hospital course. Thus, we can use BNP as a prognostic factor of LVSD and stratify the risk of heart failure.

Availability of Cardiac Troponin T as a Marker for Detecting Perioperative Myocardial Damage in Patients with Open Heart Surgery / 대한흉부외과학회지

It is well known that troponin T (below TnT) is present in the myocardial cells and released during myocardial damage, so it`s very specific enzyme to myocardium. Availability of cardiac specific TnT in assessing perioperatively myocardial damage was evaluated from 34 open heart surgery patients. They consisted of 11 ischemic heart, 13 acquired valvular heart and 10 congenital heart cases. Patients were divided into two groups, group A (patients with myocardial damage) and group B (patients without myocardial damage), according to the symptom of chest pain suspecting angina and the ECG findings of ST segment and T wave changes which show myocardial ischemia and injury. Serum TnT levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay method preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, postoperative day 1, day 2, day 3, and day 7. We observed and analyzed the changes of serum TnT levels in two groups and compared the serum TnT levels with CK-MB levels measured at the same time. In group A, serum TnT levels showed 1.37+/-0.26microgram/L, 3.16+/-0.66microgram/L, 2.39+/-0.74microgram/L, 2.49+/-0.76microgram/L, and 1.23+/-0.60microgram/L, immediate postoperatively, postoperatively day1, day2, day3, and day7, respectively. It was observed there were significant differences compared with those of group B (0.38+/-0.04microgram/L, 0.34+/-0.05microgram/L, 0.25+/-0.03microgram/L, 0.24+/-0.04microgram/L, and 0.11+/-0.03microgram/L) during identical periods (p<0.01). Serum CK-MB level in group A significantly elevated to 145.04+/-35.08 IU/L on the postoperative day 1 compared to group B (31.28+/-5.87 IU/L, p<0.05), However, it stiffly decreased from day 2 and returned to preoperative level at day 3. When serum TnT level more than 1.0microgram/L is thought to reflect myocardial damage, serum TnT had 100% of sensitivity and 87% of specificity in diagnosing the postoperative myocardial damage (p<0.01). I conclusion, serum TnT levels increased significantly at very early stage of myocardial damage and persisted much longer period than CK-MB. This suggests that serum TnT has more advantage and availability in assessing the perioperatively myocardial damage than any other tests.

Changes of Serum Troponin-T Concentrations in Patients with Open Heart Surgery / 대한흉부외과학회지

This study was designed to identify the efficiency of serum troponin-T (s-TnT) level as a diagnostic indicator for the perioperative myocardial damage with open heart surgery (OHS) and to compare with the conventional myocardial enzyme tests such as isoenzyme fraction of creatine kinase (% CK-MB) and isoenzyme ratio of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH1/LDH2 ratio). The study was performed on 30 adult patients who underwent OHS from Jan. 1996 to June 1996 at Inje University Pusan Paik Hospital, and they were divided into two groups accorfding to aortic clamping time (ACT) duration : group I (ACT60 minutes, n=15). S-TnT, % CK-MB, and LDH1/LDH2 ratio were measured in serial blood samples from all subjected patients. The results were obtained as follows. 1. In both groups, s-TnT concentrations increased gradually during OHS and elevated significantly at CPB-10 (p0.05). 4. The serial changes of s-TnT were relatively well correlated with those of changes of % CK-MB (r=0.64, p<0.05). 5. The serial s-TnT levels were significantly higher in group II than group I from B-ACR to POD 1 (p<0.05), suggesting that duration of aortic clamping time was a major factor concerned with perioperative myocardial injury. In conclusion, measurement of s-TnT is a very useful indicator in assessing the myocardial cell damage and therefore it is expected that serial checking and evaluation of the s-TnT is very available for identification of the perioperative myocardial damage and for postoperative cares in patients with OHS.