Lead-DBS: an additional tool for stereotactic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Use Lead-DBS software to analyze stereotactical surgical outcome of an operated population and demonstrate that small target deviations do not compromise the stimulation of desired structures, even with small amperages. METHODS: Image exams of patients submitted to deep brain stimulation for movement disorders treatment were processed in Lead-DBS software. Electrode stereotactic coordinates were subtracted from the planned target and those deviations, compared among different anatomical targets and sides operated firstly and secondly. We also quantified the frequency of relation between the activated tissue volume and the planned target through computer simulations. RESULTS: None of the 16 electrodes were exactly implanted at the planned coordinates. A stimulation of 3 mA reached 62.5% of the times the planned coordinates, rising to 68.75% with a 3,5 mA. No statistical significance was demonstrated in any comparison of laterality and anatomical sites. CONCLUSIONS: The simulation of small amperage fields could reach the intended target even when electrode placement is suboptimal. Furthermore, such a goal can be achieved without overlapping the volume of activated tissue with undesired structures. Software Lead-DBS proved to be a valuable complementary asset for surgical stereotactical result assessment.

Lead-DBS: an additional tool for stereotactic surgery

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Use Lead-DBS software to analyze stereotactical surgical outcome of an operated population and demonstrate that small target deviations do not compromise the stimulation of desired structures, even with small amperages. METHODS: Image exams of patients submitted to deep brain stimulation for movement disorders treatment were processed in Lead-DBS software. Electrode stereotactic coordinates were subtracted from the planned target and those deviations, compared among different anatomical targets and sides operated firstly and secondly. We also quantified the frequency of relation between the activated tissue volume and the planned target through computer simulations. RESULTS: None of the 16 electrodes were exactly implanted at the planned coordinates. A stimulation of 3 mA reached 62.5% of the times the planned coordinates, rising to 68.75% with a 3,5 mA. No statistical significance was demonstrated in any comparison of laterality and anatomical sites. CONCLUSIONS: The simulation of small amperage fields could reach the intended target even when electrode placement is suboptimal. Furthermore, such a goal can be achieved without overlapping the volume of activated tissue with undesired structures. Software Lead-DBS proved to be a valuable complementary asset for surgical stereotactical result assessment.

Heart rate responses of a master athlete during ultra-endurance swimming

Abstract Aim: Swimming races outside swimming pools take place all over the world, but studies focusing on their physiological aspects are scarce. In fact, rules forbid any direct contact with swimmers during sanctioned events. This case report presents heart rate responses of a master athlete during an ultra-endurance open water solo swim and analyzes results based on a prior cardiopulmonary exercise test. Methods: The swimmer performed a cardiopulmonary exercise test on a treadmill, following a ramp protocol, with continuous electrocardiogram recording. The athlete performed a 36 km swimming race with continuous heart rate recording. Description of swimming heart rate accordingly to heart rate training zones and correlation analysis between HR and swim speed was assessed. Results: The athlete swam the 36 km event in 11 hours, 16 minutes and 15 seconds. Most of the swim time was spent in training zone 3 (55%), and only 2% of race time was spent in zone 5. Swimming speed (3.2 ± 0.7 km/h) failed to correlate with HR during the event (r2 = 0.1334, p > 0.05). Conclusion: Although HR did not correlate with swimming speed it successfully indicated exercise intensity during this 36 km event. These results can be used in the preparation and monitoring of other solo long-distance swimmers.

Fulminant liver failure in a street runner: Effects of heat stroke.

We present a clinical case of liver failure induced by heat stroke.

Minute-Ventilation Variability during Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test is Higher in Sedentary Men Than in Athletes.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of minute-ventilation oscillations during exercise, named periodic breathing, exhibits important prognostic information in heart failure. Considering that exercise training could influence the fluctuation of ventilatory components during exercise, we hypothesized that ventilatory variability during exercise would be greater in sedentary men than athletes. OBJECTIVE: To compare time-domain variability of ventilatory components of sedentary healthy men and athletes during a progressive maximal exercise test, evaluating their relationship to other variables usually obtained during a cardiopulmonary exercise test. METHODS: Analysis of time-domain variability (SD/n and RMSSD/n) of minute-ventilation (Ve), respiratory rate (RR) and tidal volume (Vt) during a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test of 9 athletes and 9 sedentary men was performed. Data was compared by two-tailed Student T test and Pearson´s correlations test. RESULTS: Sedentary men exhibited greater Vt (SD/n: 1.6 ± 0.3 vs. 0.9 ± 0.3 mL/breaths; p < 0.001) and Ve (SD/n: 97.5 ± 23.1 vs. 71.6 ± 4.8 mL/min x breaths; p = 0.038) variabilities than athletes. VE/VCO2 correlated to Vt variability (RMSSD/n) in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Time-domain variability of Vt and Ve during exercise is greater in sedentary than athletes, with a positive relationship between VE/VCO2 pointing to a possible influence of ventilation-perfusion ratio on ventilatory variability during exercise in healthy volunteers.

Minute-Ventilation Variability during Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test is Higher in Sedentary Men Than in Athletes / A variabilidade da Ventilação durante Teste Cardiopulmonar de Exercício é Maior em Homens Sedentários do que em Atletas

Abstract Background: The occurrence of minute-ventilation oscillations during exercise, named periodic breathing, exhibits important prognostic information in heart failure. Considering that exercise training could influence the fluctuation of ventilatory components during exercise, we hypothesized that ventilatory variability during exercise would be greater in sedentary men than athletes. Objective: To compare time-domain variability of ventilatory components of sedentary healthy men and athletes during a progressive maximal exercise test, evaluating their relationship to other variables usually obtained during a cardiopulmonary exercise test. Methods: Analysis of time-domain variability (SD/n and RMSSD/n) of minute-ventilation (Ve), respiratory rate (RR) and tidal volume (Vt) during a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test of 9 athletes and 9 sedentary men was performed. Data was compared by two-tailed Student T test and Pearson´s correlations test. Results: Sedentary men exhibited greater Vt (SD/n: 1.6 ± 0.3 vs. 0.9 ± 0.3 mL/breaths; p < 0.001) and Ve (SD/n: 97.5 ± 23.1 vs. 71.6 ± 4.8 mL/min x breaths; p = 0.038) variabilities than athletes. VE/VCO2 correlated to Vt variability (RMSSD/n) in both groups. Conclusions: Time-domain variability of Vt and Ve during exercise is greater in sedentary than athletes, with a positive relationship between VE/VCO2 pointing to a possible influence of ventilation-perfusion ratio on ventilatory variability during exercise in healthy volunteers.

Resumo Fundamento: A ocorrência de oscilações de variabilidade ventilatória durante o exercício, denominada respiração periódica, apresenta importantes informações prognósticas na insuficiência cardíaca. Considerando que o treinamento físico poderia influenciar a flutuação dos componentes ventilatórios durante o exercício, nós hipotetizamos que a variabilidade ventilatória durante o exercício seria maior nos homens sedentários do que nos atletas. Objetivo: Comparar a variabilidade temporal das componentes ventilatórias de homens sedentários saudáveis e atletas durante um teste de esforço máximo progressivo, avaliando sua relação com outras variáveis normalmente obtidas durante um teste de exercício cardiopulmonar. Métodos: Foi realizada uma análise da variabilidade temporal (SD/n e RMSSD/n) da ventilação por minuto (Ve), da frequência respiratória (RR) e do volume corrente (Vt) durante um teste de exercício cardiopulmonar máximo em 9 atletas e 9 homens sedentários. Os dados foram comparados pelo teste T de Student bicaudal e pelo teste de correlação de Pearson. Resultados: Os homens sedentários apresentaram maior variabilidade Vt (SD/n: 1,6 ± 0,3 vs 0,9 ± 0,3 mL/respirações, p < 0,001) e Ve (SD/n: 97,5 ± 23,1 vs. 71,6 ± 4,8 mL/min x respirações; p = 0,038) do que os atletas. VE/VCO2 correlacionou-se à variabilidade de Vt (RMSSD/n) em ambos os grupos. Conclusões: A variabilidade temporal de Vt e Ve durante o exercício é maior em sedentários do que em atletas, com uma relação positiva entre VE/VCO2 apontando para uma possível influência da relação ventilação-perfusão na variabilidade ventilatória durante o exercício em voluntários saudáveis

Variabilidade ventilatória durante exercício dinâmico em indivíduos saudáveis e com insuficiência cardíaca / Ventilatory variability during dynamic exercise in healthy individuals and with cardiac insufficiency

A presença de ventilação periódica durante o exercício confere pior prognóstico a pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca. Existem divergências quanto aos critérios para identificação deste fenômeno. Além disso, a interpretação dicotômica (presença ou ausência) quanto a este fenômeno dificulta a estratificação de risco mais detalhada dos pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca. Desta forma, esta tese avalia a utilização de técnicas estabelecidas para análise de variabilidade de sinais para quantificar as oscilações ventilatórias que ocorrem durante o teste cardiopulmonar de exercício, em indivíduos saudáveis, atletas e com insuficiência cardíaca. Um protocolo mais curto para realização de teste cardiopulmonar de exercício em cicloergômetro de braço foi proposto e validade. Tal protocolo foi utilizado em estudo posterior, onde se comprovou que, apesar dos tempos respiratórios não serem influenciados pelo tipo de exercício realizado, a variabilidade ventilatória é maior durante a realização de exercício dinâmico com membros superiores do que com membros inferiores. A capacidade aeróbica de indivíduos sadios também influencia a variabilidade ventilatória durante o teste cardiopulmonar de exercício. Isto foi comprovado pela menor variabilidade ventilatória no domínio do tempo em atletas do que sedentários durante exercício. A análise destes voluntários com o método da análise dos componentes principais revelou que em atletas a variabilidade do volume corrente é a principal responsável pela variabilidade da ventilação-minuto durante o exercício, ao passo que em sedentários a variabilidade da freqüência respiratória apresenta-se como principal responsável por tais variações. Em estudo randomizado e controlado comprovamos que, mesmo indivíduos sadios apresentam redução da variabilidade ventilatória ao exercício após 12 semanas de treinamento físico. Comprovamos que a reabilitação cardíaca reverteu a ocorrência de ventilação periódica em um paciente com insuficiência ...

Exercise periodic breathing confers a bad prognosis in patients with heart failure. There is no agreement among proposed criteria to diagnose exercise periodic breathing. The dichotomic interpretation (presence or absence) when diagnosing this phenomenon impairs a more detailed risk stratification in heart failure. Thus, this thesis evaluates the use of established signal vairability techniques to quantify ventilatory oscillations during cardiopulmonary exercise test, in healthy individuals, athletes and patients with heart failure. A short protocol used to perform cardiopulmonary exercise test in arm crank was proposes and validated. This protocol was used in the next study, which found that, although timing of breathing was not altered by exercise type, ventilatory variability was greater during arm dynamic exercise when compared to leg exercise. Aerobic capacity of healthy individuals also influences ventilatory variability during cardiopulmonary exercise test. This was proven by the lower time-domain ventilatory variability in athletes when compared to sedentary individuals. The evaluation of these individuals with principal components analysis showed that tidal volume variability is the principal component o minute-ventilation variability in athletes, whilst in sedentary men, respiratory frequency variability is the responsible for minute-ventilation variability. In a randomized controlled study we have found that even healthy individuals reduce their exercise ventilatory variability after 12 weeks exercise training. We have shown that cardiac rehabilitation reverted exercise periodical breathing in a patient with heart failure and, finally, found that exercise ventilatory variability inversely correlates to left ventricle ejection fraction in patients with heart failure. Future studies should evaluate the prognostic value of ventilatory variability in these patients

Estresse mental e hipertensão arterial sistêmica / Mental stress and systemic arterial hypertension

O estresse mental ou psicológico ocorre cotidianamente em nossas vidas e a capacidade de reagir motora e fisiologicamente é uma resposta natural e necessária. Entretanto, a reatividade exacerbada ao estresse mental identifica indivíduos sob maior risco de desenvolver hipertensão e pode provocar eventos cardiovasculares e morte súbita. Além disso, a experiência de situações trágicas tem impacto a longo prazo, aumentando o risco de hipertensão, bem como condições sociais e de trabalho com grande demanda psicológica e baixo poder de decisão, principalmente entre homens com baixo nível socio econômico. A identificação de indivíduos sob maior risco de hipertensão mediante os testes de reatividade cardiovascular ao estresse mental pode colaborar para a implementação de medidas preventivas e terapêuticas.

Tilt teste no diagnóstico diferencial da epilepsia resistente ao tratamento / Tilt table test in the differential diagnosis of refractory epilepsy

A epilepsia é uma das causas mais freqüentes de distúrbios neurológicos em adultos jovens. Relatamos um caso em que uma paciente conviveu durante doze anos com o diagnóstico de epilepsia resistente ao tratamento, quando, na verdade, a causa de seus sintomas pôde ser encontrada com a realização do teste de inclinação (tilt teste). O cardiologista deve estar alerta para o possível diagnóstico de síncope neurocardiogênica em pacientes previamente diagnosticados como portadores de epilepsia, especialmente naqueles com difícil controle terapêutico.

Epilepsy is one of the most frequent causes of neurological disorders in young adults. We report the case of a patient who lived with the diagnosis of refractory epilepsy for twelve years, when actually the cause of the symptoms could be found with the performance of a tilt table test. Cardiologists should be aware of the possible diagnosis of neurocardiogenic syncope in patients previously diagnosed with epilepsy, especially in those with difficult therapeutic control.

Elderly patients with unexplained syncope: what should be considered a positive tilt test response?

INTRODUCTION: Syncope is a common problem and can lead to serious consequences in the elderly. Tilt test is useful to investigate recurrent syncope, but few studies have investigated the hemodynamic responses of this population to tilt test. OBJECTIVE: To describe the tilt test responses of elderly patients with recurrent syncope of unknown origin and to determine the occurrence of altered cardiovascular autonomic function in a subset of those with the diagnosis of dysautonomic pattern to the tilt test. METHODS: Elderly patients (n=165; >60 years old) who sought medical assistance because of recurrent syncope during 18 months were initially enrolled and submitted to a two-stage, nitroglycerin-potentiated tilt test. A subset of patients who presented with dysautonomic response to tilt test performed clinical autonomic tests. RESULTS: The most frequent cause of syncope during tilt test was the dysautonomic pattern (43%), followed by mixed type neurocardiogenic syncope (35%). Most patients who remained asymptomatic during tilt test showed clear abnormal hemodynamic response during the exam. CONCLUSION: Autonomic dysfunction, which can be found during tilt test, is probably an important cause of syncope in the elderly, regardless of the occurrence of symptoms during the tilt test.

Parasympathetic-mediated atrial fibrillation during tilt test associated with increased baroreflex sensitivity.

The autonomic mechanism that triggered atrial fibrillation in a patient during tilt test was investigated. Neurocardiogenic syncope is often characterized by diminished baroreflex sensitivity during the hypotension period. Increased barorereflex sensitivity preceding the onset of atrial fibrillation in tilt testing may indicate the involvement of a vagally mediated mechanism, as shown in the present case.

Tilt table test in the differential diagnosis of refractory "epilepsy".

Epilepsy is one of the most frequent causes of neurological disorders in young adults. We report the case of a patient who lived with the diagnosis of refractory epilepsy for twelve years, when actually the cause of the symptoms could be found with the performance of a tilt table test. Cardiologists should be aware of the possible diagnosis of neurocardiogenic syncope in patients previously diagnosed with epilepsy, especially in those with difficult therapeutic control.