ABSTRACT
The effectiveness of bisphosphonate treatment for post-menopausal osteoporosis depends on patients adhering to the therapeutic regimen. We previously showed that patients prefer a once-monthly regimen and the present follow-up study aimed to analyse patients' motivation for this preference. Women with post-menopausal osteoporosis (n = 2035) completed a questionnaire targeting their bisphosphonate treatment preferences. The majority had chosen the once-monthly regimen due to the comfort (69%) and simplicity (59%) of the treatment and the need to take fewer pills (55%). Friends, relatives and print media were highlighted as important sources of information and many patients indicated a need for more information about osteoporosis and its management. Gastrointestinal and muscular side-effects were reported by about one-third of the patients, but these were well tolerated. It is concluded that once-monthly bisphosphonate treatment was preferred due to improved quality of life and should be offered to all patients with post-menopausal osteoporosis.
Subject(s)
Bone Density Conservation Agents/administration & dosage , Diphosphonates/administration & dosage , Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal/drug therapy , Consumer Health Information , Drug Administration Schedule , Female , Humans , Information Dissemination , Middle Aged , Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal/physiopathology , Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal/psychology , Patient Satisfaction , Quality of Life , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in QRST integral maps in patients with ARVC. BACKGROUND: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a progressive disorder of predominantly right ventricle characterized with arrhythmic events possibly leading to sudden cardiac death. QRST integral maps reflect local disparities of ventricular repolarization and resulting vulnerability to arrhythmias. METHODS: A group of 8 patients with ARVC and a control group of 8 patients with a concealed accessory pathway were studied. Body surface mapping was performed using a 63-lead Savard's system. RESULTS: Mean QRST integral map of patients with ARVC showed abnormal characteristics. The area of negativity was larger than normal and extended to lower border of thorax. Departure map of the mean QRST integral map of patients with ARVC showed areas with departure index < 2 and > 2 in lower part of chest and upper part of back. When statistically analyzed, areas with p < 0.05 covered nearly lower half of chest and upper half of back. CONCLUSIONS: We consider body surface QRST integral mapping to be an adequate method for evaluation of dispersion of ventricular repolarization in ARVC patients (Tab. 1, Fig. 5, Ref. 17).
Subject(s)
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/physiopathology , Body Surface Potential Mapping , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Signal Processing, Computer-AssistedABSTRACT
Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are the pacemaker cells in the gut. They have special properties that make them unique in their ability to generate and propagate slow waves in gastrointestinal muscles. The electrical slow wave activity determines the characteristic frequency of phasic contractions of the stomach, intestine and colon. Slow waves also determine the direction and velocity of propagation of peristaltic activity, in concert with the enteric nervous system. Characterization of receptors and ion channels in the ICC membrane is under way, and manipulation of slow wave activity markedly alters the movement of contents through the gut. Gastric myoelectrical slow wave activity produced by pacemaker cells (ICC) can be reflected by electrogastrography (EGG). Electrogastrography is a perspective non-invasive method that can detect gastric dysrhythmias associated with symptoms of nausea or delayed gastric emptying.
Subject(s)
Biological Clocks/physiology , Electrophysiology , Peristalsis/physiology , Animals , Enteric Nervous System/physiology , Gastrointestinal Tract/cytology , Gastrointestinal Tract/physiology , Humans , Ion Channels/physiology , Mesoderm/cytology , Mesoderm/physiology , Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/physiology , Periodicity , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit/physiologyABSTRACT
Acute cardiac allograft rejection can be detected by the SA ECG only with intraindividual comparison of the recordings. Standard SA ECG parameters are not useful in the rejection detection and until now no absolute spectral parameter indicating acute rejection was discovered. Frequency analysis of the QRS complex is characterized by changes in the frequency spectra 70-110 Hz. The Wigner-Ville analysis provides new possibilities for frequency analysis and markers of acute and chronic cardiac allograft rejection using Wigner-Ville distribution are intensively studied.
