New microsatellite markers for bananas (Musa spp).

Thirty-four microsatellite markers (SSRs) were identified in EST and BAC clones from Musa acuminata burmannicoides var. Calcutta 4 and validated in 22 Musa genotypes from the Banana Germplasm Bank of Embrapa-CNPMF, which includes wild and improved diploids. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 14. The markers were considered highly informative based on their polymorphism information content values; more than 50% were above 0.5. These SSRs will be useful for banana breeding programs, for studies of genetic diversity, germplasm characterization and selection, development of saturated genetic linkage maps, and marker assisted selection.

[Diuretics improve functional capacity in patients with congestive heart failure]. / Diuréticos melhoram a capacidade funcional em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca congestiva.

PURPOSE: The 6-9 minute walking test was used in this study to evaluate the impact of these drugs on functional capacity of patients admitted to the Hospital because of Heart Failure (CHF). METHODS: Ten patients (5 males and 5 females) with mean age of 47 years and NYHACHF functional class III or IV underwent a 6-9 minute walking test at admission and on the day of discharge from the Hospital. The following parameters were evaluated both at admission and discharge: body weight, echocardiography-derived LV dimensions and function, plasmatic levels of sodium, potassium, Bun, creatinine, hemoglobin and hematocrit. Treatment consisted of increasing outpatient dose of furosemide (IV and/or PO) plus the association of thiazide if necessary. The previous dose regimen of digitalis, ACE inhibitors or the association nitrate and hydralazine was kept unchanged. RESULTS: Time to compensation of CHF varied from 4 to 30 days (mean 8.7 +/- 7.8 days). LV end diastolic dimension varied from 47 to 81mm. LV EF spanned from 0.26 to 0.74. The 6min walking distance improved from 193.4 +/- 71.5m to 341.8 +/- 67.7m (p < 0.00002) and the 9min walking distance from 268.1 +/- 119.6m to 518.0 +/- 114.8m (p < 0.00005). Hemoglobin, hematocrit, BUN, creatinine and sodium levels were unchanged from admission to discharge, whereas plasma potassium level increased from 4.0 +/- 0.9mEq/l to 4.69 +/- 1.00mEq/l (p = 0.01), and body weight was reduced from 58.9 +/- 6.42kg to 52.9 +/- 5.3lkg (p < 0.0006). CONCLUSION: Compensating CHF with diuretics leads to a significant improvement in physical capacity. This benefit already evident in the in-hospital phase.

Diuréticos melhoram a capacidade funcional em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca congestiva / Diuretics improve functional capacity in patients with congestive heart failure

OBJETIVO - Quantificar a influência do diuréticos/ na capacidade funcional em portadores de insuficiência cardíaca congestiva (ICC) descompensada, através do teste de caminhada. MÉTODOS - Estudamos 10 pacientes internados, com idade média de 47 anos, sendo cinco do sexo masculino, com ICC descompensada, em classe funcional III e IV (NYHA), submetidos ao teste de caminhada de 6 e 9min na admissäo e alta. Foram obtidos registros na admissäo e alta, do peso, do ecocardiograma, sódio, potássio, uréia, creatinina séricos, hematócrito e hemoglobina. O tratamneot instituído foi o aumento da dose prévia de furosemida EV e/ou VO, associado ou näo a diurético tiazídico, tendo sido mantidas as doses prévias de digital, captoril ou da associaçäo de nitrato e hidralazina. RESULTADOS - O período de compensaçäo variou entre 4 a 30 dias (médias 8,7ñ7,8 dias). Ao ecocardiograma bidimensional apresentaram diâmetro do ventrículo esquerdo que variou de 47 a 81mm e a fraçäo de ejeçäo de 0,26 a 0,74. A distância caminhada em 6min passou de 193,4ñ71,5m para 341,8ñ67,7m (p menor 0,00002) e em 9min passou de 268,1ñ119,6m para 518,0ñ114,8m (p menor 0,00005). Näo houve diferença estatística entre os valores, na admissäo e alta, do hematócrito, hemoglobina, uréia, creatinina e sódio. O potássio sérico médio à admissäo era de 4,0ñ0,91mEq/l e na alta 4,69ñ1,00mEq/l (p=0,01) e o peso dos pacientes na admissäo e na alta foi de 58,9ñ6,42kg para 52,9ñ5,31kg, respectivamente (p menor 0,0006). CONCLUSÄO - A compensaçäo da ICC com o uso de diurético induziu a uma melhora importante, a curto prazo, da capacidade física dos pacientes, demostrada pelo /aumento da distância caminhada em 6 e 9min. O diurético melhorou significativamente o desempenho físico.

[When does the treatment with captopril show a better improvement in physical performance in patients with heart failure?]. / Em que momento do tratamento o uso do captopril determina melhora mais acentuada do desempenho físico em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca?

PURPOSE: Considering that heart failure reduces exercise capacity and that converting enzyme inhibitor increases this capacity, using the 6 min walk test we try to demonstrate when the treatment with captopril shows a better improvement in exercise capacity in patients with heart failure. METHODS: Twenty one patients with functional class II or III heart failure (NYHA), left ventricular diastolic diameter greater than 55 mm and with ejection fraction less than 45% were studied. Twelve were male, and the patients mean age was 48 years. The patients were first treated with digital and diuretics and after stabilized they received captopril 25 mg three times a day and underwent the 6 min walk test before the treatment and after four and 16 weeks. RESULTS: The use of captopril showed important improvement in exercise capacity in patients with heart failure. The mean walking distance on the 6 min test was 451 m at the beginning, 476 m in four weeks and 504 in 16 weeks of treatment (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our data show important improvement in exercise capacity with 16 weeks of treatment and that 50% of this improvement occurred after four weeks of treatment. We concluded that the results are already observed within four weeks of treatment and continues to improve during at least four months of treatment.

[Exercise capacity evaluation in patients with mild to moderate left ventricular dysfunction. Influence of captopril]. / Avaliação da capacidade de exercício em pacientes com disfunção ventricular esquerda de leve a moderada. A influência do captopril.

PURPOSE: To analyse the captopril influence on physical activity on the six or nine minute walk test in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and mild or moderate failure. METHODS: Twenty one patients with functional class II or III heart failure and left ventricular diastolic diameter greater than 55 mm and with ejection fraction less than 45% were studied. Twelve were male, and the patients age range from 34 to 63 years old (mean 48 years). The protocol has 18 weeks of duration, the first two weeks constitute a washout period, and 16 of effective use of captopril 25 mg tid. The patients were submitted to clinical and laboratory evaluations, to echocardiogram study and six and nine minute walk test (distance of walk), before, through out, and after the protocol. RESULTS: The distance of walk on six minute test were 451 m at the beginning, and 476 m in 4 weeks and 504 m at 16 weeks of treatment (p < 0.0001). At nine minute test it was respectively 599, 652 and 692 m (p < 0.001). The echocardiographic evaluation showed significative reduction of the left ventricular diastolic diameter and an increase of the left ventricular ejection fraction. The clinical evaluation after the treatment showed that 45% comes to functional class I, and only 10% stayed in class III. CONCLUSION: Captopril 25 mg tid improves clinical performance significantly, with improvement of walk distance at six or nine minute of test, and with reduction of left ventricular end diastolic diameter and systolic function improvement. The results permits to conclude that captopril improves significantly the physical activity of patients with heart failure, this improves were observed with one months of therapy but is more evident with four months of effective treatment.

[Pericardial disease erroneously diagnosed as endomyocardial fibrosis. Report of 2 cases]. / Pericardiopatia com falso diagnóstico de endomiocardiofibrose. Relato de dois casos.

Two patients who were sent to operation with diagnosis of endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) turned out to have pericardial disease. EMF had been suspected on the basis of clinical history, electrocardiographic, radiologic and echocardiographic data. The hemodynamic studies were "typical", and included apex amputation, flat ventricular surface and mitral and tricuspid insufficiencies. Thus, ventriculography should not be considered specific, but rather suggestive of endomyocardial fibrosis.