Body posture in elderly, physically active males.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the shape of anterior-posterior curvatures of the spine and to determine the values of body symmetry deviations in the frontal plane, in elderly males. The study group consisted of 34 males aged between 61 and 83 years, attending two hour-long training sessions a week. The comparative group consisted of 30 students. The photogrammetric method based on the Moire phenomenon was used to evaluate the body posture. The obtained data confirm characteristic tendencies of physiological spinal curvatures to change with the aging process. A decrease of the lumbar-sacral spinal-segment inclination and an increase of the upper thoracic spinal-segment inclination were observed in the elderly males. Whereas, the value of thoracic kyphosis lower-segment inclination was similar to the value obtained in young adult males. The stated differences indicate a flattening of lumbar lordosis and a deepening of the upper arch of thoracic kyphosis, which results in a characteristic body posture in the standing position with the head protruding and the upper trunk segment inclined. The above-mentioned observations indicate a dominance of the angular thoracic kyphosis value over the remaining spinal curvatures. These differences occur to a greater degree in elderly males.

[Clinical trials of solcoseryl in the treatment of parodontium diseases]. / Ocena kliniczna solcoserylu w leczeniu chorób przyzebia.

The effect of Solcoseryl on the clinical state of the parodontium was assessed in 26 patients aged from 18 to 57 years with the diagnosis of deep parodontopathies. Each patient received 30 ampoules of 2 ml of Solcoseryl for one course of the treatment. Submucous injections of the drug near the teeth 13, 23, 33 and 43 were done as follows: during the first 10 days one ampoule daily, then 10 injections every other day, and 10 injections at three-day intervals. The condition of the parodontium was assessed before and after the treatment by means of the PI, GI, GBI and teeth mobility indices, and measurements of the depth of gingival pouches--K, and volume of fluid in pouches SFFR according to Brill. The therapeutic method applied in these cases had a good effect on reduction of gingivitis, bleeding and volume of secreted pouch fluid but had only a small effect on teeth mobility and depth of gingival pouches.

[Effect of amiodarone and disopyramide on the results of electrocardiographic exercise stress testing in patients with coronary disease]. / Wplyw amiodaronu i dizopiramidu na wyniki elektrokardiograficznej próby wysilkowej u osób z choroba niedokrwienna serca.

The study was designed to assess the influences of antiarrhythmic therapy on exercise tolerance in patients with coronary artery disease and ventricular arrhythmias. Subjects for this study were subdivided into 3 groups: group I - 46 patients treated with amiodarone 1,200 mg daily during 10 days and 200-600 mg daily within next days, group II - 79 patients receiving disopyramide 300-600 mg daily, group III - 129 patients with combined administration of disopyramide 300-600 mg daily and propranolol 30-240 mg daily. propranolol 30-240 mg daily. Submaximal exercise stress testing was performed in each patient before treatment and after the medication for 4 weeks (group I) and for 2 weeks (groups II, III). The following parameters have been evaluated: maximal archived workload, maximal heart rate blood pressure response, double product (maximal heart rate x maximal systolic blood pressure), reasons for ending the test (target heart rate, typical angina, exhaustion, ST-segment depression greater than or equal to 2 mm, occurrence of ventricular arrhythmia, blood pressure greater than 250/120 mm Hg, significant drop in systolic pressure). Positive result of exercise ECG was defined: horizontal or down-sloping ST-segment depression greater than or equal to 1 mm and/or typical chest pain. The data from the first and second tests were estimated for significance of differences between the mean values with following results: 1) maximal achieved workload, 86 +/- 46 and 103 +/- 49 W (p less than 0.02) in group I; 101 +/- 64 and 106 +/- 50 W (NS) in group II; 107 +/- 55 and 119 +/- 54 W, W (p less than 0.01) in group III.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Intravenous treatment with streptokinase of acute myocardial infarction. II. Effect of patency of the artery supplying the infarction area on the infarction size and post-infarction impairement of left-ventricular function]. / Dozylne leczenie streptokinaza swiezego zawalu serca. II. Wplyw droznosci tetnicy zaopatrujacej obszar zawalu na mase zawalu i pozawalowy ubytek czynnosci lewej komory.

153 patients with a first acute myocardial infarction underwent the study. 90 of them received 1.000.000 units of streptokinase intravenously, followed by intravenous heparin administration for 5-7 days. The control group consisted of 63 remaining. In all patients serum CK-MB activity was determined every 4 hours for 72 hours: the infarct mass was calculated from the obtained curves. In 118 patients selective coronarography and left ventriculography was performed in the 2-nd or 3-rd week of hospitalisation. Left ventricular ejection fraction (E.F.) and dyssynergy index were calculated from ventriculographic data. Coronarography revealed a patent infarct-related artery in 76.7% of patients treated with streptokinase and in 44.4% of the control group (p less than 0.001). Among patients with a patent infarct-related artery an early peak of serum CK-MB activity (suggesting early recanalisation) occurred in 72.2% of streptokinase patients but in only 42.1% of the control group. Patients with a patent infarct-related artery had a significantly lower infarct mass (45 +/- 28 g vs 56 +/- 30 g), a lower left ventricular dyssynergy index (229 +/- 243 vs 348 +/- 247) and a significantly higher E.F. (63 +/- 12% vs 54 +/- 15%) compared with patients with an occluded artery.

[Ventricular arrhythmias and QT/QS2 index in patients with ischemic heart disease]. / Arytmie komorowe, a wskaznik QT/QS2 u chorych z choroba niedokrwienna serca.

This multicenter study comprised a group of 900 patients (207 females and 693 males, aged 23-68 years, mean 53) with ischaemic heart disease. Go medications other than nitrates, nifedipine and diuretics were administered at the time of study. In all patients a simultaneous standard 12-lead ecg and a phonocardiogram was registered. QT and QS2 intervals were then measured, and the QT/QS2 index calculated. QT/QS2 ratio 1.0 was considered as a normal one. A 24-h Holter ecg monitoring was performed in each patients, and ectopic ventricular activity was graded according to the Lown's classification. For patients with each class of arrhythmia the mean value of QT/QS2 was calculated. All means were similar, with values 1.0. Proportion of patients with abnormal values of QT/QS2 index was similar in patients showing different Lown classes of arrhythmia. Since a 24-hour monitoring does not give a full information about the arrhythmic events, patients with the history of VT/VF were analyzed separately. In this group an increase of QT/QS2 index was observed significantly more frequently than in other patients (37% vs 19%, p = 0.016). It is concluded that no close relationship exists between QT/QS2 index and the type of ventricular arrhythmia found on the Holter monitoring. However, pathologic QT/QS2 values seem to characterize the patients with increase risk of VT/VF.

[Effects of antiarrhythmic drugs on some echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular function in patients with ischemic heart disease]. / Wplyw leków przeciwarytmicznych na niektóre echokardiograficzne wskazniki czynnosci lewej komory u chorych z choroba niedokrwienna serca.

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of antiarrhythmic drugs on left ventricular function in 843 patients with ischaemic heart disease and ventricular arrhythmias (Lown classes 2-5). Rhythm abnormalities were observed by ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring before and after 2-weeks of antiarrhythmic therapy. Haemodynamic variables such as cardiac output (CO), ejection fraction (EF), stroke volume (SV), and ratio of myocardial contractility (RMC) were derived from the cross sectional echocardiography. Efficacy of the applied drugs was 42-71%. Of these antiarrhythmic agents only propranolol caused the deterioration of left ventricular performance, measured by CO; in mono-therapy propranolol produced significant changes (p less than 0.05), in combination with amiodarone--at point of significance. Mexiletine produced significant improvement in EF and SV (p less than 0.05). There were no significant changes in haemodynamic parameters after treatment with the other drugs.

[Value of Holter monitoring and the electrocardiographic exercise test in the diagnosis of silent ischemia after myocardial infarction]. / Wartosc badania holterowskiego i elektrokardiograficznej próby wysilkowej w diagnostyce bezbólowego niedokrwienia po przebytym zawale serca.

In 75 patients 24-hour ecg monitoring value was compared with exercise test in diagnostics of postinfarction silent ischemia. Results compatibility of both comparing examinations was 79% with regard to only painless ischemia (p less than 0.001) and 91% to both estimated painless or painful episodes (p less than 0.001). Painless ischemia was observed during ecg Holter monitoring and exercise test respectively in 39% and 35% of examined patients (NS) and/or with the angina respectively in 44% and 53% (p less than 0.01). 24-hour ecg monitoring and exercise test are of a comparable value in diagnosis of postinfarction silent ischemia, whereas in diagnostics of jointly estimated painless or painful ischemia the exercise test is a more sensitive examination than ecg Holter monitoring.

[Intravenous streptokinase treatment of acute myocardial infarction. I. Effect of the treatment on the course of infarction and the patency of the artery supplying the infarction area]. / Dozylne leczenie streptokinaza swiezego zawalu serca. I. wplyw leczenia na przegieg zawalu i droznosc tetnicy zaopatrujacej obszar zawalowy.

128 consecutive patients with a first myocardial infarction, admitted within 4 hours after the onset of an angina pain, were divided into two groups according to the history of the peptic ulcer. Group I (with a negative history, n = 72) received intravenously 1,000,000 units of streptokinase followed by intravenous heparin infusion for 5-7 days. Group II (with a positive history, n = 56) was the control one. In hospital mortality was 2.8% in group I and 5.3% in group II (N. S.). Coronarography performed during second or third week of hospitalization revealed the patency of a coronary artery supplying an infarcted region twice as frequent in group I than in group II (78% vs 41%, p less than 0.001). Percentage of patients with the early serum peak of CKMB activity (from 8 to 12 hours from the start of therapy) suggesting early recanalization of a coronary artery supplying an infarcted region was significantly higher in group I (44.7% and 70.1%) than in group II (7.8% and 19.5%). Both differences between groups were significant (p less than 0.001). Early serum peak of CKMB activity (from 8 to 12 hours from start of treatment) was stated respectively in 46.5% and 81.4% of patients of group I in which subsequent coronarography revealed the patency of a coronary artery supplying the infarcted region.

Acute poisoning with triethyltin in the rat. Changes in cerebral blood flow, cerebral oxygen consumption, arterial and cerebral venous blood gases.

Experiments were conducted with rats in two groups. In group 1 (survival group) triethyltin was administered i.p. once in a dose of 2.5 mg/kg body weight and in group 2 (terminal group) the animals received triethyltin in a dose of 9 mg/kg of body weight. Twelve and twenty-four hours after triethyltin injection a decrease of 30 to 40% in cerebral blood flow was observed in both groups. A decrease of systemic arterial blood pressure and changes in hematocrit value were found at that time. Progressive bradycardia was noted in all animals at all times of observation. Additionally, 48 h after intoxication, cerebral blood flow was increased in both groups by 13 to 24% above control values. The described changes were accompanied by macroscopic features of brain edema and changes in the cerebral vascular network. Cerebral oxygen consumption was augmented by about 18% 12 h after triethyltin injection in group 1. After 24 h it decreased by about 60% compared with control values, and after 48 h it returned to normal. In group 2 cerebral oxygen consumption was decreased significantly throughout the observation period. This reflects the state of cerebral metabolism at these stages of cerebral edema. The results underscore the necessity of simultaneous monitoring of cerebral blood flow and blood gases in order to distinguish between the particular stages of brain edema revealed by biochemical tests.