Transmission of electrocardiograms from a moving ambulance.

Delay is the enemy for patients with acute myocardial infarction. It would be helpful for the hospital cardiologist to interpret the patient's electrocardiogram (ECG) before the arrival of the ambulance. The aim of our study was to determine whether ECG transmission from an ambulance is feasible and to assess the time savings. An ambulance was equipped with an ECG recorder, which was connected to a notebook computer and coupled to a cellular telephone for transmission to a hospital-based station. Paramedics needed 2 min (SD 0.5) to record the ECG on the move and 34 s (SD 14) to transmit it. The ambulance arrived 15.5 min (SD 6.5) after reception. The time between arrival and ECG diagnosis, for a control group patient, was approximately 9.5 min (SD 3.5). Therefore, pre-hospital ECG diagnosis took place 25 min (SD 7.5) before in-hospital diagnosis. We conclude that ECG transmission from a moving ambulance is feasible, reduces in-hospital delays and allows faster triage in critical cardiac cases.

Corrected QT interval in relation to the severity of diabetic autonomic neuropathy.

The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent the existence of objective signs of diabetic autonomic neuropathy affects the corrected QT interval (QTc) in diabetic subjects. A total of 105 diabetic subjects (type 1, n = 53; type 2, n = 52) as well as 40 matched (by age and sex) control subjects were studied. All subjects underwent the battery of five Ewing tests. Autonomic neuropathy was diagnosed if two of the five tests were abnormal. In addition, the result of each test was considered as normal (grade = 0), borderline (grade = 1) or abnormal (grade = 2), and on the basis of the sum of the scores we calculated a total score for autonomic neuropathy. The QTc interval was measured at rest, and a value > 440 ms was considered abnormal. The QTc interval was significantly more prolonged in diabetic persons with autonomic neuropathy than in those without neutopathy and in control subjects: 408.4 +/- 24.2 ms vs. 394.6 +/- 27.9 ms and 393.6 +/- 25.5 ms respectively (P = 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analysis controlling for age, sex, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), smoking, type and duration of diabetes, type of treatment, HBA1c and total score of autonomic neuropathy eliminated the role of all these factors as potential confounders except for the total score of autonomic neuropathy, which was found to affect QTc interval independently and significantly (P = 0.012). In summary, the present study confirmed the well-known relation between autonomic neuropathy and QTc interval; in addition, it showed that QTc prolongation is associated with major degrees of autonomic neuropathy.

Greek physicians' and dentists' compliance with the British society for antimicrobial chemotherapy (BSAC) guidelines for preventing bacterial endocarditis.

Two thousand questionnaires inquiring about applied prophylaxis for bacterial endocarditis were sent to practicing doctors in Greece. Two hundred and ninety-nine questionnaires were completed and returned (15% response rate) and were subsequently divided into two groups: Group A (163) consisting of responses from dentists, chest physicians and ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists and group B (136) including responses from gastroenterologists, gynecologists, urologists and radiologists. The percentage of correct answers given in response by clinicians in Groups A and B to the main questions and in accordance with the 1992 guidelines of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) were respectively: (a) 53% vs 35% asked patients their previous history pertaining to valve disease, rheumatic fever or prosthetic valve surgery; (b) 55% vs 33% administered prophylaxis to patients with relevant history prior to medical procedures; (c) 67% vs 0% of prescribing doctors administered the appropriate antibacterials; (d) 33% vs 31% initiated prophylaxis in proper timing prior to medical procedure; (e) 14% vs 13% administered antibiotics in correct time/route/duration of infusion where applicable, prior to medical procedure; (f) 7% of group A doctors administering recommended antibiotics, implemented prophylaxis with correct time/route/dosage while, although none of group B doctors administered recommended antibiotics, 7% implemented prophylaxis with correct time/route recommendations; (g) an overall 2% of doctors from both groups met the BSAC recommendations. In conclusion, it is imperative that the appropriate training of doctors in all subspecialties regarding prophylaxis of bacterial endocarditis and according to current recommendations be carried out.

Peripheral occlusive arterial disease in longstanding diabetes mellitus. A population study.

One hundred and seventy-five diabetic patients belonging to the same cohort were investigated. They were all inhabitants of a suburb of Athens and were initially identified during a diabetes detection drive conducted 11 years earlier. The study comprised a full physical examination, answering of a detailed questionnaire--with emphasis on signs of intermittent claudication (IC)--and a 12 lead ECG (analyzed according to the Minnesota code). It was shown that clinical signs of peripheral occlusive arterial disease were significantly associated to male sex, increased duration of diabetes, type of treatment and major ECG signs of coronary heart disease, while increased age, current smoking and existence ease, while increased age, current smoking and existence of hypertension were not significantly associated to POAD.

Titration of nadolol in the treatment of hypertension.

An open, observer-blind, therapeutic titration trial was carried out in 28 patients with mild or moderate essential hypertension to determine the effective dose range of nadolol given once a day. 11 patients became normotensive (supine diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg or below) with 80 mg, 4 with 120 mg and 1 with 160 mg. The largest step in the reduction of blood pressure was achieved with the first dose step of 80 mg, and only a small, nonsignificant further decrease was obtained with higher dose levels. Thus, nadolol, unlike propranolol, has a narrow effective dose range, and this should permit a brief dose adjustment period, which would be important in improving patient compliance.

Clinical experience with indanyl carbenicillin in urinary tract infections.

A trial was carried out in 30 patients to assess the effectiveness of indanyl carbenicillin in acute or chronic urinary tract infections, many of which were complicated by a pathological urological or medical condition. In all patients, infection was due to a single species of pathogen: E. coli (19), Proteus (6), and Pseudomonas (5). Oral doses of 1 g indanyl carbenicillin were given 6-hourly for an average of 10 days. Results showed a clinical and bacteriological cure in 13 (43.8%) patients. In 6 patients, although there was initial clinical improvement, the pathogen developed resistance during therapy. In 7 patients, there was super-infection with another organism. Four patients were withdrawn early in treatment because of side-effects, mainly gastrointestinal in origin. Indanyl carbenicillin proved very effective in eradicating all strains of Proteus and Pseudomonas and 12 (70.6%) of the 17 strains of E. coli in patients completing the full course of treatment.