Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0018801 (heart failure)
 72,216 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Wide albumin gradient (transudative) ascites is usually due to liver disease but may also result from many other disorders, including heart failure, hepatic infiltration by tumor, hepatic vein thrombosis, and veno-occlusive disease. It has not been linked with small bowel obstruction. Narrow albumin gradient (exudative) ascites, usually due to peritoneal carcinoma or inflammation, has been noted in cases of necrotic or perforated bowel, but simple small bowel obstruction has not previously been appreciated as a possible cause for ascites. We report a patient who developed wide albumin gradient ascites and secondary bacterial peritonitis in association with small bowel obstruction. The small bowel obstruction, ascites, and peritonitis resolved with lysis of a single abdominal adhesion.
 ...
PMID:Ascites and secondary bacterial peritonitis associated with small bowel obstruction. 805 42

Theophylline is a bronchodilator used extensively in the management of obstructive pulmonary disease. Factors implicated in altered theophylline clearance include smoking, age, concomitant drug intake, liver disease and left ventricular heart failure. However, evidence now suggests that theophylline clearance may be altered by changes in severity of the pulmonary obstruction, hypoxia and variation in arterial pH. The in vitro disposition of theophylline has been evaluated in isolated rat livers and mouse hepatocytes. In vivo studies have assessed the metabolism of theophylline under hypoxia in rats, rabbits and dogs. In isolated mouse hepatocytes and rat livers, low oxygen concentrations resulted in higher theophylline concentrations, a longer elimination half-life and a decrease in the production of the metabolite 1,3-dimethyl uric acid, suggesting impaired metabolism of theophylline. In rabbits, hypoxia, hypercapnia and respiratory acidosis decreased total body clearance and increased plasma theophylline concentrations. On the other hand, experiments involving dogs showed no significant changes in theophylline concentrations or pharmacokinetic parameters with hypoxia. At present, animal studies remain inconclusive. This can be attributed to the use of different animal models and variations in study methodology, including the extent and duration of hypoxia and acidaemia, concurrent acid-base disorders such as hypercapnia, as well as the severity of pulmonary obstruction. Human studies assessing alterations in theophylline disposition secondary to the hypoxia present in pulmonary disease are few and include mostly case reports and observational studies. There is evidence suggesting decreased theophylline clearance and protein binding during acute illness and some consensus can be achieved using case reports and controlled studies. There is additional evidence that drug clearance decreases with age and that elderly patients may have a decreased theophylline clearance at baseline. However, the most obvious markers appear to be the severity of pulmonary disease and the rate of change in the patient's condition. Caution should be exercised when administering theophylline to elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presenting with acute exacerbations of a concomitant respiratory illness, as these patients appear to be most likely to exhibit altered theophylline metabolism. Therefore, they would be at increased risk for toxicity should conventional dosages be used during an acute respiratory event.
 ...
PMID:Hypoxia, arterial pH and theophylline disposition. 826 13

Retrospective studies suggest increased postoperative morbidity among alcohol misusers. We have prospectively studied the risk associated with alcohol intake among patients undergoing surgery. We investigated 15 persons who required colorectal surgery and who were drinking at least five Danish drinks per day. These patients were matched for sex, nutrition, age, weight, cardio-pulmonary disease, diagnosis anesthesia, and surgery to 15 control persons who were consuming no more than two drinks daily. None of the patients showed signs of liver disease. The alcohol group developed more postoperative complications than controls (67 vs 20%, p < 0.05) and hospital stay was prolonged (20 vs 12 days, p < 0.05). Preoperatively, alcohol misusers had reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (54 vs 68%, p < 0.01). Delayed-type hypersensitivity responses were reduced in the alcohol group before (53 mm2 vs 78, p < 0.05) and after (18 mm2 vs 55, p < 0.01) surgery. Alcohol misusers had significantly longer bleeding times. Surgical stress responses, as assessed by changes in plasma cortisol and catecholamines, were higher among alcohol misusers (p < 0.05). Postoperative morbidity was increased in alcohol misusers without signs of liver damage. The mechanisms may include subclinical cardiac insufficiency, immunosuppression, and decreased haemostatic function. Preoperative alcohol consumption may be a more important risk factor for postoperative morbidity than previously thought.
 ...
PMID:[Postoperative morbidity among alcohol abusers]. 829 17

Medicolegal evaluation of 1495 cases of unnatural death of last 10 years was carried out in our department and the data so obtained were statistically analysed. The cases consisted of 260 inspections, 865 judicial autopsies and 370 administrative autopsies. The most frequent category was death from diseases followed by suicide, homicide, traffic accidents, other accidents and self originated accidents. In homicide cases, sharp objects were mainly used. Six cases of accident of scuba diving were included within the group of 28 cases of drowning of self originated variety. Although Okinawa is subtropical 12 cases of death by accidental hypothermia were found. Gangland fight using rifles cost 7 lives, 2 policemen, a high school student and 4 members of locally originated gangsters during last 18 months. Cardiac insufficiency was the most common of sudden unexpected death cases that complied with the data of Tokyo and Osaka. Death from alimentary disorder in Okinawa was 1.5 times more frequent than that in Tokyo and Osaka and liver disorder accounted for about 41%. The 68 cases of death from suckling contained 10 SIDS cases. Complication of medical treatment was encountered in 9 cases during the past 10 years.
 ...
PMID:[Statistical observations on the cases of unnatural deaths examined at our department during the past 10 years]. 831 63

Many patients find polyethylene glycol-based preparations (PEG) difficult to take because of the large volume of fluid they are required to consume. One hundred and sixteen predominantly elderly patients were randomized to receive either sodium phosphate (n = 61) or PEG (n = 55) bowel preparations before colonoscopy. Patients with a history of symptomatic ischaemic heart disease or cerebrovascular disease in the preceding 6 months, severe liver disease or heart failure, or serum creatinine above 200 micrograms/L were excluded from the study. Each patient filled in a questionnaire about the bowel preparation prior to the procedure. The colonoscopists, who were not aware which preparation had been used, were asked to complete a questionnaire about the quality of the bowel preparation after the procedure. The patients found the sodium phosphate preparation slightly more tolerable than PEG. Side effects were slightly more common with sodium phosphate. Neither difference was statistically significant. However, 91% of patients who had previously had PEG found sodium phosphate easier to take. Approximately 25% of patients in each group experienced at least one episode of incontinence. The colonoscopists found no difference in the overall quality of the bowel preparation. The amount of fluid in the colon was greater in patients prepared with PEG. As expected, patients taking sodium phosphate developed hyperphosphataemia (mean phosphate level before colonoscopy 1.56 mmol/L, normal 0.8 -1.3). They also had a lower mean serum potassium level (3.8 mmol/L) than the PEG group (4.2 mmol/L). However, there were no clinically significant consequences. Sodium phosphate was a safe and effective bowel preparation for colonoscopy in this carefully selected group of patients. It was preferred by patients who had previously had PEG. Many elderly patients were found to develop faecal incontinence, irrespective of the type of bowel preparation used.
 ...
PMID:Bowel preparation for colonoscopy: a randomized prospective trail comparing sodium phosphate and polyethylene glycol in a predominantly elderly population. 867 52

Previous studies showed increased growth hormone (GH) plasma levels in patients with severe heart failure. It has been hypothesized that the activation of adenohypophysis determines the enhanced release of GH. The present study was designed to verify whether impaired hepatic function, due to biventricular cardiac failure and hepatic stasis, by reducing synthesis and release of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), may affect the negative feedback mechanism of the IGF-1 on GH secretion. We studied 20 normotensive, non diabetic patients without primitive liver disease; 10 patients in NYHA functional class IV with clinical signs of biventricular cardiac impairment and hepatic stasis (Group A); 10 patients in NYHA functional class III with prevalent left ventricular dysfunction (Group B). Blood samples for radioimmunologic determination of GH, IGF-1, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), proteins, albumin plasma levels and transaminase plasma levels measurements, were collected 24 hours before hemodynamic study. Group A patients had clinical and hemodynamic signs of hepatic stasis with impaired liver function (SGOT 68 +/- 5.5 U/l; SGPT 89 +/- 4.3 U/1; proteins 4.56 +/- 0.4 g/dl with albumin/globulin ratio < 1; albumin plasma levels 2.8 +/- 0.7 g/dl). The parameters were normal in Group B (SGOT 16 +/- 3.7 U/l;SGPT 13 +/- 1.9 U/l; proteins 7.5 +/- 0.7 g/dl with albumin/globulin ratio > or = 1.5;albumin plasma levels 4.2 +/- 1.2 g/dl). ANF values, over normal range in both groups, were significantly higher in Group A (157.9 +/- 43.9 vs 65.6 +/- 14.6 fmol/ml.p < 0.0001). In Group A GH values were increased (4.9 +/- 4.5 vs 0.12 +/- 0.04 ng/ml); on the contrary IGF-1 values were lower (187.9 +/- 98.2 vs 260.4 +/- 141.4 ng/ml, p < 0.01). The comparison between IGF-1 and albumin plasma levels showed a high correlation either in Group A (r = 0.88, p < 0.001;) or in Group B (r = 0.81, p < 0.001). Our findings allow to hypothesize that the reduced hepatic synthesis and release of IGF-1 may be responsible for the lack of trophic action of GH on cardiac myocytes in patients with biventricular heart failure and hepatic stasis.
 ...
PMID:[Changes in growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 axis in patients with normal pituitary function and biventricular cardiac failure and hepatic stasis]. 876 34

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is an unusual form of cardiomyopathy during childhood. Only occasional cases or reduced populations have been reported in international journals. The purpose of this report is to document the clinical, echocardiographic and hemodynamic profile and outcome of restrictive cardiomyopathy in a group of four children (two boys and two girls). The mean age at admission was 3.5 +/- 2.7 years (range 1(3/12) to 7(10/12) years). The diagnosis was made by clinical, echocardiographic and hemodynamic criteria. The main symptoms were bronchial disease (two patients), hepatomegaly and a cardiac murmur. All of the patients had impaired growth and physical development, normal or near-normal Rx cardiothoracic ratio, evidence of congestive heart failure and only one of them showed a cardiac murmur. The most common ECG finding was biatrial enlargement and incomplete right-bundle branch block. The echocardiographic feature was severe biatrial dilatation in the presence of normal ventricular cavity size. Left ventricular shortening was normal and there was diastolic dysfunction. Doppler mitral flow was restrictive, with an E/A ration > 1.5. Marked elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was noted in cardiac catheterization (x = 32 +/- 7 mmHg). Right ventricular end-diastolic pressure was elevated, but less than the left side (x = 19 +/- 12 mmHg). The outcome was very poor. Two patients died, one remains with heart failure NYHA II and the other with heart failure NYHA IV. We conclude that restrictive cardiomyopathy during childhood may simulate a bronchial or liver disease, so we must bear this in mind in order to make the differential diagnosis. Because of the poor prognosis and lack of specific treatment, the best therapeutic option may be heart transplantation.
 ...
PMID:[Restrictive myocardiopathy in children. A study of 4 patients]. 883 May 90

To assess the longevity of the liver, arterialized, orthotopic liver grafts were performed using syngeneic male BN/BiRij rats. Young (5-month-old) livers were transplanted into 5-month-old recipients (group I, n = 27), and old (28-month-old) livers were transplanted into 5-month-old rats (group II, n = 28). Recipient survival after transplantation was similar in both groups. The average age of the livers at the time of death was 16.7 months in group I and 39.1 months in group II. Four of the livers in group II survived for more than 4 years (48.1 to 52.4 months). Early deaths (less than 1 year) after transplantation were most commonly caused by biliary obstruction and cholangitis in both groups. Late deaths (more than 1 year) after grafting were mainly from heart failure or tumors. None of the animals died of liver failure or liver disease. Weight gain in the rats, total serum protein levels, and alanine transaminase levels after transplantation did not differ significantly between the two groups. There was a trend for the histological features of aging of the liver-fibrosis, bile duct proliferation, and pigment deposition-to become more prevalent as the livers became very old (mean age, 46 months). Nevertheless, typical aging changes, as individual findings, were absent in nearly half of the oldest organs. The alterations in morphology had no apparent effect on the ability of the livers to sustain the lives of the recipients. The liver of the BN/BiRij rat was capable of surviving far beyond the maximum life span of BN/BiRij rats, and rats in general. It did not become diseased in the process.
 ...
PMID:Assessment of the longevity of the liver using a rat transplant model. 902 57

Ischemic hepatitis, a relatively infrequent disorder occurring in 0.16% to 0.50% of patients admitted to medical intensive care units, often follows episodes of hypotension or acute heart failure. Investigating the clinical characteristics of patients with ischemic hepatitis may add to our understanding of the pathogenesis and significance of this syndrome. We therefore conducted a retrospective analysis of 34 patients to examine the possible contribution of the various baseline characteristics to the severity of the hepatic damage. In all patients liver disease was unexpected and in some, liver dysfunction dominated the clinical picture. All patients had high serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (mean +/- SE, 2073 +/- 255 international units and 6085 +/- 748 international units, respectively). The mean SGPT/LDH ratio was 0.34. Most patients had coagulopathy with a prolonged prothrombin time (mean +/- SE, 5.86 +/- 1.37 international normalized ratio [INR]). The most common diagnosis on admission was respiratory distress secondary to various causes. Before the development of the hepatic dysfunction, respiratory failure and hypoxemia were observed in 68% of the patients, whereas hypotension was observed in only 38%. More than 90% of the patients had three or more associated comorbid conditions. The most frequent of these were left heart failure (88.2%), right heart failure (67.6%), chronic obstructive lung disease (58.8%), and chronic renal failure (55.9%). During the acute episode, more than 90% of the patients had transient deterioration of their renal functions. Hypoglycemia was noted in 11 patients (32.4%), and the glucose level was inversely correlated with the SGPT level (r = -0.43, p = 0.01). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that left heart failure, systolic blood pressure lower than 90 mm Hg, and female gender, together, accounted for 34% of the variance of the peak SGPT levels (p = 0.002). Fourteen (41.2%) patients died during the 3-month follow-up period, but none from the hepatic injury. None of the clinical or laboratory parameters measured predicted mortality. Clearly, ischemic hepatitis is associated with a high risk of death. The characteristic patients are those with multiple underlying systemic diseases and conditions, especially those with left heart failure. Liver function test results and levels of liver enzymes should be monitored in these patients, particularly when they are admitted for respiratory deterioration and episodes of hypotension.
 ...
PMID:Ischemic hepatitis: clinical and laboratory observations of 34 patients. 960 Mar 66

The recent discovery of aquaporins, a family of highly conserved water channel proteins, which are expressed in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, has provoked a re-evaluation of the physiology of water transport in all organisms. So far, seven distinct aquaporins have been characterised in mammals, but highly homologous family members have also been found in amphibians, insects, plants and bacteria. These transmembrane proteins serve to facilitate water transport down osmotic gradients with low activation energy. Alterations in channel expression, cellular targeting and perhaps channel permeability regulate membrane water transport. Naturally occurring and experimentally produced mutations in aquaporins cause a variety of perturbations of water homeostasis. Manipulation of aquaporin expression may have a therapeutic role in several disease processes including cardiac failure and the ascites associated with liver disease.
 ...
PMID:The aquaporins. A family of water channel proteins. 960 69


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>