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We investigated whether water has a 'memory' for succussion compared to unsuccussed controls. The method is based on a bioassay using dinoflagellates. The duration of memory measured by this method is at least 10 min, and may be longer. The effect may be based upon solitons. A hypothesis about the mode of action of homeopathy may be experimentally investigated by this method.

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Various studies demonstrated an interdependence between rheological parameters and advanced stages not only of ischaemic heart disease and peripheral arterial occlusive disease, but also of chronic obstructive lung disease. In ischaemic heart disease, rheological alterations in the poststenotic circulation can result in impairment of the oxygen supply of the myocardium. Rheological therapies aim for a reduction in plasma viscosity and improved microcirculatory flow by means of a reduction of the elevated levels of fibrinogen. As an example, intermittent therapy with urokinase has been established as a treatment of refractory angina pectoris. Treatment with fibrates also can result in an improvement of microcirculation due to reduced hepatic fibrinogen synthesis. Treatment with statins leads to an improvement of microcirculation due to effects on serum lipids. In patients with chronic obstructive lung disease and cor pulmonale who, secondary to chronic hypoxia, develop polycythaemia and disturbances in pulmonary microcirculation, isovolumic haemodilution may result in a reduction of pulmonary arterial pressure with consecutively increased cardiac output and improved exercise capacity.

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BACKGROUND: Intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS) imaging is the most sensitive method for the early detection and serial evaluation of vasculopathy of transplants. Both lack of agreement between observers and lack of agreement between serial, independent pullback procedures (repeatability), which can result in a variable intraluminal catheter position may limit the reproducibility of ICUS measurements. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reproducibility of serial measurements of standard linear and area cross-sectional coronary dimensions in patients with non-obstructive transplant vasculopathy. METHODS: We performed ICUS imaging of patients without angiographic evidence of obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease after heart transplantation. A 30 MHz phased-array transducer was used. Two independent pullbacks of the left anterior descending coronary artery were performed and recorded on CD-ROM for off-line quantitative analysis of the most severely diseased site. Agreement of observers and repeatability of serial measurements were calculated by the use of linear regression analysis and Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: Regarding agreement of observers, correlation coefficients for intra-observer agreement ranged from r = 0.98 to r = 0.99; those for interobserver agreement ranged from r = 0.87 to r = 0.98. Serial measurements of the identical coronary artery cross-section within independent catheter pullback procedures were possible for 104 of 112 target lesions (92.90/%). Correlation coefficients ranged from r = 0.91 to r = 0.97 (for lumen diameter r = 0.91, for lumen area r = 0.93, for vessel diameter r = 0.91, for vessel area r = 0.97, for thickness of plaque r = 0.96 and for area of plaque 0.94). The mean difference of measurements was around zero for all parameters with SD from 0.13 to 0.4 mm for linear parameters and from 1.53 to 1.82 mm2 for area parameters. CONCLUSION: Serial intravascular ultrasound measurements are highly reproducible without any evidence of systematic error and a SD of differences of measurements beyond the maximal spatial resolution of currently available intravascular ultrasound catheters.

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OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of intracoronary dipyridamole on the incidence of abrupt vessel closure, myocardial infarction, necessity for bypass grafting, and death following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). PATIENTS: Patients were randomly allocated to receive either conventional pretreatment (heparin 15 000 IU and aspirin 500 mg intravenously) or additional intracoronary dipyridamole (0.5 mg/kg bodyweight). Dipyridamole was administered in 550 PTCA procedures (455 interventions in men, mean (SD) age 59.2 (8.4) years; 74 acute coronary syndromes), while conventional pretreatment was administered in 544 interventions (444 interventions in men 58.3 (7.9) years old; 81 acute coronary syndromes). In 53 interventions bail out stenting was performed for threatened abrupt vessel closure. RESULTS: Intracoronary dipyridamole significantly reduced the incidence of abrupt vessel closure (odds ratio 0.42. 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.22 to 0.79). While abrupt vessel closure occurred in 6.1% of interventions following conventional pretreatment, dipyridamole reduced the incidence to 2.5%. Restricting the analysis to balloon angioplasty, this reduction was observed in patients with stable angina (odds ratio 0.49, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.96) as well as in those with acute coronary syndromes (odds ratio 0.29, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.87). Reduction of secondary end points in the dipyridamole treated patients failed to reach significance in the PTCA group. CONCLUSIONS: Intracoronary dipyridamole before PTCA reduces the incidence of abrupt vessel closure following PTCA for stable angina and acute coronary syndromes.

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BACKGROUND: Myocardial perfusion reserve can be noninvasively assessed with cardiovascular MR. In this study, the diagnostic accuracy of this technique for the detection of significant coronary artery stenosis was evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 15 patients with single-vessel coronary artery disease and 5 patients without significant coronary artery disease, the signal intensity-time curves of the first pass of a gadolinium-DTPA bolus injected through a central vein catheter were evaluated before and after dipyridamole infusion to validate the technique. A linear fit was used to determine the upslope, and a cutoff value for the differentiation between the myocardium supplied by stenotic and nonstenotic coronary arteries was defined. The diagnostic accuracy was then examined prospectively in 34 patients with coronary artery disease and was compared with coronary angiography. A significant difference in myocardial perfusion reserve between ischemic and normal myocardial segments (1.08+/-0.23 and 2.33+/-0.41; P<0.001) was found that resulted in a cutoff value of 1.5 (mean minus 2 SD of normal segments). In the prospective analysis, sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy for the detection of coronary artery stenosis (> or =75%) were 90%, 83%, and 87%, respectively. Interobserver and intraobserver variabilities for the linear fit were low (r=0.96 and 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: MR first-pass perfusion measurements yielded a high diagnostic accuracy for the detection of coronary artery disease. Myocardial perfusion reserve can be easily and reproducibly determined by a linear fit of the upslope of the signal intensity-time curves.

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The objective of this study is to examine the role of a particular stress-enhancing psychosocial risk factor, termed overcommitment, in predicting restenosis after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Overcommitment defines a personal pattern of coping with demands characterized by excessive striving in combination with a strong desire of being approved and esteemed. One hundred six consecutive male patients with coronary artery disease who underwent PTCA were followed over a mean of 12 months. The restenosis rate as defined by quantitative angiography was 34%. Multivariate analysis revealed independent effects of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (odds ratio [OR] 3.19), age (OR 3.43), and overcommitment (OR 2.86) on risk of restenosis. In conclusion, a stress-enhancing psychosocial person characteristic termed overcommitment acts as an independent predictor of coronary restenosis after PTCA. As overcommitment is subject to cognitive-behavioral intervention, results have implications for a more comprehensive approach to secondary prevention in cardiac patients.

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BACKGROUND: Restenosis after PTCA remains a serious long-term complication of balloon angioplasty occurring in 30 to 50% of patients. Platelets play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of restenosis following PTCA. Dipyridamole has been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation in humans. Its action as an antithrombotic drug can be attributed to different mechanisms including inhibition of platelet phosphodiesterase and inhibition of the cellular uptake of adenosine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The purpose of the following study was to investigate the effect of an intracoronary infusion of dipyridamole on the incidence of angiographic and clinical restenosis. In 763 balloon angioplasties patients were randomly allocated to receive either conventional pretreatment (heparin 15000 IE, aspirin 500 mg i.v.) or an additional intracoronary infusion of dipyridamole (0.5 mg/kg body weight). Conventional pretreatment was performed in 388 interventions (61 interventions in women, age 60.5 +/- 8.7 years; 47 interventions for acute coronary syndromes); in 375 interventions additional intracoronary dipyridamole was infused (58 interventions in women, age = 59.6 +/- 9.6 years; 57 interventions for acute coronary syndromes). RESULTS: As compared to conventional pretreatment intracoronary dipyridamole application was associated with a reduction in angiographic restenosis from 43.0% to 36.8% and a reduction of target vessel revascularisation by 15.5% but failed to reach statistical significance. These results were due to an increase in net gain following dipyridamole application. CONCLUSION: Intracoronary pretreatment with dipyridamole prior to PTCA fails to reduce the incidence of angiographic restenosis and target vessel revascularisation significantly. However, a moderate improvement of long-term follow-up can be achieved.

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BACKGROUND: Several investigators report a sex bias in the treatment of coronary artery disease. This study attempts to define sex differences in the outcome of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and to determine risk factors contributing to these results. RESULTS: Data were collected from 1082 patients (887 men and 195 women). In women, the risk of abrupt vessel closure (8.1% versus 2.5%, odds ratio 3.46) and of myocardial infarction (6.2% versus 1.2%, odds ratio 5.58) following PTCA for stable angina pectoris was significantly increased. History of myocardial infarction and PTCA of a vessel of less than 3.0 mm diameter predicted abrupt vessel closure in women. Age and cardiovascular risk factors were not predictors. The incidence of restenosis did not differ significantly (angiographic restenosis in women 36.1% versus 40.8% in men, P=0.34). CONCLUSIONS: A significantly increased risk of acute complications could only be documented in women undergoing PTCA for stable angina pectoris and not in acute coronary syndrome. Long-term outcome was similar between the two sexes.

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The number of cardiologic patients undergoing invasive diagnostic catheterization is rapidly increasing. Due to more liberal and extensive indications for invasive diagnosis patients in relatively unfavorable clinical condition (e.g., elderly patients with severe extracardial disease, patients status post CABG) are being catheterized and, if suitable and indicated, undergo revascularization procedures. With rapidly increasing procedural skill of cardiovascular surgeons and invasive cardiologists even high-risk patients with severe coronary artery disease or underlying illness, who were classically excluded from surgical or catheter-invasive revascularization, are now being treated more aggressively. The changing indications for diagnostic catheterization and significant changes in the different modes of revascularization--operative bypass-surgery or interventional procedures--have led to continuous changes in the differential indications for these invasive therapeutic strategies. This article reviews and discusses the currently accepted indications for surgical and interventional revascularization as well as the limitations of these procedures.

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Even in the era of coronary stenting, acute coronary artery occlusion continues to represent a significant limitation of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Despite application of heparin and aspirin, abrupt vessel closure still occurs in 2-8%, depending on the definition applied. Especially patients receiving PTCA for acute coronary syndromes are at high risk for abrupt vessel closure. The formation of an intracoronary thrombus plays a central role in the pathogenesis of abrupt vessel closure. Dipyridamole induces dilatation of coronary arteries and prevents platelet aggregation by a mechanism that differs from that of aspirin. The primary purpose of the study was to evaluate whether adjunctive local intracoronary therapy with dipyridamole could reduce the incidence of coronary artery occlusion following PTCA. Secondary endpoints were defined as myocardial infarction, necessity for bypass grafting, and death. In 939 PTCA procedures performed for stable angina and in 155 angioplasty procedures for acute coronary syndromes (unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction), patients were randomized to receive conventional pretreatment consisting of heparin 15,000 I.E. and aspirin 500 mg i.v. or additional intracoronary infusion of dipyridamole (0.5 mg/kg body weight). Dipyridamole was applied in 550 interventions (455 interventions in men, 95 interventions in women, age = 59.2 +/- 8.4; 74 emergency procedures); conventional pretreatment was performed in 544 interventions (444 interventions in men, 100 interventions in women, age 58.3 +/- 7.9; 81 emergency procedures). Intracoronary application of dipyridamole resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of abrupt vessel closure following PTCA. This significant reduction was observed in patients presenting with stable ischemia as well as in patients receiving PTCA for acute coronary syndromes. Concerning secondary end points, intracoronary application of dipyridamole did not affect the need for bypass grafting or the incidence of death following PTCA. Intracoronary application of dipyridamole was associated with a reduction in the incidence of myocardial infarction following PTCA which, however, failed to reach significance.

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Abrupt vessel closure of the dilated vessel continues to represent a significant limitation of coronary angioplasty. Despite increasing operator experience and improved technology, abrupt vessel closure continues to represent the most important complication of balloon angioplasty. Intracoronary stent implantation and pharmaceutical blockade of the GPIIb/IIIa receptor serve as effective tools in the prevention of abrupt vessel closure without completely resolving this problem. About 50% of patients presenting with abrupt vessel closure exhibit additional complications including myocardial infarction, necessity of CABG or death occurring in up to 10% of acute occlusions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if quantitative coronary angiography and assessment of clinical and laboratory data allows risk stratification concerning the probability of abrupt vessel closure. PTCA in the setting of acute coronary syndrome is associated with a markedly increased risk of abrupt vessel closure, indicating that different risk factors may contribute to the development of abrupt vessel closure in patients presenting with stable angina or acute coronary insufficiency syndromes. 798 uncomplicated PTCA procedures for stable angina pectoris were compared with 68 interventions that were complicated by abrupt vessel closure. Furthermore, 133 successful angioplasty procedures for acute coronary syndromes defined as acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris were matched with 31 procedures for acute coronary syndromes with consecutive abrupt vessel closure. In patients presenting with stable angina pectoris stenosis length, stenosis eccentricity, minimal lumen diameter, degree of the stenosis after angioplasty, female gender, and fibrinogen could be defined as independent predictors of abrupt vessel closure. In acute coronary syndromes, only minimal lumen diameter, recanalization of completely occluded coronary arteries and fibrinogen were associated with an increased risk of abrupt vessel closure.

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It has been reported a case of struma ovarii as an accident evidence during an operative classification of a great pelvic tumor. As it is reported in several publications we found an unilateral ovarian process. Clinical signs of hyperthyreosis or struma colli were missed. In case of benign pathological evidence treatment can be restrict to surgical tumor removal and ambulante observation.

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