Echocardiographic left ventricular end-diastolic pressure volume loop estimate predicts survival in congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The left ventricular end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship (LV-EDPVR) is a measure of LV distensibility, conveying the size the LV will assume at a given LV end-diastolic pressure (LV-EDP). Measurement of LV-EDPVR requires invasive testing with specialized equipment. Echocardiography can be used to measure LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) and to grossly estimate LV-EDP noninvasively. We therefore hypothesized that categorization of patients based on these parameters to create an estimate of the end-diastolic pressure-volume loop position (EDPVE) could predict congestive heart failure (CHF) prognosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Echocardiograms from 968 CHF clinic patients were reviewed. LV-EDP was considered to be elevated if mitral filling pattern was pseudo-normal or restrictive. EDPVE was categorized into 3 groups. EDPVE was considered to have evidence of rightward shift if the LV was severely dilated (>97 mL/m(2)). EDPVE was considered to have evidence of leftward shift if the LV was normal size (<76 mL/m(2)) and there was Doppler evidence of increased LV-EDP. Patients who did not meet criteria for leftward or rightward shift were classified as "intermediate." Using the intermediate group for comparison, those with evidence of leftward shift in EDPVE had increased mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-2.54). Rightward shift only correlated with increased mortality in those older than age 70 years. Leftward shift remained an independent predictor of mortality even after adjusting for LV ejection fraction, atrial fibrillation, mitral regurgitation, and Doppler indices of diastolic dysfunction. CONCLUSION: EDPVE is a strong predictor of CHF survival which is independent of LV ejection fraction and traditional Doppler indices of LV diastolic function.

Quality-of-Life assessment and clinical-laboratory response to use of the combination of menthol, guaiacol, terpineol, eucalyptol, gomenol, and camphor in patients presenting persistent cough / Avaliação da qualidade de vida e resposta clínico-laboratorial ao uso da associação de mentol, guaiacol, terpinol, eucaliptol, gomenol e cânfora em pacientes apresentando tosse persistente

We evaluated the use of a combination of menthol, guaiacol, terpineol, eucalyptol, gomenol, and camphor injection in patients presenting persistent cough who were submitted to a 7-day treatment regimen with daily doses of the medication and a series of clinical and laboratory evaluations, including a quality-of-life questionnaire, spirometry, and assessments of overall condition by the patient and the physician, performed prior to the first dose of medication, after three days of treatment, and at the end of the 7-day treatment period. The use of concomitant medications and the incidence, severity and duration of adverse events were also evaluated. A total of sixty-one patients were included in the study. There were no clinically significant changes in vital signs, laboratory tests, or spirometry throughout the treatment period. A statistically significant improvement (p<0.0001) in the assessments of overall condition by the patient and physician was observed, and there was a statistically significant improvement in the scores of the quality-of-life questionnaire (p<0.0001). While adverse events were recorded, none were serious and all were resolved by the end of the treatment period. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that the combination of menthol, guaiacol, terpineol, eucalyptol, gomenol, and camphor in the form of an intramuscular injection was safe and effective ameliorating the effects of persistent cough in the quality of life of the patient population evaluated.