Percutaneous transatrial mitral commissurotomy: immediate and intermediate results.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate and follow-up results of percutaneous transatrial mitral commissurotomy in 600 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. BACKGROUND: Percutaneous transatrial mitral commissurotomy has emerged as an effective nonsurgical technique for patients with symptomatic mitral stenosis. Several studies have shown that the immediate results are comparable to closed and open mitral valvotomy. METHODS: Percutaneous transatrial mitral commissurotomy was performed in 600 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis by the double-balloon (290 patients [48.3%]) and flow-guided Inoue balloon (310 patients [51.7%]) techniques. There were 154 male (25.6%) and 446 female (77.4%) patients with a mean [+/- SD] age of 27 +/- 8 years (range 8 to 60). Atrial fibrillation was present in 26 patients (4.3%), mitral regurgitation < or = grade 2 in 62 (10.3%) and densely calcific valve in 12 (2%). All patients had clinical and echocardiographic (two-dimensional, continuous wave Doppler, color flow imaging) follow-up at 3-month intervals. RESULTS: Percutaneous transatrial mitral commissurotomy was successful in 589 patients (98.1%), and optimal commissurotomy was achieved in 562 (93.6%), with an increase in mitral valve area from (mean +/- SD) 0.75 +/- 0.18 to 2.2 +/- 0.38 cm2 (p < 0.001) and a decrease in transmitral end-diastolic gradient from 27.3 +/- 6.1 to 3.8 +/- 4.2 mm Hg (p < 0.001). Mitral regurgitation developed or increased in 208 patients (34.6%). Six patients (1%) with mitral regurgitation required mitral valve replacement. Cardiac tamponade occurred in 8 patients (1.3%). Six patients (1%) died. Restenosis developed in 10 patients (1.7%) during a mean follow-up period of 37 +/- 8 months (range 6 to 66). CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous transatrial mitral commissurotomy is an effective, safe procedure with gratifying intermediate results. It should be considered the treatment of choice for rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Passive immunization with an antibody to the beta-subunit of ovine luteinizing hormone as a method of early abortion--a feasibility study in monkeys (Macaca radiata).

Antiserum to the beta-subunit of ovine luteinizing hormone (oLH-beta) raised in monkeys (Macaca radiata) has been tested by a variety of criteria both in vivo and in vitro to establish its ability to neutralize oLH, hLH, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Passive administration of this antiserum caused inhibition of ovulation and termination of pregnancy in recipient monkeys as indicated by premature vaginal bleeding and a significant reduction in serum progesterone and estrogen levels. The results suggest that antiserum raised in monkeys against oLH-beta can neutralize monkey LH as well as monkey CG.

Inheritance of disease lesion mimic leaf trait in groundnut.

In groundnut, two identical mutants with disease lesion mimic leaf trait were isolated independently from two different parents through induced mutagenesis and in vitro culture technique. The leaf chlorophyll content in both the mutants was found to be drastically reduced. The segregation pattern in the F(2) and F(3) generations for normal and mutant traits fitted a 13:3 ratio, indicating that the disease lesion mimic trait in the mutants was due to suppressive gene action. Both mutants were allelic for the disease mimic trait.