Research on some metabolic and enzymatic modifications in experimental hypertensive myocardium.

This paper presents our research on metabolic and enzymatic changes in the experimental, Isoproterenol-induced (ISO) hypertensive myocardium of rats. We analyze the effects produced by the simultaneous administration of adenosinetriphosphate (fosfobion) (FOS) and Isoproterenol on the changes in the body weight/heart weight ratio, and on the biochemical changes of cardiac metabolism. We studied the following parameters in the myocardium tissue and blood: plasmatic and tissular creatinin-phosphokinase, Na+K+ ATP-ase in the sarcolemma and the sarcoplasmic reticulum, Ca+2 ATP-ase in the mitochondrial membrane, sarcoplasmic reticulum and sarcolemma, as well as plasmatic and tissular lactate. Our data show an increase of heart weight to 939 mg, compared to 752 mg in the control group, while the heart weight/body weight ratio (mg/g), which was 3.8 in the control group, increased to 5.8 in the group to which Isoproterenol (ISO) was administered, and to 5.2 when fosfobion was associated. Investigation of myocardial metabolism has also shown the fact that under the influence of Isoproterenol, plasma creatinin-phosphokinase rises by 20%, while the association of fosfobion reduces it, in the myocardium tissue, down to 73%, in comparison with the values in the control group. Significant changes were found in the myocardium lactate that decreased by 26% under ISO influence, in comparison with normal values, and that decreased by 90% when FOS and ISO were administered together. This study produces arguments about metabolism-induced cardiac changes under the action of ISO and also contributes to the identification of ways that lead to cardiac hypertrophy. The experiment also demonstrates that the ATP-ases responsible for ion transportation across the membrane are actively involved in myocardium hypertrophy. The disturbances occurring in the investigated enzymatic systems are closed related with the myocardial metabolic ones. Fosfobion does not prevent the appearance and development of Isoproterenol-induced myocardial hypertrophy, but diminishes the increase of myocardial lactate produced by this synthesised catecholamine. At the same time, fosfobion significantly decreases the activity of Ca+2 ATP-ase in the plasmalemma and increases the activity of the Na+ - K+ ATP-ase both in the plasmalemma and in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, indirectly favouring the mechanical processes of cardiac myocytes relaxation. The study of the enzymatic activity of Na+K+ and Ca+2 ATP-ases in our experimental conditions contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms that produce myocardial and coronary disturbances in myocardial hypertrophy.

QT alterations and cardiodynamic parameters in old myocardial infarction.

Prolonged QT interval in patients with old myocardial infarction was noticed as a marker of poor prognosis. The sensitivity of this functional electrocardiographic scar was augmented in 82 patients with old myocardial infarction by recording the recumbent and orthostatic electrocardiogram, phonocardiogram and carotid piezogram. The incidence of abnormally prolonged QT intervals and increased QT ratios was three times higher in orthostatic posture than in patients lying down. Abnormal QT intervals in standing position correlate also with abnormal PEP/L VET ratio and severe electrocardiographic alterations and may become a useful tool for a more accurate prognosis in patients with old myocardial infarction.

Oligoelements in dog's chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis through dimethylnitrosamine.

By the emission spectrographic analysis, we have searched the following oligoelements: Mn, Cd, Cu, Be, Cr, Ge, Nb, Ga, Zr, W, Pb, Sn, As, Zn, Ag, Sb, Ni, Bi, Co, Mo, and V, in the aortic arterial blood, in the caval, portal and suprahepatic vein blood, in ascite and in the bile, in control and in intoxicated dogs with dimethylnitrosamine (DMNA). Be, Ge, Nb, Ga, W, As, Sb were never found. Increased values of Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, Mo and V were noticed. The differences between the values obtained at intoxicated dogs against the control dogs were sometimes clear; at other times they were equal. This is the case of Ag in the aortic and suprahepatic vein blood and in the bile. In the portal vein blood Zn exceeds almost two times the values obtained in the intoxicated dogs. Also in the portal vein blood, Mo is almost three times more in the control dogs than in the intoxicated ones. But, generally, the values of the controls are below those found by the intoxicated dogs.

Pattern of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood biogenic amines and of the CSF, blood and urine amino acids as pathogenetic ground of the senile depressive illness.

A lot of over 60 atherosclerotics with clinical manifestations of senile depressive illness was studied comparatively with a lot of subjects of the same age with essential arterial hypertension (EAH). As concerns the behaviour of the catecholamine content in CSF and blood, the total catecholamines are approxiately equal in the two lots, but with a clear difference of the catecholamine fractions. The CSF catecholamines behaviour in old atherosclerotics is characterized by the presence of increased values of noradrenaline (NA) and of adrenaline (A), with increased statistical significance, but without modifications of the adrenaline percentage (A %) from the total catecholamines, comparatively to the values found in normal subjects. The serotonin (5-HT) content of the CSF in men with atherosclerotic senile depressive illness was lower even than in subjects with coronary atherosclerosis. In atherosclerosis protides modifications precede the histologic changes. In CSF, GLU, ALA, TYR increase in old subjects. In blood, GLU, ALA, TYR, HIS, LEU, SER increase in the same subjects. ARG decreases with age. THR is higher in men than in women. In the urine of all the men as well as of all the women of more than 60 years, GLN and ALA have increased values. LYS increases with age. GLN and ARG are higher in men than in women.