It has become increasingly apparent in recent years that there are important differences of many cardiovascular disorders including ventricular tachycardias in men and women. Nevertheless, so far just few studies have addressed possible gender differences in electrophysiological characteristics of idiopathic ventricular tachycardia from right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT-VT), other than epidemiological ones. This study explored possible gender differences in electrophysiological characteristics and catheter ablation outcome in RVOT-VT patients. Ninety-three patients (mean age 38.7±15.5 years, 30 males) with idiopathic RVOT-VT were enrolled and analyzed in our study. Male patients had longer QRS width (99.9±19.4 ms vs. 88.4±20.7 ms, p=0.02). Female patients had lower right ventricular mean voltage (3.0±0.7 mV vs. 3.7±0.9 mV, p=0.03), and more low voltage zone over the right ventricular outflow tract free wall (27.0 % vs. 6.7 %, p=0.02). Eighty-one patients passed catheter ablation (23 males). The acute success rate, repeated catheter ablation rate and VT recurrence rate were similar in both genders. The present study provides evidence of the gender differences in electrophysiological findings in patients with idiopathic RVOT-VT. Studies on gender-specific differences in arrhythmia could lead to a better understanding of its mechanism(s) and provide valuable information for the development of optimal treatment strategies., S.-G. Yang, M. Mlček, O. Kittnar., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The biochemical model of excitation-contraction coupling in cardiomyocyte is presented and the validity of simulations of both physiological and pathological processes is discussed. The model of regulatory and actomyosin subsystems, even if it is rather simple in its regulatory subunit, gives results well consistent with experimental data. Specifically, intracellular free calcium levels ([Ca2+]i) were computed under various states of sarcoendoplasmic reticular Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2) and compared to experimental findings. Computed results reproduced well both the increase in resting [Ca2+]i level and the attenuation of [Ca2+]i decline commonly observed in heart failure. Thus the computational simulations could help to identify core relations in studied systems by comparing results obtained using similar models of various complexities., M. Mlček, J. Neumann, O. Kittnar, V. Novák., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Negative expiratory pressure (NEP) applied at the mouth during tidal expiration provides a non-invasive method for detecting expiratory flow limitation. Forty-two children were studied, i.e. 25 children with different respiratory symptoms (R) and 17 without any respiratory symptoms (NR). Children were examined without any sedation. A preset NEP of -5 cm H 2 O was applied; its duration did not exceed duration of tidal expiration. A significance of FL was judged by determining of a flow-limited range (in % of tidal volume). FL was found in 48 % children of R group. No patient of the NR group elicited FL (P<0.001 R vs. NR). The frequency of upper airway collapses was higher in R group (12 children) than in NR gr oup (5 children). In conclusion, a high frequency of tidal FL in the R group was found, while it was not present in NR group. A relatively high frequency of expiratory upper airway collapses was found in both groups, but it did not differ significantly. NEP method represents a reasonable approach for tidal flow limitation testing in non-sedated preschool children., A. Jiřičková, J. Šulc, P. Pohunek, O. Kittnar, A. Dohnalová, J Kofránek., and Obsahuje bibliografii