http://repub.eur.nl/res/aut/3391/ List of Publications en http://repub.eur.nl/static-eur/img/logo.png http://repub.eur.nl http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/4148/ 1985-01-01T00:00:00Z 15 patients, 1 to 3 year after coronary bypass surgery, underwent symptom limited supine bicycle exercise tests without nifedipine and after acute and chronic (3 months) administration of the drug. Haemodynamic variables were monitored as was epicardial marker motion, using biplane cineradiography during exercise, the markers having been implanted at the time of surgery. We found significant (P less than 0.001) reductions in end-diastolic and end-systolic regional dimensions at maximal exercise after oral nifedipine, associated with a significant reduction in exertional angina, which persisted during long-term treatment. No adverse effects of the drug were observed. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/4085/ 1983-01-01T00:00:00Z To determine whether a ventricular (LV) end-systolic dimension (ESD) greater than or equal to 55 mm and LV left fractional shortening less than 25% are risk factors for aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with aortic insufficiency, we analyzed the clinical course and M-mode echocardiograms in 47 consecutive patients who underwent AVR for isolated symptomatic AI. Group 1 patients (n = 27) had a preoperative ESD less than 55 mm (mean 44 mm, range 30-52 mm) and group 2 patients (n = 20) had a preoperative ESD greater than or equal to 55 mm (mean 62 mm, range 55-85 mm). One patient in group 1 and 10 patients in group 2 had left ventricular fractional shortening less than 25%. There were no perioperative or postoperative deaths during an average follow-up of 41 months (range 6-76 months). Five patients had perioperative myocardial infarctions (MIs), three in group 1 and two in group 2. Since myocardial protection with cold potassium cardioplegia was instituted, no patient has suffered a perioperative MI. The average preoperative New York Heart Association functional classification was 2.3 (group 1) and 2.6 (group 2). Postoperatively, it was 1.2 in group 1 and 1.1 in group 2. Thirty-three patients (20 in group 1 and 13 in group 2) had echocardiograms at least 1 year after AVR. Of these, LV-end diastolic dimension decreased fro 67 +/- 6 to 53 +/- 6 mm (mean +/- SD) in group 1 (p less than 0.001) and from 79 +/- 3 to 55 +/- 6 mm in group 2 (p less than 0.001). The LVESD also decreased, but this is difficult to interpret because of frequent postoperative abnormal interventricular septal motion. The LV cross-sectional area, an index of LV mass, decreased in group 1 from 25 +/- 5 to 20 +/- 5 cm2 (p lss than 0.001) and in group 2 from 32 +/- 9 to 20 +/- 5 cm2 (p less than 0.001). Postoperative end-diastolic dimension and cross-sectional area were not significantly different between the two groups. We concluded that in aortic insufficiency, a preoperative ESD greater than or equal to 55 mm does not preclude successful AVR, as judged by long-term survival, symptomatic relief, and normalization of LV dimensions assessed by echocardiography.