Articles: function.
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Autonomic function tests require standardised test conditions. We compared testing under non-standardised and standardised conditions and investigated the agreement between heart and pulse rate variability in 30 subjects with diabetes mellitus. Deep breathing, Valsalva manoeuvre and quick standing tests showed non-standardised reproducibility intraclass correlations (95% CI) of 0.96 (0.82-0.99), 0.96 (0.81-0.99) and 0.75 (-0.98 to 0.94), respectively. ⋯ Reproducibility under standardised conditions was comparable. The mean difference (95% limits of agreement) between heart and pulse rate variability was 0.99 (0.80-1.22) for very low frequency, 1.03 (0.88-1.21) for low frequency and 1.35 (0.84-2.16) for high frequency, with a Spearman's correlation coefficient of 1.00, 0.99 and 0.98, respectively. We demonstrated a high agreement between heart and pulse rate variability and acceptable reproducibility with most autonomic function tests, heart and pulse rate variability.
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The inflammatory response of sepsis results in organ dysfunction, including myocardial dysfunction. Myocardial dysfunction is particularly important in patients with severe septic shock who progress to a hypodynamic pre-terminal phase. Multiple aspects of this septic inflammatory response contribute to the pathogenesis of decreased ventricular contractility. ⋯ Now new information suggests that the septic inflammatory response impairs normal depolarization by altering the cardiomyocyte sodium current. This results in decreased ventricular contractility. This is important because new targets for therapeutic intervention can be considered and new approaches to evaluation of this problem can be contemplated.
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Journal of neurotrauma · May 2014
Novel multi-system functional gains via task specific training in spinal cord injured male rats.
Locomotor training (LT) after spinal cord injury (SCI) is a rehabilitative therapy used to enhance locomotor recovery. There is evidence, primarily anecdotal, also associating LT with improvements in bladder function and reduction in some types of SCI-related pain. In the present study, we determined if a step training paradigm could improve outcome measures of locomotion, bladder function, and pain/allodynia. ⋯ Bladder NGF mRNA levels were inversely related to bladder function in the trained group. Monitoring of overground locomotion and neuropathic pain throughout the study revealed significant improvements, beginning after 3 weeks of training, which in both cases remained consistent for the study duration. These novel findings, improving non-locomotor in addition to locomotor functions, demonstrate that step training post-SCI could contribute to multiple quality of life gains, targeting patient-centered high priority deficits.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2014
Comparative StudyA Prospective Comparison of a Noninvasive Cardiac Output Monitor Versus Esophageal Doppler Monitor for Goal-Directed Fluid Therapy in Colorectal Surgery Patients.
The NICOM non-invasive cardiac output monitor is non-inferior to oesophageal doppler monitoring for guiding fluid therapy in colorectal surgery.
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