In the present study, we assessed whether elevated (> or =15 mmHg) PCWP (pulmonary capillary wedge pressure) can be detected using the blood pressure response to the Valsalva manoeuvre in a group of elderly patients with various cardiac disorders, including atrial fibrillation and valvular heart disease, and healthy elderly controls. The Valsalva manoeuvre was performed in 93 patients (71+/-4 y...

BACKGROUND Left-ventricular dysfunction associated with COPD exacerbation is frequently underestimated. We tested whether finger plethysmography waveform change during the Valsalva maneuver could aid in the distinction between patients with COPD exacerbation with and without left-ventricular dysfunction. METHODS We included 102 subjects with COPD exacerbation and 51 subjects with acute heart ...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Assess the feasibility of using the Valsalva maneuver to visualize the cartilaginous eustachian tube lumen with computed tomography (CT) in subjects with no ear disease. STUDY DESIGN Prospective case series study. METHODS Thirty-eight consecutive patients undergoing CT of the sinuses for nose-related complaints with normal radiographic findings consented for a CT of th...

The autonomic nervous system maintains internal homeostasis by regulating cardiovascular, thermoregulatory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, exocrine, and pupillary function. Testing and quantifying autonomic nervous system function is an important but difficult area of clinical neurophysiology. Tests of parasympathetic cardiovagal regulation include heart rate analysis during standing (the 30:...

Automatic dysfunction may contribute to the hemodynamic disturbances in cirrhosis. Tests of autonomic function were performed in 31 patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis and 30 healthy subjects. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to child- Pugh,s classification ( A.B.C). The patients with moderate and severe cirrhosis( child B,C) had significant parasympathetic disturbance ( in the v...

Autonomic nervous tests and heart rate variability (HRV) have been used to assess cardiac autonomic function and to evaluate long-term prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term reproducibility of HRV parameters and autonomic nervous tests according to body position (supine or standing). The study group consisted of 26 healthy subjects. Autonomic nervous tests and...

In The Lancet, Andrew Appelboam and colleagues present the fi ndings of a simple but clinically relevant investigation of a safe and non-invasive treatment for patients with stable supraventricular tachycardia who present to emergency departments. This topic is important because patients with supraventricular tachycardia are common, often recurrent, emergency department attenders, and can requi...