METHODS: Twelve patients received LVADs as a bridge to transplant. Paired LV biopsy specimens were obtained at the time of LVAD implant

(HF group) and transplant (LVAD group). The mean duration of LVAD support was 152 +/- 34 days. Myocardial beta-AR signaling was assessed by measuring adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity, total beta-AR density (B(max)), and G protein-coupled receptor kinase-2 (GRK2) expression and activity. LV specimens from 8 non-failing hearts (NF) were used as controls.

RESULTS: Basal and isoproterenol-stimulated AC activity was significantly lower in HF vs NF, indicative of beta-AR uncoupling. Continuous-flow LVAD support restored basal and isoproterenol-stimulated AC activity to levels similar to NF. B(max) decreased in HF vs NF and increased to nearly normal in the LVAD group. GRK2 expression selleck products was increased 2.6-fold in HF vs NF and was similar to NF after

LVAD support. GRK2 activity was 3.2-fold greater in HF vs NF and decreased to NF levels in the LVAD group.

CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial beta-AR see more signaling can be restored to nearly normal after continuous-flow LVAD support. This is similar to previous data for volume-displacement pulsatile LVADs. Decreased GRK2 activity is an important mechanism and indicates that normalization of the neurohormonal milieu associated with HF is similar between continuous-flow and pulsatile LVADs. This may have important implications for myocardial recovery. J Heart Lung Transplant 2010;29:603-9 (C) 2010 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. All rights reserved.”
“Objective-To evaluate the occurrence of perianesthetic complications in dogs undergoing

MRI for suspected intracranial disease and identify risk factors associated with observed complications.

Design-Retrospective case-control study.

Animals-238 client-owned dogs undergoing MRI of the brain.

Procedures-Signalment, clinical signs, neurologic examination findings, presumptive diagnosis, anesthesia-related variables, whether CSF was collected and CSF analysis results, severe perianesthetic complications (need for a ventilator following anesthesia or perianesthetic death), and anesthetic recovery time were recorded. Selected factors were compared between dogs with and without intracranial lesions and dogs with and without perianesthetic selleck compound complications (including severe complications and prolonged anesthetic recovery [>20 minutes from the end of anesthesia to extubation]).

Results-3 of 149 (2%) dogs with and 0 of 89 dogs without intracranial lesions required ventilation following anesthesia; the difference was nonsignificant. Recovery time was significantly longer in dogs with (median, 15 minutes) than in dogs without (10 minutes) intracranial lesions. Abnormal mentation prior to anesthesia was the only clinical sign that differed significantly between dogs with (15/26 [58%)) and without (70/212 [33%[) perk anesthetic complications.