To analyse the histological evolution of endomyocardial biopsies from children with active myocarditis, submitted or not to immunosuppressive therapy.Four groups of patients were compared, clinically treated as follows: group I--anticongestive drugs (4 patients); group II--prednisone (5 patients); group III--prednisone plus azathioprine (9 patients); group IV--prednisone and cyclosporine (5 patients).No patient from group I presented any histological improvement during a mean period of 9 months, while evident histological improvement occurred in 25% of patients from group I, 67% from group III and 80% from group IV. The microscopical aspect of resolving myocarditis was only observed in patients from groups III and IV, after treatment.The immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprine or cyclosporine plus prednisone leads to decrease of active myocarditis intensity in a higher proportion of cases than the treatment with only prednisone or no immunosuppressive drugs.
Objective: The purpose of this manuscript is to review current knowledge of how muscle activation and force production contribute to shoulder kinematics in healthy subjects and persons with shoulder impingement. Results: The middle and lower serratus anterior muscles produce scapular upward rotation, posterior tilting, and external rotation. Upper trapezius produces clavicular elevation and retraction. The middle trapezius is primarily a medial stabilizer of the scapula. The lower trapezius assists in medial stabilization and upward rotation of the scapula. The pectoralis minor is aligned to resist normal rotations of the scapula during arm elevation. The rotator cuff is critical to stabilization and prevention of excess superior translation of the humeral head, as well as production of glenohumeral external rotation during arm elevation. Alterations in activation amplitude or timing have been identified across various investigations of subjects with shoulder impingement as compared to healthy controls. These include decreased activation of the middle or lower serratus anterior and rotator cuff, delayed activation of middle and lower trapezius, and increased activation of the upper trapezius and middle deltoid in impingement subjects. In addition, subjects with a short resting length of the pectoralis minor exhibit altered scapular kinematic patterns similar to those found in persons with shoulder impingement. Conclusion: These normal muscle functional capabilities and alterations in patient populations should be considered when planning exercise approaches for the rehabilitation of these patients.
This study was designed to compare 67Ga imaging and endomyocardial biopsy (EB) in children with severe dilated cardiomyopathy (DC), as well as to evaluate the results in a group of patients with active myocarditis submitted to immunosuppressive therapy.Forty-four pediatric patients with severe DC were studied. Twenty males and 24 females from 10 months to 15 year old (median = 2.6 years). All patients were submitted to a protocol including 67Ga uptake and EB. In patients submitted to immunosuppressive therapy these procedures were repeated after six months.In 32 patients (72.7%) the EB revealed presence of inflammatory process; 21 (65.6%) of these had a positive 67Ga uptake and 11 (34.4%) negative. Twelve patients with no evidence of inflammatory process in the EB, nine (75%) presented negative 67Ga uptake. However, when the intensity of myocardial inflammatory was analysed (mild, moderate and severe) and correlated with 67Ga imaging, was observed that the majority of patients with negative 67Ga uptake (11 patients) had mild inflammatory infiltration (nine patients). In this way the 67Ga uptake demonstrated a good correlation in the diagnosis of moderate and severe inflammatory process in children with DC. This is important because the use of immunosuppressive drugs is indicated only in these group.The 67Ga imaging is a noninvasive diagnostic method with a good sensitivity to the diagnostic method with a good sensitivity to the diagnosis of AM in children with severe DC, demonstrating to be very useful in the therapeutic approach.