Background Long-term maintenance of sinus rhythm after successful conversion of chronic atrial fibrillation （CAF）, often ameliorates patients＇ symptoms, reduces the risk of ischemic stroke and improves cardiovascul...Background Long-term maintenance of sinus rhythm after successful conversion of chronic atrial fibrillation （CAF）, often ameliorates patients＇ symptoms, reduces the risk of ischemic stroke and improves cardiovascular hemodynamics. This prospective study aims to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of very low-dose amiodarone （100 mg daily） for the maintenance of sinus rhythm after successful direct-current （DC） cardioversion in patients with CAF and rheumatic heart disease （RHD） post intervention. Methods This study was a randomized prospective trial. One day after successful DC cardioversion （remained normal sinus rhythm） in patients with CAF and RHD post intervention for more than six months and adequate anticoagulation, all were randomly administered either amiodarone 200 mg daily in group A or amiodarone 100 mg dally in group B. Results A total of 76 patients （40 men and 36 women） were examined from February 1998 to December 1999. The mean age of the patients was （664- 10） years, and the mean follow-up was （674-8） months （range 61 to 84 months）. Actuarial rates of the maintenance of sinus rhythm were similar in the two groups after 5 years of follow-up. Four patients （11%） in group A but none in group B experienced significant adverse effects that necessitated withdrawal of amiodarone. No death occurred during the study period. Conclusion A very low dose of amiodarone results in adequate long-term efficacy and is safe for maintaining sinus rhythm in patients with CAF and RHD post intervention after successful DC cardioversion.展开更多
Background A link between postoperative pain intensity and heart rate variability （HRV） had not been well established. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between post-operative pain intensity and HRV. M...Background A link between postoperative pain intensity and heart rate variability （HRV） had not been well established. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between post-operative pain intensity and HRV. Methods The subjects in this cross-sectional correlation study comprised of patients who had undergone abdominal surgery in a regional teaching hospital in central Taiwan during the period July 2009-November 2009. The visual analogue scale （VAS） and the short-form McGill pain questionnaire （SF-MPQ） were used to measure post-operative pain. HRV was measured as the standard deviation of normal RR interval, and by power spectral analysis that included high frequency （HF）, low frequency （LF）, very low frequency power, and LF/HF ratio. Results A total of 34 subjects were included in this study. We found that the day after the surgery, the mean VAS score was 47.50±20.98 and the mean SF-MPQ score was 18.06±8.90, indicating a moderate degree of pain. Moderate to severe degrees of tenderness were reported by 70.6% of the patients, moderate to severe degrees of gnawing pain were experienced by 67.7% of the patients, moderate to severe degrees of tiring-exhaustion pain were reported by 64.7% of the patients, and 41.2% of the patients who experienced moderate to severe pain believed that the pain was punishing-cruel. The standard deviation of normal RR interval and high frequency values obtained from male patients or married patients were higher than female patients or unmarried （P 〈0.05）. The correlation of the standard deviation of normal RR interval, high frequency, very low frequency value and patient＇s age were negative （P 〈0.05）. The total SF-MPQ pain scores positively correlated with the LF/HF ratio （P 〈0.05）. Conclusions The multidimensional pain assessment tool （SF-MPQ） reflects better the patients＇ post-operative pain than the single-dimensional assessment tool （VAS）. HRV positively correlated with SF-MPQ scores in patients after abdominal surgery.展开更多
Boxing is an official sport at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the fast development of world-class high strength training and sport science has made a significant impact on scientific training. Boxing needs high ca...Boxing is an official sport at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the fast development of world-class high strength training and sport science has made a significant impact on scientific training. Boxing needs high cardio-respiratory function, speed, muscle strength, and anaerobic and intensive physical demands including weight control covering the grading of athlete＇s body weight and balancing physical ability and health. Sport training is important even for talented athletes. Weight cycling is a term used to describe rapid weight loss following self food limitation and/or dehydration. Both gradual （seasonal） reduction cycles are used and rapid （weekly） weight by athletes,展开更多
基金This research was funded by internal funds at the Armed Forces Taichung General Hospital, Taiwan, China.
文摘Background Long-term maintenance of sinus rhythm after successful conversion of chronic atrial fibrillation （CAF）, often ameliorates patients＇ symptoms, reduces the risk of ischemic stroke and improves cardiovascular hemodynamics. This prospective study aims to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of very low-dose amiodarone （100 mg daily） for the maintenance of sinus rhythm after successful direct-current （DC） cardioversion in patients with CAF and rheumatic heart disease （RHD） post intervention. Methods This study was a randomized prospective trial. One day after successful DC cardioversion （remained normal sinus rhythm） in patients with CAF and RHD post intervention for more than six months and adequate anticoagulation, all were randomly administered either amiodarone 200 mg daily in group A or amiodarone 100 mg dally in group B. Results A total of 76 patients （40 men and 36 women） were examined from February 1998 to December 1999. The mean age of the patients was （664- 10） years, and the mean follow-up was （674-8） months （range 61 to 84 months）. Actuarial rates of the maintenance of sinus rhythm were similar in the two groups after 5 years of follow-up. Four patients （11%） in group A but none in group B experienced significant adverse effects that necessitated withdrawal of amiodarone. No death occurred during the study period. Conclusion A very low dose of amiodarone results in adequate long-term efficacy and is safe for maintaining sinus rhythm in patients with CAF and RHD post intervention after successful DC cardioversion.
文摘Background A link between postoperative pain intensity and heart rate variability （HRV） had not been well established. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between post-operative pain intensity and HRV. Methods The subjects in this cross-sectional correlation study comprised of patients who had undergone abdominal surgery in a regional teaching hospital in central Taiwan during the period July 2009-November 2009. The visual analogue scale （VAS） and the short-form McGill pain questionnaire （SF-MPQ） were used to measure post-operative pain. HRV was measured as the standard deviation of normal RR interval, and by power spectral analysis that included high frequency （HF）, low frequency （LF）, very low frequency power, and LF/HF ratio. Results A total of 34 subjects were included in this study. We found that the day after the surgery, the mean VAS score was 47.50±20.98 and the mean SF-MPQ score was 18.06±8.90, indicating a moderate degree of pain. Moderate to severe degrees of tenderness were reported by 70.6% of the patients, moderate to severe degrees of gnawing pain were experienced by 67.7% of the patients, moderate to severe degrees of tiring-exhaustion pain were reported by 64.7% of the patients, and 41.2% of the patients who experienced moderate to severe pain believed that the pain was punishing-cruel. The standard deviation of normal RR interval and high frequency values obtained from male patients or married patients were higher than female patients or unmarried （P 〈0.05）. The correlation of the standard deviation of normal RR interval, high frequency, very low frequency value and patient＇s age were negative （P 〈0.05）. The total SF-MPQ pain scores positively correlated with the LF/HF ratio （P 〈0.05）. Conclusions The multidimensional pain assessment tool （SF-MPQ） reflects better the patients＇ post-operative pain than the single-dimensional assessment tool （VAS）. HRV positively correlated with SF-MPQ scores in patients after abdominal surgery.
文摘Boxing is an official sport at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the fast development of world-class high strength training and sport science has made a significant impact on scientific training. Boxing needs high cardio-respiratory function, speed, muscle strength, and anaerobic and intensive physical demands including weight control covering the grading of athlete＇s body weight and balancing physical ability and health. Sport training is important even for talented athletes. Weight cycling is a term used to describe rapid weight loss following self food limitation and/or dehydration. Both gradual （seasonal） reduction cycles are used and rapid （weekly） weight by athletes,
