| Luigi Luciani and the earliest graphic demonstration of Wenckebach periodicity. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 10840021 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Using an isolated frog heart preparation with ligatures around the atria, Luigi Luciani, an Italian physiologist working in 1873 in Carl Ludwig's famous laboratory in Leipzig, was the first to demonstrate cardiac group beating, which he named periodic rhythm. He attributed this to increased resistance to impulse propagation between the atria and the ventricle. Karel F. Wenckebach, in his 1899 landmark report of group beating in a patient in which he also used pulse tracings, credited Luciani with this discovery. Wenckebach referred to the phenomena as "Luciani periods." With the advent of electrocardiography in the early 20th century, this form of group beating became known as Wenckebach periodicity and then as Mobitz type I atrioventricular block. We reanalyzed Luciani's original paper and pulse tracings, and we show that periodic rhythm does indeed meet the criteria of second-degree atrioventricular block as established by Wenckebach. We also reviewed the career of Luciani, who was an important investigator, outstanding teacher and mentor, and distinguished leader of 19th-century physiology. We conclude that Wenckebach still deserves to have his name eponymously attached to this type of atrioventricular block because he was the first to unravel the complicated relationship between atrial and ventricular conduction. |
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Authors:
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C B Upshaw; M E Silverman |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Biography; Historical Article; Journal Article; Portraits |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Circulation Volume: 101 ISSN: 1524-4539 ISO Abbreviation: Circulation Publication Date: 2000 Jun |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2000-06-21 Completed Date: 2000-06-21 Revised Date: 2008-11-21 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0147763 Medline TA: Circulation Country: UNITED STATES |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 2662-8 Citation Subset: AIM; IM; Q |
Affiliation:
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Department of Internal Medicine and the Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Piedmont Hospital, and the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Animals Anura Heart Block / history* Heart Conduction System / physiology* History, 19th Century Humans Italy Periodicity Physiology / history* |
| Personal Name Subject | |
Personal Name Subject:
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L Luciani |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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