Acute viral myocarditis: role of immunosuppression: a prospective randomised study.

Objective: To conduct a prospective randomised study to show the efficacy of immune suppression with prednisolone, administered at the 3-month duration of acute myocarditis.

Methods: The diagnosis of acute viral myocarditis was made based on echocardiography and serum viral antibodies. The inclusion criterion was acute myocarditis of 3 months duration.

Severe mitral stenosis with atrial fibrillation--a harbinger of thromboembolism.

Objective: To determine the frequency of Left Atrial thrombus in patients suffering from severe mitral stenosis with atrial fibrillation.

Methods: A cross sectional descriptive type study was conducted in the Echocardiography department of the National Institute of Cardio Vascular Diseases (NICVD) Karachi from October 1, 2007 to March 17, 2008. A total of 100 consecutive adult patients with severe Mitral stenosis (MS) and Atrial Fibrillation (AF) were included in this study.

Effects of mitral valve replacement with and without chordal preservation on cardiac function: early and mid-term results.

Background: Convention mitral valve (MV) replacement is known to cause deterioration in the left ventricle function, the major mechanism responsible being disruption of the annulo-papillary continuity, thus favoring preservation of the mitral subvalvular apparatus. The aim of this study was to compare the early and midterm results, in terms of cardiac mechanics and clinical outcomes, of preserving the subvalvular apparatus (partial/complete) verses resection during mitral valve replacement.

Methods: This was a prospective non randomised trial.

Comparison of Inoue balloon, metallic commissurotome and multi-track double-balloon valvuloplasty in the treatment of rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND Percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) is a well known non-surgical technique for treating patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS). There are very few studies that have compared the 3 techniques together for their safety and efficacy.

Methods: To compare the three different techniques for percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) using Inoue balloon (IB), metallic commissurotome (PMMC), or multi-track double balloon (MTDB) in patients with MS.

Estimation of pulmonary vascular resistance with Doppler diastolic gradients.

This study was undertaken to determine the diastolic Doppler echocardiographic correlates of pulmonary vascular resistance calculated on cardiac catheterization in patients with secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension. Thirty-eight consecutive patients with congenital heart disease, pulmonary artery hypertension and pulmonary regurgitation were studied. Continuous-wave Doppler-derived pulmonary artery diastolic gradients were measured at 3 points on the pulmonary regurgitant diastolic velocity slope: peak diastolic, end-diastolic (at the R wave on the electrocardiogram), and mid-diastolic (midway between the peak and end-diastolic points).

Early effects of coronary artery bypass grafting on left ventricular regional wall motion abnormalities.

Objective: To determine the early effects of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) on regional left ventricular wall motion abnormality in patients undergoing surgery for proven Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

Design: Quasi-experimental study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Department of Cardiac Surgery, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi.