Exploring the influence of socio-cultural factors and environmental resources on the health related quality of life of children and adolescents after congenital heart disease surgery: parental perspectives from a low middle income country.

Background: Health related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important indicator of long-term well-being, influenced by environmental factors such as family, culture, societal norms and available resources. This study aimed to explore parental perspectives on the influence of socio-cultural factors and environmental resources on the HRQOL of children and adolescents after congenital heart disease (CHD) surgery.

Methods: Using a descriptive, qualitative design, semi-structured interviews of children/adolescents who had CHD surgery in this low-middle income country (LMIC) were collected between July to December 2017.

Health-related quality of life in adult CHD surgical patients in a low middle-income country: a mixed-methods study.

Background And Objectives: This mixed-methods study aimed to assess health-related quality of life in young adults with CHD following surgery in a low middle-income country, Pakistan. Despite the knowledge that geographic, cultural and socio-economic factors may shape the way health and illness is experienced and managed and consequently determine a person's health-related quality of life, few health-related quality of life studies are conducted in low middle-income countries. This deficit is pronounced in CHD, so there is little guidance for patient care.

Health-related quality of life in surgical children and adolescents with congenital heart disease compared with their age-matched healthy sibling: a cross-sectional study from a lower middle-income country, Pakistan.

Objective: Inconsistencies have been reported in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in postoperative congenital heart disease (CHD). Despite the need for lifelong care due for residual symptoms, only a few studies have explored cardiac-related HRQOL but none in lower middle-income countries (LMIC). This study therefore addresses the gap by exploring HRQOL and its associated predictors in postoperative CHD in Pakistan.

Clinical utility of endocrine markers predicting myocardial siderosis in transfusion dependent thalassemia major.

Background: Endocrinopathy due to iron overload is the most common morbidity whereas myocardial siderosis causing toxic cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of mortality among patients with transfusion dependent thalassemia major (TDTM). If detected early, this can be treated with aggressive chelation. T2* cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) guided chelation protocols are now the gold standard but have limited availability in low and middle-income countries.

Health-related quality of life in congenital heart disease surgery patients in Pakistan: protocol for a mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has been reported in postoperative patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, there is a paucity of data from low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC). Differences in sociodemographics and sociocultural contexts may influence HRQOL.