Background: Pulmonary hypertension is associated with increased mortality, and lung diseases are the second most common cause of pulmonary hypertension. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of echocardiography in low-middle income countries where right heart catheterization is difficult to perform.
Methods: This retrospective chart review study included adult patients hospitalized from June 2012 to May 2021, with a pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) of ≥35 mmHg on echocardiography.
Non-cystic fibrosis (non-CF) bronchiectasis has emerged as a significant respiratory disease in developing countries. Given the variation in causes and clinical characteristics across different regions, it is necessary to conduct studies in regions with limited data, such as low-middle-income countries (LMIC). The aim of the study was to investigate the underlying causes, clinical presentation, etiology, lung function, and imaging in patients with bronchiectasis who sought treatment at a tertiary care hospital in an LMIC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: In Pakistan, chronic respiratory conditions contribute a large burden of morbidity and mortality. A major reason for this is the lack of availability of local evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (EBCPGs) in Pakistan, particularly at the primary care level. Thus, we developed EBCPGs and created clinical diagnosis and referral pathways for the primary care management of chronic respiratory conditions in Pakistan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of different cut-off values of pleural fluid adenosine deaminase levels as a diagnostic method for tuberculous pleural effusion.
Methods: The prospective study was conducted from 2014 to 2016 at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised pleural fluid samples of adult patients with and without tuberculosis which were tested for adenosine deaminase levels, and divided into tuberculosis group A and non-tuberculosis group B. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value were calculated using different cut-offs.
Background: Pulmonary nocardiosis is a rare pulmonary infection with high morbidity and mortality. Limited real-world data on pulmonary nocardiosis patients are available from developing countries like Pakistan.
Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, from August 2003 to June 2020.
Bronchiectasis unrelated to cystic fibrosis (non-CF bronchiectasis) has become a major respiratory disease in developing nations. The dilated mucus filled airways promote bacterial overgrowth followed by chronic infection, bronchial inflammation, lung injury and re-infection. Accurate pathogen identification and antimicrobial susceptibility allowing appropriate treatment, in turn, may break this vicious cycle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To assess the outcomes of free flap reconstructions performed for the management of lower limb trauma.
Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi and included data from June 2017 to May 2019 of patients who underwent free flap reconstruction as part of management of lower limb trauma.
Results: The mean age of the 8 adult patients was 34±11 years.