exudates and Ventricular-Dysfunction--Left

To identify the prevalence of stage B heart failure (SBHF) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with no history of cardiovascular disease (CVD).. Observational study.. A single-centre study in which eligible patients were recruited from T2DM clinic. Following consent, patients completed a questionnaire and underwent physical examinations. Patients had blood drawn for laboratory investigations and had a transthoracic echocardiography.. A total of 305 patients who were not known to have CVD were recruited. Patients with deranged liver function tests and end stage renal failure were excluded.. Echocardiographic parameters such as left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left ventricular hypertrophy, left atrial enlargement and diastolic function were examined.. A total of 305 patients predominantly females (65%), with mean body mass index of 27.5 kg/m. Our study has revealed a high prevalence of SBHF in T2DM patients without overt cardiac disease in Malaysia that has one of the highest prevalence of TDM in the world.

Topics: Cardiomyopathies; Coronary Artery Disease; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Echocardiography; Female; Heart Failure; Humans; Hypertension; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Stroke Volume; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left; Ventricular Function, Left

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is a recognised complication of liver cirrhosis and predicts poor outcomes. Detection of diastolic dysfunction, an early indicator of left ventricular dysfunction can help identify those patients at risk of disease progression. In our study we showed that there was a high prevalence of diastolic dysfunction amongst patients with liver cirrhosis at our outpatient clinic, with the majority being Child-Pugh A/low MELD score. Multiple regression analysis indicated that age and sodium levels were significantly associated with the presence of diastolic dysfunction. This further reinforces the importance of dietary sodium restriction amongst patients with liver cirrhosis.

Topics: Aged; Cardiomyopathies; Female; Hospitals; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Regression Analysis; Severity of Illness Index; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

The aim of this study was to evaluate if emergency medicine trainees with a short duration of training in echocardiography could perform and interpret bedside-focused echocardiography reliably on emergency department patients.. Following a web-based learning module and 3 h of proctored practical training, emergency medicine trainees were evaluated in technical and interpretative skills in estimating left ventricular function, detection of pericardial effusion and inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter measurements using bedside-focused echocardiography on emergency department patients. An inter-rater agreement analysis was performed between the trainees and a board-certified cardiologist.. 100 focused echocardiography examinations were performed by nine emergency medicine trainees. Agreement between the trainees and the cardiologist was 93% (K=0.79, 95% CI 0.773 to 0.842) for visual estimation of left ventricular function, 92.9% (K=0.80, 95% CI 0.636 to 0.882) for quantitative left ventricular ejection fraction by M-mode measurements, 98% (K=0.74, 95% CI 0.396 to 1.000) for the detection of pericardial effusion, and 64.2% (K=0.45, 95% CI 0.383 to 0.467) for IVC diameter assessment. The Bland-Altman limits of agreement for left ventricular function was -9.5% to 13.7%, and a Pearson's correlation yielded a value of 0.82 (p<0.0001, 95% CI 0.734 to 0.881). The trainees detected pericardial effusion with a sensitivity of 60%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100% and negative predictive value of 97.9%.. Emergency medicine trainees were found to be able to perform and interpret focused echocardiography reliably after a short duration of training.

Topics: Clinical Competence; Computer-Assisted Instruction; Curriculum; Echocardiography; Education, Distance; Emergency Medicine; Humans; Malaysia; Pericardial Effusion; Point-of-Care Systems; Prospective Studies; Stroke Volume; Vena Cava, Inferior; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an uncommon form of congestive heart failure, affecting obstetric patients around the time of delivery. The epidemiology of PPCM is infrequently reported. This study was undertaken to define the prevalence, presentation and outcome of PPCM among women giving birth in a teaching hospital in Malaysia.. A retrospective case record analysis was conducted on all patients admitted and diagnosed with PPCM at the University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2009. All deliveries were undertaken in the same hospital.. A total of 12 patients were diagnosed with PPCM during the ten-year study period. The prevalence of PPCM was 2.48 in 100,000 (1 in 40,322) live births. Nine women were diagnosed with PPCM within five months of delivery. Three women had twin pregnancies. There was one death in the group (mortality rate 8.3%). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction at the time of diagnosis was 28.9% ± 8.5% (range 15%-40%). Following the index event, left ventricular function normalised in six of the nine patients (66.7%) who underwent subsequent echocardiography one year later. All patients were treated with standard heart failure therapy. Two patients with normalised left ventricular function had subsequent pregnancies - one pregnancy was terminated at seven weeks and the other patient delivered uneventfully at full term.. PPCM is uncommon. The outcome in our series was favourable, with 66.7% of patients with PPCM recovering their left ventricular function. The mortality rate was 8.3%.

Topics: Adult; Asian People; Cardiology; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated; Echocardiography; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Obstetrics; Peripartum Period; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; Prevalence; Puerperal Disorders; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

The aim of this study was to evaluate the left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients without clinically evident cardiovascular manifestations and to estimate whether there is any correlation between RA disease severity and disability and LV diastolic dysfunction.. The study was a cross-sectional study involving 53 patients (47 female and 6 male) with RA without clinically evident heart disease and 53 healthy subjects (47 female and 6 male) who served as a control group. Both groups were matched for age and sex. Echocardiographic and Doppler studies were conducted in all patients with RA and control subjects.. Of 17 cardiac parameters assessed, only two were abnormal. None of the specific cardiac diastolic dysfunction parameters were significantly different in RA patients compared to the control group. There was no significant correlation between diastolic function values in RA patients and value of Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS-28) and value of Health Assessment Questionnaires Disability Index (HAQDI). Atrial (A) wave velocity was greater in RA patients compared to the control group (0.71 [0.58-0.83] vs. 0.61 [0.51-0.71]; P < 0.04). However, interventricular relaxation time (IVRT) ([73.08 ± 9.92 vs. 70.74 ± 9.02], P = 0.207), lower E/A ratio (1.27 [1.02-1.56] vs. 1.42 [1.20-1.68], P = 0.102), diastolic dysfunction parameters according to Redfield Classification (25 [47.2%] vs. 27 [50.9%] P = 0.56), diastolic dysfunction using E/A (P = 0.321) and tissue doppler imaging (E/E') (P = 0.148) were not different.. Prevalence of diastolic dysfunction in the rheumatoid arthritis group (47.2%) was not different from controls (50.9%). LV diastolic function had no significant correlation with RA disease severity and duration of disease.

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; China; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diastole; Disability Evaluation; Echocardiography; Female; Health Status; Hemodynamics; Humans; India; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Severity of Illness Index; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an uncommon form of congestive heart failure, afflicting obstetric patients around the time of delivery. The epidemiology of PPCM is infrequently reported. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no report from Asia.. To define the prevalence, presentation and outcome of PPCM in a major referral centre in Malaysia.. Retrospective case record analysis of all patients admitted and diagnosed with PPCM at the University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, over 5 years from 1st January, 2001 to 31st December, 2004.. Eight patients were diagnosed with PPCM over the study period reflecting a prevalence of 34: 100,000 life births. Five were diagnosed within 5 months after delivery. Three were associated with twin pregnancies. There was one death (12.5% mortality). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at the time of diagnosis was 27.1 +/- SD 6.4% (range: 17-35%). Following the index event, the left ventricular function recovered in three of the eight patients (37.5%) with restoration of normal LVEF (LVEF > 50%). Two patients had subsequent pregnancies. One was terminated at 7 weeks, and the other delivered uneventfully with a normal LVEF.. Peripartum cardiomyopathy is uncommon in Malaysia. It appears to be associated with twin pregnancy. The outcome is variable with 37.5% recovering normal left ventricular function, 12.5% mortality and persistently impaired left ventricular function in the remainder.

Topics: Cardiomyopathies; Echocardiography; Female; Heart Defects, Congenital; Humans; Malaysia; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; Pregnancy Outcome; Prevalence; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

Prognostic indicators and mortality in multiethnic Southeast Asian patients with heart failure (HF) may be different.. The study population comprised 225 inpatients with HF with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 40% or less who were discharged alive. Five years later, survival and causes of death were determined. Proportionally, more Malay and Indian patients were admitted compared with Chinese patients (P < .001). There were 55.6% in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV. Ischemic heart disease was the most common cause (85.8%). At 5 years, 152 patients (67.5%) had died. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were prescribed to 79.1% of patients on discharge. Cardiovascular causes accounted for 69.7% of deaths. Predictors of mortality include female gender (P = .046), age 70 years or more (P = .017), renal impairment (P = .008), NYHA class III or IV (P = .03), and non-use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (P = .005). On multivariate analysis, increasing age (P = .001) and renal impairment (P = .019) were independent predictors of all-cause mortality. Cardiovascular death was more likely with NYHA class III or IV (P = .004) and renal impairment (P = .012).. Mortality is unusually high in this group of patients despite treatment. Greater use of evidence-based therapies in HF-management programs may arrest this trend.

Topics: Aged; Asian People; Cause of Death; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Heart Failure; Humans; India; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Singapore; Survival Rate; Time Factors; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

There are established differences in cardiovascular disease in different racial groups. Worldwide, the literature regarding the clinical epidemiology of atrial fibrillation in non-white populations is scarce.. To document the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the multiracial population of Malaysia, and to describe the clinical features and management of these patients.. Busy city centre general hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, over a 1-month period.. One-thousand four hundred and thirty-five acute medical admissions, of whom 40 patients (2.8%) had AF.. Of 1435 acute medical admissions to Kuala Lumpur General Hospital over the 4-week study period, 40 had AF (21 male, 19 female; mean age 65 years). Of these, 18 were Malay, 16 Chinese and six Indian. Nineteen patients had previously known AF (seven with paroxysmal AF) and 21 were newly diagnosed cases. The principal associated medical conditions were ischaemic heart disease (42.5%), hypertension (40%) and heart failure (40%). Dyspnoea was the commonest presentation, whilst stroke was the cause of presentation in only two patients. Investigations were under-utilised, with chest X-ray and echocardiography in only 62.5% of patients and thyroid function checked in 15%. Only 16% of those with previously diagnosed AF were on warfarin, with a further three on aspirin. Anticoagulant therapy was started in 13.5% of patients previously not on warfarin, and aspirin in 8%. Records of contraindications to warfarin were unreliable, being identified in only 25%. For those with known AF, 58% were on digoxin. For new onset AF, digoxin was again the most common rate-limiting treatment, initiated in 38%, whilst five patients with new onset AF were commenced on amiodarone. DC cardioversion was not used in any of the patients with new onset AF.. Amongst acute medical admissions to a single centre in Malaysia the prevalence of AF was 2.8%. Consistent with previous similar surveys in mainly western (caucasian) populations, standard investigations in this Malaysian cohort were also inadequate and there was underuse of anticoagulation, medication for ventricular rate control and cardioversion to sinus rhythm.

Topics: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Anticoagulants; Atrial Fibrillation; Data Collection; Diuretics; Echocardiography; Electrocardiography; Female; Fibrinolytic Agents; Heart Atria; Heart Failure; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Ischemia; Patient Admission; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Racial Groups; Risk Factors; Stroke Volume; Vasodilation; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is endemic in Malaysia. In 1997, a large outbreak of enterovirus 71 (EV-71) associated HFMD resulted in 41 deaths due to severe left ventricular dysfunction and central nervous system infection with extensive damage to the medulla and pons. The clinical presentation in all these patients were rapid cardio-respiratory decompensation leading to cardiac arrest. Another large outbreak of HFMD with 55 fatal cases and a similar clinical picture was reported in Taiwan in 1998. In 2000, an outbreak of HFMD resulted in the deaths of three children who had rapid cardio-respiratory decompensation and one child who survived a central nervous system infection.. We set out to study the etiologic agent and mechanism involved in three children who presented to our hospital, two of whom died and one survived a central nervous system infection.. The clinical course of the disease was described. Throat, rectal swab and cerebrospinal fluid samples were subjected to viral isolation and viral isolates were identified by immunofluorescence, micro-neutralisation using human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells, and reverse transcritpase polymerase chain reaction. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on two of the patients.. Echovirus 7 was the sole pathogen isolated from three cases of acute encephalomyelitis, two of which were fatal due to severe left ventricular dysfunction resistant to inotropic support. The survivor had residual bulbar palsy, but is considered to have had a good neurological outcome.. Echovirus 7 infection associated with encephalomyelitis could be fatal due to indirect involvement of the heart resulting in severe left ventricular dysfunction. In addition one of the children presented with hand, foot, and mouth disease, a syndrome that has not been previously associated with echovirus 7 infection.

Topics: Child, Preschool; Encephalomyelitis; Enterovirus B, Human; Enterovirus Infections; Fatal Outcome; Female; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease; Humans; Infant; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Malaysia; Male; Singapore; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left