Echocardiography in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

The material of the present study comprised 50 patients with rheumatoid artheritis as a test group, 6 males and 44 females with age ranging from 16-55 years [mean 41 years]. Patients with history or physical findings of any cardiac diseases were excluded, as well as patients with associated bilharzial hepatic fibrosis or diabetes mellitus. The test group was classified into many subgroups according to many parameters as the activity, duration and functional grading of rheumatoid artheritis. All patients were exposed to echocardiographic study. In the present study, there was no apparant relation between the rate of initial mitral movement and current disease activity as well as the duration of the disease. Our findings indicate that left ventricular contractility indices were impaired more than the performance parameters. The incidence of pericardial abnormalities [minimal effusion or thick pericardium] which could not be detected by the E.C.G. and X-ray films was 20% [10 out of 50 patients]. A further follow up studies would help one to understand the natural history and importance of these abnormalities

Diastolic time intervals in young diabetics

In the present study, abnormalities in the diastolic time intervals in young diabetics without overt cardiac disease assessed non-invasively by apexcardiogram, are Frequent and appears as early feature of the disease. The A2-0 interval was prolonged in all diabetic subgroups. The SFW/RFW was correlated significantly with the dose of insulin and hence the severity of the diabetic state

Q-TC interval variations after portal decompression with different shunt operations in hepato-splenic schistosomiasis

1: 23 patients of hepato-splenic bilharziasis with history of ruptured oesophago-gastric varices belonging to child's classification A. were subjected to portal decompression by shunt operations comprising 5 patients for interposition mesocaval shunt and 18 for distal Lieno-renal. 2. Pre-operative biochemical, hematologic, electrolytes, radiology, endoscopic E.C.G. and pathology studies as well as percutaneous trans-splenic portal manometry were carried out for them. 3. Post-operative biochemical and E.C.G. assessement were done for all patients. Follow up portal manometry for patients subjected to mesocaval operation and endoscopic assessement of the varices for patients subjected to Warren's operation were done to evaluate portal decompression. 4. An important comparative follow up E.C.G. finding was progressive significant shortening of Q-1c interval 3 and 6 months after Warren's, but not mesocaval operations, the causes of which were discussed. 5. Such finding can offer valuable achievement as regard assessment of emodynamic efficacy of the type of shunt concerning portal decompression portal perfusion, a non-invasive E.C.G. follow up tool to evaluate persistance of shunt patency and finally a possible indicator for shunt occlusion