Low Cardiac Output Syndrome: Incidence after Mitral Valve Replacement with or without Preservation of Mitral Valve Apparatus.

Standard mitral valve replacement in patients with chronic mitral valve regurgitation and mitral valve stenosis consistently results in a decrease in early postoperative left ventricular ejection performance. Some studies showed that preservation of mitral valve leaflet and subvalvular apparatus can reduce postoperative left ventricular dysfunction. On the basis of the concept, this randomized clinical trial comparing mitral valve replacement with preservation of mitral subvalvular apparatus and conventional mitral valve replacement performed in National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Dhaka, Bangladesh, in the period of July 2010 to December 2011. We included 60 patients of mitral regurgitation and mitral stenosis, among them 30 patients underwent mitral valve replacement with preservation of mitral subvalvular apparatus (Group A) and 30 patients underwent conventional mitral valve replacement (Group B). There was no significant difference between two groups in terms of peri-operative variables. But there was significant higher incidence of Low cardiac output (LOS) syndrome [36.7% vs. 6.9% (p<0.05)] and congestive heart failure in Group B than Group A. The duration of ICU stay was also significantly higher in conventional mitral valve replacement group [113.23±11.30 hours vs. 96.23±20.02 (p=0.001)]. Additionally, there was significantly less fall of left ventricular ejection fraction in preservation of mitral subvalvular apparatus group [preop 65.27±5.45, at discharge 54.31±3.78, after 3 months 58.28±5.20 (p<0.0001)] than conventional group [preop 66.43±4.58, at discharge 46.43±3.87, after 3 months 46.55±3.63 (p<0.0001)]. In this study left ventricular ejection fraction was used as measure of left ventricular function. We postulate that, this relative preservation of left ventricular ejection fraction was likely the result of preservation of mitral subvalvular apparatus.

Formulation and in vitro Evaluation of Alfuzosin Extended Release Tablets Using Directly Compressible Eudragit.

The aim of the present study was the determination of formulation factors and the in vitro evaluation of an extended release dosage form of a freely soluble weakly basic drug (alfuzosin hydrochloride). Binary mixer of one hydrophilic polymer (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) and one directly compressible Eudragit (RS PO) was used in tablets prepared by direct compression. The amounts of both polymers were taken as independent variables for the 3(2) Factorial design. The percent drug releases at 1, 6, 12 and 20 h were selected as responses. The main effect and interaction terms were quantitatively evaluated using mathematical model. Dissolution data were fitted to zero order, first order, and Higuchi's release kinetics to evaluate kinetic data. Both the diffusion and erosion mechanisms were responsible for drug release as shown by the power law. The release of Alfuzosin was prolonged for 20 h by binary mixer indicating the usefulness of the formulations for once daily dosage forms.

Effects of cervical traction and exercise therapy in cervical spondylosis.

A randomised clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Physical Medicine, Chittagong Medical College Hospital from July, 2001 to June, 2002. The objectives of the study were to find out the effects of cervical traction (CT) and exercise on the patients with chronic cervical spondylosis. A total of 199 patients with cervical spondylosis were included in the clinical trial. One hundred patients were treated with cervical traction plus exercise and 99 patients were treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Posture correction advice was given to all patients. The patients were treated for 6 weeks. There was a marked improvement in both the groups after treatment (P<0.001). But there was nearly significant difference regarding improvement in treatment with CT plus exercise than with NSAID (P = 0.06). The results indicate that the improvement of the patients with chronic cervical spondylosis was more in CT plus exercise than analgesics. So, CT & neck muscle strengthening exercise may have some more beneficial effects than NSAIDs on chronic cervical spondylosis.

Observations on the rare association between portal and pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension with severe pulmonary vascular disease is a rare association of portal hypertension in man, be it the result of cirrhosis of the liver or obstruction of the portal vein. We induced portal hypertension in 23 rats by partially ligating the portal vein or by totally occluding it in two stages. The rats were killed between one and 15 months after operation. A collateral circulation of varicose, anastomotic vessels was established, and in six animals well-marked oesophageal varices developed. Despite this evidence of sustained portal hypertension, hypertrophy did not develop in the right ventricle or in the media of the pulmonary trunk or muscular pulmonary arteries in any of the animals. This suggests that mechanical obstruction of the portal vein per se is not responsible for the development of pulmonary hypertension. Other factors, perhaps of a humoral nature, appear to be required to induce this rare association of portal hypertension but we have been unable to identify these. In particular, blood levels of oestrogen were not raised after ligation of the portal vein.

Pulmonary endothelial pavement patterns.

The appearance of the endothelial pavement pattern was studied in the pulmonary trunk, pulmonary veins, aorta, and inferior vena cava of the rat by means of silver staining of the cell borders. The endothelial cell in each of the four blood vessels was found to have its own distinctive shape, fusiform and pointed in the direction of blood flow in the case of the aorta and larger and more rectangular in the pulmonary trunk and pulmonary veins. Detailed quantitation of the dimensions and surface area of the endothelial cells in each blood vessel was carried out by a photographic technique. Pulmonary hypertension was induced in one group of rats by feeding them on Crotalaria spectabilis seeds. The endothelial pavement pattern in their pulmonary trunks became disrupted with many of the cells assuming a fusiform shape reminiscent of aortic endothelium. Many small, new endothelial cells formed in the pulmonary trunk suggesting division of cells to line the enlarging blood vessels. In contrast the endothelial cells of the inferior vena cava merely increased in size to cope with the dilatation of this vein.

Prevalence of urinary tract infection in adult women.

Five hundred adult women of Sylhet town of different socio-economic status were screened to detect urinary tract infection by a random "door-to-door" survey. Significant bacteriuria was considered as an important criterion in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection. Pyuria with bacteriuria was, but without bacteriuria was not, considered a good evidence of infection. The ratio between the asymptomatic and symptomatic bacteriuria was found to be 7:1. The significance of asymptomatic bacteriuria in preventive medicine has been stressed.