Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Wegener's Granulomatosis: A Diagnostic Challenge., Ali Bin Sarwar Zubairi, Hammad Bin Liaquat, Shahid Javed Husain, Kulsoom Fatima

Department of Medicine

Wegener's Granulomatosis (WG) is a necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis that primarily involves small vessels in the body. Patient usually presents in the fourth to fifth decade. The clinical presentation is variable; however, majority of patients (90%) seek medical attention for nasal and sinus symptoms with or without lower respiratory symptoms of cough, dyspnoea and haemoptysis. The typical form of WG tends to involve the triad of upper and lower respiratory tract and the kidneys; while involvement of other organs like ocular, cutaneous, rheumatological, neural, gastrointestinal and lower genito-urinary tract is occasionally seen. A "limited" form with clinical findings isolated to the …

Molecular Confirmation Of The Causes Of Inherited Visual Impairment In Northern Pakistan., Mehreen Adhi, Yasmin Rashid, Syed Hussain Jafr, Chris F. Inglehearn, Martin Mc Kibbin

Department of Medicine

Families with inherited visual impairment were identified and examined from January 2000 to December 2005 and given a clinical diagnosis. Known genes and loci were screened for mutations or linkage at Institute of Ophthalmology and Neurosciences, University of Leeds, in order to provide molecular confirmation. Inherited retinal disease was the most common cause of inherited visual impairment in 38 of 57 families (66.6%) with Leber’s congenital amaurosis, rod-cone dystrophy and cone-rod dystrophy being the most common diagnoses in 22, 8 and 3 families respectively. Anterior segment dysgenesis was diagnosed in 8 families (14%). Mutations in known genes or linkage to …

Massive Fluid Requirements And An Unusual Bun/Creatinine Ratio For Pre-Renal Failure In Patients With Cholera, M. Tariq, Murtaza Memon, Asif Jafferani, Sana Shoukat, Saqib Ali Gowani, Rabeeya Nusrat, Mehmood Riaz, Junaid Patel, Bushra Jamil, Raymond A., Jr Smego

Department of Medicine

Background: Cholera is an important infectious cause of secretory diarrhea. The primary symptom of infection is the sudden onset of watery diarrhea with subsequent volume depletion causing renal insufficiency. The objective of this research is to study the level of dehydration at presentation and subsequent fluid management in Patients with cholera. Methods: This study was conducted on 191 Patients of Cholera admitted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan during the period of 5 years. Medical charts were evaluated retrospectively for initial hydration status, baseline lab investigations on admission and discharge and fluid therapy given to all the Patients …

Furazolidone, Co-Amoxiclav, Colloidal Bismuth Subcitrate, And Esomeprazole For Patients Who Failed To Eradicate Helicobacter Pylori With Triple Therapy, Z Abbas, Javed Yakoob, Shahab Abid, Wasim Jafri, Muhammad Islam, Zahid Azam, Imran Hilal

Department of Medicine

There is increasing evidence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) resistance to the classical triple therapy consisting of a proton-pump inhibitor and clarithromycin with either amoxicillin or metronidazole. This study is aimed at establishing the efficacy and safety of a 14-day regimen to eradicate H. pylori in patients who have failed with the classical triple therapy given for 14 days. One hundred seventy-six patients diagnosed to have H. pylori infection were given triple therapy for 14 days. Fifty-two patients who failed to respond as evident from positive 14C-urea breath test (UBT) done 4–6 weeks after the completion of triple therapy were …

Low Prevalence Of The Intact Cag Pathogenicity Island In Clinical Isolates Of Helicobacter Pylori In Karachi, Pakistan, Javed Yakoob, Wasim Jafri, Zaigham Abbas, Shahab Abid, R. Khan, N. Jafri, Z. Ahmad

Department of Medicine

Clinical diseases that follow Helicobacter pylori infection are associated with expression of the cagA gene, a part of cytotoxin-associated gene pathogenicity island (cag-PAI). This study aims to determined whether or not the presence of cagA is associated with the presence of complete cag-PAI and to evaluate inflammatory changes associated with the five loci in the cag-PAI of H. pylori comprising cagA, cagA promoter region (cagAP), cagE, cagT and the left end of the cagA gene (LEC). H. pylori isolates were obtained from patients with dyspeptic symptoms. Clinical strains of H. pylori were screened by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for …

Primary Iga And Igg Subclass Deficiency In A 17-Year-Old Pakistani Girl: A Case Report., Taimur Saleem, Madiha Rabbani, Bushra Jamil

Department of Medicine

Primary immunodeficiency disorders pose a diagnostic dilemma for physicians in the developing countries such as Pakistan because of lack of adequate diagnostic facilities. We present here the case of a 17-year-old girl who had a history of recurrent respiratory tract infections since childhood and had been treated with anti-tuberculous medications thrice, for a total of 24 months. She had also received multiple courses of antibiotics. Her initial presentation to our hospital was with acute bronchopneumonia. Her past medical history of recurrent infections also alerted the treating physician to the possibility of bronchiectasis secondary to a variety of underlying potential pathologies …

Middle Aged Male With Pulmonary Tuberculosis And Refractory Hypercalcemia At A Tertiary Care Centre In South East Asia: A Case Report., Azra Rizwan, Najmul Islam

Department of Medicine

55-year male of Asian descent presented with weight loss, lethargy, drowsiness and low grade fever without cough. Examination revealed crackles in the chest but no focal neurological deficit. Chest X ray revealed an infiltrate consistent with tuberculosis. Biopsy of infiltrate was negative for malignancy. Corrected calcium level revealed parathyroid independent hypercalcemia. Further diagnostic work up for drowsiness and hypercalcemia was normal. Despite receiving hydration and pharmacotherapy for his hypercalcemia, his condition failed to improve. When steroids were started, the Patient's calcium levels and symptomatology resolved. Tuberculosis causing hypercalcemia is uncommon. Steroids are useful agents, particularly in refractory cases.

Clinical Presentation And Outcomes Of Patients With Biliary Malignancies: The Aga Khan University Experience., Shiyam Kumar, Nehal Masood, Asim Jamal Shaikh Dr, Azmina T. Valimuhammad, Ghulam H, Amar Lal, Najeeb Niamatullah

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

The Karachi Intracranial Stenosis Study (Kiss) Protocol: An Urban Multicenter Case-Control Investigation Reporting The Clinical, Radiologic And Biochemical Associations Of Intracranial Stenosis In Pakistan., Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Fawad Taj,, Babar Junaidi, Asif Rasheed, Moazzam Zaidi, Muhammed Murtaza, Naved Iqbal, Fahad Hashmat, Syed Vaqas Alam, Uzma Saleem, Shahan Waheed, Lajpat Bansari, Nabi Shah, Maria Samuel, Madiha Yameen, Sobia Naz, Farrukh Shahab Khan, Naveeduddin Ahmed, Khalid Mahmood, Niaz Sheikh, Karim Ullah Makki, Muhammad Masroor Ahmed, Abdul Rauf Memon, Mohammad Wasay, Nadir Ali Syed, Bhojo A Khealani, Philippe M. Frossard, Danish Saleheen

Department of Medicine

Background: Intracranial stenosis is the most common cause of stroke among Asians. It has a poor prognosis with a high rate of recurrence. No effective medical or surgical treatment modality has been developed for the treatment of stroke due to intracranial stenosis. We aim to identify risk factors and biomarkers for intracranial stenosis and to develop techniques such as use of transcranial doppler to help diagnose intracranial stenosis in a cost-effective manner.

Methods/Design: The Karachi Intracranial Stenosis Study (KISS) is a prospective, observational, case-control study to describe the clinical features and determine the risk factors of patients with stroke due …

Adult Onset Stills Disease In A Tertiary Care Hospital Of Pakistan., Naushad Abid, A. B. Khalid

Department of Medicine

Objective: To study the clinical characteristics of Stills disease in a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan and compare it with similar published studies.

Materials and Methods: (Retrospective descriptive study) Thirteen patients with Adult onset stills disease were identified by chart review of last ten years from 1995 to 2005 at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKU), a tertiary care private medical university in Karachi Pakistan. Demographic and other specific information was recorded on standardized data sheet and analyzed by SPSS 11.5 software.

Results: Mean age of patients was 26.54±10.34 years, of which 8 (61.5%) were males. The most common presenting features …

Classification And Clinical Features Of Headache Disorders In Pakistan: A Retrospective Review Of Clinical Data, Muhammed Murtaza, Mehreen Kisat, Haroon Daniel, Aziz Sonawalla

Department of Medicine

Background: Morbidity associated with primary headache disorders is a major public health problem with an overall prevalence of 46%. Tension-type headache and migraine are the two most prevalent causes. However, headache has not been sufficiently studied as a cause of morbidity in the developing world. Literature on prevalence and classification of these disorders in South Asia is scarce. The aim of this study is to describe the classification and clinical features of headache patients who seek medical advice in Pakistan.

Methods and Results: Medical records of 255 consecutive patients who presented to a headache clinic at a tertiary care hospital …

Clinical Characteristics, Management And Outcome Of Major Pulmonary Embolism: An Experience From A Tertiary Care Center In Pakistan., Ali Bin Sarwar Zubairi, Kulsoom Fatima, Muhammad Atif, Muhammad Ammad Saeed

Department of Medicine

Objective: To evaluate the clinical characteristics, risk factors, management and outcome of major pulmonary embolism (PE) in a tertiary care center of Karachi.

Methods: Medical records of all patients who underwent a spiral CT scan of the chest for suspected pulmonary embolism were reviewed between January 2000 and June 2007 at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Patients having evidence of major pulmonary embolism on spiral CT scan were selected.

Results: A total of 30 patients (10 males, 20 females) with mean age 52 ± 14.59 years were identified who fulfilled our predefined criteria for major pulmonary embolism. Risk factors …

Defining An Emerging Epidemic: Hcv Seroprevalence In A Large, Tertiary-Care Health Network In Pennsylvania, Margaret Hoffman-Terry Md, Facp, Joseph L. Yozviak Do, Facp, K Nadeem Ahmed Md, Sherrine Eid Mph, Timothy J. Friel Md, Kimberly A. Pacella, Luther Rhodes Iii Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Does Admission Hyperglycemia Predict Intracranial And Extracranial Vasculopathy?, Ather Mohammed Taqui, Saqib Ali Gowani, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Shafquat Rozi, Bhojo A Khealani

Department of Medicine

Objective: To study the association between admission hyperglycaemia and the presence and pattern of intracranial and extracranial vascular disease.
Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a major tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Patients who had presented with acute stroke and had undergone a carotid ultrasound doppler of the carotids and/or Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) of the brain were included in the study. A multiple logistic regression analysis of variables was done for an abnormal finding on each investigation.
Results: Out of the total of 216 patients, the age of majority of the patients (83.3%) was >50 years …

Diffusion Weighted Image (Dwi) Findings In Methanol Intoxication., Humera Ahsan,, Muhammad Akbar, Aamir Hameed

Department of Medicine

Methanol is a toxic substance with extremely devastating effects upon exposure. The case described suffered from such kind of poisoning. MRI brain demonstrated necrosis bilaterally in the Putamen areas which is a classic hallmark finding. Additional Diffusion weighted imaging showed abnormal signal bilaterally in the putamen areas along with Diffusion positive bilateral lesions (possibly infarctions) in both the frontal and occipital lobes that were not evident on MRI with or without contrast.

Training Tomorrow’S Providers And Expanding Access To Peginterferon/Ribavirin Combination Therapyfor Chronic Hepatatis C In Underinsured/Uninsured Patients: Final Outcomes Of A Pilot, Resident-Initiated, Multidisciplinary, Hepatitis C Clinic, Nicole M. Agostino Do, Suzanne J. Templer Do, Edward Norris Md, Fapm, Charles M. Brooks Md, Eric J. Gertner Md, Mph, Joseph L. Yozviak Do, Facp

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Asian Cerebral Venous Thrombosis Registry: Study Protocolv, Mohammad Wasay, Ayeesha Kamal, Bhojo Khealani

Department of Medicine

Introduction:

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a well known but poorly reported entity. Most of the studies and registries related to CVT are reported from European countries. No large multi-center or multi- national data base or registry has been reported from Asian countries. CVT is not uncommon in Asia especially in south Asian subcontinent including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. One study reported from India that CVT accounted for half of all strokes in the young and 40% of strokes in women. Review of CVT cases from Asian countries is suggestive of differences in risk factors profile and outcome in these …

Fight Against Chronic Diseases (High Blood Pressure, Stroke, Diabetes And Cancer) In Pakistan; Cost-Effective Interventions, Mohammad Wasay, Abdul Jabbar

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Moyamoya Disease: A Clinical Spectrum, Literature Review And Case Series From A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan., Sana Shoukat, Ahmed Itrat, Ather M. Taqui, Moazzam Zaidi, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Department of Medicine

Background: Moyamoya is a rare cerebrovascular disease of unknown etiology. The data on moyamoya disease from Pakistan is sparse. We report a case series of 13 patients who presented with moyamoya disease to a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan with a national referral base.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of thirteen patients who presented to The Aga Khan University and diagnosed with "Moyamoya Disease" during the period 1988 – 2006. These patients were identified from existing hospital database via ICD-9 codes. A predesigned questionnaire containing information about clinical presentation, management and neuroimaging was administered to all identified patients. Results: …

Early Ischemic Stroke Presentation In Pakistan., Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Bhojo A Khealani, Sajjad Ahmed Ansari, Maria Afridi, Nadir A. Syed

Department of Medicine

INTRODUCTION:

There are no studies from Pakistan that describe stroke presentation rates or factors associated with early or delayed presentation. This is important to know because current clinical protocols limit the use of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA), the only available therapy for acute ischemic stroke, to a three-hour window from symptom onset.

METHODS:

All patients aged 14 years or above with acute ischemic stroke of < or = 48 hours duration were prospectively identified from the Aga Khan University Stroke Data Bank over a 22-month period ending May 2001.

RESULTS:

269 ischemic stroke patients presented within 48 hours of stroke onset. 55 out of 269 (21%) presented within first three hours and 110 out of 269 (41%) within first six hours. Unawareness of …

Po10.19 Clinical Spectrum Of Pseudo Seizures At A Tertiary Care Hospital Karachi: A Video Eeg Based Study, Nadeem Ahmed Memon, Bhojo A. Khealani, Fazal Karim, Mustafa Khan, Nadir Ali Syed, Saad Shafqat

Department of Medicine

Background: Nonepileptic seizures are involuntary episodes of movement, sensation, or behaviors (e.g., vocalization, crying and other expressions of emotion), that do not result from abnormal cortical discharges. The events typically occur in teenage patients with anxiety and affective disorders. Psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, drugs, hypnosis and placebo are mainstay of treatment. There is no published data on clinical characteristics of pseudo-seizures from Pakistan. The objective of our study is to describe the clinical characteristics of pseudoseizures in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: This is a descriptive study. Patients with pseudo-seizures were identified from departmental Video EEG monitoring …

Po5.53 Critical Illness Polyneuropathy And Myopathy: Experience At A Tertiary Care Center In Pakistan, Ghulam Shabbir, Ali Mehmood Raufi, Mustafa Khan, Nawal Salahuddin, Saad Shafqat

Department of Medicine

Background: Polyneuropathy and Myopathy are frequently encountere in the setting of Critical illness patients. Up to 50% of intensive care unit (ICU) patients show electrophysiological features of either or both conditions. These conditions interfere with functional recovery and delay weaning from mechanical ventilation, resulting in excess morbidity,mortality and cost of care. This study was to define the clinical spectrum of critical illness Polyneuropathy (CIP) and Myopathy (CIM) in a setting of developing country.
Methods: Hospital records spanning the period 2000 through 2005 weresearched with ICD-9 codes to identify patients with CIP and CIM. Functional improvement was judged by (i) …