Gene Expression Monitoring in Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients

Rejection is a leading cause of morbidity in pediatric heart transplant recipients, often through progression to graft failure and death. In the most recent era, 15% of patients experienced treated rejection within the first yearpost-transplant, with rates of rejection being highest in patients greater than 1 year of age.

Pediatric Heart Transplant

Frequent monitoring with cardiac catheterization and endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) has been utilized to monitor patients in the post-transplant period for evidence of rejection. However, EMB has been associated with risks such as tricuspid valve damage and regurgitation, conduction system abnormalities, and cardiac perforation. Endomyocardial biopsy is subject to sampling error and inter-observer variability, and can only detect acute cellular rejection (ACR) once cellular infiltration and damage has occurred.

 PDFLink

Heart Murmur among Lebanese Children: A Retrospective Study to Evaluate Epidemiological Features and Risk Factors

A heart murmur is a continuous sound that is audible with a common stethoscope, produced by turbulent blood along its passage through heart cavities. Often heart murmurs are innocent and do not underline a structural lesion.Heart murmurs are so frequent and touch almost80% of neonates and 1/3 of infants and children.

Heart Murmur

Therefore, it shall remain the chief cause of consultation in pediatric cardiology clinics. Congenital heart diseases (CHD) are also known for their high prevalence with an incidence reaching 0.5 to 0.8%; most cases being diagnosed during infancy and accounting only 1 to 2/1000 cases in school-aged children later on.Innocent heart murmurs are isolated murmurs with no other clinical or historical findings and no underlying structural cardiovascular disease.

PDF Link

Retina and Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a complex chronic mental disorder, which affects 24 million people worldwide and is responsible for significant functional impairment. Several studies have tried to understand this disease and the involvement of the central nervous system. Neuro-imaging studies have shown structural brain changes inschizophrenia, already evident in the first psychotic episode. It is essential to realize how the neurodevelopment and the neurodegenerative domains influence this disease.

Retina and Schizophrenia

In our manuscript, entitled "Evaluation of Structural Changes in the Retina of Patients with Schizophrenia", we try to understand how a non-invasive exam, as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), can also be useful in schizophrenia, to evaluate the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular volume and thickness. In the second part of this study, we try to realize the correlation of these data with cognitive functioning in schizophrenic patients, abstract previously published (entitled “Correlation between macular OCT and cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia”).

PDF LINK

The Importance of Incorporating Technological Advancements into the Prosthetic Eye Development: A Perspective Commentary

Application of technology into healthcare has typically been targeted to high demand illnesses and treatments.

Services have historically been led by skills and expertise, and recent developments are being seen by ocularists in the field of prosthetic eyes who acknowledge the potential benefit from technological advancement.

Utilising the technologies recently investigated in maxillofacial prosthesis can start the evolutionary process where products are continually re-designed and re-developed to achieve excellent patient outcome and satisfaction levels.

PDF LINK

Basic Module of Health Promotion

This module provides a guide for organizations to implement health promotion among society. There are four units in this module, namely the Health Promotion, Program Planning, Communications, and Program Evaluation.

The module is expected to bring benefits to all organizations that carry out health promotion projects not only in Malaysia but throughout the world.

Congratulations to all specialist involved in the drafting of the Basic module of Health Promotion for producing content that should be known by the organizations involved in health promotion activities.

PDF LINK

Endothelial Function Improvement: You are Patients' Daily Prescription

The vascular endothelium is an important barometer of health and wellness, yet is often not discussed because it is out of sight.

Abnormal endothelial function often accompanies aging and is associated with arteries that are pro-thrombotic, pro-adhesive, pro-inflammatory, and more prone to vasoconstriction.

Importantly such endothelial dysfunction is associated with detrimental medical conditions including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

PDF LINK

High Grade Incidental Brain Arteriovenous Malformation

Brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVM) are congenital vascular lesions consisting of direct arterial to venous connection without a capillary network.

They occur in 0.1% of the population, most commonly in the supratentorial region. Aneurysm, intracranial hemorrhage and stroke are the major complications.

We present 2 cases two cases of high grade incidental BAVM. A thorough evaluation of the lesion and the risks of surgical intervention determine the appropriate management.

PDF LINK