EPIDEMIOLOGY Predisposing factors for infective endocarditis are cardiac abnormalities that disrupt the endocardium by means of a jet injury, as well as the presence of blood-borne microorganisms that colonize these abnormal surfaces. Congenitally bicuspid aortic valve is the most common predisposing lesion for endocarditis of the aortic valve. In addition, congenital abnormalities of the aorti...

To assess the accuracy of echocardiography in determining the cause of aortic regurgitation M mode and cross sectional echocardiography were compared with angiography in 43 patients with predominant aortic regurgitation. Each patient had all three investigations performed during the same admission to hospital. In each instance, the cause of aortic regurgitation was confirmed at surgery or necro...

Giant left atrium is a rare condition, with a reported incidence of 0.3%, and following mainly rheumatic mitral valve disease. Although rheumatic heart disease represents the main cause of giant left atrium, other etiologies have been reported. Giant left atrium has significant hemodynamic effects and requires specific management. In this review, we present two cases, discuss the different defi...

BACKGROUND Complications of rheumatic heart disease are associated with severe morbidity and mortality in developing countries where the disease prevalence remains high. Due to lack of screening services, many patients present late, with severe valve disease. In Uganda, the disease and its complications are still not well studied. OBJECTIVE To profile and describe cardiovascular complications...

Heart valve disease is a very common medical condition; the most frequent aetiology is degenerative valve disease, mainly represented by calcific aortic stenosis in the elderly. In developing countries, valvular heart disease triggered by rheumatic fever is the most important aetiology and can lead to a heterogeneous heart valve disease, mainly represented by mitral stenosis in young female pat...

INTRODUCTION Data on infective endocarditis (IE) in Southeast Asia are scarce. OBJECTIVES To describe the clinical epidemiology of IE in Lao PDR, a lower middle-income country. METHODS A single centre retrospective study at Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane. Patients aged over 1year of age admitted 2006-2012 to Mahosot Hospital with definite or possible IE by modified Duke criteria were included....