Murad Almasri

Arkansas Children's Hospital | ACH · Pediatric Cardiology

Background The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery is poorly understood. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries includ...

Introduction: Respiratory syncytial viral infection (RSV) is a common pediatric respiratory infection. Morbidity and mortality associated with RSV are increased among children with congenital heart disease (CHD). The objective of this study was to measure inpatient outcomes and cost of hospital charge for children with CHD who contracted a respirat...

Background: Surgical correction for transposition of great arteries (TGA) usually occurs in the first week of life. A significant number of neonates with TGA are transferred from their birth hospital to a different hospital for surgery. There is limited data on the association between neonatal transfer and outcomes of TGA infants. Method: Neonates...

Background: Central venous catheters are commonly used in neonates with congenital heart disease. There is very limited data on the outcomes of central line-associated bloodstream infections in neonates with congenital heart disease (CHD). Objective: The aim of this study is to use a nationally representative database to assess trends in central li...

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States (US) and worldwide. Past studies have demonstrated a rise in sedentary life-style among adolescents. We aim to provide an up-to-date representation of the prevalence of multiple cardiovascular risk factors amongst adolescents in the US. Methods: We queried hospi...

Aim: The incidence of pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is between 2-6%. There is significant morbidity and mortality associated with these events which leads to tremendous burden on the hospital resources. It is necessary to fully analyze these events. This study aimed at evaluating the survival predictors after in-hospital pediatric car...

In this manuscript, we present an ECG that is diagnostic of congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries (ccTGA) and ask about the arrhythmias associated as well as the management options.

Introduction: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at increased cardiovascular risk. Data about outcomes after cardiac surgery are scarce. Hypothesis: We sought to evaluate early and late outcomes after cardiac surgery for patients with SLE during a 27- year period at a single institution. Methods: A retrospective review of the inst...

An 18-year old male with no significant past medical history was initially seen in the cardiology clinic for an episode of syncope and hypertension. Electrocardiogram (ECG) was done and showed normal sinus rhythm with non specific T wave changes. Interestingly, Echocardiography (ECHO) was significant for a bicuspid aortic valve (right and left cusp...

We report on in-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in the USA. The data were obtained from the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample datasets for the years 2000–2017, which includes data from participating hospitals in 47 US states and the District of Columbia. We included pediatric patients (< 18 years of age) with cardiac arrest, and we excluded p...

Background: Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the s...

Peri-operative SARS-CoV-2 infection increases postoperative mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal duration of planned delay before surgery in patients who have had SARS-CoV-2 infection. This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study included patients undergoing elective or emergency surgery during October 2020. Su...

Cardiomyopathies (CMs) encompass a heterogeneous group of structural and functional (systolic and diastolic) abnormalities of the myocardium and are either confined to the cardiovascular system or are part of a systemic disorder. CMs represent a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and account for a significant percentage of death and cardiac t...

We report on in-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in the United States. The data were obtained from the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample datasets for the years 2000–2017, which includes data from participating hospitals in 47 US states and the District of Columbia. We included pediatric patients (< 18 years of age) with cardiac arrest and we e...

Background 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on...

p>Background: 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications...

Background: Surgical services are preparing to scale up in areas affected by COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the association between preoperative SARS-CoV-2 testing and postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing elective cancer surgery. Methods: This international cohort study included adult patients undergoing elective sur...

Background Surgical services are preparing to scale up in areas affected by COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the association between preoperative SARS-CoV-2 testing and postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing elective cancer surgery. Methods This international cohort study included adult patients undergoing elective surge...

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathw...

Breast milk (BM) is a known risk factor for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NJ) in term infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognized BM feeding as a risk factor for NJ and potentially for kernicterus. More extremely low birth weight (ELBW) are now being fed expressed human milk (EBM) or donor expressed breast milk (DEBM) to take advantage of...

Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a primary genetic cardiomyopathy characterized by abnormal trabeculations frequently seen towards the left ventricular apex. It is heterogeneous in nature and it may present as a single condition, or in combination with other primary cardiomyopathies. Although “left ventricular noncompaction” refers directly...

Congenital heart disease (CHD) may cause a significant comorbidity in patients with Turner syndrome. The commonly reported CHD in these patients includes bicuspid aortic valve and coarctation of the aorta. Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a rare form of cardiomyopathy that has been reported in literature only three times in adult patients w...

Respiratory syncytial viral infection (RSV) is a common pediatric respiratory infection. Morbidity and mortality associated with RSV are increased among children with congenital heart disease (CHD). The objective of this study was to measure inpatient outcomes and cost of hospital charge for children with CHD who contracted a respiratory viral infe...

Aorta-right atrial tunnel is a rare entity characterized by a vascular fistula, which connects one of the sinuses of Valsalva in the ascending aorta and the right atrium. It is frequently associated with congestive heart failure. This abnormality is usually diagnosed by echocardiography or CT angiography. It requires immediate intervention due to h...

Background Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) is prevelant in oncology patients. CRF may pre‐exist cancer diagnosis, occur secondry to cancer infiltration, complicate chemotherapy and other toxic drugs or follow hematopoietic stem‐cell transplantation. CRF is associated with prolonged hospital stay, high healthcare cost and increased mortality. Despite th...

Coronary artery anomalies are rare congenital disorders occurring in 0.3-5.6 % of the population. However, it carries a potential risk of sudden death in young athletes due to the development of premature coronary artery disease. The diagnosis of coronary artery anomalies is usually made incidentally; commonly found while investigating other cardia...

Background Omphalitis is considered a leading cause of sepsis among newborn infants and topical antiseptic cord care is usually recommended. In 2003, WHO recommended the use of dry cord care in settings where the risk of omphalitis and sepsis is low. In Palestine, recommendations on umbilical cord care are not clear; the 70% alcohol cord care metho...

Smartphones are becoming each time more pow-erful and equipped with several accessories that are useful for robots. In this paper we present a survey of recent develop-ments of robots controlled by such phones. We also present a novel closed loop control system that we have developed based on audio channels of mobile devices.