Dr. Alnoor Abdulla, M.D.
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04 · Research and Publications

Landmark Research & Clinical Trial Leadership

Dr. Abdulla served as the site Principal Investigator on several practice-defining international cardiovascular trials, and as a national guidelines panelist for the Canadian Cardiovascular Society.

Principal Investigator

GUSTO Trial (1991–93)

Sudbury Memorial Hospital site. An international randomized trial of four thrombolytic strategies for acute MI, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (1993).

Principal Investigator

HOPE Trial (1993–94)

Sudbury site — one of the landmark trials establishing ACE-inhibitor therapy for cardiovascular risk reduction.

Principal Investigator

INTER-HEART & CARVEDILOL HEART FAILURE TRIALS

Sudbury, then Aga Khan University, Karachi site (1992–94) — international collaborations on global cardiovascular risk and heart failure therapy, begun as Principal Investigator in Canada and continued at AKU after his 1994 move.

Selected Landmark Publications

A few of the 67 publications and guideline panels above, on their own significance.

Circulation, 1985 · J.A.C.C., 1986

Quantitative Thallium-201 Washout Analysis

From his Cedars-Sinai/UCLA fellowship under Dr. Daniel Berman and Dr. H.J.C. Swan, this pair of papers established that measuring how quickly thallium washes out of the heart muscle — not just the static image — could uncover coronary disease that traditional imaging missed. Adding washout analysis lifted detection sensitivity across every major coronary branch (LAD 74%→82%, LCx 40%→61%, RCA 78%→90%), work that helped move nuclear cardiology from visual read to quantitative science. This initiated the era of quantitative analysis of Thallium myocardial scintigraphy.

Primary Panelist, 1994

Canada's First National Heart Failure Guidelines

As Primary Panelist on the Canadian Cardiovascular Society's first-ever Consensus Conference on Heart Failure, Dr. Abdulla helped review the trial evidence and draft the original treatment recommendations — including establishing ACE inhibitors as mandatory first-line therapy — that were then distributed to physicians nationally, published as a special supplement to the Canadian Journal of Cardiology (Vol. 10, 1994).

Secondary Panelist, 1996

Canada's First National Atrial Fibrillation Guidelines

He also served as the secondary panelist for the Canadian Cardiovascular Society's first-ever Consensus National Guidelines on Atrial Fibrillation: Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Vol. 12, Supp. A, pages 7A–61A, January 1996.

Ontario Cardiac Care Network

Community-Centre Outcomes, Academic-Centre Results

The province-wide outcomes studies run by the Provincial Adult Cardiac Care Network of Ontario benchmarked in-hospital mortality after bypass surgery across all nine of the province's cardiac surgery centres — eight university-affiliated academic and major teaching hospitals, each with interns, residents, and the full depth of academic support services. The Northeastern Ontario Cardiovascular Program in Sudbury was the ninth — at the time he was Head of the Cardiovascular Department — the only community-based centre in the group, with none of that academic infrastructure — and still delivered cardiovascular surgery outcomes matching the standard set by the province's academic centres.

View the full list of clinical trials, guideline panels & research publications (67)

National Guidelines Panels

  • Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) First Consensus Guidelines on Heart Failure — Primary Panelist (1994)
  • CCS Consensus Conference on Atrial Fibrillation — Secondary Panelist (1996)

Selected Clinical Trials (Principal / Site Investigator)

  1. Iohexol — Canadian Multicentre Assessment of Safety & Efficacy, Sudbury Memorial Hospital (1985–86)
  2. GUSTO I — Sudbury Memorial Hospital, Principal Investigator (1991–93)
  3. Lisinopril in the Treatment of Hypertension — Canadian Postmarketing Surveillance Study, Sudbury (1992–93)
  4. HOPE Trial — Sudbury, Principal Investigator (1993–94)
  5. International Multicentre Carvedilol in Heart Failure Trial — Sudbury, then AKU Karachi, Principal Investigator (1992–94)
  6. INTER-HEART Trial, Canadian Cardiovascular Collaboration — Sudbury, then AKU Karachi, Principal Investigator (1993–94)
  7. OAT Trial (NIH-sponsored) — Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Principal Investigator (2001–02)
  8. VPR Vascular Protection Registry — Toronto (2004–05)
  9. REACH Cardiovascular Registry — Toronto (2004)
  10. SURGE Hypertension Trial — Toronto (2004)
  11. INSPIRE-ME, Cardio-Metabolic Risk Assessment (2007)
  12. CONFIDENCE II Hypertension Trial (2009)
  13. DIVA Canadian Multicentre Registry (2009)

Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts (19)

  1. Stein H., Abdulla A., Robinson H., Ford D.: Salmonella Reactive Arthritis:Arthritis & Rheumatism, 23 (2): 206-210, 1980 (Manuscript).
  2. Bateman T., Maddahi J., Gray R., Abdulla A., Raymond M., Panteleo N.,Rozanski A., Swan J.C., Berman D.: Pattern of diffuse slow washout of Thallium-201 from the myocardium: Its clinical and angiographic correlates. American Journal of Cardiology 49(4): 968, 1982.
  3. Shah P.K., Abdulla A., Pichler M., Shellock F., Berman D., Singh B., Swan H.J.C.: Effects of Nitroprusside-induced reduction of elevated preload and afterload on global and regional ventricular function in acute myocardial infarction. (Manuscript) Amer. Heart J, 105(4): 531-542, April 1983.
  4. Abdulla A., Maddahi J., Garcia E., Rozanski A., Swan H.J.C., Berman D.: Slow regional clearance of myocardial Thallium-201 in the absence of perfusion defect: Its contribution to detection of individual coronary artery stenosis and mechanisms for its occurrence. (Manuscript) Circulation 71(1): 72-79, 1985.
  5. Peretz D., Abdulla A.: The management of cardioinhibitory hypersensitive carotid sinus syncope with permanent cardiacpacing: A twelve year prospective study. (Manuscript) Canadian Journal of Cardiology 1(2): 86-91, March 1985.
  6. Maddahi J., Abdulla A., Garcia E., Swan H.J.C., Berman D.: Non‑ invasive identification of left main an Triple vessel coronary artery disease: Improved accuracy using quantitative analysis of regional myocardial stress distribution and washout of Thallium-201. (Manuscript) J.A.C.C. 7(1): 53-60, January 1986.
  7. Abdulla A.: Activitrax TM Case Study: Congenital A-V Nodal Block. Medtronic News, p. 21, Summer 1986.
  8. Abdulla A.: Rate Responsive Implantable Pacing (Manuscript): Transplantation / Implantation Today, 4: 60-71, February 1987.
  9. Francisco W. Hong Tai En. Iohexol: A Canadian Multicentre Assessment of Safety and Efficacy: Winthrop Diagnostic Imaging. Abdulla, A. Participating Co-Investigator - Angiocardiography 1987.
  10. Huckell, V, et al: Lisinopril in the Treatment of Hypertension: A Canadian Postmarketing Surveillance Study. Clinical Therapeutics 15(2), 1993. Abdulla A. - participating Co-Investigator.
  11. The GUSTO Investigators (Abdulla A., principal investigator SMH - site). An International Randomized Trial Comparing Four Thrombolytic Strategies for Acute Myocardial Infarction. NEJM. Vol.329 (10): 673-682, September 1993.
  12. Johnstone DE, Abdulla A. et al: Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure, Canadian Cardiovascular Society's Consensus Canadian Journal of Cardiology Vol. 10 (6): 613 - 631, July/Aug 1994.
  13. Jaglal SB, Tu JV, Naylor CD and the Steering Committee of the Provincial Adult Cardiac Care Network of Ontario Abdulla A. et al: Higher Operative Mortality in Female Patients Following Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A Population-Based Study. Clin and Invest Med 18(2): 55-63, 1994.
  14. Johnstone DE, Abdulla A. et al: Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure - Consensus Guidelines. The Canadian Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Winter 1994.
  15. Tu JV, Naylor CD and the Steering Committee of the Provincial Adult Cardiac Care Network of Ontario Abdulla A. et al: Multicenter Validation of a Risk Index for Mortality, ICU stay, and Overall Hospital Length of Stay Following Cardiac Surgery. Circulation 91(3): 677-684, 1995.
  16. Tu JV, Naylor CD and the Steering Committee of the Provincial Adult Cardiac Care Network of Ontario Abdulla A. et al: Coronary Artery Bypass Mortality rates in Ontario: a Canadian approach to quality assurance in cardiac surgery. Circulation 94:2429-2433, 1996.
  17. Tu JV, Naylor CD and the Steering Committee of the Provincial Adult Cardiac Care Network of Ontario Abdulla A. et al: Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in Ontario & New York State: Which rate is right? Ann. Intern. Med. 126:13-19, 1997.
  18. Abdulla A., Faruqui A., Panel Discussion on Incidence and Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: Monthly Medical Digest, Pakistan. Nov-Dec 1995.
  19. Canadian Cardiovascular Society Consensus Conference on Atrial Fibrillation. Secondary Panelist, Abdulla A., et al: Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Vol., 12, Supp. A, page 7A - 61A. January 1996.

Conference Abstracts (35)

  1. Stein H., Abdulla A., Robinson H., Ford D.: Salmonella Reactive Arthritis: Arthritis & Rheumatism, , 22: June 1979 (Abstract).
  2. Abdulla A., Maddahi J., Garcia E., Gutman J., Waxman A., Rozanski A.,Berman D Mechanism of improved detection of individual coronary artery stenosis by addition of quantitative assessment of myocardial washout to analysis of Thallium-201 scintigrams. J Nucl Med 22 (6): 25, 1981.
  3. Maddahi J., Abdulla A., Berman D., Garcia E., Rozansk A., Waxman A.,Forrester J., Swan H.J.C.: Quantitative analysis of TL-201 myocardial stress distribution and washout improves the identification of the left main and triple vessel coronary artery disease. J Nucl Med 22 (6): 25, 1981.
  4. Brachman M., Gutman J., Rozanski A., Tanasescu D., Ramanna L., Abdulla A., Maddahi J., Wawman A., Berman D.: Assessment of right ventricular TL-201 stress and early distribution scintigraphy: A method for detecting proximal right coronary artery stenosis. J Nucl Med 22 (6): 83, 1981.
  5. Abdulla A., Maddahi J., Barbour D., Garcia E., Swan H.J.C., Berman D.:Non-invasive identification of left main and triple vessel coronary artery disease in patients with prior myocardial infarction. Circulation 64: IV-184, 1981.
  6. Gutman J., Rozanski A., Panteleo N., Levy R., Maddahi J.,Abdulla A., Swan H.J.C., Waxman A., Berman D.: Localization of individual coronary stenoses by two-view exercise radio-nuclide ventriculography. Circulation 64: IV-234, 1981.
  7. Gutman J., Rozanski A., Maddahi J., Brachman M., Levy R., Panteleo N., Abdulla A., Waxman A., Berman D.: Contribution of right ventricular scintigraphic analysis to the detection and localization of right coronary artery stenosis. Circulation 64:IV-260, 1981.
  8. Abdulla A., Maddahi J., Berman D., Garcia E., Swan H.J.C., Forrester J.S., (Intr by H. Staniloff): Non-invasive identifi-cation of left main and triple vessel coronary artery disease by quantitative analysis of TL-201 myocardial stress distribution and washout. Abstract: Canadian Cardiovascular Society Annual Meeting, Montreal, 1981.
  9. Abdulla A., Maddahi J., Garcia E., Forrester J., Swan H.J.C., Berman D.:Myocardial TL-201 isolated washout abnormality: Mechanism for its occurrence and its contribution to enhanced detection of ischemic myocardial segments. Abstract: Circulation 64: IV-105, 1981.
  10. Bateman T., Maddahi J., Gray R., Abdulla A., Raymond M., Panteleo N., Rozanski A., Swan H.J.C., Berman D.: Scintigraphic pattern of diffuse slow washout of myocardial Thallium-201: A new indicator of high risk coronary artery disease. Clin.Res. 30(1): 3A, 1982.
  11. Peretz D., Abdulla A.: The management of cardioinhibitory hypersensitive carotid sinus syncope with permanent cardiacpacing: A twelve year prospective study. Annals June 1983, Vol: 16 (4): 312 (Abstract).
  12. Abdulla A., Dhanani H., May M., Basir N., Kazmi K., Ahmad I., Quraishi A., Demographic, Clinical and Angiographic Profile of Patients Undergoing Cardiac Angiography at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan: Abstract, Second Annual National Symposium AKU. September 1995.
  13. Abdulla A., Dhanani H., May M., Basir N., Kazmi K., Ahmad I., Quraishi A., Extent of Coronary Artery Disease and Degree of Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients Catheterized for Ischemic Heart Disease Assessment: Abstract, Second Annual National Symposium AKU. September 1995.
  14. Abdulla A., Dhanani H., May M., Basir N., Kazmi K., Ahmad I., Quraishi A., Does Severity of Angina Pectoris Predict the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease? Abstract, Second Annual National Symposium AKU. September 1995.
  15. Abdulla A., Rahim R., Quraishi A., Basir N., Kazmi K., Ahmad I., Khan M. A. Cardiac Catheterization at the Aga Khan University Hospital - What Is the Clinical Spectrum? Abstract: Fifth Biennial PMRC Research Congress, December 1995. and Congress'96 January 1996, Lahore, Pakistan. CPS, Pakistan & RCPS, Glasgow.
  16. Quraishi A., Abdulla A., Irshad A., Arain F.A., Qureshi W.A., Kazmi K., Basir M.N., Ahmad I., Khan M. A. Clinical Profile of Patients with Clinical Angina and Angiographically Proven Normal Coronary Arteries. Abstract: Third Annual National Symposium AKU. September 1996.
  17. Abdulla A., Kazmi K., Quraishi A., Basir M.N., Ahmad I., Khan M. A. Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty: Experience at AKUH. Abstract: Third Annual National Symposium AKU. September 1996.
  18. Kazmi K., Dodani S., Hassan M., Abdulla A. Clinical Value of Transthoracic Echocardiography in Patients with Ischemic Infarcts and TIA. Abstract: Third Annual National Symposium AKU. September 1996.
  19. Abdulla A., Qureshi A.R., Qureshi W.A., Noorani A, Hassan S.B. Therapeutic Recommendations Following Cardiac Cath/Angiography - Consensus Decision Making. Abstract. XIV Annual Cardiology Conference December 1996, Hyderabad, Pakistan. Pakistan Cardiac Society.
  20. Kazmi K, Abdulla A. Comparison of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Percutaneous Coronary Angioplasty Experience with ACC National Database Results. Abstract. XIV Annual Cardiology Conference December 1996, Hyderabad, Pakistan. Pakistan Cardiac Society.
  21. Qureshi A.R., Abdulla A., Irshad A, Arain F.A., Qureshi W.A. Normal Coronary Angiograms: Prevalence & Comparison with Patients Having Coronoray Artery Disease. Abstract. XIV Annual Cardiology Conference December 1996, Hyderabad, Pakistan. Pakistan Cardiac Society.
  22. Basir N.B., Abdulla A., Siddiqui K.M. Predictors of outcome in CPR. Abstract. XIV Annual Cardiology Conference December 1996, Hyderabad, Pakistan. Pakistan Cardiac Society and Pakistan Society of Physicians Annual Meeting, February 1997, Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi.
  23. Basir N.B, Abdulla A., Siddiqui K.M. Pre Arrest Morbidity Index in CPR. Sixth Biennial PMRS Research Congress, December 1996 Lahore
  24. Kazmi K, Quraishi A.R., Abdulla A. Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA), Quality Assurance in the Third World: Comparative Outcome Analysis Against Contemporary First World Experience. Abstract. XIII Biennal Congress of Cardiology, Pakistan Cardiac Society, December 1997 Karachi
  25. Kazmi K, Dodani S, Hassan M, Abdulla A. Accuracy of "Sensitive Rapid Troponin T" Assay at Admission Point of Care in Predicting Outcome of Patients with Unstable Angina. Abstract. XIII Biennal Congress of Cardiology, Pakistan Cardiac Society, December 1997 Karachi
  26. Siddiqui K., Basir M.N., Abdulla A. Evaluation of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, in a Third World Setting, to Determine Major Predictors of Outcome. June 1997, Research Seminar - Department of Medicine, AKUH
  27. Abdulla A., Kazmi K., Quraishi A.R. Can Initial Results from a New Angioplasty (PTCA) Program in the Third World be Expected to Match the Contemporary Western Experience? 6th Scientific Conference, September 1998. The AgaKhan Hospital , Nairobi, Kenya
  28. Kuschnir, (Abdulla A., Principal Investigator - Pakistan) et al: Evaluation of Carvedilol in Patients with Chronic Congestive Heart Failure. November 1998, American Heart Association 71st Scientific Sessions, Dallas, Texas
  29. Syed Najaf Nadeem, Ata-ur-Reheman Quraishi, Asad Pathan, Hafeez Ahmad, Khawar Kazmi, Sajid Dhakam, Fahim Jafry, Alnoor Abdulla. Evolution of a newly Established Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Program (PCI) with Improvement in Clinical outcomes. First 10 years Experience (1995-2005) Experience from a South Asian Center. January 2007 , 16th Annual Singapore Live Vascular Endotherapy Course, Singapore.
  30. Syed M Nadeem, Ata Quraishi, Asad Pathan, Hafeez Ahmed, Fahim Jafary, K A Kazmi, Sajid Dhakam, Alnoor Abdulla. Evolution of a newly established percutaneous Coronary intervention program with improvement in clinical outcomes. First 10 years (1995-2005) experience from a South Asian Center. Catheter & Cardiovascular Interventions 2007; 69 (6): S46.
  31. Nadeem SN, Abdulla A, Kamal A, Quraishi AR, Shah I, Beydoun H, O’Neill B, Cox J. Are South Asians at increased risk of death after acute myocardial infarction? A real time comparison between South Asian and North American cohorts. Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2007, Quebec, Montreal, Canada
  32. SN Nadeem, AR Quraishi, A Pathan, FH Jafary, H Ahmad, KA Kazmi, SH Dhakam, Alnoor Abdulla. Evolution of a Newly Established Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) Program with Improvement in Clinical Outcomes. First 10-Years (1995 to 2005) Experience from a South Asian Center. SAARC Congress of Cardiology, Karachi, Pakistan. April 01, 2006.
  33. SM. Najaf Ali, A. Abdulla, Khawar Kazmi, Asad Pathan. Clinical follow-up Of Patients Undergoing Coronary Angioplasty: Single Center Experience. The 12th Asian-Pacific Congress of Cardiology and 7th Asian Congress of Pediatric Cardiology. October 17 - 20, 1999 Lahore, Pakistan.
  34. SM. Najaf Ali, A. Abdulla, Khawar Kazmi, Asad Pathan. Immediate and Long-term Clinical Outcome of Coronary Angioplasty in Diabetics vs. Non-Diabetics. The 12th Asian-Pacific Congress of Cardiology and 7th Asian Congress of Pediatric Cardiology. October 17 - 20, 1999 Lahore, Pakistan
  35. SM. Najaf Ali, A. Abdulla, Khawar Kazmi, Asad Pathan. Multi-Vessel Coronary Angioplasty: Single Center Experience. The 12th Asian-Pacific Congress of Cardiology and 7th Asian Congress of Pediatric Cardiology. October 17 - 20, 1999 Lahore, Pakistan.

Audio-Visual & Teaching Material

  1. Abdulla A.: Medifacts Audio Cassette: Post Myocardial Infarction Management, Vol. XIX (11), November 1989.
  2. Abdulla A., Baigre R.: Holding The Line: The Spectrum of Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Heart Failure. Fulford-Brown Productions Teaching Video February 1993.

This is the complete record on file: 19 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 35 conference abstracts, 13 clinical trials (1980–2009), and 2 audio-visual/teaching pieces. The full CV is also available as a download — see Resources.

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