Myosin Heavy Chain 7 (MYH7) Variant Associated Cardiovascular Disease: An Unusual Case of Heart Failure in a Young Male.

A 37-year-old male with type two diabetes presented to the hospital with new-onset heart failure and renal dysfunction. His left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction was less than 10%. Transthoracic echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging also revealed severe bicuspid aortic valve stenosis, dilated cardiomyopathy with LV hypertrophy, prominent LV trabeculations, and features suggestive of mild myocarditis with active inflammation. While myocarditis was suspected on CMR imaging, his mild degree of myocardial involvement did not explain the entirety of his clinical presentation, degree of LV dysfunction, or other structural abnormalities. An extensive work-up for his LV dysfunction was unremarkable for ischemic, metabolic, infiltrative, infectious, toxic, oncologic, connective tissue, and autoimmune etiologies. Genetic testing was positive for a myosin heavy chain 7 (MYH7) variant, which was deemed likely to be a unifying etiology underlying his presentation. The MYH7 sarcomere gene allows beta-myosin expression in heart ventricles, with variants associated with hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies, congenital heart diseases, myocarditis, and excessive trabeculation (formerly known as left ventricular noncompaction). This case highlights the diverse array of cardiac pathologies that can present with MYH7 gene variants and reviews an extensive work-up for this unusual presentation of heart failure in a young patient.

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination-Induced Myopericarditis in an Otherwise Healthy Young Male: An Evidence-Based Approach to Differentiating From Perimyocarditis.

A 29-year-old male, otherwise healthy with no past medical history, presented to the hospital after a two-day history of pleuritic chest pain with a fever. He had received his first dose of the mRNA-1273 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine (Moderna) two months prior without any adverse reactions. He received his second dose approximately 24 hours before symptom onset and hospital presentation. Work-up was unremarkable for respiratory, autoimmune, and rheumatological etiologies. The patient was found to have electrocardiogram features and symptoms in keeping with pericarditis, C-reactive protein elevation, and a peak high-sensitivity troponin level of 9,992 ng/L suggestive of a component of myocarditis. A dilemma arose regarding whether this patient should be diagnosed with perimyocarditis or myopericarditis, terms often used interchangeably without proper reference to the primary pathology, which can ultimately affect management. A subsequent echocardiogram was unremarkable, with a normal left ventricular systolic function, but cardiac resonance imaging revealed myocardial edema suggestive of myocarditis. Without convincing evidence for an alternative explanation after an extensive work-up of ischemic, autoimmune, rheumatological, and infectious etiologies, this patient was diagnosed with COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-induced myopericarditis. The patient fully recovered after receiving a treatment course of ibuprofen and colchicine. This case explores how the diagnosis of COVID-19 vaccine-induced myopericarditis was made and treated using an evidence-based approach, highlighting its differentiation from perimyocarditis.

Mock Wards: Incorporating a Theoretical Framework to Create a Blended Virtual and In-Person Clinical Reasoning Education Platform.

Introduction The coronavirus 2019 pandemic highlighted virtual learning (VL) as a promising tool for medical education, yet its effectiveness in teaching clinical reasoning (CR) remains underexplored. Past studies have suggested VL can effectively prepare students for clinical settings. Informed by the Milestones of Observable Behaviours for CR (MOBCR) and whole-case theoretical frameworks, the Mock Wards (MW) program was created using a novel blended in-person learning (IPL) and VL platform. MW consisted of case-based small-group formats for medical students interested in learning approaches and differentials to commonly encountered presenting symptoms and diagnoses in internal medicine. This study sought to use MW's blended design to qualitatively analyze CR development and compare its utility between VL and IPL. Methods Qualitative analysis was conducted using in-depth semi-structured interviews with first-year pre-clerkship medical students (n = 8) who completed the MW program and participated in the study. The interview guide was informed by the MOBCR framework. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a directed qualitative content analysis approach. Translational coding and HyperRESEARCHTM (Researchware, Inc., Randolph, MA) software-generated mind maps guided the theme development. Results Three overarching themes were constructed: (1) tailoring pedagogical frameworks to learning modalities, (2) learning through interactivity, and (3) balancing accessibility with learner engagement. Participants emphasized that teaching CR skills is modality-specific and not fully interchangeable, with IPL being superior in facilitating social cohesion, non-verbal communication, and feedback. In contrast, VL required structured approaches and relied more on verbal communication and pre-made digital materials. IPL also enhanced interactivity, peer relationships, and spontaneous communication, whereas VL faced challenges such as social awkwardness and technological constraints hindering effective collaboration. VL provided superior accessibility to facilitate distributed learning and management of concurrent academic obligations. Conclusion The MW-blended platform highlights the importance of focusing on modality-tailored pedagogies, emphasizing group interactability, and balancing VL accessibility against decreased engagement within the IPL environment when teaching CR skills. Blended education models may benefit from a scaffolding approach, using IPL as a prerequisite to VL to improve CR development and alignment within a learner's zone of proximal development.

QTc Interval Prolongation and Its Association With Electrolyte Abnormalities and Psychotropic Drug Use Among Patients With Eating Disorders.

Background: Eating disorders (EDs) often develop during adolescence with high mortality rates. Sudden cardiac death in these patients has been associated with corrected QT (QTc) interval prolongation. The significance of extrinsic factors on QTc prolongation in populations with EDs remains controversial. This study assessed the relationship between QTc prolongation in paediatric patients with EDs and extrinsic factors, such as QTc-prolonging medications and electrolyte abnormalities to investigate whether an ED alone is associated with an increased prevalence of QTc prolongation. Methods: Electrocardiograms, electrolytes, and psychopharmaceutical usage were retrospectively analysed from the charts of 264 paediatric patients with EDs. Descriptive statistics were used to assess QTc prolongation and its relationship with electrolyte abnormalities and psychopharmaceuticals. Results: Of 264 patients, 227 had normal QTc intervals (<440 ms), whereas 37 had borderline prolonged (440-460 ms) or prolonged (>460 ms) intervals. The prevalence of QTc intervals exceeding 440 ms in patients with normal electrolytes and not using QTc-prolonging psychotropics mirrored that of the general population (P = 0.59). Of the 23 patients taking psychotropics, 8 had abnormal QTc intervals. The average QTc was greater for patients using QTc-prolonging psychotropics (P = 0.05) with a correlation between interval length and psychotropic usage (P < 0.01). Average potassium (P = 0.08), calcium (P = 0.18), and magnesium (P = 0.08) levels did not significantly differ between those with normal and abnormal QTc intervals. Conclusions: This study suggests that EDs alone may not prolong QTc intervals in paediatric patients with EDs, but psychotropics appear to be a salient external factor in QTc prolongation.

Contexte: Les troubles des conduites alimentaires (TCA) surviennent surtout au cours de l'adolescence et entraînent un taux de mortalité élevé. Chez ces patients, la mort subite d'origine cardiaque a été associée à un allongement de l'intervalle QT corrigé (QTc). La portée des facteurs extrinsèques sur l'allongement de cet intervalle chez les patients atteints de TCA demeure un sujet controversé. La présente étude visait à évaluer la relation entre l'allongement de l'intervalle QTc chez les enfants atteints de TCA et des facteurs extrinsèques, comme la prise de médicaments causant l'allongement de l'intervalle QTc et les anomalies électrolytiques, pour déterminer si la présence d'un TCA est à elle seule associée à une prévalence élevée d'allongement de l'intervalle QTc. Méthodologie: Nous avons analysé rétrospectivement les électrocardiogrammes, les valeurs d'électrolytes et l'utilisation de médicaments psychotropes dans les dossiers de 264 enfants atteints de TCA. Des techniques de statistique descriptive ont été utilisées pour analyser l'allongement de l'intervalle QTc et les liens avec les anomalies électrolytiques et les médicaments psychotropes. Résultats: Parmi les 264 patients, 227 présentaient un intervalle QTc normal (< 440 ms) et 37 présentaient des résultats limites (440 à 460 ms) ou un allongement de l'intervalle (> 460 ms). La prévalence d'un intervalle QTc de 440 ms ou plus chez les patients présentant des taux d'électrolytes normaux et non traités par des médicaments psychotropes causant l'allongement de l'intervalle QTc était semblable à la prévalence dans la population générale (p = 0,59). Huit des 23 patients traités par des médicaments psychotropes présentaient un intervalle QTc anormal. La moyenne des intervalles QTc était supérieure dans le groupe des patients recevant des médicaments psychotropes causant un allongement de l'intervalle QTc (p = 0,05), et il existait une corrélation entre la durée de l'intervalle et de l'usage de médicaments psychotropes (p < 0,01). Les taux moyens de potassium (p = 0,08), de calcium (p = 0,18) et de magnésium (p = 0,08) ne différaient pas de façon significative entre les groupes présentant des intervalles QTc normaux et anormaux. Conclusions: Les résultats de notre étude donnent à penser que le TCA à lui seul ne provoque pas l'allongement de l'intervalle QTc chez les enfants qui en sont atteints, mais que l'utilisation de médicaments psychotropes constitue un facteur externe important dans l'allongement de l'intervalle QTc.

Comparison of perceived educational value of an in-person versus virtual medical conference.

PURPOSE: Though prior literature has shown that virtual conferences improve accessibility and provide a comparable educational experience, further research is required to characterize their educational value. METHODS: In this repeated cross-sectional study, demographic and survey data were compared between attendance perspectives for the in-person student-led internal medicine conference held in 2019 and subsequent virtual conference held in 2020. RESULTS: There were 146 attendees at the in-person conference and 200 attendees at the online conference, in which 32 (22% response rate) and 52 responses (26% response rate) were gathered, respectively. Comparison of Likert Scale data via Mann-Whitney U Test revealed that learning objectives were better met in-person for the overall conference (p < 0.01) and didactic sessions (p < .05), but not for workshops, in which there was no significant difference. Survey takers noted the virtual conference to be more accessible on multiple factors, but felt as though their potential for interaction with other participants was more limited. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that though the virtual conference appeared more accessible to attendees, overall learning objectives for the conference and didactic sessions were better met in-person. Interestingly however, there was no observed difference in perceived educational value for small group workshops.

OBJECTIF: Bien que la littérature existante montre que les conférences virtuelles améliorent l'accessibilité et offrent une expérience éducative comparable à celles qui sont tenues en personne, des recherches plus approfondies s'imposent pour mieux qualifier leur valeur éducative. MÉTHODES: Dans cette étude transversale répétée, on compare les données démographiques et les données d'enquête concernant la perception des participants à une conférence en médecine interne tenue par des étudiants dans un lieu physique en 2019 et les données analogues concernant une conférence virtuelle qui s'est tenue en 2020. RÉSULTATS: Des 146 participants à la conférence en personne, 32 ont répondu au sondage (taux de réponse de 22 %); parmi les 200 participants à la conférence en ligne, les répondants étaient au nombre de 52 (taux de réponse de 26 %). Les données recueillies selon une échelle de Likert ont été comparées par le biais du test U de Mann-Whitney. Le résultat montre que tandis que les objectifs d'apprentissage étaient mieux atteints lors de la participation en personne pour la conférence en général (p <0,01) et les séances didactiques (p <0,05), pour les ateliers, il n'y avait pas de différence significative. Les participants à l'enquête ont noté que la conférence virtuelle était plus accessible à divers niveaux, mais ils ont trouvé que la possibilité d'interagir avec les autres participants y était plus limitée qu'à la conférence tenue en personne. CONCLUSIONS: D'après les résultats, bien que la conférence virtuelle ait semblé plus accessible aux participants, les objectifs d'apprentissage généraux pour la conférence et les séances didactiques ont été mieux atteints en personne. Il est toutefois intéressant de noter qu'aucune différence n'a été relevée en ce qui concerne la valeur éducative perçue des ateliers en petits groupes.

Postoperative complications in elderly patients following pancreaticoduodenectomy lead to increased postoperative mortality and costs. A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Complications frequently occur after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy tend to be older; age and postoperative complication may be associated. To clarify this association, we compared postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy based on age group. We aimed to determine whether we could identify an age cutoff where the incidence and cost of postoperative complications starts increasing and potentially outweigh the potential benefits of pancreaticoduodenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We built a retrospective cohort of consecutive patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy at one institution from 2011 to 2017. Demographics, operative data and costs were obtained from hospital and administrative databases. A restricted cubic spline regression analysis was performed to graphically identify the age in which the comprehensive complication index (CCI) substantially increased. Cost analysis was undertaken from the perspective of a third-party payer. Differences in costs between age groups were tested using t-test. RESULTS: Among 440 patients, the CCI became significantly higher at the age cutoff of 72 (median 21 in the older vs. 12 in the younger group, P = 0.014). Postoperative complications (74% vs. 64%, P = 0.038), and mortality (8% vs. 3%, P = 0.016) were also significantly higher in the older age group; mostly driven by pneumonia (11% vs. 6%, P = 0.097), myocardial infarction (12% vs. 4%, P < 0.002) and urinary tract infection (18% vs. 5%, P = 0.003). Median length of hospital stay was also longer for the older age group (10 vs. 8 days, P = 0.002). Total mean cost was significantly higher in the older age group ($38,225 CAD vs. $29,771 CAD). CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort of patients, after age 72, pancreaticoduodenectomy is associated with significantly more postoperative complications and deaths which translated in longer hospital stay and higher costs. This information may help patients and surgeons make informed decisions.