Approach to Ankle Instability in Patients With a Negative Ankle MRI: A Case Series.

Objectives Injuries to the ankle ligaments are some of the most common musculoskeletal sports injuries. Ankle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the standard diagnostic procedure in today's practice, but its reliability and validity remain controversial. The aim of this study was to explore the approach for patients with negative ankle MRI who continue to have symptoms of ankle instability despite conservative therapy. Methods A total of eight patients who were 14 years or older with negative ankle MRI who continue to have symptoms of ankle instability despite conservative therapy were admitted to our institution from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2021. Results Eight patients with a mean age of 36, and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 37.7. All patients presented with ankle pain, locking, and giving way in variable severity. All the patients had a radiograph followed by an ankle MRI, which showed normal alignment of ankle joints without abnormality. Initially, all patients were treated conservatively but did not show any improvement. After that, they underwent an operation of lateral ankle ligament reconstruction by modified Brostrom technique, followed by casting and physiotherapy. The symptoms of ankle instability resolved in all patients. The ankle pain resolved completely in six patients, improved in one patient, and did not improve in one patient.  Conclusion Based on our results, we advocate reconstruction surgery by modified Brostrom technique for ligament repair in patients with clinical evidence of chronic ankle instability who have failed a trial of conservative management, even in the context of a normal ankle MRI.

Comparison of Indirect Immunofluorescence and Enzyme Immunoassay for the Detection of Antinuclear Antibodies.

OBJECTIVE: The detection of autoantibodies directed toward nuclear antigens is one of the main criteria for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), for which the most commonly used techniques are the enzyme immunoassay and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). However, the sensitivity and specificity of these tests vary between different techniques. Thus, in this study, we aimed to determine the superior method for detecting antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) and compare the accuracy of tests ordered by rheumatologists versus non-rheumatologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the sensitivity and specificity of the two assays in 149 patients from a non-selected population, who were sent to the immunology laboratory of King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah from 2018 to 2019. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the indirect IFA were 77.78 % and 58.65%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values of IFA for SLE were 44.87% and 85.92%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were 77.78% and 80.77%, respectively. The negative and positive predictive values of ELISA for SLE were 63.64% and 89.36%, respectively. The highest number of false-positive IFA tests was requested by family physicians and the lowest was requested by rheumatologists. CONCLUSION: Our data show that IFA has a higher negative predictive value, while ELISA has a higher positive predictive value. The positive predictive value of the test can be improved by pre-selecting patients by specialist rheumatologists.

Patterns of self-reported recovery from chemosensory dysfunction following SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights after 1 year of the pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19), due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causes chemosensory dysfunction. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To determine the characteristics of chemosensory dysfunction and to identify factors associated with chemosensory complete recovery and time to recovery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included all patients presenting with chemosensory dysfunction and confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from May to August 2020 who underwent telemedicine follow-up after 1 year to assess their chemosensory recovery. RESULTS: A total of 372 patients were included, of which 53.8% were male. The mean age ± SD was 37.45 ± 13.44. The majority experienced combined (olfactory and gustatory) dysfunction (85.7%), and 315 patients (84.7%) had complete loss of chemosensory function. The independent predictors associated with a low likelihood of complete recovery were parosmia (aOR 0.16, p < .001), upper respiratory tract symptoms (aOR 0.28, p = .001), and dyspnoea (aOR 0.21, p < .001), whereas the factors associated with a long recovery period were parosmia (aOR 12.04, p = .002), headache (aOR 7.19, p = .007), and hypertension (aOR 7.76, p = .039). CONCLUSIONS: A full recovery outcome was predominant. The presence of parosmia was linked to both an incomplete recovery and a long time to recovery. SIGNIFICANCE: Parosmia and respiratory symptoms are implicated in the incomplete recuperation of chemosensory function.

The The Impact of Surgical Revascularization on Cardiac Function and Mitral Regurgitation in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: An Intermediate-Term Single-Center Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Ischemic heart disease is the most common cause of death worldwide. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the most performed cardiac surgical procedure. Studies have shown that CABG can have a beneficial effect on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) without intervention on the mitral valve. This study aims to assess changes in LVEF and IMR after CABG in our population. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed charts of patients who underwent only CABG at King Faisal Cardiac Center in Jeddah between January 2016 and December 2019 (N = 298). Pre- and postoperative echocardiography data were evaluated. Changes in cardiac function and mitral regurgitation were analyzed. RESULTS: CABG was performed on 298 patients. The median age was 61 years (interquartile range (IQR)= 54-68), and 78.5% of the patients were male. The median body mass index was slightly higher in females (32.9 vs. 28.6 kg/m2, P = 0.089). Approximately 81% of patients had diabetes and hypertension, but only 24% were active smokers. The median time between pre- and postoperative echocardiography was 8 months (IQR= 3-17). The median preoperative LVEF was 51% (IQR= 44.1-57.9), and 75% of patients had normal-to-mild MR. The median postoperative EF was not different among patients who underwent echocardiography within or after 6 months (53.1% and 50.3%, respectively, P = 0.454). None of the patients progressed to severe MR after surgery, and only 2.7% had moderate-to-severe MR at follow up. Postoperative in-hospital mortality was 0.7%. CONCLUSION: Based on international guidelines and the best evidence, surgical revascularization is sufficient for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with moderate IMR and is not associated with LVEF worsening or MR progression. Complete revascularization might have an influence on ventricular recovery that might improve or stabilize IMR. Our results are consistent with larger studies reporting very low postoperative mortality of this high-risk patient group.