PULMONARY ARTERY ACCELERATED FLOW REVEALING HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA.

We present a case in which transthoracic echocardiography was the first diagnostic tool to suspect mediastinal Hodgkin's lymphoma by revealing a change in the hemodynamic of left pulmonary artery flow, and it was used as a follow-up method for monitoring treatment efficacy by demonstrating a normalization of pulmonary artery hemodynamics.

Could contrast-enhanced CT detect STEMI prior to electrocardiogram?

We present here a case in which contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) was the first diagnostic tool to detect myocardial hypoperfusion in a patient with atypical symptoms and normal electrocardiogram (ECG) on admission. An ST-segment elevation was detected thereafter on a second ECG realized several minutes after CT with raised troponin levels. Percutaneous coronary intervention was performed after failure of thrombolysis and confirmed occlusion of the left anterior descending artery. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of high-resolution contrast-enhanced CT with or without coronary angiography in the workup of suspected myocardial infarction in the setting of a normal ECG.

Lebanese medical students' exposure to domestic violence: does it affect helping survivors?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to assess medical students' willingness to help women survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its relation to past exposure to violence. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of medical students enrolled in three major universities in Beirut was carried out: 545 students filled out a self-administered questionnaire. The Inventory of Beliefs About Wife Beating, the Attitudes Toward Women's scale, the Marriage Role Expectations Inventory, the Conflict Tactics scale, and the Trauma Symptoms scale were used. RESULTS: The majority (93.6%) of medical students believed that battered wives should be helped by either social or governmental agencies, but only 48% showed readiness to provide help themselves. Female medical students were significantly more likely to be willing to help survivors of violence, whereas students exposed to domestic violence in childhood were significantly less likely to do so. Female medical students previously exposed to violence had significantly higher scores on the Briere and Runtz's Trauma Symptom Checklist, indicating more negative trauma-related symptoms. Multivariate analysis revealed that the students' exposure to verbal aggression, their marital role expectations, attitudes toward women, and parents' marital status accounted for 26% of the variability in the Helping Battered Wives score. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the medical students' past exposure to DV impacts their psychological well-being and their willingness to help abuse survivors. Given the multitude of stresses medical students are exposed to, careful attention and attendance to the effect of abuse on their well-being may be warranted.