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Medical Archives (Sarajevo, Bosnia and... Aug 2017Accidental murmurs occur in anatomically and physiologically normal heart. Accidental (innocent) murmurs have their own clearly defined clinical characteristics... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Accidental murmurs occur in anatomically and physiologically normal heart. Accidental (innocent) murmurs have their own clearly defined clinical characteristics (asymptomatic, they require minimal follow-up care).
AIM
To point out the significance of auscultation of the heart in the differentiation of heart murmurs and show clinical characteristics of accidental heart murmurs.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Article presents review of literature which deals with the issue of accidental heart murmurs in the pediatric cardiology.
RESULTS
In the group of accidental murmurs we include classic vibratory parasternal-precordial Stills murmur, pulmonary ejection murmur, the systolic murmur of pulmonary flow in neonates, venous hum, carotid bruit, Potaine murmur, benign cephalic murmur and mammary souffle.
CONCLUSION
Accidental heart murmurs are revealed by auscultation in over 50% of children and youth, with a peak occurrence between 3-6 years or 8-12 years of life. Reducing the frequency of murmurs in the later period can be related to poor conduction of the murmur, although the disappearance of murmur in principle is not expected. It is the most common reason of cardiac treatment of the child, and is a common cause of unreasonable concern of parents.
Topics: Asymptomatic Diseases; Diagnosis, Differential; Heart; Heart Auscultation; Heart Murmurs; Heart Sounds; Humans
PubMed: 28974851
DOI: 10.5455/medarh.2017.71.284-287 -
Journal of Cardiology Feb 2023
PubMed: 35981942
DOI: 10.1016/j.jjcc.2022.07.018 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Feb 2017Cardiotocography (CTG) records changes in the fetal heart rate and their temporal relationship to uterine contractions. The aim is to identify babies who may be short of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Cardiotocography (CTG) records changes in the fetal heart rate and their temporal relationship to uterine contractions. The aim is to identify babies who may be short of oxygen (hypoxic) to guide additional assessments of fetal wellbeing, or determine if the baby needs to be delivered by caesarean section or instrumental vaginal birth. This is an update of a review previously published in 2013, 2006 and 2001.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of continuous cardiotocography when used as a method to monitor fetal wellbeing during labour.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group Trials Register (30 November 2016) and reference lists of retrieved studies.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials involving a comparison of continuous cardiotocography (with and without fetal blood sampling) with no fetal monitoring, intermittent auscultation intermittent cardiotocography.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently assessed study eligibility, quality and extracted data from included studies. Data were checked for accuracy.
MAIN RESULTS
We included 13 trials involving over 37,000 women. No new studies were included in this update.One trial (4044 women) compared continuous CTG with intermittent CTG, all other trials compared continuous CTG with intermittent auscultation. No data were found comparing no fetal monitoring with continuous CTG. Overall, methodological quality was mixed. All included studies were at high risk of performance bias, unclear or high risk of detection bias, and unclear risk of reporting bias. Only two trials were assessed at high methodological quality.Compared with intermittent auscultation, continuous cardiotocography showed no significant improvement in overall perinatal death rate (risk ratio (RR) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.59 to 1.23, N = 33,513, 11 trials, low quality evidence), but was associated with halving neonatal seizure rates (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.80, N = 32,386, 9 trials, moderate quality evidence). There was no difference in cerebral palsy rates (RR 1.75, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.63, N = 13,252, 2 trials, low quality evidence). There was an increase in caesarean sections associated with continuous CTG (RR 1.63, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.07, N = 18,861, 11 trials, low quality evidence). Women were also more likely to have instrumental vaginal births (RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.33, N = 18,615, 10 trials, low quality evidence). There was no difference in the incidence of cord blood acidosis (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.11, N = 2494, 2 trials, very low quality evidence) or use of any pharmacological analgesia (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.09, N = 1677, 3 trials, low quality evidence).Compared with intermittent CTG, continuous CTG made no difference to caesarean section rates (RR 1.29, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.97, N = 4044, 1 trial) or instrumental births (RR 1.16, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.46, N = 4044, 1 trial). Less cord blood acidosis was observed in women who had intermittent CTG, however, this result could have been due to chance (RR 1.43, 95% CI 0.95 to 2.14, N = 4044, 1 trial).Data for low risk, high risk, preterm pregnancy and high-quality trials subgroups were consistent with overall results. Access to fetal blood sampling did not appear to influence differences in neonatal seizures or other outcomes.Evidence was assessed using GRADE. Most outcomes were graded as low quality evidence (rates of perinatal death, cerebral palsy, caesarean section, instrumental vaginal births, and any pharmacological analgesia), and downgraded for limitations in design, inconsistency and imprecision of results. The remaining outcomes were downgraded to moderate quality (neonatal seizures) and very low quality (cord blood acidosis) due to similar concerns over limitations in design, inconsistency and imprecision.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
CTG during labour is associated with reduced rates of neonatal seizures, but no clear differences in cerebral palsy, infant mortality or other standard measures of neonatal wellbeing. However, continuous CTG was associated with an increase in caesarean sections and instrumental vaginal births. The challenge is how best to convey these results to women to enable them to make an informed decision without compromising the normality of labour.The question remains as to whether future randomised trials should measure efficacy (the intrinsic value of continuous CTG in trying to prevent adverse neonatal outcomes under optimal clinical conditions) or effectiveness (the effect of this technique in routine clinical practice).Along with the need for further investigations into long-term effects of operative births for women and babies, much remains to be learned about the causation and possible links between antenatal or intrapartum events, neonatal seizures and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes, whilst considering changes in clinical practice over the intervening years (one-to-one-support during labour, caesarean section rates). The large number of babies randomised to the trials in this review have now reached adulthood and could potentially provide a unique opportunity to clarify if a reduction in neonatal seizures is something inconsequential that should not greatly influence women's and clinicians' choices, or if seizure reduction leads to long-term benefits for babies. Defining meaningful neurological and behavioural outcomes that could be measured in large cohorts of young adults poses huge challenges. However, it is important to collect data from these women and babies while medical records still exist, where possible describe women's mobility and positions during labour and birth, and clarify if these might impact on outcomes. Research should also address the possible contribution of the supine position to adverse outcomes for babies, and assess whether the use of mobility and positions can further reduce the low incidence of neonatal seizures and improve psychological outcomes for women.
Topics: Cardiotocography; Cesarean Section; Female; Heart Auscultation; Heart Rate, Fetal; Humans; Infant; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Labor, Obstetric; Pregnancy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Seizures
PubMed: 28157275
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006066.pub3 -
Acta Endocrinologica (Bucharest,... 2021Thyroid hormone resistance (RTH) is defined as a decrease in response to thyroid hormones in the target tissue. Most patients present with nonspecific findings. In this...
BACKGROUND
Thyroid hormone resistance (RTH) is defined as a decrease in response to thyroid hormones in the target tissue. Most patients present with nonspecific findings. In this article, we aimed to represent a 22-year-old female patient who presented with palpitation, fatigue, and heat intolerance. She was thought to have thyroid hormone resistance and her genetic examination revealed NM_001128177.1 (THRβ): c.1034G > A (p.Gly345Asp) pathogenic variation in the THRβ gene.
CASE REPORT
A 22-year-old female patient presented with complaints of fatigue, heat intolerance and palpitations. She was taking Propranolol twice daily at admission. Her family history revealed hypothyroidism in her grandmother. Her physical examination results were as follows: height 160 cm, weight 65 kg, body mass index 25.4kg/m, body temperature 36.5°C, respiratory rate 18/min, heart rate 86 beats/min, blood pressure 120/80 mmHg. Her palms were sweaty. The heart sounds were normal, and no heart murmur was auscultated. The laboratory results were TSH: 5.31uU/mL, fT3: 6.83 pg/mL, and fT4: 2.43 ng/dL. THRβ gene mutation analysis was requested for our patient whose clinical history and laboratory results were compatible with thyroid hormone resistance. The pathogenic variation NM_001128177.1(THRβ):c.1034G>A (p.Gly345Asp) was detected after analysis.
CONCLUSION
A diagnosis of RTH requires high clinical suspicion and a genetic mutation analysis should be requested in the case of clinical suspicion. In this way, unnecessary anti-thyroid treatment can be prevented.
PubMed: 35344314
DOI: 10.4183/aeb.2021.388 -
Biomedical Engineering Online Jul 2015Most heart diseases are associated with and reflected by the sounds that the heart produces. Heart auscultation, defined as listening to the heart sound, has been a very... (Review)
Review
Most heart diseases are associated with and reflected by the sounds that the heart produces. Heart auscultation, defined as listening to the heart sound, has been a very important method for the early diagnosis of cardiac dysfunction. Traditional auscultation requires substantial clinical experience and good listening skills. The emergence of the electronic stethoscope has paved the way for a new field of computer-aided auscultation. This article provides an in-depth study of (1) the electronic stethoscope technology, and (2) the methodology for diagnosis of cardiac disorders based on computer-aided auscultation. The paper is based on a comprehensive review of (1) literature articles, (2) market (state-of-the-art) products, and (3) smartphone stethoscope apps. It covers in depth every key component of the computer-aided system with electronic stethoscope, from sensor design, front-end circuitry, denoising algorithm, heart sound segmentation, to the final machine learning techniques. Our intent is to provide an informative and illustrative presentation of the electronic stethoscope, which is valuable and beneficial to academics, researchers and engineers in the technical field, as well as to medical professionals to facilitate its use clinically. The paper provides the technological and medical basis for the development and commercialization of a real-time integrated heart sound detection, acquisition and quantification system.
Topics: Electrical Equipment and Supplies; Heart Sounds; Humans; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Smartphone; Stethoscopes
PubMed: 26159433
DOI: 10.1186/s12938-015-0056-y -
BMJ Case Reports Dec 2019
Topics: Aged; Dyspnea; Female; Heart Auscultation; Humans; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Pericarditis; Phonocardiography
PubMed: 31892628
DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2019-233546 -
Biomedical Signal Processing and Control Aug 2023Stethoscopes are used ubiquitously in clinical settings to 'listen' to lung sounds. The use of these systems in a variety of healthcare environments (hospitals, urgent...
Stethoscopes are used ubiquitously in clinical settings to 'listen' to lung sounds. The use of these systems in a variety of healthcare environments (hospitals, urgent care rooms, private offices, community sites, mobile clinics, etc.) presents a range of challenges in terms of ambient noise and distortions that mask lung signals from being heard clearly or processed accurately using auscultation devices. With advances in technology, computerized techniques have been developed to automate analysis or access a digital rendering of lung sounds. However, most approaches are developed and tested in controlled environments and do not reflect real-world conditions where auscultation signals are typically acquired. Without a priori access to a recording of the ambient noise (for signal-to-noise estimation) or a reference signal that reflects the true undistorted lung sound, it is difficult to evaluate the quality of the lung signal and its potential clinical interpretability. The current study proposes an objective reference-free Auscultation Quality Metric (AQM) which incorporates low-level signal attributes with high-level representational embeddings mapped to a nonlinear quality space to provide an independent evaluation of the auscultation quality. This metric is carefully designed to solely judge the signal based on its integrity relative to external distortions and masking effects and not confuse an adventitious breathing pattern as low-quality auscultation. The current study explores the robustness of the proposed AQM method across multiple clinical categorizations and different distortion types. It also evaluates the temporal sensitivity of this approach and its translational impact for deployment in digital auscultation devices.
PubMed: 38274002
DOI: 10.1016/j.bspc.2023.104852 -
Dysphagia Feb 2023This study investigated the reliability and validity (sensitivity and specificity) of cervical auscultation (CA) using both swallow and pre-post swallow-respiratory...
This study investigated the reliability and validity (sensitivity and specificity) of cervical auscultation (CA) using both swallow and pre-post swallow-respiratory sounds, as compared with Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES). With 103 swallow-respiratory sequences from 23 heterogenic patients, these swallows sounds were rated by eight CA-trained Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) to investigate: (1) if the swallow was safe (primary outcome); (2) patient dysphagia status; (3) the influence of liquid viscosity on CA accuracy (secondary outcomes). Primary outcome data showed high CA sensitivity (85.4%), and specificity (80.3%) with all consistencies for the safe measurement, with CA predictive values of [Formula: see text] 90% to accurately detect unsafe swallows. Intra-rater reliability was good (Kappa [Formula: see text] 0.65), inter rater reliability moderate (Kappa [Formula: see text] 0.58). Secondary outcome measures showed high sensitivity (80.1%) to identify if a patient was dysphagic, low specificity (22.9%), and moderate correlation (r [Formula: see text] 0.62) with FEES. A difference across bolus viscosities identified that CA sensitivities (90.1%) and specificities ([Formula: see text] 84.7%) for thin liquids were greater than for thick liquids (71.0-77.4% sensitivities, 74.0-81.3% specificities). Results demonstrate high validity and moderate-good reliability of CA-trained SLPs to determine swallow safety when compared with FEES. Data support the use of CA as an adjunct to the clinical swallow examination. CA should include pre-post respiratory sounds and requires specific training. Clinical implications: The authors advocate for holistic dysphagia management including instrumental assessment and ongoing CSE/review [Formula: see text] CA. Adding CA to the CSE/review does not replace instrumental assessment, nor should CA be used as a stand-alone tool.
Topics: Humans; Deglutition Disorders; Deglutition; Reproducibility of Results; Respiratory Sounds; Auscultation
PubMed: 35838785
DOI: 10.1007/s00455-022-10468-8