A previously healthy 61-year-old man presented to the emergency department with chest pain and dyspnoea for 6 hours. Examination revealed distress with an apical pansystolic murmur. Initial electrocardiogram showed sinus tachycardia and ST elevation in leads II, III, and aVF compatible with an inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Point-of-care echocardiography in the emergency department showed a flail anterior mitral leaflet and severe mitral regurgitation, leading to a provisional diagnosis of papillary muscle rupture. Emergency cardiac catheterization showed 100%, 80%, and 70% occlusion of the middle right coronary, left anterior descending, and left circumflex arteries, respectively. An emergency triple vessel coronary artery bypass grafting and mitral valve replacement was performed. Posteromedial papillary muscle rupture resulting in mitral regurgitation was confirmed intraoperatively. The patient recovered uneventfully. In the absence of primary percutaneous coronary intervention, thrombolysis decisions should be made with extreme caution if mechanical complications of ST-elevation myocardial infarction are suspected.
Arteries ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Diagnosis* ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Papillary Muscles* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Point-of-Care Systems* ; Rupture* ; Tachycardia, Sinus ; Ultrasonography*

Recent experience with pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 highlighted the importance of global surveillance for severe respiratory disease to support pandemic preparedness and seasonal influenza control. Improved surveillance in the southern hemisphere is needed to provide critical data on influenza epidemiology, disease burden, circulating strains and effectiveness of influenza prevention and control measures. Hospital-based surveillance for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases was established in New Zealand on 30 April 2012. The aims were to measure incidence, prevalence, risk factors, clinical spectrum and outcomes for SARI and associated influenza and other respiratory pathogen cases as well as to understand influenza contribution to patients not meeting SARI case definition.All inpatients with suspected respiratory infections who were admitted overnight to the study hospitals were screened daily. If a patient met the World Health Organization’s SARI case definition, a respiratory specimen was tested for influenza and other respiratory pathogens. A case report form captured demographics, history of presenting illness, co-morbidities, disease course and outcome and risk factors. These data were supplemented from electronic clinical records and other linked data sources.Hospital-based SARI surveillance has been implemented and is fully functioning in New Zealand. Active, prospective, continuous, hospital-based SARI surveillance is useful in supporting pandemic preparedness for emerging influenza A(H7N9) virus infections and seasonal influenza prevention and control.

A 76-year-old Chinese female presented by ambulance to the Emergency Department complaining of dizziness, headache and fatigue. Her son claimed that the patient “turned blue” three hours prior to onset of the patient’s symptoms. Paramedics noted the patient’s SpO2 was 83% on room air with no improvement with a non- rebreather mask. Past medical history was significant for diabetes and hypertension. Family, social and medication history were non-contributory. Patient denied ingestion of any traditional Chinese medicines but did have some choy sum (a variety of green vegetable) for lunch five hours prior to arrival. On examination, the patient appeared agitated, but alert. Purple lips and fingers were noted (Figure 1). Physical examination: heart rate 55 beats/minute, pulse oximetry 87%, respiratory rate 16 breaths/minute, blood pressure 143/51 mmHg. Bedside investigations: chest X-ray (clear lung fields and cardiomegaly); ECG (sinus rhythm, slight bradycardia at 53 beats/minute); hemoglobin 9.3 g/dL; glucose 10.9 mmol/L (196.2 mg/dL).

There is evidence that a substantial part of genetic predisposition to prostate cancer (PCa) may be due to lower penetrance genes which are found by genome-wide association studies. We have recently conducted such a study and seven new regions of the genome linked to PCa risk have been identified. Three of these loci contain candidate susceptibility genes: MSMB, LMTK2 and KLK2/3. The MSMB and KLK2/3 genes may be useful for PCa screening, and the LMTK2 gene might provide a potential therapeutic target. Together with results from other groups, there are now 23 germline genetic variants which have been reported. These results have the potential to be developed into a genetic test. However, we consider that marketing of tests to the public is premature, as PCa risk can not be evaluated fully at this stage and the appropriate screening protocols need to be developed. Follow-up validation studies, as well as studies to explore the psychological implications of genetic profile testing, will be vital prior to roll out into healthcare.
Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genetic Testing ; Humans ; Kallikreins ; genetics ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Prostatic Secretory Proteins ; genetics ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; Risk Factors