Diagnostic d’un souffle systolique cardiaque chez un jeune patient asymptomatique : une évaluation des pratiques professionnelles en médecine militaire d’expertise

The finding of a systolic heart murmur is common in medical military practice. Albeit often benign among young healthy adults, it can reveal a valvular or a cardiac disease, which could worsen during workout or expose to risk of a sudden death. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of the military general practitioner when discovering a systolic murmur among young asymptomatic patients.Materials and methodsDuring one year, this study involved all the general practitioners of the medical military centres of Brittany and the cardiologists of the military hospital in Brest. It prospectively enrolled a cohort of all military asymptomatic patients under 40, without any underlying known heart condition. Military general practitioners listed, thanks to an anonymous form, the main features of the systolic murmur and of the ECG and proposed an auscultatory diagnosis: innocent or organic murmur. Then cardiologists did the same and finally performed a transthoracic echocardiography giving the diagnosis.ResultsFifty-eight patients were referred, 5 not meeting the inclusion criteria. Of the 53 patients included, military general practitioners found 46 innocent murmurs and 7 organic ones. Cardiologists found 51 innocent murmurs and 2 organic. Transthoracic echocardiography just took on one organic murmur (linked with a bicuspid aortic valve), spotted by the specialist, though judged innocent by the general practitioner.DiscussionMost of innocent murmurs diagnosed by general practitioners (45/46) were confirmed. Regarding the seven organic murmurs, the main selected criteria (intensity over 3, orthostatic persistence, diffuse irradiation) are mostly in accordance with the literature, proving right medical instincts. Authors propose a practical management of systolic murmurs among asymptomatic young patients.ConclusionMilitary general practitioners seem to master symptoms of organic murmur. This assessment argues for a promotion of a holistic clinical examination, which will help not only to rationalize the use of transthoracic echocardiography in economic terms but also to value the medical expertise.     

Diagnostic échographique d’un souffle cardiaque systolique au sein d’une population de 280 jeunes militaires français. Implications en médecine d’expertise militaire

Clinically discovering a systolic murmur is frequent among the young military population. When this murmur does not sound benign, a transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is made to detect any cardiopathy, which could cause sudden cardiac death. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interest of systematic TTE in the assessment of any cardiac systolic murmur (CSM) among militaries.MethodsWe ran a retrospective monocentric study in the “Clermont-Tonnerre” military hospital in Brest. We included all patients sent for TEE, aged 15 to 30 years old, from the 1st January 2010 until the 31st July 2013.ResultsTwo hundred and eighty TTES assessing CSM were performed. We found 28/280 (10%) echocardiographic abnormalities: 13 were bicuspid aortic valves (4.6%), 6 were ventricular septal defects (2.15%), 3 were atrial septal defects (1.07%), 4 were mild mitral regurgitations (1.43%), one mild pulmonary stenosis (0.35%) and one aortic stenosis (0.35%). No hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was found. Concerning military expertise, 11 (3.92%) patients among these 28 with abnormal TEE were considered unfit for work or “fit for work with limitations”.ConclusionAssessing a cardiac systolic murmur with TEE lead to the diagnosis of a cardiomyopathy in 10% of the case. This study enhances the importance of systematic TEE when a CSM is detected in the young military, in order to determine if those soldiers can still fulfill their military duty.     

Exploration of shear wave elastography measures of the iliotibial band during different tasks in pain-free runners

ObjectivesTo determine whether shear wave velocity (SWV) of the iliotibial band (ITB): i) increases with active and passive static tasks, and a dynamic task, ii) differs between ITB regions, iii) changes after exposure to running. Additionally, it aimed to determine the between-day reliability.DesignCase series & test-retest.SettingHuman movement unit laboratory.ParticipantsFifteen runners.Main outcome measuresSWV was measured unilaterally in three regions of the ITB (proximal, middle and distal), during six tasks: rest and contraction (pre- and post-running), modified Ober test, standing, pelvic drop, and weight shift.ResultsCompared to rest, SWV was higher during contraction and Ober test in the distal and middle regions, and higher for the middle region in standing and pelvic drop. No differences were found between regions. A tendency of decreased SWV was observed after running. Compared to the start of the dynamic task, SWV was greater at the end of the movement. Reliability was moderate-to-good for the middle region in the standing tasks (ICCs = 0.68 to 0.84).ConclusionSVW of the ITB was higher under passive or active tension. Comparisons between tasks/regions need to be considered in light of the small sample size and poor repeatability of some regions/conditions.     

舒张性心力衰竭和收缩性心力衰竭的临床比较分析

目的对比舒张性心力衰竭和收缩性心力衰竭的临床指标。方法选取2016年4月至2019年4月我院收治的60例舒张性心力衰竭患者(舒张性组)和60例收缩性心力衰竭患者(收缩性组),对比两组患者的左心形态学指标、心功能指标,记录同心功能分级患者的血清NT-proBNP水平。结果两组的左室舒张末期内径、 LVEF、左心房内径、左心室后壁厚度、心室间隔厚度比较,差异有统计学意义(P <0.05)。两组的心脏指数、 IRT、 E/A、 EDC比较,差异有统计学意义(P <0.05)。收缩性组的血清NT-proBNP水平明显高于舒张性组(P <0.05)。结论与收缩性心力衰竭相比,舒张性心力衰竭的病情更严重,应加强早期诊治,并结合血清NT-proBNP判断心力衰竭类型,指导治疗,改善预后。