Coronavirus and cardiovascular manifestations-getting to the heart of the matter

Coronavirus disease has unarguably been the largest pandemic of recent times. Over 150 million cases have occurred worldwide, and more than 3 million have succumbed to the disease. Cardiac manifestations can have varied presentations from an asymptomatic troponin rise to fulminant myocarditis. The pathogenesis of myocardial damage could be direct or indirect, including inflammation, coronary spasm, plaque rupture, and cytokine storm. Thromboembolism is also an important feature of cardiovascular affliction with both arterial and venous systems being affected. Hence, anticoagulation has also been a matter of debate. Fulminant myocarditis is the most severe form and can lead to circulatory shock with a high mortality. Management of cardiac patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) infection is not considerably different from non-COVID-19 cardiovascular disease, but interaction between cardiovascular drugs and antiCOVID-19 therapy requires careful attention. More recently, vaccines have emerged as a ray of hope for the disease. But simultaneously, there have been reports of thromboembolism following vaccination. In this review, we discuss the various aspects of coronavirus disease affecting of heart and its management.     

Bumps in the Road: Panniculitis in Children and Adolescents Treated with Vemurafenib

Vemurafenib is increasingly being used to treat nonmelanoma tumors that are positive for the BRAF V600E mutation. We report three children who presented with panniculitis induced by vemurafenib while undergoing treatment for central nervous system tumors and review the literature.     

Synovial chondromatosis of the elbow in a child

Synovial chondromatosis is cartilaginous metaplasia of mesenchymal remnants of synovial tissue of the joints. Its main characteristic is the formation of cartilaginous nodules in the synovium and inside the articular space (loose bodies). It usually presents between the third and fifth decades and is rare in children. It presents as a mono-articular pathology affecting large joints such as the knee, hip, and elbow. The main symptoms are pain, swelling, and limitation of movements in the affected joint. Diagnosis is made by panoramic radiographs, computed tomography scan, and mainly magnetic resonance imaging and on surgery. The authors describe of synovial chondromatosis presenting in the elbow of an 11 year-old girl which is unreported to the best of our knowledge.     

The association of the Friesinger score and pulse pressure in an urban South Asian patient population: pulse pressure,an independent predictor of coronary artery disease

Increase in pulse pressure has been shown to be predisposing factor for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in diverse patient populations but its relationship with the severity of CAD, particularly in the South Asians immigrant population of United States has not been demonstrated. We performed a single-center, cross-sectional study. Pulse pressure was calculated by the difference between the systolic and diastolic brachial blood pressures, and the Friesinger score (FS) was used to quantify the severity of CAD with the score of 5 used as a cutoff for extensive disease. We also sought to assess the correlation between the Friesinger score and the 10-year cardiovascular event (CVD) risk as calculated by the Framingham score. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the associations between explanatory variables and a high Friesinger score were estimated using multivariate logistic regression models. P values below .05 were considered to be statistically significant. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 10 software package (College Station, TX). The mean pulse pressure was significantly higher in participants with an FS of ≥5 compared with participants with an FS of <5 (63 vs. 46 mm Hg; P = .004). In univariate analysis, a pulse pressure ≥40 mm Hg was associated with a five-fold increased odds of a higher FS compared with a pulse pressure <40 mm Hg (P = .039), which was unchanged in multivariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, even after adjustment for presence of hypertension, a 10 mm Hg increase in pulse pressure was associated with a 1.97-fold increased odds of a higher FS (95% CI 1.22–3.71, P = .009). The mean Framingham score was higher in participants with a higher FS, but this difference was not significant (32.7 vs. 20.3; P = .1139). Our study demonstrates that pulse pressure, a well-established marker of vascular health, is a significant independent predictor of the severity of CAD as assessed by coronary angiography in South Asians.