A 66-Year-Old Woman with Intermittent Chest Pain and Dyspnea Who Underwent Continued ST-Segment Monitoring to Identify Occult ST-Segment Elevation that Expedited Coronary Angiography and Revascularization.

BACKGROUND In patients admitted to the hospital owing to suspected acute coronary syndrome and where the first electrocardiogram (ECG) is non-diagnostic of ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI), international guidelines recommend that sequential ECGs are performed to identify new or intermittent ST-deviations. Continued monitoring for ST-segment alterations is rarely performed, in contrast to the continued monitoring for arrhythmias. Continued monitoring for ST-segment alteration may detect intermittent ST-segment elevations not captured by routine 12-lead ECGs. We present a case in which continued ST-segment monitoring revealed intermittent ST-segment elevations and led to expedited coronary angiography and revascularization. CASE REPORT A 66-year-old woman was admitted to a regional hospital in Denmark with intermittent retrosternal chest pain and dyspnea. Her risk profile included a family history of cardiovascular disease, hypercholesterolemia, active smoking, and obesity. The results of 3 sets of high-sensitivity cardiac troponins and sequential 12-lead ECG measurements were normal. Because of clinical suspicion of unstable angina, the patient remained admitted. Continued rhythm and ST-segment monitoring was initiated. During continued ST-segment monitoring, asymptomatic intermittent ST-elevations in the inferior leads were detected. The patient was referred for an acute coronary angiography at the nearest cardiac center. Coronary catheterization showed right coronary artery stenosis, and complete revascularization was obtained by percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation. CONCLUSIONS Continued ST-segment monitoring can detect intermittent ST-segment elevations and thereby substantiate the need for acute coronary angiography.

Widespread pain - do pain intensity and care-seeking influence sickness absence? - A population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Both musculoskeletal pain-intensity in relation to a specific location (e.g. lower back or shoulder) and pain in multiple body regions have been shown to be associated with impaired function and sickness absence, but the impact of pain intensity on the association between widespread pain and sickness absence has not been studied. Additionally it is unknown whether care-seeking in general practice due to musculoskeletal disorders has a positive or negative impact on future absenteeism. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of pain intensity on the association between number of musculoskeletal pain sites and sickness absence, and to analyze the impact on absenteeism from care-seeking in general practice due to musculoskeletal disorders. METHODS: 3745 Danish adults registered with eight General Practitioners (GPs) in one primary medical center reported location and intensity of experienced musculoskeletal pain in seven different body regions in February 2008. Outcome was duration of sickness absence based on register data divided into long-term (>52 weeks during follow-up) and sickness absence of shorter duration (12-52 weeks during follow-up) over a period of 4 years. Data on pain-intensity were analyzed at three different cut-off levels for each body region: i) > 1 (any pain), ii) > 2 (bothersome pain), iii) > 3 (very bothersome pain). Analyses were stratified and compared between participants without GP contact and participants with GP contact due to musculoskeletal disorders. RESULTS: Musculoskeletal pain in more than two body regions was strongly associated with long-term sickness absence in an exposure-response pattern. Different cut-off levels of pain intensity and adjustment for age, sex, educational level and work environmental factors did not alter the results. Similar findings were observed for sickness absence of shorter duration, although the association was weaker. Care-seeking in general practice due to musculoskeletal disorders did not overall alter the odds of later sickness absence. CONCLUSION: Pain intensity and care-seeking due to musculoskeletal disorders did not seem to influence the association between the number of pain sites and later sickness absence. The number of musculoskeletal pain sites seems to be a strong risk factor for later sickness absence.

Do work-related factors affect care-seeking in general practice for back pain or upper extremity pain?

OBJECTIVES: Musculoskeletal pain conditions remain a major cause of care-seeking in general practice. Not all patients with musculoskeletal pain (MP) seek care at their general practitioner (GP), but for those who do, the GP's knowledge of what work-related factors might have influenced the patient's decision to seek care could be important in order to give more well-founded advice to our patients. The objective of this study was to elucidate the effects of workloads on care-seeking for back pain or upper extremity pain during an eighteen-month follow-up period. METHODS: This is a prospective study with a baseline questionnaire and eighteen-month follow-up. Among the registered patients of 8 GPs, we identified 8,517 persons between 17 and 65 years of age, who all received the questionnaire. A total of 5,068 (59.5 %) persons answered. During the eighteen months of follow-up, we used the International Classification for Primary Care (ICPC) to identify all care-seekers with either back pain or upper extremity pain. Of these, all currently employed persons were included in our analysis, in all 4,325 persons. For analysis, we used Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Analyses were stratified by gender. RESULTS: High levels of heavy lifting, defined as the upper tertile on a categorical scale, were associated with care-seeking for back pain (HR 1.90 [95 % CI: 1.14-3.15]) and upper extremity pain (HR 2.09 [95 % CI: 1.30-3.38]) among males, but not in a statistically significant way among females. Repetitive work and psychosocial factors did not have any statistically significant impact on care-seeking for neither back pain nor upper extremity pain. CONCLUSION: Work-related factors such as heavy lifting do, to some extent, contribute to care-seeking with MP. We suggest that asking the patient about physical workloads should be routinely included in consultations dealing with MP.

Modern health worries and visits to the general practitioner in a general population sample: an 18month follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: Modern health worries (MHW) are concerns about health risks from features of modern life (e.g. additives in food, contaminated water supply, drug resistant bacteria, etc.). We investigated the role of MHW for care seeking for all purposes at the general practitioner (GP) and studied the role of neuroticism, symptoms of anxiety and somatization, other health anxiety, self-rated health, age, education and gender on the association between MHW and care-seeking. METHODS: A representative sample from eight GPs (n=5068) completed a baseline questionnaire on MHW, symptoms of health and personality, and was followed for visits to the GP for the next 18months in the registers from the GP. RESULTS: Modern health worries were common, and higher levels were seen among women and in higher age. Care seeking at the GP was associated with MHW, and this association was maintained after adjusting for age, gender, neurotic traits, symptoms of anxiety, somatization, other health anxieties and self-rated health. CONCLUSION: Over and beyond health related factors and personality, MHW had an independent role for future visits to the GP in the magnitude of 20% more visits among the participants in the highest quartile of the MHW-scale.

The significance of health anxiety and somatization in care-seeking for back and upper extremity pain.

BACKGROUND: Patients with musculoskeletal pain account for a large number of consultations in primary care. Improving our understanding of factors that make patients seek care could be of interest in decision making and prevention in the health care system. OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to examine if health anxiety, somatization and fear-avoidance beliefs were of importance for care-seeking with either back pain or upper extremity pain and to look at possible differences between the two groups. METHODS: This is a prospective study with a baseline questionnaire and 18 months follow-up. Using the International Classification for Primary Care (ICPC), we identified care-seekers with either back pain or upper extremity pain among the potential patients of eight GPs. For analysis, we used Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Analysis was stratified by gender. RESULTS: We found that previous regional pain was a strong predictor of care-seeking. Somatization was associated with seeking care for back pain. Health anxiety was a predictor among women suffering from back pain. Only previous pain was a predictor of care-seeking for upper extremity pain. CONCLUSION: The study implies that prevention of back pain and upper extremity pain requires different strategies and that gender and health anxieties should be taken into account.

Work-related bilateral osteoarthritis of the first carpometacarpal joints.

BACKGROUND: A 44-year-old industrial worker produced panels for folding doors for 9 years. During this period, he developed osteoarthritis (OA) of both first carpometacarpal joints. Surgery was performed without improvement. METHODS: Clinical examination, demonstration and recording of work conditions, with photos and videos. The literature concerning first carpometacarpal OA was reviewed using PubMed. RESULTS: The observation of work conditions demonstrated unusual forceful and repetitive ulnar flexion of both first fingers. No competing causes of OA could be identified. CONCLUSION: This patient had specific and intense work-related strain of both first carpometacarpal joints. A good temporal relation between work exposure and disease development was demonstrated and it appears likely that the OA was caused by work. However, there is very limited epidemiological evidence relating first carpometacarpal OA to work exposure.