You can dance if you want to: A case of Sydenham's chorea.

Isolated motor disturbances in the paediatric population are uncommon presentations to the emergency department. Choreiform movements have a broad differential diagnosis and may present insidiously with progressive worsening of asymmetric clumsiness, hypotonia and dysarthria. The incidence of Sydenham's chorea (SC) caused by acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is very rare in developed countries. We report a previously healthy, vaccinated 9-year old male who presented to our ED with intermittent and progressive right sided clumsiness for four weeks. Physical examination findings showed dysdiadokinesis and dysmetric movements of the right side, which varied in intensity and were less pronounced on serial re-examination during the same ED visit. Basic bloodwork, MRI and MRA/V showed no abnormalities, and the patient was discharged home with urgent neurology follow-up. He re-presented to our ED four days later with worsening gait and inability to hold a pencil at school. He was subsequently diagnosed with chorea by the neurology team. The cause of chorea was later determined to be SC, and the patient's throat swab came back positive for group A-beta hemolytic strep (GAS) infection. We explore current literature regarding the various presentations of ARF, differential considerations in acute chorea, and diagnostic studies needed to determine the etiology of acute chorea. With the low incidence of chorea in developed nations, this diagnosis can be easily overlooked. We highlight the importance of this diagnosis, as well as primary and secondary treatment in ARF.

Tranexamic acid administration to older patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty conserves hemoglobin and reduces blood loss.

BACKGROUND: Tranexamic acid effects in older people are difficult to predict. This study investigated the following research questions: 1) Is tranexamic acid effective in older patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA)? and 2) Is there a difference in the effect of tranexamic acid between younger and older patients? METHODS: This was a 2-phase retrospective matched-pair study of patients who underwent THA in 2007-2013. All procedures were performed by surgeons with at least 10 years' experience as senior consultant. In the first phase, 58 patients aged 65 years or more who received tranexamic acid were matched 1:1 with patients who did not receive tranexamic acid for age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification and body mass index. In the second phase, 58 patients aged 65 years or more who received tranexamic acid were matched 1:1 with patients less than 65 years of age who received tranexamic acid for sex, ASA classification and body mass index. The primary outcome measures were percent maximum decrease in hemoglobin level and estimated blood loss after surgery. RESULTS: In the first phase, patients who received tranexamic acid conserved postoperative hemoglobin by a mean of 10.26 g/L (standard deviation [SD] 9.89 g/L) compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The mean difference in the estimated perioperative blood loss between the 2 groups was 410 mL (SD 376 mL) (p < 0.001), which indicated less bleeding in the treatment group. In the second phase, there was no difference between the younger (mean age 55.1 [SD 7.28] yr) and older (mean age 75.6 [SD 6.35] yr) groups in mean lowest postoperative hemoglobin level or percent decrease in hemoglobin level. CONCLUSION: Tranexamic acid reduced the postoperative decrease in hemoglobin level and blood loss in older patients. Moreover, the significant hemoglobin-sparing effect of tranexamic acid in older patients was similar to that observed in younger patients.

CONTEXTE: Les effets de l'acide tranexamique sont difficiles à prévoir chez les personnes âgées. Avec cette étude, nous avons voulu répondre aux 2 questions suivantes : 1) L'acide tranexamique est-il efficace chez les patients âgés soumis à une intervention chirurgicale primaire pour prothèse totale de la hanche (PTH)?, et 2) L'acide tranexamique produit-il un effet différent selon que les patients sont jeunes ou âgés? MÉTHODES: Cette étude rétrospective en 2 phases sur des paires appariées a regroupé des patients soumis à une intervention pour PTH entre 2007 et 2013. Toutes les interventions ont été effectuées par des chirurgiens détenant au moins 10 ans d'expérience à titre de consultants principaux. Au cours de la première phase, 58 patients de 65 ans ou plus ayant reçu de l'acide tranexamique ont été assortis (rapport 1:1), selon l'âge, le sexe, la classification ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) et l'indice de masse corporelle, à des patients n'en ayant pas reçu. Au cours de la deuxième phase, 58 patients de 65 ans ou plus ayant reçu de l'acide tranexamique ont été assortis (rapport 1:1), selon le sexe, la classification ASA et l'indice de masse corporelle, à des patients de moins de 65 ans ayant aussi reçu de l'acide tranexamique. Les paramètres principaux étaient la diminution maximale en pourcentage du taux d'hémoglobine et la perte sanguine estimée après l'intervention chirurgicale. RÉSULTATS: Pour la première phase, les patients qui ont reçu l'acide tranexamique ont maintenu une hémoglobine postopératoire moyenne à 10,26 g/L (écart-type [É.-T.] 9,89 g/L) comparativement au groupe témoin (p < 0,001). La différence moyenne entre les 2 groupes pour ce qui est des pertes sanguines periopératoires a été de 410 mL (É.-T. 376 mL) (p < 0,001), indiquant de ce fait une perte sanguine moindre dans le groupe traité. Pour la deuxième phase, on n'a noté aucune différence entre le groupe plus jeune (âge moyen 55,1 ans [É.-T. 7,28 ans]) et le groupe plus âgé (âge moyen 75,6 ans [É.-T. 6,35 ans]) pour ce qui est du taux d'hémoglobine postopératoire moyen le plus bas ou le pourcentage de baisse du taux d'hémoglobine. CONCLUSION: L'acide tranexamique a permis d'atténuer la baisse postopératoire de l'hémoglobine et les pertes sanguines chez les patients âgés. De plus, l'effet significatif de l'acide tranexamique sur le maintien de l'hémoglobine chez les patients âgés a été similaire à ce qui s'observe chez les patients plus jeunes.