Idiopathic subglottic stenosis and the consequences in cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

A 15-year-old male patient with progressive dyspnoea and exercise-related wheezing was analysed with spirometry, ECG and a cardiopulmonary exercise test with blood gas analysis. Earlier analysis by a paediatrician concluded no abnormalities. However, the previously performed spirometry test may have clarified the diagnosis in an earlier stage.Severe hypoventilation was seen during the exercise test with hypercapnia and hypoxaemia while hearing a stridor during exercise. Eventually, a circular subglottic stenosis was seen on a CT scan of the chest. No malignancy or granulomatosis with polyangiitis was seen in biopsy and pathologic examination. There was no history of trauma, intubation or infection. Therefore, the diagnosis idiopathic subglottic stenosis was established. Bronchoscopic balloon dilation followed several times, leading to full recovery.

Performance of the Lausanne questionnaire and the 2010 European Society of Cardiology criteria for ECG interpretation in athletes.

BACKGROUND: In recent years various proposals and subsequent changes have been made to improve pre-participation screening (PPS) methods. This study examines the Lausanne questionnaire and the old and new ESC criteria for a positive electrocardiogram (ECG) in athletes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: All consecutive students undergoing a PPS between January and July 2011 were included. The screening consisted of the Lausanne questionnaire, a physical examination, and a 12-lead ECG. RESULTS: A total of 561 students were screened. A total of 310 students (55%) answered positively to one or more of the Lausanne questions and 49 (9%) of these abnormalities were assessed as medically relevant. Physical examination was abnormal in nine (1.6%) students. In total, 120 (21%) ECGs were found positive following the old criteria. According to the new criteria, 68 (12%) ECGs were found positive. Four (already known) congenital cardiac disorders and four new diagnoses were found. When using the new ECG criteria, two out of four new cardiovascular diagnoses would have been missed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the Lausanne questionnaire provides many irrelevant findings causing unnecessary positive screening outcomes. With the new ESC criteria for a positive 12-lead ECG in athletes, the number of false-positive screenings greatly decrease: however, at the cost of an increase in the number of false-negatives. To reach a conclusive judgment on the cost:benefit ratio of PPS, it is necessary to have a validated discriminating questionnaire, specific medical knowledge of PPS and clear definitions of a normal and abnormal 12-lead ECG in athletes.

Effect of aerobic training on heart rate recovery in patients with established heart disease; a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Although a delayed decrease in heart rate during the first minute after graded exercise has been identified as a powerful predictor of overall mortality in cardiac patients, the potential to influence this risk factor by aerobic training remains to be proven. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study the relationship between aerobic training and Heart Rate Recovery (HRR) in patients with established heart disease. METHODS: (Quasi) randomized clinical trials on aerobic exercise training in adults with established heart disease were identified through electronic database and reference screening. Two reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias and therapeutic validity. Methodological validity was evaluated using an adapted version of the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias and the therapeutic validity of the interventions was assessed with a nine-itemed, expert-based rating scale (CONTENT). Scores range from 0 to 9 (score ≥ 6 reflecting therapeutic validity). RESULTS: Of the 384 articles retrieved, 8 studies (449 patients) were included. Three of the included studies demonstrated adequate therapeutic validity and five demonstrated low risk of bias. Two studies showed both adequate therapeutic validity and a low risk of bias. For cardiac patients aerobic exercise training was associated with more improvement in HRR compared to usual care. CONCLUSION: The present systematic review shows a level 1A evidence that aerobic training increases HRR in patients with established heart disease.