Derivation and Validation of Thresholds Using Synthetic Data Methods for Single-Test Screening of Emergency Department Patients with Possible Acute Myocardial Infarction Using a Point-of-Care Troponin Assay.

Background: Single-sample (screening) rule-out of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with troponin requires derivation of a single-test screening threshold. In data sets with small event numbers, the lowest one or two concentrations of myocardial infarction (MI) patients dictate the threshold. This is not optimal.

Type of Stressor and Medium-Term Outcomes After Takotsubo Syndrome: What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (ANZACS-QI 59).

Background: Takotsubo syndrome (TS) is often triggered by an acute physical or emotional stressor. We hypothesised that medium-term prognosis may be better for TS patients with an associated emotional stressor than for those with an acute physical illness.

Methods: We identified consecutive TS patients presenting in New Zealand (2006-2018).

A comparison of the clinical features and outcomes of Takotsubo syndrome across five metropolitan hospitals in New Zealand.

Aim: Takotsubo syndrome (TS) mimics acute coronary syndrome but has a distinct pathophysiology. This study aimed to compare and contrast the clinical presentation, management and outcomes of patients with TS in five large New Zealand hospitals.

Methods: We identified 632 consecutive patients presenting to the five major tertiary hospitals in New Zealand (Middlemore Hospital, Auckland City Hospital, North Shore Hospital, Christchurch Hospital and Dunedin Hospital) between January 2006 and June 2018 and obtained clinical, laboratory, electrocardiography, echocardiography, coronary angiography and long-term follow-up data.

Early kinetic profiles of troponin I and T measured by high-sensitivity assays in patients with myocardial infarction.

The early concentration kinetic profiles of cardiac troponin in patients with non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) measured by high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) and T (hs-cTnT) assays have not been described. In intermediate-to-high-risk of NSTEMI patients we measured serial cTn concentrations on ED arrival, at 1, 2, 3, 6-12, 24 and 48-hours with hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT assays. Log-normal curves were fitted to concentrations from time from symptom onset, and the time to rule-out decision thresholds estimated (hs-cTnI: 2 ng/L and 5 ng/L; hs-cTnT: 5 ng/L).

Repetitive stimulation of premotor cortex affects primary motor cortex excitability and movement preparation.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can be used to explore functional connectivity between cortical areas.

Objective: To determine the effects of two theta burst stimulation (TBS) patterns (intermittent, iTBS; and continuous, cTBS) of left dorsal premotor cortex (PMd).

Methods: Left PMd was identified in 11 participants using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), during performance of complex sequential finger movements.