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Objective Adherence to guideline-recommended medications after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is suboptimal. Patient fidelity to treatment regimens may be related to their knowledge of the risk of death following AMI, the pros and cons of medications, and to their involvement in treatment decisions. Shared decision-making may improve both patients’ knowledge and involvement in treatment decisions. Methods In a pilot trial, patients hospitalized with AMI were randomized to the use of the AMI Choice conversation tool or to usual care. AMI Choice includes a pictogram of the patient’s estimated risk of mortality at 6 months with and without guideline-recommended medications, ie, aspirin, statins, beta-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Primary outcomes were patient knowledge and conflict with the decision made assessed via post-encounter surveys. Secondary outcomes were patient involvement in the decision-making process (observer-based OPTION12 scale) and 6-month medication adherence. Results Patient knowledge of the expected survival benefit from taking medications was significantly higher (62% vs 16%, p <0.0001) in the AMI Choice group (n = 53) compared to the usual care group (n = 53). Both groups reported similarly low levels of conflict with the decision to start the medications (13 (SD 24.2) vs 16 (SD 22) out of 100; p =0.16). The extent to which clinicians in the AMI Choice group involved their patients in the decision-making process was high (OPTION12 score 53 out of 100, SD 12). Medication adherence at 6-months was relatively high in both groups and not different between groups. Conclusion The AMI Choice conversation tool improved patients’ knowledge of their estimated risk of short-term mortality after an AMI and the pros and cons of treatments to reduce this risk. The effect on patient fidelity to recommended medications of using this SDM tool and of SDM in general should be tested in larger trials enrolling patients at high risk for nonadherence. Trial Registration Number NCT00888537.

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The Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) is a postinfectious syndrome associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease in children. The aim of this study is to conduct a thorough review to assist health care professionals in diagnosis and management of this complication of COVID-19 disease in children. A thorough systematic review was conducted through an on-line search based on MIS-C with the primary focus on epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, pathophysiology, management, and long-term follow-up. This syndrome is characterized by an exaggerated and uncontrolled release of proinflammatory cytokines involving dysfunction of both innate and adaptive immunity. In this review, a summary of observational studies and case reports was conducted, in which we found that MIS-C generates multiple-organ failure frequently presenting with hemodynamic instability further characterized by Kawasaki-like symptoms (such as persistent high fever, polymorphic rash, and bilateral conjunctivitis) and predominance of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular signs and symptoms. Keys to effective management involve early diagnosis, timely treatment and re-evaluation following hospital discharge. Diagnosis is marked by significant elevation of inflammatory biomarkers, laboratory evidence of COVID-19 infection or history of recent exposure, and absence of any other plausible explanation for the associated signs, symptoms, and presentation. Management includes hemodynamic stabilization, empiric antibiotic therapy (de-escalation if cultures and polymerase chain reaction studies indicate no bacterial co-infection), immunomodulatory therapy (methylprednisolone, intravenous immunoglobulin, anakinra, tocilizumab, siltuximab, Janus kinase inhibitors, tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors), antivirals (remdesivir), and anticoagulation (acetylsalicylic acid, unfractionated or low-molecular-weight heparin or new oral anticoagulants). In addition, we identified poor prognostic risk factors to include concurrent comorbidities, blood-component consumption and marrow suppression (lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia), depletion of homeostatic components (hypoalbuminemia), and marked evidence of a hyperinflammatory response to include elevated values of ferritin, C-reactive protein, and D-dimer. MIS-C constitutes a postinfectious syndrome characterized by a marked cytokine storm, characterized by fever, bilateral conjunctivitis, and multiple organ dysfunction. Promoting future research and long-term follow-up will be essential for the development of guidelines and recommendations leading to effective identification and management of MIS-C.

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