PurposeSex differences exist in both the prevalence and survival of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Men are less frequently affected by the condition but have worse outcome as compared to females. We sought to characterise the sex related differences in right ventricular remodelling in age matched male and female patients with IPAH using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).MethodsA case controlled pair-matched study was conducted with patients matched by age and sex. Steady state free precession (SSFP) MRI of the heart was performed at 1.5T. Cardiac volume, function and mass measurements were corrected for age, sex and BSA according to reference data.Results40 age and sex matched patients with IPAH were identified. The mean age was 57 (SD 17) in both male and female cohorts. Men had proportionally lower right ventricular (RV) ejection fraction, RV stroke volume and LV stroke volume than females, p=0.028, p=0.007 and p=0.013, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in RV mass or haemodynamic indices of mPAP and PVR between males and females.ConclusionMale patients with IPAH have proportionally worse RV function despite similar afterload. We hypothesise that adaptive remodelling of the RV in response to increased afterload in IPAH is more effective in females.

Background: Three-dimensional (3D) printed models are increasingly used in undergraduate anatomy teaching. However, their role and value in anatomy assessment remains under consideration. The aim of this study was to evaluate student and educator perspectives on acceptability of using novel 3D printed heart models for assessment. Methods:We used printed 3D models of the heart for first-year medical students, in small group teaching, formative assessment and revision at home. We adopted a mixed methods approach involving questionnaires, then focus groups to collect student and educator views. We used QSR Nvivo to manage thematic analysis of responses, carried out by student and educators, respectively.Findings: Overall, students 89% (n = 75/84) and educators 91% (n = 10/11) found the assessment acceptable. Thematic analysis of focus groups (n = 4 students, n = 5 educators) identified five key perceptions shared across student and educator groups: 3D models are the future, realism is valued, models appear feasible, consistent and provide a potential for a range of applications in assessment.Discussion: There was agreement between educators and students that the use of 3D heart models was acceptable. Key recognised benefits include accessibility and consistency across settings, made more relevant in the current COVID-19 pandemic.We recommend integration of 3D models into teaching and assessment for educational alignment and careful selection of anatomy to model. Further research is required to explore the use of models in summative assessments. | BACKGROUNDThree-dimensional (3D) printed models are gaining momentum in undergraduate anatomy education. 1 They have been successfully incorporated into anatomy teaching, with the option of allowing students to take the models home. 2 Proponents of the use of 3D model versus preserved anatomical specimens in teaching have cited key advantages, including lack of legal regulations, control over availability and integration into multimodal teaching for improved educational outcomes. 2,3 These advantages extend further to their use in anatomy assessment. As there are no legal restrictions on transport and use, this facilitates assessments taking place in a variety of hospital, university or home settings. The ease of access to readily available assessment tools is made more relevant in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, 3D models improve assessment reliability as all students are assessed with the identical model. Candidates can directly handle and annotate the model as part of the assessment.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract