Berry JAD, Elia C, Sweiss R
… +6 more, Lawandy S, Bowen I, Zampella B, Saini H, Brazdzionis J, Miulli D
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32789487
·
Publisher ↗
Pathophysiological mechanisms and cascades take place after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) that can cause long-term sequelae, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy in patients with multiple concurrent TBIs. As...Pathophysiological mechanisms and cascades take place after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) that can cause long-term sequelae, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy in patients with multiple concurrent TBIs. As diagnostic imaging has become more advanced, microanatomical changes present after mTBI may now be more readily visible. In this narrative review, the authors discuss emerging diagnostics and findings in mTBI through advanced imaging, electroencephalograms, neurophysiologic processes, Q2 biochemical markers, and clinical tissue tests in an effort to help osteopathic physicians to understand, diagnose, and manage the pathophysiology behind mTBI, which is increasingly prevalent in the United States.
Marske C, Shah S, Chavira A
… +5 more, Hedberg C, Fullmer R, Clark CJ, Pipitone O, Kaiser P
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32789483
·
Publisher ↗
CONTEXT: Chronic pain (CP) is a common and serious medical condition, with an estimated 100 million people affected in the United States. In the 1990s, opioids were increasingly prescribed to manage chronic pain, and thi...CONTEXT: Chronic pain (CP) is a common and serious medical condition, with an estimated 100 million people affected in the United States. In the 1990s, opioids were increasingly prescribed to manage chronic pain, and this practice contributed to the opioid epidemic of the 21st century. To combat this epidemic, multidisciplinary approaches to chronic pain management are being researched and implemented. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course implemented in a semi-rural population with chronic pain. METHODS: Participants were recruited from a community-based teaching hospital in Corvallis, Oregon, for a pre-post study. Participants aged 34 to 77 years who reported having chronic pain lasting for at least 1 year before enrollment were included. Participants took an 8-week group MBSR course in 2.5-hour weekly sessions taught by an experienced MBSR instructor. Techniques were self-practiced between sessions with a goal of 30 minutes per day, 6 days per week. Pre- and postsurvey measurements of pain, depression, and functional capacity were taken via online surveys using the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and a shortened version of the Modified Oswestry Disability Index (MO). Participants were asked about their satisfaction with the program content, instructor, timing, and location. RESULTS: Twenty-eight participants were included in the study. Paired t tests found significant improvements in PHQ-9, PCS, and MO percent scores from before to after the course. PHQ-9 scores decreased by a mean of 3.7 points (95% CI, -5.5, -1.8), PCS scores decreased by a mean of 4.6 points (95% CI: -7.2, -2.0), and MO percent score decreased by a mean of 9.4% (95% CI: -14.2%, -4.6%). Results showed an overall downward shift in the distribution of depression, disability, and pain scores after the course. CONCLUSIONS: MBSR classes were found to benefit participants with chronic pain and depression in this setting, fostering significant improvement in participant perceptions of pain, mood, and functional capacity.
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32780836
·
Publisher ↗
CONTEXT: Doppler sonography is a noninvasive method to evaluate the hemodynamic status of the kidney, and its parameters are used as direct and indirect predictors of certain parenchyma and renovascular diseases. However...CONTEXT: Doppler sonography is a noninvasive method to evaluate the hemodynamic status of the kidney, and its parameters are used as direct and indirect predictors of certain parenchyma and renovascular diseases. However, the effect of hydration on kidney hemodynamics has not been explored via Doppler sonography. OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in arterial Doppler velocities of normal adult kidney before and after hydration. METHODS: A total of 60 native kidneys in 30 normal adult participants (mean age, 26 years) were assessed using Doppler sonography. Quantitative ultrasound Doppler parameters of peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), and resistive index (RI) of the main renal artery and the intrarenal (interlobar) arteries were measured immediately before and 1 hour after ingestion of 500 mL of water. We tested differences in Doppler parameters before and after hydration using a paired t test, analyzed the correlation of the increase in PSV to the increase in EDV after hydration using Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC), and examined intraobserver reliability using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: Statistical analyses revealed that the differences in PSV and EDV values before and after hydration at the main renal artery and interlobar arteries of the kidney were significant (P<.001), whereas the RI at the main renal artery and interlobar arteries were not (P>.05). PCC for the correlation of the increase in PSV to the increase in EDV was greater than 0.80. ICC for intraobserver repeatability in performing kidney Doppler sonography was 0.92. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that Doppler sonography is able to demonstrate changes in kidney hemodynamics within 1 hour after hydration. The normal kidney reflects proportional increases in PSV and EDV at the main renal artery and interlobar arteries, while maintaining vascular resistance. Doppler flow velocities of renal arteries can be considered as noninvasive quantitative markers for evaluating the response of kidney hemodynamics to hydration.
Mazzeo S, Silverberg C, Oommen T
… +6 more, Moya D, Angelo N, Zwibel H, Mancini J, Leder A, Yao SC
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32780797
·
Publisher ↗
CONTEXT: Impaired sleep quality is among many symptoms observed in patients with a concussion and may predispose a patient to a prolonged recovery course and a later return to their daily activities. Studies have suggest...CONTEXT: Impaired sleep quality is among many symptoms observed in patients with a concussion and may predispose a patient to a prolonged recovery course and a later return to their daily activities. Studies have suggested that osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) may play a role in improving sleep quality. OBJECTIVE: To investigate how OMT may play a role in the management and overall healing process in patients with a concussion by improving sleep quality. METHODS: Data were collected from a randomized, controlled study on OMT and concussion (of which this study represents 1 arm) to investigate the effects of OMT vs concussion education counseling on sleep quality in student athletes with a concussion. Student athletes with no medical history of neurodegenerative disease who presented to the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine Academic Healthcare Center with a concussion following a sport-related injury were enrolled in the study. Participants received OMT intervention or standard counseling on how to care for a concussion during their first and second visits. Participants rated their symptoms, including sleep quality, on the validated scale Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition at 3 consecutive visits during 1 week. The mean sleep quality score within and between the OMT and education groups before each of 2 interventions and at the third visit were compared and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Thirty participants were enrolled in the study. Total symptom data showed a stronger, significant correlation with sleep scores than with other symptoms. Participants receiving OMT (n=16) reported overall 80% and 76% improvement in sleep quality from pre-OMT values to their second and third visits, respectively. Participants who had an educational intervention (n=14) reported a 36% and 46% improvement from pre-OMT values to their second and third visits, respectively. CONCLUSION: The beneficial relationship trend between OMT and sleep quality in patients with a concussion was not statistically significant. Owing to the limitations of this study, further research with a larger population and sham control participants is warranted. (clinicaltrials.gov No. NCT02750566).
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32776139
·
Publisher ↗
In any given year, approximately 130 million babies are born worldwide. Previous research has shown that pregnant women may be more severely affected and vulnerable to contracting emerging infections, making them a parti...In any given year, approximately 130 million babies are born worldwide. Previous research has shown that pregnant women may be more severely affected and vulnerable to contracting emerging infections, making them a particularly high-risk population. Therefore, special considerations should be given to treatment methods for pregnant women with COVID-19. In this narrative review, the authors evaluate scholarly journal articles and electronic databases to determine what is known about the pathophysiology of COVID-19 in pregnancy and the associated mortality rate. Osteopathic manipulative treatment techniques to mitigate the underlying pathology were identified, and modifications for use in pregnancy and the critical care setting are described.
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32776136
·
Publisher ↗
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an increasingly popular strategy for weight loss and improved metabolic health. IF regimes involve deliberate implementation of fasting windows ranging from 12 to 72 hours. During these fasti...Intermittent fasting (IF) is an increasingly popular strategy for weight loss and improved metabolic health. IF regimes involve deliberate implementation of fasting windows ranging from 12 to 72 hours. During these fasting windows, individuals reduce their caloric intake by 75% to 100%. Such strategies show promise and are increasingly socially popular, but many effects are not completely understood. Specifically, the effects of time-restricted feeding (TRF), a specific form of IF in which participants undergo daily fasting periods lasting about 16 hours, is among the most popular yet under-studied regimens. This review finds that TRF may produce mild weight loss and improved function of insulin. TRF also likely produces cardiovascular effects, such as decreased blood pressure and fasting blood triglycerides. TRF, like other forms of IF, may encourage fat loss specifically when combined with exercise. The manuscripts identified in this narrative literature review were analyzed for the potential benefit for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and limitations of summarized content were noted. While these studies support some suspected benefits of TRF, they also legitimize the need for future TRF studies, since conclusions are greatly limited by a paucity of evidence.
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32776127
·
Publisher ↗
CONTEXT: Hepatosteatosis (HS) is prevalent worldwide and can be measured via ultrasonographic (US) hepatic-renal (H/R) echo-intensity ratio. OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence of HS in rural communities of the Ecuadoria...CONTEXT: Hepatosteatosis (HS) is prevalent worldwide and can be measured via ultrasonographic (US) hepatic-renal (H/R) echo-intensity ratio. OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence of HS in rural communities of the Ecuadorian Chimborazo region and to validate portable US as an effective method of disease screening in rural settings. METHODS: Sagittal right liver/kidney B-mode US was performed in individuals from 4 villages using a portable US scanner equipped with a 3.5-MHz curvilinear probe. National Institutes of Health ImageJ software was used to computerize tissue echogenicity in both renal cortex and hepatic parenchyma offline. Regions of interest of 900 pixels were used for measuring pixel intensity of the right renal cortex and hepatic parenchyma when calculating the H/R ratio. The difference in pixel intensity between liver parenchyma and renal cortex was analyzed using an unpaired t test. The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to test intra- and interobserver reliability for computerizing the H/R ratio. RESULTS: Forty patients were enrolled in the study (32 women and 8 men; mean age, 40 years). The mean (SD) H/R ratio of study patients was 3.61 (2.32), moderately higher than normal (normal, H/R <1.5). A significant difference was found in mean (SD) pixel value between hepatic parenchyma and renal cortex (52.82 [15.34] vs 19.93 [10.39]; P<.001). Thirty-four patients (85%) had an H/R ratio greater than 1.5. The intra- and interobserver reliability of computerizing H/R ratio was excellent (r=0.940; P<.01). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that HS is moderately present in persons in remote communities of Ecuador. The mean H/R ratio was greater than that in the diagnostic criteria for the disease. Portable US imaging may benefit these communities as an efficient method for the HS screening and diagnosis in rural areas.
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32766809
·
Publisher ↗
CONTEXT: Upper abdominal or chest pain, tenderness, or sensation of the presence of a mass may lead to general surgery (GS) service referral. These symptoms may be related to rib somatic dysfunction (SD). OBJECTIVE: To d...CONTEXT: Upper abdominal or chest pain, tenderness, or sensation of the presence of a mass may lead to general surgery (GS) service referral. These symptoms may be related to rib somatic dysfunction (SD). OBJECTIVE: To describe rib SD in the GS setting and help build a foundation for additional osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) research in surgical care. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed and analyzed the electronic medical records of patient encounters in a GS outpatient clinic or private office in Bronx, New York. Included patients had emergency department or inpatient GS consultations with the diagnosis of rib SD (ICD-9 739.8 or ICD-10 M99.08) initially made by the GS service from February 1, 2016, to January 31, 2019. Six-month follow-up data were also reviewed. RESULTS: Twelve patients had rib SD as the underlying cause of their chief concern upon presentation to the GS service. Only 1 also had an underlying operative GS disease. The GS service treated 11 patients (91.7%) with OMT; 1 patient refused OMT. Time spent on OMT ranged from 5 to 30 minutes, with a median of 10 minutes and a mean (SD) of 12.7 (9.05) minutes. The OMT techniques used included balanced ligamentous tension, counterstrain, muscle energy, myofascial release, rib-raising, and soft tissue. All patients who received OMT demonstrated improvement, and 3 patients required osteopathic manipulative medicine/neuromuscular medicine follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Rib somatic dysfunction may contribute to patient referral to a GS service, and OMT performed by general surgeons may help provide optimal surgical care.
Yao SC, Zwibel H, Angelo N
… +2 more, Leder A, Mancini J
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32766808
·
Publisher ↗
CONTEXT: Concussion, a type of mild traumatic brain injury, is a disruption in normal brain function due to head injury. New-onset symptoms from concussion vary, likely depending on the areas of the head and neck affecte...CONTEXT: Concussion, a type of mild traumatic brain injury, is a disruption in normal brain function due to head injury. New-onset symptoms from concussion vary, likely depending on the areas of the head and neck affected; they can be severe and debilitating. Current treatment options are limited and difficult to individualize. Osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) can aid musculoskeletal restrictions that can potentially improve concussion symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To assess concussion symptom number and severity in participants with concussion who received either OMM or an educational intervention. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the New York Institute of Technology Academic Health Care Center. Patients presenting to the center with concussion-like symptoms due to recent head injury within the previous 7 days provided consent and were randomized into 2 intervention groups, receiving either 1 OMM treatment (n=16) or 1 concussion education intervention (n=15). Participants were assessed before and after the intervention with the validated Symptom Concussion Assessment Tool fifth edition (SCAT-5) for quantification of number of symptoms and their severity. Collected data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and the repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Thirty-one participants were enrolled in the study; after 1 control participant was excluded due to incomplete data, 30 patient records were analyzed. The OMM intervention group had a significant decrease in symptom number (P=.002) and symptom severity (P=.001) compared with the concussion education group. CONCLUSION: When used in the acute setting, OMM significantly decreased concussion symptom number and severity compared with concussion education. This study demonstrates that integration of OMM using a physical examination-guided, individualized approach is safe and effective in the management of new-onset symptoms of uncomplicated concussions. (Clinicaltrials.gov No. NCT02750566).
Schwartzberg L, Aslanyan L, Angelo N
… +5 more, Mancini J, Kooyman PS, Abu-Sbaih R, Zwibel H, Yao SC
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32766807
·
Publisher ↗
CONTEXT: Concussions can cause cognitive impairment, somatic symptoms, and behavioral changes. Symptoms may vary in severity, depending on the degree of traumatic force. Due to the biomechanical nature of this trauma, cr...CONTEXT: Concussions can cause cognitive impairment, somatic symptoms, and behavioral changes. Symptoms may vary in severity, depending on the degree of traumatic force. Due to the biomechanical nature of this trauma, cranial somatic dysfunctions may commonly be seen in patients with concussion. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether patients were more likely to have nonphysiologic cranial somatic dysfunctions than physiologic cranial somatic dysfunctions after sustaining a concussion. METHODS: College athletes who had a concussion based on the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive test were evaluated by a physician within 1 week of the injury. Patients were evaluated for somatic dysfunctions of the cranium. Cranial somatic dysfunctions were documented; test scores and force vectors were compared with the type of strain pattern using SPSS, with P<.05 demonstrating statistical significance. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were included in the study: 10 with nonphysiologic cranial strain somatic dysfunctions and 6 with physiologic dysfunctions. Compared with lateral forces, forces of impact with anterioposterior vectors were associated 1.5 times more often with nonphysiologic rather than physiologic cranial somatic dysfunctions (P=.697). An analysis of specific cranial strain patterns and impact force vectors showed no statistical significance (P=.096). CONCLUSION: There was no statistically significant association showing that concussion patients were more likely to have nonphysiologic cranial somatic dysfunctions compared with physiological cranial somatic dysfunctions. However, nonphysiologic cranial somatic dysfunctions did show a trend toward association with concussion. Further studies are needed to better understand the potential association between concussion and cranial somatic dysfunctions.
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32761215
·
Publisher ↗
The authors present the case of a 24-year-old man who sustained multiple injuries during a hard landing following a parachute jump. These injuries included a right sacral fracture, bilateral femoral fractures, a separate...The authors present the case of a 24-year-old man who sustained multiple injuries during a hard landing following a parachute jump. These injuries included a right sacral fracture, bilateral femoral fractures, a separated pubic symphysis, and compression fractures of the fifth and sixth thoracic vertebrae. He was treated with a right sacroiliac joint fixation, pubic symphysis fixation, open reduction internal fixation of his bilateral femurs, and fusion of the third through seventh thoracic vertebrae. The patient experienced back pain, bilateral hip pain, and bilateral knee pain resistant to chiropractic and medical treatments. The patient presented 2 years after his aforementioned surgical procedures for treatment of persistent postoperative pain at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Hampton, Virginia. His treatment involved gait correction achieved using a left-sided heel lift and a transition to custom molded orthotics that incorporated the lift. This treatment leveled his sacral base and resulted in a simultaneous decrease in his self-reported pain scores.
Prentice D, Berry A, Stewart L
… +3 more, Wilkins H, Ural S, Deiter R
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32761208
·
Publisher ↗
CONTEXT: The first exposure to opioids for many women of reproductive age follows childbirth. Current data show a significant correlation between the number of days supplied and continued use/abuse of opioids. The number...CONTEXT: The first exposure to opioids for many women of reproductive age follows childbirth. Current data show a significant correlation between the number of days supplied and continued use/abuse of opioids. The number of women with opioid dependency in pregnancy is steadily increasing, and opioid use is directly linked to an increase in maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, there are no clear opioid-prescribing guidelines for the postpartum period. OBJECTIVE: To compare the number of opioid pills prescribed with the number used by patients in the postpartum period. METHODS: Patients were recruited to this pilot study at the time of admission to the labor and delivery unit at a community hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; 84 patients gave informed consent to participate. Medical records were reviewed to determine the number of opioids prescribed. Phone surveys were conducted 4 to 6 weeks after discharge to identify the number of opioids used during the postpartum period. Welch t test was used to determine P values. RESULTS: After exclusion criteria were applied, records of 23 patients with vaginal deliveries and 14 patients with cesarean sections were included in the study. Patients who were prescribed opioids after a vaginal delivery were prescribed significantly more pills than were used (P<.001); a mean of 10 opioid pills per patient remained unused. Patients prescribed opioids after cesarean section were also often prescribed more opioid pills than used (P<.05); an average of 7.5 opioid pills per patient remained unused. Of 37 patients, only 2 disposed of unused opioid pills. CONCLUSION: The data in this study show a clear example of overprescibing opioids after vaginal and cesarean deliveries leading to increased opioid pill availability within the community.
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32761168
·
Publisher ↗
CONTEXT: Diagnosis of somatic dysfunction is based on subjective palpatory osteopathic assessments. This subjectivity has posed a challenge for researchers in studying osteopathic medicine. The development and use of rad...CONTEXT: Diagnosis of somatic dysfunction is based on subjective palpatory osteopathic assessments. This subjectivity has posed a challenge for researchers in studying osteopathic medicine. The development and use of radiological imaging techniques to objectively confirm or quantify muscle tissue stiffness associated with somatic dysfunction could be of benefit in osteopathic clinical practice, training, and further research. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility of ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) to quantify muscle tissue stiffness in somatic dysfunction before and after osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). METHODS: In this prospective study, we assessed lumbar spine somatic dysfunction in 20 adult patients before and after a single OMT session using standard osteopathic palpatory assessments by osteopathic physician faculty members in the Department of Osteopathic Principle and Practice at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine (Utah campus). Shear wave velocity (SWV, m/s) was measured in lumbar paraspinal muscle tissue using a commercial ultrasonography scanner on all participants immediately before and after OMT. In this study, OMT techniques targeted the iliocostalis lumborum and included the articulatory technique, balanced ligamentous tension, facilitated positional release, high-velocity, low-amplitude technique, muscle energy, myofascial release, and the Still technique at the discretion of the osteopathic physician. The difference in SWV between muscle tissues with and without dysfunction, and differences in SWV of dysfunctional tissue before and after OMT were examined using unpaired and paired t tests, as appropriate. The correlation between SWV measurements and osteopathic assessments was examined by the Spearman rank correlation. Intra- and interobserver reliability was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The difference in SWV between muscle tissues with and without somatic dysfunction was significant before OMT (mean [SD], 1.93 [0.44] vs 1.69 [0.19]; P=.03) and was not significant after OMT (mean [SD], 1.69 [0.19] vs 1.53 [0.31]; P=.05). The difference in SWV in the same tissue with somatic dysfunction before and after OMT was significant (mean [SD], 1.93 [0.44] vs 1.52 [0.3]; P<.001). The SWV value highly correlated with manual osteopathic assessments (r=0.72). Intra- and interobserver reliability for performing SWE in somatic dysfunction was good (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.80). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that ultrasound SWE can objectively assess muscle tissue stiffness for diagnosis of somatic dysfunctions and for muscle tissue stiffness changes after OMT.
Berry JAD, Ogunlade J, Kashyap S
… +4 more, Berry DK, Wacker M, Miulli DE, Saini H
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32750717
·
Publisher ↗
CONTEXT: Patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) often have multiple autonomic disturbances that interfere with normal gastrointestinal motility. Many of the pharmacologic agents used in the intensive care unit...CONTEXT: Patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) often have multiple autonomic disturbances that interfere with normal gastrointestinal motility. Many of the pharmacologic agents used in the intensive care unit (ICU) also adversely affect gastrointestinal motility. The body is further subjected to excessive levels of sympathetic discharge in states of traumatic injury and extreme stress, which can interfere with the proper absorption of fluids and nutrients. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether mesenteric lift, an osteopathic manipulative treatment technique, is effective in relieving constipation in patients with TBI who are intubated in the ICU. METHODS: This retrospective medical record review examined the effect of mesenteric lift on intubated patients with significant TBI who were unable to have a bowel movement within 72 hours of admission. The primary endpoint was the return of normal bowel function within 24 hours. A control group consisted of intubated patients with TBI during the same period who did not receive mesenteric lift. RESULTS: Of patients who received mesenteric lift, 77% experienced bowel movements (n=27 of 35), compared with 36% (n=16 of 44) in the control group (P=.01). CONCLUSION: The application of mesenteric lift to intubated patients with severe TBI in the intensive care unit significantly increased patients' ability to resume normal bowel function and expel waste.
J Am Osteopath Assoc
· 2020 Aug · PMID 32750705
·
Publisher ↗
Left bundle branch block complicates electrocardiogram interpretation of acute myocardial infarction (MI) because ST segment elevations, commonly used as evidence of MIs, are largely hidden by the repolarization vector....Left bundle branch block complicates electrocardiogram interpretation of acute myocardial infarction (MI) because ST segment elevations, commonly used as evidence of MIs, are largely hidden by the repolarization vector. To better diagnose acute MI in cases of left bundle branch block, modified Sgarbossa criteria can be used as a clinical tool to help diagnose or exclude MI with high specificity and sensitivity. However, while clinical tools are often helpful, a clinician cannot solely rely on clinical decision-making algorithms. We describe the case of an 84-year-old man experiencing acute cardiopulmonary symptoms who was negative for modified Sgarbossa criteria, but later had a confirmed diagnosis of MI on transfer to a cardiac center. This case illustrates the necessity of good clinical judgment and a high index of suspicion for atypical presentation alongside any diagnostic algorithm.