Kamalan Jeevaratnam

The Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) for student selection in health professions training – A systematic review

Background: The Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) has been used increasingly for selection of students to health professions programmes. Objectives: This paper reports on the evidence base for the feasibility, acceptability, reliability and validity of the MMI. Data sources: CINAHL and MEDLINE Study eligibility criteria: All studies testing the MMI on applicants to health professions training. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: Each paper was appraised by two reviewers. Narrative summary findings on feasibility, acceptability, reliability and validity are presented. Results: Of the 64 citations identified, 30 were selected for review. The modal MMI consisted of 10 stations, each lasting eight minutes and assessed by one interviewer. The MMI was feasible, i.e. did not require more examiners, did not cost more, and interviews were completed over a short period of time. It was acceptable, i.e. fair, transparent, free from gender, cultural and socio-economic bias, and did not favour applicants with previous coaching. Its reliability was reported to be moderate to high, with Cronbachs alpha = 0.69–0.98 and G = 0.55–0.72. MMI scores did not correlate to traditional admission tools scores, were not associated with pre-entry academic qualifications, were the best predictor for OSCE performance and statistically predictive of subsequent performance at medical council examinations. Conclusions: The MMI is reliable, acceptable and feasible. The evidence base for its validity against future medical council exams is growing with reports from longitudinal investigations. However, further research is needed for its acceptability in different cultural context and validity against future clinical behaviours.

Loss of Nav1.5 expression and function in murine atria containing the RyR2-P2328S gain-of-function mutation.

AIMS Recent studies reported slowed conduction velocity (CV) in murine hearts homozygous for the gain-of-function RyR2-P2328S mutation (RyR2(S/S)) and associated this with an increased incidence of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. The present experiments determined mechanisms contributing to the reduced atrial CV. METHODS AND RESULTS The determinants of CV were investigated in murine RyR2(S/S) hearts and compared with those in wild-type (WT) and slow-conducting Scn5a(+/-) hearts. Picrosirius red staining demonstrated increased fibrosis only in Scn5a(+/-) hearts. Immunoblot assays showed similar expressions of Cx43 and Cx40 levels in the three genotypes. In contrast, Nav1.5 expression was reduced in both RyR2(S/S) and Scn5a(+/-) atria. These findings correlated with intracellular microelectrode and loose-patch-clamp studies. Microelectrode measurements showed reduced maximum rates of depolarization in Scn5a(+/-) and RyR2(S/S) atria compared with WT, despite similar diastolic membrane potentials. Loose-patch-clamp measurements demonstrated reduced peak Na(+) currents (INa) in the Scn5a(+/-) and RyR2(S/S) atria relative to WT, with similar normalized current-voltage relationships. In WT atria, reduction in INa could be produced by treatment with high extracellular Ca(2+), caffeine, or cyclopiazonic acid, each expected to produce an acute increase in [Ca(2+)]i. CONCLUSION RyR2(S/S) atria show reduced levels of Nav1.5 expression and Na(+) channel function. Reduced Na(+) channel function was also observed in WT atria, following acute increases in [Ca(2+)]i. Taken together, the results suggest that raised [Ca(2+)]i produces both acute and chronic inhibition of Na(+) channel function. These findings may help explain the relationship between altered Ca(2+) homeostasis, CV, and the maintenance of common arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation.

Conduction Slowing Contributes to Spontaneous Ventricular Arrhythmias in Intrinsically Active Murine RyR2-P2328S Hearts

Conduction Changes in RyR2‐P2328S Hearts. Introduction: The familial condition catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is characterized by episodic bidirectional ventricular tachycardia (BVT), polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PVT), and ventricular fibrillation following adrenergic challenge. It is associated with mutations involving the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2).

Acute atrial arrhythmogenicity and altered Ca2+ homeostasis in murine RyR2-P2328S hearts

Aims The experiments explored for atrial arrhythmogenesis and its possible physiological background in recently developed hetero-(RyR2+/S) and homozygotic (RyR2S/S) RyR2-P2328S murine models for catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) for the first time. They complement previous clinical and experimental reports describing increased ventricular arrhythmic tendencies associated with physical activity, stress, or catecholamine infusion, potentially leading to VT and ventricular fibrillation. Methods and results Atrial arrhythmogenic properties were compared at the whole animal, Langendorff-perfused heart, and single, isolated atrial myocyte levels using electrophysiological and confocal fluorescence microscopy methods. This demonstrated that: (i) electrocardiographic parameters in intact anaesthetized wild-type (WT), RyR2+/S and RyR2S/S mice were statistically indistinguishable both before and after addition of isoproterenol apart from increases in heart rates. (ii) Bipolar electrogram and monophasic action potential recordings showed significantly higher incidences of arrhythmogenesis in isolated perfused RyR2S/S, but not RyR2+/S, relative to WT hearts during either regular pacing or programmed electrical stimulation. The addition of isoproterenol increased such incidences in all three groups. (iii) However, there were no accompanying differences in cardiac anatomy or action potential durations at 90% repolarization and refractory periods. (iv) In contrast, episodes of diastolic Ca2+ release were observed under confocal microscopy in isolated fluo-3-loaded RyR2S/S, but not RyR2+/S or WT, atrial myocytes. The introduction of isoproterenol resulted in significant diastolic Ca2+ release in all three groups. Conclusions These findings establish acute atrial arrhythmogenic properties in RyR2-P2328S hearts and correlate these with altered Ca2+ homeostasis in an absence of repolarization abnormalities for the first time.

Frequency distribution analysis of activation times and regional fibrosis in murine Scn5a+/- hearts: the effects of ageing and sex.

Highlights ► Scn5a+/− hearts showed an electrocardiographic bundle branch block. ► Epicardial activation analysis demonstrated increased late conducting components. ► This paralleled a myocardial regional fibrosis preferentially involving the RV. ► Such changes were greatest in ageing and male Scn5a+/− hearts. ► We propose a fibrotic mechanism slowing impulse conduction in ageing Scn5a+/− hearts.

Atrial arrhythmogenicity in aged Scn5a+/∆KPQ mice modeling long QT type 3 syndrome and its relationship to Na+ channel expression and cardiac conduction

Recent studies have reported that human mutations in Nav1.5 predispose to early age onset atrial arrhythmia. The present experiments accordingly assess atrial arrhythmogenicity in aging Scn5a+/∆KPQ mice modeling long QT3 syndrome in relationship to cardiac Na+ channel, Nav1.5, expression. Atrial electrophysiological properties in isolated Langendorff-perfused hearts from 3- and 12-month-old wild type (WT), and Scn5a+/∆KPQ mice were assessed using programmed electrical stimulation and their Nav1.5 expression assessed by Western blot. Cardiac conduction properties were assessed electrocardiographically in intact anesthetized animals. Monophasic action potential recordings demonstrated increased atrial arrhythmogenicity specifically in aged Scn5a+/ΔKPQ hearts. These showed greater action potential duration/refractory period ratios but lower atrial Nav1.5 expression levels than aged WT mice. Atrial Nav1.5 levels were higher in young Scn5a+/ΔKPQ than young WT. These levels increased with age in WT but not Scn5a+/ΔKPQ. Both young and aged Scn5a+/ΔKPQ mice showed lower heart rates and longer PR intervals than their WT counterparts. Young Scn5a+/ΔKPQ mice showed longer QT and QTc intervals than young WT. Aged Scn5a+/ΔKPQ showed longer QRS durations than aged WT. PR intervals were prolonged and QT intervals were shortened in young relative to aged WT. In contrast, ECG parameters were similar between young and aged Scn5a+/ΔKPQ. Aged murine Scn5a+/ΔKPQ hearts thus exhibit an increased atrial arrhythmogenicity. The differing Nav1.5 expression and electrocardiographic indicators of slowed cardiac conduction between Scn5a+/ΔKPQ and WT, which show further variations associated with aging, may contribute toward atrial arrhythmia in aged Scn5a+/ΔKPQ hearts.

Sodium channel haploinsufficiency and structural change in ventricular arrhythmogenesis.

Normal cardiac excitation involves orderly conduction of electrical activation and recovery dependent upon surface membrane, voltage‐gated, sodium (Na+) channel α‐subunits (Nav1.5). We summarize experimental studies of physiological and clinical consequences of loss‐of‐function Na+ channel mutations. Of these conditions, Brugada syndrome (BrS) and progressive cardiac conduction defect (PCCD) are associated with sudden, often fatal, ventricular tachycardia (VT) or fibrillation. Mouse Scn5a+/− hearts replicate important clinical phenotypes modelling these human conditions. The arrhythmic phenotype is associated not only with the primary biophysical change but also with additional, anatomical abnormalities, in turn dependent upon age and sex, each themselves exerting arrhythmic effects. Available evidence suggests a unified binary scheme for the development of arrhythmia in both BrS and PCCD. Previous biophysical studies suggested that Nav1.5 deficiency produces a background electrophysiological defect compromising conduction, thereby producing an arrhythmic substrate unmasked by flecainide or ajmaline challenge. More recent reports further suggest a progressive decline in conduction velocity and increase in its dispersion particularly in ageing male Nav1.5 haploinsufficient compared to WT hearts. This appears to involve a selective appearance of slow conduction at the expense of rapidly conducting pathways with changes in their frequency distributions. These changes were related to increased cardiac fibrosis. It is thus the combination of the structural and biophysical changes both accentuating arrhythmic substrate that may produce arrhythmic tendency. This binary scheme explains the combined requirement for separate, biophysical and structural changes, particularly occurring in ageing Nav1.5 haploinsufficient males in producing clinical arrhythmia.

Differences in sino-atrial and atrio-ventricular function with age and sex attributable to the Scn5a +/- mutation in a murine cardiac model

Aim:  To investigate the interacting effects of age and sex on electrocardiographic (ECG) features of Scn5a+/− mice modelling Brugada syndrome.

Sodium channel biophysics, late sodium current and genetic arrhythmic syndromes

Arrhythmias arise from breakdown of orderly action potential (AP) activation, propagation and recovery driven by interactive opening and closing of successive voltage-gated ion channels, in which one or more Na+ current components play critical parts. Early peak, Na+ currents (INa) reflecting channel activation drive the AP upstroke central to cellular activation and its propagation. Sustained late Na+ currents (INa-L) include contributions from a component with a delayed inactivation timecourse influencing AP duration (APD) and refractoriness, potentially causing pro-arrhythmic phenotypes. The magnitude of INa-L can be analysed through overlaps or otherwise in the overall voltage dependences of the steady-state properties and kinetics of activation and inactivation of the Na+ conductance. This was useful in analysing repetitive firing associated with paramyotonia congenita in skeletal muscle. Similarly, genetic cardiac Na+ channel abnormalities increasing INa-L are implicated in triggering phenomena of automaticity, early and delayed afterdepolarisations and arrhythmic substrate. This review illustrates a wide range of situations that may accentuate INa-L. These include (1) overlaps between steady-state activation and inactivation increasing window current, (2) kinetic deficiencies in Na+ channel inactivation leading to bursting phenomena associated with repetitive channel openings and (3) non-equilibrium gating processes causing channel re-opening due to more rapid recoveries from inactivation. All these biophysical possibilities were identified in a selection of abnormal human SCN5A genotypes. The latter presented as a broad range of clinical arrhythmic phenotypes, for which effective therapeutic intervention would require specific identification and targeting of the diverse electrophysiological abnormalities underlying their increased INa-L.

Arrhythmic substrate, slowed propagation and increased dispersion in conduction direction in the right ventricular outflow tract of murine Scn5a+/- hearts.

To test a hypothesis attributing arrhythmia in Brugada Syndrome to right ventricular (RV) outflow tract (RVOT) conduction abnormalities arising from Nav1.5 insufficiency and fibrotic change.