Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Hematological Parameters And Systemic Inflammatory Markers In Children With Viral Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infections, Sadiye Sert, Fatma Sargin, Şerife Karaçal Say, Berna Erayman, Ebru Buldu

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Viral acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children, particularly those under 5 years. Accurate diagnosis and timely management are crucial to improve outcomes. This study aimed to address the lack of comparative analysis between hematological and systemic inflammatory markers concerning established disease severity scores in children with viral ALRTIs. We sought to evaluate the correlations between these markers and severity scores to identify which parameters provide the most reliable predictive value for assessing the severity of ALRTI diagnoses in this population.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 191 children hospitalized …

Evaluation Of Gastrointestinal Pathogens In Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Using Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction, Yeliz Çağan Appak, Özgür Appak, Betül Aksoy, Büşra Emi̇r, Ayça Arzu Sayiner, Maşallah Baran

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Impaired gastrointestinal mucosa and immunosuppressant therapies increase the risk of secondary infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study evaluated the detection of pathogens in children with IBD using a gastrointestinal panel (GP). This is the first study to compare this method with clinical data from pediatric IBD patients.

Methods: Children with newly diagnosed IBD or experiencing disease flares were included. Demographic data, clinical and laboratory findings, treatments, treatment durations, and disease activity were analyzed. Stool samples were assessed using multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction with QIAstat-Dx GP®. Results were compared between groups.

Results: Thirty-five patients with …

Abdominal Tuberculosis In Children, Melike Emiroglu, Gulsum Alkan, Meltem Kiymaz, Sadiye Kubra Tuter Oz, Hatice Turk Dagi, Mehmet Öztürk, Zeliha Esin Çelik

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: To provide an insight into the presentation, diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal tuberculosis in children.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of children who were diagnosed with gastrointestinal tuberculosis, between October 2013 and October 2023. The analysis was performed using descriptive statistics.

Results: During the study period, 11 of 76 tuberculosis pediatric patients (14.5%) were diagnosed with gastrointestinal tuberculosis. Six of 11 patients (54.5%) were female. The median age of the patients was 60 months (51-205 months). Eight of 11 patients had intra-abdominal lymph node involvement, 3 of 11 patients had intestinal tuberculosis and 2 of 11 patients had …

Urgent Implementation Of Point-Of-Care Testing For Group A Streptococcal Infection In A Uk Children’S Emergency Department, Ruth Shorrocks, Philip J. Turner, Thomas Fanshawe, Umasha Ukwatte, Jim Gray, James Taylor, Liliana Graveto, Gail Hayward, Chris Bird

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: In late 2022, Western Europe and the United States experienced increased incidences of scarlet fever and life-threatening invasive group A strepto- coccal (iGAS) infections, especially among children. The outbreak was widely reported in the media in the United Kingdom, leading to increased emergency department (ED) attendances and threatened supplies of antibiotics. Our ED rapidly introduced point-of-care testing for GAS pharyngitis with the aim of rationalizing antibiotic prescribing.

Methods: We rapidly implemented the use of a molecular-based (polymerase chain reaction) point-of-care test for all children scoring 3 or higher on the McIsaac clinical prediction rule for GAS pharyngitis in children …

Epidemiology Of Acute Infectious Diarrhea-Associated Viruses In Children In Hangzhou, China, 2023, Ya-Jun Guo, Lin Li, Qin-Rui Lai, Wei Li

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of children infected with diarrheal virus in Hangzhou, China, 2023.

Methods: From January 2023 to December 2023, 20,939 stool samples from children with acute infectious diarrhea were collected for detection of rotavirus A and human adenovirus, using Latex agglutination detection kits; 7584 stool samples were collected for detection of norovirus, using real‐time PCR reagent.

Results: 639 (3.0%, 639/20,939) tested positive for rotavirus A, and 1,201 (5.7%, 1,201/20,939) positive samples were detected by Colloidal gold method. The positive rates of norovirus were 42.2% (3,203/7,585). Among all age groups, the rotavirus A positive detection rate was …

Evaluation Of Pediatric Patients Diagnosed With Measles: A Retrospective Study In Istanbul, Zehra Yazi, Nahide Haykir Zehi̇r, Merve Akçay, Ufuk Yükselmiş, Ceren Çetin, Ayşe Karaaslan, Yasemin Akin

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Measles, predominantly impacting the pediatric population, manifests symptoms encompassing fever, rash, rhinorrhea, cough, conjunctivitis, accompanied by infrequent yet plausible life-threatening complications.

Methods: This retrospective study conducted between January 2022 and July 2023 at a 1105-bed tertiary hospital in Istanbul, Türkiye, was focused on children diagnosed with measles and aged(PCR) were defined as definite measles cases.

Results: A total of 78 pediatric patients were diagnosed with measles, of whom 40 were evaluated as definite (51.3%) cases. Among the definite cases, 29 (72.5%) and 11 (27.5%) were girls and boys, respectively. Their median age was 78 (42–158) months. It was observed …

Holistic Care For Breastfeeding Patients: Supporting Lactation In Critical Care, Marisa Francis Dnp, Rn, Cne, Clc, Adreanne Cordova Msn, Rn, Cne, Chse, Clc

Nursing Research and Scholarship

This poster emphasizes the critical need for support for breastfeeding patients in critical care units, such as Adult ICUs and Emergency Departments. Many breastfeeding patients experience disrupted breastfeeding during hospitalization, leading to issues like engorgement, mastitis, decrease in milk supply, and loss of the breastfeeding bond. Despite this, the importance of maintaining breastfeeding during hospitalization is often overlooked, and patients are often told to "pump and dump" (discard expressed milk), a practice that can harm both the infant's nutrition and the breastfeeding relationship.

Research indicates that continued breastfeeding for patients in critical care areas is safe and beneficial for both …

Implementation And Effectiveness Of A Nurse-Enabled, Shared-Care Follow-Up Model For Early Breast Cancer Survivors (The Ibis-Survivorship Study): Protocol For A Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomised Trial, Raymond J. Chan, Fiona Crawford-Williams, Bogda Koczwara, G. Bruce Mann, Elizabeth Eakin, Jane Turner, Meinir Krishnasamy, Louisa G. Collins, Helen Skerman, Karla Hemming, Nicolas H. Hart, Jon Emery, Bethany Crowe, Kerry Patford, Jane Mahony, Caroline Kristunas, Gillian Blanchard, Laura Healey, Jasotha Sanmugarajah, Rhea Liang, Paul Craft, Amy Shorthouse, Ruth Mccaffery, Mary Azer, Patsy Yates

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide. Survivors often experience physical and psychological effects arising from breast cancer and its treatment, which can last months and years, adversely impacting quality of life. As the number of early breast cancer survivors increases, models of specialist-led follow-up care in hospital settings are not sustainable and evidence suggests that they may not meet survivors’ needs. Nurse-enabled, shared-care, follow-up models between cancer specialist and primary care teams have potential to address this need. Methods and analysis The proposed research is a multicentre, prospective, pragmatic, stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial designed to …

Understanding The Care Needs Of People With Post-Stroke Aphasia: A Qualitative Study Of Stroke Care Transitions, Amy B. Thomas, Gerasimos Fergadiotis, Lonnie A. Nelson, Catherine R. Van Son, Celestina Barbosa-Leiker

Speech and Hearing Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Communication difficulties experienced by people with aphasia (PWA) cause disconnects between meaningful conversations and care received. The purpose of this study was to identify concepts PWA define as (1) the most critical facilitators to transitional care and communicative access success, and (2) transitional care and communicative barriers. A qualitative descriptive study design was utilized. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six PWA and two communication partners and analyzed using directed content analysis, guided by the theory of Human Scale Development. Findings revealed that barriers and facilitators centered on three Needs: (1) Participation: Participation in life events was directly related to public …

Reducing Readmission Rates In A Mental Health Hospital, Zamzam Mohamed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary I designed this clinical practice guideline (CPG) doctoral project to address the critical practice problem of high readmission rates in a mental health unit at a large academic medical center. This quality improvement initiative focused on developing and evaluating CPG to improve discharge planning. I aimed to address gaps in continuity of care, inadequate discharge education, and limited post discharge follow-up, which had been identified as contributing factors to early psychiatric readmissions. The practice-focused question guiding this project was: What evidence supports the development of a discharge planning CPG designed to reduce readmission rates in a mental health unit? …

Rcpneoperu Trial: A Cluster Randomized Pilot Trial To Assess Traditional Neonatal Resuscitation Compared To Partially Virtual Training In Remote Areas., Carlos A Delgado, Enrique Gómez Pomar, Pablo Velásquez, Víctor Sánchez, Roberto Shimabuku, Luis Huicho

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of a neonatal resuscitation training program using traditional training and partial distance learning.

METHOD: Through an open cluster-randomized trial, the authors compared a traditional approach involving face-to-face theory and practice sessions using information and communication technology to offer theory and distance examination, followed by face-to-face practice. Twelve health facilities were allocated by blocked randomization. Comparisons were made adjusting for clustering in qualitative and quantitative data. The primary outcome was the percentage of infants with heart rates ≥100 per minute at the second minute after birth. The authors performed a cluster-level analysis for cluster randomized trials, …

Partial Least Squares Multimodal Analysis Of Brain Network Correlates Of Language Deficits In Aphasia, Sigfus Kristinsson Ph.D., Dirk B. Den Ouden, Chris Rorden, Roger Newman-Norlund, Lisa Johnson, Janina Wilmskoetter, Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht, Argye E. Hillis, Gregory Hickok, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha

Faculty Publications

Lesion-symptom mapping techniques are essential to determine brain regions critical for language functions. However, high collinearity in neuroimaging and behavioural data remains a challenge for distinguishing neural substrates supporting multiple language domains (shared variance) and those subserving specific language functions (unique variance). Here, we employed a novel approach to multimodal lesion-symptom mapping using multivariate partial least squares regression to delineate the latent structure of lesion-behavioural mapping in aphasia and decompose the shared and unique neural determinants of language impairments. A total of 86 participants with chronic (>12-month post-stroke) aphasia after left hemisphere strokes were examined. Language impairment was assessed …

Increasing Community Members' Engagement In Cancer Research: The Making Research Clear Program, Rebecca J. Melillo, Christiane J. El Khoury, Joshua Blanding-Godbolt, Q. Greene, Karen M. Bussard, Amy Leader

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of engaging community members in research, multiple barriers from the perspective of the investigator and community member exist. The Making Research CLEAR (Community Learning and Experience about Research) Program aims to bridge the gap between research conducted at an NCI-designated cancer center and the community.

METHODS: Community members and a cancer center investigator were paired for a 6-month immersive research experience. Community members had at least one research experience per month with their investigator, while also attending cancer center activities such as Institutional Review Board (IRB) meetings, research lectures, protocol review meetings, and community outreach events. …

Risk Factors For Serious Bacterial Infections Among Young Infants With Hypothermia: Protocol For A Multicenter, Retrospective Case-Control Study, Sriram Ramgopal, Paul Aronson, Douglas Lorenz, Alexander Joseph Rogers, Andrea Tania Cruz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hypothermia in young infants presenting to the emergency department (ED) may indicate a serious bacterial infection (SBI) such as a urinary tract infection, bacteremia, or bacterial meningitis. Improved understanding of the epidemiology of SBI in infants with hypothermia and the development of prediction models can help avoid unnecessary invasive procedures and antimicrobial exposure.

Objective: The aim of the study is to (1) describe the epidemiology of SBI and herpes simplex virus (HSV) among infants with hypothermia, (2) assess the role of biomarkers in predicting SBI, and (3) derive and internally validate a multivariable predictive model for SBI among infants …

Partial Least Squares Multimodal Analysis Of Brain Network Correlates Of Language Deficits In Aphasia, Sigfus Kristinsson, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Chris Rorden, Roger Newman-Norlund, Lisa Johnson, Janina Wilmskoetter, Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht, Argye E. Hillis, Gregory Hickok, Julius Fridriksson, Leonardo Bonilha

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Lesion-symptom mapping techniques are essential to determine brain regions critical for language functions. However, high collinearity in neuroimaging and behavioural data remains a challenge for distinguishing neural substrates supporting multiple language domains (shared variance) and those subserving specific language functions (unique variance). Here, we employed a novel approach to multimodal lesion-symptom mapping using multivariate partial least squares regression to delineate the latent structure of lesion-behavioural mapping in aphasia and decompose the shared and unique neural determinants of language impairments. A total of 86 participants with chronic (>12-month post-stroke) aphasia after left hemisphere strokes were examined. Language impairment was assessed …

Educating Staff On Using Medication-Assisted Treatment (Mat) In Opioid Use Disorder (Oud), Demie Alaekwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs, especially those led by providers, can expand access to care for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD). The gap in practice at the site was the insufficient knowledge among nurses on how to effectively use MAT in treating OUD. The purpose of this staff educational project was to design and implement a training module to educate mental health providers on the principles and interventions of MAT. The practice-focused question was: Does educating nurses on MAT principles while incorporating evidence from the literature improve their knowledge as measured by pre- and post-test? The ADDIE pedagogy model was …

Effect Of Perioperative Haemodynamic Management Based On Cerebral Autoregulation Monitored By Cerebral Oximetry Index During Carotid Endarterectomy: Protocol Of A Randomised Trial, Muhan Li, Xueke Yin, Chuanyu Liang, Chenyang Tao, Qixiao Yan, Min Zeng, Shu Li, Daniel I Sessler, Rong Wang, Lei Zhao, Yuming Peng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Impaired cerebral autoregulation is associated with postoperative ischaemic brain injury and often occurs in patients with carotid artery stenosis. Adequate cerebral perfusion should therefore be maintained during carotid endarterectomies. Whether guiding intraoperative blood pressure to the Cerebral Oximetry Index (a measure of cerebral perfusion adequacy) reduces postoperative cerebral ischaemia remains unclear.

Methods and analysis: We plan a dual-centre randomised blinded trial. A total of 560 patients having elective carotid endarterectomy will be randomly assigned to guided versus routine haemodynamic management. In patients randomised to guided management, mean arterial pressure will be titrated to maintain a normal cerebral oximetry index. …

Exploring The Association Between Self-Esteem And Blood Pressure: A Cross-Sectional And Longitudinal Investigation, Bijou C. Allard, Julia K. Boehm

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

High self-esteem is linked to favorable outcomes including better mental health and relationships, however, its impact on cardiovascular health is less understood. This study examined the relationship between self-esteem and blood pressure levels using data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study (M_age = 54.53; 57% women; 20% non-White). We hypothesized that higher self-esteem would be associated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure concurrently and 10 years later. Self-esteem was measured with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and blood pressure was clinically assessed. Cross-sectional analyses included 1194 participants; longitudinal analyses included 566 participants. Contrary to expectations, …

Clinical Practice Guideline For Intentional Rounding, Julia Griggs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This is a quality improvement clinical practice guideline (CPG) to address the inconsistent staff rounding practices, developed following recognition of a fall rate of 3.2 per 1000 patient days and declining patient satisfaction in the project facility. I developed the CPG using current evidence-based practices to establish standardized procedures for purposeful rounding to enhance patient safety, satisfaction, and care quality. Three experts, including an educator, clinician, and administrator, evaluated the CPG using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II), a tool consisting of seven domains used for measuring the methodological rigor and transparency in which a …

Adapting And Evaluating A Positive Psychology Intervention For Children With Cancer And Their Families, Camryn Legra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a mixed methods approach in two phases. The first phase entailed adapting an evidence-based positive psychology intervention—the Well-Being Promotion Program (WBPP; Suldo, 2016)— for children with pediatric cancer. The WBPP has mostly been provided to students at public schools, and to the researcher’s knowledge, has never been used for children with pediatric cancer. To make it culturally appropriate for this group of students, adaptations were made by collecting input and recommendations from a sample of two caregivers of children with pediatric cancer who participated in a focus group. A micro-interlocutor analysis (Onwuegbuzie et al., 2009) was completed …

Blood-Based Proteomic Profiling Identifies Osmr As A Novel Biomarker Of Aml Outcomes, Patrick K Reville, Bofei Wang, Jennifer Marvin-Peek, Bin Yuan, Yu-An Kuo, Araceli Garza, Jessica Root, Wei Qiao, Andrea Arruda, Ivo Veletic, Yiwei Liu, Nicholas J Short, Courtney D Dinardo, Tapan M Kadia, Naval G Daver, Philip L Lorenzi, Koji Sasaki, Steven Kornblau, Mark D Minden, Farhad Ravandi, Hagop M Kantarjian, Hussein A Abbas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Inflammation is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) pathogenesis. We performed blood-based proteomic profiling of 251 inflammatory proteins in 543 patients with newly diagnosed AML. Using a machine learning model, we derived an 8-protein prognostic score termed the leukemia inflammatory risk score (LIRS). Individual proteins were evaluated in multivariable Cox models, and model performance was assessed by cumulative concordance index. Findings were validated in internal and external cohorts across 2 institutions. Blood-based LIRS significantly outperformed the European LeukemiaNet 2022 risk model and was independently prognostic of overall survival after accounting for known clinical and molecular …

Levothyroxine Requirement In A Patient With Lrba Deficiency And Gvhd Induced Cholestasis, Yusriya Al Rawahi, Hussain Alsaffar, Amr Abdalla, Azza Nasser Al Shidhani

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Levothyroxine is a lipophilic hormone that is absorbed in the small intestine, mainly in the jejunum and ileum. The absorption of levothyroxine after oral administration averages 60–80%. We report a 7-year-old male patient who presented to a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman, in 2020 at the age of three years with an early diagnosis of lipopolysaccharide beige-like anchor protein (LRBA) deficiency. LRBA deficiency is characterised by recurrent infections, autoimmune thyroid disease and autoimmune cytopenia. The patient was prescribed levothyroxine treatment (112.5 mcg daily) and underwent haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in March 2023; four months post-HSCT, he developed appendicitis …

The Case For Compulsory Dna Testing At Birth To Confirm Paternity: Ethical, Legal, And Social Considerations, Michael Mncedisi Willie

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Compulsory paternity testing at birth has sparked significant legal, ethical, and social debate due to its potential impact on family dynamics, child well-being, and parental responsibility. This review explores the ethical, legal, and societal implications of such testing, using Bioecological Systems Theory and Rawls' Theory of Justice to frame the discussion. This review evaluates the benefits and challenges of mandatory DNA testing at birth, particularly in reducing paternity fraud, ensuring fairness in child support allocation, and enhancing socio-economic outcomes, especially in low-income households. This qualitative review draws on multidisciplinary literature from family law, genetic counseling, social policy, and fathers' rights …

Small Gifts, Big Questions: The Ethical Dilemma In Accepting Gifts In Medicine, Meiqi Luo, Md

The Medicine Forum

I remember discussing the topic of gift-giving by patients in a small group session in medical school. When asked whether it’s ethical for medical professionals to accept gifts from patients, I responded, “It depends on the value of the gifts.” If the gifts were of appropriate value and given purely out of appreciation, they serve to strengthen the physician-patient relationship. However, what I failed to realize was the difficulty in determining the value and intention of a gift. My personal experience of receiving gifts from a patient made me aware of such ethical ambiguities.

At the community clinic where I …

Navigating Care And Loss Through Aging, Disease, And Decision-Making In The Covid Era, Michael Predi, Do

The Medicine Forum

There is only one of the loved one you know.
Often it can be hard to let go.
Five years old the world became cold.
Lost my mother to breast cancer.
A cold wound that can’t be answered
Father raised you in a foreign land.
Drove you to school, combed your hair, gave you a life you could have never planned.
Taught me that I would catch a cold from the wind.
No arguing about modern medicine, my dad was thick skinned,
Here comes college, first generation, what an exciting time.
Get to medical school so exciting; here comes the …

Existential Pain, Kian Waddell

The Medicine Forum

A new type of pain
Never covered in a lecture
Not neuropathic, visceral, post-procedural, cancer, phantom pains,
But existential.

She didn’t want pain meds
And she had her reasons -
We didn’t push.

What she wanted was to talk
To be heard
For us to be silent and stop
Asking her every second
If she’d moved bowels, vomited, slept…

What she wanted was to talk.
What other medication is there for pain of the soul?

Eternal Light, Anurag Modak, Md

The Medicine Forum

The microscope is held aloft in a sea of darkness,
Illuminating the gyri and sulci of the exposed brain below.
Its harsh, sterile light creates a veritable barrier
So hot, so intense, it threatens to explode forth at any moment.

The screens scattered across the room provide companionship to this lonely machine
And I, residing amidst the sea of shadows,
Bear witness to its solitude
To the silence of the light.

I have seen vessels tied and aneurysms clipped,
And an eon has gone by…
There’s an air of anticipation,
An expectation of something more.

But, solace and quietude prevail …

Unmasking The Dvt Mimic: A Rare Case Of Diabetic Myonecrosis In A Young Patient, Avish Patel, Md, Paul Endres, Md, Alexander Marchese, Md, Dianna Cheney-Peters, Md

The Medicine Forum

Diabetic myonecrosis is an uncommon complication of diabetes mellitus, often falsely believed to be a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Patients present with similar presentations of edema and focal tenderness that are most often unilateral in a proximal lower extremity.¹ When venous ultrasound is negative, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred diagnostic modality over muscle biopsy, given the potential complications.^2,3 Treatment includes rest, analgesia, and improved glycemic control.⁴ Given the rise of metabolic disorders and insulin resistance, it is important to be aware of this diagnosis to prevent overutilization of healthcare resources.⁵

Recurrent Post-Viral Rhabdomyolysis In A 36-Year-Old Male: A Case Report, Warda Naqvi, Md, David Walz, Md, Lucy Checchio, Md

The Medicine Forum

Rhabdomyolysis is a syndrome of skeletal muscle breakdown, releasing intracellular contents such as creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin into the bloodstream, which can precipitate acute kidney injury (AKI).¹ While trauma, extreme exertion, and toxins are frequent culprits, infections, particularly viral illnesses, represent a less common but significant trigger.² Influenza and other respiratory viruses have been implicated in sporadic cases of rhabdomyolysis, often presenting with acute myalgias and elevated CK levels following a viral prodrome.³ In contrast, recurrent rhabdomyolysis is typically associated with inherited metabolic myopathies (e.g., McArdle disease) or autoimmune myositis, conditions often marked by distinct genetic …

Mcconnell’S Sign In The Absence Of Pulmonary Embolism, Alicia Bao, Md, Tendai Marume, Md

The Medicine Forum

McConnell’s sign is an echocardiographic finding characterized by hyperdynamic motion of the right ventricular (RV) apex with akinesis of the RV free wall. It is widely known as an indicator of RV strain in acute pulmonary embolism (PE) but has been described in other conditions such as sepsis-induced RV dysfunction, acute cor pulmonale, and right-sided heart failure. In critically ill patients, RV dysfunction is a major contributor to hemodynamic instability, respiratory failure, and poor outcomes. Given the overlapping signs of various underlying conditions, McConnell’s sign serves as a useful marker for assessing RV involvement but can be challenging to interpret …