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Background Myocarditis represents one of the most common causes of Sudden Cardiac Death in children. Myocardial involvement during a viral infection is believed to be higher as a consequence of intensive exertion. Recommendations for return to sports are based on cohort and case studies only. This study aims to investigate the relationship between physical activity and myocarditis in the young. Patient Every patient in the MYKKE registry fulfilling criteria for suspicion of myocarditis was sent a questionnaire regarding the physical activity before, during and after the onset of myocarditis. Method This study is a subproject within the MYKKE registry, a multicenter registry for children and adolescents with suspected myocarditis. The observation period for this analysis was 93 months (September 2013–June 2021). Anamnestic, cardiac magnetic resonance images, echocardiography, biopsy and laboratory records from every patient were retrieved from the MYKKE registry database. Results 58 patients (mean age 14.6 years) were enrolled from 10 centers. Most patients participated in curricular physical activity and 36% in competitive sports before the onset of myocarditis. There was no significant difference of heart function at admission between the physically active and inactive subjects (ejection fraction of 51.8 ± 8.6% for the active group vs. 54.4 ± 7.7% for the inactive group). The recommendations regarding the return to sports varied widely and followed current guidelines in 45%. Most patients did not receive an exercise test before returning to sports. Conclusion Sports before the onset of myocarditis was not associated with a more severe outcome. There is still a discrepancy between current literature and actual recommendations given by health care providers. The fact that most participants did not receive an exercise test before being cleared for sports represents a serious omission.

Diese Evaluationsstudie erfolgte im Auftrag und in Finanzierung durch das Hessische Ministerium für Soziales und Integration sowie der Stadt Kassel.

Women with a migration background (WMB) are disadvantaged on the German labor market as multiple studies attest (e.g., Ferenschild, 2019; OECD/EU, 2018). Initiatives at regional, state, and federal levels have been commenced in recent years to support WMB’s entry into the labor market, thereby also addressing the shortage of skilled workers in health and social care sectors in Germany. Within an intersectionality framework, this study examines the role of migration background as well as educational/occupational background in furthering or hindering WMB’s chances of attaining educational qualifications and finding employment. Using data from a four-year evaluation of a labor market integration project for WMB, the study aims to answer the following questions: What is the educational and migration background of women in the project and how are both related? Are educational and migration background predictive of project success? Analysis is based on final monitoring data for the 234 women who had entered the project during the data collection period. Descriptive data confirm a highly heterogenous group of women in terms of all sociodemographic characteristics. Bivariate analysis showed statistically significant relationships for and between most migration and educational/occupational variables, pointing to clusters of advantage (e.g., permanent residency, high language level, recognized degree) and disadvantage (e.g., no formal schooling, time-limited stay permits) that are hypothesized to affect entry into the labor market. However, regarding project success – operationalized as case status outcomes and goal attainment outcomes – these variables did not play a statistically significant role, except for ‘degree recognition’ and ‘language skills.’ This suggests that the supportive and individualized approach of the project may equalize factors that would otherwise contribute to disadvantage. It also indicates that factors beyond migration background and educational/occupational background may be more salient for outcome. Explanations for the results are discussed from an intersectionality perspective and implications considered., Quarterly on Refugee Problems - AWR Bulletin, Vol. 62 No. 1 (2023): Quarterly on Refugee Problems - AWR Bulletin (QRP)

Wirkungen im Blick - so lautete das Motto einer Transferkonferenz am Institut für Praxis- forschung und Evaluation (IPE) der Evangelischen Hochschule Nürnberg im Februar 2021 zu den Ansätzen und aktuellen Herausforderungen der Wirkungsorientierung in der Sozialen Arbeit und der Sozialwirtschaft. Es entstand ein anregender und konstruktiver Dialog auf Augenhöhe zwischen Vertreter*innen der Praxis, der Verbände und der Politik einerseits sowie Akteur*innen aus Forschung, Lehre und Sozialwissenschaften. In den insgesamt elf Beiträgen, die Gegenstand dieses Tagungsbandes sind, wurde die große Bandbreite der inzwischen differenzierten empirisch-methodischen, praktisch-konzeptionellen sowie der strategischen und sozialpolitischen Debatten zu diesem Themenkreis deutlich., Forschung, Entwicklung, Transfer - Nürnberger Hochschulschriften; 53

Background: Midwall fibrosis (MWF) detected by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) predicts adverse outcome in adults with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Its relevance in children and adolescents is relatively unknown. Left ventricular (LV) strain, rotation and twist are important parameters of cardiac function; yet, their role in pediatric heart failure is understudied. This study aimed to evaluate MWF and cardiac mechanics in pediatric DCM. Methods: Patients ���21 years with primary DCM were prospectively enrolled and underwent standardized CMR including LGE. All participants were categorized according to the presence or absence of MWF (MWF+ vs. MWF���). Cardiac mechanics were assessed using CMR feature tracking. Impaired LV twist with apex and base rotating in the same direction was termed rigid body rotation (RBR). Results: In total, 17 patients (median age 11.2 years) were included. MWF was present in seven patients (41%). Median N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was higher (5,959 vs. 242 pg/ml, p = 0.887) and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) lower (28 vs. 39%, p = 0.536) in MWF+ vs. MWF��� patients, yet differences were not statistically significant. MWF+ patients had reduced global longitudinal (GLS), circumferential (GCS) and radial strain (GRS), again without statistical significance (p = 0.713, 0.492 and 1.000, respectively). A relationship between MWF and adverse outcome was not seen (p = 0.637). RBR was more common in MWF+ (67 vs. 50%), and was associated with the occurrence of adverse events (p = 0.041). Patients with RBR more frequently were in higher New York Heart Association classes (p = 0.035), had elevated NT-proBNP levels (p = 0.002) and higher need for catecholamines (p = 0.001). RBR was related to reduced GLS (p = 0.008), GCS (p = 0.031), GRS (p = 0.012), LV twist (p = 0.008), peak apical rotation (p < 0.001), and LVEF (p = 0.001), elevated LV end-diastolic volume (p = 0.023) and LV end-systolic volume (p = 0.003), and lower right ventricular stroke volume (p = 0.023). Conclusions: MWF was common, but failed to predict heart failure. RBR was associated with clinical and biventricular functional signs of heart failure as well as the occurrence of adverse events. Our findings suggest that RBR may predict outcomes and may serve as a novel marker of disease severity in pediatric DCM. Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier: NCT03572569.

Aims Our study aimed to investigate the cardiac involvement with sensitive tissue characterization in non‐hospitalized children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Methods and results We prospectively enrolled children who recovered from mildly symptomatic COVID‐19 infection between November 2020 and January 2021. Patients underwent CMR at 1.5 T (Achieva, Philips Healthcare, Best, the Netherlands) including cine images, native T1 and T2 mapping. Healthy children and paediatric patients with biopsy‐proven myocarditis served as control groups. We performed CMR in 18 children with a median (25th–75th percentile) age of 12 (10–15) years, 38 (24–47) days after positive PCR test, and compared them with 7 healthy controls [15 (10–19) years] and 9 patients with myocarditis [10 (4–16) years]. The COVID‐19 patients reported no cardiac symptoms. None of the COVID‐19 patients showed CMR findings consistent with a myocarditis. Three patients (17%) from the COVID‐19 cohort presented with minimal pericardial effusion. CMR parameters of COVID‐19 patients, including volumetric and strain values as well as T1 and T2 times, were not significantly different from healthy controls, but from myocarditis patients. These had significantly reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (P = 0.035), LV global longitudinal strain, and left atrial strain values as well as elevated native T1 values compared with COVID‐19 patients (P