Lung function six months after severe COVID-19: Does time, in fact, heal all wounds?

ABSTRACT Background: COVID-19 has been associated with persistent symptoms and functional changes, especially in those surviving severe disease. Methods: We conducted a prospective multicenter study in patients with severe COVID-19 to determine respiratory sequelae. Patients were stratified into two groups: ward admission (WA) and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. In each follow-up visit, the patients where inquired about cough and dyspnea, and performed spirometry, lung volumes, carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (DLCO), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and respiratory muscle strength (MIP and MEP). Results of pulmonary function tests at 45 days and 6 months after hospital admission were compared using paired analysis. Results: 211 patients were included, 112 in WA and 99 in ICU. Dyspnea persisted in 64.7% in the WA and 66.7% in the ICU group after 6 months. Lung function measures showed significant improvement between 45 days and 6 months, both in WA and ICU groups in VC, FVC, FEV1, total lung capacity, and 6MW distance measures. The improvement in the proportions of the altered functional parameters was significant in the ICU group for VC (44.2% 45 d; 20.8% 6 m; p = 0,014), FVC (47.6% 45 d; 28% 6 m; p = 0,003), FEV1 (45.1% 45 d; 28% 6 m; p = 0,044), DLCO (33.8% 45 d; 7.7% 6 m; p < 0,0001). Conclusion: Six months follow-up of patients with the severe forms of COVID-19 showed significant improvement in the lung function measures compared to 45 days post hospital discharge. The difference was more evident in those requiring ICU admission.

Asma grave em pacientes adultos e pediátricos: Protocolo da Sociedade Mineira de Pneumologia e Cirurgia Torácica (SMPCT) - 2019 / Severe asthma in adult and pediatric patients: Protocol of the Sociedade Mineira de Pneumologia e Cirurgia Torácica (SMPCT) - 2019

Este documento é uma revisão do protocolo de asma grave da SMPCT de 2015, que se fez necessária devido à atualização de avanços em pesquisas, principalmente em fenotipagem/genotipagem e terapêutica da asma grave, além de asma grave na pediatria. A maioria da publicações relata que 5% a 10% dos asmáticos podem apresentar asma grave. Porém, levantamento na Holanda encontrou uma prevalência menor, de 3,6% ou 10,4/10000 habitantes, que parece ser mais próximo da realidade. Este protocolo tem como população alvo os pacientes com asma grave, adultos e pediátricos, conforme definições de asma grave da"International ERS/ATS guidelines on definition, evaluation and treatment of severe asthma" de 2014 e GINA 2018.1,3 Seus potenciais utilizadores são especialistas em doenças respiratórias que lidam com asma grave, e que devem ser os responsáveis pela aplicação do protocolo, e também clínicos gerais, pediatras, médicos de cuidados primários, enfermeiros, fisioterapeutas e outros profissionais da saúde. É aconselhável consulta com um especialista em asma nos seguintes casos: asma de difícil diagnóstico, suspeita de asma ocupacional, asma persistente não controlada com exacerbações frequentes, asma com risco de morte, eventos adversos significativos ou suspeita de subtipos de asma grave.4 Este documento não tem a intenção de instituir um tratamento padronizado, mas estabelecer bases racionais para decisões em pacientes com asma grave, pois as recomendações não conseguem abranger toda a complexidade do julgamento clínico em casos individuais. Os autores recomendam sua revisão e atualização no período máximo de 3 anos, ou, se necessário, em tempo menor.

Contributions of culture and antimicrobial susceptibility tests to the retreatment of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

Introduction This study evaluated the efficacy of retreatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) with regard to treatment outcomes and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (ST) profiles. Methods This retrospective cohort study analyzed 144 patients treated at a referral hospital in Brazil. All of them had undergone prior treatment, were smear-positive for TB and received a standardized retreatment regimen. Fisher's 2-tailed exact test and the χ2 test were used; RRs and 95% CIs were calculated using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression. Results The patients were cured in 84 (58.3%) cases. Failure was associated with relapsed treatment and abandonment (n=34). Culture tests were obtained for 103 (71.5%) cases; 70 (48.6%) had positive results. ST results were available for 67 (46.5%) cases; the prevalence of acquired resistance was 53.7%. There were no significant differences between those who achieved or not therapeutic success (p=0.988), despite being sensitive or resistant to 1 or more drugs. Rifampicin resistance was independently associated with therapeutic failure (OR: 4.4, 95% CI:1.12-17.37, p=0.034). For those cases in which cultures were unavailable, a 2nd model without this information was built. In this, return after abandonment was significantly associated with retreatment failure (OR: 3.59, 95% CI:1.17-11.06, p=0.026). Conclusions In this cohort, the general resistance profile appeared to have no influence on treatment outcome, except in cases of rifampicin resistance. The form of reentry was another independent predictor of failure. The use of bacterial culture identification and ST in TB management must be re-evaluated. The recommendations for different susceptibility profiles must also be improved. .

Tuberculose vertebral: relato de caso / Spinal tuberculosis: case report

Neste artigo relata-se o caso de uma paciente de 65 anos de idade, com comprometimento osteoarticular torácico pelo Mycobaterium tuberculosis de difícil diagnóstico.

Approximately 3% of the patients infected with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis have involvement of the osteoarticular system, spinal tuberculosis being its most common form. It comprises about 50% of all cases. A case of a 65-year-old female patient which evolved several months without diagnosis is reported.

Health status of male adult Wistar Rats from two Experimental Animal Houses of UFMG: leukocyte counts, feces and lung histological exams

A study was conducted to compare health status of male adult Wistar rats from two Experimental Animal Houses of UFMG with literature data of SPF (free from specific pathogens) and conventional rats. The animals were divided into two groups: Group I (n=10), rats from the experimental animal houses of FAFICH and Group II (n=10) from ICB and following aspects were studied: a) evident clinical signs (behavior modification, hair loss (alopecia), b) leukocyte counts, c) feces exam and d) histological study of the lungs. The rats did not show clinical signs. However, when compared with SPF and conventional rats, both the groups showed a significant increase (p<0,05) of leukocyte count. On feces exam we detected some parasites and on lung histological exam we observed fungus (Group I) and bacteria (Group II). These results showed that the health status of the rats was not satisfactory and required improvements in the conditions of the animal houses