In Situ Pulmonary Thrombolysis and Perfusion Lung Angiography in Severe COVID-19 Respiratory Failure.

A proof-of-concept study using thrombolysis with catheter-directed tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and pulmonary angiography imaging was performed to visualize perfusion deficits and reperfusion/therapeutic effects of tPA. DESIGN: A prospective, open-label, compassionate study. Descriptive statistics were presented for categorical variables and as means with sds for continuous variables. The Wilcoxon test was used to determine the differences between the two-related samples and a t test for continuous variables. Statistical significance was set at p value of less than 0.05. Agreement between observations was evaluated using the Kappa Cohen index and overall agreement using the Fleiss Kappa coefficient. SETTING: A single COVID-19 ICU of Mexico´s General Hospital Dr Eduardo Liceaga. SUBJECTS: Fifteen patients with severe Delta variant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, 18-75 years old, requiring mechanical ventilation with a persistent Fio2 requirement of 70% or higher and Pao2/Fio2 ratio (or imputed ratio) less than 150 for more than 4 hours. The coagulation inclusion criteria were International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis score greater than 5, and presence of a d-dimer greater than 1,200, with viscoelastic testing using rotational thromboelastometry (Instrumentation Laboratories, Mexico City, Mexico) showing both hypercoagulability (EXTEM amplitude at 5 min > 65 FIBTEM > 30) and hypofibrinolysis (EXTEM maximum lysis < 8%). INTERVENTIONS: Catheter-directed tPA angiography and iFlow system analysis to assess pre-tPA baseline pulmonary perfusion and changes in response to thrombolysis. RESULTS: Nine patients had microvascular filling defects demonstrated by angiography, and good agreement was found with iFlow analysis (ƙ = 0.714). Statistically significant differences were identified in the area under the curve (AUC) region of interest/AUC reference tissue with and without filling defects in phase 2 DM -0.09206 (sd ± 0.16684) (p = 0.003). The Pao2/Fio2 values measured immediately and 48 hours after the procedure were significantly higher (p = 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). Statistically significant differences were found in d-dimer values (p = 0.007), Fio2 (p = 0.002), and oxygen saturation in arterial blood/Fio2 (p = 0.045), as well as in the number of patients who required prone positioning before, immediately after the procedure, and at 48 hours after the procedure (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Thrombolysis with catheter-directed tPA resulted in imaging evidence via pulmonary angiography and iFlow technology of improved lung perfusion in COVID-19 patients with severe respiratory failure.

The utility of the Edmonton Obesity Staging System for the prediction of COVID-19 outcomes: a multi-centre study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with obesity have an increased risk for adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Body mass index (BMI) does not acknowledge the health burden associated this disease. The performance of the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS), a clinical classification tool that assesses obesity-related comorbidity, is compared with BMI, with respect to adverse COVID-19 outcomes. METHODS: 1071 patients were evaluated in 11 COVID-19 hospitals in Mexico. Patients were classified into EOSS stages. Adjusted risk factors for COVID-19 outcomes were calculated and survival analysis for mechanical ventilation and death was carried out according to EOSS stage and BMI category. RESULTS: The risk for intubation was higher in patients with EOSS stages 2 and 4 (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.02-1.97 and 2.78, 95% CI 1.83-4.24), and in patients with BMI classes II and III (HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.06-2.74, and 2.62, 95% CI 1.65-4.17). Mortality rates were significantly lower in patients with EOSS stages 0 and 1 (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.42-0.92) and higher in patients with BMI class III (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.03-2.42). In patients with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, the risk for intubation increased with progressive EOSS stages. Only individuals in BMI class III showed an increased risk for intubation (HR 2.24, 95% CI 1.50-3.34). Mortality risk was increased in EOSS stages 2 and 4 compared to EOSS 0 and 1, and in patients with BMI class II and III, compared to patients with overweight. CONCLUSIONS: EOSS was associated with adverse COVID-19 outcomes, and it distinguished risks beyond BMI. Patients with overweight and obesity in EOSS stages 0 and 1 had a lower risk than patients with normal weight. BMI does not adequately reflect adipose tissue-associated disease, it is not ideal for guiding chronic-disease management.

The Neutrophil-to-Monocyte Ratio and Lymphocyte-to-Neutrophil Ratio at Admission Predict In-Hospital Mortality in Mexican Patients with Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection (Covid-19).

There is a deep need for mortality predictors that allow clinicians to quickly triage patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) into intensive care units at the time of hospital admission. Thus, we examined the efficacy of the lymphocyte-to-neutrophil ratio (LNR) and neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio (NMR) as predictors of in-hospital death at admission in patients with severe Covid-19. A total of 54 Mexican adult patients with Covid-19 that met hospitalization criteria were retrospectively enrolled, followed-up daily until hospital discharge or death, and then assigned to survival or non-survival groups. Clinical, demographic, and laboratory parameters were recorded at admission. A total of 20 patients with severe Covid-19 died, and 75% of them were men older than 62.90 ± 14.18 years on average. Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease were more prevalent in non-survivors. As compared to survivors, LNR was significantly fourfold decreased while NMR was twofold increased. LNR ≤ 0.088 predicted in-hospital mortality with a sensitivity of 85.00% and a specificity of 74.19%. NMR ≥ 17.75 was a better independent risk factor for mortality with a sensitivity of 89.47% and a specificity of 80.00%. This study demonstrates for the first time that NMR and LNR are accurate predictors of in-hospital mortality at admission in patients with severe Covid-19.