ABSTRACT
SESSION TITLE: COVID-19 Case Report Posters 2 SESSION TYPE: Case Report Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/19/2022 12:45 pm - 01:45 pm INTRODUCTION: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a hypermetabolic crisis where an increase in carbon dioxide is seen despite an increased minute ventilation with a proposed mechanism as a disturbance in calcium homeostasis. Commonly seen in volatile anesthetic agents and depolarizing neuromuscular blockers, rarely with nondepolarizing agents. There has been one reported case of cisatracurium-induced MH in the setting of ARDS. There have been two cases reported of nondepolarizing neuromuscular agents causing MH in the setting of COVID-19. CASE PRESENTATION: A 34-year-old man with severe COVID-19 complicated by ARDS on ventilator day 16, due to refractory fevers, ventilatory dyssynchrony, high minute ventilation and auto-PEEP phenomena, the decision was made to attempt neuromuscular paralysis. After one dose of cisatracurium, the patient became hyperthermic and end-tidal carbon-dioxide increased from 58-98 with inability to oxygenate. The patient developed high peak pressures, bedside ultrasound revealed no evidence of pneumothorax also confirmed with chest x-ray. The patient then received a dose of dantrolene with end-tidal improving to 60 and tachycardia also resolved. A creatinine kinase level drawn was elevated at 571. DISCUSSION: A proposed mechanism of MH is calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum, a mutation in skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor calcium release channels that can release IL-6 when activated leading to excessive muscular contraction. Proinflammatory cytokine IL-6, dantrolene may block IL-6 release which results in its therapeutic effect in the treatment of MH. IL-6 has been used to predict deterioration from COVID-19. Dantrolene in this sense has been proposed as a potential therapeutic agent against COVID-19, inhibiting intracellular calcium influx thus preventing the pathological feedback of viral entry into cells via endocytosis, as this is a calcium dependent process. Given the possible link between IL-6 release, calcium and MH, SARS-CoV-2 viral entry into cells may place patients at higher risk of MH. Patients with COVID-19 may be at higher risk of MH, even in rare agents such as non-depolarizing agents as seen in this case. Awareness of this potentially increased complication from these agents in those patients with COVID-19 is key as we continue in the ongoing global pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Given the possible link between IL-6 release, calcium and MH, SARS-CoV-2 viral entry into cells may place patients at higher risk of MH. Patients with COVID-19 may be at higher risk of malignant hyperthermia, even in rare agents such as non-depolarizing agents as seen in this case. Awareness of this potentially increased complication from these agents in those patients with COVID-19 is key as we continue in the ongoing global pandemic. Reference #1: Sathyanarayanan SP, Hamza M, Hamid K, Groskreutz D. Cisatracurium-Associated Malignant Hyperthermia During Severe Sars-CoV-2 Infection. Am J Ther. 2021 Aug 10;28(5):e590-e591. doi: 10.1097/MJT.0000000000001437. PMID: 34387563;PMCID: PMC8415506. Reference #2: Chiba N, Matsuzaki M, Mawatari T, Mizuochi M, Sakurai A, Kinoshita K. Beneficial effects of dantrolene in the treatment of rhabdomyolysis as a potential late complication associated with COVID-19: a case report. Eur J Med Res. 2021 Feb 8;26(1):18. doi: 10.1186/s40001-021-00489-8. PMID: 33557936;PMCID: PMC7868892. Reference #3: Han H, Ma Q, Li C, Liu R, Zhao L, Wang W, Zhang P, Liu X, Gao G, Liu F, Jiang Y, Cheng X, Zhu C, Xia Y. Profiling serum cytokines in COVID-19 patients reveals IL-6 and IL-10 are disease severity predictors. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2020 Dec;9(1):1123-1130. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1770129. PMID: 32475230;PMCID: PMC7473317. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Hira Bakhtiar No relevant relationships by Timothy DAmico no disclosure on file for Sarah Margolskee;No relevant relationships by Carlos Merino No relevant relationships by Joanna Moore
ABSTRACT
SESSION TITLE: Pathologies of the Post-COVID-19 World SESSION TYPE: Rapid Fire Case Reports PRESENTED ON: 10/18/2022 10:15 am - 11:10 am INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary aspergillosis is a recognized complication of COVID-19. Options for diagnostic evaluation in patients with suspected pulmonary aspergillosis include serum galactomannan, beta-D-glucan, Aspergillus PCR, fungal cultures and tissue biopsy. Diagnosis is challenging due to the risks and logistical barriers associated with procedural/surgical tissue biopsy and the variable reliability of serum biomarkers. We present a case of a 76-year-old male who developed invasive pulmonary aspergillosis after a COVID-19 respiratory infection. CASE PRESENTATION: 76-year-old male with a past medical history that includes emphysematous COPD, history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in remission, on ibrutinib, who contracted SARS-CoV-2 resulting in hypoxemic respiratory failure and requiring hospital admission and was treated with dexamethasone and remdesivir. He was discharged home and due to his worsening respiratory condition, he was readmitted to the hospital next month. Ct chest performed revealed pulmonary embolism and diffuse multifocal opacification with interspersed scattered dense opacities and nodules with cavitary lesions in the right upper lobe. A bronchoscopy was performed and the Aspergillus antibody test, beta D glucan and galactomannan antigens resulted as negative. Due to this, voriconzaole was discontinued. Subsequently CT-guided lung biopsy demonstrated Aspergillus. Eventually, fungal cultures from BAL began growing fungus. DISCUSSION: Our patient initially presented with a Covid infection in January 2022 he was initially treated with remdesivir, 14 days of baricitinib and 10 days of Decadron followed by a steroid taper (due to his underlying COPD). He did not receive tocilizumab. He was found to have progression of the cavitary lesions during a third admission. We suspect that the main contributing factors for the development of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis are related to interleukin production, distorted architecture from COVID-19 infection and multiple courses of steroids. This case report demonstrates the importance of having a high clinical suspicion for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in all patients with COVID-19 infection. It also demonstrates that serum biomarkers are not reliable indicators of infection and cannot be used to definitively rule out infection or to exclude treatment with antifungal therapy. It should be noted that positive serum biomarkers in patients with true invasive aspergillosis have a higher mortality rate as compared to those without positive serum biomarkers. This case also underscores the importance of obtaining tissue diagnosis in patients where there is a high suspicion for fungal infection when all other studies are equivocal. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that this case underscores the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion for opportunistic and fungal infections in patients with COVID-19, regardless of the serum biomarkers. Reference #1: Arastehfar A, Carvalho A, van de Veerdonk FL, et al. Covid-19 associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis (capa)—from immunology to treatment. Journal of Fungi. 2020;6(2):91. doi:10.3390/jof6020091 Reference #2: Machado M, Valerio M, Álvarez-Uría A, et al. Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in the COVID-19 ERA: An expected new entity. Mycoses. 2020;64(2):132-143. doi:10.1111/myc.13213 Reference #3: Maschmeyer G, Haas A, Cornely OA. Invasive aspergillosis. Drugs. 2007;67(11):1567-1601. doi:10.2165/00003495-200767110-00004 DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Hira Bakhtiar No relevant relationships by Amanda Lindo No relevant relationships by Carlos Merino No relevant relationships by Joanna Moore