ABSTRACT
Background in COVID-19 patients, older age (sixty or older), comorbidities, and frailty are associated with a higher risk for mortality and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) failure. It therefore seems appropriate to suggest limitations of care to older and vulnerable patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and a poor expected outcome, who would not benefit from invasive treatment. HFNO (high flow nasal oxygen) is a non-invasive respiratory support device already used in de novo acute respiratory failure. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the survival of patients treated with HFNO outside the ICU (intensive care unit) for a severe COVID-19 pneumonia, otherwise presenting limitations of care making them non-eligible for IMV. Secondary objectives were the description of our cohort and the identification of prognostic factors for HFNO failure. Methods we conducted a retrospective cohort study. We included all patients with limitations of care making them non-eligible for IMV and treated with HFNO for a severe COVID-19 pneumonia, hospitalized in a COVID-19 unit of the pulmonology department of Lyon Sud University Hospital, France, from March 2020 to March 2021. Primary outcome was the description of the vital status at day-30 after HFNO initiation, using the WHO (World Health Organization) 7-points ordinal scale. Results fifty-six patients were included. Median age was 83 years [76.3-87.0], mean duration for HFNO was 7.5 days, 53% had a CFS score (Clinical Frailty Scale) >4. At day-30, 73% of patients were deceased, one patient (2%) was undergoing HFNO, 9% of patients were discharged from hospital. HFNO failure occurred in 66% of patients. Clinical signs of respiratory failure before HFNO initiation (respiratory rate >30/min, retractions, and abdominal paradoxical breathing pattern) were associated with mortality (p=.001). Conclusions we suggest that HFNO is an option in non-ICU skilled units for older and frail patients with a severe COVID-19 pneumonia, otherwise non-suitable for intensive care and mechanical ventilation. Observation of clinical signs of respiratory failure before HFNO initiation was associated with mortality.Background
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Small cell carcinoma of the vagina (SmCCV) is an extremely rare disease. Evidence-based data and specific guidelines are lacking. We conducted the first systematic review of case reports to provide the most overall picture of SmCCV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature search in PubMed and Scopus was performed using the terms "small cell carcinoma" and "vagina." English-language case reports of primary SmCCV up to January 2022 were included. RESULTS: Twenty-nine articles describing 44 cases met our inclusion criteria. We report a new case of our hospital. The global median overall survival (mOS) was 12.00 months (95% CI = 9.31-14.69). The mOS was not reached for stage I, and it was 12.00, 12.00, 9.00, and 8.00 months for stages II, III, IVA, and IVB, respectively (statistically significant differences between stage I and stages II, III, or IVA [log rank p = .003-.017]). Thirty-five cases received local treatments (77.8%). The mOS of patients treated with surgery ± complementary chemotherapy, radiotherapy ± complementary chemotherapy, chemoradiation ± complementary chemotherapy, and surgery + radiotherapy ± complementary chemotherapy were 11.00, 12.00, 17.00, and 29.00 months, respectively. The use of adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (64.5%, mostly platinum + etoposide) showed longer mOS (77.00 vs 15.00 months). Four of 5 tested cases presented human papillomavirus infection, 3 of them presenting type 18. CONCLUSIONS: Small cell carcinoma of the vagina shows dismal prognosis. Multimodal local management plus complementary chemotherapy seems to achieve better outcomes. Human papillomavirus could be related to the development of SmCCV. A diagnostic-therapeutic algorithm is proposed.