ABSTRACT
Objectives This study aims to investigate the frequency of rectus sheath hematoma (RSH), clinical findings, imaging findings, and prognosis in patients admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19. Methods In this retrospective study, the patient's demographic characteristics, known diseases, laboratory values, RSH-related symptoms, the treatment they received, imaging modality used to diagnose RSH, and side and size of RSH were recorded. In addition, the inpatient ward to which the patients were admitted, length of hospital stay, time from the beginning of anticoagulant use to the diagnosis of RSH, and prognosis were noted. Results A total of 9,876 patients were admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19 and started anticoagulant treatment. Of these patients, 12 (0.12%) were determined to have RSH (female/male ratio: 5). The prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, international normalized ratio, hemoglobin, and hematocrit values ââof 11 patients were within the reference ranges. The mean length of hospital stay was 12 (4.25-22.5) days, and the duration of anticoagulant use was 5.5 (4-10.75) days. RSH was diagnosed using USG in 10 patients and CT in two patients. Conclusion There has been an increase in the use of anticoagulants due to COVID-19, and accordingly, RSH is now more frequently diagnosed and has a more fatal course. Female gender, advanced age, severe COVID-19 disease, and elevated d-dimer at the time of presentation can be considered risk factors for the development of RSH. All physicians who treat and follow up on patients with COVID-19 should consider the possibility of RSH in the differential diagnosis of patients with acute abdominal pain and palpable masses. USG should be undertaken as the first-line imaging modality for the diagnosis of patients, but CT may also be necessary to detect RSH in some cases.
ABSTRACT
Aim: This study investigated the prognostic value of epicardial adipose tissue volume (EATV) attenuation (EATA) in patients admitted to the intensive care unit for COVID-19. Materials & methods: C-reactive protein (CRP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lymphocyte-to-CRP ratio (LCR) were recorded. Receiver operator characteristic analysis was performed for EATV and EATA. Results: The study included 190 patients (65 deceased, 125 discharged, mean age 52.01 ± 9.6 years). The deceased group had significantly higher FBG and CRP values and significantly lower platelet count and LCR values. EATA (cut-off: -92.38 HU) and EATV (cut-off: 15.74 cm2) were significantly higher in the deceased group. EATV had a correlation with age, FBG, CRP, neutrophil, NLR and LCR, whereas EATA correlated with involvement on CT scan. Conclusion: EATV is associated with inflammatory parameters, whereas EATA is associated with CT scan involvement and can be used to predict mortality in young adult patients.