Novel Coronavirus is the Only Virus Causing Childhood Invasive Diarrhea: A Case Series

Introduction: Typical manifestations of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) include respiratory involvement. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms have also been reported as early clinical manifestations. The GI involvement can represent with diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The present research aimed to identify dysentery as one of the signs of GI involvement in the novel coronavirus infection in children. Case Presentation: We report twelve patients with COVID-19 and dysentery. All these children had positive reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results. None had underlying illnesses or recent travel history. However, all children had contact with a first-degree relative affected by non-digestive COVID-19. In three patients, obvious dysentery was observed, and in the rest, red and white blood cells were evident in the stool exam. Stool exams were negative for bacterial infections, parasites, and the toxin of Clostridium difficile. Abdominal ultrasonography and echocardiographic evaluations to rule out multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children were normal. Supportive treatment, such as zinc supplementation and probiotics, was prescribed. They also received intravenous fluid therapy based on their dehydration percentage. In the end, they were discharged in good general condition without any complications. No GI complications were found in the follow-up series. Conclusion(s): Dysentery in children can be one of the GI manifestations of COVID-19, which is usually self-limiting. It does not require invasive diagnostic measures and antiviral treatments. This symptom is in contrast to other viral infections of the GI tract.Copyright © 2022, Author(s).

Preliminary Efficacy of Remote, Brief Telepsychotherapy for Covid-19 Patients and Their First-Degree Relatives

Introduction: Over the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of both COVID-19 patients and the general population. Adults with COVID-19 risked their lives, lost their loved ones, struggled with comorbid clinical conditions to manage, and have been unable to enjoy the physical presence of their families during the infection, quarantine, and lockdown periods. During hospitalization and discharge, family members often did not receive clinical updates from providers and patients, were unable to offer in-person assistance, and to receive psychological support. Incidence and prevalence of depression and anxiety among COVID- 19 older adults and their family members skyrocketed beyond the possibilities of any mental health system to address psychological aftermath of this pandemic and intervene with in-person services. In response to the urgent need for treatments that could be remotely delivered at a large scale, we designed DigiCOVID, a digital mental health approach that offered remote brief tele-psychotherapy to COVID-19 patients and/or their first-degree relatives. The main goal of this single arm, naturalistic study was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and usability of DigiCOVID. Additionally, we assessed the impact of DigiCOVID on psychopathology by means of self-report questionnaires. Method(s): Participants underwent an initial phonebased screening to of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were: 18-80 years old;positive nasopharyngeal swabs or serology to COVID-19 (for the patients' subgroup);absence of visual/ motor deficits that might interfere with study participation;good level of Italian;and adequate tech literacy. Participants were excluded if they had a previous or actual DSM-5 diagnosis of bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder, or substance use disorder;if they had a diagnosis of dementia;or if they presented suicidal ideation assessed through the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Next, they completed a neuropsychological test over video to assess IQ (if lower than 70 participants were excluded), and filled out online gold-standard selfreports for depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), insomnia (ISI), post traumatic symptoms (IES-R) and general wellbeing (GHQ-12). Participants were then assigned to a psychotherapist who remotely conducted eight remote tele-psychotherapy sessions. After treatment, online questionnaires were filled out again to collect data on preliminary efficacy. Result(s): Since November 2021, 138 patients were recruited, 83 completed the intervention (57 patients, 26 fist-degree relatives), and 55 dropped out. At a group level, participants showed significant improvements on all clinical outcomes (PHQ-9: R2=0.12, p=.0019;ISI: R2=0.15, p=.0004;IES-R: R2=0.11, p=.0003;GHQ- 12: R2=0.23, p<.0001;GAD-7: R2=0.12, p=.0011). Given the high heterogeneity in illness severity and psychopathology, we conducted clustering on baseline data coming from the five online questionnaires: 55% of the whole sample had no psychopathology (Cluster 1), whereas 45% showed severe psychopathology (Cluster 2). When clustering was conducted on post-treatment data, three clusters emerged: no psychopathology, residual psychopathology and severe psychopathology. 71% of Cluster 1 participants remained asymptomatic;25% of Cluster 2 participants showed full symptom remission, while 48% and 28% of Cluster 2 participants showed partial symptom remission and no significant effect of treatment, respectively. Conclusion(s): Remote brief tele-psychotherapy for COVID-19 patients and their first-degree relatives is feasible and preliminary efficacious at reducing COVID-related psychopathology. Further research is needed to investigate distinct profiles of treatment response.

Complicated Grief Processing and Bereavementassociated Psychopathology in First-Degree Relatives of Deceased Covid-19 Patients

Introduction: The number of patients hospitalized and deceased from COVID-19 during the first and second pandemic waves is exceedingly high. Health restriction policies have prevented relatives of ICU patients from being close to their loved ones, especially during the last moments of life. Furthermore, the possibilities of celebrating funerary rites have been radically restricted. Several authors have argued that these circumstances negatively affect the grief process for losses experiencing during the pandemic, leading to the development of severe grief reactions or complicated bereavement. The present work aims to propose a qualitative analysis of the experience and characteristics of mourning, complicated grief, and bereavement linked to the COVID-19 pandemic observed in first degree relatives of deceased COVID-19 patients. The interest in this topic arises from the clinical observations of unique characteristics of COVID-19-related grief and bereavement that emerged during the months of lockdown and restrictions, with an emphasis on pain persistence and unprocessed mourning. Method(s): This work is based on a qualitative research process that analyzed ten clinical cases of complicated grief. People who have lost a loved one during the first two pandemic waves were involved in a remote brief psychotherapy program consisting of eight weekly sessions. Case reports will be presented as a means to illustrate distinct presentations of COVID-related complicated grief. Result(s): Clinical cases are described according to the initial medical history, psychopathological description, and areas of suffering emerged during the process of therapeutic support. Consistently with qualitative studies recently published on the same topic, the authors identified common features in the patients' narratives, which typically involved the dynamics and condition of the infection, the end of life of the loved one, the patient's experience of isolation in intensive unit, and the relative's experience of isolation at home, the lack of final farewell, and the absence or disruption of funerary rites. The sense of guilt about having infected their loved one is a feeling frequently endorsed by patients. The inability to see and speak with the loved one has resulted in feelings of high and persistent anxiety, with moments of despair. Conclusion(s): Death cir- cumstances, isolation of hospitalized patients and domiciled relatives, absence of in-person final farewells all had a strong psychological impact on the way of experiencing the suffering associated with bereavement. Future research should focus on early detection and treatment of enduring psychopathological symptoms associated with complicated grief and bereavement among first-degree relatives of deceased COVID-19 patients.

Brief tele-psychotherapy for COVID-19 patients and their family members

Since the COVID-19 pandemic onset, researchers and clinicians have attempted to characterize a heterogeneous cluster of psychopathological symptoms that typically emerge when patients are no longer positive to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and can persist for weeks if not months. These symptoms include depression, anxiety, acute/posttraumatic stress, and sleep disturbances, and are frequently observed in COVID-19 patients as well as in their first-degree relatives. COVIDrelated symptomatology seems to map onto well-established psychopathological macro-areas: 1) trauma and post-traumatic symptoms, mainly for those who have experienced hospitalization or loss;2) adaptation and functional reorientation due to physical complications or sequelae;3) identity reorientation following the experience of illness/isolation/lockdown;and 4) exacerbation of premorbid psychopathological traits solicited by the COVID-19 experience. Notably, the severity of COVID-19 related psychopathology ranges from mild to more disabling conditions and seems to affect youth, adults, and elders irrespectively of the severity of the acute COVID-19 illness. Nonetheless, it unequivocally affects wellbeing, quality of life, and real-world functioning. In response to the urgent need for treatments that could be offered safely, without burdening an already strained mental health system, an interdisciplinary group of psychotherapists and researchers based in Milan, Italy has undertaken the first national attempt to create a research-informed infrastructure to study the feasibility and efficacy of a remote tele-psychotherapy free service for COVID-19 patients and their first-degree relatives. The process initially leveraged clinical experiences with COVID-19 patients and family members remotely referred to the Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan for psychological assistance from various intensive care units and hospital wards. Next, the research group reviewed the scientific literature on psychotherapeutic approaches designed to remotely treat psychopathology. The harmonization of techniques and strategies deriving from several psychotherapeutic orientations (psychodynamic therapy, constructivist therapy and hermeneutic-phenomenological therapy) culminated in the development of the first brief psychotherapy service for COVID-19 related psychopathology. The service, designed to easily integrate with the workflow of the national health system, consists of 8 remote, 50-minute, individual psychological sessions that are offered weekly using secure video conferencing software. The feasibility and evidence base for this treatment have been investigated thanks to a research project funded by Fondazione Cariplo and Regione Lombardia that has recruited as of June 2022 more than 140 participants, between COVID-19 patients and firstdegree relatives. Results from this study will be presented during the symposium and indicate that remote brief tele-psychotherapy for COVID-19 patients and their first-degree relatives is feasible and efficacious at significantly reducing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic symptoms, and sleep disturbances. Interestingly, statistical analyses suggest distinct profiles of treatment response among participants with severe COVID-19 related psychopathology, in that 25% showed full symptom remission, 48% showed partial symptom remission, and 28% showed no significant effect of treatment. 30 months after the pandemic onset, the same interdisciplinary group of psychotherapists and researchers summarizes reflections from the weekly experiences of group supervision/intervision, and offers a retrospective on the possibilities and limits of this brief tele-psychotherapy service, with an emphasis on the conceptual properties, roles, and symbolic connotations of the remote setting, and on the relationship between patients' illness severity and intrinsic motivation. Above and beyond COVID-19-related psychopathology, the novel quantitative and qualitative data presented at this symposium will provide insightful information about the implementation potent al of remote brief tele-psychotherapy - a promising treatment model that can change clinical practice, enhance cost-effectiveness, and lead to better wellbeing and quality of life for patients.

Renaissance of Equine Antithymocyte Globulin in Renal Transplantation

Introduction: Anti Thymocyte Globulin(ATG) is very effective as an Induction and antirejection therapy (ART) agent in renal Transplantation. Equine ATG (eATG) has been used less compared to rabbit ATG(rATG) in tranplantation. Cost of eATG as induction agent is 200 USD, in comparison to rATG, which costs minimum 700 USD per dose (approximately four times more than eATG). Experience with eATG initially was not good because of drug reactions but over the years the molecule has evolved into a better drug and is the preferred drug over rATG in severe Aplastic Anemia without any reactions. Covid pandemic has affected the supply chain of rATG because of vaccine production leading to shortage of rATG. Hence eATG is the only available ATG. Method(s): We present our experience with eATG in a tertiary care nephrology centre for the last 95 renal transplants. Patients have been divided into two groups. Group A- contained HLA matched first degree relatives as renal donors and induction agent was injection Methylprednisolone (MP). Group B- Had Recipients of Deceased or Spousal donors and received eATG 10mg/kg as induction agent single dose. Monitoring of renal function and observation for complications including, infections was done. Blood lymphocyte count was monitored for intial 2 weeks to look for lymphocyte depletion as an indicator of eATG efficacy. Patients were followed upto 5 years post transplant (PTX) and assessment was done at 1,3 and 5 years for graft and patient survival. eATG usage as anti rejection therapy (ART) agent in acute T- cell-mediated rejection(TCMR) : All acute TCMRs (biopsy proved) were treated with eATG 10mg/kg body for 5 consecutive days followed by repeat biopsy and additional eATG therapy depending on patient response. Result(s): Induction Therapy: Table 1,2,3 Number of recipients in GrA were 41 and GrB were 54. Marked decrease in Lymphocyte count in Gr B indicated efficacy of eATG (p<0.05). In the first 90 days post transplant, Acute TCMR ( biopsy proved) was seen in 5(9.7 %) of GrA and 7(12.9 %) of GrB (p>0.05). In GrA 1(2.4%) patient had acute antibody mediated rejection (ABMR) but could not be treated with ART because of presence of active infection. In Gr B 1(1.8%) patient had histopathological features suggestive of ABMR but was C4D negative and patient responded to eATG alone. Infections were noticed in 9.7% (5/41) of GrA patients and 11.1% (6/54) of GrB patients in the first 180 days PTX (p>0.05). Urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections and soft tissue infections were commonly seen. Post ART oppurtunistic infections were not seen. Comparison of incidence of Acute rejection rates, graft survival, complications rate and patient survival rate show similar results in both the groups. We achieved good efficacy with eATG as induction and ART agent in biopsy proved acute TCMR. No adverse events and no malignancies were observed after eATG therapy. Conclusion(s): eATG can be used as induction and antirejecton therapy agent in TCMR in renal transplantation. eATG is economical compared to rATG. No conflict of interestCopyright © 2023

Rates of New Peanut Allergy and Discontinuation Following Introduction in High-Risk Infants

Rationale: Current guidelines recommend peanut introduction to high-risk infants. However, compliance and rates of new peanut allergy (PA) require further study. Methods: Participants aged 4-11 months with no prior peanut exposure and (i) diagnosis of non-peanut food allergy, (ii) moderate-severe atopic dermatitis, or (iii) first degree relative with PA were enrolled. PA status was determined by skin testing and food challenge. Participants without PA were advised to consume 2 grams of peanut protein three times/week. Monthly questionnaires were administered, with follow-up visits at 18 and 30 months. Results: At baseline, 35/326 (11%) participants were peanut allergic. Of 291 without PA, 78 (27%) discontinued peanut at least temporarily 115 times during follow-up because of suspected participant reaction (40%), fear of reaction (3%), reaction or fear of reaction in a family member (21%), participant refusal (9%), peanut introduction was too much work (3%), or other reasons (23%), including the COVID-19 pandemic. Six of 291 participants (2.1%) who consumed peanut developed PA (2 consistent with FPIES). Among 291 participants without PA at baseline, none of the 17 participants with initial skin prick test of at least 4 mm and <10 mm developed PA. Conclusions: New PA after early introduction recommendations was rare, confirming the LEAP study findings. Transient discontinuation was common, mostly due to suspected participant reaction. High-risk children may require substantial support to keep peanut in their diet.

Uptake of No- Biopsy Approach in Diagnosing Paediatric Coeliac Disease in a Regional Tertiary Centre

Background Coeliac disease (CD) is an immune mediated systemic disorder strongly associated with HLA DQ2 and DQ8 haplotypes.2 In 2012 The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) recommended serology based No-Biopsy Approach to the diagnosis of CD if I - Perifollicular Petechiae the following criteria are met1: Design/Methods A 6-year retrospective study of all children who attended coeliac clinic at The Great North Children Hospital, Newcastle. Data obtained using electronic patient records included TGA-IgA, EMA-IgA, symptoms at initial presentation and histopathological reports. HLA typing results were obtained from the Regional NHS blood and transplant laboratory. 346 children with CD were reviewed in the coeliac clinic from July 2013 to July 2019. Age range 0.9 - 16.5 years (median 9.5 years) and 54% female. Exclusion criteria include diagnosed outside study period or the UK, TGA-IgA at initial presentation unavailable for review. Results 66% of cases had TGA-IgA >=10xULN at initial presentation. 48% were diagnosed by serology based No-Biopsy Approach (figure1). Duodenal biopsies were performed in 82 cases. Biopsies were performed for type1 diabetes -8.5% and asymptomatic patients with first-degree relative with CD -8.5% (figure 1). EMA-IgA positivity was reported in 65/68 cases with symptoms attributed to CD in 62 cases in the cohort. A total of 13/62 cases had HLA risk alleles DQ2 and/or DQ8 performed (figure 2). Conclusion(s)*HLA screening uptake was 63%. The low uptake of HLA typing may have contributed to the increased number of cases undergoing duodenal biopsies.*Based on 2012 guidelines 19% of cases had duodenal biopsies for diagnosis of CD despite meeting the criteria for no biopsy approach.*Based on 2020 guidelines 96% of cases had duodenal biopsies for diagnosis of CD despite meeting the criteria for no biopsy approach.*The changes in the CD guidelines from 2012 to 2020 have resulted in an increase from 16% to 96% of cases that may have benefitted from no biopsy approach to the diagnosis of CD.*A unifying approach to the diagnosis of the CD will reduce the variability in investigations.*The current restrictions to Aerosol Generating Procedures due to SARS-CoV -2 pandemic will have a positive impact on establishing a No-Biopsy approach to the diagnosis of CD.

Study of Efficacy of Equine Anti Thymocyte Immunoglobulin (Eatg) as Induction and Antirejection Therapeutic Agent in Renal Transplantation

BACKGROUND: Equine Anti-Thymocyte Immunoglobulin (eATG) has been used less as an induction immunosuppressant agent in renal transplantation compared to rabbit ATG (rATG). However, eATG is very economical compared to rATG. The cost of eATG as induction agent in renal transplant on an average is INR. 30 000/- per dose, and cost of rabbit ATG ( rATG) as induction agent is INR 1 20 000/-. AIM OF THE STUDY: To study the efficacy of eATG as induction and anti-rejection therapeutic agent in renal transplantation. METHOD(S): Material(s) and Method(s): Renal transplant recipients were divided into two groups. Group A (GrA) recipients had renal donation from HLA matched first degree relatives and received only injection methylprednisolone (MP) as induction therapy. Group B (GrB) recipients had renal donation from deceased donors (brain dead) or spousal donors were administered eATG 10 mg/kg along with low dose MP as induction therapy. Outcomes were compared between GrA and GrB. Monitoring for eATG therapy-induced blood lymphocyte count depletion post-transplant was also done to assess eATG efficacy. eATG as antirejection therapy agent: eATG was administered in biopsy-proved acute T-cell-mediated rejection (TCMR). Repeat transplant kidney biopsy was done to assess improvement. RESULT(S): Number of renal transplant recipients in GrA were 29 and GrB were 35. All recipients of GrA and GrB had normal renal function by 14th post-transplant day (PTX). There was 20% decrease in blood lymphocyte count following MP therapy (GrA) compared to 85% decrease following therapy with eATG ( GrB) and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Marked decrease in lymphocyte count indicated efficacy of eATG. Biopsy-proved acute TCMR was seen in 5% of GrA and 4% of GrB (p > 0.05). None from both groups had antibody mediated rejection. All patients with acute TCMR responded to eATG antirejection therapy. Opportunistic infections was noticed in 9% of GrA patients and 11% of GrB patients in the first 180 days PTX (p > 0.05). Two years graft survival was 83% in GrA and 80% in GrB (p > 0.05). During two-year followup one patient from each group died of Covid19 infection (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION(S): Since excellent results were obtained with eATG as an induction and antirejection therapeutic agent, it can be used in renal transplant with high-risk immunological states as a polyclonal antibody. eATG is more economical compared to rATG.

IDENTIFYING A NOVEL SURFACTANT PROTEIN MUTATION IN A FAMILY WITH PULMONARY FIBROSIS

SESSION TITLE: Rare Genetic Mutations and Anatomical Variants SESSION TYPE: Rapid Fire Case Reports PRESENTED ON: 10/18/2022 12:25 pm - 01:25 pm INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease affecting older adults that results in progressive scarring of the lung parenchyma. Familial IPF (FPF), defined by disease in two or more first-degree relatives, is estimated to occur in 2–20% of all IPF cases and can present with varying phenotypes which may be difficult to diagnose. Inherited gene variation as well as environmental factors predispose a patient to disease development. Additionally, rare genetic variants in the genes encoding surfactant A (SFTPA1, and SFTPA2) that affect alveolar stability and endoplasmic reticulum stress have been reported in less than 1% of FPF cases. Understanding these genetic variants is essential in the diagnosis and management of patients with FPF. CASE PRESENTATION: A 47-year-old Hispanic male with a history of COVID-19 one year ago (not requiring hospitalization) presented to the hospital for a two-day history of subjective fever and shortness of breath. He was hypoxic requiring oxygen via high flow nasal cannula. He was admitted four months ago for shortness of breath and treated for pneumonia. Since then, he has had chronic dyspnea with exertion. Computed tomography of the chest showed extensive ground glass opacities, worse in the right lung, with basilar and upper lobe honeycombing, and air bronchograms in the bilateral lower lobes. Family history was significant for a mother, maternal aunt, maternal grandfather, and maternal cousin who all died from pulmonary fibrosis. His maternal cousin was treated at our facility, in which genetic sequencing revealed a mutation in SFTPA2, c.697T>C. Our patient was found to have the same genetic mutation. DISCUSSION: The genetic basis of IPF remains poorly understood. Prior studies suggest only 20-30% of FPF cases harbor an identifiable causative genetic variant. Rare variants in two biologic pathways contribute to the known heritability of FPF including pathologic variants in surfactant related genes which cause improper protein trafficking leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress, defects in autophagy, and type II alveolar cell toxicity. SFTPA1 and SFTPA2 variants have been associated with FPF and lung adenocarcinoma in a small number of families and there are few reported cases. While currently the SFTPA2, c.697T>C mutation, previously reported by our group in 2016, is considered a variant of unknown significance, its occurrence in two relatives with serious progressive interstitial lung diseases suggests that it is indeed pathogenic. CONCLUSIONS: Gene sequencing should be considered for all patients with a family history of pulmonary fibrosis as identification of a rare genetic variant may offer guidance to diagnosis, prognostication, and risk stratification when considering lung transplantation as well as identify additional relatives who may be affected by IPF. Reference #1: Kropski JA, Young LR, Cogan JD, et al. Genetic Evaluation and Testing of Patients and Families with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2017;195(11):1423-1428. doi:10.1164/rccm.201609-1820PP Reference #2: Wang Y, Kuan PJ, Xing C, Cronkhite JT, Torres F, Rosenblatt RL, DiMaio JM, Kinch LN, Grishin NV, Garcia CK. Genetic defects in surfactant protein A2 are associated with pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer. Am J Hum Genet. 2009 Jan;84(1):52-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2008.11.010. Epub 2008 Dec 18. PMID: 19100526;PMCID: PMC2668050. Reference #3: Pulmonary Fibrosis Due to a Novel Surfactant Protein Mutation R.A. Arciniegas Flores, I.A. Vital, K. Medepalli, D. DeMarzo, M.K. Glassberg Csete, R.A. Alvarez. https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2019.199.1_Meetings.A5437 DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Roger Alvarez No relevant relationships by Eduardo Lopez Gonzalez No relevant relationships by Anita Singh

A broken heart? Unexplained cardiac ischaemia after intrauterine fetal death

Introduction: Cardiac disease is the leading cause of maternal death in the UK [1].We present the case of awoman with late intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) and intrapartum cardiac ischaemia. A family history of limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) may be relevant. Case Report: A 23-year-old nulliparous woman at 39 weeks of gestation presented with reduced fetal movements and IUFD was confirmed. She had no medical history, and despite two first degree relatives with LGMD, she was asymptomatic and had not been tested. Uterine contractions started and epidural analgesia was initiated. Shortly thereafter, the woman was found to be bradycardic at 35– 40 beats/min. All other observations were normal and she was asymptomatic with no detectable sensory or motor block. A 12 -lead ECG showed inferior T-wave inversion and serial troponins were markedly elevated. Caesarean section (CS) under general anaesthesia was performed at maternal request and was uneventful. Postpartum echocardiogram demonstrated a dilated left atrium, left ventricular akinesis and an ejection fraction of 45–50%. The next day the woman developed chest pain and desaturated. CTPA and CT coronary angiogram were normal. Oxygenation improved and other than sporadic chest heaviness she remained well and was discharged 4 days post CS. Cardiology follow-up did not occur due to a communication breakdown. Post-mortem of the fetus found no cause for the IUFD and no features of LGMD. Thewoman suffered a miscarriage four months after this but delivered a healthy baby at elective CS two years later. During the latter pregnancy cardiology input from a tertiary centrewas requested but did not occur due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An echocardiogram in the third trimester was normal and the woman has been well since. Discussion: Troponin rise is abnormal in pregnancy and requires investigation. IUFD in itself can lead to sequelae requiring a low threshold for investigation. The family history in this case is autosomal dominant type 1B LGMD, associated with cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias [2]. The woman has declined testing and the cause for the peripartum cardiac disease remains unknown. The recovery and recent uneventful pregnancy suggest Takotsubo’s cardiomyopathy or coronary vasospasm as additional possible diagnoses. This case also underlines the importance in sensitive communication in cases of IUFD to ensure women are investigated and not lost to follow-up.

Increased risks of cancer and autoimmune disease among the first-degree relatives of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disabling multisystem complex disorder with prevalence of 875 per 100,000 (up to 3.4 million people) in the United States. There are no known etiologic or risk factors and no approved treatments for ME/CFS. We conducted a molecular epidemiologic study to test the hypothesis that ME/CFS may be an autoimmune disease (AID) and explore the link between ME/CFS and cancer, specifically hematologic malignancies. Methods: Our clinic-based study involved carefully selected cases with confirmed diagnosis of ME/CFS (n=59) and healthy controls (n=54) frequency matched to cases on age, gender and ethnicity. During structured interviews, detailed multi-generation pedigrees, epidemiologic and medical questionnaires, and biospecimen were obtained on all subjects. Statistical analysis of pedigree data involved comparison of cases and controls with respect to the prevalence and cumulative incidence of AID and cancer among their first-degree relatives. For unadjusted analysis, risk ratios, 95% confidence intervals (CI), and p-values were calculated. For age-adjusted analyses, cumulative incidence estimates were compared using the log-rank test. Results: The prevalence of AID was significantly higher among the first-degree relatives of cases compared to those of controls (OR=5.30;95%CI: 1.83-15.38;p=0.001). The prevalence of AID among mothers was 14% for cases and 1.9% for controls (p=0.03). 11.2% of the first-degree relatives of cases had an AID compared to 3.1% of the relatives of controls (prevalence ratio=3.71;95% CI: 1.74-7.88;p=0.0007). The cumulative incidence of AID among the first-degree relatives of ME/CFS cases was 9.4% compared to 2.7% for those of the controls (p=0.0025). First-degree relatives of ME/CFS cases had a significantly higher prevalence of any cancer compared to the relatives of unrelated controls (OR=4.06, 95%CI: 1.84-8.96, p=0.0005). Age-adjusted analysis revealed significantly higher (p=0.03) cumulative incidence of any cancer among the first-degree relatives of cases (20%) compared to the relatives of controls (15.4%). The cumulative incidence of hematologic cancers was also significantly higher among the relatives of cases (p<0.05). Conclusions: We found statistically significant increased risks of AID and cancer among the firstdegree relatives of ME/CFS cases. Our findings implicate immune dysregulation as an underlying mechanism, providing etiologic clues and leads for prevention. Given symptomatic similarities between 'long COVID' and ME/CFS, it is predicted that there will be a significant increase in incidence of ME/CFS as the result of COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings may enable defining a subset of COVID-19 patients who could be at risk of developing ME/CFS, and who may benefit from treatments used for certain AIDs.

RISK FACTORS FOR INCOMPLETE TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENTS AMONG PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

Introduction: The start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 led to an increased rate of telehealth visits. Older adults, however, may be more vulnerable to missing appointments given cognitive, physical, and technological gaps. We looked to determine the completion rate of telehealth appointments for older adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as well as predictors of incomplete appointments. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients with IBD who had at least one telehealth visit at the NYU IBD Center between 3/1/2020-8/31/2021. Only the status of the first telehealth appointment was considered, with an incomplete visit defined as left before being seen, a cancellation or noshow. Medical records were parsed for relevant co-variables, and logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted association between demographic factors and telehealth appointment completion rates. Results: From 3/1/2020 to 8/31/2021 there were 2,508 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who had at least one telehealth appointment, with 1088 (43%) having Crohn's disease (CD), 1037 (41%) having ulcerative colitis (UC), and 383 (15%) with indeterminate colitis (Table 1). Of the 2,508 initial telehealth visits, 519 (21%) were not completed, including 435 (20%) among patients under the age of 60-years as compared to 84 (23%) among patients over the age of 60-years. On multivariable analysis, patients with CD had higher odds of an incomplete appointment as compared to patients with UC (adjOR 1.37, 95%CI 1.10-1.69). Additionally, females had significantly higher odds of an incomplete appointment vs. males (adjOR 1.26, 95%CI 1.04-1.54), and patients who had a non-1st degree relative listed as an emergency contact also had significantly higher odds of an incomplete appointment vs. those with a spouse listed (adjOR 1.69, 95%CI 1.16-2.44;Table 2). Age over 60-years, partnership status, and comorbidities were not associated with appointment completion rates. Among the 361 patients over the age of 60-years who had a telehealth appointment, sex, emergency contact information, IBD subtype, and partnership status were not found to be associated with odds of completing a telehealth appointment. Conclusions: In our study, older patients with IBD were not at higher risk for missed telehealth appointments as compared to younger patients. On multivariable analysis, patients with CD as compared to patients with UC, females as compared to males, and patients who had a non-1st degree relative listed as an emergency contact as compared to those who had a spouse listed were more likely to miss telehealth appointments. Future studies should explore the role of these factors, including the role of social support, in order to design interventions aimed at limiting missed telehealth appointments. (Table Presented) (Table Presented)

Investigating the clinical characteristics of paediatric COVID-19 in Cape Town, South Africa: Initial results from the University of Cape Town (UCT), Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, COVID-19 paediatric repository

Introduction: Studies show that children account for only 1-5% of diagnosed COVID-19 cases, they have milder disease than adults and deaths are extremely rare. The complete clinical picture of pediatric COVID-19 has not yet been fully reported or defined. Additionally, the South African pediatric population has unique clinical characteristics and risk implications and needs investigating. We aimed to characterize COVID-19 in Cape Town children. Methods: The UCT COVID-19 pediatric repository is a prospective cohort recruited via convenience sampling at 3 Western Cape Hospitals. All patients ≤ 18 years who test COVID-19 positive are eligible for inclusion in the study. Results: To date 227 participants, 56%(125/227) male with median age 2 years (IQR:0-6), have been enrolled. Only 28(12%) participants were in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 positive case, 67% of these, were first degree relatives, 28% second degree relatives and 6% health care workers. Comorbidities were present in 125(56%) participants. Of 32 recorded comorbidities, congenital heart disease (CHD), found in 7% of participants, ranked third. CHD subtypes included PDA (4), Tetralogy of Fallot (3), AVSD (2), Pulmonary atresia with VSD (2), truncus arteriosus (1), Coarctation of the Aorta (1), Congenital aortic valve stenosis (1), and ASD (1). Other cardiac comorbidities were, cardiomyopathy (2), primary pulmonary hypertension (1) and rhabdomyoma (1). On presentation 173 (76%) were symptomatic. Predominant symptoms included cough 40%, history of fever 36%, documented fever 34%, difficulty breathing 28%, and nausea or vomiting 20%. On examination, 65% had abnormal heart rates, 47% abnormal respiratory rates, 35% were in respiratory distress and 24% were hypoxic. Of the 227 patients, 169(74%) were admitted to hospital and 33 (15%) were admitted to ICU. In the ICU 79% of patients required non-invasive and 24% invasive ventilation, median length of ICU admission was 3 days (IQR:2-7.5). During admission 38(17%) patients developed COVID-19 complications: secondary infection 10%, sepsis 4%, MIS-C 2%, and myocarditis or new onset heart failure 1%) and 2(0.9%) died, including one patient with AVSD, who presented with severe pulmonary hypertension and acute heart failure post cardiac surgery. Conclusion: We present the initial findings of the UCT pediatric COVID-19 registry. We anticipate that these data will help to complete the clinical picture of COVID-19 in the South African pediatric population.