ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) has evolved as a global pandemic. The patients with COVID-19 infection can present as mild, moderate, and severe disease forms. The reported mortality of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection is around 6.6%, which is lower than that of SARS-CoV and (middle east respiratory syndrome CoV). However, the fatality rate of COVID-19 infection is higher in the geriatric age group and in patients with multiple co-morbidities. The study aimed to evaluate the utility of early warning scores (EWS) to predict mortality in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 infection. METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out in a tertiary care institute of Uttarakhand. Demographic and clinical data of the admitted patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 infection were collected from the hospital record section and utilized to calculate the EWS-National early warning score (NEWS), modified early warning score (MEWS), Rapid Acute Physiology Score (RAPS), rapid emergency medicine score (REMS), and worthing physiological scoring system (WPS). RESULTS: The area under the curve for NEWS, MEWS, RAPS, REMS, and WPS was 0.813 (95% confidence interval [CI]; 0.769-0.858), 0.770 (95% CI; 0.717-0.822), 0.755 (95% CI; 0.705-0.805), 0.892 (95% CI; 0.859-0.924), and 0.892 (95% CI; 0.86-0.924), respectively. CONCLUSION: The EWS at triage can be used for early assessment of severity as well as predict mortality in patients with COVID-19 patients.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an independent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular (CV) events that accounts for a significant proportion of mortality among these patients. Anti-CCP antibodies are associated with higher frequency of extra-articular manifestations and poorer outcomes in RA. AIMS: To determine the role of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody as an independent risk factor for developing CV complications as documented by carotid intima medial thickness and abnormal echocardiography in established RA patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients of RA having disease duration of at least 3 years participated in this hospital-based, cross-sectional, and observational study. Forty patients were anti-CCP antibody positive. Patients of established RA having known CV risk factors, known heart disease, or family history of premature ischemic heart disease were excluded. RESULTS: Anti-CCP positive group had early morning stiffness, tender and swollen joint count, and c-reactive protein (CRP) level significantly higher than those in anti-CCP negative group. Average intima-medial thicknesses of common carotid arteries were also significantly higher among anti-CCP positive group (P = 0.029) and were positively correlated with patients' age and disease duration. Lower left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction were more commonly dispersed among the anti-CCP positive patients with P values of 0.01 and 0.034, respectively. Mild pericardial thickening was documented among 12.5% patients of anti-CCP positive group, while none of the anti-CCP negative patients had similar findings in echocardiography. CONCLUSION: This study stressed on the important role of anti-CCP antibody in myocardial dysfunction due to inflammation in RA patients. Both atherosclerotic vascular involvement and cardiac abnormalities including pericardial, myocardial, and endocardial involvements were higher among anti-CCP positive RA patients. Hence, patients with high titer of anti-CCP antibody associated with prolonged disease duration and increased disease activity should be evaluated for CV morbidity more meticulously.
ABSTRACT
@#<p><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> To describe the clinical presentation and course of seven ectopic thyroid patients. <br /><br /><strong>METHODS:<br />Design:</strong> Retrospective Chart Review<br /><strong>Setting:</strong> Tertiary Government Teaching Hospital<br /><strong>Patient:</strong> Seven patients<br /><br /><strong>RESULTS:</strong> Five patients were female and two were male (ratio of 5:2). Three belonged to the 20 to 30 year-old age group, whereas two were below 10 years of age. All seven were biochemically hypothyroid and ectopic thyroid was found to be the only functioning thyroid tissue. Three patients were managed medically with levothyroxine, while ectopic thyroid was excised in four. Ectopic thyroid tissue was autotransplanted in two cases following excision.<br /><br /><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> The ages of presentation in the present series correspond with the increased physiological demand of thyroid hormone. Thyroid substitution therapy is a must in the presence of clinical and/or biochemical hypothyroidism. Surgical excision should be avoided as far as possible especially if the ectopic tissue is the only functioning thyroid in the body. Surgery is required in selected cases presenting with obstructive symptoms or hemorrhage which are unresponsive to substitution therapy. Auto transplantation of the ectopic thyroid may not provide significant benefit to the patient and more research is warranted in this aspect.</p>
