COVID-19, An early investigation from exposure to treatment outcomes in Tehran, Iran.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing need for information regarding the recent coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). We present a comprehensive report of COVID-19 patients in Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were studied. Data on potential source of exposure, demographic, clinical, and paraclinical features, therapy outcome, and postdischarge follow-up were analyzed. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 58 years, and the majority of the patients (72.7%) were above 50 years of age. Fever was present in 45.2% of the patients on admission. The most common clinical symptoms were shortness of breath (74%) and cough (68%). Most patients had elevated C-reactive protein (92.3%), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (82.9%), and lymphocytopenia (74.2%) on admission. Lower lobes of the lung were most commonly involved, and ground-glass opacity (81.8%) was the most frequent finding in computed tomography scans. The administration of hydroxychloroquine improved the clinical outcome of the patients. Lopinavir/ritonavir was efficacious at younger ages. Of the 70 discharged patients, 40% had symptom aggravation, 8.6% were readmitted to the hospital, and three patients (4.3%) died. CONCLUSION: This report demonstrates a heterogeneous nature of clinical manifestations in patients affected with COVID19. The most common presenting symptoms are nonspecific, so attention should be made on broader testing, especially in age groups with the greatest risk and younger individuals who can serve as carriers of the disease. Hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir (in younger age group) can be potential treatment options. Finally, patients discharged from the hospital should be followed up because of potential symptom aggravation.

Implications of Sex Difference in CT Scan Findings and Outcome of Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia.

PURPOSE: The novel coronavirus pandemic has caused significant morbidity and mortality since December 2019. Although the role of chest CT for diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia is still debatable, the modality has been used in scenarios of constrained reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing. The epidemiologic reports indicate an unexplored difference between men and women in disease severity. We aimed to study the role of sex on disease severity and its correlation with CT findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Authors retrospectively studied all confirmed cases of COVID-19 with thoracic CT scans obtained at three hospitals from February 25, 2020, to March 15, 2020, in Tehran, Iran. CT involvement patterns of COVID-19 were analyzed based on sex and age of patients. RESULTS: One hundred fifteen patients (64.3% [74/115] men) were enrolled, with a median age of 57 years (age range, 21-89). Thirty patients were admitted to the intensive care unit, and 30 patients died during the hospital stay. Seventy-seven percent (37/48) of patients with unfavorable prognosis were male. Peripheral distribution of opacities was more common in men than women. When grouped by an age cut-off of 60 years, the women in the elder group had a peribronchovascular distribution pattern, and younger men showed an anterior distribution of opacities. Women younger than 60 years had significantly lower severity scores (CT-scores) (7.5 ± 6.8). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated a CT-score cut-off of 14.5 to have 100% sensitivity and 91.9% specificity for predicting poor prognosis in women younger than 60 years. CONCLUSION: Opacity patterns on chest CT scans in COVID-19 are different based on sex and age, and men are at higher risk of disease severity and death.© RSNA, 2020.

G-CSF Intrauterine for Thin Endometrium, and Pregnancy Outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effects of G-CSF on a cancelled ART cycle due to thin endometrium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a nonrandomized clinical trial from January 2011 to January 2013 in two tertiary university based hospitals fifteen patients undergoing embryo transfer and with the history of cycle cancellation due to thin endometrium were studied. Intrauterine infusion of G-CSF was done on the day of oocyte pick-up or 5 days before embryo transfer. The primary outcome to be measured was an endometrium thickened to at least 6 mm and the secondary outcome was clinical pregnancy rate and consequently take-home baby. All previous cycles were considered as control for each patient. RESULTS: The G-CSF was infused at the day of oocyte retrieval or 5 days before embryo transfer. The endometrial thickness reached from 3.593±0.251 mm to 7.120 ± 0.84 mm. The mean age, gravidity, parity, and FSH were 35.13± 9.531 years, 3, 1 and 32.78 ± 31.10 mIU/ml, respectively. The clinical pregnancy rate was 20%, and there was one missed abortion, a mother death at 34 weeks, and a preterm labor at 30 weeks due to PROM. CONCLUSION: G-CSF may increase endometrial thickness in the small group of patients who had no choice except cycle cancellation or surrogacy.

Comparison between Preoperative Rectal Diclofenac Plus Paracetamol and Diclofenac Alone for PostoperativePain of Hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To detect whether the preoperative combined administration of rectal diclofenac and paracetamol is superior to placebo or rectal diclofenac alone for pain after abdominal hysterectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety female patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-II), scheduled for abdominal hysterectomy were recruited to this double blind trial and were randomized to receive one of three modalities before surgery: rectal combination of diclofenac and paracetamol, rectal diclofenac alone or rectal placebo alone which were given as a suppository one hour prior to surgery. The primary outcomes were visual analogue pain scores measured at 0, 0.5, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24 hours after surgery and the time of first administration and also total amount of morphine used in the first 24 hour after surgery. A 10 cm visual analog scale (VAS ) was used to assess pain intensity at rest. RESULTS: In patients receiving the combination of diclofenac and paracetamol total dose of morphine used in the first 24 hour after surgery was significantly lower (13.9 ± 2.7 mg) compared to diclofenac group (16.8± 2.8 mg) and placebo group (20.1 ± 3.6 mg) (p<0.05). VAS pain score was significantly lower in combination group compared to other groups all time during first 24 hours (p<0.05). There had been a significant difference between combination group and the two other groups in terms of the first request of morphine (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: According to our study Patients who receive the rectal diclofenac-paracetamol combination experience significantly a lower pain scale in the first 24 hour after surgery compared with patients receiving diclofenac or placebo alone. Their need to supplementary analgesic is significantly later and lower compared to placebo and diclofenac alone.

High plasma homocysteine and insulin resistance in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common disease among women in fertility ages and cause severe insulin resistance. Hyperhomocysteinaemia is said to be among the features of PCOS that could influence its outcome. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether hyperhomocysteinaemia exists in PCOS and if it is related to insulin resistance in the affected patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was carried out in a university based fertility clinic. Sixty four PCOS patients and 50 normo ovulatory controls were reviewed for fasting glucose, insulin, homocysteine, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plasma levels in the blood sample of the 3(rd) day of their menstrual cycle. Insulin resistance was determined with the fasting glucose (mmol/L) to insulin (mIU/L) ratio and HOMA-IR (Homeostasis model assessment-Insulin resistance). Independent-samples T-test and linear regression test were utilized to analyze the obtained data. RESULTS: Homocysteine levels compared between PCOS patients and control group showed a significant difference. PCOS group was divided into insulin resistant (IR) (LogHOMA-IR≥0.57) and non insulin resistant (NIR) patients. The IR group had significantly higher homocysteine (p-value=0.02), fasting insulin and glucose levels (p-value<0.001) rather than NIR group. CONCLUSION: PCOS patients have a leaning toward hyperhomocysteinaemia and insulin resistance. Insulin resistant patients are found to have higher homocysteine level.