Real-world deployment of lateral flow SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection in the emergency department to provide rapid, accurate and safe diagnosis of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Point-of-care (POC) SARS-CoV-2 lateral-flow antigen detection (LFD) testing in the emergency department (ED) could inform rapid infection control decisions but requirements for safe deployment have not been fully defined. METHODS: Review of LFD test results, laboratory and POC-RT-PCR results and ED-performance metrics during a two-week high SARS-CoV-2 prevalence period followed by several months of falling prevalence. AIM: Determine whether LFD testing can be safely deployed in ED to provide an effective universal SARS-CoV-2 testing capability. FINDINGS: 93% (345/371) of COVID-19 patients left ED with a virological diagnosis during the 2-week universal LFD evaluation period compared to 77% with targeted POC-RT-PCR deployment alone, on background of approximately one-third having an NHS Track and Trace RT-PCR test-result at presentation. LFD sensitivity and specificity was 70.7% and 99.1% respectively providing a PPV of 97.7% and NPV of 86.4% with disease prevalence of 34.7%. ED discharge-delays (breaches) attributable to COVID-19 fell to 33/3532 (0.94%) compared with the preceding POC-RT-PCR period (107/4114 (2.6%); p=<0.0001). Importantly, LFD testing identified 1 or 2 clinically-unsuspected COVID-19 patients/day. Three clinically-confirmed LFD false positive patients were appropriately triaged based on LFD action-card flowchart, and only 5 of 95 false-negative LFD results were inappropriately admitted to non-COVID-19 areas where no onward-transmission was identified. LFD testing was restricted to asymptomatic patients when disease prevalence fell below 5% and detected 1-3 cases/week. CONCLUSION: Universal SARS-CoV-2 LFD testing can be safely and effectively deployed in ED alongside POC-RT-PCR testing during periods of high and low disease prevalence.

Loss of Rassf1a cooperates with Apc(Min) to accelerate intestinal tumourigenesis.

Promoter methylation of the RAS-association domain family 1, isoform A gene (RASSF1A) is one of the most frequent events found in human tumours. In this study we set out to test the hypothesis that loss of Rassf1a can cooperate with inactivation of the adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) gene to accelerate intestinal tumourigenesis using the Apc-Min (Apc(Min/+)) mouse model, as mutational or deletional inactivation of APC is a frequent early event in the genesis of intestinal cancer. Further, loss of RASSF1A has also been reported to occur in premalignant adenomas of the bowel. RASSF1A has been implicated in an array of pivotal cellular processes, including regulation of the cell cycle, apoptosis, microtubule stability and most recently in the beta-catenin signalling pathway. By interbreeding isoform specific Rassf1a knockout mice with Apc(+/Min) mice, we showed that loss of Rassf1a results in a significant increase in adenomas of the small intestine and accelerated intestinal tumourigenesis leading to the earlier death of adenocarcinoma-bearing mice and decreased overall survival. Comparative genomic hybridization of adenomas from Rassf1a(-/-); Apc(+/Min) mice revealed no evidence of aneuploidy or gross chromosomal instability (no difference to adenomas from Rassf1a(+/+); Apc(+/Min) mice). Immunohistochemical analysis of adenomas revealed increased nuclear beta-catenin accumulation in adenomas from Rassf1a(-/-); Apc(+/Min) mice, compared to those from Rassf1a(+/+); Apc(+/Min) mice, but no differences in proliferation marker (Ki67) staining patterns. Collectively these data demonstrate cooperation between inactivation of Rassf1a and Apc resulting in accelerated intestinal tumourigenesis, with adenomas showing increased nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin, supporting a mechanistic link via loss of the known interaction of Rassf1 with beta-TrCP that usually mediates degradation of beta-catenin.

Urologic management of congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type.

A 7-month-old girl with congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS) of the Finnish type was referred to our group for surgical evaluation and recommendation of a treatment plan. A Medline literature search was conducted using data bases from 1980 to 1996, on the topics of "congenital nephrotic syndrome" and "surgery." Although there were several articles on CNS in the nephrology and pediatric journals, we found none in the urologic literature. Although a few medical centers advocate a less invasive unilateral nephrectomy or percutaneous renal ablation, most institutions still recommend bilateral nephrectomy to manage patients with CNS in whom aggressive medical management fails. Bilateral nephrectomy followed by dialysis and transplantation should remain the standard of care in 1997 for children with severe CNS.

Intermediate term results of infant orthotopic cardiac transplantation from two centers.

Orthotopic cardiac transplantation has become established for selected infants with severe forms of congenital heart disease. This study reviews the combined experience and intermediate term results of infants undergoing orthotopic cardiac transplantation from Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, and Kosair Children's Hospital, Louisville. From June 1986 through December 1989, 20 orthotopic cardiac transplantations were performed in 19 patients. Sixteen patients had variants of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. One infant had anomalous origin of the left coronary artery with severe ischemic cardiomyopathy. Two infants had aortic stenosis with endocardial fibroelastosis, and one had extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to transplantation. Immunosuppression included cyclosporine, azathioprine (Imuran), and corticosteroids with an effort to wean the patients from steroids by 6 months to 2 years. Three early deaths resulted--from technical errors in two patients and from hyperacute rejection in one patient at 3 days. Four late deaths have occurred. Two patients died at 2 and 13 months of acute rejection. One patient died at 15 months of acute rejection after retransplantation. One patient died at 7 months of respiratory syncytial viral pneumonia. The remaining 12 patients are surviving 5 to 47 months (means 20 months) after orthotopic cardiac transplantation. Rejection surveillance in the first 6 months is by clinical signs supplemented by echocardiography, electrocardiography, and cell cycle analysis; endomyocardial biopsy is used after 6 months of age. For the cumulative series, 24 episodes of suspected rejection have been treated during 277 at-risk patient months with intravenous methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) (n = 18) and monoclonal antibody (OKT3) (n = 6), for an incidence of 1.04 episodes of rejection per patient per year. Serious posttransplantation infections including endocarditis, catheter sepsis, meningitis, and colonic perforation were successfully treated in four patients. Subjectively, their quality of life is excellent as shown by normal growth and developmental milestones and a low hospital readmission rate (1.4 episodes per patient per year). These encouraging intermediate term results warrant continued application of infant orthotopic cardiac transplantation for severe forms of congenital heart disease.

Does a supernumerary nipple/renal field defect exist?

In 65 patients evaluated for suspected genetic and/or developmental problems, a roentgenographic study of the kidneys was performed because of the presence of a supernumerary nipple (SNN). Seven of 65 (11%) had a significant renal lesion that included conjoined kidneys in a female with Fanconi's anemia. Four of these patients did not have signs or symptoms suggestive of an underlying urinary tract pathologic condition. These results indicate that an SNN/renal field defect probably exists, although the significance of this association is significantly weaker than that originally proposed by Mehes. One variable influencing this association appears to be racial differences, as evidenced by the absence of renal defects in blacks with an SNN. Based on our findings, the identification of additional minor phenotypic abnormalities may represent an additional mediating variable in this association. However, the discovery of an SNN in an otherwise normal individual, or an individual with a recognizable pattern of human malformation not associated with renal anomalies or central nervous system dysfunction alone, does not appear to be an indication for additional diagnostic studies of the urinary tract.

Technique of peritoneal dialysis cannulation in neonates.

A safe method for introducing a catheter for conducting peritoneal dialysis in neonates has been used successfully in 12 cannulations and has resulted in easy inflow and outflow of solutions without pericatheter leakage through the quite thin abdominal wall of the neonate. No significant complications have occurred.

Bolus corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide for initial treatment of Wegener's granulomatosis.

Wegener's granulomatosis, a necrotizing vasculitis involving primarily the upper and lower respiratory tract and the kidney, may be rapidly fatal. We describe two children with Wegener's granulomatosis in whom we observed dramatic improvement within 72 hours following bolus corticosteroid therapy combined with cyclophosphamide.

Hypochloremic alkalosis in infants associated with soy protein formula.

Thirteen infants, 2 to 10 months of age, developed hypochloremic alkalosis (serum chloride 59 to 92 mEq/l) while taking Neo-Mull-Soy (Syntex), a soy-based formula low in chloride (measured to be 0 to 2 mEq/l) but with considerable potassium citrate. Range of symptoms included lethargy, anorexia, mild spitting up, diarrhea, hematuria, and growth failure. Urine chloride excretion was less than 3 mEq/l. Plasma renin activity or aldosterone, measured in six infants, was elevated. All responded promptly to supplemental salt. One infant receiving Neo-Mull-Soy redeveloped alkalosis when supplemental salt was discontinued. Two of nine apparently normal infants receiving Neo-Mull-Soy also had hypochloremia (85, 86 mEq/l). Three of four receiving Prosobee (Mead Johnson; Cl content 7 mEq/l) had urine chloride concentration less than 20 mEq/l. The chloride content of some infant formulas is insufficient to offset salt losses following mild stress.