Parasternal intercostal thickening at hospital admission: a promising indicator for mechanical ventilation risk in subjects with severe COVID-19.

We aimed to evaluate the ability of parasternal intercostal thickening fraction (PIC TF) to predict the need for mechanical ventilation, and survival in subjects with severe Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). This prospective observational study included adult subjects with severe COVID-19. The following data were collected within 12 h of admission: PIC TF, respiratory rate oxygenation index, [Formula: see text] ratio, chest CT, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score. The ability of PIC TF to predict the need for ventilatory support (primary outcome) and a composite of invasive mechanical ventilation and/or 30-days mortality were performed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) analysis. Multivariate analysis was done to identify the independent predictors for the outcomes. Fifty subjects were available for the final evaluation. The AUC (95% confidence interval [CI]) for the right and left PIC TF ability to predict the need for ventilator support was 0.94 (0.83-0.99), 0.94 (0.84-0.99), respectively, with a cut off value of > 8.3% and positive predictive value of 90-100%. The AUC for the right and left PIC TF to predict invasive mechanical ventilation and/or 30 days mortality was 0.95 (0.85-0.99) and 0.90 (0.78-0.97), respectively. In the multivariate analysis, only the PIC TF was found to independently predict invasive mechanical ventilation and/or 30-days mortality. In subjects with severe COVID-19, PIC TF of 8.3% can predict the need to ventilatory support with a positive predictive value of 90-100%. PIC TF is an independent risk factor for the need for invasive mechanical ventilation and/or 30-days mortality.

Role of Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography in Cardiac Surgery: an Observational Study.

AIM: This study is based on the hypothesis that the routine use of transesophageal echocardiography in cardiac surgery will influence the surgical decision taken by the surgeon intra-operatively in Kasr-Alainy hospitals. METHODS: Patients were examined with intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. Complete and comprehensive intraoperative TEE examinations will be performed by TEE certified cardiac anesthesiologists. Data that will be collected from the intraoperative examination and will be compared with preoperative transthoracic echocardiography, and the surgical decision that was taken preoperatively will be revised again with the cardiothoracic surgeon before the start of surgery. Also, TEE will be used again after weaning from bypass for revision and assessment of our decision. RESULTS: We examined the utility of TEE in 100 patients undergoing different types of cardiac procedures in Kasr Al-Ainy hospital. This prospective clinical investigation found that the pre- and post-CPB TEE examinations influenced surgical decision making in 10% of all evaluated patients. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative TEE has the potential to influence clinical decision making for cardiac surgical patients significantly. It is useful in surgical planning, guiding various hemodynamic interventions, and assessing the immediate results of surgery. Thus, IOTEE should be used routinely in all patients undergoing all types of cardiac surgeries.