Association of Inflammatory Markers With Disease Progression and the Severity of COVID-19.

Introduction In December 2019, there was a massive outbreak of viral pneumonia, which had a high case fatality rate. Genetic sequencing of the virus showed similarity with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). It was later named novel coronavirus 2019 while the disease it caused was given the nomenclature of COVID-19. This deadly pneumonia outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Aim To derive the strength of the correlation between blood levels of various inflammatory markers with the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia in patients affected with novel coronavirus 2019. Materials and methodology A prospective study was conducted on 300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection from August 2020 to July 2021 in SSG Hospital, Vadodara. Diagnosis of patients as confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection was done according to the WHO interim guidance for COVID-19. Their inflammatory markers were done for this study. All COVID-19-positive patients who had given negative consent for enrollment were excluded from the study. Patients were classified based on the severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Comprehensive medical record information, encompassing biodata, clinical symptoms, comorbidities, and laboratory investigations, was systematically collected. Patients were given the standard treatment protocol as per guidelines. Patients were subjected to detailed investigations comprising complete blood counts and inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum ferritin, and D-dimer. Patients were further investigated by chest X-ray (posteroanterior view) or high-resolution computed tomography of the thorax. Results A total of 300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection were included in this study. Most of them were males (52%) with a mean age of 51 years and 48% were females with a mean age of 55 years. The majority of patients (40%) did not have ARDS, 23.3% of patients had mild, 16.7% of patients had moderate, and 20% of patients had severe ARDS. Higher CRP levels, serum ferritin, and serum D-dimer were significantly associated with the severity of COVID-19 infection as compared to those having no symptoms (p < 0.05). Increased levels were associated with severe clinical manifestations of COVID-19. The sensitivity of CRP is 69% and specificity is 100% as a diagnostic marker for COVID-19 pneumonia in terms of ARDS. The sensitivity of ferritin is 88% and specificity is 81% as a diagnostic marker for COVID-19 pneumonia in terms of ARDS. The sensitivity of D-dimer is 94% and specificity is 89% as a diagnostic marker for COVID-19 pneumonia in terms of ARDS. The sensitivity of LDH is 93% and specificity is 84% as a diagnostic marker for COVID-19 pneumonia in terms of ARDS. Conclusions Current evidence from our study showed that higher levels of inflammatory markers such as CRP, LDH, D-dimer, and ferritin are associated with the severity of COVID-19 in terms of ARDS and thus could be used as significant prognostic factors of the disease. These indicators might support clinical decisions to identify high fatality cases and poor diagnosis in the initial admission phase.

A Rare Case of Opsoclonus Myoclonus Ataxia Syndrome Post Viral Illness.

Opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome (OMAS) is a rare inflammatory neurological disorder characterized by ocular, motor, behavioral, language, and sleep disturbances. It usually affects infants and young children but may affect adults. A 28-year-old male was brought to our emergency ward with complaints of involuntary spontaneous eye movements and jerky movements of limbs with imbalance while walking. He had a history of short febrile illness 10 days prior. His magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, and other routine investigations were normal. The patient was treated with injectable methylprednisolone (1 g) given for five days along with other supportive therapy. A significant reduction in the opsoclonus, myoclonus, and ataxia was seen on a six-month follow-up. OMAS should be identified early to avoid the use of inappropriate medications, and immunotherapy must be provided as early as possible in order to prevent irreversible neurological damage.

Study of the Role of Plasma NT-proBNP in the Diagnosis of Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of heart failure (HF) remains essentially clinical-Based. However, the history, physical examination, and chest radiograph findings are often inadequate in the diagnosis because multiple other conditions that affect the cardiopulmonary system mimic the symptoms of HF. N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) has long been used for diagnosing HF. N-terminal pro-BNP values vary with different patient parameters. There is a scarcity of Indian studies on this topic. Especially with the use of newer drugs like angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), it is important to have data from our own population on the same. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: (i) To assess the role of NT-proBNP in the diagnosis of HF. (ii) Achieve diagnostic clarity in cases having cardiorespiratory symptoms and signs like acute onset dyspnea, pedal edema, and basal crepitations. (iii) To study the effect of various factors like age, body mass index (BMI), and creatinine on NT-proBNP. (iv) Establish a relation between NT-proBNP levels and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), disease severity, and etiology of HF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational prospective study of 50 patients presenting with acute onset breathlessness was carried out, fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria over a period of 10 months. Detailed history and examination of the patients were obtained. Venous sample for the measurement of NT-proBNP was collected within 24 hours of onset of symptoms. Other relevant blood and radiographic investigations were obtained. The NT-proBNP "cut-offs" set forth by the American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology (ACC) were used to "rule in" or "rule out" HF. Two-dimensional echocardiography (2D Echo) was used to confirm the diagnosis. The correlation between NT-proBNP and various parameters like age, BMI, creatinine, and LVEF was obtained. Sensitivity and specificity tests were applied as well. RESULTS: Out of the 50 patients presenting with acute onset dyspnea, the most common cause was ischemic heart disease (IHD) (44%) followed by dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (32%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (10%), anemia (4%), followed by other causes. The median NT-proBNP value was the highest for IHD patients (9485 pg/mL), followed by DCM (8969 pg/mL), followed by COPD (2846 pg/mL), and followed by anemia (850 pg/mL). There is a significant positive correlation between NT-proBNP and age (coefficient of correlation r = 0.4007, significance level p = 0.0389, and class interval = 0.137-0.61). There is a significant negative correlation between creatinine clearance and NT-proBNP (coefficient of correlation r = -0.372, significance level p = 0.007, and class interval = -0.58 to -0.105). There was significant negative correlation between LVEF and NT-proBNP (coefficient of correlation r = -0.36, significance level p = 0.009, and class interval = -0.58 to -0.09). Higher LVEF is associated with lower NT-proBNP values. There is marked heterogeneity in the values though. CONCLUSION: It is seen that the values of NT-proBNP vary with factors like age, BMI, and creatinine clearance in addition to LVEF. This may lead to falsely positive or falsely negative diagnosis of HF. With the above observations in mind, it can be concluded that NT-proBNP can help diagnose HF but only in addition to clinical findings.

Late survival in Ellis-van Creveld syndrome with common single atrium.

Ellis-van Creveld (EVC) syndrome is a relatively rare chondroectodermal dysplasia considered mainly as a generalised disorder of the maturation of endochondral ossification. Congenital heart disease occurs in approximately half of the patients with EVC syndrome, 60% of which is a common atrium. Common atrium is a rare variety of interatrial communication characterised by absence or virtual absence of the atrial septum. Patients with this syndrome rarely survive to an old age. We report a case of EVC who presented for the first time at 60 years of age, as survival to an advanced age is exceptional in case of EVC.