ABSTRACT
BackgroundCOVID-19 is a new infectious disease with severe disease course and high mortality in some groups. Blood tests on admission to the hospital can be useful for stratification of patients and timely correction. Our study investigated the clinical features of COVID-19 patients in Latvia and differences in blood tests in groups with different disease severity. MethodsThe retrospective study included 100 patients hospitalized in Riga East Clinical University Hospital in Spring 2020. The severity of the disease course was classified by the presence of pneumonia and its combination with respiratory failure. We have assessed blood cells count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), troponin T, electrolytes, creatinine, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), D-dimer, prothrombin time, prothrombin index, oxygen saturation, and temperature on admission to the hospital. ResultsPatients were from 18 to 99 (57{+/-}18 years, 57% males). Comorbidities were found in 74% of patients. The mild, moderate, and severe groups included 35, 44, and 16 patients, respectively. In the severe group, the mortality rate was 50%. The progression to severe COVID-19 was associated positively with temperature, ESR, CRP, creatinine, LDH, and troponin T and negatively associated with oxygen saturation, eosinophils, and GFR on admission to the hospital. ConclusionsCOVID-19 severity associates with lower renal function and a higher level of inflammation and tissue damage. Eosinophils, CRP, ESR, LDH, troponin T, creatinine, and GFR are blood indicators for monitoring patients condition.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Cystic echinococcosis is an infection caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus, this form of echinococcosis is chronic, complicated, however, there is restricted knowledge about it. METHODS: Medical records of a total of 127 patients were used, of which 44 patients were selected for analysis. These were the patients with a fully verified diagnosis, a parasitic lesion located in the liver and a detailed documented ultrasound description of the condition of the liver at diagnosis. The following information was collected from the clinical records: demographic data (age, sex), diagnostic method (ultrasound (US) examination and parasitological serology), clinical data (symptoms), cyst details (number, localization, and size) and treatment. Parasitic cysts of the selected patients were analysed and the disease was classified according to World Health Organisation recommendations. RESULTS: Out of 44 selected patients, 32 were female and 12 were male. Patients' age varied from 27 to 83 (mean--55.34 15.33) years. Time until diagnosis ranged from the absence of complaints to a period of 180 months; the median time was 6 ± 6 months. The most common complaints were pain or discomfort in the abdomen (n=20). The analysis of the stage of the cyst at the moment of the diagnosis showed that most often the 3rd (n = 9) and the 4th stage (n = 20) cysts were found. The parasitic lesion was localised in the right hepatic lobe (n = 29), it was solitary (n = 24) and of average size 6.49 ± 3.73 cm. Results indicated that the cysts which were initially in the 5-10 cm size group were progressing more rapidly. Chemotherapy lasting for 3 years resulted in finding statistically important changes of the cysts in 20% of the patients--degenerative processes attesting the death of the parasite. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to develop a system that would allow identifying of patients at as early stages of the disease as possible, in order to ensure more efficient treatment and to avoid major impact on patients' quality of life by the disease.
