Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) to determine cut-off points of clinical and biomolecular markers to discriminate mortality in severe COVID-19 living at high altitude.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, Ecuador had one of the highest death rates because of COVID-19. The role of clinical and biomolecular markers in COVID disease prognosis, is still not well supported by available data. In order for these markers to have practical application in clinical decision-making regarding patient treatment and prognosis, it is necessary to know an optimal cut-off point, taking into consideration ethnic differences and geographic conditions. AIM: To determine the value of clinical and biomolecular markers, to predict mortality of patients with severe COVID-19 living at high altitude. METHODS: In this study, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, area under the curve (AUC) of ROC, sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratios were calculated to determine levels of clinical and biomolecular markers that best differentiate survivors versus non-survivors in severe COVID subjects that live at a high altitude setting. RESULTS: Selected cut-off values for ferritin (≥ 1225 ng/dl, p = 0.026), IL-6 (≥ 11 pg/ml, p = 0.005) and NLR (≥ 22, p = 0.008) at 24 h, as well as PaFiO2 (≤ 164 mmHg, p = 0.015), NLR (≥ 16, p = p = 0.013) and SOFA (≥ 6, p = 0.031) at 72 h, appear to have good discriminating power to differentiate survivors versus non-survivors. Additionally, odds ratios for ferritin (OR = 3.38); IL-6 (OR = 17.07); PaFiO2 (OR = 4.61); NLR 24 h (OR = 4.95); NLR 72 h (OR = 4.46), and SOFA (OR = 3.77) indicate increased risk of mortality when cut-off points were taken into consideration. CONCLUSIONS: We proposed a straightforward and understandable method to identify dichotomized levels of clinical and biomolecular markers that can discriminate between survivors and non-survivors patients with severe COVID-19 living at high altitudes.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume in the diagnosis of bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients. A preliminary analysis from Ecuador.

INTRODUCTION: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are at risk of hospital infection. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-C-reactive protein ratio (LCR) and mean platelet volume (MPV) are established inflammation markers reflecting the systemic inflammatory response. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 and bacterial co-infections, as well as the correlation with NLR and MPV. METHODS: We assessed the role of the NLR and MPV in diagnosing bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare the mean NLR and MPV between the diagnostic evaluation moments, while the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare NLR and MPV by sex and age. RESULTS: The NLR was compared three days before the culture and the day of taking the culture, observing significant differences (p=0.020). MPV three days before the culture and the day of the culture were compared, also observing significant differences (p=0.031). NLR and MPV were compared at the different evaluation times according to sex and age group, observing for the age group significant differences for the NLR three days before the culture (p=0.004). CONCLUSION: In our study, there were significant differences in NLR and MPV between the three days before culture and the day of culture. It is advisable to continue to enrol more patients in the study so that in the future, we can add results on the diagnostic accuracy of the NLR and MPV in the timely diagnosis of bacterial infection in patients with COVID-19.

Síndrome De Embolia Grasa Postraumática, Síntomas Neurológicos Sin Clínica Respiratoria En Ausencia De Foramen Oval Permeable / Posttraumatic Fat Embolism Syndrome, Neurological Symptoms Without Respiratory Symptoms In The Absence Of Permeable Foramen Ovale

Resumen El síndrome de embolia grasa es una complicación potencialmente catastrófica de las fracturas de huesos largos. La tríada clásica de síntomas son erupciones cutáneas petequiales, hipoxemia y anomalías neurológicas, que generalmente ocurren dentro de las 24 a 72 horas posteriores a la fractura. El componente respiratorio se presenta en prácticamente la totalidad de los reportes. Presentamos el caso de un paciente con embolia grasa postraumática con clínica neurológica preponderante, sin afectación respiratoria en ausencia de foramen oval permeable.

Abstract Fat embolism syndrome is a potentially catastrophic complication of long-bone fractures. The classic triad of symptoms are petechial skin rashes, hypoxemia, and neurological abnormalities, which usually occur within 24 to 72 hours after the fracture. The respiratory component occurs in practically all of the reports. We present the case of a patient with posttraumatic fat embolism with predominant neurological symptoms, without respiratory involvement in the absence of patent foramen ovale.

Hormonas sexuales en la enfermedad crítica / Sexual hormones in critical disease

INTRODUCCIÓN. En el paciente crítico ha existido un conglomerado de situaciones dadas por alteración de las hormonas acorde al comportamiento del eje hipotalámi-co-hipofisario- gonadal, entender su rol es fundamental. OBJETIVO. Describir las alteraciones de las hormonas sexuales en el paciente críticamente enfermo desde un enfoque fisiológico y clínico. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS. Estudio observacional, de revisión bibliográfica y análisis sistemático de 84 artículos científicos y selección de muestra de 27 en MedLine, The Cochrane Library Plus, LILACS y Web of Science; en español e inglés y variables: hormonas esteroides gonadales, enfermedad crítica, endocrinología, estrés, gónadas y disfunción, periodo 1998-2017. CONCLUSIÓN. Las alteraciones detectadas fueron un mecanismo para la producción de hormonas esteroideas hacia la síntesis predominante de cortisol y soportar el alto estrés meta-bólico de los pacientes. Las citocinas pro inflamatorias fueron importantes en éstos cambios. La polifarmacia fue un factor adicional poco ponderado de la alteración endocrina sexual.

INTRODUCTION. In the critical patient there has been a conglomerate of situations given by alteration of the hormones according to the behavior of the hypothalamic-pi-tuitary-gonadal axis, understanding their role is fundamental. OBJECTIVE. Describe the alterations of sex hormones in the critically ill patient from a physiological and clinical approach.MATERIALS AND METHODS.Observational, literature review and systematic analysis of 84 scientific articles and sample selection of 27 in MedLine, The Cochrane Library Plus, LILACS and Web of Science; in Spanish and English and variables: gonadal steroid hormones, critical illness, endocrinology, stress, gonads and dysfunction, period 1998-2017. CONCLUSION. The alterations detected were a mechanism for the production of steroid hormones towards the predominant syn-thesis of cortisol and withstand the high metabolic stress of the patients. Pro inflam-matory cytokines were important in these changes. Polypharmacy was an additional unweighted factor of sexual endocrine disruption.