Real life treatment experience and outcome of consecutively hospitalised patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia by Omicron-1 vs Delta variants.

BACKGROUND: Omicron-1 COVID-19 is less invasive in the general population than previous viral variants. However, clinical course and outcome of hospitalised patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia during the shift of the predominance from Delta to Omicron variants are not fully explored. METHODS: During January 2022 consecutively hospitalised patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia were analysed. SARS-CoV-2 variants were identified by a 2-step pre-screening protocol and randomly confirmed by whole genome sequencing analysis. Clinical, laboratory and treatment data split by type of variant were analysed along with logistic regression of factors associated to mortality. RESULTS: 150 patients [mean age (SD) 67.2(15.8) years, male 54%] were analysed. Compared to Delta (n = 46), Omicron-1 patients (n = 104) were older [mean age (SD): 69.5(15.4) vs 61.9(15.8) years, p = 0.007], with more comorbidities (89.4% vs 65.2%, p = 0.001), less obesity (BMI >30Kg/m2 in 24% vs 43.5%, p = 0.034) but higher vaccination rates for COVID-19 (52.9% vs 8.7%, p < 0.001). Severe pneumonia (48.7%), pulmonary embolism (4.7%), need for invasive mechanical ventilation (8%), administration of dexamethasone (76%) and 60-day mortality (22.6%) did not significantly differ. Severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia independently predicted mortality [OR 8.297 (CI95% 2.080-33.095), p = 0.003]. Remdesivir administration (n = 135) was protective from death both in unadjusted and adjusted models [OR 0.157 (CI95% 0.026-0.945), p = 0.043. CONCLUSIONS: In a COVID-19 department the severity of pneumonia that did not differ between Omicron-1 and Delta variants predicted mortality whilst remdesivir remained protective in all analyses. Death rates did not differ between SARS-CoV-2 variants. Vigilance and consistency with prevention and treatment guidelines for COVID-19 is mandatory regardless of the predominant SARS-CoV-2 variant.

Intraparenchymal Lung Abscess Complicating a Primary COVID-19 Infection in a Patient with Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia: A Case Report.

Intraparenchymal lung abscess development associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a rare complication, with only half a dozen primary cases having been reported in the literature. We present the case of a patient with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia who developed a lung abscess subsequent to a primary SARS-CoV-2 infection. We present a 63-year-old male patient with SARS-CoV-2 infection and a history of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia who developed a cavitating intraparenchymal lung abscess with an air-fluid level in his right lower lobe two weeks following admission to hospital. The patient became septic and developed acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation and intensive care. He was managed with broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and aspiration drainage, but unfortunately due to his severe clinical condition died 20 days after his initial admission. The development of a lung abscess in patients with COVID-19, although rare, can be quite compromising and even prove fatal, especially in immunocompromised patients. Clinicians should be aware of this potential complication.

Bloodstream Infections in a COVID-19 Non-ICU Department: Microbial Epidemiology, Resistance Profiles and Comparative Analysis of Risk Factors and Patients' Outcome.

Background: Bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by highly resistant pathogens in non-ICU COVID-19 departments pose important challenges. Methods: We performed a comparative analysis of incidence and microbial epidemiology of BSI in COVID-19 vs. non-COVID-19, non-ICU departments between 1 September 2020-31 October 2021. Risk factors for BSI and its impact on outcome were evaluated by a case-control study which included COVID-19 patients with/without BSI. Results: Forty out of 1985 COVID-19 patients developed BSI. The mean monthly incidence/100 admissions was 2.015 in COVID-19 and 1.742 in non-COVID-19 departments. Enterococcus and Candida isolates predominated in the COVID-19 group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.018, respectively). All Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were carbapenem-resistant (CR). In the COVID-19 group, 33.3% of Klebsiella pneumoniae was CR, 50% of Escherichia coli produced ESBL and 19% of Enterococcus spp. were VRE vs. 74.5%, 26.1% and 8.8% in the non-COVID-19 group, respectively. BSI was associated with prior hospitalization (p = 0.003), >2 comorbidities (p < 0.001), central venous catheter (p = 0.015), severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and lack of COVID-19 vaccination (p < 0.001). In the multivariate regression model also including age and multiple comorbidities, only BSI was significantly associated with adverse in-hospital outcome [OR (CI95%): 21.47 (3.86−119.21), p < 0.001]. Conclusions: BSI complicates unvaccinated patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and increases mortality. BSI pathogens and resistance profiles differ among COVID-19/non-COVID-19 departments, suggesting various routes of pathogen acquisition.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing and prognosis in patients with systemic sclerosis without baseline pulmonary hypertension: a prospective cohort study.

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) is a standardized, non-invasive procedure assessing pulmonary, cardiovascular, hematopoietic, and skeletal muscle functions during a symptom-limited test. Few studies have examined whether CPET is of prognostic value in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), a disease characterized by highly increased cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality. To examine the prognostic value of CPET in SSc patients without baseline pulmonary hypertension (PH). Sixty-two consecutive SSc patients underwent CPET, Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) and echocardiography at baseline. Four patients with Right Ventricular Systolic Pressure ≥ 40 mmHg, were excluded. Participants repeated PFTs approximately every 3 years. At the end of the follow-up period [median (IQR): 9.79 (2.78) years] patient vital status was recorded. Cox Regression analysis was used to identify predictors of deterioration of PFTs and 10-year survival. Median (IQR) age of 58 patients (90% women) at baseline was 54.0 (15.0) years, whereas 10-year survival was 88%. Baseline respiratory Oxygen uptake (VO2max) predicted PFT deterioration, defined either as a decline in FVC ≥ 10% or a combined decline in FVC 5%-9% plus DLCO ≥ 15%, during follow-up, after correction for age, gender and smoking status (HR: 0.874, 95%CI: 0.779-0.979, p = 0.021). In addition, lower baseline VO2max (HR = 0.861, 95%CI:0.739-1.003, p = 0.054) and DLCO (HR = 0.957, 95%CI: 0.910-1.006 p = 0.088), as well as male gender (HR = 5.68, 95%CI: 1.090-29.610 p = 0.039) and older age (HR = 1.069, 95%CI: 0.990-1.154, p = 0.086) were associated, after adjustment, with an increased risk for death. In the absence of baseline PH, CPET indices may predict pulmonary function deterioration and death in SSc patients during a nearly 10-year follow-up period.

A Pilot Study About the Dysfunction of Adipose Tissue in Male, Sleep Apneic Patients in Relation to Psychological Symptoms.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and its cardiometabolic alterations are closely associated with visceral obesity. Patients with OSA frequently present with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Although these subjective symptoms of OSA are the result of complex biological dysregulation, it remains unclear if they have a direct effect on the dysfunction of adipose tissue. Methods: In a pilot, prospective, randomized study, we evaluated 10 recently diagnosed male patients with severe OSA by full polysomnography (PSG) and 4 male non-apneic subjects matched for age and body mass index (BMI) with abdomen adipose tissue biopsies. Subjects with diabetes/prediabetes and cardiovascular and psychiatric diseases and who are current smokers were excluded. All patients underwent anthropometric measurements and completed the following questionnaires: Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A and HADS-D). Fasting venous blood samples were collected on the day after PSG, between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m., after an overnight fast. Fat biopsies were performed at the same time periods and adipose tissue samples of 300 mg were obtained from abdominal fat. Fat cell size, extent of fibrosis, vascularity, leukocyte common antigen inflammatory infiltration, and tissue macrophage accumulation were microscopically evaluated. Results: The mean age of the group was 47.4 ± 13.8 years, with mean BMI of 35.8 ± 4.8 kg/m2 and mean apnea-hypopnea index of 79.4 ± 46.1 events per hour of sleep (severe OSA). HADS-A and HADS-D scores were 5.8 ± 2.3 (3.0-8.0) and 4.7 ± 2.3 (2.0-8.0), respectively. HADS-A score correlated positively with macrophage accumulation in fat biopsy (r = 0.82, p = 0.047), whereas ESS, FSS, and HADS-D did not. Severity of fibrosis correlated largely with waist circumference (r = -0.66, p = 0.038) and neck circumference (r = -0.790, p = 0.006). Respiratory events correlated negatively with the extent of vascularization of adipose tissue (r = -0.614, p = 0.05). Conclusions: In the preliminary results of our pilot study, we assessed that the symptoms of anxiety mainly contribute to macrophage accumulation, whereas the increased number of respiratory events reduces the extent of vascularization in visceral fat in OSA. Based on this observation, further larger studies are required to verify if anxious OSA patients are more vulnerable to the metabolic manifestations of the syndrome.

Clinical Characteristics of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Psychiatric Disease.

Patients with serious psychiatric diseases (major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), and schizophrenia and psychotic disorder) often complain about sleepiness during the day, fatigue, low energy, concentration problems, and insomnia; unfortunately, many of these symptoms are also frequent in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). However, existing data about the clinical appearance of OSA in Psychiatric Disease are generally missing. The aim of our study was a detailed and focused evaluation of OSA in Psychiatric Disease, in terms of symptoms, comorbidities, clinical characteristics, daytime respiratory function, and overnight polysomnography data. We examined 110 patients (56 males and 54 females) with stable Psychiatric Disease (Group A: 66 with MDD, Group B: 34 with BD, and Group C: 10 with schizophrenia). At baseline, each patient answered the STOP-Bang Questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and underwent clinical examination, oximetry, spirometry, and overnight polysomnography. Body Mass Index (BMI), neck, waist, and hip circumferences, and arterial blood pressure values were also measured. The mean age of the whole population was 55.1 ± 10.6 years. The three groups had no statistically significant difference in age, BMI, hip circumference, and systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure. Class II and III obesity with BMI > 35 kg/m2 was observed in 36 subjects (32.14%). A moderate main effect of psychiatric disease was observed in neck (p = 0.044, η2 = 0.064) and waist circumference (p = 0.021, η2 = 0.078), with the depression group showing the lowest values, and in pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity (FVC, %), p = 0.013, η2 = 0.084), with the psychotic group showing the lowest values. Intermediate to high risk of OSA was present in 87.37% of participants, according to the STOP-Bang Questionnaire (≥3 positive answers), and 70.87% responded positively for feeling tired or sleepy during the day. An Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) ≥ 15 events per hour of sleep was recorded in 72.48% of our patients. AHI was associated positively with male sex, schizophrenia, neck, and waist circumferences, STOP-Bang and ESS scores, and negatively with respiratory function. A large main effect of psychiatric medications was observed in waist circumference (p = 0.046, η2 = 0.151), FVC (%) (p = 0.027, η2 = 0.165), and in time spend with SaO2 < 90% (p = 0.006, η2 = 0.211). Our study yielded that patients with Psychiatric Disease are at risk of OSA, especially men suffering from schizophrenia and psychotic disorders that complain about sleepiness and have central obesity and disturbed respiratory function. Screening for OSA is mandatory in this medical population, as psychiatric patients have significantly poorer physical health than the general population and the coexistence of the two diseases can further negatively impact several health outcomes.

Pulmonary function abnormalities are common in patients with multiple myeloma and are independently associated with worse outcome.

Pre-existing pulmonary disease may affect treatment choices, toxicity, and survival of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, data on the prognostic value of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in myeloma patients' outcome, at the time of initial assessment of newly diagnosed patients, are scarce. Here, we prospectively performed PFTs in 121 newly diagnosed MM patients, before initiation of treatment, and we evaluated possible associations of lung function with their outcomes. Fifty-four patients (44.63%) had either obstructive or restrictive pulmonary function defects, even among those not reporting a history of lung disease. The survival was significantly worse in those with obstructive pulmonary defect (median OS 32.8 months) vs. those with restrictive (median OS 52.5 months) or normal lung function (median not reached, 3-year survival 76%) (p = 0.013), independently of other myeloma-related factors. Forced vital capacity (FVC) (lt) (p = 0.012), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (lt) (p = 0.018), peak expiratory flow (PEF) (lt/min) (p = 0.008), carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (DLCO) (p = 0.012), and expiratory/inspiratory pressures (Pe) (kPa) (p = 0.032)/(Pi) (kPa) (p = 0.023) were significantly associated with OS. Myeloma-related factors associated with survival included ISS stage (p = 0.008), hypercalcemia (p = 0.064), and high-risk cytogenetics (p = 0.004). In the multivariate analysis, only the presence of high-risk cytogenetics and presence of either or both PEF and DLCO < 65% of predicted were independent prognostic factors. We conclude that PEF and DLCO could be useful in the initial assessment of newly diagnosed MM patients as significant predictors of survival. Further research is needed to evaluate if respiratory screening should be included in the routine initial evaluation of myeloma patients, despite the presence or absence of respiratory symptoms or abnormal clinical respiratory examination.

Sleepiness, fatigue, anxiety and depression in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea - Overlap - Syndrome, before and after continuous positive airways pressure therapy.

Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and / or Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) often complain about sleepiness, fatigue, anxiety and depression. However, common screening questionnaires, like Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) have not been previous evaluated in patients with overlap-coexisting COPD and OSA-syndrome versus patients with OSA alone. Our study compared ESS, FSS and HADS between patients with overlap syndrome and patients with OSA, before and after treatment with Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP). We examined 38 patients with coexisting COPD and OSA versus 38 patients with OSA-only and 28 subjects without respiratory disease, serving as controls. All patients underwent pulmonary function tests (PFTs), oximetry and overnight polysomnography and completed the questionnaires, before and after 3 months of CPAP therapy. The two patient groups did not differ significantly in terms of age, Body Mass Index (BMI), neck, waist and hip circumferences, and arterial blood pressure values. They also had similar comorbidities. They differed significantly, as expected, in PFTs (Forced Vital Capacity-FVC, 2.53±0.73 vs 3.08±0.85 lt, p = 0.005, Forced Expiratory Volume in 1sec-FEV1, 1.78±0.53 vs 2.60±0.73 lt/min, p<0.001) and in daytime oximetry (94.75±2.37 vs 96.13±1.56%, p = 0.007). ESS, HADS-Anxiety and HADS-Depression scores did not differ statistically significant between these two groups, whereas overlap syndrome patients expressed significantly more fatigue (FSS) than OSA-only patients, a finding that persisted even after 3 months of CPAP therapy. We conclude that sleepiness, anxiety and depression were similar in both groups, whereas fatigue was more prominent in patients with overlap syndrome than in sleep apneic patients and did not ameliorate after treatment.

"Liquid elbows" due to afatinib administration.

Non-small cell lung cancer adenocarcinoma in the past decade has targeted therapies as the cornerstone for therapy. In specific patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation have three different therapy approaches with the tyrosine kinase inhibitors: erlotinib, gefitinib and afatinib. Nowadays we can use tyrosine kinase inhibitors as second line treatment for squamous cell carcinoma. We present a case with a patient with squamous cell carcinoma receiving afatinib tyrosine kinase inhibitor who presented elbow bursitis or olecranon bursitis in both elbows.

Progressive dyspnea due to pulmonary carcinoid tumorlets.

This is a case description of a female patient, 77 years-old, who presented with progressive dyspnea and cough. She had a mild hypoxemia in the arterial blood gases (PaO2 72 mmHg) and normal spirometry. The chest computer tomography revealed diffuse "ground glass" opacities, segmental alveolitis, bronchiectasis, fibrotic lesions and numerous micronodules. A thoracoscopy was performed and the obtained biopsy showed carcinoid tumorlets, with positive CK8/18, CD56, TTF-1 and synaptophysin immunohistochemical markers. Pulmonary carcinoid tumorlets are rare, benign lesions and individuals with tumorlets are typically asymptomatic. Our report presents a symptomatic clinical case of carcinoid tumorlet.

Complications of anesthesia during electroconvulsive therapy due to undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea: A case-study.

This is a case description of two patients with bipolar affective disorder, who presented complications, possibly due to underlying, undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), during anesthesia for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The first patient, just after receiving the second ECT, developed tachypnea with spasm of the upper airways and severe oxygen desaturation He was intubated and transferred to the medical intensive care unit where he was extubated 15 h later. The second patient, just after the eighth ECT, developed tachycardia and severe hypertension. He was transferred to the recovery room where he received oxygen therapy via nasal cannula and amlodipine. Both patients in the diagnostic polysomnographic tests which followed revealed a moderate to high apnea - hypopnea index (AHI) and distortion of sleep architecture. These cases highlight the need to assess for OSAS patients who receive ECT, especially if they exhibit peri-anesthesia complications.

CPAP therapy induces favorable short-term changes in epicardial fat thickness and vascular and metabolic markers in apparently healthy subjects with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is an independent risk factor for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus. Epicardial fat has been recently recognized as a new risk factor and active participant on cardiometabolic risk. The aim of this study was to assess an independent relationship between sleep apnea severity, metabolic and vascular markers, and epicardial fat, at baseline and after 3 months of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Our study group consisted of 48 patients with suspected OSAHS and no prior history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus. All patients underwent full overnight polysomnography. Thickness of epicardial and visceral adipose tissue, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), pulse wave velocity (PWV), plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, fasting glucose levels, HbA1c, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA), and lipid profile were measured at baseline and after 3 months of CPAP use in patients with moderate to severe OSAHS. RESULTS: In OSAHS patients (Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥15/h, N = 28), epicardial fat correlated with fasting glucose (rho = 0.406, p = 0.04) and HOMA (rho = 0.525, p = 0.049) but was not associated with visceral fat (rho = 0.126, p = 0.595). Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) (p = 0.022) increased across AHI severity along with PWV (p = 0.045) and carotid intima media thickness (IMT) (p = 0.034) while FMD (p = 0.017) decreased. Therapy with CPAP reduced both epicardial (p < 0.001) and visceral fat (p = 0.001). Alterations in epicardial fat across the follow-up were associated with changes in PWV (p = 0.026) and HOMA (p = 0.037) independently of major confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Epicardial fat thickness was associated with OSA severity and may be an additional marker of cardiovascular risk as well as of future diabetes in these patients. CPAP therapy reduced epicardial fat, suggesting its potentially beneficial role in reducing cardiometabolic risk in OSA patients.