Risk Factors Associated with Mortality among Patients with COVID-19: Analysis of a Cohort of 1213 Patients in a Tertiary Healthcare Center.

The presence of cardio-metabolic and respiratory comorbidities, immunosuppression, and chronic kidney disease have been associated with an increase in mortality from COVID-19. The objective of this study is to establish the risk factors associated with 30-day mortality in a cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. This paper conducts a retrospective and analytical study of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in a tertiary care center. A Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to estimate the association of comorbidities with 30-day mortality. A total of 1215 patients with a median age of 59 years were included. In the adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression model, hypothyroidism, D-dimer ≥ 0.8 µg/mL, LHD ≥ 430 IU/L, CRP ≥ 4.83 ng/mL, and triglycerides ≥ 214 mg/dL were associated with an increased risk of death. The presence of a history of hypothyroidism and biomarkers (D-dimer, lactic dehydrogenase, CRP, and triglycerides) were associated with an increase in mortality in the studied cohort.

[Loss of smell, a preliminary indicator of COVID-19]. / La pérdida del olfato, un indicador preliminar de COVID-19.

Some reports have been recently published on olfactory loss in people with severe COVID-19. It is suggested to take into consideration the recommendations of the American Academy of Otolaryngology and the British Association of Otorhinolaryngology to include olfactory loss as an early clinical symptom of COVID-19 and consider sudden olfactory loss, as a high index of suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 infection. It can be established that the majority of patients with olfactory loss due to COVID-19, present hyposmia and not anosmia. Patients with olfactory loss, who had SARS-CoV-2 infection, should be classified as loss secondary to viral infection.

En fechas recientes se han publicado algunos informes sobre la pérdida olfatoria en personas con COVID-19. Se sugiere tomar en consideración las recomendaciones de la American Academy of Otolaryngology y la British Association of Otorhinolaryngology para agregar la pérdida olfatoria como síntoma clínico temprano de COVID-19, y considerar la pérdida súbita olfatoria como alto índice de sospecha de infección por SARS-CoV-2. Se puede establecer que la mayoría de los pacientes con pérdida olfatoria por COVID-19 presentan hiposmia y no anosmia. Los pacientes con pérdida olfatoria que cursaron con infección por SARS-CoV-2 deben ser clasificados como pérdida secundaria a infección viral.

Diagnostic accuracy of symptoms as a diagnostic tool for SARS-CoV 2 infection: a cross-sectional study in a cohort of 2,173 patients.

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to be a priority health problem; According to the World Health Organization data from October 13, 2020, 37,704,153 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported, including 1,079,029 deaths, since the outbreak. The identification of potential symptoms has been reported to be a useful tool for clinical decision-making in emergency departments to avoid overload and improve the quality of care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performances of symptoms as a diagnostic tool for SARS -CoV-2 infection. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional, prospective and analytical study was carried out, during the period of time from April 14 to July 21, 2020. Data (demographic variables, medical history, respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms) were collected by emergency physicians. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was made using SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. The diagnostic accuracy of these characteristics for COVID-19 was evaluated by calculating the positive and negative likelihood ratios. A Mantel-Haenszel and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of symptoms with COVID-19. RESULTS: A prevalence of 53.72% of SARS-CoV-2 infection was observed. The symptom with the highest sensitivity was cough 71%, and a specificity of 52.68%. The symptomatological scale, constructed from 6 symptoms, obtained a sensitivity of 83.45% and a specificity of 32.86%, taking ≥2 symptoms as a cut-off point. The symptoms with the greatest association with SARS-CoV-2 were: anosmia odds ratio (OR) 3.2 (95% CI; 2.52-4.17), fever OR 2.98 (95% CI; 2.47-3.58), dyspnea OR 2.9 (95% CI; 2.39-3.51]) and cough OR 2.73 (95% CI: 2.27-3.28). CONCLUSION: The combination of ≥2 symptoms / signs (fever, cough, anosmia, dyspnea and oxygen saturation < 93%, and headache) results in a highly sensitivity model for a quick and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19, and should be used in the absence of ancillary diagnostic studies. Symptomatology, alone and in combination, may be an appropriate strategy to use in the emergency department to guide the behaviors to respond to the disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Institutional registration R-2020-3601-145, Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks 17 CI-09-015-034, National Bioethics Commission: 09 CEI-023-2017082 .

A Case of Fatal Rhino-Orbital Mucormycosis Associated With New Onset Diabetic Ketoacidosis and COVID-19.

Mucormycosis is an invasive fungal infection, often acute and extremely severe, occurring in patients with an underlying condition. Coinfection in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been reported, often bacterial. A 24-year-old female is presented with acute fatal rhino-orbital mucormycosis and COVID-19. We report one of the first cases of rhino-orbital mucormycosis and COVID-19. With this case, we highlight the importance of considering mycotic coinfection in COVID-19 patients with diabetes.

Evaluation of predictive value of olfactory dysfunction, as a screening tool for COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: At the end of 2019, SARS-CoV-2 was identified, the one responsible for the COVID-19 disease. Between a 5.1% and a 98% of COVID-19 patients present some form of alteration in their sense of smell. The objective of this study is to determine the diagnostic yield of the smell dysfunction as screening tool for COVID-19. METHODS: Cross-sectional, observational, and pro-elective study was performed in a tertiary care hospital from May 25th to June 30th, 2020. One hundred and thirty-nine patients were included in the study. Demographic characteristics were collected from anamnesis. A Self-Perception Questionnaire and psychophysical olfactory test (POT) were applied to all participants. The presence of SARS-CoV2, was detected by RT-PCR methods. RESULTS: 51.7% of patients were SARS-CoV-2 positive. A sensitivity of 50% was obtained for the self-perception questionnaire as a screening tool for SARS-CoV2, with a specificity of 80.59%. The positive predictive value (PPV) was of 73.46%, the negative predictive value (NPV) was of 60%. The POT as a screening tool had a PPV of 82.35%, a NPV of 52.45%, a LR+ of 4.34, a LR- 0.84. The combination of anosmia (according to the POT) plus cough and asthenia got an OR of 8.25 for the SARS CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSION: There is a strong association between olfactory dysfunction and COVID-19. However, it is not really efficient in the screening of SARS-CoV-2 infection and thus, they should not be considered as a single diagnostic instrument. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Broncho-Vaxom® (OM-85 BV) soluble components stimulate sinonasal innate immunity.

BACKGROUND: Broncho-Vaxom® (OM-85 BV) is an extract of infectious respiratory bacteria that is used as an immunostimulant outside of the United States for the prevention and treatment of bronchitis and rhinosinusitis. Prior studies have shown that use of OM-85 BV is associated with reduction in frequency of respiratory infection and decreased duration of antibiotic usage. However, the effects of OM-85 BV on respiratory mucosal innate immunity are unknown. METHODS: Human sinonasal epithelial cells were grown at an air-liquid interface (ALI). Ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and nitric oxide (NO) production in response to stimulation with OM-85 BV was measured in vitro. Pharmacologic inhibitors of bitter taste receptor (T2R) signaling were used to determine if this pathway was taste-receptor-mediated. RESULTS: Apical application of OM-85 BV resulted in an NO-mediated increase in CBF (p < 0.05) and increased NO production (p < 0.0001) when compared to saline-stimulated control cultures. ALI pretreatment with taste receptor pathway inhibitors blocked OM-85 BV-induced increases in NO. CONCLUSION: OM-85 BV has ciliostimulatory and immunogenic properties that may be partially responsible for its observed efficacy as a respiratory therapeutic. These responses were NO-dependent and consistent with T2R activation. Further work is necessary to elucidate specific component-receptor signaling relationships.

[Experience in the surgical treatment of paranasal sinus mucoceles in a university hospital]. / Experiencia en el tratamiento quirúrgico de mucoceles de senos paranasales en un hospital universitario.

BACKGROUND: Mucoceles are benign cystic lesions of the paranasal sinuses. Endoscopic marsupialisation is considered the first choice of treatment, due to its low morbidity and recurrence rates. OBJECTIVE: To establish the number of patients with recurrence, who were diagnosed clinically or by computed tomography, and who were submitted to surgery in the Ear, Nose and Throat Unit in a tertiary university hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A clinical, cross-sectional, descriptive, observational and retrospective study was conducted on patients with a mucocele diagnosis operated on in the period from January 2006 to December 2013. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed to obtain the frequencies, ratios and proportions. Measures of central tendency and dispersion were obtained. The recurrence rates of each surgical technique were compared using the Chi-squared test. RESULTS: Of the 59 patients included in the study, 39 were female and 20 were men. The most common location was in the maxillary sinus (22 patients) followed by frontoethmoidal (20 patients). There was a recurrence of 9% in those submitted to a surgical procedure. The endoscopic approach was used in 51 patients, 8 cases were combined (open plus endoscopic), and there was no open approach. There was a recurrence in 7 of 51 of patients with endoscopic surgery, and one out of 8 patients had a recurrence with a combined technique. CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant relationship was found between the type of surgery and recurrence, or between the presence or absence of a predisposing factor and recurrence.

[Complications of endoscopic nasal and sinus surgery: experience in 150 patients]. / Cirugía endoscópica de nariz y senos paranasales. Complicaciones en 150 pacientes.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic nasal and sinus surgery has been used greatly for the treatment of inflammatory and neoplasm pathology, as well as for the approach of the extrasinus structures. Although it has proven to be a very successful method, it is not exempt of complications. Our objective was to identify the frequency of complications in patients with sinus and nasal pathology that underwent an endoscopic surgery of the nose and sinuses. METHODS: A total of 150 patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery, 75 women and 75 men, in a specialties hospital of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS). The type of pathology, surgical technique done, major and minor adverse event presented were recorded. RESULTS: We observed an overall complication rate of 18 %: 2.7 % corresponded to major, and 15.3 % to minor. The main pathologies were chronic rhinosinusitis without polyps (24.7 %) and sinus nasal tumors (22 %). CONCLUSIONS: The overall complications and the major rates were similar to those reported in the literature. On the other hand, the minor adverse events were slightly higher. Still, endoscopic surgery has become a safe surgical treatment option.

INTRODUCCIÓN: la cirugía endoscópica de la nariz y senos paranasales ha tenido un gran auge para tratar la patología inflamatoria y tumoral, y para abordar estructuras extrasinusales. Aunque ha demostrado ser un método muy exitoso, no deja de ser motivo de complicaciones. El objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar la frecuencia de complicaciones en los pacientes con patología nasosinusal sometidos a cirugía endoscópica de nariz y senos paranasales. MÉTODOS: se evaluaron 150 pacientes operados por vía endoscópica, 75 mujeres y 75 hombres, en un hospital de especialidades del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. Se registró tipo de patología, tipo de cirugía endoscópica realizada y sus complicaciones mayores y menores. RESULTADOS: se observó 18 % de complicaciones globales: 2.7 % mayores y 15.3 %, menores. Las principales patologías fueron rinosinusitis crónica sin pólipos (24.7 %) y tumores nasosinusales (22 %). CONCLUSIONES: la frecuencia de complicaciones totales, y de estas las mayores, fueron similares a las reportadas en la literatura mundial. En cuanto a las complicaciones menores, estas presentaron mayor frecuencia. Aun así, la cirugía endoscópica se ha convertido en una opción segura de tratamiento quirúrgico en problemas de nariz y senos paranasales.

[Evolution of maxillary sinus surgery in a university hospital]. / Evolución de la cirugía del seno maxilar en un hospital universitario.

BACKGROUND: Maxillary sinus surgery has been evolving and, due to advances in technology, endoscopic surgery is widely used in the maxillary sinus for multiple pathologies that 15 years ago were treated through open approaches. For this reason, we conducted an observational descriptive study. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of patients with pathology involving the maxillary sinus and who were surgically treated from January 2008 to December 2009, type of disease, surgical approach used, presence of complications, pre- and postoperative score according to the Lund-Mackay scale, and resolution (or not) of symptoms. We compared these results with a previous study carried out in 1994 in our hospital. We found a total of 177 patients with maxillary sinus-related pathology, of whom 46 patients were excluded. RESULTS: In 131 patients we found a clear predominance of chronic rhinosinusitis without polyps as a pre-surgical diagnosis. We used four different approaches: endoscopic (88.5%), combined approach (5.5%), sublabial expanded (4.5%) and Caldwell Luc (1.5%); 41% of the patients received 0 points on the postoperative Lund-Mackay scale. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery of the maxillary sinus in our hospital has evolved considerably; the endoscopic approach was used as a surgical treatment in >90% of patients with a low percentage of complications.

[Chronic invasive rhinocerebral mucormycosis]. / Mucormicosis rinocerebral invasora crónica.

Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is a fulminant fungal disease that typically presents acutely in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis or immunosuppression. The case of a 55 year-old male patient is presented; the patient experienced chronic infection that involved nose, paranasal sinuses, hard palate, orbit, pterygopalatine fossa, infratemporal fossa with cavernous sinus thrombosis and compression of the internal carotid artery which develops in insidious manner after metabolic imbalance with predominantly ocular symptoms. The patient was managed with Amphotericin B and radical surgical debridement of affected tissue, the patient presenting cure without complications or added disabilities.