Demographic and clinical features of critically ill patients with COVID-19 in Greece: The burden of diabetes and obesity.

AIMS: The aim of the study was to investigate the association between type-2 diabetes mellitus, other underlying diseases and obesity with the outcomes of critically ill Covid-19 patients in Greece. METHODS: In this retrospective observational multi-centre study, data and outcomes of 90 RNA 2109-nCoV confirmed critically ill patients from 8 hospitals throughout Greece, were analysed. All reported information stand through April 13th 2020. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 65.5 (IQR 56-73), majority were male (80%) and obesity was present in 34.4% of patients most prevalent to younger than 55 years. Hypertension was the prevailing comorbidity (50%), followed by cardiovascular diseases (21.1%) and type-2 diabetes (18.9%). At admission, common symptoms duration had a median of 8 (IQR 5-11) days. A 13.3% of the patients were discharged, 53.4% were still in the ICUs and 28.9% deceased who were hospitalised for fewer days than the survivors [6 (IQR 3-9) vs. 9 (IQR 7-14.5) respectively]. Aging was not a risk factor but diabetes deteriorates the outcomes. Obesity poses a suggestive burden as it was more notable in deceased versus survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Type 2 diabetes and obesity may have contributed to disease severity and mortality in COVID-19 critically ill patients in Greece.

The adjunctive use of platelet-rich plasma in the therapy of periodontal intraosseous defects: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The evidence for the efficacy of the adjunctive use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in periodontal intraosseous defects has not been systematically evaluated. The objective of this review was to address the focused question, 'What is the efficacy, with respect to clinical, radiographical and patient-centred outcomes, of combinations of PRP with other therapeutic bioactive agents/procedures, compared with the efficacy of the same agents/procedures without the adjunctive use of PRP in the therapy of periodontal intraosseous defects in patients with chronic periodontitis and without systemic diseases that could potentially influence the outcome of periodontal therapy?' by performing a systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) published in the dental literature in any language, up to and including September 2008. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data sources principally included electronic databases, manually searched journals and contact with experts. In the first phase of study selection, the titles and abstracts, and in the second phase, full papers were screened independently and in duplicate by two reviewers. RESULTS: In the first phase, 6124 potentially relevant titles and abstracts were examined. In the second phase, the full text of 20 publications was thoroughly evaluated. Eventually, 10 RCTs were selected. CONCLUSION: Diverse outcomes (positive and negative) have been reported for the efficacy of PRP combined with various therapeutic bioactive agents/procedures, reflecting the limited and heterogeneous data available and possibly suggesting that the specific selection of agents/procedures combined with PRP could be important. Additional research on the efficacy of each specific combination of PRP is necessary.

Penetration of colistin into cerebrospinal fluid.

Colistin penetration into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was studied in five critically ill adult patients receiving colistin methanesulfonate for infections by multiresistant gram-negative bacilli. Colistin concentrations were determined in paired serum and CSF samples, with the latter taken by lumbar puncture, with the exception of one patient with an external ventriculostomy. CSF-to-serum ratios (0.051 to 0.057) for all study patients coincided at all sampling times. The low level (5%) of penetration suggests inadequate bactericidal colistin concentrations in the CSF.

The critically ill patient with cancer - indications for Intensive Care Unit admission and outcomes.

Critically ill cancer patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) have high mortality rates compared to noncancer patients. Yet, with suitable patient selection, improved ICU- and 6-month survival has been observed in these patients: admission of cancer patients to the ICU can no more be considered futile. As a general rule, patients with good performance status, who are at the initial phase of their malignant disease and with life-extending treatment options available, should be routinely admitted to the ICU, while patients being only in palliative care should not. When in doubt, an ICU trial with re-appraisal at 3-6 days may be the best policy, as the data available when ICU admission is considered, are not sufficient to identify patients who are likely to benefit from ICU management.

Venous pressure measurements in the superior and inferior vena cava: the influence of intra-abdominal pressure.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the relationship of pressure in the inferior vena cava (Pivc) with a) pressure in the superior vena cava (Psvc), b) intra-abdominal pressure as measured in the urinary bladder (Pcyst). METHODOLOGY: A prospective study of 38 mechanically ventilated patients. Simultaneous measurements of Psvc, Pivc and Pcyst (151 sets of measurements) were performed. Measurements were divided in: Group A (Pcyst < 10 mmHg), group B (10 mmHg < or = Pcyst < 15 mmHg), group C (Pcyst > or = 15 mmHg). Statistical analysis was performed with paired t-test, Pearson correlation. Results are expressed in mean +/- SEM. RESULTS: In Groups A and B, Psvc and Pivc were not significantly different and they were highly correlated (10.8+/-0.5 mmHg vs. 10.9+/-0.5 mmHg, r=0.93 for Group A and 14.4+/-0.7 mmHg vs. 14.7+/-0.6 mmHg, r=0.87 for Group B). Pcyst was significantly lower than Pivc in both groups. In Group C, Pivc was significantly higher than Psvc (18.9+/-0.7 mmHg vs. 16.4+/-0.7 mmHg). There was no significant difference between Pivc and Pcyst (19.2+/-0.6 mmHg). Pivc significantly correlated with Pcyst (r=0.78) and Psvc (r=0.7). A. When Pcyst > Psvc, Pivc was higher than Psvc (p<0.01). With Pcyst < 15 mmHg, no significant difference was found between Pcyst and Pivc and they were correlated (r=0.766, p<0.05). Pressures in the superior and inferior vena cava were also correlated (r=0.764, p<0.05). With Pcyst > or = 15 mmHg, Pivc was lower than Pcyst (p<0.01). It correlated highly with Pcyst (r=0.85, p<0.01) and less strongly with Psvc (r=0.701, p<0.01). B. When Pcyst < or = Psvc, no difference between Pivc and Psvc was observed. With Pcyst < 15 mmHg, Pivc was higher than Pcyst (p<0.01) and highly correlated with Psvc (r=0.932, p<0.01). Pivc also correlated with Pcyst (r=0.69, p<0.01). With Pcyst > or = 15 mmHg, Pivc was higher than Pcyst (p<0.01) and correlated with Psvc (r=0.74, p<0.01) and Pcyst (r=0.789, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Although Psvc and Pivc are interchangeable in the absence of an increased Pcyst, when Pcyst is high, measurements of Pivc are misleading. A Pcyst > Psvc results in a "waterfall" effect, and Pivc does not accurately reflect Psvc any more.

Prolonged coma due to cerebral fat embolism: report of two cases.

Fat embolism syndrome remains a rare, but potentially life threatening complication of long bone fractures. The true incidence is difficult to assess as many cases remain undiagnosed. Cerebral involvement varies from confusion to encephalopathy with coma and seizures. Clinical symptoms and computed tomography are not always diagnostic, while magnetic resonance imaging is more sensitive in the detection of a suspected brain embolism. Two cases of post-traumatic cerebral fat embolism, manifested by prolonged coma and diffuse cerebral oedema, are presented. The clinical course of the disease as well as the intensive care unit management are discussed.