Radiological outcome of bone disease in multiple myeloma patients pre- and post therapy: A single center experience.

OBJECTIVES: To find any correlation between the clinical response as per International Working Myeloma Group (IWMG) response criteria and the radiological response at the end of treatment. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, total of 39 patients whom diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM) between January 2010 and December 2018 and fulfilled the study criteria were included. RESULTS: The high sensitivity and specificity of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in detecting osteolytic myeloma lesions in the bones was strongly emphasized in our study. Follow up PET/CT, we found that while 17 patients showed complete remission in PET/CT, and 14 of these of patients demonstrated a complete clinical response at end of therapy assessment. CONCLUSION: Although we did not find a statistically significant correlation between the response versus metabolic activity and the number of bone/bone marrow lesions, however, our study was limited by the absence of clear criteria for defining disease response in PET/CT in MM patients. Further prospective analysis would be needed to establish a defined criterion.

Non-SARS Non-MERS Human Coronaviruses: Clinical Characteristics and Outcome.

Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) have become evident sources of human respiratory infections with new emerging HCoVs as a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The common four coronaviruses (229E, HKU1, NL63, and OC43) are known to cause respiratory illness in humans, but their clinical impact is poorly described in the literature. We analyzed the data of all patients who tested positive for at least one of the four HCoVs from October 2015 to January 2020 in a tertiary care center. HCoVs were detected in 1062 specimens, with an incidence rate of 1.01%, out of all documented respiratory illnesses. Detection of these viruses was reported sporadically throughout the years, with a peak of occurrence during winter seasons. OC43 had the highest incidence (53.7%), followed by NL63 (21.9%), HKU1 (12.6%), and 229E (11.8%). Most of these infections were community-acquired, with symptoms of both upper and lower respiratory tract. Co-detection with other viruses were observed, mostly with rhinovirus. 229E was the most frequent (26.4%) HCoV in patients requiring intensive care, while NL63 and 229E were the most common in patients requiring invasive ventilation. The highest 30-day mortality rate was observed in patients infected with 229E (6.4%). HCoVs are common circulating pathogens that have been present for decades, with 229E being the most virulent in this study cohort.