Approach to the Older Patient with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This study aims to review the challenges of treating AML in older patients, the spectrum of genomic aberrancies in this cohort, and discuss treatment options for newly diagnosed AML in this patient population. RECENT FINDINGS: Greater understanding of biological underpinnings of AML and availability of newer, effective, targeted therapies have allowed us to move away from intensification of chemotherapy, to prioritize better tolerability while still maintaining efficacy. Increasing knowledge of the genomic complexity and adverse karyotypes in older AML patients drives the need for ongoing investigations of targeted and lower-intensity therapies in the frontline, relapsed/refractory setting, and post-remission.

Severe Thrombocytopenia Two Weeks Following Immunization with the Janssen Ad26.CoV2.S Vaccine.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) has been associated with immunizations with various proposed mechanisms, including overactivation of the immune system and production of antibodies against circulating platelets. ITP has also been associated with several viral infections, including HCV, HIV, and most recently, active SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we present a case of a 52-year-old male with no past medical history who sought evaluation with his primary care physician for upper and lower extremity ecchymosis of one week duration. Outpatient laboratory studies were notable for severe isolated thrombocytopenia with platelet count of 8 × 10^9/L. Interestingly, he received the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine 16 days prior to his presentation. Clinical work up and laboratory investigations led to the diagnosis of ITP.

Suspected COVID-19 Immunization-Induced Probable Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

In this report, we describe the case of a woman with suspected COVID-19 immunization-induced probable catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome. The patient is a 35-year-old female with a past medical history significant for antiphospholipid syndrome, not on anticoagulation, who presented with a 5-day history of abdominal pain and distention, nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath. She had received her first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine one day prior to the onset of symptoms. After extensive workup at an outside hospital, she was found to be in acute heart failure exacerbated by severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. She was transferred to our hospital for escalation of care. EKG showed evidence of prior inferior and septal myocardial infarction. Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed reduced ejection fraction, severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation, and a left ventricular thrombus. Cardiac MRI showed subendocardial late gadolinium enhancement indicative of ischemia. However, CTA of the coronary vessels showed no signs of obstruction. Therefore, her acute heart failure was thought to be due to small vessel thrombosis secondary to antiphospholipid syndrome. During admission, she had several absence seizure-like episodes. CT head showed several hypodensities of the deep white matter and brain MRI demonstrated multiple hyperintense T2 FLAIR signal foci with restriction diffusion and enhancement involving the cerebral hemisphere, consistent with subacute strokes attributed to being secondary to antiphospholipid syndrome or embolic from the left ventricular thrombus. She was treated with heparin for suspected catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome and high-dose corticosteroid therapy for concomitant Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). She was discharged in a stable condition.

Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in hospitalized sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait patients.

INTRODUCTION: Sickle trait (Hb SA) or sickle disease (Hb SS) carries increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Hb SS patients are young and lack common comorbid conditions that qualify them for VTE prophylaxis (VTEP). METHODS: Retrospective, multicenter analysis of Hb SS/Hb SA adult patients between January 2013 and December 2018. RESULTS: There were 803 Hb SA (525 patients) and 1020 Hb SS admissions (262 patients). VTEP use was similar between Hb SA and controls (42% vs. 46%; p-value = .06) and Hb SS and controls (45% vs. 42%; p-value = .13). Hb SS/Hb SA patients more frequently received more than half of prescribed doses of VTEP. In multivariate analysis, increasing age and longer hospitalizations were positive predictors. Odds of VTEP use varied with treatment site for Hb SS patients, whereas comorbid conditions, admission hemoglobin and platelet count were not predictive. By contrast, in Hb SA patients, comorbid conditions, higher admission hemoglobin, and higher admission platelet counts raised the odds of VTEP being offered. CONCLUSIONS: VTEP is underused in Hb SS/Hb SA patients. There may be a trend toward offering more VTEP in Hb SS disease, but not in Hb SA patients, where VTEP prescribing is driven by comorbid conditions rather than genotype. Patient compliance does not appear to play a major role, but intercenter variability suggests provider education may improve VTEP use.

Confusion, Hallucinations, and Primary Polydipsia: A Rare Presentation of Neurosarcoidosis.

Neurosarcoidosis is a rare manifestation of sarcoidosis that can exhibit a variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms and can present independently of pulmonary or other systemic symptoms. This is the case of a 51-year-old African American male who presented with recurrent episodes of auditory and visual hallucinations, confusion, seizures that did not respond to antiepileptics, and recent-onset primary polydipsia. In the emergency department, he did not have meningeal signs, focal neurologic deficits, or a fever. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain demonstrated diffuse meningeal enhancement. The patient underwent a lumbar puncture (LP), with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis notably revealing an elevated angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), an elevated CD4:CD8 ratio, and a negative infectious panel, while computed tomography (CT) imaging showed bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy. He also had an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) with biopsy which did not reveal granulomas. Although sarcoidosis requires granulomas for a definite diagnosis, studies and symptoms were consistent with neurosarcoidosis, and this can suggest that the disease was isolated to the central nervous system (CNS). This case highlights the need for further understanding of psychiatric symptoms as a sign of isolated neurosarcoidosis.

Extubation Failure in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: Risk Factors and Impact on In-Hospital Mortality.

PURPOSE: We sought to identify clinical factors that predict extubation failure (reintubation) and its prognostic implications in critically ill COVID-19 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective, multi-center cohort study of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Multivariate competing risk models were employed to explore the rate of reintubation and its determining factors. RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-one extubated patients were included (mean age, 61.0 years [±13.9]; 54.8% male). Reintubation occurred in 93 (33.1%). In multivariate analysis accounting for death, reintubation risk increased with age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.04 per 1-year increase, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02 -1.06), vasopressors (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.04-3.60), renal replacement (HR 2.01, 95% CI 1.22-3.29), maximum PEEP (HR 1.07 per 1-unit increase, 95% CI 1.02 -1.12), paralytics (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.08-2.25) and requiring more than nasal cannula immediately post-extubation (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.37-3.50). Reintubation was associated with higher mortality (36.6% vs 2.1%; P < 0.0001) and risk of inpatient death after adjusting for multiple factors (HR 23.2, 95% CI 6.45-83.33). Prone ventilation, corticosteroids, anticoagulation, remdesivir and tocilizumab did not impact the risk of reintubation or death. CONCLUSIONS: Up to 1 in 3 critically ill COVID-19 patients required reintubation. Older age, paralytics, high PEEP, need for greater respiratory support following extubation and non-pulmonary organ failure predicted reintubation. Extubation failure strongly predicted adverse outcomes.

Epstein-Barr virus induced haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare condition of uncontrolled immune activation as a result of an inherited genetic defect or in response to malignancy, autoimmune disease, rheumatological disease, AIDS infection or post-transplant immunosuppression. Described here is the case of a 19-year-old Caucasian man who presented with complaints of worsening fever, new-onset jaundice and lethargy after failing treatment for suspected infectious mononucleosis. Physical examination was significant for fever and splenomegaly while laboratory results revealed transaminitis, cytopaenia, indirect hyperbilirubinaemia and elevated ferritin, raising the likelihood of both autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and HLH. He tested positive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and bone marrow biopsy revealed hypercellular marrow with haemophagocytosis and no evidence of malignancy. High dose steroids were initiated with significant improvement in haemoglobin, resulting in a final diagnosis of HLH secondary to acute EBV infection. The patient was discharged on continued high-dose prednisone with planned taper and consideration of outpatient rituximab therapy for 4 weeks. High clinical suspicion and prompt evaluation were critical to early treatment and decreased morbidity.