Prolonged-release pirfenidone in patients with pulmonary fibrosis as a phenotype of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 pneumonia. Safety and efficacy.

INTRODUCTION: One of the major concerns with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) is the development of pulmonary fibrosis, for which no approved pharmacological treatment exists. Therefore, the primary aim of this open-label study was to evaluate the safety and the potential clinical efficacy of a prolonged-release pirfenidone formulation (PR-PFD) in patients having PASC-pulmonary fibrosis. METHODS: Patients with PASC-pulmonary fibrosis received PR-PFD 1800 mg/day (1200 mg in the morning after breakfast and 600 mg in the evening after dinner) for three months. Blood samples were taken to confirm the pharmacokinetics of PR-PFD, and adverse events (AEs) were evaluated monthly using a short questionnaire. Symptoms, dyspnea, and pulmonary function tests (spirometry, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, plethysmography, and 6-min walk test [6MWT]) were evaluated at baseline, and one and three months after having started the PR-PFD treatment. RESULTS: Seventy subjects with mild to moderate lung restriction were included. The most common AEs were diarrhea (23%), heartburn (23%), and headache (16%), for which no modifications in the drug study were needed. Two patients died within the first 30 days of enrolment, and three opted not to continue the study, events which were not associate with PR-PFD. Pulmonary function testing, 6MWT, dyspnea, symptoms, and CT scan significantly improved after three months of treatment with PR-PFD. CONCLUSION: In patients with PASC pulmonary fibrosis, three months' treatment with PR-PFD was safe and showed therapeutic efficacy. Still, it remains to be seen whether the pulmonary fibrotic process remains stable, becomes progressive or will improve.

Asymptomatic true gallbladder duplication: a case report and review of the literature.

Gallbladder duplication is a rare event, with an incidence at autopsy of about 1/4000, with very few documented symptomatic cases reported. Preoperative diagnosis and differentiation of this malformation are important to prevent inadvertent damage to the biliary system, a complicated postoperative course, and repeat surgery. We present a case of true gallbladder duplication found incidentally during abdominal ultrasonography (US). The diagnosis was made with US and the Y-type duplication was demonstrated with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP).

[Pulmonary thromboembolism associated with glioblastoma multiforme: imaging diagnosis of a case and a review of the literature]. / Tromboembolia pulmonar asociada a glioblastoma multiforme: diagnóstico por imagen de un caso y revisión de la bibliografía.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in patients with cerebral neoplasia has been estimated at 120/100,000 (the second highest rate for any kind of malignant neoplasia). A timely diagnosis is an indispensable requisite in the clinical evaluation of neurological patients. Patients suffering from glioblastoma multiforme present a generalized state of hypercoagulability with a deep vein thrombosis incidence after surgery of between 3 and 60%. The incidence with which pulmonary embolism occurs is 5% in patients following neurosurgical operations, with a mortality rate of between 9 and 50%. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 64 year old male patient with a suspected diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism and thrombosis of the right lower limb. Clinical studies included a simple chest X ray, a Doppler ultrasound recording of the lower limbs, a spiral computed tomography (CAT) scan of the thorax, and a magnetic resonance (MR) scan of the head. The spiral CAT scan showed filling defects in the main pulmonary arteries, a tram track appearance and central filling defects. All these findings are compatible with an imaging diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism. CONCLUSIONS: The main aim of this study was to describe the use of spiral CAT scanning as a primary tool in the diagnosis of a case. The concurrence of the spiral scan image, the abnormal increase in D dimer and the clinical information left no doubts about the diagnosis. The clinical manifestations of pulmonary thromboembolism are not specific and therefore the patient s life is at risk. In addition, few reports have been published about the association between glioblastoma multiforme and the later appearance of pulmonary thromboembolism (a search was conducted in the medical literature from the last 10 years using MEDLINE), and hence we have presented a communication dealing with this pathological association together with a brief review of the clinical diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism and its physiopathogenic mechanisms.