Plitidepsin as a successful rescue treatment for prolonged viral SARS-CoV-2 replication in a patient with previous anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody-mediated B cell depletion and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: There is an urgent need for highly efficacious antiviral therapies in immunosuppressed hosts who develop coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with special concern for those affected by hematological malignancies. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we report the case of a 75-year-old male with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who was deficient in CD19+CD20+ B-lymphocyte populations due to previous treatment with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. The patient presented with severe COVID-19 pneumonia due to prolonged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and was treated with two courses of the antiviral plitidepsin on a compassionate use basis. The patient subsequently achieved an undetectable viral load, and his pneumonia resolved. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with plitidepsin was well-tolerated without any further hematological or cardiovascular toxicities. This case further supports plitidepsin as a potential antiviral drug in SARS-CoV-2 patients affected by immune deficiencies and hematological malignancies.

Safety and Efficacy of Prolonged Use of Dalbavancin in Bone and Joint Infections.

Dalbavancin is a lipoglycopeptide with potent activity against Gram-positive microorganisms, a long half-life, a favorable safety profile, and a high concentration in bone, which makes it an interesting alternative for treatment of osteoarticular infections. We performed a multicentric retrospective study of all patients with an osteoarticular infection (septic arthritis, spondylodiscitis, osteomyelitis, or orthopedic implant-related infection) treated with at least one dose of dalbavancin between 2016 and 2017 in 30 institutions in Spain. In order to evaluate the response, patients with or without an orthopedic implant were separated. A total of 64 patients were included. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequent microorganisms. The reasons for switching to dalbavancin were simplification (53.1%), adverse events (25%), or failure (21.9%). There were 7 adverse events, and no patient had to discontinue dalbavancin. In 45 cases, infection was related to an orthopedic implant. The implant material was retained in 23 cases, including that in 15 (65.2%) patients that were classified as cured and 8 (34.8%) that presented improvement. In 21 cases, the implants were removed, including those in 16 (76.2%) cases that were considered successes, 4 (19%) cases were considered improved, and 1 (4.8%) case that was considered a failure. Among the 19 cases without implants, 14 (73.7%) were considered cured, 3 (15.8%) were considered improved, and 2 (10.5%) were considered failures. The results show that dalbavancin is a well-tolerated antibiotic, even when >2 doses are administered, and is associated with a high cure rate. These are preliminary data with a short follow-up; therefore, it is necessary to gain more experience and, in the future, to establish the most appropriate dose and frequency.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus in elderly institutionalized patients. / Diabetes mellitus tipo 2 en el paciente anciano institucionalizado.

A 93-year-old woman is admitted to a conventional hospital ward for an acute respiratory infection. The patient has type 2 diabetes mellitus of approximately 15 years evolution and has no other associated comorbidities, except for progressive dependence due to senescence and a previous hospitalization for pneumonia 6 months ago. She is currently in an assisted-living residence. A recent laboratory test revealed an HbA1c level of 7.8%, with a serum creatinine level of 1.3mg/dl (MDRD, 45ml/min). Her standard treatment consists of 5mg of glibenclamide a day and 850mg of metformin every 12hours. What regimen should we follow once she is hospitalized? Does she require any change in her treatment at discharge?

Cryptogenia multifocal ulcerous stenosing enteritis: an entity on its own as a cause of abdominal pain, iron deficiency anemia and protein-losing enteropathy.

We studied a patient with edema secondary to protein losing enteropathy, and recurrent bouts of bloating and abdominal pain secondary to intestinal subocclusion episodes. After the clinical study, the patient was diagnosed of cryptogenic multifocal ulcerous stenosing enteritis (CMUSE), that is a rare disease, probably caused by mutations in the gene PLA2G4A, and characterized by multiple short stenosis of the small bowel with superficial ulcers, which do not exceed the submucosa layer. Inflammatory bowel disease (Chron's disease), intestinal tuberculosis and intestinal ulcers secondary to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the main differential diagnosis. To sum up, physicians should included CMUSE in the differential diagnosis of recurrent abdominal pain, iron deficiency anaemia, occult intestinal bleeding, edema and protein losing enteropathy.

[Hyper-IgE recurrent infection syndrome: pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapeutic management]. / Síndrome de hipergammaglobulinemia IgE con infecciones recurrentes: patogénesis, diagnóstico y aproximación terapéutica.

Hyper-IgE recurrent infection syndrome is an uncommon primary immunodeficiency characterized by high serum levels of total IgE, eczema-like dermatitis, recurrent skin abscesses and staphylococci pneumonias, which can produce abscesses with mild inflammatory signs. It also causes dental, musculoskeletal and connective tissue abnormalities. The classical (type 1) variation is caused by autosomal-dominant mutations in signal transducer and activator of transcription 3. An incomplete form (type 2) has been described with only the immunological manifestations, but without the mesenchymal manifestations, has been described. This incomplete form is caused by recessive mutations in the tyrosine kinase 2 gene. Both kinds of mutations produce deficient formation of Th17-cells. These advances in the genetic and immunologic knowledge of hyper-IgE recurrent infection syndrome have allowed a better clinical comprehension of the clinical phenomena of the disease.