Activity of daily life dependency predicts the risk of mortality in patients with COVID-19 undergoing hemodialysis: a retrospective analysis of a single center with nosocomial outbreak.

Background: We experienced a nosocomial outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from November 2020 to February 2021, during the third wave of the pandemic in Japan. Methods: We retrospectively assessed the characteristics and data of 20 inpatients undergoing hemodialysis who were hospitalized for treatment of diseases other than COVID-19 during the COVID-19 nosocomial outbreak ("inpatient," IP), and of 10 outpatients undergoing hemodialysis who were hospitalized for the care of COVID-19 under outpatient visits ("outpatient," OP). Results: Eleven patients in the IP group (55%) and one in the OP group (10%) died. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the IP group died more rapidly than the OP group (p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis among all hemodialysis patients showed that the IP group was not at risk of mortality independently; however, the activity of daily life (ADL) dependency was found to be an independent factor in increasing the risk of mortality (hazard ratio: 7.618). Conclusion: Our findings show that the nosocomial infected group has a worse prognosis, although it is not an independent predictor for the risk of mortality. ADL dependency could predict the risk of mortality in all hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 during the third wave pandemic in Japan.

Splenic mass of uncertain etiology in a 15-year-old male patient: a case report.

BACKGROUND: There are few reports on spleen masses, and solitary splenic abscesses with abdominal pain have not been reported in younger age groups. We report a case of a splenic mass of uncertain etiology in a 15-year-old boy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 15-year-old boy visited the emergency department with abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a thin-walled multilobular splenic cyst. Computed tomography revealed a cystic shadow and a septate structure in the spleen. Magnetic resonance imaging examination revealed a high-signal region on the T2-weighted image. The neutrophil ratio in the white blood cell count of 8,330/µL was high (80%), and splenic abscess could not be ruled out. Thus, therapy with 2 g/day fosfomycin was initiated. Abdominal pain disappeared on day 3 of hospital stay, and the patient was discharged on day 8. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic therapy can be effective against very acute onset splenic abscesses, although surgical treatment is usually carried out.