Sedation Usage in COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have been shown to have high sedation requirements. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare sedative use between patients with COVID-19 ARDS and non-COVID-19 ARDS. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients with COVID-19 ARDS compared with historical controls of non-COVID-19 ARDS who were admitted to 2 hospitals from March 1, 2020, to April 30, 2020, and April 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019, respectively. The primary outcome was median cumulative dose of propofol (µg/kg) at 24 hours after intubation. RESULTS: There were 92 patients with COVID-19 ARDS and 37 patients with non-COVID-19 ARDS included. Within the first 24 hours of intubation, patients with COVID-19 ARDS required higher total median doses of propofol: 51 045 µg/kg (interquartile range, 26 150-62 365 µg/kg) versus 33 350 µg/kg (9632-51 455 µg/kg; P = 0.004). COVID-19 patients were more likely receive intravenous lorazepam (37% vs 14%; P = 0.02) and higher cumulative median doses of midazolam by days 5 (14 vs 4 mg; P = 0.04) and 7 of intubation (89 vs 4 mg; P = 0.03) to achieve the same median Richmond Analgesia-Sedation Scale scores. COVID-19 ARDS patients required more ventilator days (10 vs 6 days; P = 0.02). There was no difference in 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Patients with COVID-19 ARDS required higher doses of propofol and benzodiazepines than patients with non-COVID-19 ARDS to achieve the same median levels of sedation.

Outcomes of Vasoconstrictor-Induced Non-Occlusive Mesenteric Ischemia of Colon: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is due to mesenteric arterial hypoperfusion from several causes, such as hypovolemia, heart failure, shock, vasoconstrictors, and severe liver or renal disease. Vasoconstrictor-induced NOMI is usually iatrogenic or associated with cocaine use. OBJECTIVES: Anecdotal reports suggest that cocaine-induced NOMI has the highest mortality among vasoconstrictors. This review aims to compare the outcomes of colonic NOMI secondary to cocaine versus other vasoconstrictors. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE from inception through October 2016 to find articles on colonic NOMI. The study's primary outcomes were mortality and hospital length of stay (LOS), while secondary outcomes included the need for surgery. We reported descriptive statistics as percentages or median and interquartile range (IQR). We compared continuous data with the Mann-Whitney test and categorical data with Fisher's exact test; P < 0.05 was statistically significant. RESULTS: Of the 59 studies, 20 case reports and 3 case series (n= 27 patients) met the inclusion criteria. There was no difference in mortality between cocaine-induced NOMI and non-cocaine NOMI (P=1.0). There were statistically significant differences between cocaine and non-cocaine vasoconstrictor-induced colonic NOMI regarding surgery (60% vs. 5.8%, P=0.03) and median LOS (7 days vs. 4 days, P=0.04). CONCLUSION: Cocaine-induced NOMI and non-cocaine NOMI both appear to have a relatively high but similar mortality rate, but the former is associated with increased requirement for surgery and LOS; prompt recognition of this clinical entity is required to improve outcomes.

COVID-19 infection characteristics and outcomes in a predominantly Latino community hospital.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly spread worldwide and claimed millions of lives. Several studies have attempted to understand the relationship between COVID-19 infection and health disparities. The aim of the current work was to evaluate the pre-admission health characteristics, symptomatology, diagnostic abnormalities, treatment measures and clinical outcomes of the community served by our institution, with a sub-analysis of our Hispanic community. Methods: This is a single-center, cross-sectional cohort study of patients with COVID-19 admitted from 15 March 2020 to 30 April 2020 to MacNeal Hospital. A retrospective chart review was performed including patients >18 years and a positive nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 PCR. Demographical data, comorbidities, clinical data, treatment regimen, and patient outcomes were collected. Results: A total of 257 patients were included in the study of which 60.4% were identified as Hispanic. The median age at admission of Hispanic patients was significantly lower compared to non-Hispanic patients (56.6 vs. 65.7 years, p<0.01). Non-Hispanic patients had lower prevalence of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and chronic lung disease. Most common at presentation were shortness of breath (69.6%), cough (69.2%), and fever (64%). Hypertension was the most common comorbidity (53.6%). Approximately 89% of the patients received antibiotics, 40.4% hydroxy-chloroquine, 13.2% steroids, and 6% tocilizumab. Twenty six percent required mechanical ventilation (MV), and over half of them (56.7%) were Hispanic. The strongest factors associated with MV were smoking (OR 2.97, 95%CI 1.01-8.69), CRP >10 mg/dL (OR 4.53, 95%CI 1.49-13.38) and D-dimer >1.5 mcg/mL (OR 3.63, 95%CI 1.31-10.05). An oxygen saturation of >90% on room air on presentation was a protective factor when predicting intubation (OR 0.11, 95%CI 0.03-0.33). The overall 30-day mortality rate was 17.1% (n=44); 11.9% in the Hispanic group vs 26.3% in the non-Hispanic group (p<0.003). Conclusions: Our review of consecutive patients admitted with COVID-19 demonstrated that over half of patients were of Hispanic descent. Interestingly enough, despite being significantly younger and healthier, the need for mechanical ventilation in the Hispanic group was not significantly different compared to the non-Hispanic group. However, the Hispanic group had a lower mortality rate.

Looks can be Deceiving: A Case Report on the Clinical Value of CA 19-9 in Obstructive Jaundice.

Carbohydrate antigen CA19-9 is a marker that has been used for the diagnosis of pancreatic and biliary malignancies, but it can also be present in benign conditions. Herein, we present the case of an 82-year-old female admitted for sepsis secondary to cholangitis, with a CA19-9 level of 12,838.3 U/mL. Initial imaging suggested a potential cholangiocarcinoma, but after multiple studies and biopsies, she was found to have a benign biliary stricture which triggered the cholangitis, explaining the increased CA19-9 levels. Clinicians should keep an open mind when assessing significantly elevated CA19-9 levels.

Damned If You Drain, Damned If You Don't: A Case of Pericardial Decompression Syndrome.

Pericardial decompression syndrome (PDS) is an unusual clinical scenario with a reported incidence of 5% in all surgical or percutaneously managed pericardial tamponade patients. It is defined as a paradoxical hemodynamic instability leading to left ventricular (LV), right ventricular (RV), or biventricular dysfunction. An 84-year-old female with a history of a chronic pericardial effusion presented with symptoms of tamponade. She had had multiple prior admissions with an extensive and unyielding workup for the etiology of her pericardial effusion. During the present admission, a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) confirmed an augmenting pericardial effusion causing cardiac tamponade. She underwent a pericardial window with the removal of 1.2 liters of serous fluid. Postoperatively, she went into cardiogenic shock from right heart failure. Unfortunately, there also was re-accumulation of the pericardial effusion and worsening hemodynamic instability. Due to her poor prognosis, she was transitioned to comfort care. Although the etiology of PDS is unknown, it has been theorized to be caused by an imbalance of sympathetic-parasympathetic states after a rapid decompression. Currently, there are no clear guidelines or recommendations regarding the quantity of fluid that can be removed safely. More awareness leading to a more cautious and staged pericardial drainage might be the required solution.

Not Your Typical Mucocele: A Case Report of a Benign Sigmoidal Diverticular Mucocele.

In recent literature, mucoceles have been discovered to be in the appendix vermiformis or in the nasal sinuses. Although rare, colonic mucoceles, as well as rectal mucoceles, have also been encountered. Furthermore, colonic mucoceles arising from a diverticulum is an even more unusual occurrence, and to date, there has been only one reported case. We present a 48-year-old male with a past medical history of multiple episodes of diverticulitis who presented to the emergency department complaining of bilateral lower quadrant abdominal pain for three days. Upon arrival to the emergency department, the patient had a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, which showed an annular constricting 65 mm mass in the proximal sigmoid causing large bowel obstruction. The patient underwent unsuccessful endoscopies and inevitably underwent a hand-assisted laparoscopic sigmoid resection. The following days, the biopsy returned and resulted to be a mucocele arising from a sigmoid diverticulum. We encountered the very first benign colonic mucocele arising from a sigmoid diverticulum.

Gastroenteritis and Miliary Lung Opacities: An Interesting Combination of Findings.

A 19-year-old man with a one-year history of vaping with multiple emergency room visits for acute gastroenteritis like symptoms was noted to have asymptomatic hypoxia with a PaO2 of 65 mmHg. Computed tomography revealed bilateral nodular lung infiltrates. History was negative for travel, allergies, or animal exposure. An infectious work-up was negative for bacterial, viral, or fungal infections, including bronchoalveolar lavage sample cultures. He did not show improvement upon initial empiric antibacterial and antifungal treatment. His hypoxia improved with systemic steroids. E-cigarette-associated lung injury (EVALI) is a diagnosis of exclusion, and unfortunately, may produce prolonged gastrointestinal symptoms with clinically silent but severe lung injury.

A Case of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Refractory Colitis Treated with Mycophenolate and High-dose Steroids.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPI) are a class of chemotherapy agents that have emerged as a front-line treatment option for multiple cancers. Nivolumab is an ICPI agent commonly used to treat metastatic melanoma. Although promising, the adverse reaction of this class is broad and per reports, the incidence of colitis is <6%. We present the case of a 71-year-old male with a history of metastatic melanoma who was being treated with nivolumab. The patient was two weeks into his treatment regimen when he began complaining of multiple loose, bloody stools. Because of these symptoms, his nivolumab was discontinued. However, despite discontinuation, his symptoms persisted and the patient underwent a colonoscopy. He was found to have diffuse inflammation of the colon and was diagnosed with nivolumab-induced colitis. Subsequently, the patient underwent multiple treatments, including high-dose steroids, infliximab, and vedolizumab (Entyvio), with no resolution of symptoms. After several months of failed treatment, the patient was readmitted to the hospital for refractory colitis. He was started on high-dose steroids and underwent a repeat colonoscopy, which again showed diffuse colitis. Because of the previously failed treatment options, mycophenolate, an immunosuppressant, was initiated in combination with his steroids. After three days of high-dose steroids and mycophenolate, the patient's symptoms resolved, with no subsequent apparent symptoms of colitis. We present a case of nivolumab-induced colitis, refractory to multiple immunosuppressive medications, which was successfully treated with mycophenolate and high-dose steroids.

The Necessity of a Colonoscopy after an Acute Diverticulitis Event in Adults Less Than 50 Years Old.

Introduction Acute diverticulitis is defined as a macroscopic inflammation of a diverticulum or diverticula. Approximately, 4.0% of patients with diverticulosis present with an acute diverticulitis event: with the incidence increasing in the younger patient population. According to the American Gastrointestinal Association, a colonoscopy should be performed six to eight weeks after resolution of acute diverticulitis. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is malignancy after an acute diverticulitis event in adults less than 50 years old. Methods  A retrospective chart review study was performed at Loyola MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Illinois. Patients between the ages of 18 and49 years with acute diverticulitis were identified. Of the identified patients, those who underwent colonoscopy after a computed tomography (CT)-verified acute diverticulitis event were recorded. Colonoscopy findings, as well as pathology results, were recorded. Results  A total of 295 patient presented with diverticulitis. Of these 295 patients, 111 patients underwent colonoscopy post diverticulitis event. Of the 111 patients, 86 were after uncomplicated event and 25 were after a complicated diverticulitis event. Pre-malignant tubular adenomas were found in 12.8% (11/86) of patients with acute uncomplicated diverticulitis and 24.0% (6/25) of the patients with complicated diverticulitis. No cases of neoplasm were found. Conclusion  Of the 111 patients who underwent colonoscopy after an acute diverticulitis event, no malignancy was found in patients less than 50 years of age.