Clinical Phenotypes and Mortality Biomarkers: A Study Focused on COVID-19 Patients with Neurological Diseases in Intensive Care Units.

Purpose: To identify clinical phenotypes and biomarkers for best mortality prediction considering age, symptoms and comorbidities in COVID-19 patients with chronic neurological diseases in intensive care units (ICUs). Subjects and Methods: Data included 1252 COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs in Cuba between January and August 2021. A k-means algorithm based on unsupervised learning was used to identify clinical patterns related to symptoms, comorbidities and age. The Stable Sparse Classifiers procedure (SSC) was employed for predicting mortality. The classification performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC). Results: Six phenotypes using a modified v-fold cross validation for the k-means algorithm were identified: phenotype class 1, mean age 72.3 years (ys)-hypertension and coronary artery disease, alongside typical COVID-19 symptoms; class 2, mean age 63 ys-asthma, cough and fever; class 3, mean age 74.5 ys-hypertension, diabetes and cough; class 4, mean age 67.8 ys-hypertension and no symptoms; class 5, mean age 53 ys-cough and no comorbidities; class 6, mean age 60 ys-without symptoms or comorbidities. The chronic neurological disease (CND) percentage was distributed in the six phenotypes, predominantly in phenotypes of classes 3 (24.72%) and 4 (35,39%); χ² (5) 11.0129 p = 0.051134. The cerebrovascular disease was concentrated in classes 3 and 4; χ² (5) = 36.63, p = 0.000001. The mortality rate totaled 325 (25.79%), of which 56 (17.23%) had chronic neurological diseases. The highest in-hospital mortality rates were found in phenotypes 1 (37.22%) and 3 (33.98%). The SSC revealed that a neurological symptom (ageusia), together with two neurological diseases (cerebrovascular disease and Parkinson's disease), and in addition to ICU days, age and specific symptoms (fever, cough, dyspnea and chilliness) as well as particular comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes and asthma) indicated the best prediction performance (AUC = 0.67). Conclusions: The identification of clinical phenotypes and mortality biomarkers using practical variables and robust statistical methodologies make several noteworthy contributions to basic and experimental investigations for distinguishing the COVID-19 clinical spectrum and predicting mortality.

Hibernoma dorsal gigante: presentación de caso / Hibernoma giant dorsal: case report

El hibernoma o lipoma de grasa parda, es un tumor benigno extremadamente infrecuente. Presentamos el caso, de un paciente femenino de 12 años de edad con una tumoración gigante en región dorsal, de origen congénito, con una extensión desde la región cervical baja hasta el sacro, presentaba con ausencia de los músculos de la región glútea, se realizó estudios de imagen, así como química sanguínea, donde se evidencio anemia severa y desnutrición proteico energética, se organizó un equipo multidisciplinario centrado al tratamiento definitivo de la lesión, la cual provocaba además seria deformidad de la columna lumbar (cifoescoliosis), se logró la resección completa de la lesión, con un peso total de 12 Kg, con reconstrucción de los bordes anales sin afectar el esfínter anal, se mantuvo bajo seguimiento durante 1 años sin presentar ninguna recidiva de la lesión.

The hibernoma or fetal brown fat, is an uncommon benign tumor. We report a case with an unusual mass in a 12 years old female, in dorsal region, congenital origin, with extension from down cervical region until sacral region, absence of gluteal region muscle. We did image study and blood test, with diagnosis of severe anemia and malnutrition. We organized multidisciplinary team to do final treatment for the lesion that caused important deformity to lumbar spine (kyphoscoliosis), the surgical team achieved gross total resection of tumor, with 12 kg of total weight and reconstruction of anal edge without damage of sphincter, follow up during one year without recurrence.

Gliosarcoma cerebeloso asociado aneurofibromatosis tipo I: presentación de caso / Cerebellar gliosarcoma associated with neurofibromatosis type I: case presentation

El Gliosarcoma es un raro Glioblastoma que contiene tantos elementos gliales comparable con un Glioblastoma como componentes mesenquimal. Aproximadamente entre 2-8% de todos los Glioblastomas están asociados con elementos sarcomatosos. Clínica y genéticamente muy parecido a los Glioblastomas, excepto por la ausencia de amplificación del EGFR. El gliosarcoma es un tumor de alto grado de malignidad y pobre pronóstico, con alta tasa de recurrencia. Presentamos el caso de un paciente masculino de 54 años de edad con diagnóstico de gliosarcoma cerebeloso, asociado a Neurofibromatosis tipo I. La NF I es el síndrome hereditario más común que predispone a la neoplasia, es una enfermedad polifacética asociado no sólo a tumores benignos.

Gliosarcoma are rare glioblastomas that contain an anaplastic glial component comparable to a glioblastoma, as well as,a mesenchymal component, that have a biphasic pattern. Approximately 2-8% of all glioblastomas are associated with a sarcomatous element. Clinically and genetically close to glioblastomas, except for the absence of EGFR amplification. The Gliosarcoma is a high-grade tumor of malignity and poor prognosis, with high rate of recurrence. We present the case of a masculine patient of 54 elderly years, with diagnosis of Gliosarcoma Cerebellar associate to Neurofibromatosis type I. The NF I is the hereditary syndrome more common that predisposes to the tumor, it is a versatile disease that not only becomes a partner of benign tumors.

Uso del drenaje lumbar preoperatorio en la cirugía de base de cráneo / Use of preoperative lumbar drainage in skull base surgery

La inserción de un Drenaje Lumbar, es una estrategia cada día más aceptada para mitigar no sólo la fístula de líquido cefalorraquídeo, que puede seguir en el postoperatorio a una cirugía de base de cráneo, sino para disminuir el edema cerebral transoperatorio. Se realiza un estudio retrospectivo de 461 casos, intervenidos quirúrgicamente con lesiones tumorales de la base del cráneo y aneurismas intracraneales, con diferentes diagnósticos; Meningioma de fosa anterior (n = 46), meningioma de fosa media (n = 103), Meningioma de fosa posterior (n = 42), aneurismas intracraneales (n = 203), tumores malignos de fosa posterior (n = 38), Síndrome Chiari I-Siringomielia (n = 24). La mayoría fueron abordados por vía intracraneal, sólo en algunos casos utilizamos el abordaje combinado; Abordaje pterional (n = 283), abordaje fronto-orbito-cigomático FOC (n = 23), bifrontal (n = 22), frontal unilateral (n = 18), pre y retrosigmoideo (n = 14), retrosigmoideo (n = 17), craniectomía bilateral de fosa posterior (n = 49), craniectomía mínima de fosa posterior (n = 24), Combinado FOC-transeptoesfenoidal (n = 5), transoral (n = 4), transfacial (n = 2). Del total de pacientes intervenidos en 22 pacientes se desarrolló una fistula de LCR (22/461 = 4,7 por ciento), entre ellos, 3 casos necesitaron reparación directa. Edema cerebral, meningitis postquirúrgica y neumoencéfalo fueron las complicaciones más frecuentemente encontradas con un 4,1 por ciento, 2,6 por ciento y 3,03 por ciento respectivamente. El uso rutinario del Drenaje Lumbar preoperatorio, se acompaña de un bajo índice de complicaciones tales como fístulas de LCR, neumoencéfalo y sepsis del SNC, además de ser un proceder bien tolerado por los pacientes.

The Lumbar Drainage insert is a strategy every day more accepted, not only to mitigate the cerebrospinal fluid leaks that can be continued in the postoperative of skull base surgery, also to decrease brain edema during surgery. We carried out a retrospective study of 461 cases, operated with tumoral lesions of skull base and intracranial aneurysm, with different diagnoses; anterior fossa meningioma (n = 46), middle fossa meningioma (n = 103), posterior fossa meningioma (n = 42), intracranial aneurysm (n = 203), malignant tumors of posterior fossa (n = 38), Chiari I-Siringomielia Syndrome (n = 24). Most was approached for intracranial route, only in some cases we use the combined approached; Pterional Approach (n = 283), Frontal orbito-zygomatic FOZ (n = 23), Bifrontal Approach (n = 22), unilateral Frontal Approach (n = 18), Pre and retrosigmoid Approach (n = 14), Retrosigmoid Approach (n = 17), bilateral Craniectomy of posterior fossa (n = 49), minimal Craniectomy of posterior fossa (n = 24), Combined FOZ-transeptosphenoidal Approach (n = 5), Transoral Approach (n = 4), Transfacial Approach (n = 2). The total of patients operated, in 22 patients a CSF leak it was developed (22/461 = 4,7 percent), among them, 3 cases needed direct surgical repair, brain edema, post-surgical meningitis and pneumocephalus were the most frequently complications with 4,1 percent, 2,6 percent and 3,03 percent respectively. The routine use of preoperative Lumbar Drainage is follow to a low incidence of complications as CSF leaks, pneumocephalus and CNS infection, besides being well tolerated by the patients.

Cirugía radio-fluoro guiada en los gliomas de alto grado / Radio-fluoro guided surgery in high grade gliomas

El MIBI (99mTc MIBI, methoxyisobutylisonitrile, MIBI, o sestamibi): Tiene una amplia disponibilidad al rico flujo de fotones, que mejora la detección de captación patológica por la gamma sonda, estas propiedades físicas hacen de este radiotrazador el de elección para la cirugía radioguiada. La Fluoresceína Sódica es una sustancia colorante orgánica hidrosoluble utilizada en el examen de los vasos sanguíneos del ojo. Se realiza el reporte de cinco casos diagnosticados con tumor cerebral de alto grado de malignidad, con el objetivo de demostrar que con el uso de la Cirugía Radio-Fluoro-Guiada (CRFG) se puede lograr resecciones tumorales completa sin que se añada mayor déficit, cumpliendo los criterios de inclusión y exclusión. La técnica de CRFG demuestro su utilidad en la resección tumoral total disminuyendo la cantidad de residuo tumoral, sin aumentar la complejidad de la cirugía ni los tiempos quirúrgicos. En nuestro estudio no se evidencio efectos adversos por la administración del radiofármaco y la fluoresceína.

The MIBI (99mTc MIBI, methoxyisobutylisonitrile, MIBI, or sestamibi): is a wide readiness to the rich flow of photons, which improves the detection of pathological uptake with gamma probe, these physical properties make of this radiotracer the election to radioguided surgery. The sodium fluorescein is a water-soluble organic coloring substance used in the exam of the sanguine glasses of the eye. We carried out the report of five cases diagnosed with brain tumor of high grade of malignancy, with the objective to demonstrated that use of Radio-Fluro-guided Surgery (RFGS) we can achieve gross total resections without bigger deficit, completing the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The technique of RFGS demonstrated utility in the gross total resection, diminishing the residual tumor, without increasing surgery complexity and surgical times. In our study doesn’t evidence of adverse effects for the administration of the cadiopharmaceuticals and fluorescein.