Prognostic factors for severity and mortality in patients infected with COVID-19: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The objective of our systematic review is to identify prognostic factors that may be used in decision-making related to the care of patients infected with COVID-19. DATA SOURCES: We conducted highly sensitive searches in PubMed/MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Embase. The searches covered the period from the inception date of each database until April 28, 2020. No study design, publication status or language restriction were applied. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: We included studies that assessed patients with confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infectious disease and examined one or more prognostic factors for mortality or disease severity. Reviewers working in pairs independently screened studies for eligibility, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. We performed meta-analyses and used GRADE to assess the certainty of the evidence for each prognostic factor and outcome. RESULTS: We included 207 studies and found high or moderate certainty that the following 49 variables provide valuable prognostic information on mortality and/or severe disease in patients with COVID-19 infectious disease: Demographic factors (age, male sex, smoking), patient history factors (comorbidities, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, cardiac arrhythmia, arterial hypertension, diabetes, dementia, cancer and dyslipidemia), physical examination factors (respiratory failure, low blood pressure, hypoxemia, tachycardia, dyspnea, anorexia, tachypnea, haemoptysis, abdominal pain, fatigue, fever and myalgia or arthralgia), laboratory factors (high blood procalcitonin, myocardial injury markers, high blood White Blood Cell count (WBC), high blood lactate, low blood platelet count, plasma creatinine increase, high blood D-dimer, high blood lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), high blood C-reactive protein (CRP), decrease in lymphocyte count, high blood aspartate aminotransferase (AST), decrease in blood albumin, high blood interleukin-6 (IL-6), high blood neutrophil count, high blood B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), high blood urea nitrogen (BUN), high blood creatine kinase (CK), high blood bilirubin and high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)), radiological factors (consolidative infiltrate and pleural effusion) and high SOFA score (sequential organ failure assessment score). CONCLUSION: Identified prognostic factors can help clinicians and policy makers in tailoring management strategies for patients with COVID-19 infectious disease while researchers can utilise our findings to develop multivariable prognostic models that could eventually facilitate decision-making and improve patient important outcomes. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Prospero registration number: CRD42020178802. Protocol available at: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20056598v1.

Omega 3 fatty acid supplementation after myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this review is to examine the effect of Omega-3 Fatty acids on mortality, morbidity, and adverse events in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library through May 2018. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized Controlled trials (RCT). Certainty of evidence was assessed with the GRADE system. INTERVENTIONS: omega 3 fatty acids against placebo or no treatment. Primary and secondary outcomes: All-cause death, cardiovascular death, new AMI, stroke, need for therapeutic angioplasty or By-pass, new diagnosis of cancer and incidence of adverse events. RESULTS: For the efficacy endpoints we included 10 RCT (24,414 patients). Omega 3 fatty acids probably make little or no difference to all-cause mortality (4 studies 9141 patients RR 1.06 - CI95% 0.90 to 1.27, moderate certainty), cardiovascular mortality (3 studies 4304 patients RR 0.93 - CI95% 0.63 to 1.37, moderate certainty), new AMI (RR 1.24 CI95% 0.71 to 2.14 - moderate certainty), any cardiovascular event (RR 0.95 95%CI 0.86 to 1.05; low certainty due to risk of bias and imprecision), and stroke (RR 1.2 95%CCI 0,66-2,19 - moderate certainty). Regarding adverse events, we are uncertain if Omega 3 fatty acids improve/reduce non severe adverse events (RR 1.39 95% CI 0.36 to 5.34; very low certainty). There is probably little or no difference in the outcome suspension due to adverse events (RR 1.19 CI 95% 0.97 to 1.47; moderate certainty). CONCLUSIONS: For adult patients with AMI, omega 3 fatty-acids probably yield no benefit to patient important outcomes.

Hepatocolangitis por drogas simulando un hepatocarcinoma / Drug-induced hepatocholangitis with characteristics of hepatocarcinoma

La hepatotoxicidad por drogas es una entidad frecuente, con un amplio espectro de manifestaciones y muchas veces subestimada por los médicos. Existen escasos reportes acerca de los hallazgos anatomopatológicos en pacientes con toxicidad hepática aguda causada por drogas...El hallazgo de atipias celulares que simulan neoplasias en tejidos agredidos por drogas es una situación en la cual la experiencia del patólogo y una historia clínica completa son decisivos para orientar el diagnóstico.

Un caso de megacolon tóxico por salmonella / Case report of a toxic megacolon due to salmonella infection

Se presenta el caso de un paciente masculino de 59 años de edad, con antecedentes de colitis ulcerosa, que luego de la ingesta de agua no potable se internó por diarrea de una semana de evolución con más de veinte deposiciones acuosas diarias. Al momento de la internación se realizó rectosigmoidoscopía que no reveló actividad de su enfermedad intestinal de base. Se solicitaron estudios para descartar diversas etiologías infecciosas, obteniéndose en coprocultivo desarrollo de Salmonella species por lo que se indicó tratamiento antibiótico con ciprofloxacina.

Un caso de megacolon tóxico por Salmonella / Toxic megacolon by salmonella infection. Case report

Se presenta el caso de un paciente masculino de 59 años de edad, con antecedentes de colitis ulcerosa, que luego de la ingesta de agua no potable se internó por diarrea de una semana de evolución con más de veinte deposiciones acuosas diarias...Presentó como complicación del cuadro infeccioso, deshidratación e insuficiencia renal con requerimiento de hemodiálisis y apoyo hemodinámico con inotrópicos, evolucionando luego con toxicidad sistémica, peritonismo y dilatación de colon transverso evidenciada por radiografía de abdomen

Tomografía helicoidal de tórax y enfermedad tromboembólica pulmonar / Helical computed tomography of the thorax and pulmonary thromboembolic disease

La utilización de la tomografía helicoidal en el diagnóstico de tromboembolismo pulmonar, data de más de una década. Desde entonces múltiples estudios han intentado definir su utilidad y a pesar de la falta de protocolos correctamente diseñados, esta metodología está ganando rápidamente aceptación como primer estudio a solicitar ante la sospecha de TEP. El objetivo del trabajo es evaluar en forma retrospectiva la utilización de la TC para diagnóstico de TEP en un hospital privado e identificar suverdadera utilidad y correcta indicación ante tal sospecha diagnóstica