Characteristics and laboratory findings on admission to the emergency department among 2873 hospitalized patients with COVID-19: the impact of adjusted laboratory tests in multicenter studies. A multicenter study in Spain (BIOCOVID-Spain study).

Identification of predictors for severe disease progression is key for risk stratification in COVID-19 patients. We aimed to describe the main characteristics and identify the early predictors for severe outcomes among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Spain. This was an observational, retrospective cohort study (BIOCOVID-Spain study) including COVID-19 patients admitted to 32 Spanish hospitals. Demographics, comorbidities and laboratory tests were collected. Outcome was in-hospital mortality. For analysis, laboratory tests values were previously adjusted to assure the comparability of results among participants. Cox regression was performed to identify predictors. Study population included 2873 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Nine variables were independent predictors for in-hospital mortality, including creatinine (Hazard ratio [HR]:1.327; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.040-1.695, p = .023), troponin (HR: 2.150; 95% CI: 1.155-4.001; p = .016), platelet count (HR: 0.994; 95% CI: 0.989-0.998; p = .004) and C-reactive protein (HR: 1.037; 95% CI: 1.006-1.068; p = .019). This is the first multicenter study in which an effort was carried out to adjust the results of laboratory tests measured with different methodologies to guarantee their comparability. We reported a comprehensive information about characteristics in a large cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, focusing on the analytical features. Our findings may help to identify patients early at a higher risk for an adverse outcome.

Severe ifosfamide-induced neurotoxicity: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Ifosfamide is an alkylating agent used in the treatment of several neoplasias. Ifosfamide metabolites accumulation can produce neurotoxicity, which sometimes manifests as a severe clinical picture. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe the case of a male with a mixed cellularity subtype classical Hodgkin's lymphoma, treated with ifosfamide after other chemotherapy drugs failure. After the first Ifosfamide cycle, the patient showed severe neurological toxicity that resolved 3 weeks later with supportive therapy. DISCUSSION: Among the risk factors described in the literature, our patient had previously received cisplatin chemotherapy, had low albumin serum levels, and had received ifosfamide as a rapid intravenous infusion. The management of the neurotoxicity is symptomatic although some drugs, like methylene blue and albumin, have also been used. CONCLUSION: This case highlights that clinicians should be aware of the possibility of severe neurological toxicity after the administration of ifosfamide and may control the risk factors associated.

[Clinical usefulness of biochemical markers of bone turnover in early postmenopausal women: two years longitudinal study]. / Utilidad clínica de los marcadores bioquímicos de remodelado óseo en la mujer posmenopáusica reciente: estudio longitudinal a 2 años.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Many studies have been performed on the ability of bone turnover markers (BTM) for the prediction of bone loss and to assess the correlation of BTM with bone mineral density (BMD). However, the results from these studies have been mixed. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of BTM to predict bone loss and to analize the correlation of BTM with BMD in early postmenopausal women. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: 183 healthy women, aged 50 to 55 years, with natural menopause of 6 to 36 months were randomly selected. We measured bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), intact osteocalcine (OC) and C-telopeptide (sCTx) in serum, and calcium, deoxipiridinoline (DPD) and N-telopeptide (NTx) in urine. Bone densitometry of the spine (L(2)-L(4)) was performed at the start of the study and two years later. Student t test, ANOVA, chi2 test and ROC curves were used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Bone markers, mainly OC and CTx, correlated with BMD and discriminated osteoporosis, osteopenia and normal bone mass (p < 0.001). According to the ROC curves, OC had a sensitivity of 77.8% and specificity of 80.6% for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and sCTx, 83.3% and 74.5%, respectively. Regarding the relation to bone loss, only sCTx showed difference between the lowest and the highest quartile (p = 0.042), but we did not find an association between high turnover and fast bone losers. CONCLUSIONS: Bone markers, mainly OC and sCTx, are useful for identification of osteoporotic and osteopenic early postmenopausal women. However, regarding the bone loss, only CTx has a weak predictive value.

[Transient ventricular dysfunction after emotional stress]. / Disfunción ventricular transitoria tras estrés emocional.

We describe a patient who developed severe ventricular dysfunction and cardiogenic shock after intense emotional stress. Her subsequent course was favorable, with complete recovery of left ventricular systolic function. The coronary arteries were normal and no specific etiologic agent was demonstrated. Her clinical picture was compatible with transient left ventricular apical ballooning. [I123]metaiodobenzyl guanidine cardiac scintigraphy showed a marked decrease in cardiac sympathetic nerve activity. We discuss the pathophysiologic mechanisms of this syndrome.

[Perioperative pharmacological treatment recommendations]. / Recomendaciones sobre el tratamiento farmacológico perioperatorio.

Despite the advances in surgical techniques and anaesthesia, there are still a significant number of postoperative complications in surgery, the most common being, surgical wound infections, sepsis, respiratory and cardiovascular complications, and thromboembolic events. All of these complications increase hospital stay, health costs and mortality. Different pharmacological perioperative strategies have been employed to reduce their incidence, but these have varied widely between hospitals, and even among professionals in the same hospital. In this article we review the recommendations of clinical practice guidelines on the medication routinely used in this situation, such as antibiotics, antithrombotics, analgesics and antiemetics.