A Simplified SARS-CoV-2 Pseudovirus Neutralization Assay.

COVID-19 is an ongoing pandemic caused by the highly infectious coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that is engaging worldwide scientific research to find a timely and effective eradication strategy. Great efforts have been put into anti-COVID-19 vaccine generation in an effort to protect the world population and block SARS-CoV-2 spread. To validate the protective efficacy of the vaccination campaign and effectively control the pandemic, it is necessary to quantify the induction of neutralizing antibodies by vaccination, as they have been established to be a correlate of protection. In this work, a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus neutralization assay, based on a replication-incompetent lentivirus expressing an adapted form of CoV-2 S protein and an ACE2/TMPRSS2 stably expressing cell line, has been minimized in terms of protocol steps without loss of accuracy. The goal of the present simplified neutralization system is to improve SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaign by means of an easy and accessible approach to be performed in any medical laboratory, maintaining the sensitivity and quantitative reliability of classical serum neutralization assays. Further, this assay can be easily adapted to different coronavirus variants by simply modifying the pseudotyping vector.

Brain abscess of odontogenic origin in a man with interatrial defect.

A 65-year-old man with previous surgery for cyanotic congenital heart disease was admitted to our hospital with fever, headache and visual disturbances due to a right occipital brain abscess as shown through CT-scan. A comprehensive workup looking for a source of infection was negative except for an orthopantomogram showing multiple dental caries. A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) bubble study revealed the permanence of an atrial septal defect with a moderate right-to-left shunt. The culture of the abscess content showed flora commonly found in the oropharynx that responded to antimicrobial therapy. We hypothesize that the underlying mechanism is a significant bacterial load from dental infections that enters the arterial circulation through the interatrial defect. If a brain abscess is identified without any adjacent source of infection, then a transesophageal echocardiogram is indicated to exclude right to left shunt. If a shunt is found, then hematogenous spread of flora normally found in the oropharynx should be suspected. Surgical evacuation followed by antimicrobial therapy is warranted. Once the infection is eliminated, long term anticoagulation or anatomic closure of the interatrial defect with good oral hygiene could be valid strategies for preventing recurrence.

Isolated superficial vein thrombosis in multiple thrombotic defects.

Superficial Vein Thrombosis (SVT) is generally a benign, self-limited disorder; however, when larger veins are involved, propagation into deep vein system can occur. Thrombophilic disorders denote several risk factors that predispose individuals to develop venous thromboembolism. It includes inherited thrombophilia, acquired thrombophilia and hyperhomocysteinemia. For thrombophilic patients who develop SVT, the current guidelines don't clarify for how long time anticoagulation therapy must be performed. We describe a case of SVT in a patient with multiple thrombotic defects, for which we starting Fondaparinux 2.5 mg/die and stopped it when the SVT was solved. During the follow-up period (eighteen months) no Deep Vein Thrombosis or Superficial Vein Thrombosis were detected. Clinical surveillance seems to have been the best strategy for this patient. We believe that this single case report emphasizes the needed of prospective studies to verify the risk of thromboembolic recurrence in thrombophilic patients with SVT. (www.actabiomedica.it).

Statin and all-cause mortality in patients receiving anticoagulant therapy for venous thromboembolism. Data from the RIETE registry.

BACKGROUND: The clinical outcomes during the course of anticoagulation in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) using statins remain controversial. METHODS: We used the RIETE (Registro Informatizado Enfermedad TromboEmbólica) registry to compare the risk for VTE recurrences, major bleeding or death during anticoagulation, according to the use of statins at baseline. We used propensity score-matching (PSM) to adjust for confounding variables. RESULTS: From February 2009 to January 2018, 32,062 VTE patients were included. Of these, 7,085 (22%) were using statins. Statin users were 10 years older (73±11 vs. 63±19 years, respectively) and more likely to have comorbidities or to be using antiplatelets or corticosteroids at baseline than non-users. During the course of anticoagulation (median, 177 days), 694 patients developed VTE recurrences, 848 bled and 3,169 died (fatal pulmonary embolism 176, fatal bleeding 121). Statin users had a similar rate of VTE recurrences (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.98; 95%CI: 0.82-1.17), a higher rate of major bleeding (HR: 1.29; 95%CI: 1.11-1.50) and a similar mortality rate (HR: 1.01; 95%CI: 0.93-1.10) than non-users. On PSM analysis, statin users had a significantly lower risk for death (HR: 0.62; 95%CI: 0.48-0.79) and a similar risk for VTE recurrences (HR: 0.98; 95%CI: 0.61-1.57) or major bleeding (HR: 0.85; 95%CI: 0.59-1.21) than non-users. CONCLUSIONS: During anticoagulation for VTE, patients using statins at baseline had a lower risk to die than non-users.

The Schmidt Syndrome.

Addison's disease (AD) is a rare endocrine condition related to adrenal insufficiency. Autoimmune adrenalitis is commonly associated with autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune Addison's Disease (AAD) describes Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndrome (APS) in 60% of patients with an important immunitary pathogenesis imprinting. We describes a case of Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndrome charachterize by adrenal insufficiency and thyroid disease (Schmidt Syndrome). In this case report, Addison's disease had a slow onset in absence of the typical weight loss. In our considerations this is due to the concomitant hypothyroidism that masked some typical signs and also limited acute presentation.

Atypical And Severe Enlargement Of Right Atrium.

A 76 year-old woman was admitted to the Emergency Department for recent-onset dyspnea and cough. The electrocardiogram was considered inconclusive. A thoracic X-ray showed global cardiac profile enlargement. Computed tomography, acutely performed in the clinical suspicion of atypical pneumonia/myocarditis or pericardial effusion, showed cardiac enlargement especially of the right chambers. In order to investigate Ebstein's anomaly, pericardial cysts, tumors or other conditions of the right heart a simple trans-thoracic echocardiogram was performed. Four chambers view showed a giant right atrium aneurysm with moderate tricuspid regurgitation without stenosis or typical Ebstein's echocardiographic pattern.