Características y resultados de pacientes COVID-19 tratados con ventilación mecánica invasiva en Hospital San Juan de Dios. Marzo-junio 2020 / Features and evolution of patients with COVID-19 who required mechanical ventilation

BACKGROUND: The overall mortality of patients with COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units is approximately 40%. Aim: To describe the characteristics of a cohort of patients with COVID-19 who required invasive mechanical ventilation due to severe hypoxemic acute respiratory failure at a general hospital in Santiago, Chile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of medical records and follow up for 28 days of patients with COVID-19 confirmed by polymerase chain reaction who required invasive mechanical ventilation and who were admitted to the intensive care unit from March 24 to June 7, 2020. RESULTS: Data from 152 patients aged 58 (interquartile range (IQR) 47-65 years (66% men) was analyzed. As of July 5, 36 (24%) had died, 75 (49%) were discharged, 10 (7%) were still on invasive mechanical ventilation, 11 (7%) remained with tracheostomy but without invasive mechanical ventilation, and 20 (13%) were hospitalized in a basic unit. The median time on invasive mechanical ventilation among extubated patients was 14 days (IQR 10-21) and 121 (80%) were in the prone position. Patients who died were older, had a higher frequency of diabetes mellitus and a higher driving pressure at 7 days than those discharged alive from the intensive care unit. Conclusions: In this study mortality was lower than that reported in the first international studies, probably due to the selection of younger patients and greater knowledge of the disease.

[Features and evolution of patients with COVID-19 who required mechanical ventilation]. / Características y resultados de pacientes COVID-19 tratados con ventilación mecánica invasiva en Hospital San Juan de Dios. Marzo-junio 2020.

BACKGROUND: The overall mortality of patients with COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units is approximately 40%. AIM: To describe the characteristics of a cohort of patients with COVID-19 who required invasive mechanical ventilation due to severe hypoxemic acute respiratory failure at a general hospital in Santiago, Chile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of medical records and follow up for 28 days of patients with COVID-19 confirmed by polymerase chain reaction who required invasive mechanical ventilation and who were admitted to the intensive care unit from March 24 to June 7, 2020. RESULTS: Data from 152 patients aged 58 (interquartile range (IQR) 47-65 years (66% men) was analyzed. As of July 5, 36 (24%) had died, 75 (49%) were discharged, 10 (7%) were still on invasive mechanical ventilation, 11 (7%) remained with tracheostomy but without invasive mechanical ventilation, and 20 (13%) were hospitalized in a basic unit. The median time on invasive mechanical ventilation among extubated patients was 14 days (IQR 10-21) and 121 (80%) were in the prone position. Patients who died were older, had a higher frequency of diabetes mellitus and a higher driving pressure at 7 days than those discharged alive from the intensive care unit. CONCLUSIONS: In this study mortality was lower than that reported in the first international studies, probably due to the selection of younger patients and greater knowledge of the disease.

Diagnóstico y tratamiento de la polirradiculoneuropatía desmielinizante inflamatoria Crónica: reporte de un caso / Diagnosis and treatment of chronicinflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuro-pathy: a case report

La Polirradiculoneuropatía Desmielinizante Inflamatoria Crónica (PDIC) es un desorden adquirido de los nervios periféricos y las raíces nerviosas, que se desarrolla de forma continua durante ocho semanas o más. La forma clásica se caracteriza por compromiso simétrico sensitivo y motor, la debilidad está presente tanto en musculatura proximal como distal y es característico en el estudio electrofisiológico la desmielinización junto a disociación albúmino-citológica en Líquido Cefalorraquídeo (LCR). PRESENTACION DEL CASO. Mujer de 34 años con antecedente de depresión en tratamiento, inicia hace un año aproximadamente debilidad muscular de las cuatro extremidades, ascendente y progresiva, llegando a la incapacidad de la marcha. Ingresó al servicio de urgencia del hospital de Puerto Montt, con paraparesia predominante en extremidades inferiores, hipoestesia y ausencia de reflejos osteotendinosos. Estudio electrofisiológico evidencia severa polineuropatía sensitivamotora desmielinizante con degeneración axonal secundaria.LCR con proteinorraquia de 100 mg/dl y sin celularidad. Inició tratamiento con corticoides y luego plasmaféresis, evolucionando con mejoría significativa de la funcionalidad y marcha independiente. DISCUSIÓN. Las principales modalidades terapéuticas de PDIC son la inmunoglobulina intravenosa, glucocorticoides y plasmaféresis. Todos estos parecen ser igualmente efectivos de forma separada. La elección está influenciada por las preferencias del paciente, efectos adversos, costo, duración y disponibilidad. El uso de inmunoglobulina intravenosa es a veces limitado; los corticoides son económicos, pero con efectos adversos frecuentes y relevantes; y la plasmaféresis es cara, invasiva y solamente disponible en centros especializados. La mayoría de los pacientes, responden inicialmente, pero las recaídas son frecuentes...

INTRODUCTION. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy(CIDP) is an acquired disorder of peripheral nerves and nerve roots that run continuously for 8 weeks or more. The classic form is characterized by symmetric sensory and motor involvement, weakness is present in both proximal and distal muscles and is characteristic in the electrophysiological study demyelination with albumin-cytological dissociation in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). PRESENTATION OF THE CASE.34-year-old woman with a history of depression in treatment, started about a year ago muscle weakness of all limbs, ascending and progressive, leading to the inability of the march. Was admitted with paraparesis, predominantly in lower extremities, hypoesthesia and absence of tendon reflexes. Electrophysiological study evidence severe demyelinating motor sensory polyneuropathy with secondary axonal degeneration. CSF protein concentration of 100 mg / dL and no cellularity. Starts treatment with corticosteroids and plasmapheresis, evolving with significant improvement in functionality and independent walking. DISCUSSION. The main therapeutic modalities in CIDP are intravenous immunoglobulin, corticosteroids and plasmapheresis. All these seem to be equally effective separately. The choice is influenced by patient preference, adverse effects, cost, duration and availability. The use of intravenous immunoglobulinis sometimes limited; corticosteroids are inexpensive, but with frequent and significant side effects; and plasmapheresis is expensive, invasive and only available at specialized centers. Most patients respond initially but relapses are frequent...