Unfractionated heparin reduces hepcidin levels in critically ill patients.

A strong anti-hepcidin activity has been observed in heparins. Mean hepcidin levels were significantly reduced compared to baseline, following the first day of unfractionated heparin administration in critically patients. Heparin displayed a strong independent negative association with hepcidin. These results may lead to future treatment methods of forms of anaemia characterised by hepcidin excess, common among the critically ill.

Modified SCOPE (mSCOPE) Score as a Tool to Predict Mortality in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Efficient clinical scores predicting the outcome of severe COVID-19 pneumonia may play a pivotal role in patients' management. The aim of this study was to assess the modified Severe COvid Prediction Estimate score (mSCOPE) index as a predictor of mortality in patients admitted to the ICU due to severe COVID-19 pneumonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, 268 critically ill COVID-19 patients were included. Demographic and laboratory characteristics, comorbidities, disease severity, and outcome were retrieved from the electronical medical files. The mSCOPE was also calculated. RESULTS: An amount of 70 (26.1%) of patients died in the ICU. These patients had higher mSCOPE score compared to patients who survived (p < 0.001). mSCOPE correlated to disease severity (p < 0.001) and to the number and severity of comorbidities (p < 0.001). Furthermore, mSCOPE significantly correlated with days on mechanical ventilation (p < 0.001) and days of ICU stay (p = 0.003). mSCOPE was found to be an independent predictor of mortality (HR:1.219, 95% CI: 1.010-1.471, p = 0.039), with a value ≥ 6 predicting poor outcome with a sensitivity (95%CI) 88.6%, specificity 29.7%, a positive predictive value of 31.5%, and a negative predictive value of 87.7%. CONCLUSION: mSCOPE score could be proved useful in patients' risk stratification, guiding clinical interventions in patients with severe COVID-19.

Pulmonary microRNA profiling in a mouse model of ventilator-induced lung injury.

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes induced by high tidal volume ventilation (HVTV) in pulmonary expression of micro-RNAs (miRNAs) and identify potential target genes and corresponding miRNA-gene networks. Using a real-time RT-PCR-based array in RNA samples from lungs of mice subjected to HVTV for 1 or 4 h and control mice, we identified 65 miRNAs whose expression changed more than twofold upon HVTV. An inflammatory and a TGF-ß-signaling miRNA-gene network were identified by in silico pathway analysis being at highest statistical significance (P = 10(-43) and P = 10(-28), respectively). In the inflammatory network, IL-6 and SOCS-1, regulated by miRNAs let-7 and miR-155, respectively, appeared as central nodes. In TGF-ß-signaling network, SMAD-4, regulated by miR-146, appeared as a central node. The contribution of miRNAs to the development of lung injury was evaluated in mice subjected to HVTV treated with a precursor or antagonist of miR-21, a miRNA highly upregulated by HVTV. Lung compliance was preserved only in mice treated with anti-miR-21 but not in mice treated with pre-miR-21 or negative-control miRNA. Both alveolar-arterial oxygen difference and protein levels in bronchoalveolar lavage were lower in mice treated with anti-miR-21 than in mice treated with pre-miR-21 or negative-control miRNA (D(A-a): 66 ± 27 vs. 131 ± 22, 144 ± 10 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.001; protein concentration: 1.1 ± 0.2 vs. 2.3 ± 1, 2.1 ± 0.4 mg/ml, respectively, P < 0.01). Our results show that HVTV induces changes in miRNA expression in mouse lungs. Modulation of miRNA expression can affect the development of HVTV-induced lung injury.

Immunostimulation and Coagulopathy in COVID-19 Compared to Patients With H1N1 Pneumonia or Bacterial Sepsis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Multiple reports from all over the world link COVID-19 with endothelial/coagulation disorders as well as a dysregulated immune response. This study tested the hypothesis that immunostimulation will be greater in COVID-19 patients than in patients with H1N1 infection or bacterial sepsis. Also, whether an increase in immune stimulation will be accompanied by a more severely affected endothelium/coagulation system was examined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-three septic patients, admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), were enrolled (9 with SARS-CoV-2, 5 with H1N1 pneumonia, 9 with bacterial sepsis). Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity along with certain endothelial/coagulation factors were assessed on admission (time point 1) and at either improvement or deterioration (time point 2). RESULTS: MPO levels were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients compared to both other groups. Furthermore, in patients with COVID-19, vWF levels did not differ significantly, fVIII levels were lower while ADAMTS-13 activity was higher compared to patients with H1N1 pneumonia and bacterial sepsis (a trend in the latter). CONCLUSION: Increased immunostimulation was noted in COVID-19 patients compared to other septic patients; however, this was not accompanied by greater disturbance of the clotting system and/or more severe endothelial injury.

Lung tumor MHCII immunity depends on in situ antigen presentation by fibroblasts.

A key unknown of the functional space in tumor immunity is whether CD4 T cells depend on intratumoral MHCII cancer antigen recognition. MHCII-expressing, antigen-presenting cancer-associated fibroblasts (apCAFs) have been found in breast and pancreatic tumors and are considered to be immunosuppressive. This analysis shows that antigen-presenting fibroblasts are frequent in human lung non-small cell carcinomas, where they seem to actively promote rather than suppress MHCII immunity. Lung apCAFs directly activated the TCRs of effector CD4 T cells and at the same time produced C1q, which acted on T cell C1qbp to rescue them from apoptosis. Fibroblast-specific MHCII or C1q deletion impaired CD4 T cell immunity and accelerated tumor growth, while inducing C1qbp in adoptively transferred CD4 T cells expanded their numbers and reduced tumors. Collectively, we have characterized in the lungs a subset of antigen-presenting fibroblasts with tumor-suppressive properties and propose that cancer immunotherapies might be strongly dependent on in situ MHCII antigen presentation.

Cutaneous Vasculopathy in a COVID-19 Critically Ill Patient: A Histologic, Immunohistochemical, and Electron Microscopy Study.

We describe a critically ill, SARS-CoV-2 positive patient with respiratory failure and thrombotic/livedoid skin lesions, appearing during the course of the disease. The biopsy of the lesions revealed an occlusive, pauci-inflammatory vasculopathy of the cutaneous small vessels characterized by complement and fibrinogen deposition on vascular walls, pointing to a thrombotic vasculopathy. Transmission electron microscopy of the affected skin failed to reveal any viral inclusions. Clinical evaluation and laboratory findings ruled out systemic coagulopathies and disseminated intravascular coagulation, drug-induced skin reaction, and common viral rashes. Our hypothesis is that the, herein evidenced, microvascular occlusive injury might constitute a significant pathologic mechanism in COVID-19, being a common denominator between cutaneous and pulmonary manifestations.

Acute life-threatening cardiac tamponade in a mechanically ventilated patient with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has recently evolved as a pandemic disease. Although the respiratory system is predominantly affected, cardiovascular complications have been frequently identified, including acute myocarditis, myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, arrhythmias and venous thromboembolic events. Pericardial disease has been rarely reported. We present a case of acute life-threatening cardiac tamponade caused by a small pericardial effusion in a mechanically ventilated patient with severe COVID-19 associated pneumonia. The patient presented acute circulatory collapse with hemodynamic features of cardiogenic or obstructive shock. Bedside echocardiography permitted prompt diagnosis and life-saving pericardiocentesis. Further investigation revealed no other apparent cause of pericardial effusion except for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cardiac tamponade may complicate COVID-19 and should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute hemodynamic deterioration in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients.

Acute Severe Asthma in Adolescent and Adult Patients: Current Perspectives on Assessment and Management.

Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease that is associated with variable expiratory flow, variable respiratory symptoms, and exacerbations which sometimes require hospitalization or may be fatal. It is not only patients with severe and poorly controlled asthma that are at risk for an acute severe exacerbation, but this has also been observed in patients with otherwise mild or moderate asthma. This review discusses current aspects on the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of acute severe asthma exacerbations and provides the current perspectives on the management of acute severe asthma attacks in the emergency department and the intensive care unit.

Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of Tpl2 kinase is protective in a mouse model of ventilator-induced lung injury.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical stress induced by injurious ventilation leads to pro-inflammatory cytokine production and lung injury. The extracellular-signal-regulated-kinase, ERK1/2, participates in the signaling pathways activated upon mechanical stress in the lungs to promote the inflammatory response. Tumor progression locus 2 (Tpl2) is a MAP3kinase that activates ERK1/2 upon cytokine or TLR signaling, to induce pro-inflammatory cytokine production. The role of Tpl2 in lung inflammation, and specifically in the one caused by mechanical stress has not been investigated. The aim of the study was to examine if genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of Tpl2 could ameliorate ventilator-induced lung injury. METHODS: Adult male wild-type and Tpl2-deficient mice were ventilated with normal or high tidal volume for 4 h. Additional wild-type mice were treated with a Tpl2 inhibitor either before or 30 min after initiation of high tidal ventilation. Non-ventilated mice of both genotypes served as controls. The development of lung injury was evaluated by measuring lung mechanics, arterial blood gases, concentrations of proteins, IL-6, and MIP-2 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and by lung histology. Data were compared by Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test and significance was defined as p < 0.05. RESULTS: Mechanical ventilation with normal tidal volume induced a mild increase of IL-6 in BALF in both strains. High tidal volume ventilation induced lung injury in wild-type mice, characterized by decreased lung compliance, increased concentrations of proteins, IL-6 and MIP-2 in BALF, and inflammatory cell infiltration on histology. All indices of lung injury were ameliorated in Tpl2-deficient mice. Wild-type mice treated with the Tpl2 inhibitor, either prior of after the initiation of high tidal volume ventilation were protected from the development of lung injury, as indicated by preserved lung compliance and lower BALF concentrations of proteins and IL-6, than similarly ventilated, untreated wild-type mice. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of Tpl2 is protective in a mouse model of ventilator-induced lung injury, ameliorating both high-permeability pulmonary edema and lung inflammation.