ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Therapies to interrupt the progression of early coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) remain elusive. Among them, convalescent plasma administered to hospitalized patients has been unsuccessful, perhaps because antibodies should be administered earlier in the course of illness. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of convalescent plasma with high IgG titers against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in older adult patients within 72 hours after the onset of mild Covid-19 symptoms. The primary end point was severe respiratory disease, defined as a respiratory rate of 30 breaths per minute or more, an oxygen saturation of less than 93% while the patient was breathing ambient air, or both. The trial was stopped early at 76% of its projected sample size because cases of Covid-19 in the trial region decreased considerably and steady enrollment of trial patients became virtually impossible. RESULTS: A total of 160 patients underwent randomization. In the intention-to-treat population, severe respiratory disease developed in 13 of 80 patients (16%) who received convalescent plasma and 25 of 80 patients (31%) who received placebo (relative risk, 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29 to 0.94; P = 0.03), with a relative risk reduction of 48%. A modified intention-to-treat analysis that excluded 6 patients who had a primary end-point event before infusion of convalescent plasma or placebo showed a larger effect size (relative risk, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.81). No solicited adverse events were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Early administration of high-titer convalescent plasma against SARS-CoV-2 to mildly ill infected older adults reduced the progression of Covid-19. (Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Fundación INFANT Pandemic Fund; Dirección de Sangre y Medicina Transfusional del Ministerio de Salud number, PAEPCC19, Plataforma de Registro Informatizado de Investigaciones en Salud number, 1421, and ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04479163.).
Subject(s)
COVID-19/therapy , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Respiratory Insufficiency/prevention & control , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Blood Component Transfusion , COVID-19/complications , Disease Progression , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Immunization, Passive , Intention to Treat Analysis , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Male , Respiratory Insufficiency/etiology , Severity of Illness Index , COVID-19 SerotherapyABSTRACT
Physicians should be alert to the occurrence of respiratory symptoms after radio frequency ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Pulmonary veins stenosis could appear with an incidence of between 1 and 3% during the two years following the procedure. We present the case of a 41 year-old-male patient admitted with a three weeks old hemoptysis and thoracodinia and a prior history of a radiofrequency ablation procedure performed six months earlier. The angiotomography was not compatible with the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and the angio-MRI detected hypoperfusion of the left upper pulmonary lobe. Consequently pulmonary veins angiotomography was requested, showing upper pulmonary lobe vein stenosis. An hemodynamic study with vein expansion and stent placement was successfully performed.
Subject(s)
Atrial Fibrillation/surgery , Catheter Ablation/adverse effects , Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease/etiology , Adult , Diagnosis, Differential , Humans , Male , Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease/diagnostic imaging , RadiographyABSTRACT
Es importante estar atento ante la aparición de síntomas respiratorios luego de la realización de un procedimiento de ablación por radiofrecuencia en el tratamiento de la fibrilación auricular, pues la estenosis de venas pulmonares (EVP) tiene una incidencia de entre 1 y 3% y puede aparecer hasta en los dos años posteriores al procedimiento1. Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 41 años de sexo masculino, que ingresó por un cuadro de hemoptisis y toracodinia de tres semanas de evolución, con antecedente de ablación por radiofrecuencia 6 meses antes de la admisión. La angiotomografía no evidenció tromboembolismo pulmonar (TEP) y la angiorresonancia detectó hipoperfusión deI lóbulo superior del pulmón izquierdo (LSI). Debido a los antecedentes de ablación se solicitó angiotomografía de venas pulmonares, que evidenció estenosis de la vena del LSI. Se realizó estudio hemodinámico con dilatación y colocación de stent.
Physicians should be alert to the occurrence of respiratory symptoms after radio frequency ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Pulmonary veins stenosis could appear with an incidence of between 1and 3% during the two years following the procedure. We present the case of a 41year-old-male patient admitted with a three weeks old hemoptysis and thoracodinia and a prior history of a radiofrecuency ablation procedure performed six months earlier. The angiotomography was not compatible with the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and the angio-MRI detected hypoperfusion of the left upper pulmonary lobe. Consequently pulmonary veins angiotomography was requested, showing upper pulmonary lobe vein stenosis. An hemodynamic study with vein expansion and stent placement was successfully performed.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Atrial Fibrillation/surgery , Catheter Ablation/adverse effects , Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease/etiology , Diagnosis, Differential , Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive DiseaseABSTRACT
La púrpura trombocitopénica trombótica (PTT) es un síndrome clínico caracterizado por anemia hemolítica microangiopática, trombocitopenia, fiebre, déficits neurológicos fluctuantes y enfermedad renal. Su asociación con lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES) se reconoció en la literatura médica desde 1939. Las dos enfermedades presentan manifestaciones clínicas simmilares por lo que en ocasiones es dificultoso establecer la presencia de PTT en un paciente con LES activo. La identificación de esquistocitos en el frotis de sangre periférica es crucial para el diagnóstico, así como la reticulocitosis marcada y la negatividad en la reacción de Coombs directa. Presentamos tres pacientes de sexo feminino en las que las dos entidades se presentaron en forma simultánea. Sugerimos la utilización de inmunosupresores junto con tratamiento de plasmaféresis con reposición de sobrenadante de crioprecipitado.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Middle Aged , Adult , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications , Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic/complications , Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/therapy , Plasmapheresis , Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic/therapyABSTRACT
La púrpura trombocitopénica trombótica (PTT) es un síndrome clínico caracterizado por anemia hemolítica microangiopática, trombocitopenia, fiebre, déficits neurológicos fluctuantes y enfermedad renal. Su asociación con lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES) se reconoció en la literatura médica desde 1939. Las dos enfermedades presentan manifestaciones clínicas simmilares por lo que en ocasiones es dificultoso establecer la presencia de PTT en un paciente con LES activo. La identificación de esquistocitos en el frotis de sangre periférica es crucial para el diagnóstico, así como la reticulocitosis marcada y la negatividad en la reacción de Coombs directa. Presentamos tres pacientes de sexo feminino en las que las dos entidades se presentaron en forma simultánea. Sugerimos la utilización de inmunosupresores junto con tratamiento de plasmaféresis con reposición de sobrenadante de crioprecipitado. (AU)