Clinical characteristics of patients hospitalized for COVID-19: comparison between different age groups.

BACKGROUND: To test whether known prognosticators of COVID-19 maintained their stratification ability across age groups. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study. We included all patients (n = 2225), who presented to the Emergency Department of the Careggi University Hospital for COVID-19 in the period February 2020-May 2021, and were admitted to the hospital. The following parameters were analyzed as dichotomized: 1) SpO2/FiO2 ≤ or > 214; 2) creatinine < or ≥ 1.1 mg/dL; 3) Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) < or ≥ 250 U/mL; 4) C Reactive Protein (CRP) < or ≥ 60 mg/100 mL. We divided the study population in four subgroups, based on the quartiles of distribution of age (G1 18-57 years, G2 57-71 years, G3 72-81 years, G4 > 82). The primary end-point was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: By the univariate analysis, the aforementioned dichotomized variables demonstrated a significant association with in-hospital mortality in all subgroups. We introduced them in a multivariate model: in G1 SpO2/FiO2 ≤ 214 (Relative Risk, RR 15.66; 95%CI 3.98-61,74), in G2 creatinine ≥ 1.1 mg/L (RR 2.87, 95%CI 1.30-6.32) and LDH ≥ 250 UI/L (RR 8.71, 95%CI 1,15-65,70), in G3 creatinine ≥ 1.1 mg/L (RR 1.98, 95%CI 1,17-3.36) and CRP ≥ 60 ng/L (RR 2.14, 95%CI 1.23-3.71), in G4 SpO2/FiO2 ≤ 214 (RR 5.15, 95%CI 2.35-11.29), creatinine ≥ 1.1 mg/L (RR 1.75, 95%CI 1.09-2.80) and CRP ≥ 60 ng/L (RR 1.82, 95%CI 1.11-2.98) were independently associated with an increased in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: A mild to moderate respiratory failure showed an independent association with an increased mortality rate only in youngest and oldest patients, while kidney disease maintained a prognostic role regardless of age.

Fingerprinting Acute Digestive Diseases by Untargeted NMR Based Metabolomics.

Precision medicine may significantly contribute to rapid disease diagnosis and targeted therapy, but relies on the availability of detailed, subject specific, clinical information. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H⁻NMR) spectroscopy of body fluids can extract individual metabolic fingerprints. Herein, we studied 64 patients admitted to the Florence main hospital emergency room with severe abdominal pain. A blood sample was drawn from each patient at admission, and the corresponding sera underwent ¹H⁻NMR metabolomics fingerprinting. Unsupervised Principal Component Analysis (PCA) analysis showed a significant discrimination between a group of patients with symptoms of upper abdominal pain and a second group consisting of patients with diffuse abdominal/intestinal pain. Prompted by this observation, supervised statistical analysis (Orthogonal Partial Least Squares⁻Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA)) showed a very good discrimination (>90%) between the two groups of symptoms. This is a surprising finding, given that neither of the two symptoms points directly to a specific disease among those studied here. Actually herein, upper abdominal pain may result from either symptomatic gallstones, cholecystitis, or pancreatitis, while diffuse abdominal/intestinal pain may result from either intestinal ischemia, strangulated obstruction, or mechanical obstruction. Although limited by the small number of samples from each of these six conditions, discrimination of these diseases was attempted. In the first symptom group, >70% discrimination accuracy was obtained among symptomatic gallstones, pancreatitis, and cholecystitis, while for the second symptom group >85% classification accuracy was obtained for intestinal ischemia, strangulated obstruction, and mechanical obstruction. No single metabolite stands up as a possible biomarker for any of these diseases, while the contribution of the whole ¹H⁻NMR serum fingerprint seems to be a promising candidate, to be confirmed on larger cohorts, as a first-line discriminator for these diseases.

Comparison of exercise electrocardiogram and exercise echocardiography in intermediate-risk chest pain patients.

BACKGROUND: The novel exercise computer-assisted high-frequency QRS analysis (HF/QRS) has demonstrated improved sensitivity and specificity over the conventional ST/electrocardiogram-segment analysis (ST/ECG) in the detection of myocardial ischemia. The aim of the present study was to compare the diagnostic value of the validated exercise echocardiography (ex-Echo) with the novel exercise ECG (ex-ECG) including HF/QRS and ST/ECG analysis. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the emergency department of a tertiary care teaching Hospital. Patients with chest pain (CP), normal resting ECGs, troponins, and echocardiography, labeled as "intermediate-risk" for adverse coronary events, underwent the novel ex-ECG and ex-Echo. An ST-segment depression of at least 2 mV or at least 1 mV when associated with CP was considered as an index of ischemia, as well as a decrease of at least 50% in HF/QRS intensity, or new wall motion abnormalities on ex-Echo. Exclusion criteria were QRS duration of at least 120 milliseconds, poor echo-acoustic window, and inability to exercise. Patients were followed up to 3 months. The end point was the composite of coronary stenoses of 50% or greater at angiography or acute coronary syndrome, revascularization, and cardiovascular death on the 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: Of 188 patients enrolled, 18 achieved the end point. The novel ex-ECG and ex-Echo showed comparable negative predictive value (97% vs 96%; P = .930); however, sensitivity was 83% vs 61%, respectively (P = .612), and specificity was 64% vs 92%, respectively,(P = .026). The areas on receiver operating characteristic analysis were comparable (ex-ECG: 0.734 [95% confidence interval, or CI, 0.62-0.85] vs ex-Echo: 0.767 [CI, 0.63-0.91]; C statistic, P = .167). On multivariate analysis, both ex-ECG (hazard ratio, 5; CI, 1-20; P = .017) and ex-Echo (HR, 12; CI, 4-40; P < .001) were predictors of the end point. CONCLUSIONS: In intermediate-risk CP patients, the novel ex-ECG including HF/QRS added to ST/ECG analysis was a valuable diagnostic tool and might be proposed to avoid additional imaging. However, the novel test needs additional study before it can be recommended as a replacement for current techniques.

Long-term prognostic value of stress echocardiography in patients presenting to the ED with spontaneous chest pain.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to evaluate the long-term prognostic value of stress echocardiography (SE) in patients evaluated in emergency department (ED) and to determine SE parameters that best predicted outcome. METHODS: Between June 2008 and July 2012, 626 patients with an episode of spontaneous chest pain underwent SE (exercise stress echocardiography or dobutamine stress echocardiography [DSE]). Between December 2012 and January 2013, all patients were contacted to verify the occurrence of cardiac events. Patients were divided in 3 subgroups according to peak stress Wall Motion Score Index (pWMSI): normal peak wall motion (pWMSI, 1; group A1), mild to moderate peak asynergy (pWMSI, 1.1-1.7; group A2), and severe peak asynergy (pWMSI, >1.7; group A3). RESULTS: Stress echocardiography showed inducible ischemia in 159 patients (25%); it was negative in 425 (68%) and inconclusive in 42 (7%). Patients with cardiac events more frequently showed inducible ischemia (50% vs 26%; P = .015) compared with patients with good prognosis; a normal SE (14% vs 61%) was significantly less common. At a multivariate regression analysis, an increased pWMSI (relative risk: 9.816, 95% confidence interval: 3.665-26.290; P < .0001) was independently associated with a bad outcome. Cumulative event-free survival was significantly worse with an increasing degree of peak wall motion asynergy (99% in group A1; 96%, group A2; and 88% in group A3; P = .011 between A1 and A2 groups, P = .012 between A2 and A3 groups, and P < .0001 between A1 and A3 groups). CONCLUSIONS: Stress echocardiography showed an optimal prognostic value among ED patients evaluated for chest pain. The presence of an extensive asynergic area at peak stress was associated with an adverse prognosis.

HACOR score to predict NIV failure in patients with COVID-related hypoxemic respiratory failure managed in the ordinary ward and in the critical care setting.

We evaluated the prevalence of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) failure among patients with COVID-19-related pneumonia, managed in the ordinary ward and in the HDU/ICU and we tested the prognostic role of the HACOR score in those different settings. This is a retrospective study, conducted in the University-Hospital Careggi. We included all subjects with COVID-19 and ARF requiring NIV between March 2020 and May 2021, respectively managed in the ordinary ward (G1) and in the critical care setting (G2). Clinical parameters, HACOR and SOFA score were evaluated at Day 0 and after 1, 2 and 5 days of treatment. The primary outcome was NIV failure. 13% G1 patients and 40% G2 patients underwent endotracheal intubation (ETI). NIV was successful in 60% G1 AND 43% G2 patients (p < 0.001). In G1, compared to those with successful NIV, patients who underwent ETI, had a higher HACOR since the baseline evaluation (T0: 6 [5-6] vs 5 [3-6]; T1: 6 [5-6] vs 5 [3-6], all p < 0.05). An HACOR score > 5 was associated with an increased prevalence of ETI independent to an advanced age and a SOFA score > 5 both in G1 (T1: RR 4.87, 95% CI 1.462-16.275; T5: 3.630, 95% CI 0.979-13.462) and G2 (T0: 1.76, 95% CI 0.906-3.422; T1: 3.38, 95% CI 1.386-8.265). Among patients with COVID-related-ARF, NIV could be managed in the ordinary ward in a consistent proportion of patients and, among them, an HACOR score > 5 was independently associated with increased NIV failure from the earliest evaluations.

4C mortality score and COVID-19 mortality risk score: an analysis in four different age groups of an Italian population.

To evaluate the prognostic stratification ability of 4C Mortality Score and COVID-19 Mortality Risk Score in different age groups. Retrospective study, including all patients, presented to the Emergency Department of the University Hospital Careggi, between February, 2020 and May, 2021, and admitted for SARS-CoV2. Patients were divided into four subgroups based on the quartiles of age distribution: patients < 57 years (G1, n = 546), 57-71 years (G2, n = 508), 72-81 years (G3, n = 552), and > 82 years (G4, n = 578). We calculated the 4C Mortality Score and COVID-19 Mortality Risk Score. The end-point was in-hospital mortality. In the whole population (age 68 ± 16 years), the mortality rate was 19% (n = 424), and increased with increasing age (G1: 4%, G2: 11%, G3: 22%, and G4: 39%, p < 0.001). Both scores were higher among non-survivors than survivors in all subgroups (4C-MS, G1: 6 [3-7] vs 3 [2-5]; G2: 10 [7-11] vs 7 [5-8]; G3: 11 [10-14] vs 10 [8-11]; G4: 13 [12-15] vs 11 [10-13], all p < 0.001; COVID-19 MRS, G1: 8 [7-9] vs 9 [9-11], G2: 10 [8-11] vs 11 [10-12]; G3: 11 [10-12] vs 12 [11-13]; G4: 11 [10-13] vs 13 [12-14], all p < 0.01). The ability of both scores to identify patients at higher risk of in-hospital mortality, was similar in different age groups (4C-MS: G1 0.77, G2 0.76, G3 0.68, G4 0.72; COVID-19 MRS: G1 0.67, G2 0.69, G3 0.69, G4 0.72, all p for comparisons between subgroups = NS). Both scores confirmed their good performance in predicting in-hospital mortality in all age groups, despite their different mortality rate.

Stress echocardiography in the ED: diagnostic performance in high-risk subgroups.

PURPOSE: To assess stress-echo (SE) diagnostic performance in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with spontaneous chest pain, especially in subgroups in which exercise ECG diagnostic performance has been questioned (women, elderly, history of coronary artery disease). METHODS: Between June 2008 and May 2011, 474 patients with an episode of spontaneous chest pain, non-diagnostic electrocardiogram and negative cardiac necrosis markers underwent SE. Patients with inducible ischemia (Isch) were asked to undergo coronary angiography. Patients with negative SE were discharged and contacted by telephone at least 6 months after discharge, to ascertain the occurrence of new cardiac events. MAIN FINDINGS: Exercise stress-echo (ESE) was employed in 270 patients and dobutamine (DSE) in 218 (including 14 with inconclusive ESE); a diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) was confirmed or excluded in 434 (92%) patients. SE was negative for Isch in 318 patients (206 ESE and 112 DSE) and positive in 132. During follow-up, patients with negative SE had 4 cardiac events. SE showed: sensitivity 90%, specificity 92%, positive predictive value 78% and negative predictive value 97%. Sensitivity was comparable between patients aged < or ≥70 years (84 vs 94%) and between gender (89 vs 96%), but lower in patients with known CAD (88 vs 94%, P < .05); specificity was comparable regardless of age (94 vs 99%) and presence of CAD (97 vs 91%), but was lower among women (87 vs 96%, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: SE had a very good diagnostic performance in ED patients with suspected Isch, both overall and in selected high-risk groups.

Integrated ultrasonographic approach to evaluate fluid responsiveness in critically ill patients.

In patients with acute circulatory failure, we tested the feasibility of the evaluation of the fluid-responsiveness (FR) by a combined approach with echocardiography and lung ultrasound. We enrolled 113 consecutive patients admitted to the Emergency Department High-Dependency Unit of Careggi University-Hospital from January 2015 to June 2020. We assessed: (1) inferior vena cava collapsibility index (IVCCI); (2) the variation of aortic flow (VTIAo) during the passive leg raising test (PLR); (3) the presence of interstitial syndrome by lung ultrasound. FR was defined as an increase in the VTIAo > 10% during PLR or IVCCI ≥ 40%. FR patients were treated with fluid and those non-FR with diuretics or vasopressors. The therapeutic strategy was reassessed after 12 h. The goal was to maintain the initial strategy. Among 56 FR patients, at lung ultrasound, 15 patients showed basal interstitial syndrome and 4 all-lung involvement. One fluid bolus was given to 51 patients. Among 57 non-FR patients, 26 patients showed interstitial syndrome at lung ultrasound (basal fields in 14, all lungs in 12). We administered diuretics to 21 patients and vasopressors to 4 subjects. We had to change the initial treatment plan in 9% non-FR patients and in 12% FR patients (p = NS). In the first 12 h after the evaluation, non-FR patients received significantly less fluids compared to those FR (1119 ± 410 vs 2010 ± 1254 ml, p < 0.001). The evaluation of the FR based on echocardiography and lung ultrasound was associated with the reduction in fluid administration for non-FR patients compared with those FR.

Usefulness of chest ultrasonography in detecting pulmonary embolism in patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic renal failure: a case report.

We describe the case of a 75-year-old man affected by a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic renal failure admitted to our emergency department for dyspnea and interscapular stabbing pain. Chest radiography showed diffuse parenchymal consolidation in the lower right lung with bronchiectasis, but the treatment for infection disease did not improve the clinical conditions of the patient. According to Wells score indicating an intermediate risk for pulmonary embolism, we performed a chest ultrasonography that showed ultrasonographic patterns of thromboembolism. Because the presence of chronic renal failure limited the execution of a helical computed tomographic pulmonary angiography, a pulmonary scintigraphy was performed confirming the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Our case suggested that chest ultrasonography can be a valuable tool for early detection of pulmonary embolism and to establish immediately an appropriate therapy.

Short- and long-term cardiac events in patients with chest pain with or without known existing coronary disease presenting normal electrocardiogram.

AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate incidence of adverse cardiac events in patients with chest pain with or without known existing coronary disease presenting normal electrocardiogram (ECG) and initial troponin. METHODS: Prospective, nonrandomized study enrolled low-risk patients with normal ECG and troponin on admission who underwent observation and/or stress testing by unstandardized clinical judgment. Patients who experienced recurrent angina or positive ECGs or positive troponins during observation or patients with positive stress testing were admitted; otherwise, they were discharged. END POINT: The end points are cardiac events at short- and long-term follow-up including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and revascularization. RESULTS: Of 5656 patients considered, 1732 with ischemic ECG were initially admitted and, therefore, excluded from the analysis; 2860 with pleuritic chest pain and normal ECG were discharged; 1064 with visceral chest pain and normal ECG were enrolled. Patients with known coronary disease (45%) were older and likely presented known vascular disease. Patients with known vascular disease, older age, female sex, diabetes mellitus, and lower chest pain score were likely managed with observation. In patients with known coronary disease as compared with patients without, overall cardiac events account for 35% vs 14%, respectively (P < .001), as follows: in-hospital, 23% vs 10%, (P < .001); 1 month, 4% vs 2% (P = .133); and 9.9 ± 4.9 months, 8% vs 2%, respectively (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: One-third of patients with chest pain with known coronary disease, negative ECG, and biomarkers were subsequently found to have adverse cardiac events. The value of this research for an emergency medicine audience could be extended to all clinicians and general practitioners beyond cardiologists.

Risk scores prognostic implementation in patients with chest pain and nondiagnostic electrocardiograms.

BACKGROUND: Several risk scores are available for prognostic purpose in patients presenting with chest pain. AIM: The aim of this study was to compare Grace, Pursuit, Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI), Goldman, Sanchis, and Florence Prediction Rule (FPR) to exercise electrocardiogram (ECG), decision making, and outcome in the emergency setting. METHODS: Patients with nondiagnostic ECGs and normal troponins and without history of coronary disease underwent exercise ECG. Patients with positive testing underwent coronary angiography; otherwise, they were discharged. End point was the composite of coronary stenosis at angiography or cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, angina, and revascularization at 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: Of 508 patients considered, 320 had no history of coronary disease: 29 were unable to perform exercise testing, and finally, 291 were enrolled. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for Grace, Pursuit, TIMI, Goldman, Sanchis, and FPR were 0.59, 0.68, 0.69, 0.543, 0.66, and 0.74, respectively (P < .05 FPR vs Goldman and Grace). In patients with negative exercise ECG and overall low risk score, only the FPR effectively succeeded in recognizing those who achieved the end point; in patients with high risk score, the additional presence of carotid stenosis and recurrent angina predicted the end point (odds ratio, 12 and 5, respectively). Overall, logistic regression analysis including exercise ECG, coronary risk factors, and risk scores showed that exercise ECG was an independent predictor of coronary events (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The FPR effectively succeeds in ruling out coronary events in patients categorized with overall low risk score. Exercise ECG, nonetheless being an independent predictor of coronary events could be considered questionable in this subset of patients.

Clinical management of atrial fibrillation: early interventions, observation, and structured follow-up reduce hospitalizations.

BACKGROUND: Novel facilities such as an intensive observation unit and an outpatient clinic could result in improving management of patients presenting with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: This observational study enrolled 3475 patients. Group 1 (1120 patients; years 2004-2005) was managed with standard approach; group 2 (992 patients; years 2006-2007) was managed with additional intensive observation; group 3 (1363 patients; years 2008-2009) was managed with additional intensive observation and outpatient clinic. Primary end point was admission to hospital. Secondary end points included modalities of rhythm conversion and administration of class IC vs class III antiarrhythmic drugs in patients with AF lasting less than 48 hours. RESULTS: Lack of rhythm control, comorbidities, diabetes, and age were independent predictors of hospitalization. Admissions significantly decreased from group 1 (50%) to 2 (38%) and to 3 (24%) (P < .001). Interestingly, more than a quarter of patients in group 3 were referred to the outpatient clinic for short-term follow-up, eventually avoiding admission. Patients with AF lasting less than 48 hours (n = 2189) and without structural heart disease (n = 1685) achieved sinus rhythm in 89% of cases and were discharged. In these patients, early administration of antiarrhythmic drugs of class IC and III gained sinus rhythm in 80% and 20%, respectively (P < .001). Spontaneous conversion occurred in 26%; electrical, 17%; and pharmacological, 57%. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with AF, beyond the standard approach, the novel organization with an additional intensive observation unit for early pharmacological interventions and an outpatient clinic for elective treatment and short-term follow-up significantly reduced admission irrespective of independent predictors of hospitalizations. Patients without structural heart disease treated with antiarrhythmic drugs achieved sinus rhythm in 89% of cases, mostly with class IC drugs.

Improving technical and non-technical skills of emergency medicine residents through a program based on high-fidelity simulation.

We evaluated the effectiveness of a training program with high-fidelity simulation (HFS) to improve technical (TS) and non-technical skills (NTS) of residents in Emergency Medicine. We conducted a 2-year training program for the management of a critical patient based on HFS (6 sessions for every year, four teams who performed 4 scenarios per session). At the beginning of the training program, all participants received a presentation of Crisis Resource Management (CRM) principles. Each session covered a different topic in Emergency Medicine Curriculum. TSs were measured as the proportion of completed tasks in the following areas: airway, breathing, circulation, disability and exposure (ABCDE) assessment and management, completion of anamnesis based on AMPLE (allergy, medications, previous illness, last meal and event) scheme, diagnostic and therapeutic assessment. NTSs were rated by the Clinical Teamwork Scale (CTS). Scores' values and the percentage of correctly performed actions were presented as median with interquartile range. Friedmann non-parametric test was employed to evaluate the trend of TS and NTS over the following sessions. Among the TS, the assessment and management of ABCDE and completion of therapeutic tasks improved (all p < 0.05). The completion of diagnostic tasks (p = 0.050) tended toward significant improvement. The overall CTS score (first session 61 ± 17, last session 84 ± 16, p < 0.001) as well as Communication (first 13.7 ± 3.6, last 18.7 ± 3.5, p < 0.001), Situational Awareness (first 5.3 ± 1.8, last 6.4 ± 1.4, p = 0.012) and Role Responsibility subscores (first 9.7 ± 2.8, last 12.1 ± 3.7, p < 0.001) increased through the following sessions. Therefore, HFS has proven to be an effective instrument to improve TS and NTS among Emergency Medicine residents.

Comparison of Troponin I levels versus myocardial dysfunction on prognosis in sepsis.

In the context of sepsis, we tested the relationship between echocardiographic findings and Troponin, and their impact on prognosis. In this prospective study, we enrolled 325 septic patients (41% with shock), not mechanically ventilated, between October, 2012 and June, 2019 among those admitted to our High-Dependency Unit. By echocardiography within 24 h from the admission, sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD) was defined as left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction (speckle-tracking-based global longitudinal peak systolic strain, GLS, > - 14%) and/or right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction (Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion, TAPSE < 16 mm). Troponin I levels were measured upon admission (T0) and after 24 h (T1); it was considered normal if > 0.1 ng/mL. Mortality was assessed at day-7 and day-28 end-points. One-hundred and forty-two patients had normal Troponin level at T0 and T1 (G1), 69 had abnormal levels at T0 or T1 (G2) and 114 showed abnormal Troponin levels at both T0 and T1 (G3). Compared to G1, patients in G3 had worse LV and RV systolic function (GLS - 11.6 ± 3.4% vs - 14.0 ± 3.5%, p < 0.001; TAPSE 18 ± 0.5 vs 19 ± 0.5 mm, p = 0.047) and greater day-28 (34% vs 20%, p = 0.015) mortality. In a Cox survival analysis including age, Troponin and SOFA score, mortality was predicted by the presence of SIMD (RR 3.24, 95% CI 1.72-6.11, p < 0.001) with no contribution of abnormal Troponin level. While abnormal Troponin levels were associated with SIMD diagnosed by echocardiography, only the presence of SIMD predicted the short- and medium-term mortality rate, without an independent contribution of increased Troponin levels.

Role of prognostic scores in predicting in-hospital mortality and failure of non-invasive ventilation in adults with COVID-19.

We tested the prognostic performance of different scores for the identification of subjects with acute respiratory failure by COVID-19, at risk of in-hospital mortality and NIV failure. We conducted a retrospective study, in the Medical High-Dependency Unit of the University-Hospital Careggi. We included all subjects with COVID-19 and ARF requiring non-invasive ventilation (NIV) between March 2020 and January 2021. Clinical parameters, the HACOR score (Heart rate, Acidosis, Consciousness, Oxygenation, Respiratory Rate) and ROX index ((SpO2/FiO2)/respiratory rate) were collected 3 (-3) and 1 day (-1) before the NIV initiation, the first day of treatment (Day0) and after 1 (+1), 2 (+2), 5 (+5), 8 (+8) and 11 (+11) of treatment. The primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and NIV failure. We included 135 subjects, mean age 69±13 years, 69% male. Patients, who needed mechanical ventilation, showed a higher HACOR score (Day0: 6 [5-7] vs 6 [6-7], p=.057; Day+2: 6 [6-6] vs 6 [4-6], p=.013) and a lower ROX index (Day0: 4.2±2.3 vs 5.1±2.3, p=.055; Day+2: 4.4±1.2.vs 5.5±1.3, p=.001) than those with successful NIV. An HACOR score >5 was more frequent among nonsurvivors (Day0: 82% vs 58%; Day2: 82% vs 48%, all p<0.01) and it was associated with in-hospital mortality (Day0: RR 5.88, 95%CI 2.01-17.22; Day2: RR 4.33, 95%CI 1.64-11.41) independent to age and Charlson index. In conclusion, in subjects treated with NIV for ARF caused by COVID19, respiratory parameters collected after the beginning of NIV allowed to identify those at risk of an adverse outcome. An HACOR score >5 was independently associated with increased mortality rate.

D-Dimer Tests in the Emergency Department: Current Insights.

In the Emergency Medicine setting, D-dimer is currently employed in the diagnostic assessment of suspected venous thromboembolism and aortic syndrome. The nonspecific symptoms reported by patients, like chest pain, dyspnea or syncope, uncover a wide range of differential diagnosis, spanning from mild to life-threatening conditions. Therefore, we assumed the perspective of the Emergency Physician and, in this narrative review, we reported a brief presentation of the epidemiology of these symptoms and the characteristics of patients, in whom we could suspect the aforementioned pathologies. We also reported in which patients D-dimer gives useful information. In fact, when the probability of the disease is high, the D-dimer level is futile. On the contrary, given the low specificity of the test, when the probability of the disease is very low, a false-positive value of the D-dimer only increases the risk of overtesting. Patients with low to moderate probability really benefit from the D-dimer testing, in order to prevent the execution of expensive and potentially dangerous imaging tests. In the second part of the review, we focused on the prognostic value of the test in septic patients. The early prognostic stratification of septic patients remains a challenge for the Emergency Physician, in the absence of a definite biomarker or score to rely on. Therefore, we need several parameters for the early identification of patients at risk of an adverse prognosis and the D-dimer may play a role in this demanding task. SARS COVID-19 patients represent an emerging reality, where the role of the D-dimer for prognostic stratification could be relevant. In fact, in patients with severe forms of this disease, the D-dimer reaches very high values, which appear to parallel the course of respiratory failure. Whether the test may add useful information for the management of these patients remains to be determined.

Serum sodium alterations in SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection: impact on patient outcome.

OBJECTIVE: Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder in hospitalized patients and occurs in about 30% of patients with pneumonia. Hyponatremia has been associated with a worse outcome in several pathologic conditions The main objective of this study was to determine whether serum sodium alterations may be independent predictors of the outcome of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. DESIGN AND METHODS: In this observational study, data from 441 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to a University Hospital were collected. After excluding 61 patients (no serum sodium at admission available, saline solution infusion before sodium assessment, transfer from another hospital), data from 380 patients were analyzed. RESULTS: 274 (72.1%) patients had normonatremia at admission, 87 (22.9%) patients had hyponatremia and 19 (5%) patients had hypernatremia. We found an inverse correlation between serum sodium and IL-6, whereas a direct correlation between serum sodium and PaO2/FiO2 ratio was observed. Patients with hyponatremia had a higher prevalence of non-invasive ventilation and ICU transfer than those with normonatremia or hypernatremia. Hyponatremia was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (2.7-fold increase vs normonatremia) and each mEq/L of serum sodium reduction was associated with a 14.4% increased risk of death. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that serum sodium at admission may be considered as an early prognostic marker of disease severity in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Incidence of deep vein thrombosis through an ultrasound surveillance protocol in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in non-ICU setting: A multicenter prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the lower limbs, using serial compression ultrasound (CUS) surveillance, in acutely ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to a non-ICU setting. METHODS: Multicenter, prospective study of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to Internal Medicine units. All patients were screened for DVT of the lower limbs with serial CUS. Anticoagulation was defined as: low dose (enoxaparin 20-40 mg/day or fondaparinux 1.5-2.5 mg/day); intermediate dose (enoxaparin 60-80 mg/day); high dose (enoxaparin 120-160 mg or fondaparinux 5-10 mg/day or oral anticoagulation). The primary end-point of the study was the diagnosis of DVT by CUS. RESULTS: Over a two-month period, 227 consecutive patients with moderate-severe COVID-19 pneumonia were enrolled. The incidence of DVT was 13.7% (6.2% proximal, 7.5% distal), mostly asymptomatic. All patients received anticoagulation (enoxaparin 95.6%) at the following doses: low 57.3%, intermediate 22.9%, high 19.8%. Patients with and without DVT had similar characteristics, and no difference in anticoagulant regimen was observed. DVT patients were older (mean 77±9.6 vs 71±13.1 years; p = 0.042) and had higher peak D-dimer levels (5403 vs 1723 ng/mL; p = 0.004). At ROC analysis peak D-dimer level >2000 ng/mL (AUC 0.703; 95% CI 0.572-0.834; p = 0.004) was the most accurate cut-off value able to predict DVT (RR 3.74; 95%CI 1.27-10, p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of DVT in acutely ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia is relevant. A surveillance protocol by serial CUS of the lower limbs is useful to timely identify DVT that would go otherwise largely undetected.