Universal laboratory testing for SARS-CoV-2 in hyperacute stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Stroke patients are thought to be at increased risk of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). To evaluate yield of universal laboratory testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in acute stroke patients and its impact on hyperacute stroke care. METHODS: Between weeks 14 and 18 in 2020, a protected code stroke protocol including infection control screening and laboratory testing for SARS-CoV-2 was prospectively implemented for all code stroke patients upon arrival to the emergency department. If infection control screen was positive, patients received protective hygienic measures and laboratory test results were available within four hours from testing. In patients with negative screen, laboratory results were available no later than the next working day. Door-to-imaging times of patients treated with thrombolysis or thrombectomy were compared with those of patients treated during the preceding weeks 1 to 13 in 2020. RESULTS: During the 4-weeks study period, 116 consecutive code stroke patients underwent infection control screen and laboratory testing for SARS-CoV-2. Among 5 (4.3%) patients whose infection control screen was positive, no patient was tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. All patients with negative infection control screens had negative test results. Door-to-imaging times of patients treated with thrombolysis and/or thrombectomy were not different to those treated during the preceding weeks (12 [9-15] min versus 13 [11-17] min, p = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: Universal laboratory testing for SARS-CoV-2 provided useful information on patients' infection status and its implementation into a protected code stroke protocol did not adversely affect hyperacute stroke care.

Association of history of cerebrovascular disease with severity of COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a history of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) increases risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: In a retrospective multicenter study, we retrieved individual data from in-patients treated March 1 to April 15, 2020 from COVID-19 registries of three hospitals in Saxony, Germany. We also performed a systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA recommendations using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library databases and bibliographies of identified papers (last search on April 11, 2020) and pooled data with those deriving from our multicenter study. Of 3762 records identified, 11 eligible observational studies of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients were included in quantitative data synthesis. Risk ratios (RR) of severe COVID-19 according to history of CVD were pooled using DerSimonian and Laird random effects model. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q and I2-statistics. Severity of COVID-19 according to definitions applied in included studies was the main outcome. Sensitivity analyses were conducted for clusters of studies with equal definitions of severity. RESULTS: Pooled analysis included data from 1906 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients (43.9% females, median age ranging from 39 to 76 years). Patients with previous CVD had higher risk of severe COVID-19 than those without [RR 2.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.52-2.81; p < 0.0001]. This association was also observed in clusters of studies that defined severe manifestation of the disease by clinical parameters (RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.22-1.71; p < 0.0001), necessity of intensive care (RR 2.79, 95% CI 1.83-4.24; p < 0.0001) and in-hospital death (RR 2.18, 95% CI 1.75-2.7; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: A history of CVD might constitute an important risk factor of unfavorable clinical course of COVID-19  suggesting a need of tailored infection prevention and clinical management strategies for this population at risk.

Severe Organizing Pneumonia after Two Cycles of Docetaxel as Fourth-Line Chemotherapy for Advanced Non-Small Cell Carcinoma of the Lung.

Organizing pneumonia (formerly known as bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia, BOOP) is an inflammatory process of the bronchioles that can lead to the destruction of small airways and surrounding lung tissue. Although the majority of cases are idiopathic, certain chemicals and drugs can induce OP. Here, we report a 54-year-old male patient with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who developed therapy-associated OP. He had undergone several other chemotherapies before being switched to docetaxel as monotherapy (75 mg/m(2)). Treatment was initially well tolerated, but after the second cycle the patient developed increasing shortness of breath. Computed tomography (CT) for staging after the second cycle showed bilateral predominantly interstitial infiltration highly suggestive of acute lung fibrosis. Bronchoscopy revealed signs of chronic bronchitis and watery discharge from both lungs. Bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial needle biopsy was performed. Based on histopathologic examination, diagnosis of OP was made. After cessation of docetaxel and initial high dose steroids, the infiltration ameliorated rapidly. This is the second case in the literature that associates docetaxel with rapid onset of bronchiolitis obliterans. Therefore, patients with lung cancer receiving docetaxel who develop respiratory symptoms should be suspected to develop OP.