Clinical Characteristics, Respiratory Mechanics, and Outcomes in Critically Ill Individuals With COVID-19 Infection in an Underserved Urban Population.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 outbreak in the United States has disproportionately affected Black individuals, but little is known about the factors that underlie this observation. Herein, we describe these associations with mortality in a largely minority underserved population. METHODS: This single-center retrospective observational study included all adult subjects with laboratory-confirmed SARS-Cov-2 treated in our ICU between March 15 and May 10, 2020. RESULTS: 128 critically ill adult subjects were included in the study (median age 68 y [interquartile range 61-76], 45% female, and 64% Black); 124 (97%) required intubation. Eighty (63%) subjects died during their in-patient stay, which did not differ by race/ethnicity. Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, Blacks had a greater proportion of women (52% vs 30%, P = .02) and subjects with hypertension (91% vs 78%, P = .035). Asthma (P = .03) was associated with lower in-patient death, primarily among Black subjects (P = .02). Among Black subjects, increased age (odds ratio 1.06 [95% CI 1.05-1.22] per year), positive fluid balance (odds ratio 1.06 [95% CI 1.01-1.11] per 100 mL), and treatment with tocilizumab (odds ratio 25.0 [95% CI 3.5-180]) were independently associated with in-patient death, while higher platelets (odds ratio 0.65 [95% CI 0.47-0.89] per 50 × 103/mL) and treatment with intermediate dose anticoagulants (odds ratio 0.08 [95% CI 0.02-0.43]) were protective. Among other race/ethnic groups, higher total bilirubin (odds ratio 1.75 [95% CI 0.94-3.25] per 0.2 mg/dL) and higher maximum lactate (odds ratio 1.43 [95% CI 0.96-2.13] per mmol/L) were marginally associated with increased death, while tocilizumab treatment was marginally protective (odds ratio 0.24 [95% CI 0.05-1.25]). During first 72 h of ventilation, those who died had less increase in [Formula: see text] (P = .046) and less reduction in PEEP (P = .01) and [Formula: see text] requirement (P = .002); these patterns did not differ by race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Black and other race/ethnicity subjects had similar mortality rates due to COVID-19 but differed in factors that were associated with increased risk of death. In both groups, subjects who died were older, had a positive fluid balance, and less improvement in [Formula: see text], PEEP, and [Formula: see text] requirement on ventilation.

Association Between Intravenous Fluid Resuscitation and Hospital Mortality in Post Cardiac Arrest Patients: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role for intravenous fluid (IVF) resuscitation in the postarrest state. Primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge and 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were associations with amount of vasopressor use and mechanical ventilation days. DESIGN: Retrospective study design. SETTING: Single-center tertiary hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. PATIENTS: All patients admitted to the intensive care unit between 2018 and 2019. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were divided into two groups based on amount of IVF received within 24 h <30 mL/kg (restricted) and over 30 mL/kg (liberal). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 264 patients were included in the study, with 200 included in the restrictive (<30 mL/kg) group and 64 included in the liberal (>30 mg/kg) group. There was no difference in 30-day mortality between the two groups with 146 (73%) deaths in the restrictive groups and 44 (69%) deaths in the liberal group (P = 0.53). There was also no significant difference between those who survived to hospital discharge in the liberal and restrictive groups on Kaplan-Meier analysis (Log-rank = 1.476 P = 0.224). However, there was a significant difference between restrictive and liberal groups with the duration of mechanical ventilation (4 ±â€Š6 days vs. 6 ±â€Š9 days; P = 0.03) and in the rates of two or more vasopressor use (38% vs. 59%; P = 0.002). End-stage renal disease (ESRD) (OR = 2.39; P = 0.03) and volume of fluids in mL/kg/24 h (OR = 1.025; P < 0.0001) were independently associated with higher vasopressor need. Volume of fluid in mL/kg/24 h (P = 0.01), ESRD (P = 0.015), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P = 0.04) were significantly associated with duration of mechanical ventilation, even after adjusting for demographic factors, comorbidities, and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: A liberal strategy of IVF used in resuscitation after cardiac arrest is not associated with higher mortality. However, it predicts higher vasopressor use and duration of mechanical ventilation.

Timing of Intubation and Its Implications on Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection.

In critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019, there has been considerable debate about when to intubate patients with acute respiratory failure. Early expert recommendations supported early intubation. However, as we learned more about this disease, the risks versus benefits of early intubation are less clear. We report our findings from an observational study aimed to compare the difference in outcomes of critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 who were intubated early versus later in the disease course. Early need for intubation was defined as intubation either at admission or within 2 days of having a documented Fio2 greater than or equal to 0.5. In the final sample of 111 patients, 76 (68%) required early intubation. The mean age among those who received early intubation was significantly higher (69.79 ± 12.15 vs 65.03 ± 8.37 years; p = 0.038). Also, the patients who required early intubation had significantly higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores at admission (6.51 vs 3.48; p ≤ 0.0001). The outcomes were equivocal among both groups. In conclusion, we suggest that the timing of intubation has no impact on clinical outcomes among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia.

Oesophageal Variceal-Pulmonary Venous Fistula A Rare Cause of a Right-to-Left Shunt.

Oesophageal varices are a dilated submucosal venous plexus in the lower third of the oesophagus which result from increased pressure in the portal venous system. The portal system is connected to the systemic circulation in specific locations referred to as sites of portosystemic anastomosis. An increase in portal venous pressure is therefore reflected at these anastomotic sites, causing manifestations such as oesophageal varices, rectal varices, caput medusae and splenorenal shunts. Varices do not cause symptoms until they leak or rupture and this is the main complication which requires prompt treatment. Here, we present a post-liver transplant patient with metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma who had oesophageal varices that fistularized with a left pulmonary vein, thus creating a right-to-left shunt. Right-to-left shunts are usually intracardiac or intrapulmonary in location. The complications of a right-to-left shunt include predominantly hypoxia, cyanosis and, sometimes, paradoxical emboli in the case of intracardiac shunts. This patient had a very uncommon cause of such a shunt caused by a direct fistulous connection. LEARNING POINTS: Right-to-left shunts create a ventilation-perfusion mismatch.Recognizing situations where there is a connection between the systemic circulation and pulmonary circulation without intermediate oxygenation is important because of possible clinical implications such as hypoxia.

Effect of glycemic control on mortality and infections in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: a Genesee County experience.

Background: We report post-coronary artery bypass outcomes and factors affecting the outcomes from the Genesee County, MI, where the population is distinctly characterized by a higher prevalence of renal failure (RF), diabetes, obesity and smoking than the national average. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study on 1133 patients undergoing isolated CABG at our hospital from June 2012 to July 2017. Primary outcome was the association between preoperative hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and all-cause postoperative mortality after CABG, secondary outcomes included the association between HbA1c and a composite of postoperative infections including sternal-wound infections, leg harvest-site infections, pneumonia or sepsis. Logistic Regression analyses were also performed. Results: There was no difference in the mortality rate (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.4-2.3) and composite of all infections (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.7-1.6) between the controlled (HbA1c ≤7%) and uncontrolled (HbA1c >7%) groups. However, RF (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.5-22.9), smoking (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.3-11.2) and ejection fraction <35% (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.4-8.3) were independently associated with increased mortality after CABG. Additionally, low EF (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-4.1) and smoking (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2-4.1) were associated with an increased rate of composite of all infections after CABG. Conclusion: Although not different in controlled and uncontrolled diabetic groups, mortality, in our population was associated with comorbidities like RF, smoking and congestive heart failure that are highly prevalent, emphasizing the need for interventions at primary care level to improve the postoperative outcomes after CABG.

A QI initiative for bridging the health literacy gap by Educating internal medicine residents at a community hospital.

Introduction: Only 12% of Americans have proficient health literacy (HL). Patients hide this fact from others including physicians. This quality improvement (QI) project was developed to compare internal medicine (IM) resident physicians' (RPs) ability to accurately predict patients with low HL and to improve IM-RPs' understanding of low HL and its impact on patients. Aim statement: Over six-months, our aim was to increase the IM residents' HL-knowledge by 30% as measured by an HL-Knowledge-Based-Survey. Methods: After IRB exemption, patients visiting the residency-clinic within a two-week period were screened for low HL with the REALM-R, a validated tool. Post-visit, IM-RPs were asked to predict their patients' HL. A comparison of predicted-HL and measured-HL was made. IM-RPs were emailed an HL-Knowledge-Based-Survey (pre-education and post-education) to measure their background knowledge of HL. Education included HL-workshop, pre-clinic conference and lectures. Pre-education and post-education scores were compared. Results: HL-RPs' prediction and patients' REALM-R results were completed by 108 RP-patient pairs. IM-RPs correctly identified 5 of 40 patients who were at risk for low HL (sensitivity = 12.5%). They correctly identified 97.1% of 68 who were not at risk (specificity = 97.1%). Our residents' knowledge pre-education and post-education did not improve - 58% (n = 18) vs 62% (n = 10). Conclusion: Our QI result verified that IM-RPs overestimate patients' HL and do not understand the magnitude or consequences of low HL nor techniques to improve such patients' understanding. This suggests an area for residency curricular development in order to improve patients' ability to navigate the healthcare system successfully.

Concurrent Pneumocystis jirovecii and pulmonary histoplasmosis in an undiagnosed HIV patient.

Concurrent Pneumocystis jirovecii (PJ) and pulmonary histoplasmosis (PHP) are rare in a single HIV individual. We present a challenging case of concomitant PJ and PHP in a young HIV individual. A 44-year-old man presented to the emergency department with progressive pulmonary symptoms. He was hypoxic with bilateral pulmonary opacities on chest radiograph. CT of the chest showed a geographical pattern of ground-glass attenuation. He started receiving intravenous antibiotics in addition to oral Bactrim for suspected PJ. He also began receiving itraconazole, given suspected PHP with recent bat-droppings exposure. HIV test was positive, though history was negative; the CD4 count was 5 cells/mm3 Later, he developed respiratory failure without clinical improvement. First bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) failed to confirm opportunistic pathogens. Repeat BAL revealed PJ but no Histoplasma. Histoplasma antigens were positive, confirming histoplasmosis. The patient died despite aggressive treatment with intravenous Bactrim and amphotericin B.

A life-devastating cause of gastroenteritis in an immunocompetent host: was it suspected?

A 44-year-old immunocompetent man with gastroenteritis received supportive care and empiric antibiotics. After an initial response, he developed septic shock. Blood cultures grew Gram-positive bacilli with antibiotic adjustment. However, he succumbed within 36 h. After the patient's death, Listeria monocytogenes was identified on blood culture.

Sequential occurrence of small cell and non-small lung cancer in a male patient: Is it a transformation?

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality and is categorized into small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We present a patient with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant-NSCLC who developed metastatic SCLC after initial therapy with second-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, afatinib. A 65-year-old male non-smoker was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the right lung, stage IVA (M1a). Due to tumor positivity for EGFR-Exon 19 deletion, the patient was started on oral afatinib, which resulted in a partial response. After ten months of treatment, he presented in the office with abdominal pain, distension, weight loss and jaundice. He had diffuse skeletal and hepatic metastases on PET/CT scan with interval progression of his cancer. Although the recurrence of lung adenocarcinoma was suspected, the patient was diagnosed with SCLC on liver biopsy. He received two cycles of chemotherapy and died due to pneumonia and sepsis.

Lipoma of superior vena cava: a rare occurrence.

Most benign primary cardiac tumours are myxomas; non-myxomatous tumours are less common but comprise a wide variety. Cardiac lipoma is a rare non-myxomatous variety. A 70-year-old Caucasian woman with right breast cancer status postpartial mastectomy underwent surveillance MRI of the breast and was found to have a possible right atrial (RA) mass. She also reported frequent headaches and palpitations. She underwent a transoesophageal echocardiogram which showed a 2.6×1.6×1.6 cm echogenic mass at the superior vena cava (SVC) and RA junction. She was anticoagulated for a possible thrombus without resolution. Surgical excision was undertaken in view of ongoing symptoms and partial occlusion of the SVC. Intraoperatively, a 2-3 cm smoothly textured lobulated mass was found and histopathology showed adipose tissue consistent with lipoma. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged in stable condition.