Low-flow time and outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

INTRODUCTION: In out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), the association between low-flow time, the duration between the initiation of conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the establishment of ECPR, and outcomes has not been clearly determined. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of the retrospective multicenter registry in Japan. This study registered patients ≥18 years old who were admitted to the emergency department for OHCA and underwent ECPR between January, 2013 and December, 2018. Low-flow time was defined as the time from initiation of conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the establishment of ECPR, and patients were categorized into two groups according to the visualized association of the restricted cubic spline curve. The primary outcome was survival discharge. Cubic spline analyses and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the nonlinear associations between low-flow time and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 1,524 patients were included. The median age was 60 years, and the median low-flow time was 52 (42-53) mins. The overall survival at hospital discharge and favorable neurological outcomes were 27.8% and 14.2%, respectively. The cubic spline analysis showed a decreased trend of survival discharge rates and favorable neurological outcomes with shorter low-flow time between 20 and 60 mins, with little change between the following 60 and 80 mins. The multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that patients with long low-flow time (>40 mins) compared to those with short low-flow time (0-40 mins) had significantly worse survival (adjusted odds ratio 0.42; 95% confidence intervals, 0.31-0.57) and neurological outcomes (0.65; 0.45-0.95, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The survival discharge and neurological outcomes of patients with low-flow time shorter than 40 min are better than those of patients with longer low-flow time.

Prolonged shedding of infectious viruses with haplotype switches of SARS-CoV-2 in an immunocompromised patient.

A concern has been raised that the persistent COVID-19 infection in an immunocompromised host can be the source of the SARS-CoV-2 variants. This is the case of a 61-year-old man in complete remission of a follicular lymphoma after six cycles of rituximab and bendamustine with additional two cycles of rituximab completed eight months prior to the episode of COVID-19 pneumonia. The patient's respiratory failure was long-lasting, and required mechanical ventilation until day 75. Acquired immunity tested negative throughout the observational period. The viral RNA was detectable until day 100 while the infectious virus was isolated until day 79. Seven haplotypes were identified and the non-synonymous mutations accumulated in the spike gene which included E484Q and S494P. In the management of COVID-19 cases with suppressed immune statuses, initial evaluation of existing immunity and monitoring for infectiousness throughout the clinical course including the convalescent stage may be necessary.

Combination Therapy of Pembrolizumab plus Axitinib for a Patient on Hemodialysis with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report.

Here, we discuss the safety and management of adverse events associated with pembrolizumab plus axitinib combination therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma in patients on hemodialysis. A 76-year-old man was diagnosed with cT3aN0M0 renal cell carcinoma due to gross hematuria. Stereoscopic radiotherapy for metastatic lesions of the ipsilateral kidney was performed 9 years after right laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. Soon after, the patient started to receive hemodialysis due to end-stage renal disease. Further stereoscopic radiotherapy was needed for metastasis of the ipsilateral kidney and lung. Fifteen years after diagnosis, systemic therapy was necessary to control new metastases, such as in the right scapular bone. We selected pembrolizumab plus axitinib combination therapy as the first-line systemic therapy for any risk as defined by the International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium. Although we needed to pay attention to the adverse events unique to hemodialysis, he underwent this combination therapy without any difficulty for 6 months. Here, we report the practice of combination therapy in patients on hemodialysis in light of the literature.

Retropharyngeal hematoma in a patient with chronic alcoholism.

Retropharyngeal hematoma is a potentially life-threatening condition because it can easily lead to airway obstruction. Most of the previously reported cases of retropharyngeal hematoma are caused by predisposing factors such as head and neck trauma, the use of anticoagulants, or the presence of underlying bleeding diathesis. Herein, we report a case of retropharyngeal hematoma in a patient with chronic alcoholism, where we could not confirm any predisposing factors at the time of examination. A 61-year-old man with chronic alcoholism presented to our emergency department with convulsive seizures. He was diagnosed with alcohol withdrawal and transferred to a secondary hospital after the seizure resolved. However, a few hours later, he returned to our department with a persistent cough and complained of pain and swelling in the neck. One hour later, he suddenly developed dyspnea; therefore, emergency intubation was performed. Although initially computed tomography (CT) showed normal findings, contrast-enhanced CT revealed a retropharyngeal hematoma. He was managed conservatively and transferred to a specialty hospital for intensive care. Chronic alcoholism may be a predisposing factor for retropharyngeal hematoma due to the high incidence of head trauma, neck hyperextension by convulsion, and hemostatic disorders. However, taking an accurate patient history is sometimes difficult because of the effects of intoxication or alcohol withdrawal. If a patient with chronic alcoholism presents with symptoms of airway compression, then a retropharyngeal hematoma should be suspected, and emergency intubation should be considered.