Extrapulmonary tuberculosis presenting as hemorrhagic pleuro-pericardial effusions with pericardial mass.

Key Clinical Message: Tuberculosis (TB) pericarditis, while uncommon, should be considered in patients with pericardial masses and effusion. Timely recognition and treatment with anti-TB medications are crucial for a successful outcome. Abstract: TB pericarditis presenting as a pericardial mass is an unusual and rare manifestation of this disease. We report a 59-year-old South Asian male who presented with a 1-week history of dyspnea and cough. He was found to have a hemorrhagic pericardial mass with a massive pericardial effusion. Pleural fluid analysis was positive for TB. The patient was successfully treated with anti-TB medications. Although rare, tuberculous pericardial involvement should be suspected in patients presenting with symptoms of pericardial masses and effusion.

Determinants of vaccine adherence among non-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients in Qatar.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health problem. Reduced innate and adaptive immunological responses predispose CKD patients to infections. Despite the clinical and epidemiological importance of CKD and the great value of vaccination as a prophylactic measure, the utilization of recommended vaccines in Qatar has not yet been evaluated. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the level of influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B vaccination and the predictors of adherence to these recommended vaccines among non-dialysis CKD patients receiving renal ambulatory care in Qatar from 1 September 2020 to 30 April 2021. Complete vaccination was defined as receiving the three vaccines, and partial vaccination was defined as receiving one or two vaccines. The full and partial vaccination predictors were assessed using multivariate logistic regression and reported as odds ratio (OR) with p<0.05 indicating statistical significance. RESULTS: 416 non-dialysis CKD patients were included in our analysis. 73% were males; the mean age was 56 ± 15 years. More than 50% of the patients were from the Middle East, followed by 36% from Asia. Most patients had concurrent hypertension, concurrent diabetes mellitus, and were stage V CKD. Only 12% of the patients were fully vaccinated, while 73% received partial vaccination. The predictors of vaccination included age, gender, Asian origin, employment, living conditions, concurrent medical conditions, CKD stage, allergy to medications, and use of injectable medications. Only stage V CKD positively predicted adherence to full and partial vaccinations in non-dialysis CKD patients. CONCLUSION: There is very low adherence to the recommended vaccines in CKD patients, with a prevalence of complete vaccination of 12% only. Increased public awareness about the importance of vaccination in CKD may improve the adherence rates among these patients in Qatar.

Adding colchicine to tocilizumab in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia: An open-label randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Colchicine acts upstream in the cytokines cascade by inhibiting the nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome while interleukin 6 (IL-6) receptor antagonists, such as tocilizumab, block the end result of the cytokines cascade. Hence, adding colchicine to tocilizumab with the aim of blocking the early and end products of the cytokines cascade, might reduce the risk of developing cytokine storm. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We aim to conduct an open-label randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding colchicine to tocilizumab among patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia to reduce the rate of invasive mechanical ventilation and mortality. We will include patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who received tocilizumab according to our local guidelines. Enrolled patients will be then randomized in 1:1 to colchicine versus no colchicine. Patients will be followed up for 30 days. The primary outcome is the rate of invasive mechanical ventilation and will be determined using Cox proportional hazard model. DISCUSSION: Given colchicine's ease of use, low cost, good safety profile, and having different anti-inflammatory mechanism of action than other IL-6 blockade, colchicine might serve as a potential anti-inflammatory agent among patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. This study will provide valuable insights on the use of colchicine in severe COVID-19 when added to IL-6 antagonists. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The Medical Research Center and Institutional Review Board at Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar approved the study protocol (MRC-01-21-299). Results of the analysis will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Bronchopleural fistula causing persistent pneumothorax in COVID-19 pneumonia patient with no risk factors.

Although pneumothorax is a well-known complication of COVID-19 pneumonia especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation, bronchopleural fistula causing persistent pneumothorax in sole COVID-19 pneumonia is extremely rare. In this case, we illustrate that bronchopleural fistula can be found in COVID-19 pneumonia, even with no risk factors nor mechanical ventilation administration.

A Rare Case of Hemoglobin E/Beta-Thalassemia and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease, with multisystemic involvement. Hemoglobin E/beta-thalassemia (HbE/beta-thalassemia) is the genotype responsible for approximately one-half of all severe beta-thalassemia worldwide. When beta-thalassemia and SLE coexist, SLE seems to have a more severe course. Here we report a 32-year-old female who presented with dizziness and fatigue was found to have severe hemolytic anemia with thrombocytopenia. Upon further evaluation, she was diagnosed with HbE/beta-thalassemia and SLE, which is a very rare association. In SLE patients, anemia usually results from the disease itself, but it is important to think of other coexisting conditions like thalassemia.