RESUMEN
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) has emerged as an important complication among patients with acute respiratory failure due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Almost 2.5 years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it continues to raise concerns as an extra factor that contributes to increased mortality, which is mostly because its diagnosis and management remain challenging. The present study utilises the cases of forty-three patients hospitalised between August 2020 and February 2022 whose information was gathered from ten ICUs and special care units based in northern Greece. The main aim was to describe the gained experience in diagnosing CAPA, according to the implementation of the main existing diagnostic consensus criteria and definitions, and present the different classification of the clinical cases due to the alternative algorithms.
RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Acidemia and alkalemia, as a result of gradual depletion of the body's buffers followed by rapid repletion during hemodialysis (HD), are linked to adverse consequences. We examined the acid-base status with dialysis bath of higher bicarbonate (HC03- ) concentration or standard HC03- bath plus oral HC03- supplementation. METHODS: A total of 60 stable HD patients (pts) were evaluated according to their pre-dialysis acid-base status both before the first and the second session of the week dialyzed against standard base dialysate of 35 mmol/L. Those who presented predialysis HC03- <22 mmol/L (25 pts) were assigned to dialysis against bath of increased HC03- levels (37 mmol/L) for 2 weeks (period A) and subsequently to dialysis with the standard dialysate bath plus daily oral sodium bicarbonate at a dose of 5 g/day for 2 weeks (period B). Pre and post-dialysis acid-base status at each study period and relevant laboratory tests were recorded. FINDINGS: Pre-dialysis acid-base values were similar between the first and the second dialysis session. Twenty-five points had pre-dialysis pH <7.35, while 42 (the younger ones) presented pre-dialysis HC03- <22 mmol/L. After dialysis session 18 pts had pH >7.45. Comparing the two study periods, interdialytic weight was similar, pre-dialysis HC03- levels were improved with oral bicarbonate, while post-dialysis HC03- were higher during period A. Three pts could not tolerate the symptoms of alkalemia during period A. DISCUSSION: The impact of conventional HC03- concentrations of 35 mmol/L results in a considerable degree of pre-dialysis acidemia. Increasing the HC03- in bath results in more prominent post-dialysis alkalemia, however, it is not sufficient to maintain acid-base status during the interdialytic period. Oral bicarbonate supplement at a dose of 5 g/day (divided in three daily doses) results in a more balanced acid-base status, avoiding post-dialysis alkalemia.