In Patients Hospitalized for Community-Acquired Pneumonia, SARS-CoV-2 Is Associated with Worse Clinical Outcomes When Compared to Influenza.

SARS-CoV-2 and influenza are primary causes of viral community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Both pathogens have exhibited high transmissibility and are recognized causes of pandemics. Controversy still exists regarding the clinical outcomes between patients hospitalized with CAP due to these viruses. This secondary analysis identified patients with either influenza or SARS-CoV-2 infections from three cohorts of patients hospitalized for CAP. Clinical outcomes between patients with CAP due to influenza or due to SARS-CoV-2 were evaluated. Primary outcomes included length of stay and in-hospital mortality. To account for population differences between cohorts, each case of influenza CAP was matched to two controls with SARS-CoV-2 CAP. Matching criteria included sex, age, and nursing home residency. Stratified cox-proportional hazards regression or conditional logistic regression were used where appropriate. A total of 259 patients with influenza CAP were matched to two controls with SARS-CoV-2 CAP, totaling to 518 controls. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 CAP were 2.23 times more likely to remain hospitalized at any point in time (95% confidence interval: 1.77-2.80), and had 3.84 times higher odds of dying in-hospital (95% confidence interval: 1.91-7.76) when compared to patients with influenza CAP. After matching and adjusting for confounding variables, patients admitted with SARS-CoV-2 CAP had consistently worse outcomes in comparison to their influenza CAP counterparts. This information can help clinicians decide on the level of care needed for patients with confirmed infections due to these pathogens. Additionally, estimates of disease burden can inform individuals at-risk for poor clinical outcomes, and further highlight the importance of effective preventative strategies.

Retrospective analysis of locked versus non-locked plating of distal fibula fractures.

INTRODUCTION: Unstable distal fibular fractures have traditionally been treated with open reduction internal fixation using a 1/3 tubular non-locked plate (compression plating). Locked plating is a newer technique that has become more popular despite the lack of clinical data supporting improved outcomes. The cost of locked plating is almost four times that of compression plating. We compared rates of reoperation due to implant failure, infection, and symptomatic device between compression and locked plating in open reduction internal fixation of distal fibular fractures METHODS: A retrospective study was performed at a level one trauma center over a ten-year period (2008-2017). Patients who were 18 and older and treated for unstable ankle fractures with locking or non-locking plate were included in this study. Patient charts were reviewed by orthopedic trauma surgeons to identify whether patients were treated with a 1/3 tubular non-locking or pre-contoured locked plate and to determine the cause of reoperation. RESULTS: In total, 442 patients were identified with 203 in the non-locked 1/3 tubular plate group and 239 in the pre-contoured locked plate group. A total of 38 patients (8.6%) underwent device removal with a higher proportion of patients in the non-locked 1/3 tubular plate cohort (11.3% vs. 6.3%, p = 0.059). Statistically significant differences in reasons for reoperation were found for symptomatic implant (78.3% vs. 46.7%, p = 0.045) and infection (8.7% vs 53.3%., p < 0.01). Of patients who had device removal for symptomatic implant in the compression plating cohort, 13 (72.2%) had lateral positioning and 5 (27.8%) had posterior positioning (p < 0.01) whereas there was no statistical difference in plate positioning in the locked cohort. Of all medical comorbidities identified, only diabetes was associated with a higher rate of infection-related reoperations (83.3% vs. 15.6%, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Both compression and locked plate techniques demonstrated low reoperation rates. Compression plating with 1/3 tubular plates placed laterally more often resulted in reoperation due to symptomatic implant but had fewer complications of infection. Given that the cost is significantly less, 1/3 tubular plating placed posteriorly may be preferred to decrease the risks of symptomatic implant and infection.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy secondary to alcohol withdrawal.

Physical, mental, and emotional stressors have been well known to adversely affect cardiac function. A rare complication of such stressors is stress cardiomyopathy, otherwise known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy. First identified in Japan in the 1990s, takotsubo cardiomyopathy classically presents with systolic dysfunction and apical ballooning. In this report, we present the case of a patient with a medical history of alcohol abuse who presented to the emergency department after being found unresponsive by her family. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed takotsubo cardiomyopathy, which was likely secondary to alcohol withdrawal. Alcohol withdrawal causes an imbalance between various neurotransmitters such as GABA and glutamate. This imbalance caused autonomic overactivity, which manifested as stress cardiomyopathy.

Cardiac tamponade due to perforation of a Roseomonas mucosa pyogenic hepatic abscess as initial presentation of hepatoid carcinoma.

Hepatic abscesses can rarely cause pericardial disease by erosion into the pericardial space and present with haemodynamic instability due cardiac tamponade. While rare, these dramatic presentations are more often due to amoebic abscesses than bacterial abscesses. Importantly, a cause must be found for any cryptogenic hepatic abscess regardless of presentation, as there is a high association with underlying malignancy. We report a previously healthy man in his 30s who presented with cardiac tamponade from perforation of a Roseomonas mucosa pyogenic hepatic abscess into the pericardium in the absence of bacteremia and biliary disease. One year later, he was found to have diffusely metastatic hepatoid carcinoma.

A case of coronary artery air embolism in a transplanted heart during cardiac allograft vasculopathy surveillance angiography.

Coronary air embolism is a rare iatrogenic complication during invasive coronary angiography or angioplasty that can cause acute chest pain, hypotension, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and even death. We present a case of left anterior descending coronary artery air embolization in a 58-year-old heart transplant patient that occurred during cardiac allograft vasculopathy surveillance angiography. The patient was managed successfully with rapid coronary injections of heparinized saline, catheter disengagement to increase coronary blood flow, and supplementation of 100% oxygen to dissolve the coronary air embolus. This case highlights this rare complication of coronary angiography, importance of prompt recognition of the pathology and subsequent management.

The environment has effects on infrared temperature screening for COVID-19 infection.

Infrared temperature measurement is a common form of mass screening for febrile illnesses such as COVID-19 infection. Efficacy of infrared monitoring is debated, and external factors can affect accuracy. We determine that outside temperature, wind, and humidity can affect infrared temperature measurements and partially account for inaccurate results.

Rapidly expanding aortic root mycotic pseudoaneurysm with outflow tract fistula.

We present a 50-year-old patient with chronic Stanford type-A aortic dissection, infective endocarditis, and rapidly expanding peri-aortic myocytic pseudoaneurysm with LVOT fistula. This case highlights the role of multimodality imaging in pathoanatomically complex-case evaluation.

Carney complex: left atrial myxoma in a patient with past pituitary microadenoma and lentiginosis.

The Carney complex (CNC) is a rare autosomal dominant genetic complex that is characterised by multiple neoplasms consisting of neuroendocrine and cardiac tumours, with only 750 cases reported worldwide as of 2017. Cardiac tumours, in the context of the CNC, are of unique importance since the leading causes of death in patients with CNC are cardiac. To prevent sudden cardiac death and embolic events, a difficult diagnosis must be made and postdiagnostic screenings must be regular. We present a case of a 52-year-old man, with a medical history of pituitary microadenoma and facial lentiginosis, who presented with dyspnoea 2 months after suffering a cerebrovascular accident.

Leucocytoclastic vasculitis due to acute bacterial endocarditis resolves with antibiotics.

Infective endocarditis is associated with a variety of clinical signs, but its association with multisystem vasculitis is rarely reported. A high index of suspicion is necessary to differentiate a primary autoimmune vasculitis from an infectious cause as the wrong treatment can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. We present a 71-year-old female patient with negative blood cultures, on antibiotics for recent bacteraemia, who presented with cutaneous and renal leucocytoclastic vasculitis. Workup revealed a vegetation adjacent to her right atrial pacemaker lead consistent with infective endocarditis and her vasculitis completely resolved with appropriate antibiotics.

Hypertensive hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy crisis resolved with transvenous pacing guided by bedside echocardiography.

Cardiogenic shock due to hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HoCM) crisis presents a clinical challenge as pharmacologic vasopressor and/or inotropic support can compromise hemodynamics and acute afterload reduction worsens left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. Hypertensive hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HHoCM) is an entity mostly affecting elderly hypertensive women and could present with a clinical phenotype similar to HoCM crisis. We present a case of an 81-year-old female patient with HHoCM complicated by severe mitral regurgitation, in cardiogenic shock, in whom hemodynamic stability was restored with transvenous pacing guided by bedside echocardiography to optimize rate, left ventricle (LV) filling time, and cardiac output.

Antibody-negative autoimmune encephalitis as a complication of long-term immune-suppression for liver transplantation.

Autoimmune encephalitis is a rare spectrum of disease that can be a complication of chronic immunosuppression. Diagnosis often requires the presence of antineuronal antibodies, but many causative antibodies have not yet been identified. Antibody-negative autoimmune encephalitis (AbNAE) is especially difficult to diagnose and must rely largely on exclusion of other causes. In chronically immune-suppressed transplant recipients, the differential is broad, likely resulting in underdiagnosis and worse outcomes. Here, we present a 58-year-old liver transplant recipient taking tacrolimus for prevention of chronic rejection who presented with 5 days of confusion, lethargy and lightheadedness. He was diagnosed with AbNAE after an extensive workup and recovered fully after high-dose corticosteroids. Our case highlights the importance of recognising the association between chronic immunosuppression and autoimmune encephalitis. Autoimmune encephalitis, even in the absence of characterised antibodies, should be considered when transplant recipients present with central neurologic symptoms.

Stroke and spinal infarct caused by percutaneous coronary intervention.

Acute ischaemic stroke is a known risk of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The incidence of such complications has increased in frequency over the last decade due to higher comorbidity burden and increased complexity of PCI procedures. The overall incidence of post-PCI ischaemic stroke remains low at 0.56%, but some groups of patients have significantly higher risk. Risk factors include atherosclerotic plaques, atrial fibrillation, cardiogenic shock, older age and arterial disease. Although the overall incidence of acute ischaemic stroke following PCI is low, it can result in lifelong disability and is associated with high morbidity, mortality and significant costs. Spinal infarctions due to PCI are exceedingly rare. Here, we discuss a 71-year-old woman who presented with a non ST-elevation myocardial infarction and developed both stroke and spinal infarction post PCI due to a thromboembolic event resulting in long-term debility.

Humeral Shaft Fracture Healing Rates in Older Patients.

Nonoperative treatment has become the standard of care for the majority of humeral shaft fractures. Published studies have mainly come from trauma centers with a young cohort of patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the nonunion rate of humeral shaft fractures in patients older than 55 years. A retrospective study was performed on a group of orthopedic trauma group treated at a level I trauma center during a 10-year period (2007-2017). Patients 55 years or older and treated for a humeral shaft fracture nonoperatively, with or without manipulation, were identified. Nonunion was defined by no bridging callus radiographically or by gross motion at the fracture at least 12 weeks from injury. There were 31 patients identified with humeral shaft fractures who met the inclusion criteria. The cohort included 21 (67.7%) females and 10 (32.3%) males with a mean age of 72.5 years (range, 55-92 years). Twenty-one fractures went on to union, and there were 10 nonunions, with no significant differences in the demographics or comorbidities. There was no correlation between AO/OTA fracture classification or fracture location and union status. There was a tendency toward higher risk of nonunion in proximal third humeral shaft fractures (45%) compared with middle (26%) and distal third (20%) humeral shaft fractures, although this was not statistically significant. The overall nonunion rate for humeral shaft fractures was 32% for patients older than 55 years. The authors found a significant correlation between age and union rate: as age increased, union rate decreased (R=-0.9, P=.045). The incidence of humeral shaft nonunion in patients older than 55 years was significantly higher than that of younger adults. To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to report a significant correlation between nonunion and increased age. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(3);168-172.].