Phase 2 randomized study on chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin in hospitalized patients with severe manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Objective: Given the urgent need for strategies to minimize the damage caused by this pandemic, this study performed a randomized, double-blind phase 2 study to assess the safety of the effectiveness of chloroquine (CQ), hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) or ivermectin in severe forms of COVID-19, in addition to identifying predictors of mortality in this group of patients.Methods: Phase 2, double-blind, randomized study to assess the safety and efficacy of enteral CQ, HCQ or ivermectin in patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infection, admitted to a Reference Hospital in Roraima (Brazil) in may 2020. Patients were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio. The endpoints were need of supplemental O2, invasive ventilation, admission in ICU and death. The study was approved by an independent IRB.Results: 168 patients were randomized. The mean age was 53.4 years (±15.6), most participants were male (n = 95; 58.2%). Therapy with corticosteroid, anticoagulant or antibiotics was a decision of the attending physicians, and there was no difference between the groups. The mortality was similar in three groups (22.2%; 21.3% and 23.0%) suggesting ineffectiveness of the drugs. No difference in the incidence of serious adverse events were observed. To be older than 60 years of age, obesity, diabetes, extensive pulmonary involvement and low SaO2 at hospital admission due to independent risk factors for mortality.Conclusion: Although CQ, HCQ or ivermectin revealed a favorable safety profile, the tested drugs do not reduce the need for supplemental oxygen, ICU admission, invasive ventilation or death, in patients hospitalized with a severe form of COVID-19.

Envenoming by the rattlesnake Crotalus durissus ruruima in the state of roraima, Brazil.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical-epidemiological factors associated with victims of rattlesnake envenoming in the state of Roraima, Brazil. In this location, rattlesnake accidents are caused by the subspecies Crotalus durissus ruruima. This is a prospective observational study carried out at the General Hospital of Roraima from april 2017 until july 2018. A total of 37 alleged rattlesnake victims had their medical records evaluated. However only one of them proved to be by C. d. ruruima. All individuals were residents from the savannas (lavrados) of Roraima. The town of Bonfim on the border between Brazil and Guyana had the highest occurrence of rattlesnake bites. The most affected group were males aged 13-20 years and farmers. The highest number of incidents occurred during daytime and lower limbs (feet) were the most major affected part of the body. Tourniquets were used as first aid after snake envenoming in 32.4% of victims. Out of 37 patients, 16.2% were classified as severe cases of snakebite envenoming and in 5.4% dry bites seem to have occurred. Among the symptomatic patients, 100% presented local manifestations and 70.3% presented systemic manifestations. The clinical setting showed local effects such as pain and edema while the systemic effects were blurred vision, myalgias, myasthenic facies, palpebral ptosis, muscle weakness and headache. Laboratory results of aspartate aminotransferase (62.2%), creatine phosphokinase (51.3%), lactic dehydrogenase (37.8%), urea level (32.4%) and serum creatinine (29.7%) were increased significantly in relation to the reference standards. In 16.2% of the cases, the victims presented acute kidney injury. Patients were treated with anticrotalic serum in 70.3% of the cases and antibotropic + anticrotalic serum in 24.3%. The victims of C. d. ruruima in Roraima showed a local symptomatology similar to Bothrops envenoming, while systemic symptoms and laboratory analysis proved kidney and muscular injuries, similar to envenoming by Crotalus d. terrificus in Brazil.

Semelhança clínico-hematológica inicial da toxoplasmose adquirida, aguda, com febre tifóide / Initial clínico-hematological similarity of acquired acute toxoplasmosis with typenoid fever

Na fase aguda da toxoplasmose adquirida podem ocorrer anormalidades clínicas e hematológicas semelhantes às que, habitualmente, fazem parte da febre tifóide. Com base em casuística composta por 27 pacientes säo salientados esses fatos, constituídos sobretudo por febre, hepatesplenomegalia, leucopenia, desvio neutrofilico à esquerda e aneosinofilia, com subseqüente aparecimento de linfocitose, composta inclusive por linfócitos atípicos. Essas verificaçöes merecem divulgaçäo e atençäo, em virtude das implicaçöes de ordem assistencial que envolvem