Utility of artificial intelligence for detection of pneumothorax on chest radiopgraphs done after transthoracic percutaneous transthoracic biopsy guided by computed tomography.

OBJETIVE: To assess the ability of an artificial intelligence software to detect pneumothorax in chest radiographs done after percutaneous transthoracic biopsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included retrospectively in our study adult patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic biopsies from lung, pleural or mediastinal lesions from June 2019 to June 2020, and who had a follow-up chest radiograph after the procedure. These chest radiographs were read to search the presence of pneumothorax independently by an expert thoracic radiologist and a radiodiagnosis resident, whose unified lecture was defined as the gold standard, and the result of each radiograph after interpretation by the artificial intelligence software was documented for posterior comparison with the gold standard. RESULTS: A total of 284 chest radiographs were included in the study and the incidence of pneumothorax was 14.4%. There were no discrepancies between the two readers' interpretation of any of the postbiopsy chest radiographs. The artificial intelligence software was able to detect 41/41 of the present pneumothorax, implying a sensitivity of 100% and a negative predictive value of 100%, with a specificity of 79.4% and a positive predictive value of 45%. The accuracy was 82.4%, indicating that there is a high probability that an individual will be adequately classified by the software. It has also been documented that the presence of Port-a-cath is the cause of 8 of the 50 of false positives by the software. CONCLUSIONS: The software has detected 100% of cases of pneumothorax in the postbiopsy chest radiographs. A potential use of this software could be as a prioritisation tool, allowing radiologists not to read immediately (or even not to read) chest radiographs classified as non-pathological by the software, with the confidence that there are no pathological cases.

Recommendations of the Spanish-Portuguese Internal Medicine services in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation.

Facing the severity of the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on human health, 32 Internal Medicine societies, colleges, and associations of 29 Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries issue a consensus document in which they call for the implication of doctors and all health professionals in the global fight against the causes of these changes. This commitment requires the cooperation of health-related organizations, elaboration and implementation of good environmental sustainability practices, greater awareness of professionals and population, promotion of education and research in this area, increasing climate resilience and environmental sustainability of health systems, combating inequalities and protecting the most vulnerable populations, adopting behaviors that protect the environment, and claiming Internal Medicine as a core specialty for empowerment of the health system to respond to these challenges.

Rhesus infant nervous temperament predicts peri-adolescent central amygdala metabolism & behavioral inhibition measured by a machine-learning approach.

Anxiety disorders affect millions of people worldwide and impair health, happiness, and productivity on a massive scale. Developmental research points to a connection between early-life behavioral inhibition and the eventual development of these disorders. Our group has previously shown that measures of behavioral inhibition in young rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) predict anxiety-like behavior later in life. In recent years, clinical and basic researchers have implicated the central extended amygdala (EAc)-a neuroanatomical concept that includes the central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce) and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST)-as a key neural substrate for the expression of anxious and inhibited behavior. An improved understanding of how early-life behavioral inhibition relates to an increased lifetime risk of anxiety disorders-and how this relationship is mediated by alterations in the EAc-could lead to improved treatments and preventive strategies. In this study, we explored the relationships between infant behavioral inhibition and peri-adolescent defensive behavior and brain metabolism in 18 female rhesus monkeys. We coupled a mildly threatening behavioral assay with concurrent multimodal neuroimaging, and related those findings to various measures of infant temperament. To score the behavioral assay, we developed and validated UC-Freeze, a semi-automated machine-learning (ML) tool that uses unsupervised clustering to quantify freezing. Consistent with previous work, we found that heightened Ce metabolism predicted elevated defensive behavior (i.e., more freezing) in the presence of an unfamiliar human intruder. Although we found no link between infant-inhibited temperament and peri-adolescent EAc metabolism or defensive behavior, we did identify infant nervous temperament as a significant predictor of peri-adolescent defensive behavior. Our findings suggest a connection between infant nervous temperament and the eventual development of anxiety and depressive disorders. Moreover, our approach highlights the potential for ML tools to augment existing behavioral neuroscience methods.

Recomendaciones de los servicios de Medicina Interna hispano-lusos en la lucha contra el cambio climático y la degradación ambiental / Recommendations of the Spanish-Portuguese Internal Medicine services in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation

Ante la gravedad del impacto sobre la salud del cambio climático y la degradación ambiental 32 sociedades, colegios y asociaciones de Medicina Interna de 29 países de habla hispana y lusa divulgan un documento de consenso en que llaman a la implicación de los médicos y todos los profesionales de salud en la lucha global contra las causas de estos cambios. Este compromiso requiere la cooperación de las organizaciones relacionadas con la salud, elaboración e implementación de buenas prácticas de sostenibilidad ambiental, sensibilización de los profesionales de la salud y de la población, promoción de la educación e investigación en esta área, refuerzo de la resiliencia climática y la sostenibilidad ambiental de los sistemas de salud, combatir las desigualdades y proteger a las poblaciones más vulnerables, adopción de comportamientos que protegen el medio ambiente, y defensa de la Medicina Interna como una especialidad central para habilitar al sistema de salud para responder a estos desafíos. (AU)

Facing the severity of the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on human health, 32 Internal Medicine societies, colleges, and associations of 29 Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries issue a consensus document calling for the implication of doctors and all health professionals in the global fight against the causes of these changes. This commitment requires the cooperation of health-related organizations, elaboration and implementation of good environmental sustainability practices, greater awareness of professionals and population, promotion of education and research in this area, increasing climate resilience and environmental sustainability of health systems, combating inequalities and protecting the most vulnerable populations, adopting behaviors that protect the environment, and claiming Internal Medicine as a core specialty for empowerment of the health system to respond to these challenges. (AU)

Removal of anionic surfactant from aqueous solutions by adsorption onto biochars: characterisation, kinetics, and mechanism.

Biochar, a waste biomass-derived adsorbent, holds promise for decentralised wastewater treatment. However, limited research exists on its efficacy in adsorbing anionic surfactants in wastewater. To address this, the adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), a common anionic surfactant, was studied using various biochar types: rice husk biochar (RH-550 and RH-700), wheat straw biochar (WS-550 and WS-700) produced at 550°C and 700°C, wood-based biochar (OB), and activated carbon (AC) as a control. The study investigated the impact of pH (3-9), adsorbent loading (1-10 g/L), adsorbent size (<0.5-2.5 mm), contact time (5-180 min), and initial concentration (50-200 mg/L) on SDS removal. Under optimised conditions (100 mg/L SDS, 4 g/L adsorbent, 1-2 mm particle size, pH 8.3, and 180 min contact time), maximum SDS removals were RH-550 (78%), RH-700 (82.4%), WS-550 (89.5%), WS-700 (90.4%), AC (97%), and OB (88.4%). Among the tested adsorbent materials, WS-550 exhibited the highest SDS adsorption capacity at 66.23 mg/g compared to AC (80.65 mg/g), followed by RH-550 (49.75 mg/g), OB (45.87 mg/g), RH-700 (43.67 mg/g), and WS-700 (42.74 mg/g). SDS adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating chemisorption on the adsorbent surface. The Freundlich isotherm model exhibited a better fit for the experimental data on SDS adsorption using all tested adsorbents except for RH-550. This study showed that biochars produced from agricultural and forestry residues are effective adsorbents for SDS in aqueous solutions and can be a promising sustainable and low-cost material for the treatment of greywater containing anionic surfactants (e.g. handwashing, laundry, kitchen, and bathroom greywaters).

Meningoencephalitis caused by Non-O1, non-O139 Vibrio cholerae in an infant from southern Spain.

Non-O1, non-O139 Vibrio cholerae (NOVC) is an emergent pathogen that mainly causes gastroenteritis. Also, it causes ear, wound infections, and bacteremia but the nervous system is rarely affected. We report on a case of NOVC meningoencephalitis in an infant that recovered after antimicrobial therapy but later presented neurologic sequelae.

Accidental monensin poisoning in goats.

Sodium monensin is the most frequently used ionophore as a growth promoter in ruminant diets. It has numerous benefits; however its toxic effects have also been observed in several animal species. Naturally occurring cases have not yet been reported in goats. This study describes an outbreak of accidental poisoning, characterizing its clinical, laboratory and pathological findings. Thirty-seven of 40 Anglo Nubian goat kids became intoxicated after receiving a diet that was erroneously supplemented with sodium monensin. They ingested an estimated toxic dose between 25 and 39 mg/kg BW. Clinical evolution was monitored (n = 27), followed by serum creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities measurements, and blood gas analysis. Postmortem examinations were performed between 1 and 8 days of evolution (n = 14). Clinical signs began 5 h after ingestion and included reticuloruminal hypomotility, lethargy, anorexia, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmia, wet cough, pulmonary and tracheal crackles, and serous nasal discharge. The morbidity and lethality rates were 92.5 and 62.1%, respectively. CK and AST activities increased, reaching median values of 10,860 and 1596 U/L, respectively; the hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis was mild. The lesions were characterized by degeneration and necrosis of the cardiac and skeletal muscles, pulmonary congestion and edema, and passive liver congestion. The kids essentially developed cardiomyopathy with left and right congestive heart failures. Unlike in other ruminant species, skeletal muscle functional disability was infrequent. It can be concluded that monensin is toxic to goats and should be used with caution in their diet.

Acute and subchronic effects of ibuprofen on the ten spotted live-bearer fish Cnesterodon decemmaculatus (Jenyns, 1842).

Ibuprofen (IBP) is an anti-inflammatory drug found in aquatic environments, potentially toxic for the biota. We exposed the test fish C. decemmaculatus to two environmentally relevant concentrations (50 and 100 µg IBP/L) for 4 and 12 d and evaluated the effect on some biomarkers. Micronucleus test, nuclear abnormality test and comet assay indicated cyto-genotoxicity at both concentrations and exposure periods. Oxidative stress and biochemical biomarkers were not affected, excepting muscle AChE activity for 4 d. Muscle metabolic biomarkers showed significant decrease in ETS, lipid and protein content, while carbohydrate content was not affected. The CEA index increased at the lower IBP concentration for 4 and 12 d, possibly due to changes in body energy reserves. A full-factorial GLM performed to assess the effects of IBP and exposure times showed that the metabolic and genotoxicity biomarkers were the most sensitive to IBP toxicity, mainly at 50 µg IBP/L for 4 d.

Effects of dietary starch and ruminally undegraded protein on glucogenic precursors in lactating dairy cows.

Gluconeogenesis is a large contributor to the blood supply of glucose carbons. The impact of varying dietary starch and ruminally degraded protein (RDP) on glucose entry, and the contributions of propionate and lactate to total plasma glucose entry were evaluated. Six cannulated, lactating, Holstein cows were fed one of four treatment diets arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial within a 4 × 4 partially replicated Latin Square design: (1) 8% RDP (LRDP) and 16% starch (LSt), (2) LRDP and 30% starch (HSt), (3) 11% RDP (HRDP) and LSt, or (4) HRDP and HSt. On d 12 of each period, 2-[13C]-sodium propionate (0.15 g/h) was ruminally infused for 4 h; on d 13, 1,2-[13C2]-glucose (0.2 g/h) was infused into the jugular vein for 1 h followed by 1-[13C]-lactate (0.1 g/h) for 1 h. Blood samples were serially collected starting prior to the infusions, and analyzed for plasma glucose, propionate, and lactate isotopic ratios. A one-compartment, glucose carbon model with inputs from lactate, propionate, and other glucogenic precursors (Oth, primarily absorbed glucose plus amino acids) was fitted to the isotope ratio data to derive glucose entry rates and conversion of the precursors to glucose. Milk protein production additively increased when HSt and HRDP were fed (P = 0.05 and P = 0.02, respectively). Plasma glucose and propionate concentrations increased with HSt (P = 0.04 and P = 0.01, respectively) and LRDP (P = 0.02 and P < 0.01, respectively). Total glucose and Oth entry increased (P = 0.03 and P = 0.03, respectively) with HSt, indicating greater glucose absorption from the small intestine or conversion of amino acids to glucose in the liver. However, neither entry rate was affected by RDP. The lack of an RDP effect suggests the increase in microbial outflow in response to RDP did not significantly alter glucose precursor supplies. Entry rates of propionate and lactate carbon to glucose carbon were not affected by treatment suggesting that neither starch nor RDP significantly affected fermentation or lactate production. Derivation of absolute entry rates and contributions to glucose using isotopic tracers is complicated by single carbon removals in the pentose phosphate (PPP), tri-carboxylic acid (TCA), and gluconeogenic pathways, and label randomization with the PPP and TCA pathways. Multiple tracers must be used to avoid assumptions regarding the proportional entries. These results provide insights on glucose supply and contributors, and draw attention to significant label cycling when utilizing isotope techniques.

Determinants of cervical spine disorders in military pilots: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Neck pain and cervical spine disorders are widespread among military cockpit aircrew pilots and are often recognized as occupational stressors. AIMS: This systematic review aimed to identify significant determinants for military pilot neck pain and cervical spine disorders determined through multivariable logistic regression studies. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted according to the recommendations of the Statement of Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses [PRISMA]-P). The following databases were searched for literature: Medline and Embase. We included studies that studied neck pain, cervical spine disorders, and/or radiological abnormalities and associated exposures (adjusted odds ratios, ORadj) in military cockpit aircrew. The trustworthiness, relevance and results of the published papers were evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical checklist. RESULTS: A total of three studies quantified the strength of the correlations between exposures and outcomes. Significant determinants/risk factors of neck pain, cervical spine disorders and radiological abnormalities were identified as age (ORadj: 1.092 [95% CI 1.054, 1.132]), fighter type (ORadj: 3.9 [95% CI 1.1, 13.9]) and absolute rotation angle of C2-7 (ARA) (ORadj: 0.91 [CI 0.85, 0.98]). The following variables were unable to demonstrate statistical significance: flying hours, body height and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Military cockpit aircrew's frequent neck pain after a flight raises concerns about cervical spine disorders. Age, fighter type and ARA C2-7 are strong predictors of neck pain and cervical spine disorders. More research is needed on occupational determinants and risk factors for neck pain and cervical spine disorders in military cockpit aircrew.

Imaging palpable tumors in pediatrics: Part 2.

Palpable tumors in children are a common reason for consulting a radiologist. The origin of these lesions varies widely, and although they are common, classic radiology books do not cover some of them. This series of two articles aims to review the clinical and radiological characteristics of a selection of palpable tumors in children that radiologists need to be familiar with.

Radiología de las tumoraciones palpables en el paciente pediátrico. Parte 2 / Imaging palpable tumors in pediatrics: Part 2

Las tumoraciones palpables en los niños son un motivo de consulta muy habitual para el radiólogo. El origen de las lesiones es muy variado, y algunas de ellas no reciben atención en los libros clásicos de Radiología, pese a encontrarse frecuentemente.El objetivo de esta serie de 2 artículos es revisar las características clínico-radiológicas de una selección de estas entidades que consideramos importante conocer. (AU)

Palpable tumors in children are a common reason for consulting a radiologist. The origin of these lesions varies widely, and although they are common, classic radiology books do not cover some of them.This series of two articles aims to review the clinical and radiological characteristics of a selection of palpable tumors in children that radiologists need to be familiar with. (AU)

SlS5H silencing reveals specific pathogen-triggered salicylic acid metabolism in tomato.

BACKGROUND: Salicylic acid (SA) is a major plant hormone that mediates the defence pathway against pathogens. SA accumulates in highly variable amounts depending on the plant-pathogen system, and several enzyme activities participate in the restoration of its levels. Gentisic acid (GA) is the product of the 5-hydroxylation of SA, which is catalysed by S5H, an enzyme activity regarded as a major player in SA homeostasis. GA accumulates at high levels in tomato plants infected by Citrus Exocortis Viroid (CEVd), and to a lesser extend upon Pseudomonas syringae DC3000 pv. tomato (Pst) infection. RESULTS: We have studied the induction of tomato SlS5H gene by different pathogens, and its expression correlates with the accumulation of GA. Transient over-expression of SlS5H in Nicotiana benthamiana confirmed that SA is processed by SlS5H in vivo. SlS5H-silenced tomato plants were generated, displaying a smaller size and early senescence, together with hypersusceptibility to the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea. In contrast, these transgenic lines exhibited an increased defence response and resistance to both CEVd and Pst infections. Alternative SA processing appears to occur for each specific pathogenic interaction to cope with SA levels. In SlS5H-silenced plants infected with CEVd, glycosylated SA was the most discriminant metabolite found. Instead, in Pst-infected transgenic plants, SA appeared to be rerouted to other phenolics such as feruloyldopamine, feruloylquinic acid, feruloylgalactarate and 2-hydroxyglutarate. CONCLUSION: Using SlS5H-silenced plants as a tool to unbalance SA levels, we have studied the re-routing of SA upon CEVd and Pst infections and found that, despite the common origin and role for SA in plant pathogenesis, there appear to be different pathogen-specific, alternate homeostasis pathways.

Imaging palpable tumors in pediatrics.

Palpable tumors in children are a common reason for consulting a radiologist. The differential diagnosis is extensive and considerably different from that used in adults. Some of the etiologies of palpable tumors are little known outside of pediatrics. The most commonly used imaging test is ultrasonography, because in addition to being harmless and cost-effective, it is conclusive in most cases. Most palpable lesions in children are benign; it is estimated that only 1% are malignant. Knowing these lesions enables the correct diagnosis without the need to resort to unnecessary, sometimes invasive tests, thus avoiding delays in treatment when more severe disease is present. This article aims to review the clinical and radiological characteristics of the palpable lesions that are most common in pediatric patients, explaining the key features that enable accurate diagnosis.

Radiología en las tumoraciones palpables del paciente pediátrico Parte 1 / Imaging palpable tumors in pediatrics

La presencia de una tumoración palpable en un niño es un motivo de consulta frecuente en Radiología. El diagnóstico diferencial es extenso y considerablemente diferente al del adulto. Algunas de las etiologías son poco conocidas fuera del ámbito pediátrico. La prueba de imagen más utilizada es la ecografía, porque además de inocua y coste-efectiva, es concluyente en la mayoría de los casos. La mayor parte de las lesiones son de naturaleza benigna. Se estima que solo el 1% terminan en un diagnóstico de neoplasia maligna. Conocerlas permite hacer un diagnóstico correcto, sin tener que recurrir a pruebas innecesarias y a veces invasivas, así como evitar retrasos en el proceso asistencial cuando nos encontremos ante una enfermedad de mayor gravedad. El objetivo de este artículo es repasar las características clínico-radiológicas de las tumoraciones palpables más frecuentes en el paciente pediátrico, explicando los datos clave que permitan hacer un diagnóstico preciso.(AU)

Palpable tumors in children are a common reason for consulting a radiologist. The differential diagnosis is extensive and considerably different from that used in adults. Some of the etiologies of palpable tumors are little known outside of pediatrics. The most commonly used imaging test is ultrasonography, because in addition to being harmless and cost-effective, it is conclusive in most cases. Most palpable lesions in children are benign; it is estimated that only 1% are malignant. Knowing these lesions enables the correct diagnosis without the need to resort to unnecessary, sometimes invasive tests, thus avoiding delays in treatment when more severe disease is present. This article aims to review the clinical and radiological characteristics of the palpable lesions that are most common in pediatric patients, explaining the key features that enable accurate diagnosis.(AU)

Desarrollo de ecuaciones antropométricas para predecir el porcentaje de grasa corporal total en niños y adolescentes chilenos / Development of anthropometric equations for predicting total body fat percentage in Chilean children and adolescents

Introducción: estudiar el porcentaje de grasa corporal (%GC) en niños y adolescentes es muy relevante, puesto que un elevado nivel de grasa corporal en la infancia y la adolescencia representa sobrepeso y obesidad. Objetivo: identificar los indicadores antropométricos que se relacionan con el %GC y validar ecuaciones de regresión para predecir el %GC de niños y adolescentes a partir del uso de la absorciometría de rayos X de doble energía (DXA) como método de referencia. Métodos: se diseñó un estudio descriptivo (transversal) en 1126 escolares (588 hombres y 538 mujeres) de la región del Maule (Chile). El rango de edad oscila desde los 6,0 hasta los 17,9 años. Se evaluaron el peso, la estatura, dos pliegues cutáneos (tricipital y subescapular) y la circunferencia de la cintura (CC). Se calcularon el índice de masa corporal (IMC), el índice ponderal (IP) y el índice cintura-estatura (ICE). Se evaluó el porcentaje de grasa corporal (%GC) por medio del escaneo DXA. Resultados: las relaciones entre Σ (Tricipital + Subescapular), IP e ICE con el %GC (DXA) fueron de R2 = 52-54 % en hombres y R2 = 41-49 % en mujeres. Las ecuaciones generadas para los hombres fueron: %GC = 9,775 + [(0,415 * (Tr + SE)] + (35,084 * ICE) - (0,828 * edad), R2 = 70 %, y %GC = 20,720 + [(0,492 * (Tr + SE)] + (0,354 * IP) - (0,923 * edad), R2 = 68 %; y para mujeres: %GC = 8,608 + [(0,291 * (Tr + SE)] + (38,893 * ICE) - (0,176 * edad), R2 = 60 %, y %GC = 16,087 + [(0,306 * (Tr + SE)] + (0,818 * IP) - (0,300 * edad), R2 = 59 %. Conclusión: este estudio demostró que la sumatoria de los pliegues cutáneos tricipital y subescapular, el IP y el ICE son adecuados predictores del %GC. Estos indicadores permitieron desarrollar dos ecuaciones de regresión aceptables en términos de precisión y exactitud para predecir el %GC en niños y adolescentes de ambos sexos (AU)

Introduction: studying the percentage of body fat (%BF) in children and adolescents is very relevant, since a high level of body fat in childhood and adolescence represents overweight and obesity. Objective: to identify the anthropometric indicators related to %BF and to validate regression equations to predict %BF in children and adolescents using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as a reference method. Methods: a descriptive study (cross-sectional) was designed in 1126 schoolchildren (588 males and 538 females) from the Maule region (Chile). The age range ranged from 6.0 to 17.9 years. Weight, height, two skinfolds (tricipital and subscapular and waist circumference (WC) were evaluated. Body mass index (BMI), triponderal mass index (TMI), waist height index (WHtR) were calculated. Body fat percentage (%BF) was assessed by DXA scanning. Results: the relationships between Σ (Tricipital + Subscapular), TMI and WHtR with %BF (DXA) ranged from R2 = 52 % to 54 % in men, and from R2 = 41 % to 49 % in women. The equations generated for men were: %BF = 9.775 + [(0.415 * (Tr + SE)] + (35.084 * WHtR) - (0.828 * age), R2 = 70 %, and %BF = 20.720 + [(0.492 * (Tr + SE)] + (0.354 * TMI) - (0.923 * age), R2 = 68 %], and for women: %BF = 8.608 + [(0.291 * (Tr + SE)] + (38.893 * WHtR) - (0.176 * age), R2 = 60 %, and %BF = 16.087 + [(0.306 * (Tr + SE)] + (0.818 * TMI) - (0.300 * age), R2 = 59 %. Conclusion: this study showed that the sum of tricipital and subscapular skinfolds, IP and WHtR are adequate predictors of %BF. These indicators allowed the development of two regression equations acceptable in terms of precision and accuracy to predict %BF in children and adolescents of both sexes (AU)

Cross-tissue immune cell analysis reveals tissue-specific features in humans.

Despite their crucial role in health and disease, our knowledge of immune cells within human tissues remains limited. We surveyed the immune compartment of 16 tissues from 12 adult donors by single-cell RNA sequencing and VDJ sequencing generating a dataset of ~360,000 cells. To systematically resolve immune cell heterogeneity across tissues, we developed CellTypist, a machine learning tool for rapid and precise cell type annotation. Using this approach, combined with detailed curation, we determined the tissue distribution of finely phenotyped immune cell types, revealing hitherto unappreciated tissue-specific features and clonal architecture of T and B cells. Our multitissue approach lays the foundation for identifying highly resolved immune cell types by leveraging a common reference dataset, tissue-integrated expression analysis, and antigen receptor sequencing.

Influence of COVID-19 confinement on the size of malignant skin tumours surgically removed at a Spanish hospital.

The COVID-19 pandemic required people to confine themselves to their homes where possible, and disrupted normal hospital activities. We examine whether this lockdown generated changes in the size of the tumours. We compared the dimensions of the surgically removed malignant skin tumours from the first 150 patients treated after the confinement ended in Spain (22 May 2020) with those of the last 150 patients to receive such treatment before the confinement began (13 March 2020). Data on tumour surface area were collected from pathology reports. Overall, no significant difference was seen in the tumour sizes. However, among men, the tumours removed after confinement were significantly larger (P < 0.05). Controversy exists over how the reduction in the number of tumours diagnosed during lockdowns might have influenced the characteristics of tumours. In this study, no overall difference was seen in the size of the tumours removed, although those removed from men after confinement were larger.