Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most frequent lymphoproliferative disease in the elderly of the western world. Immune defective responses and treatment can worsen the immune system's competence of CLL patients. Consequently, they may present a higher incidence of recurrent severe infections, second malignancies, and reduced efficacy of vaccines. The outbreak of COVID-19 is an ongoing pandemic, and patients with comorbidities experience more severe forms of the disease. Hematological malignancies are associated with higher case fatality rates (CFRs) than other cancers. Knowledge about COVID-19 incidence, clinical course, and immune response to the infection and vaccination in CLL may contribute to design strategies that improve the outcomes of patients in the future. RECENT FINDINGS: The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 positivity in CLL is not significantly higher than seen in the general population. CFRs for CLL patients are 16.5-fold more elevated than the median reported worldwide and even higher in older patients, those who require hospitalization have significant comorbidities or need oxygen therapy. CLL status decreases the anti-SARS-CoV-2 positivity after infection or vaccination by around 40%, and the spike-specific antibody titers are 74-fold lower than healthy age-matched controls. The response rate to COVID-19 vaccines is even worse in patients with active CLL-directed therapies like BTKi, BCL-2 antagonists, or anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. CLL patients are at a greater risk of death from COVID-19. Inherent immunosuppression of CLL and immune deficiencies caused by treatment significantly decrease the ability to produce natural or vaccine-induced anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune responses.

[Percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus using the Amplatzer vascular Plug II]. / Cierre percutáneo del conducto arterioso permeable utilizando el Amplatzer vascular Plug II.

UNLABELLED: The Amplatzer vascular II Plug (AVPII) is a self- expanding occluder device, indicated for arterial and venous occlusion in the peripheral circulation. OBJECTIVE: To describe our initial clinical experience with the AVP II, in the percutaneous closure of small patent ductus arteriosus. METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed seven patients who underwent percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus. The AVP II was chosen with a diameter greater than 50% of the minimum diameter of the ductus arteriosus. RESULTS: Patients showed a ductus arteriosus with a diameter of 1.5 ± 1.4 (range: 0.8 - 4.7 mm). Successful implant was achieved with adequate angiographic occlusion in 6 patients. One patient was sent to surgery. We only found a major complication. Transthoracic echocardiography at 24 hours, confirmed the complete occlusion in this patients. The follow-up was 10.6 ± 9.1 months. CONCLUSION: The AVP II in this group of patients was shown to be safe and effective for percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus.

Cierre percutáneo del conducto arterioso permeable utilizando el Amplatzer vascular Plug II / Percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus using the Amplatzer vascular Plug II

Amplatzer vascular Plug II (AVP II) es un dispositivo oclusor autoexpandible, indicado para oclusiones arteriales o venosas en la vasculatura periférica. Objetivo: Describir nuestra experiencia clínica inicial con el AVP II, en el cierre percutáneo del conducto arterioso permeable pequeño. Métodos: Analizamos retrospectivamente, siete pacientes sometidos a oclusión percutánea del conducto arterioso. El AVP II se eligió con un diámetro mayor a 50% del diámetro mínimo del conducto arterioso. Resultados: Los pacientes evidenciaron un conducto arterioso con un diámetro mínimo de 1.5 ± 1.4 (intervalo: 0.8 a 4.7mm). Se logró un implante exitoso y con adecuada oclusión angiográfica en seis pacientes. Un paciente fue enviado a cirugía. Sólo observamos una complicación mayor. El ecocardiograma transtorácico a las 24 horas, confirmó la oclusión completa en estos pacientes. El seguimiento fue de 10.6 ± 9.1 meses. Conclusiones: El AVP II, en este grupo de pacientes mostró ser seguro y efectivo para el cierre percutáneo del conducto arterioso.

The Amplatzer vascular Plug II (AVP II) is a self-expanding occluder device, indicated for arterial and venous occlusion in the peripheral circulation. Objective: To describe our initial clinical experience with the AVP II, in the percutaneous closure of small patent ductus arteriosus. Method: We retrospectively analyzed seven patients who underwent percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus. The AVP II was chosen with a diameter greater than 50% of the minimum diameter of the ductus arteriosus. Results:Patients showed a ductus arteriosus with a diameter of 1.5 ± 1.4 (range: 0.8 - 4.7mm). Successful implant was achieved with adequate angiographic occlusion in 6 patients. One patient was sent to surgery. We only found a major complication. Transthoracic echocardiography at 24 hours, confirmed the complete occlusion in this patients. The follow-up was 10.6 ± 9.1 months. Conclusion: The AVP II in this group of patients was shown to be safe and effective for percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus.

High Smac/DIABLO expression is associated with early local recurrence of cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: In a recent pilot report, we showed that Smac/DIABLO mRNA is expressed de novo in a subset of cervical cancer patients. We have now expanded this study and analyzed Smac/DIABLO expression in the primary lesions in 109 cervical cancer patients. METHODS: We used immunohistochemistry of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections to analyze Smac/DIABLO expression in the 109 primary lesions. Seventy-eight samples corresponded to epidermoid cervical cancer and 31 to cervical adenocarcinoma. The median follow up was 46.86 months (range 10-186). RESULTS: Smac/DIABLO was expressed in more adenocarcinoma samples than squamous tumours (71% vs 50%; p = 0.037). Among the pathological variables, a positive correlation was found between Smac/DIABLO immunoreactivity and microvascular density, a marker for angiogenesis (p = 0.04). Most importantly, Smac/DIABLO immunoreactivity was associated with a higher rate of local recurrence in squamous cell carcinoma (p = 0.002, log rank test). No association was found between Smac/DIABLO and survival rates. CONCLUSION: Smac/DIABLO expression is a potential marker for local recurrence in cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients.