COVID-19 Stroke Apical Lung Examination Study 2: a national prospective CTA biomarker study of the lung apices, in patients presenting with suspected acute stroke (COVID SALES 2).

BACKGROUND: Apical ground-glass opacification (GGO) identified on CT angiography (CTA) performed for suspected acute stroke was developed in 2020 as a coronavirus-disease-2019 (COVID-19) diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in a retrospective study during the first wave of COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively validate whether GGO on CTA performed for suspected acute stroke is a reliable COVID-19 diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and whether it is reliable for COVID-19 vaccinated patients. METHODS: In this prospective, pragmatic, national, multi-center validation study performed at 13 sites, we captured study data consecutively in patients undergoing CTA for suspected acute stroke from January-March 2021. Demographic and clinical features associated with stroke and COVID-19 were incorporated. The primary outcome was the likelihood of reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction swab-test-confirmed COVID-19 using the GGO biomarker. Secondary outcomes investigated were functional status at discharge and survival analyses at 30 and 90 days. Univariate and multivariable statistical analyses were employed. RESULTS: CTAs from 1,111 patients were analyzed, with apical GGO identified in 8.5 % during a period of high COVID-19 prevalence. GGO showed good inter-rater reliability (Fleiss κ = 0.77); and high COVID-19 specificity (93.7 %, 91.8-95.2) and negative predictive value (NPV; 97.8 %, 96.5-98.6). In subgroup analysis of vaccinated patients, GGO remained a good diagnostic biomarker (specificity 93.1 %, 89.8-95.5; NPV 99.7 %, 98.3-100.0). Patients with COVID-19 were more likely to have higher stroke score (NIHSS (mean +/- SD) 6.9 +/- 6.9, COVID-19 negative, 9.7 +/- 9.0, COVID-19 positive; p = 0.01), carotid occlusions (6.2 % negative, 14.9 % positive; p = 0.02), and larger infarcts on presentation CT (ASPECTS 9.4 +/- 1.5, COVID-19 negative, 8.6 +/- 2.4, COVID-19 positive; p = 0.00). After multivariable logistic regression, GGO (odds ratio 15.7, 6.2-40.1), myalgia (8.9, 2.1-38.2) and higher core body temperature (1.9, 1.1-3.2) were independent COVID-19 predictors. GGO was associated with worse functional outcome on discharge and worse survival after univariate analysis. However, after adjustment for factors including stroke severity, GGO was not independently predictive of functional outcome or mortality. CONCLUSION: Apical GGO on CTA performed for patients with suspected acute stroke is a reliable diagnostic biomarker for COVID-19, which in combination with clinical features may be useful in COVID-19 triage.

Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole-induced Hepatotoxicity in a Renal Transplant Patient.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) represents liver damage from various therapeutic drugs. Antimicrobials are among the most common causes of DILI. We report a case of hepatic toxicity due to Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) in a patient who underwent renal transplantation. Diagnosis has been made after a careful history taking, exclusion of competing etiologies and reversal of biochemical abnormalities after withdrawal of the antibiotic. TMP-SMX liver toxicity is well known but remains unpredictable and is rarely reported.

[Wilms' tumors, 12 case reports]. / Tumeurs de Wilms,à propos de douze cas.

The treatment of Wilms' tumor has shown a great success in the pediatric oncology. Our study, which includes 12 cases of nephroblastoma, between 1979 and 1987, has confirmed this results. This tumor that shows no sex prevalence, occurs in a mean age of 2.5 years. The volume of the mass is the most presenting sign in 75% of the cases, I.V.P. confirm the diagnosis in 90% of the cases. Remission occurred in 5 infants who have been in stage I, the other cases who are in stage II to V have bad prognosis. In the future, we hope more advancement in the cure of Wilms tumor, and all the remaining questions will find their answer.