Hydroxychloroquine Safety Outcome within Approved Therapeutic Protocol for COVID-19 Outpatients in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Global healthcare is challenged following the COVID-19 pandemic, since late 2019. Multiple approaches have been performed to relieve the pressure and support existing healthcare. The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) launched an initiative to support the National Healthcare System. Since the 5th of June 2020, 238 outpatient fever clinics were established nationwide. This study aimed to assess the safety outcome and reported adverse events from hydroxychloroquine use among suspected COVID-19 patients. METHOD: A cross-sectional study included 2,733 patients subjected to MOH treatment protocol (hydroxychloroquine) and followed-up within 3-7 days after initiation. Data was collected through an electronic link and cross-checked with the national database (Health Electronic Surveillance Network, HESN) and reports from the MOH Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) Committee. RESULTS: 240 patients (8.8%) discontinued treatment because of side effects (4.1%) and for non-clinical reasons in the remaining (4.7%). Adverse effects were reported among (6.7%) of all studied participants, including mainly cardiovascular (2.5%, 0.15% with QTc prolongation), and gastrointestinal (2.4%). No Intensive Care Unit admission or death were reported among these patients. CONCLUSION: Our results show that hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 patients in mild to moderate cases in an outpatient setting, within the protocol recommendation and inclusion/exclusion criteria, is safe, highly tolerable, and with minimum side effects.

Splenic abscess associated with infective endocarditis; Case series.

Splenic abscess is a well-described but rare complication of infective endocarditis. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are essential as its course can be fatal. We present three case reports that describe the management of splenic abscesses in patients initially diagnosed with infective endocarditis. In all cases, the diagnosis was based on the findings of abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In two of the cases, splenectomy was performed before valve surgery; while in the third case, the spleen was removed after cardiac surgery. All three patients recovered fully, with satisfactory follow-up as outpatients. Immediate splenectomy, combined with appropriate antibiotics and valve replacement surgery alongside multi-disciplinary team work could be the treatment of choice in this clinical scenario.

Induction immunosuppression after heart transplantation: monoclonal vs. polyclonal antithymoglobulins. Is there a difference?

Induction immunosuppression after heart transplantation is believed to reduce the risk of acute graft rejection. While monoclonal and polyclonal antithymoglobulins are considered the optimal induction agents, controversy remains regarding their relative superiority. This article presents a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis in order to assess the relative benefits and side-effects of monoclonal vs. polyclonal antithymoglobulins as induction immunosuppression agents. Pooled analysis demonstrated a small but statistically insignificant difference in the average time to first rejection between the groups (6.7+/-15.5 days, P=0.39). No statistically significant differences in the proportion of patients who developed rejection or infection episodes at 6 months were observed (Relative Risk 0.97, P=0.82 and Relative Risk 0.85, P=0.14, respectively). In addition, no statistically significant difference in survival was found between the groups at 6 months (Relative Risk 0.98, P=0.58). A greater number of drug related side-effects was observed, however, in the monoclonal group, including episodes of acute pulmonary edema and hypotension. In conclusion, this review revealed no statistically significant differences in rejection, infection, or survival rates between the monoclonal and polyclonal groups. The increased rate of side-effects with monoclonal antibodies might suggest a superiority of polyclonal over monoclonal antibodies.

Transcranial Doppler during suspected brain death in children: Potential limitation in patients with cardiac "shunt"

OBJECTIVES: We report a potential limitation of transcranial Doppler for assessing cerebral circulation during suspected brain death in children. DESIGN: Review of two case series identified during our clinical practice. PATIENTS: Eight children with suspected brain death and seven with intact-brain and cardiovascular anomalies. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Brain-death criteria included lack of cerebral-brainstem reactivity, electrocortical silence and absent blood flow by brain scintigraphy ((99m)Tc-hexamethylpropylenamine oxime). Five intracranial Doppler patterns were found in eight cases of suspected brain death: A) orthograde continuous flow; B) reduced systolic flow velocity with absence of diastolic flow; C) reduced systolic flow velocity with retrograde diastolic flow, sometimes with antegrade late diastolic flow; D) systolic spikes of very low flow velocity; and E) absence of Doppler signals. Only patterns "C," "D," and "E" were associated with the absence of supra- and infratentorial brain perfusion. The most common Doppler alterations in patients with intact-brain and cardiovascular anomalies were the absence of diastolic flow (pattern "B") or the presence of retrograde flow during diastole (pattern "C"). CONCLUSION: Transcranial Doppler monitoring of pediatric patients may have value in identifying patients who have severe cerebral compromise, who may progress to brain death. However, key Doppler alterations, such as absent or retrograde flow during diastole, are not uniquely associated with the diagnosis of brain death, particularly in the setting of congential heart disease. The use of conventional methodology for the diagnosis of brain death in infants and children remains the "gold standard."