Corrigendum: D-dimer trends elaborate the heterogeneity of risk in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: a multi-national case series from different waves.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1103842.].

D-dimer trends elaborate the heterogeneity of risk in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: A multi-national case series from different waves.

Introduction: Variable D-dimer trends during hospitalization reportedly result in distinct in-hospital mortality. In this multinational case series from the first and second waves, we show the universality of such D-dimer trends. Methods: We reviewed 405 patients with COVID-19 during the first wave admitted to three institutions in the United States, Italy, and Colombia, and 111 patients admitted to the U.S. site during the second wave and 55 patients during the third wave. D-dimer was serially followed during hospitalization. Results: During the first wave, 66 (15%) patients had a persistently-low pattern, 33 (8%) had early-peaking, 70 (16%) had mid-peaking, 94 (22%) had fluctuating, 30 (7%) had late-peaking, and 112 (26%) had a persistently-high pattern. During the second and third waves, similar patterns were observed. D-dimer patterns were significantly different in terms of in-hospital mortality similarly in all waves. Patterns were then classified into low-risk patterns (persistently-low and early-peaking), where no deaths were observed in both waves, high-risk patterns (mid-peaking and fluctuating), and malignant patterns (late-peaking and persistently-high). Overall, D-dimer trends were associated with an increased risk for in-hospital mortality in the first wave (overall: HR: 1.73) and stayed the same during the second (HR: 1.67, p < 0.001) and the third (HR: 4.4, p = 0.001) waves. Conclusion: D-dimer behavior during COVID-19 hospitalization yielded universal categories with distinct mortality risks that persisted throughout all studied waves of infection. Monitoring D-dimer behavior may be useful in the management of these patients.

Does the use of intracardiac echocardiography during atrial fibrillation catheter ablation improve outcomes and cost? A nationwide 14-year analysis from 2001 to 2014.

BACKGROUND: Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) use during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) provides real-time information to guide transseptal access, for monitoring the ablation and recognition of pericardial bleed. We describe trends of ICE use, impact on complications, and its in-hospital outcomes. METHODS: The national in-patient sample database was queried from 2001 to 2014 for diagnosis of AF based on ICD-9-CM 427.31 with a catheter ablation procedure code (37.34) in the same hospitalization and its associated complications. ICE was identified using ICD-9-CM procedure code (37.28). Statistical Analysis System (SAS) was used for analysis. RESULTS: There was an estimated total 299,152 patients who underwent AF ablation from 2001 to 2014 of which ICE was used in 46,688 (15.6%) patients. The use of ICE significantly increased from 0.08% in 2001 to 15.7% in 2014. In-hospital mortality was significantly lower in patients in whom ICE was used (0.11% vs 0.54%, p < 0.0001). Complications were 52% lower in procedures using ICE vs without ICE (HR [95%CI]; 0.48 [0.44-0.51]). The rate of cardiac complications was also lower in ICE users (3.67% vs 4.51%; p = 0.025). The use of ICE during AF ablation resulted in significantly higher cost of hospitalization ($98,436 ± 597 vs $81,300 ± 310; p < 0.0001), but this was offset by a decreased length of hospital stay (2.1 ± 0.02 vs 4 ± 0.02 days; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of ICE during AF ablation has increased over the years and is associated with lower in-hospital mortality and procedural complications, shorter LOS but an increased cost of hospitalization.

MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY ASSESSMENT IN ACUTE HEPATITIS-E.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis-E is an enterically transmitted virus causing acute hepatitis. Mostly it is a self-limiting clinical course, but can be life threatening in certain high risk groups. Pakistan is endemic for Hepatitis-E with limited published literature. The aim of this study is to evaluate the predictors of mortality in patients with acute Hepatitis-E. METHODS: We analyzed the medical records of 369 adult patients with Hepatitis-E infection admitted at Aga khan University Hospital, from January 1996 to December 2010. Details of their laboratory investigations, clinical course and complications such as FHF and mortality were noted. The outcome was compared, and determinants of mortality were evaluated in important patient subgroups. RESULTS: Out of 369 patients with Hepatitis-E, 326 (88.3%) were discharged after full recovery. Out of these 22 (6%) patients had chronic liver disease CLD in this study, of whom 10 (2.7%) expired (p-value <0.001). There were about 67 (18%) pregnant patients, with a mean gestational age of 29.19 +/- 7.68 weeks and 5 (1.4%) pregnant patients died (p-value=0.23). A total of 58 (15.7%) patients were coinfected with other hepatotropic virus, and a comparison did not find an increased risk of mortality in this group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that Hepatitis-E is significantly associated with mortality in patients suffering from pre-existing chronic liver disease. Pregnancy was not a determinant of mortality in Hepatitis-E patients in this study, and neither was coinfection with other Hepatotropic viruses.

Systematic review on antibiotic therapy for pneumonia in children between 2 and 59 months of age.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains a force to reckon with, as it accounts for 1.1 million of all deaths in children less than 5 years of age globally, with disproportionately higher mortality occurring in the low and middle income-countries (LMICs) of Southeast Asia and Africa. Existing strategies to curb pneumonia-related morbidity and mortality have not effectively translated into meaningful control of pneumonia-related burden. In the present systematic review, we conducted a meta-analysis of trials conducted in LMICs to determine the most suitable antibiotic therapy for treating pneumonia (very severe, severe and non-severe). While previous reviews, including the most recent review by Lodha et al, have focused either on single modality of antibiotic therapy (such as choice of antibiotic) or children under the age of 16 years, the current review updates evidence on the choice of drug, duration, route and combination of antibiotics in children specifically between 2 and 59 months of age. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs that assessed the route, dose, combination and duration of antibiotics in the management of WHO-defined very severe/severe/non-severe CAP. Study participants included children between 2 and 59 months of age with CAP. All available titles and abstracts were screened for inclusion by two review authors independently. All data was entered and analysed using Review Manager 5 software. The review identified 8122 studies on initial search, of which 22 studies which enrolled 20,593 children were included in meta-analyses. Evidence from these trials showed a combination of penicillin/ampicillin and gentamicin to be effective for managing very severe pneumonia in children between 2 and 59 months of age, and oral amoxicillin to be equally efficacious, as other parenteral antibiotics for managing severe pneumonia in children of this particular age group. Oral amoxicillin was also found to be effective in non-severe pneumonia as well. The review further found a short 3 day course of antibiotics to be equally beneficial as 5 day course for managing non-severe pneumonia in children between 2 and 59 months of age. This review updates evidence on the general spectrum of antibiotic recommendation for CAP in children between 2 and 59 months of age, which is an age group that warrants special focus owing to its high disease and mortality burden. Evidence derived from the review found oral amoxicillin to be equally effective as parenteral antibiotics for severe pneumonia in the 2-59 month age group, which holds important implications for LMICs where parenteral drug administration is an issue. Also, the review's finding that 3 day course of antibiotic is equally effective as 5 day course for non-severe pneumonia for 2-59 months of age is again beneficial for LMICs, as a shorter therapy will be associated with a lower cost. The review addresses some research gaps in antibiotic treatment for CAP as well, and this crucial information is presented with the aim of providing a targeted cure for the middle and low income setting.