[Correlation between transcutaneous bilirubinometry and serum bilirubin in newborns ≥ 35 weeks]. / Correlación entre bilirrubinometría transcutánea y bilirrubina sérica en recién nacidos ≥ 35 semanas.

Clinical control and monitoring of bilirubin in the neonatal stage are essential to avoid toxicity in the central nervous system. OBJECTIVE: to determine the correlation between transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) and total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels in newborns ≥ 35 weeks. PATIENTS AND METHOD: observational, cross-sectional, analytical, retrospective study that included 90 neonates of gestational age ≥ 35 weeks with mucocutaneous jaundice who underwent TcB and TSB measurement simultaneously between June 1, 2022, and January 31, 2023. Both variables were compared, determining their correlation. RESULTS: the validity indicators were analyzed, obtaining 100% sensitivity and negative predictive value. The mean of TcB determinations was 14.84 mg/dl ± 2.27 and that of TSB was 13.1 mg/dl ± 2.39. The correlation obtained indicates that both variables are related, which is a direct correlation and, according to the prediction equation, there is an appropriate correlation between them. It was determined that TcB overestimated TSB in 95.56% of the determinations, and underestimated TSB in the rest (4.44%). Simultaneous measurements of TcB and TSB were different in all determinations with a mean difference of 1.72 ± 1.48. CONCLUSIONS: the non-invasive TcB method can be used as an initial screening tool for the neonatal population ≥ 35 weeks, given its adequate sensitivity and negative predictive value.

Cánula Nasal de Alto Flujo Asimétrica: una Revisión Narrativa / Asymmetrical High Flow Nasal Cannula: a Narrative Review

Los sistemas de Cánula nasal de alto flujo (CNAF) han sido ampliamente utilizados en el campo clínico como soporte no invasivo en el manejo de la falla respiratoria aguda (sobre todo hipoxémica) y cuidados post extubación. Clínica y fisiológicamente, las cánulas nasales de alto flujo son capaces de entregar un flujo de oxigeno alto que, debido a que ese gas se encuentra optimamente humidificado y calefaccionado, permite una mejor tolerancia por parte del paciente al ser comparada con las cánulas de oxigeno tradicionales. Por otra parte, este alto. Flujo es capaz de generar una presión positiva al final de la espiración (CPAP) en la vía área y favorecer tanto en barrido de dióxido de carbono (CO2) desde la vía aérea superior, lo que disminuye el trabajo respiratorio del paciente y mejora su confort.. Sin embargo; aún existe un alto porcentaje de pacientes que fracasan la terapia con CNAF y requiere soportes mas complejos como la ventilación mecánica, ya sea imvasiva o no. Estos resultados con la terapia CNAF pueden ser influidos por aspectos técnicos como, por ejemplo, la turbulencia que pueden generar estos sistemas a nivel de la región nasal. Por esta razón se han desarrollado nuevas tecnologías en el diseño y uso de interfaces para suministrar este alto flujo. Una de estas innovaciones es el uso de cánulas asimétricas, las que potencian los beneficios fisiológicos que entrega una cánula de alto flujo convencional. La presente revisión pretende exponer las principales diferencias que presenta el sistema de alto flujo convencional versus la nueva interface asimétrica.

High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) systems have been widely used in the clinical field as non-invasive support in the management of acute respiratory failure (especially hypoxemic) and post-extubation care. Clinically and physiologically, high flow nasal cannulas are capable of delivering a high flow of oxygen which, because this gas is optimally humidified and heated, allows better tolerance by the patient when compared to traditional oxygen cannulas. . On the other hand, this high. Flow is capable of generating positive pressure at the end of expiration (CPAP) in the airway and favoring the sweep of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the upper airway, which reduces the patient's respiratory work and improves their comfort. .. However; There is still a high percentage of patients who fail therapy with HFNC and require more complex supports such as mechanical ventilation, whether invasive or not. These results with HFNC therapy can be influenced by technical aspects such as, for example, the turbulence that these systems can generate in the nasal region. For this reason, new technologies have been developed in the design and use of interfaces to provide this high flow. One of these innovations is the use of asymmetric cannulas, which enhance the physiological benefits provided by a conventional high-flow cannula. The present review aims to expose the main differences that the conventional high flow system presents versus the new asymmetric interface.

Severe community-acquired Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterial meningitis: clinical and prognostic picture from the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Severe community-acquired pneumococcal meningitis is a medical emergency. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the epidemiology, management and outcomes of this condition. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational and multicenter cohort study. Sixteen Spanish intensive care units (ICUs) were included. Demographic, clinical and microbiological variables from patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis admitted to ICU were evaluated. Clinical response was evaluated at 72 h after antibiotic treatment initiation, and meningitis complications, length of stay and 30-day mortality were also recorded. RESULTS: In total, 255 patients were included. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture was positive in 89.7%; 25.7% were non-susceptible to penicillin, and 5.2% were non-susceptible to ceftriaxone or cefotaxime. The most frequent empiric antibiotic regimen was third-generation cephalosporin (47.5%) plus vancomycin (27.8%) or linezolid (12.9%). A steroid treatment regimen was administered to 88.6% of the patients. Clinical response was achieved in 65.8% of patients after 72 h of antibiotic treatment. Multivariate analysis identified two factors associated with early treatment failure: invasive mechanical ventilation (OR 10.74; 95% CI 3.04-37.95, p < 0.001) and septic shock (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.03-1.36, p = 0.017). The 30-day mortality rate was 13.7%. Only three factors were independently associated with 30-day mortality: delay in start of antibiotic treatment (OR 18.69; 95% CI 2.13-163.97, p = 0.008), Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.12-1.66, p = 0.002) and early treatment failure (OR 21.75 (3.40-139.18), p = 0.001). Neurological complications appeared in 124 patients (48.63%). CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rate in critically ill patients with pneumococcal meningitis is lower than previously reported. Delay in antibiotic treatment following admission is the only amendable factor associated with mortality.

Severity of new-onset type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents during the coronavirus-19 disease pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: ß-pancreatic cells are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication; this could lead to infection-related diabetes or precipitate the onset of type 1 diabetes. This study aimed to determine the severity at diagnosis, analyzing clinical and epidemiological features at debut in children under 16 years of age in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective observational multicenter study was carried out in 7 hospitals of the public health network located in the south of our community. The severity at debut is compared with that of the two previous years (2018 and 2019). The level of statistical significance is set at p<0.05. RESULTS: In 2020, 61 patients debuted at the 7 hospital centres. The mean age was 10.1 years (SD: 2.6), 50.8% older than 10 years. The clinical profile at diagnosis was ketoacidosis in 52.5% compared to 39.5% and 26.5% in the previous two years (p<0.01). The mean pH (7.24 vs 7.30/7.30) and excess of bases (-11.9 vs -7.43/-7.9) was lower than in the previous two years, and the glycated haemoglobin higher (11.9 vs 11/10.6), p<0.05. At least 10% of the patients had a positive history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS: There has been an increase in the frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis in type 1 diabetes onset during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ANN-Based Discernment of Septic and Inflammatory Synovial Fluid: A Novel Method Using Viscosity Data from a QCR Sensor.

The synovial fluid (SF) analysis involves a series of chemical and physical studies that allow opportune diagnosing of septic, inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and other pathologies in joints. Among the variety of analyses to be performed on the synovial fluid, the study of viscosity can help distinguish between these conditions, since this property is affected in pathological cases. The problem with viscosity measurement is that it usually requires a large sample volume, or the necessary instrumentation is bulky and expensive. This study compares the viscosity of normal synovial fluid samples with samples with infectious and inflammatory pathologies and classifies them using an ANN (Artificial Neural Network). For this purpose, a low-cost, portable QCR-based sensor (10 MHz) was used to measure the viscous responses of the samples by obtaining three parameters: Δf, ΔΓ (parameters associated with the viscoelastic properties of the fluid), and viscosity calculation. These values were used to train the algorithm. Different versions of the ANN were compared, along with other models, such as SVM and random forest. Thirty-three samples of SF were analyzed. Our study suggests that the viscosity characterized by our sensor can help distinguish infectious synovial fluid, and that implementation of ANN improves the accuracy of synovial fluid classification.

Parvovirus b19 infection in children with sickle cell disease, watch out for splenomegaly! A case report.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited hemoglobinopathy characterized by the presence of hemoglobin S in red blood cells. This polymerizes, distorting the red blood cells, which occlude the microcirculation and have a shorter halflife, giving rise to a chronic hemolytic anemia. This anemia is worsened by parvovirus B19, as it compromises the erythroid precursor, causing a decrease in erythrocyte production. These patients sometimes present with splenic sequestration, characterized by acute blood entrapment in the spleen, with clinical signs of hypovolemic shock. The simultaneous appearance of both leads to an extremely severe situation that requires urgent action. Objective: To describe the case of a patient with SCD and splenic sequestration, in which the suspicion of concomitant aplastic crisis affected her prognosis. Clinical case: 3-year-old girl with homozygous SCD, presenting with fever, cough, vomiting and pain in the lower limbs. Upon arrival, hemodynamic instability, mucocutaneous pallor, and splenomegaly were observed. Hemogram on admission showed an acute drop in haemoglobin level with reticulocytopenia. Splenic sequestration was suspected, along with aplastic crisis, so she received a blood transfusion, subsequently showing progressive improvement. Human parvovirus B19-specific IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in the serum. Conclusion: Patients with SCD and parvovirus B19 infection must be closely observed for splenomegaly since an early identification of an enlarging spleen can lead to an early diagnosis of this complication.

[Clinical and epidemiological features of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children under 16 years of age]. / Caracterización clínica y epidemiológica de la infección por SARS-CoV-2 en menores de 16 años.

INTRODUCTION: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, efforts have focused on trying to identify the routes of transmis sion of the virus, characterize its symptoms and signs, and investigate the best diagnostic and thera peutic methods. There are fewer published data and series in the pediatric population than in adults. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical and epidemiological characteristics in children under 16 years of age diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Descriptive study carried out on children who underwent SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing due to compatible symptoms, close contact, or requiring hospitalization or surgery, in the Emergency Department of a hospital in Madrid, Spain. 30 variables were collected including epidemiological data, symptoms, and signs of infection. RESULTS: Out of 1378 patients, 12% were positive (165). There was a higher proportion of patients of North African origin in the positive group than in the negative one (p < 0.01). Of all patients, 35.6% reported close contact with a confirmed case, which was more frequent in the positive group. 75.8% of the positive patients had some symptoms, most frequently fever, runny nose, and cough, followed by digesti ve symptoms. There was one case of COVID-19 pneumonia and two patients with MIS-C, one of which had SARS-CoV-2 infection. Eight of the positive patients (4.8%) required hospitalization due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSION: Although SARS-CoV-2 infection is milder in the pediatric population, almost 5% will require hospitalization. No close contact was identified in a high percen tage of patients (61%). Further studies are needed at all levels of care to characterize the infection in children and adolescents.

Impacto de la Pandemia por SARS-CoV-2 en el Perfil de Ingreso y Egreso de una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos según Escala de Categorización Kinesiológica / Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on the Admission and Discharge Profile of an Intensive Care Unit according to the Kinesiological Categorization Scale

Introducción. La pandemia por coronavirus trajo consigo una modificación y una reestructuración de las unidades de cuidados intensivos(UCI). Además se produjo un cambio en el perfil de pacientes que ingresan y egresan en estas unidades. Objetivo. Valorar el impacto de la presente pandemia en el perfil de ingreso y egreso de pacientes en UCI según escala de categorización kinesiológica de la unidad. Métodos. Estudio observacional descriptivo que incluyó 50 sujetos de UCI que contaran con escala de categorización kinesiológica (ECK) al ingreso y egreso de la unidad. La ECK contemplo 3 item de evaluación: Función ventilatoria, manejod e secreciones, grado de cooperación y nivel de actividad. El registro de la ECK se planteó de manera retrospectiva para los periodos Julio-agosto 2018 (prepandemia) y Julio - Agosto 2020 (pandemia). Se utilizó estadística descriptiva, utilizando porcentaje y/o promedio para cada variable según corresponda. Resultados. Al observar la función ventilatoria, el requerimiento de soporte ventilatorio varió de un 64% a un 16% pre ­ pandemia, y de un 100% a un 88% durante la pandemia. Respecto al manejo de secreciones, se observó que los sujetos con tos efectiva varío desde un 60% a un 22% en el periodo pandemia Por otra parte, los pacientes que requirieron succión traqueal de manera constante en pandemia, se mantuvo. entre un 88% a un 92% durante la estadía en UCI. En relación al grado de cooperación, un 78% de los pacientes con COVID-19 ingresó con una dependencia severa o nula cooperación, y al momento del egreso de UCI un 54% se mantenía en la misma condición. Respecto al nivel de actividad, durante el periodo pandemia, un 100% de los ingresos y un 96% de los egresos presentó dependencia total. Conclusión. La pandemia causada por SARS-CoV-2 ha influido directamente en el perfil de ingreso y egreso de pacientes UCI, lo cual enfrentó al personal de salud a un aumento considerable en la carga de trabajo.

Introduction. The coronavirus led to a modification and a building of new intensive care units (ICU). In addition, there was a change in the profile of patients admitted and discharged from these units. Objetive. Assess the impact of this pandemy on the admission and discharge profile of patients in the ICU according to a kinesiological categorization scale of the unit. Methods. Descriptive observational study that included 50 ICU subjects who had a Kinesiology Categorization Scale (ECK) at admission and discharge from the unit. The ECK contemplates 3 evaluation elements: ventilatory function, management and secretions, degree of cooperation and level of activity. The ECK registry was considered retrospectively for the periods July-August 2018 (pre-pandemy) and July-August 2020 (pandemy). Descriptive statistics was developed, using percentage and/or average for each variable as appropriate. Results: Looking at ventilatory function, the requirement for ventilatory support varied from 64% to 16% pre-pandemic, and from 100% to 88% during the pandemic. Regarding the management of secretions, it was shown that the subjects with effective cough varied from 60% to 22% in the pandemic period. On the other hand, the patients who required tracheal suctioning constantly in the pandemic were maintained. between 88% and 92% during the ICU stay. Regarding the degree of cooperation, 78% of the patients with COVID-19 were admitted with a severe dependency or no cooperation, and at the time of discharge from the ICU, 54% were pressed in the same condition. Regarding the level of activity, during the pandemic period, 100% of income and 96% of expenses presented total dependency. Conclusion. The pandemy caused by SARS-CoV-2 has directly influenced the admission and discharge profile of ICU patients, which confronted health personnel with a considerable increase in workload.

[Severity of new-onset type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents during the coronavirus-19 disease pandemic]. / Gravedad al comienzo de la diabetes tipo 1 en niños y adolescentes durante la pandemia por la enfermedad por coronavirus-19.

Introduction: ß-pancreatic cells are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication; this could lead to infection-related diabetes or precipitate the onset of type 1 diabetes. This study aimed to determine the severity at diagnosis, analyzing clinical and epidemiological features at onset in children under 16 years of age in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Material and methods: A retrospective observational multicenter study was carried out in 7 hospitals of the public health network located in the south of our community. The severity at debut is compared with that of the two previous years (2018 and 2019). The level of statistical significance is set at P < .05. Results: In 2020, 61 patients were diagnosed at the 7 hospital centres. The mean age was 10.1 years (SD: 2.6), 50.8% were older than 10 years. The clinical profile at diagnosis was ketoacidosis in 52.5% compared to 39.5% and 26.5% in the previous two years (P < .01). The mean pH (7.24 vs 7.30 / 7.30) and excess of bases (-11.9 vs -7.43 / -7.9) was lower than in the previous two years, and the glycated haemoglobin higher (11.9 vs 11 / 10.6)%, p < 0.05. At least 10% of the patients had a positive history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusions: There has been an increase in the frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis in type 1 diabetes onset during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Basal Values of Biochemical and Hematological Parameters in Elite Athletes.

The purpose of this study was to show how continuous exercise affects the basal values of biochemical and hematological parameters in elite athletes. A total of 14,010 samples (male = 8452 and female = 5558 (March 2011-March 2020)) from 3588 elite athletes (male = 2258 and female = 1330, mean age 24.9 ± 6.9 vs. 24.1 ± 5.5 years, respectively) from 32 sport modalities, were studied over 9 years to check the variation of basal biochemical and hematological parameter values. There were differences seen in the basal values of creatine kinase (CK), urea, creatinine, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), potassium, total bilirubin, and eosinophil percentage compared to reference population data. However, other analytes showed narrow ranges of variation like glucose, total protein, albumin, sodium, hemoglobin, mean cell volume (MCV), and platelet count. Exercise produces changes in biochemical and hematological basal values of athletes compared to the general population, with the greatest variation in CK, but AST, ALT, LDH, potassium, and total bilirubin (TBil) show high values in serum, only with a wider distribution of values. The data here reflects the effect of exercise on biochemical and hematological parameter baseline ranges in elite athletes. As clinical laboratories use reference intervals to validate clinical reports, these "pseudo" reference intervals should be used when validating laboratory reports.

Multicentre study of ceftazidime/avibactam for Gram-negative bacteria infections in critically ill patients.

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of ceftazidime/avibactam (C/A) in the treatment of infections due to Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) in critically ill patients. A multicentre, retrospective, observational study was conducted in critically ill patients receiving C/A for GNB infections. We evaluated demographic data, localisation and severity of infection, clinical and microbiological outcomes, and mortality. A total of 68 patients received C/A for serious GNB infections. The main infections were respiratory (33.8%), intra-abdominal (22.1%) and urinary tract infections (10.3%); bacteraemia was found in 22 cases (32.4%). Most infections were complicated by septic shock (58.8%) or sepsis (36.8%) and most of them required life-supporting therapies. Enterobacterales (79.4%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19.1%) were the most frequently isolated bacteria; 84.2% of isolates were carbapenem-resistant. Thirty-four patients (50.0%) received C/A in combination with other antimicrobials. Fifty patients (73.5%) presented a favourable clinical response. Microbiological eradication was documented in 25 cases (36.8%). No significant differences were found in clinical response between patients treated with monotherapy or combined therapy (79.4% vs. 67.6%; P = 0.27). Overall intensive care unit (ICU) mortality was 41.2%. Univariate analysis showed that 30-day all-cause mortality was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with bacteraemia, previous corticosteroid use and the need of life-supporting therapies. C/A appears to be an effective therapy for severe infections due to GNB, including carbapenem-resistant isolates, in critically ill patients. C/A combination therapy was not associated with a higher clinical response. Mortality correlated significantly with the presence of bacteraemia, previous corticosteroid use and the need for life-supporting therapies.

Mechanical ventilation during cardiopulmonary bypass in neonates improves postoperative outcome.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiopulmonary bypass generates a systemic inflammatory response. This inflammatory response is reduced if patients are ventilated during bypass, as evidenced by lower levels of postoperative circulating inflammatory mediators. However, this does not appear to make much clinical difference in adults, at least not consistently, but, to our knowledge, has never been assessed in paediatric cardiac surgery, which is the objective of this study. METHODS: This is a prospective clinical study of 12 consecutive neonates operated for the correction of either transposition of the great arteries ± ventricular septal defect or aortic arch hypoplasia ± ventricular septal defect, who were ventilated during cardiopulmonary bypass. These were compared to 11 neonates with the same malformations, who had undergone the same operations but without being ventilated during bypass (historical control group). RESULTS: One patient from the control group died on the 15th postoperative day due to sepsis and multi-organ failure. Bypass times and cross-clamp times were similar in the 2 groups. Ventilation on bypass was associated with significantly lower postoperative serum concentrations of C-reactive protein, shorter mechanical ventilation and lower vasoactive-inotropic score. Duration of stay on intensive care unit (ICU) showed a tendency to be shorter in patients who were ventilated on bypass, but this did not reach statistical significance. There were no differences between the 2 groups with respect to postoperative mixed venous oxygen saturations and serum concentrations of lactate and troponin I. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical ventilation during cardiopulmonary bypass in neonates improves postoperative outcome.

Anaerobio osteomyelitis. A rare condition in children / Osteomielitis por anaerobios. Una entidad poco frecuente en pediatría

ABSTRACT Osteoarticular infections due to anaerobes are very rare in children, with the Fusobacterium genus being the most frequently isolated. The course is usually subacute and, although there are predisposing factors described, most patients do not present with them. Generally, joint fluid cultures are sterile since these microorganisms are very sensitive to contact with oxygen, so they require specific culture media. All of the above causes the diagnosis to be delayed, increasing the risk of long-term sequelae. However, the prognosis improves when treatment is started early. The case is presented of a 10-year-old patient who was admitted for 30 days due septic arthritis of the right hip caused by Fusobacterium nucleatum During the admission, he required three surgical interventions, and completed 6 weeks of effective antibiotic therapy, with a good outcome and remaining asymptomatic at the current time.

RESUMEN Las infecciones osteoarticulares por anaerobios son muy raras en los niños, siendo el género Fusobacterium el que se aisla con más frecuencia. El curso suele ser subagudo y, aunque hay factores predisponentes descritos, la mayoría de los pacientes no los presenta. Generalmente, los cultivos de liquido articular son estériles ya que estos microorganismos son muy sensibles al contacto con el oxigeno, por lo que precisan medios de cultivo específicos. Todo lo anterior hace que el diagnóstico se retrase y que el riesgo de secuelas a largo plazo aumente. Sin embargo, el pronóstico mejora cuando el tratamiento se inicia de modo precoz. Por todo ello, presentamos el caso de un paciente de 10 anos con una artritis séptica de cadera derecha por Fusobacterium nucleatum que permaneció ingresado 30 dias. Durante el ingreso precisó 3 intervenciones quirúrgicas y cumplió 6 semanas de antibioterapia efectiva, con buena evolución; permanece asintomático en el momento actual.

Ectasia piélica antenatal: signo guía para el diagnóstico familiar de una enfermedad genética / Antenatal hydronephrosis: key sign for the diagnostic of a familial genetic disease

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COVID-19: humanización en las unidades neonatales / COVID-19: Humanization in neonatal units

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Characteristics and laboratory findings on admission to the emergency department among 2873 hospitalized patients with COVID-19: the impact of adjusted laboratory tests in multicenter studies. A multicenter study in Spain (BIOCOVID-Spain study).

Identification of predictors for severe disease progression is key for risk stratification in COVID-19 patients. We aimed to describe the main characteristics and identify the early predictors for severe outcomes among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Spain. This was an observational, retrospective cohort study (BIOCOVID-Spain study) including COVID-19 patients admitted to 32 Spanish hospitals. Demographics, comorbidities and laboratory tests were collected. Outcome was in-hospital mortality. For analysis, laboratory tests values were previously adjusted to assure the comparability of results among participants. Cox regression was performed to identify predictors. Study population included 2873 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Nine variables were independent predictors for in-hospital mortality, including creatinine (Hazard ratio [HR]:1.327; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.040-1.695, p = .023), troponin (HR: 2.150; 95% CI: 1.155-4.001; p = .016), platelet count (HR: 0.994; 95% CI: 0.989-0.998; p = .004) and C-reactive protein (HR: 1.037; 95% CI: 1.006-1.068; p = .019). This is the first multicenter study in which an effort was carried out to adjust the results of laboratory tests measured with different methodologies to guarantee their comparability. We reported a comprehensive information about characteristics in a large cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, focusing on the analytical features. Our findings may help to identify patients early at a higher risk for an adverse outcome.

Automated cell count in body fluids: a review.

Body fluid cell counting provides valuable information for the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of conditions. Chamber cell count and cellularity analysis by optical microscopy are considered the gold-standard method for cell counting. However, this method has a long turnaround time and limited reproducibility, and requires highly-trained personnel. In the recent decades, specific modes have been developed for the analysis of body fluids. These modes, which perform automated cell counting, are incorporated into hemocytometers and urine analyzers. These innovations have been rapidly incorporated into routine laboratory practice. At present, a variety of analyzers are available that enable automated cell counting for body fluids. Nevertheless, these analyzers have some limitations and can only be operated by highly-qualified laboratory professionals. In this review, we provide an overview of the most relevant automated cell counters currently available for body fluids, the interpretation of the parameters measured by these analyzers, their main analytical features, and the role of optical microscopy as automated cell counters gain ground.