The Liver Can Deliver: Utility of Hepatic Function Tests as Predictors of Outcome in COVID-19, Influenza and RSV Infections.

BACKGROUND: liver test abnormalities have been described in patients with Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19), and hepatic involvement may correlate with disease severity. With the relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions, seasonal respiratory viruses now circulate alongside SARS-CoV-2. AIMS: we aimed to compare patterns of abnormal liver function tests in patients suffering from COVID-19 infection and seasonal respiratory viruses: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza (A and B). METHODS: a retrospective cohort study was performed including 4140 patients admitted to a tertiary medical center between 2010-2020. Liver test abnormalities were classified as hepatocellular, cholestatic or mixed type. Clinical outcomes were defined as 30-day mortality and mechanical ventilation. RESULTS: liver function abnormalities were mild to moderate in most patients, and mainly cholestatic. Hepatocellular injury was far less frequent but had a strong association with adverse clinical outcome in RSV, COVID-19 and influenza (odds ratio 5.29 (CI 1.2-22), 3.45 (CI 1.7-7), 3.1 (CI 1.7-6), respectively) COVID-19 and influenza patients whose liver functions did not improve or alternatively worsened after 48 h had a significantly higher risk of death or ventilation. CONCLUSION: liver function test abnormalities are frequent among patients with COVID-19 and seasonal respiratory viruses, and are associated with poor clinical outcome. The late liver tests' peak had a twofold risk for adverse outcome. Though cholestatic injury was more common, hepatocellular injury had the greatest prognostic significance 48 h after admission. Our study may provide a viral specific auxiliary prognostic tool for clinicians facing patients with a respiratory virus.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio trend at admission predicts adverse outcome in hospitalized respiratory syncytial virus patients.

Background and aims: Severe cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection are relatively rare but may lead to serious clinical outcomes, including respiratory failure and death. These infections were shown to be accompanied by immune dysregulation. We aimed to test whether the admission neutrophil-to-leukocyte ratio, a marker of an aberrant immune response, can predict adverse outcome. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of RSV patients admitted to the Tel Aviv Medical Center from January 2010 to October 2020d. Laboratory, demographic and clinical parameters were collected. Two-way analysis of variance was used to test the association between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) values and poor outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to test the discrimination ability of NLR. Results: In total, 482 RSV patients (median age 79 years, 248 [51%] females) were enrolled. There was a significant interaction between a poor clinical outcome and a sequential rise in NLR levels (positive delta NLR). The ROC curve analysis revealed an area under curve (AUC) of poor outcomes for delta NLR of (0.58). Using a cut-off of delta = 0 (the second NLR is equal to the first NLR value), multivariate logistic regression identified a rise in NLR (delta NLR>0) as being a prognostic factor for poor clinical outcome, after adjusting for age, sex and Charlson comorbidity score, with an odds ratio of 1.914 (P = 0.014) and a total AUC of 0.63. Conclusions: A rise in NLR levels within the first 48 h of hospital admission can serve as a prognostic marker for adverse outcome.

Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in COVID-19 compared with Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infection.

A high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is considered an unfavorable prognostic factor in various diseases, including COVID-19. The prognostic value of NLR in other respiratory viral infections, such as Influenza, has not hitherto been extensively studied. We aimed to compare the prognostic value of NLR in COVID-19, Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection (RSV). A retrospective cohort of COVID-19, Influenza and RSV patients admitted to the Tel Aviv Medical Center from January 2010 to October 2020 was analyzed. Laboratory, demographic, and clinical parameters were collected. Two way analyses of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the association between NLR values and poor outcomes among the three groups. ROC curve analyses for each virus was applied to test the discrimination ability of NLR. 722 COVID-19, 2213 influenza and 482 RSV patients were included. Above the age of 50, NLR at admission was significantly lower among COVID-19 patients (P < 0.001). NLR was associated with poor clinical outcome only in the COVID-19 group. ROC curve analysis was performed; the area under curve of poor outcomes for COVID-19 was 0.68, compared with 0.57 and 0.58 for Influenza and RSV respectively. In the COVID-19 group, multivariate logistic regression identified a high NLR (defined as a value above 6.82) to be a prognostic factor for poor clinical outcome, after adjusting for age, sex and Charlson comorbidity score (odds ratio of 2.9, P < 0.001). NLR at admission is lower and has more prognostic value in COVID-19 patients, when compared to Influenza and RSV.

Risk Factors and Outcomes of Cutibacterium acnes Postoperative Central Nervous System Infection: A Case-Control Study.

OBJECTIVE: Cutibacterium acnes has emerged as a significant cause of postoperative central nervous system infections (PCNSIs). We sought to determine risk factors and outcomes associated with C. acnes PCNSI. METHODS: This was a single-center 1:1 case-control study of patients with monobacterial C. acnes-associated PCNSI (cases) and unmatched controls with PCNSI caused by aerobic organisms. Patient and procedure-related characteristics were compared between groups. The main outcome was cure at 90 days after diagnosis. Mortality and neurologic disability were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 13 patients with C. acnes PCNSI and 13 controls. All patients had postoperative intracranial abscess. Onset of infection was significantly later for cases versus controls (median and range, 22 [19-116] days and 15 [1-27] days, respectively; P = 0.002). Prolonged anaerobic incubation was required for C. acnes isolation (median, 8 days vs. 2 days for aerobic pathogens; P < 0.0001). The use of sealant and implants, fever at presentation, and white blood cell and C-reactive protein levels were similar between the 2 groups. All patients underwent surgical drainage. Patients received a median of 4 antibiotic drugs and 85 antibiotic days of treatment, with no significant between-group differences. Cure at 90 days was achieved for 10 patients (76.9%) with C. acnes PCNSI and 11 (84.6%) controls (P = 1.0). CONCLUSIONS: C. acnes PCNSI presents later than infection with aerobic bacteria but is associated with similar risk factors and clinical outcomes. These results underscore the importance of prolonged anaerobic incubation to optimize the recovery of C. acnes in the laboratory.