SARS-CoV-2 infection. Descriptive analysis of a selected case series.

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 was declared pandemic by March 2020. Clinical, analytical, and radiological findings have been reported. Detailed different evolution of patients of the same local outbreak has been scarcely reported. We report 6 selected cases of such an evolution. CLINICAL CASES: The clinical, radiological, analytical evolution of 6 patients is reported. Patients were selected as it were epidemiological close contacts, and showed particular different clinical evolution. RESULTS: The clinical course at the start of infection (first week) was similar among patients. In relationship with clinical evolution, middle to severe course were related with inflammation markers levels evolution (D-dimer, IL-6, ferritin, lymphocytes count, etc.). Specially lung alterations were observed, but neurological/neuropsychiatric findings are still common. In evolution, 2 patients showed middle symptoms, but the 2 most severely affected died. CONCLUSIONS: It remains to be elucidated the different evolutive pathways and outcomes of COVD-19. In our 6 patients of the same local outbreak, clinical, laboratory and radiological features were different. We discuss some aspects of the pathophysiology of the disease, other than the widely described of the respiratory system.

[SARS-CoV-2 infection. Descriptive analysis of a selected case series]. / Infección por SARS-CoV-2. Análisis descriptivo de una serie de casos seleccionada.

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 was declared pandemic by March 2020. Clinical, analytical, and radiological findings have been reported. Detailed different evolution of patients of the same local outbreak has been scarcely reported. We report 6 selected cases of such an evolution. CLINICAL CASES: The clinical, radiological, analytical evolution of 6 patients is reported. Patients were selected as it were epidemiological close contacts, and showed particular different clinical evolution. RESULTS: The clinical course at the start of infection (first week) was similar among patients. In relationship with clinical evolution, middle to severe course were related with inflammation markers levels evolution (D-dimer, IL-6, ferritin, lymphocytes count, etc.). Specially lung alterations were observed, but neurological/neuropsychiatric findings are still common. In evolution, 2 patients showed middle symptoms, but the 2 most severely affected died. CONCLUSIONS: It remains to be elucidated the different evolutive pathways and outcomes of COVD-19. In our 6 patients of the same local outbreak, clinical, laboratory and radiological features were different. We discuss some aspects of the pathophysiology of the disease, other than the widely described of the respiratory system.

SARS-CoV-2 infection. Descriptive analysis of a selected case series. / Infección por SARS-CoV-2. Análisis descriptivo de una serie de casos seleccionada.

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 was declared pandemic by March 2020. Clinical, analytical, and radiological findings have been reported. Detailed different evolution of patients of the same local outbreak has been scarcely reported. We report 6 selected cases of such an evolution. CLINICAL CASES: The clinical, radiological, analytical evolution of 6patients is reported. Patients were selected as it were epidemiological close contacts, and showed particular different clinical evolution. RESULTS: The clinical course at the start of infection (first week) was similar among patients. In relationship with clinical evolution, middle to severe course were related with inflammation markers levels evolution (D-dimer, IL-6, ferritin, lymphocytes count, etc.). Specially lung alterations were observed, but neurological/neuropsychiatric findings are still common. In evolution, 2patients showed middle symptoms, but the 2most severely affected died. CONCLUSIONS: It remains to be elucidated the different evolutive pathways and outcomes of COVD-19. In our 6patients of the same local outbreak, clinical, laboratory and radiological features were different. We discuss some aspects of the pathophysiology of the disease, other than the widely described of the respiratory system.

Influence of pharyngolaryngeal anomalies diagnosed through indirect laryngoscopy in the prediction of difficult intubation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pharyngolaryngeal anomalies not usually included in the evaluation of difficult airway, in order to investigate the influence of these anomalies in the prediction of difficult intubation. To do this, indirect laryngoscopy with a 70° rigid laryngoscope was performed on all patients during the preoperative period. METHODS: This is an observational, prospective study on 300 consecutive patients who were scheduled for endotracheal intubation under general anesthesia. In addition to assessing the airway in the preoperative period by demographic and clinical predictors of difficult airway, rigid indirect laryngoscopy was performed to diagnose pharyngolaryngeal anomalies. Later, under general anesthesia and direct laryngoscopy it was checked to see if there was difficulty in intubating the larynx, and its association with all previous variables was investigated. A logistic regression model for prediction purposes was developed, and its power of discrimination was achieved by assessing the area under the curve. RESULTS: During the examination by indirect laryngoscopy 46 anomalies were found, which were as follows: 31 abnormalities of the epiglottis (22 omega epiglottis, 9 flaccid or hypertrophic epiglottis); 6 findings of hypertrophic lingual tonsils, 3 cases of upper airway tumors, and 6 patients with tongue disorders. Intubation difficulty was found in 14 cases (4.66%). The regression model found, and its coefficients to develop it were: f(x)=1.322+(2.173 thyromental distance <6.5 cm)+(1.813 omega epiglottis)-(1.310*cm opening mouth). Global power of discrimination was 0.83, with a 95% confidence interval from 0.709 to 0.952). CONCLUSION: Indirect laryngoscopy allowed pharyngolaryngeal anomalies to be diagnosed, including omega epiglottis, which was one of the variables included in the logistic regression model.

[The finding of glucose in the fluid obtained by epidural catheter after its insertion during combined intradural-epidural anaesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine is a usual occurrence]. / El hallazgo de glucosa en el fluido obtenido por el catéter epidural después de su inserción durante la anestesia combinada intradural-epidural realizada con bupivacaína hiperbara es un suceso habitual.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the appearance of glucose in the fluid spontaneously obtained by the epidural catheter after its insertion during combined intradural-epidural anaesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine is a usual occurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective, observational study was conducted on 34 patients with combined intradural-epidural anaesthesia in whom an epidural catheter was introduced, after locating the epidural space with a saline solution, inserting a spinal needle and injecting hyperbaric bupivacaine. After observing whether any fluid was spontaneously dripping from it, it was determined if this contained glucose. Withdrawal of the needle and washing its lumen with saline solution, it was checked whether there was glucose in washout. The samples were analysed using a glucose meter. When the motor block disappeared a dose of local anaesthetic was administered through the epidural catheter. The relationship of the demographic parameters with the spontaneous dripping of the epidural catheter was evaluated. RESULTS: Spontaneous dripping by the epidural catheter after its insertion was observed in 22 patients. All the samples obtained contained glucose. There was glucose in 9 out of 34 epidural needle wash samples. None of the patients suffered from excessive motor-sensory block. There was a statistically significant relationship between patient age (P<.05) and spontaneous dripping by the catheter (the higher the age, more dripping). CONCLUSION: The finding of glucose in the fluid obtained by the epidural catheter is a frequent occurrence and is of no clinical significance. We propose that it could be due to a leak of cerebrospinal fluid by the dural puncture needle during or after the administering of the hyperbaric bupivacaine and the spillage of this into the epidural space.