Analysis of autopsy tissues obtained from patients who died from COVID-19 showed kidney tropism for SARS-COV-2, with COVID-19-related renal dysfunction representing an overlooked problem even in ...patients lacking previous history of chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to corroborate in a substantial sample of consecutive acutely ill COVID-19 hospitalized patients the efficacy of estimated GFR (eGFR), assessed at hospital admission, to identify acute renal function derangement and the predictive role of its association with in-hospital death and need for mechanical ventilation and admission to intensive care unit (ICU).
We retrospectively analyzed charts of 764 patients firstly admitted to regular medical wards (Division of Internal Medicine) for symptomatic COVID-19 between March 6th and May 30th, 2020 and between October 1st, 2020 and March 15th, 2021. eGFR values were calculated with the 2021 CKD-EPI formula and assessed at hospital admission and discharge. Baseline creatinine and GFR values were assessed by chart review of patients’ medical records from hospital admittance data in the previous year. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, while ARDS development and need for non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) were the secondary outcomes.
SARS-COV-2 infection was diagnosed in 764 patients admitted with COVID-19 symptoms. A total of 682 patients (age range 23–100 years) were considered for statistical analysis, 310 needed mechanical ventilation and 137 died. An eGFR value <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 was found in 208 patients, 181 met KDIGO AKI criteria; eGFR values at hospital admission were significantly lower with respect to both hospital discharge and baseline values (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, an eGFR value <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (OR 2.6, 1.7–4.8, p = 0.003); no association was found with both ARDS and need for mechanical ventilation. eGFR was non-inferior to both IL-6 serum levels and CALL Score in predicting in-hospital death (AUC 0.71, 0.68–0.74, p = 0.55).
eGFR calculated at hospital admission correlated well with COVID-19-related kidney injury and eGFR values < 60 mL/min/1,73 m2 were independently associated with in-hospital mortality, but not with both ARDS or need for mechanical ventilation.
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•SARS-COV-2 infection causes kidney damage in several COVID-19 patients.•A biomarker to disclose SARS-COV-2-related developing renal dysfunction is lacking.•GFR estimated (eGFR) at hospital admission reveals emerging kidney injury in COVID-19.•eGFR at admission validates early prediction of COVID-19 patients in-hospital death.
Interleukin-6 to lymphocyte (IL-6/Lym) ratio has been identified as a potential prognostic tool in patients with SARS-CoV2 related pneumonia. The aim of our study was to compare the prognostic power ...of IL-6/Lym ratio with other biomarkers in patients initially admitted in a non intensive unit and suffering for respiratory failure associated with SARS-CoV2 related pneumonia.
IL-6/Lym ratio, IL-6, D-Dimer, D-Dimer/fibrinogen ratio, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), lymphocytes count and neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratio collected at hospital admission were tested as prognosticators of negative outcome, defined as combined endpoint in-hospital mortality and/or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission requiring oro-tracheal intubation (OTI).
Study population encompassed two hundreds and twenty-three patients (46% females) with mean age ± DS 69.4 ± 13.3 years. Eighty-nine patients (39.9%) suffered for severe respiratory failure and required non invasive ventilation, helmets and/or high flow nasal cannula. Fourty-one patients (18.3%) died during hospital stay and/or required OTI. In these patients mean values of IL-6/Lym ratio, IL-6, CRP and N/L were significantly higher and lymphocytes count was significantly lower compared with patients discharged alive and/or not requiring OTI, while no difference was found in mean values of D-Dimer, D-Dimer/Fibrinogen ratio and fibrinogen. AUC (0.797, 95% CI: 0.738–0.848) of IL-6/Lym ratio was the highest compared with those of all the other analyzed biomarkers and the difference was significant with the exception of IL-6. At multivariate logistic regression IL-6/Lym ratio > 66.5 resulted the only independent biomarker associated with mortality and/or OTI (OR 5.65; 95% 1.63–19.54).
IL-6/Lym ratio seems to be an optimal prognosticator in SARS-CoV2 related pneumonia. Its routinary use in COVID-19 patients could be warranted.
Despite Tocilizumab is now recognized as a concrete therapeutic option in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 related respiratory failure, literature lacks about factors influencing the response to it in ...this context. Therefore, the aim of our study was to provide evidence about predictors of poor outcome in Tocilizumab treated patients in the real-world practice.
We retrospectively analyzed clinical, laboratory and chest computer tomography (CCT) data of patients firstly admitted in non Intensive Care Units (ICU) and suffering from severe respiratory failure, who were treated with the IL-6 antagonist Tocilizumab. We compared patients who died and/or required admission to ICU with oro-tracheal intubation (OTI) with those who did not.
Two hundreds and eighty-seven patients (29.9% females) with mean age ± SD 64.1 ± 12.6 years were the study population. In-hospital mortality was 18.8%, while the composite endpoint in-hospital mortality and/or ICU admission with OTI occurred in 23.7%. At univariate analysis, patients who died and/or were admitted to ICU with OTI were significantly older and co-morbid, had significantly higher values of creatinine, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin and lower lymphocytes count, PaO2/FiO2 ratio (P/F) and room air pulsossimetry oxygen saturation (RAO2S) at hospital admission. Computed tomography ground glass opacities (CT-GGO) involving the pulmonary surface ≥ 50% were found in 55.4% of patients who died and/or were admitted to ICU with OTI and in 21.5% of patients who did not (p=0.0001). At multivariate analysis, age ≥ 65 years (OR 17.3, 95% CI: 3.7-81.0), procalcitonin ≥ 0.14 (OR 9.9, 95%CI: 1.7-56.1), RAO2S ≤ 90% (OR 4.6, 95%CI: 1.2-17.0) and CCT-GGO involvement ≥ 50% (OR 5.1, 95%CI: 1.2-21.0) were independent risk factors associated with death and/or ICU admission with OTI.
Tocilizumab has shown to improve outcome in patients with severe respiratory failure associated to SARS-CoV-2 related pneumonia. In our multicentre study focusing on Tocilizumab treated severe COVID-19 patients, age ≥ 65 years, procalcitonin ≥ 0.14 ng/mL, RAO2S ≤ 90% and CCT-GGO involvement ≥ 50% were independent factors associated with poor outcome.
Few data exists on predictive factors of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in real-world acute ischemic stroke patients. The aims of this study were: (i) to identify predictive variables of HT (ii) to ...develop a score for predicting HT.
We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, radiographic, and laboratory data of patients with acute ischemic stroke consecutively admitted to our Stroke Unit along two years. Patients with HT were compared with those without HT. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of HT on CT scan at 24 hours to develop a practical score.
The study population consisted of 564 patients with mean age 77.5±11.8 years. Fifty-two patients (9.2%) showed HT on brain CT at 24 hours (4.9% symptomatic). NIHSS score ≥8 at Stroke Unit admission (3 points), cardioembolic etiology (2 points), acute revascularization by systemic thrombolysis and/or mechanical thrombectomy (1 point), history of previous TIA/stroke (1 point), and major vessel occlusion (1 point) were found independent risk factors of HT and were included in the score (Hemorrhagic Transformation Empoli score (HTE)). The predictive power of HTE score was good with an AUC of 0.785 (95% CI: 0.749-0.818). Compared with 5 HT predictive scores proposed in the literature (THRIVE, SPAN-100, MSS, GRASPS, SITS-SIC), the HTE score significantly better predicted HT.
NIHSS score ≥8 at Stroke Unit admission, cardioembolism, urgent revascularization, previous TIA/stroke, and major vessel occlusion were independent predictors of HT. The HTE score has a good predictive power for HT. Prospective studies are warranted.
The diabetic foot (DF) is a complex pathology involving the lower limb of 8 to 10 million people around the world, and its prevalence is rising, creating a dramatic need for effective therapeutic ...answers. The multidisciplinary DF clinic has been proposed as a model to fight this complication from the International Working Group on Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) inside a more articulated 3-level organization strategy. The organization and technical aspects of this strategy, together with the characteristics of each of the 3 levels have been analyzed and described in the article, together with the aims and limitations of each of the levels to cope with a 3-dimensional pathology involving systemic, local, and logistic aspects. The implementation of this model in Europe produced positive results measured so far in at least 2 nationwide experiences, in Germany and in Italy, and it should be taken in account whenever health policies apply to the DF issue.
We evaluated the safety and efficacy of sulodexide, a biocompound of glycosamin-glicans, as adjunct medical therapy to percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients ...with critical limb ischemia (CLI). We studied 27 consecutive DM patients with CLI successfully subjected to PTA who, on top of standard antiplatelet therapy, received sulodexide 25 mg bid, and were followed-up for 24 weeks, monitoring adverse events, transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2), ankle–brachial pressure index, pain, and ulcer dimension. At the end of follow-up, ulcer healing, amputation rates, and cardiovascular risk profile of patients were evaluated. Patients were compared with a historical superimposable control group that was treated for the same indications in the same way as the study group, except for sulodexide inception. No differences in ulcer healing and amputation rates were found at the end of follow-up between the groups. In the study group, TcPO2 was significantly (P < .05) higher at the end of follow-up, and pain intensity was reduced more rapidly. Plasma fibrinogen and plasma creatinine concentration were significantly (P < .05) reduced in study group at the end of follow-up. No differences in adverse events were observed between the groups during follow-up. Our data suggest that sulodexide administration after PTA, on top of antiplatelet therapy, may improve the outcome of PTA in DM patients with CLI by improving microcirculatory function.
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