The American journal of the medical sciences
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Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with specific coagulopathy that frequently occurs during the different phases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and can result in thrombotic complications and/or death. This COVID-19-associated coagulopathy (CAC) exhibits some of the features associated with thrombotic microangiopathy, particularly complement-mediated hemolytic-uremic syndrome. In some cases, due to the anti-phospholipid antibodies, CAC resembles catastrophic anti-phospholipid syndrome. ⋯ In addition to anti-coagulation, four different host-directed therapeutic pathways have recently emerged that influence CAC: (1) Anti-von Willebrand factor monoclonal antibodies; (2) activated complement C5a inhibitors; (3) recombinant ADAMTS13; and (4) Interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6 antibodies. Moreover, neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against the virus surface protein have been tested. However, the role of antiplatelet treatment remains unclear for patients with COVID-19.
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Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is widely used as a cost-effective method for detecting pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNTs), but its diagnostic value is variable among published studies. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the diagnostic value of EUS for PNTs. ⋯ This meta-analysis suggests that EUS has a relatively high diagnostic value for diagnosing PNTs.
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Review Case Reports
Pneumothorax and Pneumomediastinum in COVID-19: A Case Series.
COVID- 19 has become a major pandemic affecting more than 11 million people worldwide. Common radiological manifestations of COVID-19 include peripheral based ground-glass or consolidative opacities; however, pneumothorax and pneumo-mediastinum are very rare manifestations; even more so within patients not on mechanical ventilation. We present a case series of 5 patients with COVID-19 who either presented with or developed spontaneous pneumothorax or pneumo-mediastinum within the course of hospitalization. ⋯ Spontaneous pneumothorax or pneumo-mediastinum may be an important late manifestation in COVID-19; even in spontaneously breathing patients. This may be related to development of cystic changes within the lung parenchyma. Although the clinical relevance of this finding is unknown; in our series, it portended a worse prognosis in the majority of patients.
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Peripheral eosinophilia (eosinophilia) is observed among systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. The association between eosinophilia and SSc in terms of pathogenesis remains uncertain. We aimed to determine the prevalence of the clinical, serological, and cytokine associations with eosinophilia in SSc patients. ⋯ Eosinophilia of unknown causes was detected in 1 in 5 SSc patients, particularly in males with no vasculopathy. Eosinophilia has a nonspecific role vis-à-vis clinical relevance in SSc.