Correlation between the initial CT chest findings and short-term prognosis in Egyptian patients with COVID-19 pneumonia

Background The recent pandemic of COVID‐19 has thrown the world into chaos due to its high rate of transmissions. This study aimed to highlight the encountered CT findings in 910 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in Egypt including the mean severity score and also correlation between the initial CT finding and the short-term prognosis in 320 patients. Results All patients had confirmed COVID-19 infection. Non-contrast CT chest was performed for all cases; in addition, the correlation between each CT finding and disease severity or the short-term prognosis was reported. The mean age was higher for patients with unfavorable prognosis (P < 0.01). The patchy pattern was the most common, found in 532/910 patients (58.4%), the nodular pattern was the least common 123/910 (13.5%). The diffuse pattern was reported in 124 (13.6%). The ground glass density was the most common reported density in the study 512/910 (56.2%). The crazy pavement sign was reported more frequently in patients required hospitalization or ICU and was reported in 53 (56.9%) of patients required hospitalization and in 29 (40.2%) patients needed ICU, and it was reported in 11 (39.2%) deceased patients. Air bronchogram was reported more frequently in patients with poor prognosis than patients with good prognosis (16/100; 26% Vs 12/220; 5.4%). The mean CT severity score for patients with poor prognosis was 15.2. The mean CT severity score for patients with good prognosis 8.7., with statistically significant difference (P = 0.001). Conclusion Our results confirm the important role of the initial CT findings in the prediction of clinical outcome and short-term prognosis. Some signs like subpleural lines, halo sign, reversed halo sign and nodular shape of the lesions predict mild disease and favorable prognosis. The crazy paving sign, dense vessel sign, consolidation, diffuse shape and high severity score predict more severe disease and probably warrant early hospitalization. The high severity score is most important in prediction of unfavorable prognosis. The nodular shape of the lesions is the most important predictor of good prognosis.

A prospective evaluation of correlation between cholinesterase level and severity of organophosphorus poisoning

Background: Organophosphorus compounds are anticholinesterases by inhibiting cholinesterase it protects acetyl chorine from hydrolysis. So, acetylcholine accumulates at the synapses, and all the clinical manifestation are due to that. So, this study has been designed to establish the reactive between level of serum and prognosis of op poisoning patients.Methods: Patient with history of organophosphorus poisoning admitted into the emergency department with following exclusion and inclusion criteria were included in this study. All patients were managed as per standard treatment protocol of op poisoning. Various parameters like demography of the patients, sign and symptoms, severity of intoxication, clinical and lab parameter manoring, Serum cholinesterase was measured every alternate day.Results: 22(47.84%) patients have mild symptom out of that 20 patient’s serum cholinesterase was more than 2000 IU/L, and 2(4.3%) patients serum cholinesterase was between 1000-2000 IU/L. In eighteen patient’s severity as per POP scale was moderate, out of that 2(4.3%) patients have serum cholinesterase was below 1000 IU/L, 8 having serum cholinesterase between 1000 to 2000 IU/L, and remaining eight having serum cholinesterase above 2000 IU/L.Conclusions: Serum cholinesterase was less in patient with high severity score or low serum concentration of cholinesterase was associated with high severity score. Serum cholinesterase was improved as days passes.

Effectiveness of non-invasive ventilation in acute respiratory failure of obese patients: a brief narrative review

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has been used successfully for the management of acute respiratory failure (ARF) more often in the last two decades compared to prior decades; nevertheless, NIV can have failure rates ranging from 5% to 50%. However, there are particular groups of patients that are more likely to benefit from NIV. One of these groups is patients with hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). The aim of this review is to seek evaluation of the effectiveness of NIV in acute setting. Only a few studies have investigated NIV success or failure in OHS patients. More than 30% of them were diagnosed when hospitalized for ARF. NIV rarely failed in reversing ARF. OHS patients who exhibited early NIV failure had a high severity score and a low HCO3 level at admission; more than half of hypercapnic patients with decompensated OHS exhibited a delayed but successful response to NIV. Patients with decompensation of OHS have a better prognosis and response to NIV than other hypercapnic patients. They require more aggressive NIV settings, a longer time to reduce PaCO2 levels, and more frequently a delayed but successful response to NIV.

Cold Intolerance Following Peripheral Nerve Injury

Cold intolerance can be severe and debilitating following injury to the hand. Little is known about its natural history and factors predicting symptom severity. We looked retrospectively at upper limb peripheral nerve injuries over a 12-year period. Information was obtained using a patient questionnaire and patient records. The incidence of cold intolerance was 83%. In 48% the onset of symptoms was within 1 month of the initial injury. At a mean follow-up of 51 months improved symptoms were reported by 21%, while 18% deteriorated. Patients were more likely to develop cold intolerance if they smoked and less likely if they suffered a sharp injury. A score defining the severity of cold induced symptoms, based on the information collected, was calculated for each patient. Significantly increased severity was associated with complete nerve division, median and ulnar nerve division and an associated vessel injury. Symptom improvement was significantly more likely in non-smokers and a deterioration most likely with a high severity score.