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Spec Care Dentist 2020 Jul 3. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.

Jeune syndrome (JS) is a rare disease, with systemic manifestations, such as renal and hepatic insufficiency, retinal pigmentation, and respiratory insufficiency. Etiological factors have not been completely elucidated, but the molecular biology has contributed to the diagnosis and understanding of JS with DNA sequencing, showing the association among polymorphisms in different genes DYNC2H1 (MIM 603297) and TCTEX1D2 (MIM617353), which are the main genes associated with JS. There are a few reports on buccal findings in these patients; here, we present dental anomalies and clinical oral findings in a patient with JS, focusing on a multidisciplinary approach for rehabilitation. Read More

Ann Med 2020 Jul 3:1-13. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.

The rapidly increasing number of studies on the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) indicate that this viral agent can cause the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a syndrome with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, ranging from a mild disease with flu-like symptoms to a life-threatening condition that requires specialized management at Intensive Care Units (ICU). Critical patients with COVID-19 have a high risk of thromboembolic complications, as expressed by a Padua prediction score always ≥4. Moreover, a number of clinical factors may increase the risk of major bleedings in these patients during ICU stay. Read More

Cancer Sci 2020 Jul 3. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

The rapid spread of COVID-19 represented the most serious issue to public health globally. Hematological patients as immunocompromised hosts are vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. There is rare information available regarding the clinical features of hematological patients concomitant with COVID-19. Read More

Crit Care Med 2020 Jun 26. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, IN.

Objectives: One of the defining features of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 infection has been high rates of venous thromboses. The present study aimed to describe the prevalence of venous thromboembolism in critically ill patients receiving different regimens of prophylactic anticoagulation.

Design: Single-center retrospective review using data from patients with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 requiring intubation. Read More

Crit Care Med 2020 Jun 26. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship (CIBS) Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

Objectives: Little is known about frailty that develops following critical illness. We sought to describe the prevalence of newly acquired frailty, its clinical course, and the co-occurrence of frailty with disability and cognitive impairment in survivors of critical illness.

Design: Longitudinal prospective cohort study. Read More

ASAIO J 2020 Jun 30. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Critical Care Research Group, The Prince Charles Hospital and The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia.

Optimal management of cardiogenic shock requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is still an evolving area in which assessment and optimization of the microcirculation may be critically important. We hypothesized that the venous arterial carbon dioxide gap (P(v-a)CO2 gap); the ratio of this gap to arterio-venous oxygen content (P(v-a)CO2/C(a-v)O2 ratio) and the anion gap would be early indicators of microcirculatory status and useful parameters for outcome prediction during ECMO support. We retrospectively reviewed 31 cardiogenic shock patients requiring veno-arterial ECMO, calculating P(v-a)CO2 gap and P(v-a)CO2/C(a-v)O2 ratios in the first 36 hours and the final 24 hours of ECMO support. Read More

Emerg Microbes Infect 2020 Jul 3:1-30. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

AIDS Institute, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a wide spectrum of disease severity from mild upper respiratory symptoms to respiratory failure. The role of neutralizing antibody (NAb) response in disease progression remains elusive. This study determined the seroprevalence of 733 non-COVID-19 individuals from April 2018 to February 2020 in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and compared the neutralizing antibody (NAb) responses of eight COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with those of 42 patients not admitted to the ICU. Read More

Int Braz J Urol 2020 Jun 5;46. Epub 2020 Jun 5.

Emergency Service, Sierrallana Hospital, Cantabria, Spain.

COVID-19 disease caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus produces respiratory symptoms, predominantly of the upper airways, which can progress to pneumonia after 7 days with persistent fever, cough and dyspnea, and even develop a syndrome of acute respiratory distress (ARDS), multi-organ failure and death. Since COVID-19 disease was declared by the WHO there has been a redistribution of the healthcare system for these types of patients, especially in the front line, which is, in primary care, emergencies and in intensive care units (ICU). In primary care, the fundamental role is the diagnosis of the suspected patients, follow-up mainly by telemedicine (specially telephone calls) to detect warning signs in case of worsening and subsequent referral to the emergency department; as well as explaining home isolation measures. Read More

J Thromb Thrombolysis 2020 Jul 2. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Anaesthesia & Critical Care, AIIMS, Bhopal, India.

We describe successful usage of low dose Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) (30-50 mg) in three COVID19 critically ill patients, who were in worsening respiratory failure in-spite of being on therapeutic anticoagulation. All patients had respiratory rate > 40; FiO > 0.7(on NIV); PiO/FiO ratio < 100 and D-dimer>1000 ng/ml. Read More

Eur Heart J Case Rep 2020 Jun 27;4(3):1-5. Epub 2020 Apr 27.

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan.

Background: Constrictive pericarditis (CP) is a pathological condition of the pericardium, resulting from fibrosis, scarring, and calcification of the pericardium. Other conditions have been reported to mimic 'constrictive physiology' despite the presence of an intact pericardium. However, there has been no report of pulmonary regurgitation (PR) mimicking the haemodynamic characteristics of CP. Read More

Eur Heart J Case Rep 2020 Jun 3;4(3):1-4. Epub 2020 May 3.

Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2590 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard, Desk 23/24, Weston, FL 33331, USA.

Background: We present a complex case of a failing tricuspid mechanical valve prosthesis in a patient with refractory cardiogenic shock at prohibitive risk for surgery in whom balloon 'valvuloplasty' resulted in immediate haemodynamic improvement in valve function.

Case Summary: A 67-year-old woman with remote history of endocarditis s/p tricuspid valve repair and mechanical aortic valve replacement was referred for second opinion and management of new severe symptomatic tricuspid valve stenosis resulting in progressive debilitating congestive heart failure (HF). The patient was approved by the heart team to undergo redo open heart for surgical repair of the tricuspid valve. Read More

Eur Heart J Case Rep 2020 Jun 7;4(3):1-8. Epub 2020 Apr 7.

Heart and Vascular Center, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd, Weston, FL 33331, USA.

Background: Pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), is an IgG4 antibody that blocks interaction between programmed cell death protein 1 and programmed death-ligand 1. Myocarditis, an immune-related adverse event, has been reported in thymic epithelial tumours. Pembrolizumab has also been associated with development/exacerbation of myasthenia gravis (MG). Read More

Ann Transl Med 2020 Jun;8(11):694

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.

The spread of COVID-19 has already taken a pandemic form, affecting over 180 countries in a matter of three months. The full continuum of disease ranges from mild, self-limiting illness to severe progressive COVID-19 pneumonia, multiorgan failure, cytokine storm and death. Younger and healthy population is now getting affected than before. Read More

Cureus 2020 Jun 26;12(6):e8847. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Internal Medicine, Wayne State University, Detorit, USA.

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed an unprecedented threat to humanity with more than eight million infections and 450,000 deaths reported worldwide so far. The spectrum of the disease varies from mild asymptomatic infection to severe disease with rapid progression to acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiorgan failure. It is associated with a prothrombotic state and hence there is a risk of thromboembolic complications in critically ill patients, even after recovery. Read More

Oxf Med Case Reports 2020 Jun 25;2020(6):omaa042. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

The international outbreak of respiratory illness termed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began in December 2019 that has affected >0.8 million individuals. Self-limiting respiratory tract involvement, severe pneumonia, multiorgan failure and death are the spectrum of COVID-19. Read More

Oxf Med Case Reports 2020 Jun 25;2020(6):omaa041. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Médecins Sans Frontières Spain, Dakar office, Senegal.

In paediatrics, the overall clinical picture of thiamine deficiency (TD) is not easy to recognize, because it mimics or can be confused with other diseases even in cases of classic beriberi. Unsurprisingly, the likelihood of misdiagnosis of TD is even greater where beriberi has not been described. Critically ill patients have increased thiamine body consumption and dextrose-based IV fluid increases thiamine cellular demand even further. Read More

Eur Cardiol 2020 Feb 23;15:e52. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS Rome, Italy.

Over the past few months, health systems worldwide have been put to the test with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Even though the leading clinical manifestations of the SARS-CoV-2 infection involve the respiratory tract, there is a non-negligible risk of systemic involvement leading to the onset of multi-organ failure with fatal consequences. Since the onset of COVID-19, patients with underlying cardiovascular disease have been at increased risk of poor clinical outcomes with higher death rates. Read More

Eur Respir J 2020 Jul 2. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Department of Internal Medicine 1, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany

J Am Soc Nephrol 2020 Jul 2. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Disease, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China

Background: Hypertension commonly complicates CKD. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of resistance arteries receive signals from the sympathetic nervous system that induce an endothelial cell (EC)-dependent anticontractile response that moderates vasoconstriction. However, the specific role of this pathway in the enhanced vasoconstriction in CKD is unknown. Read More

An Pediatr (Barc) 2020 Jun 11. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Área de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Universitari i Politècnic la Fe, Valencia, España.

Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Servicio de Anestesiología y Reanimación, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, España.

Complete obstructive atelectasis occurs when mucous or a foreign body obstruct one of the main bronchi. Several lung ultrasound signs have been associated with this entity. We describe the case of a patient admitted to the surgical critical care unit in whom lung ultrasound led to a diagnosis of complete obstructive atelectasis, and the presence of pleural effusion provided direct visualization of lung pulse, a sign that has only previously been described by interpreting ultrasound artifacts. Read More

World J Emerg Surg 2020 Jul 2;15(1):43. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Digestive Surgery Unit, Department of Science of Health, "Magna Graecia" University, Catanzaro, Italy.

Background: Since its first documentation, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection has emerged worldwide, with the consequent declaration of a pandemic disease (COVID-19). Severe forms of acute respiratory failure can develop. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 may affect organs other than the lung, such as the liver, with frequent onset of late cholestasis. Read More

Chest 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) prevents intubation in acute hypoxic respiratory failure when compared to conventional oxygen therapy (COT). However, the data examining routine HFNC use in the immediate post-operative period is less clear.

Research Question: Is routine HFNC use superior to COT or non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in preventing intubation in post-operative patients?

Study Design: and Methods: We comprehensively searched databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science) to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the effect of HFNC use to COT or NIV in the immediate post-operative period on reintubation, escalation of respiratory support, hospital mortality, ICU and hospital length of stay, post-operative hypoxemia and treatment complications. Read More

Ann Thorac Surg 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Electronic address:

Background: Tracheobronchomalacia and airway obstruction from severely dilated pulmonary arteries in Tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve (TOF-APV) has been associated with high rates of respiratory failure and mortality (15-25%). It is not known whether aggressive pulmonary artery and/or direct airway intervention during early definitive cardiac repair improves outcomes.

Methods: Retrospective observational study of all patients undergoing surgical repair for TOF-APV at our center between 2006-2018. Read More

Hum Vaccin Immunother 2020 Jul 2:1-8. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Leuven University Vaccinology Center , Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

Upon exposure to vaccine-preventable diseases, certain individuals are at increased risk for complications due to preexisting diseases, age or immunosuppressive treatment. Vaccination against influenza, pneumococcal disease and hepatitis B (for some groups) is advised in addition to standard vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. We estimated the vaccination coverage and determinants of recommended vaccinations in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 (n = 173) and type 2 (n = 177), chronic kidney disease (CKD) (n = 138), heart failure (n = 200), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n = 187), HIV (n = 201) or solid organ transplantation (SOT) (n = 201) in a monocentric study. Read More

J Intern Med 2020 Jul 2. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Department of Medical Gerontology, 6th floor, Mercers Institute for Ageing, St James Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection ranges from asymptomatic through to fatal COVID-19 characterised by a "cytokine storm" and lung failure. Vitamin D deficiency has been postulated as a determinant of severity.

Objectives: To review the evidence relevant to vitamin D and COVID-19 METHODS: Narrative review RESULTS: Regression modelling shows that more northerly countries in the Northern Hemisphere are currently (May 2020) showing relatively high COVID-19 mortality, with an estimated 4. Read More

Heart Vessels 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Sleep Apnea Center, Kyushu University Hospital, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.

Cardiopulmonary polygraphy (PG) demonstrates not only parameters for sleep disordered breathing (SDB) but also hemodynamics. We previously developed a software that detects lung to fingertip circulation time (LFCT) derived from PG dataset and reported that those LFCT reflected the cardiac output. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the LFCT changes during clinical course and whether reflects the impact of in-hospital treatment on cardiac function. Read More

Mol Diagn Ther 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larisa, Greece.

The novel coronavirus infection has spread worldwide, causing a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. Most patients develop moderate clinical illness, but a substantial number will experience severe pneumonia, which may rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ failure. In this population, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) could serve as a quick triage test and independent marker of clinical severity, hospital and intensive care unit admission, complications, and mortality. Read More

Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab 2020 20;11:2042018820934307. Epub 2020 Jun 20.

Department of Endocrinology and Nephrology, Chongqing Emergency Medical Hospital, Chongqing University Central Hospital, No.1 Jiankang Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400014, China.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and thyroid storm (TS) are severe metabolic and endocrine disorders. Both usually manifest with multiple systemic clinical signs and symptoms, and digestive symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, are most common in these patients. Moreover, the presence of a concurrent severe or rare complication may worsen the condition or even cause death due to misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, or inappropriate treatment. Read More

Front Immunol 2020 16;11:1446. Epub 2020 Jun 16.

Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

COVID-19 is a rapidly spreading global threat that has been declared as a pandemic by the WHO. COVID-19 is transmitted via droplets or direct contact and infects the respiratory tract resulting in pneumonia in most of the cases and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in about 15 % of the cases. Mortality in COVID-19 patients has been linked to the presence of the so-called "cytokine storm" induced by the virus. Read More

Intern Med 2020 1;59(13):1621-1627. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tokushima Prefectural Central Hospital, Japan.

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is an acute, progressive, and fatal disease. PTTM manifests as subacute respiratory failure with pulmonary hypertension, progressive right-sided heart failure, and sudden death. An antemortem diagnosis of PTTM is very difficult to obtain, and many patients die within several weeks. Read More

Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2020 Jul 2. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga, Japan.

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify predictors of respiratory failure after open repair of descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (DTAA), and to identify any relationship between respiratory failure and long-term survival.

Methods: A total of 75 patients undergoing elective open DTAA repair at the Shiga University of Medical Science Hospital were included in the study. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the odds ratios for incident postoperative respiratory failure after open DTAA repair. Read More

BMJ Open 2020 Jul 1;10(7):e035811. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Maladies Respiratoires, Univ Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.

Objectives: Presently, those outcomes that should be prioritised for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation studies remain unclear. In order to coordinate multicentre studies on eosinophilia-driven corticosteroid therapy for patients hospitalised for acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD), we aimed to find consensus among experts in the domain regarding the prioritisation of outcomes.

Design: A modified Delphi study was proposed to recognised COPD experts. Read More

BMJ Open 2020 Jul 1;10(7):e033866. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC), University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Objectives: To compare the patterns of 18 physical and mental health comorbidities between people with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) and people without diabetes and how these change by age, gender and deprivation over time between 2004 and 2014. Also, to develop a metric to identify most prevalent comorbidities in people with T2D.

Design: Population-based cohort study. Read More

Arch Med Res 2020 Jun 18. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, Mexico. Electronic address:

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 is the etiological agent causing COVID-19 which has infected more than 2 million people with more than 200000 deaths since its emergence in December 2019. In the majority of cases patients are either asymptomatic or show mild to moderate symptoms and signs of a common cold. A subset of patients, however, develop a severe atypical pneumonia, with the characteristic ground-glass appearance on chest x-ray and computerized tomography, which evolves into an acute respiratory distress syndrome, that requires mechanical ventilation and eventually results in multiple organ failure and death. Read More

J Cardiothorac Surg 2020 Jul 1;15(1):159. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Department of Cadiothoracic Surgery, Fujian Children's Hospital, 18 daoshan Road, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China.

Background: Congenital pulmonary airway malformation is a rare congenital lung lesion. Infants with large Congenital pulmonary airway malformation can present with a series of serious symptoms. Surgery is still the main treatment. Read More

J Pers Med 2020 Jun 29;10(3). Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Northern Ireland Center for Stratified/Personalised Medicine, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Derry BT47 6SB, Northern Ireland, UK.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disease characterised by progressive deterioration of upper and lower motor neurons that eventually culminates in severe muscle atrophy, respiratory failure and death. There is a concerning lack of understanding regarding the mechanisms that lead to the onset of ALS and as a result there are no reliable biomarkers that aid in the early detection of the disease nor is there an effective treatment. This review first considers the clinical phenotypes associated with ALS, and discusses the broad categorisation of ALS and ALS-mimic diseases into upper and lower motor neuron diseases, before focusing on the genetic aetiology of ALS and considering the potential relationship of mutations of different genes to variations in phenotype. Read More

Obesity (Silver Spring) 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.

Objective: To explore the association between obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and severe COVID-19 on admission.

Methods: In the present study, a total of 23,593 patient samples were evaluated by a laboratory from the Mexican Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference (InDRE, for its acronym in Spanish). Of these: 18,443 were negative for COVID-19, 3,844 were positive for COVID-19, and 1,306 were positive for other respiratory viruses. Read More

Nature 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, 44106, USA.

Mutations in proteolipid protein 1 (PLP1) result in failure of myelination and neurological dysfunction in the X-linked leukodystrophy Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD). Most PLP1 mutations, including point mutations and supernumerary copy variants, lead to severe and fatal disease. PLP1-null patients and mice, however, can display comparatively mild phenotypes, suggesting that PLP1-suppression might provide a general therapeutic strategy for PMD. Read More

J Pediatr 2020 Jun 28. Epub 2020 Jun 28.

Pediatrics (Cardiology) and Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.

N Engl J Med 2020 07;383(1):13-23

From the Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington Clinical Trial Center, Seattle (A.-S.G., R.S., J.H., S.M.); the University of North Carolina Project, Lilongwe Medical Relief Fund Trust, Tidziwe Centre (T.M., M.P., C.B.N.), and Acute Respiratory Infection and Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment, Malawi Ministry of Health (N.L.), Lilongwe, and the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre (A.P.) - all in Malawi; Save the Children, Fairfield, CT (E.N.); and Eudowood Division of Pediatric Respiratory Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore (E.D.M.).

Background: Evidence regarding the appropriate duration of treatment with antibiotic agents in children with pneumonia in low-resource settings in Africa is lacking.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial in Lilongwe, Malawi, to determine whether treatment with amoxicillin for 3 days is less effective than treatment for 5 days in children with chest-indrawing pneumonia (cough lasting <14 days or difficulty breathing, along with visible indrawing of the chest wall with or without fast breathing for age). Children not infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who were 2 to 59 months of age and had chest-indrawing pneumonia were randomly assigned to receive amoxicillin twice daily for either 3 days or 5 days. Read More

J Ultrason 2020 15;20(81):e154-e158. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Seng Kang General Hospital , Singapore.

Point-of-care bedside lung ultrasound is a diagnostic adjunct in the management of respiratory diseases. We describe the clinical progress and lung ultrasound findings of a Singaporean COVID-19 intensive care unit patient who was diagnosed with COVID-19 infection. The clinical course of one COVID-19 patient managed in the intensive care unit was traced. Read More

Intern Med J 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Royal Darwin Hospital, 105 Rocklands Drive, Tiwi, NT, Australia.

Background: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer related mortality for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, and the death rate of lung cancer in Indigenous Australians is increasing.

Aims: To provide a comprehensive description of patterns of lung cancer presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in the Top End of the Northern Territory.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of adult patients with a new diagnosis of lung cancer in the Top End between January 2010 and December 2014. Read More

QJM 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Bristol Interstitial Lung Disease Service, North Bristol NHS Trust, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK, BS10 5NB.

Introduction: In the context of IPF, respiratory related admissions to hospital are associated with a high morbidity and short-term mortality with significant burden on secondary care services. It has yet to be determined how to accurately identify patients at risk of acute respiratory deterioration (ARD) or the prognosticating factors.

Objective: We sought to define the characteristics of hospitalised ARD-IPF patients in a real-world cohort and investigate factors associated with worse outcomes. Read More

ERJ Open Res 2020 Apr 22;6(2). Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, Shibuya, Japan.

Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) has been increasingly utilised to diagnose diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs) and lung cancers; however, TBLC protocols have not yet been standardised and the rate of complications associated with this procedure vary widely. Therefore, this prospective multicentre observational study investigated the safety and utility of the TBLC technique in patients with diffuse and localised respiratory diseases. This study was conducted at multiple medical centres in Japan between July 2018 and April 2019. Read More

IDCases 2020 15;21:e00870. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

University of Florida College of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States.

With the increasing number of confirmed cases and accumulating clinical data, our understanding of COVID-19 continues to evolve. Here we describe the case of a patient who was initially admitted for decompensated heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Only later in his course did he develop fever that led to testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV-2). Read More

Case Rep Surg 2020 13;2020:9794823. Epub 2020 Jun 13.

School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, University of North Dakota, 1301 N Columbia Rd Stop 9037, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA.

. A 76-year-old male patient who suffered small bowel anastomotic dehiscence believed to be a complication provoked by enteritis. . Read More

Respirol Case Rep 2020 Aug 25;8(6):e00607. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Qld Lung Transplant Service The Prince Charles Hospital Brisbane QLD Australia.

We report the case of a 42-year-old female with a history of finger clubbing which improved during pregnancy, a history of unexplained hepatosplenomegaly, and subsequent non-specific interstitial pneumonia with respiratory failure. Given a personal and family history of early greying of the hair, the peripheral blood monocyte telomere length was measured and was confirmed to be <1st centile, explaining the multiorgan presentation. She was treated with prednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil, and the synthetic androgen danazol with a dramatic improvement in respiratory failure and lung function. Read More

Multidiscip Respir Med 2020 Jan 9;15(1):465. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansura University, Mansura, Egypt.

Background: Few data exist about respiratory viral infections in Egyptian patients. Hereby we describe the outcomes of hospitalized Egyptian patients with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) admitted to the ICU.

Methods: A prospective study in which all hospitalized patients meeting the WHO case definition for SARI and admitted to the ICU, during the period 2010-2014, were enrolled. Read More

Hepat Med 2020 11;12:79-92. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.

Background: Research directed towards drug development, metabolism, and liver functions often utilize primary hepatocytes (PH) for preliminary in vitro studies. Variability in the in vitro functionality of PH and the unsuitability of hepatocarcinoma cells for these studies have driven researchers to look to ESC, iPS, and other stem cell types using differentiation protocols to provide more reliable and available cells. This study describes the development of hepatocyte-like cells through the in vitro differentiation of human TERT-immortalized cord blood-derived multi-lineage progenitor cells (MLPC). Read More