Ocular Complications in Influenza Virus Infection

Purpose: To describe a case series of ocular complications associated with upper respiratory tract infections.

Methods: Four patients aged 21–61 years (three females, one male) had confirmed ocular complications connected with a general upper respiratory tract infection with myalgia and fever. Ophthalmological examination, including a visual acuity test, a slit-lamp exam, intraocular pressure measurements, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and diagnostic tests for influenza were performed in the patients (RT-PCR, HAI).

Results: Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE) was diagnosed in three patients and serous macular detachment (SME) in one. Influenza virus infection was confirmed by molecular biological methods (RT-PCR) or the hemagglutination inhibition test (HAI) in two patients. All patients were treated with systemic prednisone.

Conclusion: A coincidence between APMPPE and SME epitheliopathy and influenza virus infection was observed in different months of a given epidemic season.     

COVID-19 and Acute Pulmonary Embolism: A Case Series and Brief Review

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, or COVID-19, is responsible for the current global pandemic and has resulted in the death of over 400,000 in the United States. Rates of venous thromboembolism have been noted to be much higher in those infected with COVID-19. Here we report a case-series of COVID-19 patients with diverse presentations of pulmonary embolism (PE). We also briefly describe the pathophysiology and mechanisms for pulmonary embolism in COVID-19. These cases indicate a need to maintain a high index of suspicion for PE in patients with COVID-19, as well as the need to consider occult COVID-19 infection in patients with PE in the right clinical circumstance.     

Relationship Between Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the Etiology of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since it was first recognized in December 2019, it has resulted in the ongoing worldwide pandemic. Although acute hypoxic respiratory failure (AHRF) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are the main features of the disease, the involvement of other organs needs to be explored. There has been a growing concern regarding the association between acute kidney injury (AKI) and poor outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 patients. Based on current observational data, AKI is the 2^nd most common cause of morbidity and mortality behind ARDS in SARS-CoV-2 patients. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor has been shown to be the cornerstone of SARS-CoV-2 infection and possibly plays a significant role in the occurrence of renal injury. The pathogenesis of AKI is likely multifactorial that involves not only direct viral invasion but also dysregulated immune response in the form of cytokine storm, ischemia to kidneys, hypercoagulable state, and rhabdomyolysis, among others. We performed a literature search of the Pubmed and Google Scholar database from 1996 to 2020 using the following keywords: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, coronavirus disease 2019, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor, and acute kidney injury to find the most pertinent and highest-quality of evidence. Any cited references were reviewed to identify relevant literature. The purpose of this review is to discuss, explore, and summarize the relationship between AKI in SARS-CoV-2 patients, with a focus on its epidemiology, association with ACE2 receptors, and pathophysiology of AKI.     

MRI characteristics of MOG-Ab associated disease in adults: An update

Our knowledge of the radiological spectrum of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody associated disease (MOGAD) is growing rapidly. An update on the radiological features of the disease, and its evolution is thus necessary. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has an increasingly important role in the differential diagnosis of MOGAD particularly from aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4-NMOSD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Differentiating these conditions is of prime importance because the management is different between the three inflammatory diseases, and thus could prevent further attack-related disability. Therefore, identifying the MRI features suggestive of MOGAD has diagnostic and prognostic implications. We herein review optic nerve, spinal cord and the brain MRI findings from MOGAD adult patients, and compare them to AQP4-NMOSD and MS.     

T-cell Subset Profile in Kidney Recipients of Extended or Standard Donors

IntroductionThe usage of extended-criteria donors (ECD) became a routinely accepted manner in the last decade. ECD is a potential risk factor for antibody-mediated rejection. Analysis of lymphocyte subsets might be a complementary diagnostic toolkit because there is limited knowledge about this term.MethodBetween May 12, 2016, and September 4, 2019, a total of 130 patients who had undergone kidney transplant were investigated. Patients were divided in ECD and standard criteria donor (SCD) groups. Blood samples were collected before the operation, then in the first week and after 30, 60, 180, and 365 days. Besides routine laboratory tests, multicolor flow cytometry was performed for lymphocyte subsets.ResultsECD grafts were transplanted to older recipients. The number of CD4+ cells increased in the SCDs from the first week to until the end of first month, and then decreased. The number of CD4+ cells decreased from the beginning of the study until the end of first year to 66% of its original value in ECDs. At the first month, the number of CD19+ cells was higher in SCD compared with ECD cases; the number then decreased in both groups. T-regulatory cells had a drop at the first week that lasted until the first month. A bigger increase in SCD and a moderate increase in ECD group were then observed. The kinetics of CD19+ and CD19+ naive cells are similar in the ECD and SCD groups. In the SCD group, cell count decreased in both CD19+ (13%) and CD19+ naive (12%) between third and sixth month. The count of CD19+ cells decreased by 9%, but the count of CD19+ naive cells increased by 11% between the sixth month and first year.DiscussionThe prolonged postoperative uremic state caused by the poorer initial function, together with an aging immune system, explains the weaker immune response in ECD patients, which may be the cause of the decreased number of memory and regulatory T cells. Older patients with an ECD graft need a tailored, personalized, and less aggressive immunosuppressive treatment.     

Effects of Single-Dose Preemptive Pregabalin and Intravenous Ibuprofen on Postoperative Opioid Consumption and Acute Pain after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Purpose: Non-opioid medications as a part of multimodal analgesia has been increasingly suggested in the management of acute post-surgical pain. The present study was planned to compare the efficacy of the combination of pregabalin plus ?v ibuprofen. Methods: 58 patients were included in this prospective, randomized, double-blinded study. The pregabalin group (Group P, n = 29) received 150 mg pregabalin, the pregabalin plus ibuprofen group (Gropu PI, n = 29) received 150 mg pregabalin and 400mg ?v ibuprofen before surgery. Postoperative fentanyl consumption, additional analgesia requirements and PACU stay were recorded. Postoperative analgesia was performed with patient-controlled IV fentanyl. Results: VAS scores in the group PI were statistically lower at PACU, 1and 2 hours at rest, at PACU, 1, 2, 4, 12 and 24 hours on movement compared to the group P (P < 0.05). Opioid consumption was statistically significantly higher in the group P compared to the group PI (130.17 ± 60.27 vs 78.45 ± 60.40 μq, respectively, P < 0.001) and reduced in the 4th 24 hours by 55% in group PI. Rescue analgesia usage was statistically significantly higher in the group P than in the group PI (16/29 vs 7/29, respectively, P < 0.001). Four patient in the group PI did not need any opioid drug. Besides, PACU stay was shorter in the group PI than the group P (10.62 ± 2.38 vs 15.59 ± 2.11 min, respectively, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Preemptive pregabalin plus ?v ibuprofen in laparoscopic cholecystectomy reduced postoperative opioid consumption. This multimodal analgesic aproach generated lower pain scores in the postoperative period.