Hepatitis B virus infection reactivation in patients under immunosuppressive therapies: Pathogenesis,screening, prevention and treatment

With a 5.3% of the global population involved, hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major public health challenge requiring an urgent response. After a possible acute phase, the natural history of HBV infection can progress in chronicity. Patients with overt or occult HBV infection can undergo HBV reactivation (HBVr) in course of immunosuppressive treatments that, apart from oncological and hem-atological diseases, are also used in rheumatologic, gastrointestinal, neurological and dermatological settings, as well as to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. The risk of HBV reactivation is related to the immune status of the patient and the baseline HBV infection condition. The aim of the present paper is to investigate the risk of HBVr in those not oncological settings in order to suggest strategies for preventing and treating this occurrence. The main studies about HBVr for patients with occult hepatitis B infection and chronic HBV infection affected by non-oncologic diseases eligible for immunosuppressive treatment have been analyzed. The occurrence of this challenging event can be reduced screening the population eligible for immunosuppressant to assess the best strategies according to any virological status. Further prospective studies are needed to increase data on the risk of HBVr related to newer immunomodulant agents employed in non-oncological setting.     

C-Reactive protein role in assessing COVID-19 deceased geriatrics and survivors of severe and critical illness

Numerous risk variables, including age, medical co-morbidities, and deranged inflammatory response, lead to higher mortality in a senior population with coronavirus disease 2019. C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute phase inflammatory protein secreted by the liver, was tested in the elderly, showing a diagnostic and prognostic role. However, recent research has shed light on new applications for CRP in geriatrics. It was used as a follow-up marker and as a therapeutic target. Early and accurate identification of patients' risks may mitigate the devastation of the invading virus in older cases and permit the implementation of a quick treatment plan for those most likely to deteriorate.     

Is amiodarone still a reasonable therapeutic option for rhythm control in atrial fibrillation?

Amiodarone is the most potent antiarrhythmic drug available and is commonly prescribed to treat and prevent not only life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias but also atrial fibrillation (AF). The latest European Society of Cardiology AF guidelines state that amiodarone is recommended for long-term rhythm control in all AF patients but that other antiarrhythmic drugs should be considered first whenever possible, due to its extracardiac toxicity. In patients without significant or with only minimal structural heart disease, amiodarone is not listed as a possibility in their therapeutic scheme. Still, amiodarone is widely and liberally used, and is the most prescribed antiarrhythmic drug for patients with AF despite its high toxicity profile. Non-cardiovascular death was more frequent with amiodarone treatment than with a rate control strategy in AFFIRM, while meta-analyses suggest an association between amiodarone use in patients without structural heart disease and increased non-cardiovascular mortality. Severe or even fatal outcomes due to amiodarone may occur years after treatment initiation and are often not acknowledged by the prescribing physician, who may no longer be following the patient. The lack of widely accepted diagnostic criteria and symptom definitions may lead to underestimation of the incidence of severe side effects and of its toxicity. Unlike the underestimated risk of toxicity with amiodarone, severe complications associated with catheter ablation are usually directly ascribed to the treatment even by non-medical personnel, possibly resulting in overestimation of risks. This brief review will address the issue of amiodarone overuse and the frequent underestimation of its toxicity, while suggesting scenarios in which its use is entirely reasonable, and compare it with catheter ablation.     

1例重型弥漫性轴索损伤伴肺挫裂伤患者的肺康复护理

总结1例重型弥漫性轴索损伤伴肺挫裂伤患者的肺康复护理经验。护理要点包括：组建多学科肺康复管理团队,实施个性化呼吸支持与降阶梯序贯氧疗护理,精准廓清呼吸道,开展一体化的早期肺功能康复锻炼。经过多学科团队合作,患者入院后第12天撤离呼吸机,第17天拔除气管插管,第20天下床活动,第37天顺利出院,随访6个月,患者恢复良好。     

Bacterial infection disrupts established germinal center reactions through monocyte recruitment and impaired metabolic adaptation

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儿童肺炎克雷伯菌血流感染临床特征及菌株药物敏感性分析

摘要：目的 探讨儿童肺炎克雷伯菌血流感染(Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection, KPBSI)临床特征及肺炎克雷伯 菌(Klebsiella pneumoniae, KP)对常用抗菌药物的敏感性，为儿童KPBSI合理治疗提供参考。方法 回顾性分析2014年1月至2019 年12月在重庆医科大学附属儿童医院住院的KPBSI患儿临床资料。结果 共纳入110例患儿，64例(58.2%)为院内感染，72例 (65.5%)有基础疾病，以血液系统肿瘤最多见。110例患儿PRISM Ⅲ评分为16.0(7.0~20.8)，其中74例(67.3%)发生脓毒症，15例 (13.6%)发生脓毒性休克，18例(16.4%)发生呼吸衰竭，15例(13.6%)需有创机械通气，院内死亡共13例(11.8%)。KP菌株对阿米卡 星、碳青霉烯类抗菌药物敏感率＞90%，对头孢噻肟、头孢曲松和头孢他啶的敏感率分别为58.3%、60.9%和70.9%，对头孢哌 酮/舒巴坦和哌拉西林/他唑巴坦的敏感率分别为59.5%和82.7%。检出ESBLs+菌株39株(39/86，45.3%)，耐碳青霉烯类肺炎克雷 伯菌(CRKP)菌株10株(10/110，9.1%)，ESBLs+KP菌株和CRKP在各年龄组间分布无统计学差异。结论 儿童KPBSI多见于有基 础疾病的患儿，脓毒症、脓毒性休克和呼吸衰竭发生率高；KP菌株对头孢他啶和哌拉西林/他唑巴坦敏感性较高，可经验性治 疗轻症KPBSI患儿。