Comparison of chest CT scan findings between COVID-19 and pulmonary contusion in trauma patients based on RSNA criteria: Established novel criteria for trauma victims

ProposeIn this study, we re-assessed the criteria defined by the radiological society of North America (RSNA) to determine novel radiological findings helping the physicians differentiating COVID-19 from pulmonary contusion.MethodsAll trauma patients with blunt chest wall trauma and subsequent pulmonary contusion, COVID-19-related signs and symptoms before the trauma were enrolled in this retrospective study from February to May 2020. Included patients (Group P) were then classified into two groups based on polymerase chain reaction tests (Group Pa for positive patients and Pb for negative ones). Moreover, 44 patients from the pre-pandemic period (Group PP) were enrolled. They were matched to Group P regarding age, sex, and trauma-related scores. Two radiologists blindly reviewed the CT images of all enrolled patients according to criteria defined by the RSNA criteria. The radiological findings were compared between Group P and Group PP; statistically significant ones were re-evaluated between Group Pa and Group Pb thereafter. Finally, the sensitivity and specificity of each significant findings were calculated. The Chi-square test was used to compare the radiological findings between Group P and Group PP.ResultsIn the Group PP, 73.7% of all ground-glass opacities (GGOs) and 80% of all multiple bilateral GGOs were detected (p < 0.001 and p = 0.25, respectively). Single bilateral GGOs were only seen among the Group PP. The Chi-square tests showed that the prevalence of diffused GGOs, multiple unilateral GGOs, multiple consolidations, and multiple bilateral consolidations were significantly higher in the Group P (p = 0.001, 0.01, 0.003, and 0.003, respectively). However, GGOs with irregular borders and single consolidations were more significant among the Group PP (p = 0.01 and 0.003, respectively). Of note, reticular distortions and subpleural spares were exclusively detected in the Group PP.ConclusionWe concluded that the criteria set by RSNA for the diagnosis of COVID-19 are not appropriate in trauma patients. The clinical signs and symptoms are not always useful either. The presence of multiple unilateral GGOs, diffused GGOs, and multiple bilateral consolidations favor COVID-19 with 88%, 97.62%, and 77.7% diagnostic accuracy.     

Design and validation of an endothelial progenitor cell capture chip and its application in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

The number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) inversely correlates with cardiovascular risk and clinical outcome, and thus has been proposed as a valuable biomarker for risk assessment, disease progression, and response to therapy. However, current strategies for isolation of these rare cells are limited to complex, laborious approaches. The goal of this study was the design and validation of a disposable microfluidic platform capable of selectively capturing and enumerating EPCs directly from human whole blood in healthy and diseased subjects, eliminating sample preprocessing. We then applied the “EPC capture chip” clinically and determined EPC numbers in blood from patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Blood was collected in tubes and injected into polymeric microfluidic chips containing microcolumns pre-coated with anti-CD34 antibody. Captured cells were immunofluorescently stained for the expression of stem and endothelial antigens, identified and counted. The EPC capture chip was validated with conventional flow cytometry counts (r = 0.83). The inter- and intra-day reliability of the microfluidic devices was confirmed at different time points in triplicates over 1–5 months. In a cohort of 43 patients with three forms of PAH (idiopathic/heritable, drug-induced, and connective tissue disease), EPC numbers are ≈50% lower in PAH subjects vs. matched controls and inversely related to two potential disease modifiers: body mass index and postmenopausal status. The EPC capture chip (5 × 30 × 0.05 mm³) requires only 200 μL of human blood and has the strong potential to serve as a rapid bedside test for the screening and monitoring of patients with PAH and other proliferative cardiovascular, pulmonary, malignant, and neurodegenerative diseases.     

Feasibility of Therapeutic Effects of the Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Pathway on COVID-19 Symptoms

Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology -     

Pharmacological treatment of high‐normal blood pressure (prehypertension) in high‐risk patients for primary prevention of cardiovascular events

Currently, the best treatment strategy for patients with a high‐normal blood pressure (prehypertension) is not known. The authors aimed to determine whether pharmacological reduction of systolic blood pressure (SBP) to a normal level (<120 mm Hg) would prevent cardiac morbidity and mortality in prehypertensive patients. In this secondary analysis, the authors obtained the data from SPRINT from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute data repository center. Among 9361 patients enrolled in SPRINT, 289 high‐risk (ASCVD risk = 24.8% ± 13.0 [10‐65]) prehypertensive patients without previous cardiovascular disease and not receiving any antihypertensive medications were enrolled. One hundred and forty‐eight of them were assigned to standard treatment which consisted of clinical follow‐up till SBP goes above 140 mm Hg and then staring medications to keep SBP <140 mm Hg. One hundred and forty‐one were assigned to the intensive treatment receiving pharmacological SBP reduction to <120 mm Hg upon enrollment. The primary composite outcome was myocardial infarction, and other acute coronary syndromes, stroke, heart failure, or death from cardiovascular causes. Throughout the 3.06 years of follow‐up, a primary outcome event was confirmed in three participants (0.74% per year) in the intensive‐treatment group and 8 (1.61% per year) in the standard‐treatment group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.19; P = .045). Rates of serious adverse events were not increased by intensive‐treatment (HR, 0.83; P = .506). Based on this secondary post hoc analysis, intensive SBP reduction may probably be beneficial for primary prevention of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in high‐risk prehypertensive patients. This finding needs to be evaluated in a larger trial designed specifically to answer this question.     

Surrogate and combined end points in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rare and often devastating disease, although various effective therapies are now available. Clinical trials have used hemodynamic, cardiac imaging, laboratory, and exercise measurements as surrogate and intermediate end points in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Yet, based on the current literature, it is difficult to surmise which of these (if any) have been definitively validated. In addition, investigators have advocated the use of combined clinical end points in future clinical trials. The dependence of clinical trials and clinical management on such end points warrants a review of their use.     

C-reactive protein and complement factor H polymorphism interaction in advanced exudative age-related macular degeneration

Purpose

To determine the association of C-reactive protein (CRP) and complement factor H (CFH) gene with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and any possible interaction among these factors.

Methods

In this case–control study, 139 unrelated patients with exudative AMD and 123 non-AMD controls were recruited. Blood sample was taken for analysis of the CRP levels and DNA testing. DNA fragments of CFH gene variants containing 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms including rs800292, rs1061170, rs2274700, and rs3753395 were assessed. A CRP level of ≥3 mg/L was considered as elevated. The association of elevated CRP and CFH gene variants polymorphism with exudative AMD was compared between the groups.

Results

Mean age was 72.6 ± 6.4 for controls and 74.9 ± 7.4 for case group (P = 0.006). The difference between CRP levels in cases and controls was not statistically significant (P = 0.055). However, Y402H variant of CFH in both homozygous and heterozygous carriers C allele was significantly more frequent among exudative AMD patients than controls, 32.1 versus 6.5 % (P < 0.001). Evaluating various CRP levels in patients with CC and non-CC genotypes disclosed that in CC genotype group, higher CRP level (>3 mg/L) was associated with higher risk of developing exudative AMD (OR = 12.0, CI: 1.5–98.8) compared with the control group.

Conclusion

This study disclosed no difference in CRP levels per se between exudative AMD patients with control group. However, higher levels of CRP in the presence of C allele of Y402H might confer more risk for the development of exudative AMD.