Immune disturbance leads to pulmonary embolism in COVID-19 more than classical risk factors: a clinical and histological study

COVID-19 induces endotheliitis and one of the main complications is enhanced coagulation. The incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) in COVID-19 (CPE) has increased and clinical features for a rigorous analysis still need to be determined. Thus, we evaluated the clinical characteristics in CPE and the immune infiltration that occurred. Between January 1 and December 31, 2021, 38 patients were affected by CPE (9 ICU, 19 males/19 females, 70.18 ± 11.24 years) out of 459 COVID-19 cases. Controls were subjects who were evaluated for PE between January 1 2015, and December 31, 2019 (92 patients, 9 ICU, 48 males/45 females, 69.55 ± 16.59 years). All patients underwent complete physical examination, pulmonary computed tomography, laboratory tests, D-dimer, and blood gas analysis. There were no differences in laboratory tests or D-dimer. In patients with CPE, pO2, alveolar-arterial oxygen difference (A-aDO2), oxygen saturation %, and the ratio between arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), P/F, were significantly increased. There were no differences in PaCO2. Platelet count was inversely correlated to P/F (r = - 0.389, p = 0.02) but directly to A-aDO2 (r = 0.699, p = 0.001) only in patients with CPE. Histology of lung biopsies (7 CPE/7 controls) of patients with CPE showed an increase in CD15+ cells, HMGB1, and extracellular MPO as a marker of NETosis, while no significant differences were found in CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and intracellular MPO. Overall, data suggest that CPE has a different clinical setting. Reduced oxygen content and saturation described in Patients with CPE should not be considered a trustworthy sign of disease. Increased A-aDO2 may indicate that CPE involves the smallest vessels as compared to classical PE. The significant difference in NETosis may suggest the mechanism related to thrombi formation.

P317 FATAL EVOLUTION IN A YOUNG WOMAN DUE TO AMYLOIDOSIS HEART FAILURE IN A RARE MULTIPLE MYELOMA DISEASE

Introduction

Immunoglobulin (Ig) D (IgD) monoclonal gammopathy is a rare subtype of multiple myeloma (MM) associated with a worse prognosis. Ig light chains amyloidosis is a disorder characterized by extracellular deposition of Ig light chains in various tissues, leading to organ dysfunction.

Case

A 29–year–old woman was admitted for dyspnea and tachycardia for moderate efforts. Lab revealed hypogammaglobulinemia with a monoclonal IgD K paraprotein. There was an increase in K free chains, with a dramatic increase in K/λ free chains Ratio. Proteinuria was 1360 mg/24h with a free K chains Bence Jones Protein. An increase in values of Troponin–I (137,5 pg/mL) and NT–proBNP (12527 pg/mL) pointed towards heart involvement. Furthermore, the ECG showed low voltages in the peripheral leads. Echocardiogram showed a moderate concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with diffused myocardial speckled pattern, an ejection fraction (EF) of 53% and PAPs of 71 mmHg and pericardial effusion. Chest CT scan showed bilateral pleural effusion. Spine MRI and whole body PET/CT indicated areas of osteolytic lesions. Plasma cells infiltration (85% CD138, MUM1 and K chains positivity) was present at bone marrow biopsy. Amyloid deposition was detected in abdominal fat tissue sample. Total bone scintigraphy excluded a transthyretin heart deposition. Thus, amyloidosis associate to IgD MM was diagnosed. In few days heart failure worsened (hs–cTnI 156,6 pg/mL; NT–proBNP 26583 pg/mL, EF 48%,) and the patient began complaining non–productive cough, dyspnea, and columnar edema of the lower limbs. She was not eligible for bone marrow transplantation, so daratumumab, bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone were administered. Despite serological improvement after a short five days course of therapy, she worsened with a further reduction of EF (35%). Blood gas analysis showed hypoxemia and lactate increase quickly turned into a cardiogenic shock. She died by cardiac arrest, just three weeks after admission.

Discussion

The present case is remarkable for age and gender of the patient as well as the rapid onset and fast worsening of symptoms, which were related to secondary heart amyloid deposition. Symptoms associated to cardiac amyloidosis are expressions of right heart involvement. The early good results of the therapy did not turn the evolution of disease. The fatal and overwhelming progression of the myocardial involvement led to the patient’s death in less than one month.

Basal insulin therapy is associated with beneficial effects on postoperative infective complications, independently from circulating glucose levels in patients admitted for cardiac surgery

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The effect of insulin per se on infective complications during cardiac surgery was evaluated.

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Eight hundred twelve patients were included.

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Insulin therapy decreased infections independently from glycemic levels.

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Basal + premeal insulin therapy is well tolerated without severe hypoglycemia cases.

Background

Although hyperglycemia is a strong predictor of postoperative infective complications (PIC), little is known about the effect of basal insulin therapy (BIT) per se on PIC.

Aim

To evaluate if there is an association between BIT, independent of glucose levels, and a possible improvement of PIC during the perioperative cardiosurgery period (PCP).

Methods

In 812 patients admitted for cardiac intervention and treated with a continuous intravenous insulin infusion (CIII) for hyperglycemic levels (>130 mg/dl), a retrospective analysis was performed during the PCP (January 2009–December 2011). Upon transfer to the cardiac surgery division, if fasting glucose was ≥130 mg/dl, a basal + premeal insulin therapy was initiated (121 patients, group 1); for <130 mg/dl, a premeal insulin alone was initiated (691 patients, group 2).

Findings

Compared with group 2, group 1 showed reductions in PIC (2.48% vs 7.96%, p < 0.049; odds ratio: 0.294; 95% CI: 0.110–0.780), C-Reactive Protein (p < 0.05) and white blood cell (p < 0.05) levels despite glucose levels and CIII that were higher during the first two days after surgery (179.8 ± 25.3 vs 169.5 ± 10.6 mg/dl, p < 0.01; 0.046 ± 0.008 vs 0.037 ± 0.015 U/kg/h, p < 0.05, respectively). Normal glucose levels were achieved in both groups from day 3 before the discharge. The mean length of hospital duration was 18% lower in group 1 than in group 2 (7.21 ± 05.08 vs 8.76 ± 9.08 days, p < 0.007), providing a significant impact on public health costs.

Conclusions

Basal + preprandial insulin therapy was associated with a lower frequency of PIC than preprandial insulin therapy alone, suggesting a beneficial effect of basal insulin therapy on post-surgery outcome.

Visceral adiposity index and DHEAS are useful markers of diabetes risk in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

OBJECTIVE

On the basis of the known diabetes risk in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), recent guidelines of the Endocrine Society recommend the use of an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to screen for impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in all women with PCOS. However, given the high prevalence of PCOS, OGTT would have a high cost-benefit ratio. In this study, we identified, through a receiver operating characteristic analysis, simple predictive markers of the composite endpoint (impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or IGT or IFG+IGT or T2DM) in women with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria.

DESIGN

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 241 women with PCOS in a university hospital setting.

METHODS

Clinical, anthropometric, and metabolic (including OGTT) parameters were evaluated. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR), the Matsuda index of insulin sensitivity, and the oral dispositional index and visceral adiposity index (VAI) were determined.

RESULTS

Out of 241 women included in this study, 28 (11.6%) had an IFG, 13 (5.4%) had IGT, four (1.7%) had IFG+IGT, and four (1.7%) had T2DM. Among the anthropometric variables examined, the VAI had a significantly higher C-statistic compared with BMI (0.760 (95% CI: 0.70-0.81) vs 0.613 (95% CI: 0.54-0.67); P=0.014) and waist circumference (0.760 (95% CI: 0.70-0.81) vs 0.619 (95% CI: 0.55-0.68); P=0.028). Among all the hormonal and metabolic serum variables examined, DHEAS showed the highest C-statistic (0.720 (95% CI: 0.65-0.77); P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to fasting glucose, the VAI and DHEAS may be considered useful tools for prescreening in all women with PCOS without the classical risk factors for diabetes.

Seminal vesicle cysts with unilateral renal agenesis and contralateral ureteral stenosis in a beta-thalassemic patient: an unknown association by incomplete development of the mesonephric duct

We report the case of a 13-year-old male patient with beta-thalassemic trait who presented for a colic pain. An ultrasound of the abdomen revealed absence of the right kidney with a complex hypoechogenic pelvic mass causing mild pressure on the posterior bladder wall. Urography showed hypertrophy of the left kidney with moderate ureteral enlargement of the distal third due to an insertion defect in the bladder suggestive of a primary segmental nonobstructing megaureter. MR studies showed right multilocular seminal vesicle cysts. One year later an MR examination of the pelvis showed an increase in size of seminal vesicle cysts and open surgery was performed to remove the cystic retrovesical mass. Our case represents a very rare association of seminal vesicle cysts, unilateral renal agenesis and alteration in contralateral ureteral insertion in a patient with beta-thalassemic trait.