ABSTRACT

Besides respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, SARS-CoV-2 also has potential neurotropic effects. Acute hemorrhagic necrotizing encephalopathy is a rare complication of Covid-19. This article presents a case of an 81-year-old female, fully vaccinated, who underwent laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy due to gastroesophageal junction cancer. In the early postoperative period, the patient developed persistent fever accompanied by acute quadriplegia, impaired consciousness, and no signs of respiratory distress. Imaging with Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance revealed multiple bilateral lesions both in gray and white matter, as well as pulmonary embolism. Covid-19 infection was added to the differential diagnosis three weeks later, after other possible causes were excluded. The molecular test obtained at that time for coronavirus was negative. However, the high clinical suspicion index led to Covid-19 antibody testing (IgG and IgA), which confirmed the diagnosis. The patient was treated with corticosteroids with noticeable clinical improvement. She was discharged to a rehabilitation center. Six months later, the patient was in good general condition, although a neurological deficit was still present. This case indicates the significance of a high clinical suspicion index, based on a combination of clinical manifestations and neuroimaging, and the confirmation of the diagnosis with molecular and antibody testing. Constant awareness of a possible Covid-19 infection among hospitalized patients is mandatory.

PMID:37293685 | PMC:PMC10246599 | DOI:10.22551/2023.39.1002.10246

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PubMed articles on: Cancer & VTE/PE

Incidence and risk factors for venous thromboembolism in patients with ovarian cancer during neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a meta-analysis

Am J Cancer Res. 2023 May 15;13(5):2126-2134. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of the relationship between neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in ovarian cancer and the incidence rate of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Some studies have suggested that NACT may be associated with a high risk of VTE in patients with ovarian cancer. To investigate this, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence of VTE during NACT and its associated risk factors. We searched PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrials.gov, and the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register (ISRCTN) from their inception to September 15, 2022. We calculated the incidence of VTE as the event rate (%) and used logistic regression analysis to investigate pooled VTE rates. Risk factors for VTE were presented as odds ratios (ORs), and pooled ORs was estimated using the inverse variance method. We reported pooled effect estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Our review included 7 cohort studies with 1244 participants. Meta-analysis of these studies revealed a pooled VTE rate of 13% during NACT (1224 participants; 95% CI, 9%-17%), with body mass index identified as a risk factor for VTE during NACT in 3 of the included studies (633 participants; OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.13-2.76).

PMID:37293158 | PMC:PMC10244120

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PubMed articles on: Cancer & VTE/PE

Congenital hepatic hemangioma: an unusual case report of pulmonary hypertension

BMC Pediatr. 2023 Jun 7;23(1):284. doi: 10.1186/s12887-023-04096-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in newborns is a rare but serious condition that often requires immediate intervention and quick diagnosis of the correct etiology to prevent mortality. Congenital hepatic hemangioma (CHH) is an example of an extrathoracic etiology of PH.

CASE PRESENTATION: Herein, we report the case of a newborn with a giant liver hemangioma, who presented with an early onset of PH and was successfully treated with intra-arterial embolization.

CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates the importance of suspicion and prompt evaluation of CHH and related systemic arteriovenous shunts among infants with unexplained PH.

PMID:37286954 | DOI:10.1186/s12887-023-04096-w

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PubMed articles on: Cancer & VTE/PE

Stroke Recurrence in Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source Without Atrial Fibrillation on Invasive Cardiac Monitoring

Heart Lung Circ. 2023 Jun 6:S1443-9506(23)00514-0. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2023.05.010. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: More than half of patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) suffer from recurrent ischaemic stroke, despite the absence of atrial fibrillation (AF) on invasive cardiac monitoring (ICM). This study investigated the predictors and prognosis of recurrent stroke in ESUS without AF on ICM.

METHOD: This prospective study included patients with ESUS at two tertiary hospitals from 2015 to 2021 who underwent comprehensive neurological imaging, transthoracic echocardiography, and inpatient continuous electrographic monitoring for ≥48 hours prior to ICM for definitive exclusion of AF. Recurrent ischaemic stroke, all-cause mortality, and functional outcome by the modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 3 months were evaluated in patients without AF.

RESULTS: Of 185 consecutive patients with ESUS, AF was not detected in 163 (88%) patients (age 62±12 years, 76% men, 25% prior stroke, median time to ICM insertion 26 [7, 123] days), and stroke recurred in 24 (15%) patients. Stroke recurrences were predominantly ESUS (88%), within the first 2 years (75%), and involved a different vascular territory from qualifying ESUS (58%). Pre-existing cancer was the only independent predictor of recurrent stroke (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] 5.43, 95% CI 1.43-20.64), recurrent ESUS (AHR 5.67, 95% CI 1.15-21.21), and higher mRS score at 3 months (ß 1.27, 95% CI 0.23-2.42). All-cause mortality occurred in 17 (10%) patients. Adjusting for age, cancer, and mRS category (≥3 vs <3),

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with recurrent ESUS are a high-risk subgroup. Studies elucidating optimal diagnostic and treatment strategies in non-AF-related ESUS are urgently required.

PMID:37291002 | DOI:10.1016/j.hlc.2023.05.010

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PubMed articles on: Cancer & VTE/PE

Dynamic Patterns and Persistence of Anticoagulation Therapy in Patients with Venous Thromboembolism in South Korea: A Nationwide Cohort Study

Thromb Haemost. 2023 Jun 7. doi: 10.1055/a-2107-0815. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure. However, the comprehensive utilization of anticoagulation therapy in patients with VTE, especially regarding active cancer, in real-world practice remains unclear. Objective To describe the prescription, persistence, and patterns of anticoagulation therapy among patients with VTE stratified according to active cancer. Methods Using Korean nationwide claims data, we identified an incident, treatment-naïve cohort of patients with VTE from 2013 to 2019 and classified them according to the presence/absence of active cancer. We explored the secular trends, treatment patterns (e.g., discontinuation, interruption, and switch), and persistence of anticoagulation therapy. Results There were 48,504 and 7,255 patients without and with active cancer, respectively. NOACs were the most common anticoagulant in both groups (65.1% and 57.9%, respectively). The prescription of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) increased steeply over time, regardless of active cancer, whereas parenteral anticoagulants (PACs) plateaued and warfarin decreased sharply. A heterogeneous pattern was observed between the groups without and with active cancer (3-month persistence was 60.8%, 62.9%, 57.2%, and 3.4%, respectively; 6-month persistence was 42.3%, 33.5%, 25.9%, and 1.2% vs. 9.9%). Median duration of continuous anticoagulant therapy for warfarin, NOAC, and PAC were 183, 147, and 3 days in non-active cancer patients, and 121, 117, and 44 days in active cancer patients. Conclusion Our findings suggest that there were substantial differences in persistence, patterns, and patient characteristics of anticoagulant therapy based on index anticoagulant and active cancer.

PMID:37285903 | DOI:10.1055/a-2107-0815

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PubMed articles on: Cancer & VTE/PE

Bevacizumab loaded CalliSpheres® bronchial arterial chemoembolization combined with immunotherapy and targeted therapy for advanced lung adenocarcinoma

Front Pharmacol. 2023 May 22;14:1170344. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1170344. eCollection 2023.