Steroid pulse -therapy in patients With coronAvirus Pneumonia (COVID-19), sYstemic inFlammation And Risk of vEnous thRombosis and thromboembolism (WAYFARER Study)

Introduction: Coronavirus pneumonia not only severely affects the lung tissue but is also associated with systemic autoimmune inflammation, rapid overactivation of cytokines and chemokines known as “cytokine storm”, and a high risk of thrombosis and thromboembolism. Since there is no specific therapy for this new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), searching for an effective and safe anti-inflammatory therapy is critical.Materials and Methods: This study evaluated efficacy and safety of pulse therapy with high doses of glucocorticosteroids (GCS), methylprednisolone 1,000 mg for 3 days plus dexamethasone 8 mg for another 3-5 days, in 17 patients with severe coronavirus pneumonia as a part of retrospective comparative analysis (17 patients in control group). The study primary endpoint was the aggregate dynamics of patients’ condition as evaluated by an original CCS-COVID scale, which included, in addition to the clinical status, assessments of changes in the inflammation marker, C-reactive protein (CRP); the thrombus formation marker, D-dimer; and the extent of lung injury evaluated by computed tomography (CT). Patients had signs of lung injury (53.2 % and 25.6 %), increases in CRP 27 and 19 times, and a more than doubled level of D-dimer (to 1.41 µg/ml and 1.15 µg/ml) in the active therapy and the control groups, respectively. The GCS treatment group had a more severe condition at baseline.Results: The GCS pulse therapy proved effective and significantly decreased the CCS-COVID scores. Median score difference was 5.00 compared to the control group (р=0.011). Shortness of breath considerably decreased; oxygen saturation increased, and the NEWS-2 clinical status scale scores decreased. In the GCS group, concentration of CRP significantly decreased from 134 mg/dl to 41.8 mg/dl (р=0.009) but at the same time, D-dimer level significantly increased from 1.41 µg/ml to 1.98 µg/ml (р=0.044). In the control group, the changes were nonsignificant. The dynamics of lung injury by CT was better in the treatment group but the difference did not reach a statistical significance (р=0.062). Following the GCS treatment, neutrophilia increased (р=0.0001) with persisting lymphopenia, and the neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratio, a marker of chronic inflammation, increased 2.5 times (р=0.006). The changes in the N/L ratio and D-dimer were found to correlate in the GCS pulse therapy group (r =0.49, p=0.04), which underlined the relationship of chronic autoimmune inflammation with thrombus formation in COVID-19. No significant changes were observed in the control group. In result, four patients developed venous thromboembolic complications (two of them had pulmonary artery thromboembolism) after the GCS pulse therapy despite the concomitant antiplatelet treatment at therapeutic doses. Recovery was slower in the hormone treatment group (median stay in the hospital was 26 days vs 18 days in the control group, р=0.001).Conclusion: Pulse therapy with high doses of GCS exerted a rapid anti-inflammatory effect but at the same time, increased the N/L ratio and the D-dimer level, which increased the risk of thromboembolism

The organisation of physiotherapy for people with multiple sclerosis across Europe: a multicentre questionnaire survey

Background Understanding the organisational set-up of physiotherapy services across different countries is increasingly important as clinicians around the world use evidence to improve their practice. This also has to be taken into consideration when multi-centre international clinical trials are conducted. This survey aimed to systematically describe organisational aspects of physiotherapy services for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) across Europe. Methods Representatives from 72 rehabilitation facilities within 23 European countries completed an online web-based questionnaire survey between 2013 and 2014. Countries were categorised according to four European regions (defined by United Nations Statistics). Similarities and differences between regions were examined. Results Most participating centres specialized in rehabilitation (82 %) and neurology (60 %), with only 38 % specialising in MS. Of these, the Western based Specialist MS centres were predominately based on outpatient services (median MS inpatient ratio 0.14), whilst the Eastern based European services were mostly inpatient in nature (median MS inpatient ratio 0.5). In almost all participating countries, medical doctors - specialists in neurology (60 %) and in rehabilitation (64 %) - were responsible for referral to/prescription of physiotherapy. The most frequent reason for referral to/prescription of physiotherapy was the worsening of symptoms (78 % of centres). Physiotherapists were the most common members of the rehabilitation team; comprising 49 % of the team in Eastern countries compared to approximately 30 % in the rest of Europe. Teamwork was commonly adopted; 86 % of centres based in Western countries utilised the interdisciplinary model, whilst the multidisciplinary model was utilised in Eastern based countries (p = 0.046). Conclusion This survey is the first to provide data about organisational aspects of physiotherapy for people with MS across Europe. Overall, care in key organisational aspects of service provision is broadly similar across regions, although some variations, for example the models of teamwork utilised, are apparent. Organisational framework specifics should be considered anytime a multi-centre study is conducted and results from such studies are applied.PubMedWoSScopu

Дерматоскопические аспекты диагностики кожных метастазов рака молочной железы

Introduction. Skin metastases are the result of skin infiltration caused by the proliferation of cells of remotely located malignant tumors occurring with a frequency of 0.6–10.4 % in various oncological processes. They may be a sign of progressive neoplasm or a manifestation of newly diagnosed cancer. Due to a high variability of clinical manifestations leading to misdiagnoses, a limited number of articles describe clinical and dermatoscopic signs of solid tumors metastatic nodes. Aim: to analyze the clinical and dermatoscopic features of skin metastases from breast cancer.Materials and methods. A female patient has complaints of slight pain and itching in the lesions area on the scalp. According to her medical history, a right mastectomy was performed for right breast cancer in 2012, followed by hormone therapy willfully discontinued by the patient. Given the uncommon localization limited with the scalp, the differential diagnosis was made with a spectrum between a cylindroma, multiple basal cell cancer and metastatic carcinoma. A biopsy was carried out to confirm the diagnosis. Results and examination. The pathological skin process revealed itself through multiple nodes up to 2 cm in diameter, pinkish in color, dense, painless on palpation, poorly demarcated. Dermatoscopically: polymorphic vessels on an erythematous background, chrysalis-like structures. Breast cancer metastases were verified by histological and immunohistochemical examination.Conclusion. Skin metastases may be the first sign of cancer recurrence. Dermatoscopy can facilitate differenting them from other skin diseases. Density and diameter of pathological vessels are prognostically significant. Ifdetected lesions do not fit the standard pattern of skin neoplasms, histological verification of the diagnosis is recommended to be carried out.Введение. Кожные метастазы являются результатом инфильтрации кожи за счет пролиферации клеток отдаленно расположенных злокачественных опухолей, встречающихся с частотой 0,6–10,4 % при различных онкологических процессах. Они могут быть признаком прогрессирующего новообразования или являться проявлением впервые диагностированного рака. Ограниченное количество статей включают в себя описание клинических и дерматоскопических признаков метастатических узлов солидных опухолей. Это связано с большой вариабельностью клинических проявлений, приводящей к диагностическим ошибкам.Цель исследования: разобрать клинические и дерматоскопические особенности кожных метастазов рака молочной железы.Материалы и методы. Пациентка с жалобами на незначительные болевые ощущения и зуд в области образований на коже волосистой части головы. Из анамнеза: в 2012 году по поводу рака правой молочной железы была выполнена мастэктомия справа с последующей гормональной терапией, которую пациентка самовольно прекратила. Учитывая нехарактерную локализацию, ограниченную волосистой частью головы, проводился дифференциальный диагноз между цилиндромой, множественным базальноклеточным раком и метастазами карциномы. С целью уточнения диагноза была выполнена биопсия.Результаты и обследование. Патологический кожный процесс был представлен множественными узлами до 2 см в диаметре, розоватого цвета, плотными, безболезненными при пальпации, без четких границ. Дерматоскопически: полиморфные сосуды на эритематозном фоне, структуры по типу хризолит. По данным гистологического и иммуногистохимического исследований были верифицированы метастазы рака молочной железы.Заключение. Кожные метастазы могут быть первым признаком рецидива злокачественной опухоли. Дерматоскопия может облегчить их дифференциальную диагностику с другими заболеваниями кожи. Прогностически значимы плотность и диаметр патологических сосудов. При выявлении образований, не укладывающихся в стандартную клиническую картину новообразований кожи, целесообразно выполнение гистологической верификации диагноза