scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 Clinical Characteristics and Viral Shedding in Kuwait

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Alghounaim ◽  
Chelsea Caya ◽  
Khalid Alothman ◽  
Almonther Alhasawi ◽  
Jesse Papenburg
Keyword(s):  
Blood Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Molecular Testing ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Blood Cell Count ◽  
Viral Shedding ◽  
Negative Results

Objectives: We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection and estimate viral shedding duration in respiratory specimens. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed from Feb 25th to March 25th, 2020. In Kuwait, all suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, contacts of cases, and returning travelers were systematically tested for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. All infected persons, regardless of symptoms, were hospitalized and serially tested until they had two negative results. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were performed. Results: 207 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified. About half of cases were asymptomatic and 1.9% died. The median time to negative RT-PCR was 22 days. Increasing age, ARDS, and low peripheral white blood cell count were associated with prolonged PCR positivity. Conclusion: Predictors for prolonged RT-PCR positivity included increasing age, ARDS, and low white blood cell count. The findings of this study may aid in better understanding SARS-CoV-2 infection epidemiology and molecular testing dynamics.

scholarly journals Clinical Characteristics Associated with Antibiotic Treatment Failure for Tuboovarian Abscesses

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huma Farid ◽  
Trevin C. Lau ◽  
Anatte E. Karmon ◽  
Aaron K. Styer
Keyword(s):  
Blood Cell ◽  
Treatment Failure ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
White Blood Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Maximum Diameter ◽  
Blood Cell Count ◽  
Parenteral Antibiotic

Objective. Although parenteral antibiotic treatment is a standard approach for tuboovarian abscesses, a significant proportion of patients fail therapy and require interventional radiology (IR) guided drainage. The objective of this study is to assess if specific clinical factors are associated with antibiotic treatment failure.Study Design. Retrospective medical record review of patients hospitalized for tuboovarian abscesses from 2001 through 2012 was performed. Clinical characteristics were compared for patients who underwent successful parenteral antibiotic treatment, failed antibiotic treatment necessitating subsequent IR drainage, initial drainage with concurrent antibiotics, and surgery.Results. One hundred thirteen patients admitted for inpatient treatment were identified. Sixty-one (54%) patients were treated with antibiotics alone. Within this group, 24.6% failed antibiotic treatment and required drainage. Mean white blood cell count (K/μL) (18.7±5.94versus13.9±5.12) (p=0.003), mean maximum diameter of tuboovarian abscess (cm) (6.8±2.9versus5.2±2.0) (p=0.03), and length of stay (days) (9.47±7.43versus4.59±2.4) (p=0.002) were significantly greater for patients who failed antibiotic treatment.Conclusions. Admission white blood cell count greater than 16 K/μL and abscess size greater than 5.18 cm are associated with antibiotic treatment failure. These factors may provide guidance for initial selection of IR guided drainage.

scholarly journals White Blood Cells and Severe COVID-19: A Mendelian Randomization Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
Yitang Sun ◽  
Jingqi Zhou ◽  
Kaixiong Ye
Keyword(s):  
Blood Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell ◽  
Blood Cells ◽  
Mendelian Randomization ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
White Blood Cells ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Blood Cell Count

Increasing evidence shows that white blood cells are associated with the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the direction and causality of this association are not clear. To evaluate the causal associations between various white blood cell traits and the COVID-19 susceptibility and severity, we conducted two-sample bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) analyses with summary statistics from the largest and most recent genome-wide association studies. Our MR results indicated causal protective effects of higher basophil count, basophil percentage of white blood cells, and myeloid white blood cell count on severe COVID-19, with odds ratios (OR) per standard deviation increment of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.60–0.95), 0.70 (95% CI: 0.54–0.92), and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.73–0.98), respectively. Neither COVID-19 severity nor susceptibility was associated with white blood cell traits in our reverse MR results. Genetically predicted high basophil count, basophil percentage of white blood cells, and myeloid white blood cell count are associated with a lower risk of developing severe COVID-19. Individuals with a lower genetic capacity for basophils are likely at risk, while enhancing the production of basophils may be an effective therapeutic strategy.

Identifying Top Predictors of Change in Noncalcified Coronary Burden in Psoriasis by Machine Learning Over 1-Year

2021 ◽  
pp. 247553032110007
Author(s):  
Eric Munger ◽  
Amit K. Dey ◽  
Justin Rodante ◽  
Martin P. Playford ◽  
Alexander V. Sorokin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Blood Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Blood Cell Count ◽  
Psoriasis Area Severity Index ◽  
Severity Index Score

Background: Psoriasis is associated with accelerated non-calcified coronary plaque burden (NCB) by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Machine learning (ML) algorithms have been shown to effectively identify cardiometabolic variables with NCB in cross-sectional analysis. Objective: To use ML methods to characterize important predictors of change in NCB by CCTA in psoriasis over 1-year of observation. Methods: The analysis included 182 consecutive patients with 80 available variables from the Psoriasis Atherosclerosis Cardiometabolic Initiative, a prospective, observational cohort study at baseline and 1-year using the random forest regression algorithm. NCB was assessed at baseline and 1-year from CCTA. Results: Using ML, we identified variables of high importance in the context of predicting changes in NCB. For the cohort that worsened NCB (n = 102), top baseline variables were cholesterol (total and HDL), white blood cell count, psoriasis area severity index score, and diastolic blood pressure. Top predictors of 1-year change were change in visceral adiposity, white blood cell count, total cholesterol, c-reactive protein, and absolute lymphocyte count. For the cohort that improved NCB (n = 80), the top baseline variables were HDL cholesterol related including apolipoprotein A1, basophil count, and psoriasis area severity index score, and top predictors of 1-year change were change in apoA, apoB, and systolic blood pressure. Conclusion: ML methods ranked predictors of progression and regression of NCB in psoriasis over 1 year providing strong evidence to focus on treating LDL, blood pressure, and obesity; as well as the importance of controlling cutaneous disease in psoriasis.

scholarly journals Enoxaparin-induced reactive thrombocytosis: a case report

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Xiang ◽  
Ming Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Platelet Count ◽  
Blood Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell ◽  
Hip Replacement ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Blood Cell Count ◽  
Reactive Thrombocytosis

Abstract Background Enoxaparin is an anticoagulant that falls in the class of medications called low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), and is used to prevent or treat patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism. Enoxaparin is the most widely used LMWH for DVT prophylaxis following knee or hip replacement surgery. Common side effects of enoxaparin include bleeding, petechiae at the injection site, and thrombocytopenia. However, reactive thrombocytosis is a rarely reported adverse reaction. We managed a patient who developed enoxaparin-associated thrombocytosis, which was completely resolved after treatment cessation. Case presentation A 78-year-old female was hospitalized for post-hip replacement rehabilitation. Low molecular weight heparin 40 mg/day was administered subcutaneously to prevent deep venous thrombosis (DVT). At admission, her platelet count was normal (228 × 109/L) and her white blood cell count was slightly elevated (12.91 × 109/L). Seven days after admission, the patient developed thrombocytosis, which peaked on the 14th day (836 × 109/L), while her white blood cell count had returned to normal (8.86 × 109/L). Her therapeutic regimen was reviewed, and enoxaparin was identified as a potentially reversible cause of reactive thrombocytosis. Switching from enoxaparin to rivaroxaban lead to a gradual decrease in the patient’s platelet count, which eventually returned to normal levels 16 days after enoxaparin was discontinued. No complications secondary to thrombocytosis was observed, and no conclusion was reached on the use of small doses of aspirin for antithrombotic therapy under these circumstances. Conclusion Enoxaparin-induced reactive thrombocytosis should be suspected in patients with thrombocytosis following enoxaparin administration as an anticoagulant to prevent certain complications.

Elevated white blood cell count does not predict Clostridium difficile nucleic acid testing results

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin E Bosch ◽  
Patrick C Mathias ◽  
Niklas Krumm ◽  
Andrew Bryan ◽  
Ferric C Fang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Clostridium Difficile ◽  
Blood Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Prognostic Marker ◽  
White Blood Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell ◽  
Inpatient Setting ◽  
Nucleic Acid Testing ◽  
Blood Cell Count

Abstract Background An elevated white blood cell count (>15 thousand/μL) is an established prognostic marker in patients with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Small observational studies have suggested that a markedly elevated WBC should prompt consideration of CDI. However, there is limited evidence correlating WBC elevation with the results of C. difficile nucleic acid testing (NAAT). Methods Retrospective review of laboratory testing, outcomes, and treatment of 16,568 consecutive patients presenting to 4 hospitals over four years with NAAT and WBC testing on the same day. Results No significant relationship between C. difficile NAAT results and concurrent WBC in the inpatient setting was observed. Although an elevated WBC did predict NAAT results in the outpatient and emergency department populations (p<0.001), accuracy was poor, with receiver-operator areas under the curve of 0.59 and 0.56. An elevated WBC (>15 thousand/μL) in CDI was associated with a longer median hospital length of stay (15.5 vs. 11.0 days, p<0.01), consistent with leukocytosis as a prognostic marker in CDI. NAAT-positive inpatients with elevated WBC were more likely to be treated with metronidazole and/or vancomycin (relative ratio 1.2, 95% confidence interval 1.1–1.3) and die in the hospital (relative ratio 2.9, 95% CI 2.0–4.3). Conclusions Although WBC is an important prognostic indicator in patients with CDI, an isolated WBC elevation has low sensitivity and specificity as a predictor of fecal C. difficile NAAT positivity in the inpatient setting. A high or rising WBC in isolation is not a sufficient indication for CDI testing.

scholarly journals C-Reactive Protein and White Blood Cell Count in Non-Infective Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Treated with Intravenous Thrombolysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1610
Author(s):  
Marcin Wnuk ◽  
Justyna Derbisz ◽  
Leszek Drabik ◽  
Agnieszka Slowik
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Blood Cell ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell Count ◽  
White Blood Cell ◽  
Intravenous Thrombolysis ◽  
C Reactive Protein ◽  
Blood Cell Count ◽  
Reactive Protein

Background: Previous studies on inflammatory biomarkers in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) produced divergent results. We evaluated whether C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC) measured fasting 12–24 h after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) were associated with outcome in AIS patients without concomitant infection. Methods: The study included 352 AIS patients treated with IVT. Excluded were patients with community-acquired or nosocomial infection. Outcome was measured on discharge and 90 days after stroke onset with the modified Rankin scale (mRS) and defined as poor outcome (mRS 3–6) or death (mRS = 6). Results: Final analysis included 158 patients (median age 72 years (interquartile range 63-82), 53.2% (n = 84) women). Poor outcome on discharge and at day 90 was 3.8-fold and 5.8-fold higher for patients with CRP ≥ 8.65 mg/L (fifth quintile of CRP), respectively, compared with first quintile (<1.71 mg/L). These results remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders (odds ratio (OR) on discharge = 10.68, 95% CI: 2.54–44.83, OR at day 90 after stroke = 7.21, 95% CI: 1.44–36.00). In-hospital death was 6.3-fold higher for patients with fifth quintile of CRP as compared with first quintile and remained independent from other variables (OR = 4.79, 95% CI: 1.29–17.88). Independent predictors of 90-day mortality were WBC < 6.4 × 109 /L (OR = 5.00, 95% CI: 1.49–16.78), baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (OR = 1.13 per point, 95% CI: 1.01–1.25) and bleeding brain complications (OR = 5.53, 95% CI: 1.59–19.25) but not CRP ≥ 8.65 mg/L. Conclusions: Non-infective CRP levels are an independent risk factor for poor short- and long-term outcomes and in-hospital mortality in AIS patients treated with IVT. Decreased WBC but not CRP is a predictor for 90-day mortality.

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