Convalescent Plasma Therapy in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: An Open Label Trial

Objectives: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic continues to spread globally without an effective treatment. In search of the cure, convalescent plasma (CP) containing protective antibodies from survivors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has shown potential benefit in a non-intensive care unit setting. We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of CP therapy for patients with COVID-19 on mechanical ventilation (MV) and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods: We conducted an open-label trial in a single center, Royal Hospital, in Oman. The study was conducted from 17 April to 20 June 2020. The trial included 94 participants with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. The primary outcomes included extubation rates, discharges from the hospital and overall mortality, while secondary outcomes were the length of stay and improvement in respiratory and laboratory parameters. Analyses were performed using univariate statistics. Results: The overall mean age of the cohort was 50.0±15.0 years, and 90.4% (n = 85) were males. A total of 77.7% (n = 73) of patients received CP. Those on CP were associated with a higher extubation rate (35.6% vs. 76.2%; p < 0.001), higher extubation/home discharges rate (64.4% vs. 23.8%; p =0.001), and tendency towards lower overall mortality (19.2% vs. 28.6%; p =0.354; study power = 11.0%) when compared to COVID-19 patients that did not receive CP. Conclusions: CP was associated with higher extubation/home discharges and a tendency towards lower overall mortality when compared to those that did not receive CP in COVID-19 patients on MV or in those with ARDS. Further studies are warranted to corroborate our findings.

Chest Radiography Findings of COVID-19 Patients: Differences between the Intubated and Non-intubated Groups

Objectives: We sought to identify the chest radiography differences at presentation between two groups of hospitalized confirmed COVID-19 patients; intubated group compared to non-intubated group. Methods: We retrospectively collected the data of confirmed hospitalized COVID-19 patients at the Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman, from March to April 2020. Radiographic and clinical data were collected from the hospital and radiology information systems and compared between two groups based on intubation status. Results: Twenty-six patients confirmed to have COVID-19 by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction test were included in the study; 15/26 were non-intubated, and 11/26 were intubated. Overall, 88.5% were males in the intubated group. Respiratory symptoms were the most common presentation (84.6%) followed by fever (76.9%), with no statistical difference between the two groups. There was a statistically significant difference in having diabetes mellitus (p = 0.020) in which 8/11 and 4/15 were recorded to have diabetes mellitus in the intubated and non-intubated groups, respectively. Other comorbidities showed no statistically significant difference. The radiographic analysis redemonstrates the peripheral lower zone distribution but no statistically significant difference among the two groups. There were no differences between the intubated and non-intubated chest radiography in laterality involvement, central and peripheral distribution, and lesions type. However, upper zones involvement was more noted in the intubated group with 10/11 (90.9%) compared to 7/15 (46.7%) in non-intubated cases (p = 0.036). There were higher numbers of zone involvement in intubated cases than non-intubated cases: 9/11 (81.8%) of intubated patients had 10–12 areas of involvement on chest radiographs compared to 3/15 (20.0%) in the non-intubated group. Half of the cases were discharged home; 3/11 from the intubated group and 10/15 from the non-intubated group. Five patients died from the intubated group (5/11) versus 3/15 from the non-intubated group. Five patients are still hospitalized (three from the intubated group and two from the non-intubated group). Conclusions: The radiographic findings among intubated and non-intubated hospitalized COVID-19 patients demonstrate differences in the number of zones involved. More upper zone involvement was noted in the intubated group. Male sex and diabetes mellitus carried a poorer prognosis and were more associated with the intubated group.

129 Compliance with The ERAS Protocol Amongst Colorectal Surgery Junior Doctors at Gloucester Royal Hospital

Background Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is an evidence-based protocol aiming to expedite recovery following elective surgical procedures. ERAS has shown to reduce the length of hospital stay, complications, readmissions, and costs. The junior doctor’s role in ERAS centres around admission, preoperative nutritional care, and ERAS compliance. This audit aimed to review prescribing of perioperative nutritional drinks (NutriciaPreop© and Fortisips) and intravenous fluids for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery at Gloucester Royal Hospital. Method An 80% standard was set for this audit. A full audit cycle was completed. Drug and intravenous fluid charts were analysed for correct prescribing of NutriciaPreop© and intravenous fluids pre-operatively, and peri operative Fortisips. Improvement measures included ward posters and education to incoming junior doctors. Results Initial data collection showed that 70% of patients received a correct intravenous fluid prescription pre-operatively. 24% of patients were prescribed NutriciaPreop© and 18% were prescribed Fortisips. During re-auditing intravenous fluids were correctly prescribed in 80% of patients, NutriciaPreop© in 67% of patients and Fortisips in 60%. Conclusions This audit emphasises the importance of good quality inductions for junior doctors and how simple measures improve prescribing of essential peri-operative nutrition. Additionally, the value of multidisciplinary team involvement in junior doctor training has been highlighted.

37 Accuracy of Venous Thromboembolism Risk Assessments in The Trauma and Orthopaedics Wards of The Gloucestershire Royal Hospital

Introduction Venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk assessment is crucial for patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. An accurate risk assessment leads to patient stratification into risk groups for appropriate VTE prophylaxis. Aim To evaluate the accuracy of VTE risk assessment in the orthopaedic wards of the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital (GRH). Method We used the drug charts available on the wards of GRH which follow the NICE Clinical guideline [CG92]. We identified four variables out of the 19 questions that assess thrombosis risk: age, BMI, presence of infection/inflammatory conditions and surgery to the lower limb. Drug charts from the 10th of November to the 15th of November 2020 were assessed for completeness and accuracy. The number and accuracy of drug charts with VTE risk assessments on admission and 24 hours after admission were assessed. Results Fifty-seven drug charts with VTE risk assessments were identified over this period. Only 66.7% of VTE risk assessments were complete on admission and 21.1% were complete 24 hours after admission. Accuracy of assessment on admission was 92.1%, 86.1%, 81.6% and 79.0% for age, BMI, categories of surgery to the lower limbs and presence of inflammation, respectively. Accuracy of assessment at 24 hours was 91.7%, 83.3%, 50.0% and 91.7% for age, BMI, surgery to the lower limbs and presence of infection/inflammation, respectively. Conclusions VTE risk assessment upon admission and at 24 hours is relatively low and needs improvement. A further enquiry is necessary to evaluate the reasons for defective VTE assessment.

1055 Performance of Gastric Bypass vs. Sleeve Gastrectomy in Hypertension Remission

Aim Bariatric surgery is gradually becoming a surgical field of paramount importance to global health. Our aim is to assess the performance of RYGB and SG in achieving remission of hypertension in bariatric patients. Secondarily, we aim to assess how age, gender, referral BMI, severity of hypertension, and association with T2DM, affects hypertension remission rates. Method In this observational, retrospective cohort study, we included 475 out of 505 total bariatric patients operated at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital between 2012 and 2019. Overall, 193 patients (40.6%) where taking anti-hypertensive medications pre-operatively. Hypertensive patients were divided into three categories: Mild (1 anti-hypertensive medication) 44%, moderate (2 anti-hypertensive medications) 39%, and severe (3 or more anti-hypertensive medications) 17%. All patients underwent either a RYGB 52% (101/193) or a SG 48% (92/193). We assessed hypertension remission after 1 and after 2 years. Results Hypertension remission rates post-RYGB where 40.0% after 1 year (38/95), and 43.0% (34/79) after 2 years. Rates post-SG where 40.8% after 1 year (31/76) and 43.1% (22/51) after 2 years. There was no statistically significant difference in hypertension remission rates between RYGB and SG, nor with any of secondary variable, including gender, age, BMI, severity of hypertension and association with T2DM. Conclusions Our data showed no significant difference between RYGB and SG in hypertension remission rates after 1- and 2-years post-procedure. This provides novel insights into the risk-benefit assessment of the bariatric patient, and helps define the SG as a much simpler, cheaper and safer surgical option for bariatric patients with hypertension as their major co-morbidity.

Prevalence and factors associated with missed hospital appointments: a retrospective review of multiple clinics at Royal Hospital, Sultanate of Oman

ObjectivesMissed hospital appointments pose a major challenge for healthcare systems. There is a lack of information about drivers of missed hospital appointments in non-Western countries and extent of variability between different types of clinics. The aim was to evaluate the rate and predictors of missed hospital appointments and variability in drivers between multiple outpatient clinics.SettingOutpatient clinics in the Royal hospital (tertiary referral hospital in Oman) between 2014 and 2018.ParticipantsAll patients with a scheduled outpatient clinic appointment (N=7 69 118).Study designRetrospective cross-sectional analysis.Primary and secondary outcome measuresA missed appointment was defined as a patient who did not show up for the scheduled hospital appointment without notifying or asking for the appointment to be cancelled or rescheduled. The outcomes were the rate and predictors of missed hospital appointments overall and variations by clinic. Conditional logistic regression compared patients who attended and those who missed their appointment.ResultsThe overall rate of missed hospital appointments was 22.3%, which varied between clinics (14.0% for Oncology and 30.3% for Urology). Important predictors were age, sex, service costs, patient’s residence distance from hospital, waiting time and appointment day and season. Substantive variability between clinics in ORs for a missed appointment was present for predictors such as service costs and waiting time. Patients aged 81–90 in the Diabetes and Endocrine clinic had an adjusted OR of 0.53 for missed appointments (95% CI 0.37 to 0.74) while those in Obstetrics and Gynaecology had OR of 1.70 (95% CI 1.11 to 2.59). Adjusted ORs for longer waiting times (>120 days) were 2.22 (95% CI 2.10 to 2.34) in Urology but 1.26 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.36) in Oncology.ConclusionPredictors of a missed appointment varied between clinics in their effects. Interventions to reduce the rate of missed appointments should consider these factors and be tailored to clinic.