ObjectiveTo describe the imaging and clinical features of vaccinia virus induced pneumonia by long-term follow-up.MethodsThe clinical data, imaging features and long-term follow-up of 5 patients with vaccinia virus pneumonia admitted to Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University were analyzed.ResultsAll the 5 patients were male, aged between 21 and 54 years. The latent period of the disease was 2 to 5 days. All the patients had fever and pneumonia, while 3 of them had herpes. Two patients with severe pneumonia showed extensive patchy and nodular shadows in both lungs. Chest CT findings of the other three patients showed scattered small nodules in both lungs. All patients were followed up by telephone every half a year for 3 years. The prognosis of all patients was good. The patients reported in the English literature were clinically clustered, with fever, vomiting and rash as the main symptoms.ConclusionsVaccinia virus may cause different clinical symptoms through different transmission routes, and its infectivity is strong. Biological protection should be strengthened in laboratory and working environment.
Objective To assess the effectiveness and safety of an aerosol inhalation of ambroxol in accessory treatment of pneumonia. Methods Biomedical databases, including MEDLINE, EMbase, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), CBM-disk and CNKI were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs that compare aerosol inhalation of ambroxol with placebo or other aerosol inhalation regimens were collected. A critical quality assessment and Meta-analysis were performed for included studies. Results Thirteen RCTs were included and all of them were carried out in China. None of the trials described the method of randomization, allocation concealment, blind, and follow-up. With Juni scales, 13 trials scored C degree. Compared with the control group, aerosol inhalation of ambroxol improved total improvement rate and symptoms, and shortened hospital stay. Although statistical difference was not found in some comparisons, all trials showed beneficial tendency. We didn’t find any RCTs describing the safety of ambroxol aerosol inhalation. Conclusion Because of the low quality of RCTs on ambroxol aerosol inhalation for pneumonia, no reliable conclusion can be drawn from our Meta-analysis. Well-designed RCTs and economic evaluation are urgently needed to evaluate the value and safety of aerosol inhalation of ambroxol in treating pneumonia.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of influenza pneumonia from 2014 to early 2018.MethodsThe general information, clinical symptoms, laboratory examination and treatment of 69 patients with influenza pneumonia from October 2014 to March 2018 were collected. The clinical characteristics of 32 patients with influenza pneumonia from 2017 to 2018 were compared with 37 patients with influenza pneumonia from 2014 to 2016. The prognostic factors of influenza pneumonia were also investigated.ResultsThe median patient age was 68 (55-78) years, and 41 cases (59.4%) were men in 69 patients. The five most common comorbidities were hypertension (44.9%), diabetes (23.3%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (17.4%), coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (13.0%), and chronic kidney disease (10.1%). The median levels of fasting blood glucose, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin in the patients with influenza pneumonia in 2017-2018 were significantly higher than those in the same period of 2014-2016, which were respectively 7.1 (5.4 - 8.3)mmol/L vs. 5.2 (4.5 - 7.3)mmol/L (P=0.017), 213.0 (98.0 - 320.5)U/L vs. 178 (98.0 - 280.0)U/L (P=0.049), 65.5 (15.4 - 139.8)mg/L vs. 45.5 (14.1 - 75.3)mg/L (P=0.050), 0.66 (0.24 - 1.58)μg/L vs. 0.17 (0.11 - 0.43)μg/L (P=0.004). The proportion of bacterial infection, septic shock, acute renal failure and mortality in the patients with influenza pneumonia in 2017-2018 was higher than that in the 2014-2016 group, which were respectively 40.6% vs. 18.9% (P=0.047), 21.9% vs. 5.4% (P=0.043), 21.9% vs. 2.7% (P=0.035), 31.3% vs. 5.4% (P=0.005). Multivariate analysis showed that numbers of lymphocytes, blood urea nitrogen, and procalcitonin were independent risk factors for mortality in the patients with influenza pneumonia. The odds ratio was respectively 0.001 (95%CI 0.00 - 0.200), 1.342 (95%CI 0.996 - 1.808), 1.113. (95%CI 1.006 - 1.230).ConclusionsCompared with the patients with influenza pneumonia in 2014-2016, the patients in 2017-2018 have higher levels of fasting blood glucose and lactate dehydrogenase, and are also susceptible to secondary bacterial infection, septic shock, and acute renal failure. Decreased lymphocytes, elevated blood urea nitrogen, and elevated procalcitonin are independent risk factors for death in patients with influenza pneumonia.
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), identify the high-risk factors which promoted the disease progression into severe or critical cases, and provide clinical guidance.MethodsNinety-six cases of clinically diagnosed coronavirus disease 2019 were collected and analyzed from General Hospital of the Yangtse River Shipping from January 20 to February 14, 2020. According to clinical classification, those cases were divided into two groups: mild group, including common and mild cases, and severe group including severe and critical cases.ResultsThere were more than half of patients ages>60 years old and severe or critical illness (61.5%, 56.3%), and obese patients accounts for 45.8%, the complication of hypertension accounts for 52.1%. The average time from onset to hospitalization was (6.1±2.6) days, and the average hospitalization days were (15.7±6.3) days. Compared with the mild group, the number of male patients in the severe group was more (57.4% vs. 35.7%, P<0.05), the numbers of elderly patients were larger (77.8% vs. 40.5%, P<0.01), and more obese peoples (55.6% vs. 33.3%, P<0.05). Cough symptom was more common in clinical presentation in the severe group (81.5% vs. 61.9%, P< 0.05). Patients with the complication of hypertension or diabetes occupied a higher proportion in the severe group, which were 64.8% vs. 35.7% and 35.2% vs. 14.3% (P< 0.05), respectively. And the rate of hypoxemia in admission of the severe group was significantly higher (79.6% vs. 9.5%, P< 0.01).ConclusionsThe cases of ages>60 years old and severe or critical illness in coronavirus disease 2019 occupy a higher proportion, and the complication of hypertension accounts for high proportion. Men, ages>60 years old, obese, coughing symptoms, with hypertension and / or diabetes, hypoxemia upon admission are high risk factors for progression into severe and critical cases.
ObjiectiveTo obtain reliable evidence of diagnosis and treatment through evaluating the validity of pneumonia severity index (PSI), CURB-65 and acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ(APACHEⅡ) scores in predicting risk stratification, severity evaluation and prognosis in elderly community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients.MethodsClinical and demographic data were collected and retrospectively analyzed in 125 in-hospital patients with CAP admitted in Shanghai Dahua Hospital from January 2012 to April 2015. The severity of pneumonia was calculated with PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡgroups during 1 to 3 days after admission. Mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates were evaluated among patients in each scores and was categorized into three classes, namely mild, moderate and severe groups during 1 to 3 days after admission. Mortality and ICU admission rates were evaluated among patients in each severity level. Through evaluating the sensitivity, specificity, the predicting values and the area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) among PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ, the validity and consistency of these three scoring systems were assessed.ResultsUsing PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ scoring systems, the patients were categorized into mild severity (48.8%, 64.0% and 52.8%, respectively), moderate severity (37.6%, 23.2% and 32.0%, respectively) and severe severity (13.6%, 12.8% and 15.2%, respectively). In PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ systems, the mortality in high risk groups was 41.3%, 62.5% and 47.4%, respectively; The ICU-admission rate in high risk groups was 88.3%, 100.0% and 94.7%, respectively. The sensitivity of PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ was 50.0%, 71.4% and 64.3% in predicting mortality, and was 46.8%, 50.0% and 59.3% in predicting ICU-admission, respectively. PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ showed similar specificity (approximately 90%) in predicting mortality and ICU admission. ROC was conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of PSI, APACHEⅡ and CURB-65 in predicting mortality and ICU admission. The AUC had no significant difference among these three scoring systems. The AUC of PSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡwas 0.893, 0.871, 0.880, respectively for predicting mortality, and was 0.949, 0.837, 0.949, respectively for predicting ICU admission. There was no significant difference among these three scoring in predicting mortality and ICU admission (all P>0.05).ConclusionsPSI, CURB-65 and APACHEⅡ performed similarly and achieved high predictive values in elderly patients with CAP. The three scoring systems are consistent in predicting mortality risk in elderly CAP patients. The CURB-65 is more sensitive in predicting the risk of death, and more early in identifing patients with high risk of death. The APACHEⅡ is more sensitive in predicting the risk of ICU admission, and has good value in identifying severe patients and choosing the right treatment sites.
ObjectiveTo analyze the risk factors for post-thymectomy myasthenic crisis (PTMC) and prolonged mechanical ventilation, in myasthenia gravis patients who underwent extended thymectomy. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 79 patients including 38 males and 41 females who experienced PTMC and required mechanical ventilation in Daping Hospital between June 2008 and November 2014. Single factor analysis and multivariate analysis were conducted. ResultsMorbidity of PTMC was 20.6% (79/384). Result of single-factor analysis showed that postoperative pneumonia was one of the main reasons of prolonged mechanical ventilation (P < 0.05). Result of multiple-factor analysis showed that the operation time was positively correlated with mechanical ventilation time (P < 0.05). The risk factor of prolonged mechanical ventilation time in PTMC was not associated with sex, age, disease history, myasthenic crisis history, Osserman classification, dosage of pyridostigmine before and after the operation, surgical approach, bleeding volume, other therapies besides mechanical ventilation (P > 0.05). ConclusionMechanical ventilation is one the main therapy of PTMC, operation time, and postoperative pneumonia are the main factors to prolong mechanical ventilation time. In order to decrease morbidity of PTMC and shorten mechanical ventilation time, the operation time should be controlled and pulmonary infection should be avoided.
Objective To investigate the values of pneumonia severity index ( PSI) , CURB-65,plasma procalcitonin ( PCT) , C-reactive protein ( CRP) measurements for evaluation the severity of healthcare-associated pneumonia ( HCAP) .Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted on 92 hospitalized patients with HCAP admitted between June 2010 and December 2011. They were divided into different groups according to different severity assessment criteria. The variance and correlation of PCT,CRP,WBC and percent of neutrophil ( Neu% ) levels were compared among different groups. ROC curvewas established to analyze PSI, CURB-65, PCT and CRP levels for predicting the motality of HCAP patients.Results In the severe HCAP group, PSI and CURB-65 scoring and serum PCT, CRP, WBC, Neu% levels were significantly higher than those in the non-severe HCAP group( P lt; 0. 05) . In the high-risk HCAP group, PCT, CRP, WBC and Neu% levels were significantly higher than those in the low-risk HCAP group according to the PSI and CURB-65 scoring criteria( P lt;0. 05) .WBC and Neu% levels were also significantly higher than those in the moderate-risk group. PSI and CURB-65 scoring were positively correlated with PCT and CRP levels. PSI scoring gt;120 points or CURB-65 scoring gt;2 points on admission were predictors of mortality. Conclusions PSI and CURB-65 scoring are correlated with severity of HCAP. Combining serum PCT and CRP levels can improve the predictive accuracy of the severity of HCAP.
After the occurrence of public health emergencies, as the most direct front position, how to carry out medical treatment orderly, effectively, rapidly and safely in a short time has become the focus and difficulty of epidemic control. After the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia (2019-nCoV), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, as a large-scale general hospital under the supervision of the CPC central committee, put people's life safety and health first, and attach great importance to the prevention and control of the epidemic. This paper introduces the ten measures taken by West China Hospital of Sichuan University to fight against the 2019-nCoV pneumonia, in order to provide reference for other hospitals.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the value of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), ferritin, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation product (FDP), white blood cell (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in diagnosis and prognosis of severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP).MethodsThis was a prospective observational study. One hundred and seventy-seven candidates were divided into 3 groups: SCAP group including 61 SCAP patients, CAP group including 56 patients with normal community-acquired pneumonia group and HP group including 60 healthy people. Initial level of above biomarkers was compared and analyzed in the three groups. Then the efficiency of diagnosing and predicting the outcome of SCAP by single and combined index were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Meanwhile the patients in SCAP group were divided into two groups according to the CEA level named CEA increasing group and normal group, between which the differences in prognosis and biomarker level were compared.ResultsThe initial level of all biomarkers increased in two pneumonia groups and exceeded the HP group (P< 0.01) while between SCAP and CAP groups, all indexes in SCAP group were higher than the CAP group (P< 0.001). The areas under the ROC of CEA, ferritin, D-dimer, CRP, WBC and united respectively were 0.800, 0.834, 0.769, 0.898, 0.756 and 0.956. The sensitivity of united index was 91.8% while specificity was 90.5%. Among SCAP group, only CEA level made sense to predict the prognosis (P< 0.01). There were significant differences in intubation rate, mortality, length of RICU stay and FDP, D-dimer between CEA increasing group and normal group (P< 0.05).ConclusionsHigh level CEA, ferritin, D-dimer, CRP and WBC have significant value in diagnosis of SCAP. And the combined index has higher diagnostic value than single one. SCAP with increased CEA level indicates more serious condition and poor prognosis.
ObjectiveTo explore the clinical features, etiological characteristics of co-infections in adult patients with rhinovirus pneumonia.MethodsFourty-nine patients admitted to hospitals for rhinovirus pneumonia were enrolled from 8 medical centers in mainland China between August 2016 and August 2018. Multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for viral detection were implemented to all bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimens obtained from the patients. The patients were divided into two groups depending on the status of other etiology co-infection (simple rhinovirus pneumonia group, n=24; coinfections group, n=25). The general data were collected, age, gender, underlying diseases, corticosteroids, symptoms, disease severity, imaging manifestations, etiology, whether patients with respiratory failure, mechanical ventilation, whether the application of vasoactive drugs, antibiotics application, hospital mortality rate of the two groups were reviewed and compared in detail.ResultsThirteen patients (26.5%) with rhinovirus pneumonia had no underlying diseases, 8 patients (16.3%) with chronic underlying lung diseases, 6 patients (12.2%) with diabetes mellitus, 10 patients (20.4%) were immunocompromised patients, 16 patients (32.7%) with respiratory failure, and the hospital mortality rate was 8.2% (4/49). Cases with coinfection were remarkably correlated with more cerebrovascular diseases and disturbance of consciousness, higher PSI score and higher ratio of CURB-65 score >1, more respiratory failure and hospital mortality than those of simple rhinovirus pneumonia group (P< 0.05). There were 25 cases (51.0%) with mixed infection, including 18 bacteria (36.7%), 12 viruses (24.5%), 12 (24.5%) fungi (pneumocystis, aspergillus). Enterobacter and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were most frequently identified bacteria in the viral-bacterial group. Four patients with coinfections died.ConclusionsRhinovirus pneumonia in adult patients often has underlying diseases, and is prone to coinfections (bacteria, fungi, and other viruses). The outcome of these patients is always poor.