Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and pathogen distribution of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) combined with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), based on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) test. Methods In this cross-sectional study, CAP patients with BALF mNGS test were screened from April 2023 to April 2024. The patients were divided into a single CAP group (CAP group) and a CAP combine with T2DM group (CAP+T2DM group). The data of demographics, underlying diseases, complications, and laboratory tests including blood routine, inflammatory parameters, liver and renal functions, random blood glucose (RGB), hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), and BALF mNGS tests were collected and compared between the two groups. Results Ultimately, 86 patients were included, with 45 in the CAP group and 41 in the CAP+T2DM group. Compared with the CAP group, the CAP+T2DM group had higher platelet count [(272.44±128.57)×109/L vs. (215.00±100.06)×109/L], erythrocyte sedimentation rate [(75.63±35.19) vs. (59.69±34.47) mm/h], RGB [10.8 (9.1, 13.5) vs. 6.5 (5.8, 7.8) mmol/L], HbA1c [8.2% (7.3%, 8.5%) vs. 5.7% (5.5%, 6.1%)], and fungi infection rate (65.9% vs. 40.0%), and the differences were statistically significant between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion CAP patients with T2DM have increased levels of platelet and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and are at higher risk for fungi infection, which potentially leads to worse outcome.
Objective Since the first case of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus infection in humans identified in Suining, Sichuan province on January 25th, 2017, there were other five severely ill patients confirmed in the following 3 weeks. It is urgent to find out the common clinical characters of these patients, so that to make sure the optimal ways for early diagnosis and treatment for H7N9 virus infection in community hospitals or primary hospitals as soon as possible. Methods The early symptoms, the data of early laboratory findings, the early imaging study, the early process of diagnosis and treatment of these six patients were collected and analyzed. Results All six patients had high fever, dry cough, hypocalcemia, and hypophosphatemia, with advanced CT image lesions manifested as consolidation and ground-grass opacity in bilateral lower lung lobes. Some patients had typically leukopenia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia. And most of them had a history of direct exposure to live poultry before complaining of flu-like syndromes. However, the flu can not be effectively controlled by routine anti-infection. Conclusion The human infection with H7N9 virus can be early identified by combining the epidemiology of live poultry exposure, the symptoms of high fever, dry cough, dramatical leukopenia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, the typical CT image, and the rapidly worsen clinical condition.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of low-to-moderate doses of corticosteroids on human infections with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus, and explore when to initiate the treatment of corticosteroids and the duration of corticosteroids administration.MethodsThe study collected clinical data of 8 cases with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus infection admitted from January 25, 2017 to May 12, 2017. The final analysis included 5 severe patients who had received adjuvant corticosteroid treatment. The variation curves of WBC, CRP, PCT, CK, HBDH, LDH, temperature, ratio of SpO2/FiO2 were depicted and analyzed. The progress of clinical improvements, deterioration and prognosis were observed and discussed.ResultsThere were 1 female and 4 males in the 5 included patients with a median age of 58.0 years, among them 3 survived. The median time of illness onset to hospitalization and diagnosis confirmed were 4 days and 8 days respectively; the median duration of hospitalization to admission to infective ICU were 3 days. The first course of adjuvant corticosteroid treatment was initiated 11 days (median) after admission with a duration of 4 days (median), during which, the serum levels of HBDH and LDH decreased remarkably except the patient 3, and the oxygenation (SpO2/FiO2) improved except the patient 3. The second course of systemic administration of corticosteroid was given at a median of 26.5 days after admission with a duration of 9 days (median), during which, the patients survived with improved oxygenation (SpO2/FiO2), and weaned from mechanical ventilation.ConclusionsFor patients suffered severe human infection with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus, low-to-moderate doses of corticosteroids may decrease the level of inflammation, regulate the aberrant immune response, improve the oxygenation, make an early unassisted breathing. And corticosteroids treatment can be initiated at the time of disease deterioration, after/at the peak inflammatory response, and within 10-14 days of ARDS. Also, the adjuvant corticosteroids may be administered when oxygenation is dificult to be improved by other ways, or dificult to be liberated from mechanical ventilation, suffering severe septic shock, and refractory fever. And the duration of corticosteroids may be prolonged to 10-14 days, or until the higher level of HBDH and LDH decreased again.