The Laboratory Diagnostic Profile of SARS−CoV−2 (COVID−19) Patients & Associated Factors

Intubation of a patient with temporomandibular joint ankylosis is a challenge for every anaesthesiologist. Dependable anaesthetic technique is most desired by all anaesthesiologists. The purpose of the present article is to have a brief overview of temporomandibular joint ankylosis, its clinical features, management and to review literature demonstrating various intubation techniques available to an anaesthesiologist while managing patients with temporomandibular joint ankylosis.

Tumor Necrosis Factor-Like Weak Inducer of Apoptosis and Selected Cytokines—Potential Biomarkers in Children with Solitary Functioning Kidney

This study was performed to explore serum tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) and its dependent cytokines urinary excretion: monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted chemokine (RANTES) with their relation to the kidney function parameters in children with solitary functioning kidney (SFK). The study included 80 children and adolescents (median age 9.75 year) with congenital and acquired (after surgical removal) SFK. Serum TWEAK and urinary MCP-1 and RANTES levels were significantly higher in SFK patients (p < 0.05). The serum TWEAK was positively related to serum creatinine (r = 0.356; p < 0.001). Moreover, in SFK the receiver operating characteristic analyses revealed good diagnostic profile for serum TWEAK with AUC (Area Under The Curve)—0.853, uRANTES—0.757, and for RANTES/cr.: AUC—0.816. Analysis carried out to identify children with impaired renal function (albuminuria and/or decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate < 90 mL/min/1.73 m2 and/or hypertension) showed good profile for TWEAK (AUC—0.79) and quite good profile for uRANTES and RANTES/cr. (AUC 0.66 and 0.631, respectively). This is the first study investigating serum TWEAK and urinary excretion of MCP-1 and RANTES together in children with SFK. Obtained results indicate that TWEAK and RANTES may serve as potential markers of renal impairment.

HEMOPHAGOCYTOSIS BY BLASTS IN A CHILD WITH ACUTE MONOCYTIC LEUKEMIA AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the case of a child who presented hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) associated with acute monocytic leukemia after chemotherapy, with hemophagocytosis caused by leukemic cells. Case description: In a university hospital in Southern Brazil, a 3-year-old female was diagnosed with acute monocytic leukemia with normal karyotype. The chemotherapy regimen was initiated, and she achieved complete remission six months later, relapsing after four months with a complex karyotype involving chromosomes 8p and 16q. The bone marrow showed vacuolated blasts with a monocytic aspect and evidence of hemophagocytosis. The child presented progressive clinical deterioration and died two months after the relapse. Comments: HLH is a rare and aggressive inflammatory condition characterized by cytopenias, hepatosplenomegaly, fever, and hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, and liver. Although rare, malignancy-associated HLH (M-HLH) is fatal. The patient in this case report met five out of the eight established criteria for HLH. The evolution of the patient’s karyotype, regardless of the diagnostic profile, seemed secondary to the treatment for acute monocytic leukemia. In this case, the cytogenetic instability might have influenced the abnormal behavior of leukemic cells. This is a rare case of HLH in a child with acute monocytic leukemia.

Organizational diagnostics of the farm

In this paper is transformation of traditional organizational diagnostics for the use organizations in the field of agribusiness. The transformation of the methodology is necessary due to the peculiarities of the functional zones of the farm, associated with a limited number of human resources in the state of such an organization, taking into account the fact that each unit of the state will have expanded professional competencies to overlap the functionality of the main organizational zones. The paper uses a methodology for developing diagnostic tables that reveal the degree of severity of the main characteristics with the development of an individual typology for the farm, which allows to identify the root problems of the activity; a diagnostic profile is built, the correlation of the identified problems is carried out using expert analysis. In the course of the work, six key functional zones were identified, the analysis of which allows us to diagnose the state of the farm at the current time and formulate the degree of problems and the presence of bottlenecks that require operational management influence. The algorithm developed in this paper is universal for conducting a comprehensive analysis and diagnosis of the state of farming.

Clinical and Diagnostic Profile and Management of Inferior Vena Cava Obstruction- A Descriptive Study at a Tertiary Care Centre, Hyderabad

Introduction: Obstruction to hepatic venous outflow is a rare disease with a potentially fatal outcome, if not recognised and managed promptly. The level of obstruction can vary, anywhere from the small hepatic venules to the entry point of the Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) into the right atrium. The original patients that Budd-Chiari described had acute hepatic vein thrombosis but this syndrome now encompasses various hepatic venous outflow blocks, of which a membrane in the IVC is the most common anatomical form of obstruction. Pure IVC obstruction is commonly seen among Asians. Aim: To study the clinical and diagnostic profile of patients presenting with IVC obstruction and to evaluate the treatment efficacy and safety of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Materials and Methods: For this prospective, descriptive study, from November 2015 to August 2019, a total of 21 patients were admitted with obstruction of hepatic venous flow. Most of the patients were young adults. Clinical features, aetiologies and coagulation profiles were studied. Ascites, pain abdomen and pedal oedema were common presentations. Diagnosis was established by clinical examination and was confirmed by ultrasound-doppler study, computed tomography and conventional angiography. Statistical analysis was done by using statistical package for social sciences IBM SPSS statistics for Windows, version 20.0. The data were expressed as percentages of study population while, continuous data were expressed as mean±standard deviation. Results: The mean age of the population was 24.7±2.9 years, with a female preponderance. (male: female=1:2). IVC angiography was done in 15 patients. Seven of the 15 patients had diffuse narrowing of IVC. Eight patients had focal or segmental narrowing of IVC, among them seven patients underwent Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty (PTA) with stenting. The venous access was obtained from femoral vein. The stenoses were crossed with either guide wire or Brocken brough needle with Mullins sheath. Three patients did not need predilatation. In four patients, obstructed IVC was dilated with Inoue balloon and then self-expanding stents were placed. Success was achieved in all cases, with significant drop in the pressure gradients from 20±5 mmHg before procedure to 3±2 mmHg immediately after the procedure. After PTA, all seven patients had either total relief or decrease of symptoms and clinical signs of hepatic venous obstruction. No major complications were observed and no repeat interventions were required. The mean postprocedural follow-up was six months that showed good outcomes with good stent patency. Conclusion: Chronic obstruction of IVC presents with abdominal pain, progressive ascites and portal hypertension in young adults, with mild abnormality of liver function tests. The IVC obstruction can be due to an obstructive membrane or segmental stenosis or diffuse narrowing of IVC. PTA with stenting can be done safely and it effectively relieves the symptoms and venous congestion and can be considered as the first line decompressive procedure in patients with IVC stenosis.