Background In hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, progression to acute respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Severe dysregulated systemic inflammation is the putative mechanism. We hypothesize that early prolonged methylprednisolone (MP) treatment could accelerate disease resolution, decreasing the need for ICU and mortality. Methods We conducted a multicenter, observational study to explore the association between exposure to prolonged, low-dose, MP treatment and need for ICU referral, intubation or death within 28 days (composite primary endpoint) in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to Italian respiratory high-dependency units. Secondary outcomes were invasive MV-free days and changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Results Findings are reported as MP (n=83) vs. control (n=90). The composite primary endpoint was met by 19 vs. 40 [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.24-0.72]. Transfer to ICU and need for invasive MV was necessary in 15 vs. 27 (p=0.07) and 14 vs. 26 (p=0.10), respectively. By day 28, the MP group had fewer deaths (6 vs. 21, adjusted HR=0.29; 95% CI: 0.12-0.73) and more days off invasive MV (24.0 ± 9.0 vs. 17.5 ± 12.8; p=0.001). Study treatment was associated with rapid improvement in PaO2:FiO2 and CRP levels. The complication rate was similar for the two groups (p=0.84). Conclusion In patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, early administration of prolonged MP treatment was associated with a significantly lower hazard of death (71%) and decreased ventilator dependence. Treatment was safe and did not impact viral clearance. A large RCT (RECOVERY trial) has been performed that validates these findings. Clinical trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04323592

Background In hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, progression to acute respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Severe dysregulated systemic inflammation is the putative mechanism. We hypothesize that early prolonged methylprednisolone (MP) treatment could accelerate disease resolution, decreasing the need for ICU and mortality. Methods We conducted a multicenter, observational study to explore the association between exposure to prolonged, low-dose, MP treatment and need for ICU referral, intubation or death within 28 days (composite primary endpoint) in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to Italian respiratory high-dependency units. Secondary outcomes were invasive MV-free days and changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Results Findings are reported as MP (n=83) vs. control (n=90). The composite primary endpoint was met by 19 vs. 40 [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.24-0.72]. Transfer to ICU and need for invasive MV was necessary in 15 vs. 27 (p=0.07) and 14 vs. 26 (p=0.10), respectively. By day 28, the MP group had fewer deaths (6 vs. 21, adjusted HR=0.29; 95% CI: 0.12-0.73) and more days off invasive MV (24.0 plus-or-minus sign 9.0 vs. 17.5 plus-or-minus sign 12.8; p=0.001). Study treatment was associated with rapid improvement in PaO2:FiO2 and CRP levels. The complication rate was similar for the two groups (p=0.84). Conclusion In patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, early administration of prolonged MP treatment was associated with a significantly lower hazard of death (71%) and decreased ventilator dependence. Randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings.

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Background Early detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2)‐infected patients who could develop a severe form of COVID‐19 must be considered of great importance to carry out adequate care and optimise the use of limited resources. Aims To use several machine learning classification models to analyse a series of non‐critically ill COVID‐19 patients admitted to a general medicine ward to verify if any clinical variables recorded could predict the clinical outcome. Methods We retrospectively analysed non‐critically ill patients with COVID‐19 admitted to the general ward of the hospital in Pordenone from 1 March 2020 to 30 April 2020. Patients' characteristics were compared based on clinical outcomes. Through several machine learning classification models, some predictors for clinical outcome were detected. Results In the considered period, we analysed 176 consecutive patients admitted: 119 (67.6%) were discharged, 35 (19.9%) dead and 22 (12.5%) were transferred to intensive care unit. The most accurate models were a random forest model (M2) and a conditional inference tree model (M5) (accuracy = 0.79; 95% confidence interval 0.64–0.90, for both). For M2, glomerular filtration rate and creatinine were the most accurate predictors for the outcome, followed by age and fraction‐inspired oxygen. For M5, serum sodium, body temperature and arterial pressure of oxygen and inspiratory fraction of oxygen ratio were the most reliable predictors. Conclusions In non‐critically ill COVID‐19 patients admitted to a medical ward, glomerular filtration rate, creatinine and serum sodium were promising predictors for the clinical outcome. Some factors not determined by COVID‐19, such as age or dementia, influence clinical outcomes.

Lung abscess is defined as the necrosis of lung tissue with cavity formation due to varied etiology. The treatment of lung abscesses is medical involving antibiotics and chest physiotherapy. The failure of medical line of management requires an invasive surgical or percutaneous approach for drainage and control of infection. While the literature is ample regarding the surgical approach, it is rather scarce on the percutaneous approach. The percutaneous drainage has been most studied with computed tomography guidance. With our case series we describe to the treatment of lung abscesses non-responsive to medical management, by a bedside minimally invasive ultrasound or fluoroscopy guided percutaneous drainage approach.

The evaluation of pleural diseases has been well established. If pleurocentensis is non-diagnostic, the second investigation depending upon availability could be either closed pleural biopsy or image guided pleural biopsy or thoracoscopic pleural biopsy (medical or surgical). Pleural disease presenting as thickness/mass/nodule in the mediastinum is difficult to access through ultrasound or computed tomography and will need thoracoscopy. Thoracoscopy is an invasive procedure which can be difficult to perform in localized mediastinal pleural disease without effusion or poor health condition not suitable for general anesthesia. An alternative method that can be utilized is sampling of pleural lesion through convex probe endobronchial ultrasound (CEBUS) either through the central large airways or from esophagus if the lesions are in proximity. We present our center’s experience in diagnosing pleural lesion using C-EBUS in 4 patients along with review of the literature.

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