Background
For various types of cancer in oncologic patients, the clinical features of pulmonary embolism (PE) are unknown. The purpose of the study is to identify pulmonary embolism incidence and type among oncologic patients along with evaluating any associated clinical variables.
Patients and methods
A prospective cohort study was conducted on 540 patients who had various types of cancers and attended to a 1-day care unit of oncology in King Fahd Hospital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Chest CT with contrast and CT pulmonary angiography was applied when indicated.
Results
This study was conducted on 540 patients who have different types of cancers; among them, 24 (4.44%) developed PE. Pulmonary embolism was reported in 50% of patients who had seminoma and germ cell tumor, while in cancer larynx, it was represented in 33.4% of them. Moreover, PE was less common among patients who had cancer colon, prostate, and breast (6.68%, 4.7%, and 2.54%, respectively). Seven patients with PE (1.3%) were diagnosed incidentally during cancer staging, while 17 patients (3.14%) had symptomatic PE. Eighty-four percent of the PE cases were diagnosed within the first 6 months of cancer diagnosis, while 4/24 (16%) of the PE cases were diagnosed throughout patient follow-up within the first year of diagnosis. Chest pain and dyspnea were the common presentations in confirmed PE either symptomatic or incidental group.
Conclusions
Low-risk PE was the most frequent degree; massive and sub-massive PE was uncommon in oncologic patients. Dyspnea and chest discomfort are concerning signs of PE in cancer. Meticulous care during the first 6 months for cancer patients to pick up pulmonary embolism is recommended.
Background
Sino-nasal mucormycosis is an opportunistic, invasive fungal disease which has shown a rising trend in the setting of COVID-19. The objective of this study is to document and analyze demographic data, clinical presentation and MR imaging spectra for early detection and management of post-COVID-19 sino-nasal mucormycosis.
Results
Sixty-two cases of sino-nasal mucormycosis were enrolled in this study; their mean age was 50.65 ± 8.25 years, with significant female predominance. Nine patients (14.5%) had active COVID-19 and 53 (85.5%) were recent COVID-19 cases. Sixty patients have not received COVID-19 vaccine. The mean duration from the initial COVID-19 laboratory confirmation to the detection of sino-nasal mucormycosis was 25.7 +/− 4.6 days. Thirty-five patients (56.5%) were kept in the hospital for COVID management and 4 of them received intensive care unit (ICU) treatment. Twenty-seven patients (43.5%) were treated in home isolation. Corticosteroids were administered in 48 cases (77.4%). Twenty-nine patients (46.8%) had been given oxygen for an average time of 11.2 ± 4.15 days. Diabetes was found in 56 cases (90.3%). The most common clinical symptoms were headache, seen in 52 patients (83.87%). The ethmoid sinus was the most common paranasal sinus involved in our study, seen in 47 cases (75.81%). In 36 cases (58%), multiple sinuses were involved. MRI staging according to the extent of regional involvement. Stage 1 seen in 2 cases (3.23%), stage 2 in 13 cases (20.97%), stage 3 in 35 cases (56.45%) and stage 4 in 12 cases (19.35%).
Conclusions
MRI shows a spectrum of findings in sino-nasal mucormycosis. Imaging plays a major role in staging and assessing the extent of involvement and complications. In light of this, mortality and morbidity can be dramatically decreased with adequate evaluation and therapy.
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