Background: Cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 during their active anticancer treatment represent a highly vulnerable population. We aimed this investigation to show clinical features and outcomes of the patients who had mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms or were asymptomatic at the admission to the COVID Center. Patients and methods: The retrospective study included 25 cancer patients confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 within seven days of their last anticancer treatment. Clinical data were collected from medical records and processed by methods of descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Patients’ mean age was 68.1±10.4 years. More than 2/3 of the patients were with ECOG PS 0 and 1, and about 4/5 of patients were in III or IV cancer stage. The most frequently applied types of therapy were radiotherapy and combined radio/chemotherapy. Eleven (44.0%) patients had bilateral while 4 (16%) had unilateral pneumonia. The most frequent symptoms were fever (72%), fatigue (72%), dyspnea (32%), and cough (32%). 1/5 of the patients needed oxygen support. Mean neutrophil (2.6±1.2), lymphocyte (0.9±0.6) and platelets (200.1±88.1) number significantly increased from admission to discharge (p=0.004, p=0.005, p<0.001). Median CRP significantly decreased from 40.4 (6.2-96.2) at admission to 11.35 (3.75-27.65) at discharge (p=0.008). Twenty-four patients were cured, and one patient died. Naso-pharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 clearance time was 19.4±6.9 days; the minimum was seven, and the maximum was 39 days. Conclusion: Cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 during active anticancer treatment can successfully overcome COVID-19 without developing further respiratory or other complications during hospitalization. An increase in lymphocyte and neutrophil counts, with a decrease in CRP, may be markers of a favorable prognosis.
Introduction: Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, which is characterized by remitting and relapsing episodes, and commonly affects younger than 30. Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) and ultrasound (US) are taking the leading role over colonoscopy and computed tomography (CT) in diagnostics, initial estimation of Crohn's disease and monitoring of activity, detection and evaluation of complications. Aim: To examine sensitivity (SE), specificity (SP), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) of US and MRE in diagnosis of Crohn's disease. Also, to examine overall diagnostic value of MRE comparing morphological and functional parameters with endoscopic findings. Material and methods: 40 patients were observed from the end of year 2009 to the end of 2016. Diagnosed patients with clinical and laboratory findings were sent for US and MRE examination. US evaluated wall thickness, mesenteric fibrofatty proliferation and enlargement of mesenteric lymph nodes. Beside this, MRE also evaluated bowel wall enhancement and layered enhancement pattern. Results: Overall diagnostic value of morphological and functional parameters on the MRE has a SE of 58.3% and SP of 100% if we want to confirm the diagnosis, and SE 87.5% and SP of 80% if we want to exclude the diagnosis. There was statistically significant correlation between the increased wall thickness and the accumulation of fat in the mesentery on MRE, and the gold standard (colonoscopy/histopathology, clinical presentation and laboratory findings).Correlation between results on US and MRE shows statistical significance in diagnostics of Crohn's disease in ileum, terminal ileum, Bauchini valve and cecum, ascendant colon in children. It showed high specificity (SP) for both diagnostic procedures in almost all segments (maximum value 94,7%). Sensitivity (SE) varied from 0 to 83,3% in different bowel segments. Conclusion: Our study showed that it is reliable to use MRE and US to exclude those who don't have Crohn's disease. Also, combination of morphological and functional parameters on MRE could be used in confirming and monitoring Crohn's disease.
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