Background: Most of severe COVID-19 patients who survive the intensive care remain mechanically ventilated and require weaning and further rehabilitation. Objectives: This study compares the characteristics and outcomes of severe mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients admitted to a weaning facility. In addition, the study describes patterns of weaning experienced during the three waves of COVID-19 in Israel. Methods: Clinical, demographic and outcome data was gathered retrospectively for 70 severe mechanically ventilated patients. Univariate analysis was performed to explain the variability in outcome variables. Results: Weaning success was 94% with mean weaning duration of 13±17 days. None of the demographic and clinical variables examined influenced the weaning duration, however patients with morbid obesity and/or diabetes were found to have shorter total duration on mechanical ventilation, hereby suggesting the presence of an obesity paradox. Extra corporal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was used in 29% of the patients, and didn't influence the weaning duration in spite being associated with higher rate of pleural complication. There were three main weaning patterns seen in different overlapping levels in the cohort patients: low capacity extra pulmonary pattern, fibrotic-bullosic pulmonary injury pattern and nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis pattern. Conclusions: The current study shows a high success rate of weaning, independent on comorbidities and previous ECMO use.
ObjectiveThe use of chemoradiation in patients with stage IVB cancer of the cervix was evaluated to determine if definitive treatment offers benefit.MethodsA database of 546 patients with cancer of the cervix treated between January 2005 and May 2021 at a tertiary academic medical center was reviewed retrospectively to identify patients with stage IVB disease. Log rank test, regression analysis, and the Kaplan–Meier method were used to identify and compare variables and estimate progression free survival and overall survival.ResultsThirty-three patients with stage IVB cervical cancer were identified. Median age was 53 years (range 28–78). Pathology subtypes were squamous cell (n=22, 67%), adenocarcinoma (n=8, 24%), and clear cell (n=3, 9%). Metastases were classified as lymphatic (n=14, 42%) or hematogenous (n=19, 58%). Following treatment to all sites with chemoradiotherapy and selected use of surgery (n=23), six patients (26%, lymphatic n=4, hematogenous n=2) remained disease free for a median duration of 4 years (range 3–17 years). Recurrences in the remaining patients were distant (n=13) or local (n=4). All patients in the chemotherapy group (n=10, 100%) progressed. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that median progression free survival was longer for patients treated at all disease sites than for patients treated with chemotherapy alone (19 vs 11 months, p=0.01). However, this was not the case for overall survival (49 vs 33 months, p=0.15). Patients with metastases limited to lymph nodes also had longer median progression free survival (22 vs 11 months, p=0.04) but not overall survival (p=0.68).ConclusionsPatients with stage IVB cancer of the cervix may benefit from treatment to all sites of disease, if feasible and safe, as demonstrated by improved progression free survival.
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