3b Laryngoscope, 127:2375-2381, 2017.

Objective The aims of this study were to develop a multiparametric prognostic model for death in COVID-19 patients and to assess the incremental value of CT disease extension over clinical parameters. Methods Consecutive patients who presented to all five of the emergency rooms of the Reggio Emilia province between February 27 and March 23, 2020, for suspected COVID-19, underwent chest CT, and had a positive swab within 10 days were included in this retrospective study. Age, sex, comorbidities, days from symptom onset, and laboratory data were retrieved from institutional information systems. CT disease extension was visually graded as < 20%, 20–39%, 40–59%, or ≥ 60%. The association between clinical and CT variables with death was estimated with univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models; model performance was assessed using k -fold cross-validation for the area under the ROC curve (cvAUC). Results Of the 866 included patients (median age 59.8, women 39.2%), 93 (10.74%) died. Clinical variables significantly associated with death in multivariable model were age, male sex, HDL cholesterol, dementia, heart failure, vascular diseases, time from symptom onset, neutrophils, LDH, and oxygen saturation level. CT disease extension was also independently associated with death (HR = 7.56, 95% CI = 3.49; 16.38 for ≥ 60% extension). cvAUCs were 0.927 (bootstrap bias-corrected 95% CI = 0.899–0.947) for the clinical model and 0.936 (bootstrap bias-corrected 95% CI = 0.912–0.953) when adding CT extension. Conclusions A prognostic model based on clinical variables is highly accurate in predicting death in COVID-19 patients. Adding CT disease extension to the model scarcely improves its accuracy. Key Points • Early identification of COVID-19 patients at higher risk of disease progression and death is crucial; the role of CT scan in defining prognosis is unclear. • A clinical model based on age, sex, comorbidities, days from symptom onset, and laboratory results was highly accurate in predicting death in COVID-19 patients presenting to the emergency room. • Disease extension assessed with CT was independently associated with death when added to the model but did not produce a valuable increase in accuracy. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00330-021-07993-9.

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.

3483 Defibrotide (DF) has been shown to be effective in the treatment and prophylaxis of the veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver, a relatively common complication after allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT). We report our experience in 46 consecutive adult patients (pts). The pts (mean age 41 yrs, range 16–66) were affected by leukemia (22), lymphoma (15), multiple myeloma (4), myelodisplasia (2), solid tumor (2), Fanconi anemia (1). Risk factors for VOD were: resistant disease 9, previous transplant 8, B virus hepatitis 6, liver metastases 1, lymphoma of the liver 1, increased transaminases before conditioning 7. All were transplanted from their HLA-identical siblings; the conditioning regimen was reduced in 17, while it was conventional in 29. All the pts received a combination of drugs as conditioning regimen, 23 of them received Busulfan and 8 of them oral Busulfan. 15 received bone marrow and 31 peripheral blood as source of stem cells. None was T-cell depleted; the GVHD prophylaxis regimen was: CsA alone or combined with MTX 45, FK506+MTX 1. For VOD prophylaxis no heparin was administered, while DF was given at the dose of 10 mg/Kg in continuous iv infusion starting on day +1 until day +21 after the SCT. DF was very well tolerated and no hemorrhagic complications were seen. Blood coagulation significant alterations were: prolonged PT (4/46), prolonged aPTT (3/46), elevated fibrinogen (24/46), (never over 800 mg/dl), low level (less than 50%) of ATIII and/or protein C and or protein S (2/46). By using the VOD Baltimore criteria, only 1 case of VOD was observed on day +29 in a patient who died at day +36 with VOD, aspergillosis and CMV pneumonia. The bilirubin was more than 2 times the normal value in 26/46; US-scan of the liver and Doppler, performed in 16 pts with a possible sign of VOD, was positive only in the patient who died for VOD. We documented 32 infectious complications (16 FUO, 9 gram positive bacteremias, 3 pneumonia and 4 invasive aspergillosis). We documented acute GVHD in 14 pts (12 grade I-II and 2 grade III). Five pts died between +36 and +100 but none for VOD (3 for progression of their disease and 2 for aspergillosis). Our laboratory data demonstrated modest alterations of the coagulative parameters, low consumption of coagulative factors and reduced fibrinolysis. Since in this at risk transplanted population only 1 VOD has been observed, DF low-dose continuous infusion, without heparin, seems able to play a relevant role in the VOD prophylaxis. On considering the favourable results by us and others, the absence of toxicity and the low cost of the drug, we intend to continue this experience with DF as VOD prophylaxis, even if we foretell a large randomized study to find better indications. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

This study was intended to assess the effect of a psychoeducational computer‐assisted and paper‐and‐pencil training designed to empower visuospatial skills in students attending the second grade of the primary school. At pretest, posttest and at the subsequent 3‐months follow‐up, 44 Italian second graders were presented with a battery of tests assessing nonverbal problem solving, imagery, speed of processing, visuomotor coordination, and verbal working memory. After pretest, 22 pupils were trained by the psychoeducational intervention for 15 weekly sessions (Fastame & Antonini (2011). RECUPERO IN… abilità visuo‐spaziali [Recovery in… visuo‐spatial abilities]. Trento, Italy: Edizioni Erickson). Posttest scores and a follow‐up assessment conducted after 3 months by the end of the training documented the positive effect of the psychoeducational intervention in enhancing visuospatial functions of the experimental group. These outcomes were also replicated when a questionnaire assessing visuospatial efficacy was proposed to the teachers of the participants.