A t New York University Langone Health at the height of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, 22% of hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) (1). We noted many patients with COVID-19 infection who developed pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and pneumopericardium, and in some cases, at multiple separate time points. Given this observation, we hypothesized that barotrauma related to IMV was elevated in patients with COVID-19 infection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rate of barotrauma in patients who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and who required IMV compared with other patients in the same institution during the same period who also required IMV, and to a temporally remote (pre-COVID-19) historical cohort of patients who required IMV support in the setting of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Materials and Methods This retrospective study was performed with institutional review board waiver of authorization and consent (is20-00582) given the current urgent conditions created by the pandemic. Study Population The New York University Langone Health electronic medical record system (Epic Systems, Verona, Wis) was searched for patients age 18 years or older seen in our emergency department between March 1, 2020, and April 6, 2020, with chest imaging within 24 hours of nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab testing for SARS-CoV-2. Test assay techniques are detailed in Appendix E1 (online). Patients with positive real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays were deemed COVID-19 positive, and those with negative results were deemed COVID-19 negative. COVID-19 testing was performed in all patients who presented to the emergency
Background: There is a lack of consensus in optimal management of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in patients with cirrhosis. The purpose of this study is to compare the safety and thrombosis burden change for cirrhotic patients with non-tumoral PVT managed by transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) only, anticoagulation only, or no treatment. Methods: This single-center retrospective study evaluated 52 patients with cirrhosis and non-tumoral PVT managed by TIPS only (14), anticoagulation only (11), or no treatment (27). The demographic, clinical, and imaging data for patients were collected. The portomesenteric thrombosis burden and liver function tests at early follow-up (6–9 months) and late follow-up (9–16 months) were compared to the baseline. Adverse events including bleeding and encephalopathy were recorded. Results: The overall portomesenteric thrombosis burden improved in eight (72%) TIPS patients, three (27%) anticoagulated patients, and two (10%) untreated patients at early follow-up (p = 0.001) and in seven (78%) TIPS patients, two (29%) anticoagulated patients, and three (17%) untreated patients in late follow-up (p = 0.007). No bleeding complications attributable to anticoagulation were observed. Conclusion: TIPS decreased portomesenteric thrombus burden compared to anticoagulation or no treatment for cirrhotic patients with PVT. Both TIPS and anticoagulation were safe therapies.
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