Structure of the research network and data source:TriNetX (Cambridge, MA, USA) is a multiinstitutional cloud-based research network. It allows real-time access to de-identified data from participating institutions to researchers.De-identified data is collected and aggregated from participating healthcare organizations in real time, which can then be analyzed using statistical and analytical tools available on the network. TriNetX platform pulls data from EHRs, that includes demographic variables, clinical diagnoses, medical procedures, laboratory investigations, medications, and other clinical variables including vital signs etc. This platform can also extract facts from clinical documents available in the EHRs through its Natural Language Processing system that is then transformed into standard clinical terminologies.

Background Physician utilization of well-being resources remains low despite efforts to promote use of these resources.

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IntroductionOutcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in patients with pre-existing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remain understudied, and it is unknown if IPF is an independent predictor of worse disease course. Herein, we report the clinical outcomes in a large cohort of 251 patients with COVID-19 in the setting of known IPF. Outcomes were compared with a propensity matched cohort of patients with COVID-19 without IPF.MethodsAnalysis of a federated multicentre research network TriNetX was performed including patients more than 16 years of age diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Outcomes in patients diagnosed as positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection with concurrent IPF were compared with a propensity matched cohort of patients without IPF.ResultsA total of 311 060 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection on the research network were identified, 251 patients (0.08%) carried a diagnosis of IPF. Mean age of patients with IPF was 68.30±12.20 years, with male predominance (n=143, 56.97%). Comorbidities including chronic lower respiratory diseases, diabetes mellitus, ischaemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease were more common in patients with IPF when compared with the non-IPF cohort. After propensity matching, higher rates of composite primary outcome (death or mechanical ventilation) at 30 and 60 days, as well as need for hospitalisation, critical care, and acute kidney injury were observed in the IPF cohort.ConclusionPoor outcomes of COVID-19 disease were observed in patients with IPF after robust matching of confounders. Our data confirm that patients with IPF constitute a high-risk cohort for poor outcomes related to COVID-19 disease.

Appendicitis in leukemic patients is uncommon but associated with increased mortality. Additionally, leukemic cell infiltration of the appendix is extremely rare. While appendectomy is the treatment of choice for these patients, diagnosis and management of leukemia have a greater impact on remission and survival. A 59-year-old Caucasian female was admitted to the surgical service with acute right lower quadrant pain, nausea, and anorexia. She was noted to have leukocytosis, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Abdominal imaging demonstrated appendicitis with retroperitoneal and mesenteric lymphadenopathy for which she underwent laparoscopic appendectomy. Peripheral smear, bone marrow biopsy, and surgical pathology of the appendix demonstrated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with nonsuppurative appendicitis. In the setting of AML, prior cases described the development of appendicitis with active chemotherapy. Of these cases, less than ten patients had leukemic infiltration of the appendix, leading to leukostasis and nonsuppurative appendicitis. Acute appendicitis with leukemic infiltration as the initial manifestation of AML has only been described in two other cases in the literature with an average associated morbidity of 32.6 days. The prompt management in this case of appendicitis and AML resulted in an overall survival of 185 days.