Antecedentes: Hasta ahora, la pandemia de la enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) ha afectado a más de 2,5 millones de individuos en todo el mundo, con aproximadamente 170.000 muertes. En la actualidad, no existen tratamientos con evidencias sólidas de beneficio clínico, y la utilización de agentes experimentales ha sido recomendada por las guías nacionales e internacionales como parte de los estudios clínicos. Método: En este estudio retrospectivo se incluyeron un total de 323 pacientes con síndrome respiratorio agudo severo por infección por COVID-19 documentada por PCR, ingresados en nuestra unidad. Los pacientes se clasificaron en dos grupos, según recibieran o no dosis elevadas de vitamina C intravenosa. Se examinó el efecto de la administración de dosis elevadas de vitamina C intravenosa, además de otros agentes utilizados habitualmente, sobre el pronóstico de los pacientes con neumonía por COVID-19. Resultados: En comparación con los pacientes que no recibieron vitamina C, los del grupo VC no fueron significativamente diferentes en cuanto a la duración de la estancia hospitalaria (p=0,05), la tasa de reingreso (p=0,943), el ingreso en cuidados intensivos, la necesidad de soporte avanzado de oxígeno (p=0,488), la necesidad de tratamiento médico avanzado (p <0,001) y la mortalidad (p=0,52). Conclusiones: Las limitadas evidencias basadas en muestras pequeñas impiden sacar conclusiones definitivas sobre la potencial eficacia de la vitamina C en dosis altas en estos pacientes, lo que indica la necesidad de una mayor evaluación en el contexto de la investigación clínica.

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BACKGROUND: Vitamin D has anti-infl ammatory and immunomodulatory effects via the downregulation of pro-infl ammatory cytokines. We aimed to demonstrate the effect of vitamin D levels on survival in COVID-19 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 207 COVID-19 patients were included in the study. Serum vitamin D levels were measured, and patients with levels < 20 ng/ml or 21 to 30 ng received a single 300.000 IU dose of vitamin D. RESULTS: Of 207 patients, 37 received vitamin D, while 170 did not. Demographic, radiologic and mean laboratory values were similar between the groups. The mean plasma vitamin D level without vitamin D support (n=170) was 50.82 ± 16.12 ng/ml (30.28 -81.35) vs. 16.98 ± 6.2 ng/ml (4.20 -28.30) in vitamin D group. The most remarkable fi nding were the mortality rates; while only 1 patient (2.7 %) died in the vitamin D group, 24 patients (14.1 %) died in no vitamin D supplementation group (p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: Although a few retrospective studies put forth a relation between vitamin D defi ciency and COVID-19 course severity there is still paucity of data about the effi cacy of vitamin supplementations in COVID-19 patients. A single 300.000 IU dose of vitamin D seems to represent a useful, practical, and safe adjunctive approach for the treatment or prevention of

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Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of asbestos exposure on cancer-driver mutations. Methods: Between January 2014 and September 2018, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase (ALK), and c-ros oncogene 1 receptor tyrosine kinase gene (ROS1) alterations, demographic characteristics, asbestos exposure, and asbestos-related radiological findings of 1904 patients with lung adenocarcinoma were recorded. Results: The frequencies of EGFR mutations, ALK, and ROS1 rearrangements were 14.5%, 3.7%, and 0.9%, respectively. The rates of EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangements were more frequent in asbestos exposed non-smokers (48.7% and 9%, respectively). EGFR mutation rate was correlated to female gender and not-smoking, ALK rearrangement rate was correlated to younger age, not-smoking, and a history of asbestos exposure. Conclusions: The higher rate of ALK rearrangements in asbestos-exposed lung adenocarcinoma cases shows that asbestos exposure may most likely cause genetic alterations that drive pulmonary adenocarcinogenesis.