Background and aims The kidney transplant patients who receive immunosuppressive and specific medication may lead to different mortality risk factors between kidney transplant patients with COVID‐19 and the general population. We aimed to provide a model predictor and a risk analysis of mortality in kidney transplant COVID‐19 positive patients. Methods We performed our search using PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar to identify English articles published from the beginning of December 2019 through August 2020. Excluded manuscripts had no full text, lacked information, were not the original article, or consisted of less than three cases. We gathered information about demographic information, comorbidities, COVID‐19 symptoms, lung radiographic findings, history of medication therapy, and changes in the kidney maintenance therapy after confirming their COVID‐19 on the data extraction forms. Results We found a total of 31 eligible articles. We set a 10% mortality rate as our cutoff point. The most common sign and symptoms were cough (53.22 [29.42]), dyspnea (50.80 [24.55]). In the bivariate analysis, fatigue (P = .04, OR of 0.92; 95% CI: 0.85‐1.00), hypertension (P = .07, OR of 1.03; 95% CI: 1.00‐1.07), and dyspnea (P = .08, OR of 1.04; 95% CI: 1.00‐1.09) showed a statistically significant relationship with increases in mortality. In multivariate regression analysis, an independent association was only found between hypertension and mortality (P = .035; AOR of 1.064; CL: 1.004‐1.127). Conclusion Clinicians should pay special attention to modifiable risk factors for COVID‐19 infection mortality, such as hypertension among kidney transplant patients, because it may be possible to decrease mortality by controlling these factors.

The alkaloid derivatives of Mitragyna speciosa, commonly known as kratom, pose a threat to society due to its potential for abuse, adverse reactions and tendency to be used as self-medication for opioid withdrawal, pain and mood disorders. A number of deaths have been reported along with complications such as respiratory depression, cardiopulmonary arrest, torsade de pointes and seizures. Its various effects and potential are yet to be fully studied. We describe the case of a healthy young male who presented with progressive respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. Imaging revealed multifocal lung infiltrates while extensive infectious and cardiac work-up was negative. Based on the clinical course, a diagnosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by kratom was made. The patient showed gradual clinical improvement and was weaned off supplemental oxygen. This case highlights yet another adverse reaction to kratom and the growing threat posed by its use.

Introduction:The incidence of esophageal cancer has been increasing in the last decade. Different types of treatments are available, including minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). The aim of this study was to compare the early outcomes of the open vs totally laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy. Materials and methods: This case-control study was conducted between May 2012 and January 2014. Patients with esophageal cancer who presented to Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, were assessed and their eligibility for the surgery type was investigated. Results: Ninety-three esophagectomies performed. The open group comprised 57 patients and the laparoscopic group consisted of 36 patients. Mortality occurred in three patients in the open group and seven patients in the laparoscopic group (p < 0.05). Chylothorax happened in four patients in the open group and only in one patient in the laparoscopic, which showed no significant difference. The mean operating time was 75 ± 16 minutes in the open group and 125 ± 25 minutes in the laparoscopic group (p < 0.05). Conclusion:Minimally invasive transhiatal esophagectomy is an available option for treatment of esophageal cancer, but our results should be interpreted with caution due to low sample size and our primary experience in patient selection.

No abstract