Immune responses of patients on maintenance hemodialysis after infection by SARS-CoV-2: a prospective observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Immune dysregulation in patients with acute COVID-19 under chronic hemodialysis (CHD) is fully not elucidated. The changes of mononuclear counts and mediators before and after HD and associations with final outcome were studied.

METHOD

In this prospective study, hospitalized patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 under CHD and matched comparators under HD were analyzed for their absolute counts of lymphoid cells and circulating inflammatory mediators. Blood samples were collected before start and at the end of the first HD session; dialysate samples were also collected.

RESULT

Fifty-nine patients with acute COVID-19 under CHD and 20 uninfected comparators under CHD were enrolled. Circulating concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-10, interferon-γ and platelet-derived growth factor-A were increased in patients. Concentrations of mediators did not differ before and after HD. Significant decreases of CD4-lymphocytes and CD19-lymphocytes were found in patients. The decrease of the expression of HLA-DR on CD14-monocytes was associated with unfavorable outcome (defined as WHO-CPS 6 or more by day 28); increased counts of CD19-lymphocytes were associated with better outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Patients under CHD develop an inflammatory reaction to SARS-CoV-2 characterized by increase of inflammatory mediators, decrease of circulating T-lymphocytes and decrease of the expression of HLA-DR on CD14-monocytes.

IgA Nephropathy: Current Treatment and New Insights

IgA Nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common cause of primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. Despite the histopathologic hallmark of mesangial IgA deposition, IgAN is a heterogenous autoimmune disease not only in terms of clinical presentation but also in long-term disease progression. The pathogenesis of the disease is complex and includes the generation of circulating IgA immune complexes with chemical and biological characteristics that favor mesangial deposition and reaction to mesangial under-glycosylated IgA1 accumulation, which leads to tissue injury with glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis. Patients with proteinuria over 1 g, hypertension, and impaired renal function at diagnosis are considered to be at high risk for disease progression and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Glucocorticoids have been the mainstay of treatment for these patients for years, but without long-term benefit for renal function and accompanied by several adverse events. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of IgAN in recent years has led to the development of several new therapeutic agents. In this review, we summarize the current therapeutic approach for patients with IgAN as well as all novel investigational agents.

Acute Renal Vein Thrombosis Following COVID-19 in a Lupus Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Purpose: The association between COVID-19 and hypercoagulability is well established. This is a case of a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who developed unilateral renal vein thrombosis following COVID-19, the third case described in the international literature so far. Methods: Clinical, laboratory characteristics and outcomes of the patient were described in detail. Literature review was performed on MEDLINE database via Pubmed. Search items included COVID-19, renal infarction, and renal thrombosis. A total of fifty-three cases were located. Of these, only two patients had renal vein thrombosis but none of them carried a diagnosis of SLE. However, six cases have been published so far involving SLE patients in whom thromboembolic events developed following COVID-19, but none of them experienced renal vein thrombosis. Conclusion: The present case adds a new piece to the emerging puzzle of COVID-19 associated hypercoagulability, especially among patients with autoimmune diseases.

MPO-ANCA-Positive Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis with Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis and Saddle-Nose Deformity: A Case Report

Early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate immunosuppressive treatment remain the cornerstone of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis at the cost of significant toxicity. In this report, we present a case of a 69-year-old female who presented with advanced renal insufficiency and evidence of pulmonary hemorrhage and was MPO-ANCA-positive with a clinical phenotype of granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Organ involvement included rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (GN), along with extrarenal manifestations (skin, upper and lower respiratory system involvement, and onset of saddle-nose deformity). Kidney biopsy established the diagnosis of pauci-immune crescentic, sclerotic GN. She received therapy with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide, mainly due to life-threatening extra-renal manifestations, such as pulmonary hemorrhage. She avoided vasculitis-related death but she developed severe therapy-related toxicity, resulting in the discontinuation of immunosuppressive therapy. Continuous re-evaluation of patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis in terms of response to immunosuppressive therapy and treatment-related toxicity is crucial for their management.

Procalcitonin to Reduce Long-Term Infection-associated Adverse Events in Sepsis. A Randomized Trial

Rationale: Although early antimicrobial discontinuation guided by procalcitonin (PCT) has shown decreased antibiotic consumption in lower respiratory tract infections, the outcomes in long-term sepsis sequelae remain unclear.

Objectives: To investigate if PCT guidance may reduce the incidence of long-term infection-associated adverse events in sepsis.

Methods: In this multicenter trial, 266 patients with sepsis (by Sepsis-3 definitions) with lower respiratory tract infections, acute pyelonephritis, or primary bloodstream infection were randomized (1:1) to receive either PCT-guided discontinuation of antimicrobials or standard of care. The discontinuation criterion was ≥80% reduction in PCT levels or any PCT ≤0.5 μg/L at Day 5 or later. The primary outcome was the rate of infection-associated adverse events at Day 180, a composite of the incidence of any new infection by Clostridioides difficile or multidrug-resistant organisms, or any death attributed to baseline C. difficile or multidrug-resistant organism infection. Secondary outcomes included 28-day mortality, length of antibiotic therapy, and cost of hospitalization.

Measurements and Main Results: The rate of infection-associated adverse events was 7.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.8–13.1%; 9/125) versus 15.3% (95% CI, 10.1–22.4%; 20/131) (hazard ratio, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.20–0.98; P = 0.045); 28-day mortality 15.2% (95% CI, 10–22.5%; 19/125) versus 28.2% (95% CI, 21.2–36.5%; 37/131) (hazard ratio, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29–0.89; P = 0.02); and median length of antibiotic therapy 5 (range, 5–7) versus 10 (range, 7–15) days (P < 0.001) in the PCT and standard-of-care arms, respectively. The cost of hospitalization was also reduced in the PCT arm.

Conclusions: In sepsis, PCT guidance was effective in reducing infection-associated adverse events, 28-day mortality, and cost of hospitalization.

Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03333304).

How significant is sensorineural hearing loss in primary Sjögren's syndrome? An individually matched case-control study

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated whether sensorineural loss and vestibular abnormalities are common in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and whether such abnormalities are clinically significant.

METHODS

In an individually matched case-control design, 48 patients with pSS underwent complete audiovestibular evaluation along with 48 age and sex matched individuals without otologic problems. Differences of > 20 dB between patient and control ears at any frequency tested were considered to be significant.

RESULTS

Significant differences in hearing loss were seen at 4,000 Hz (6 vs 0 ears; p = 0.03) and at 8,000 Hz (9 vs 0 ears; p = 0.003). Small differences in hearing acuity were also observed in the lower frequencies, but the absolute mean difference was < 3 dB. A decrease of at least 60 dB in hearing acuity at any frequency up to 4,000 Hz was seen only in 3 elderly pSS patients. Abnormal brainstem auditory evoked responses were recorded in 7 patients and 5 controls, but no patient had retrocochlear lesions identified on magnetic resonance imaging. Four patients in each group had abnormalities on electronystagmography.

CONCLUSION

pSS is associated with sensorineural hearing loss affecting preferentially the high frequencies, but clinically significant defects are not common. There is no evidence of retrocochlear disease or increased vestibular involvement in pSS.