Abstract Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with severe complications and high... more Abstract Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with severe complications and high mortality. The assessment of mortality rates and predictors for fatal events is important to identify modifiable factors related to the pattern of treatment, in order to improve outcomes. Objectives: We sought to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients with IE and to determine predictors of in-hospital mortality. Methods: Retrospective single-center study including patients with IE admitted during a 10-year period (2006-2015). Data on comorbidities, clinical presentation, microbiology and clinical outcomes during hospitalization were evaluated. Risk factors of in-hospital death were analyzed. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 134 cases were included (73% males, mean age of 61 ± 16 years-old). Half of them had previous valvular heart disease. Healthcare-associated IE and negative blood-cultures occurred in 22% and prosthetic IE in 25%. The aortic valve was the one most often affected by infection. Staphylococcus aureus was the most commonly isolated microorganism. Forty-four (32.8%) patients underwent cardiac surgery. The in-hospital mortality rate was 31.3% (42 patients). The identified risk factors for in-hospital mortality were Staphylococcus aureus etiology (OR 6.47; 95% CI: 1.07-39.01; p = 0.042), negative blood-cultures (OR 9.14; 95% CI: 1.42-58.77; p = 0.02), evidence of valve obstruction in echocardiography (OR 8.57; 95% CI: 1.11-66.25; p = 0.039), clinical evolution with heart failure (OR 4.98; 95%CI: 1.31-18.92; p = 0.018) or septic shock (OR 20.26; 95% CI: 4.04-101.74; p < 0.001). Cardiac surgery was a protective factor of mortality (OR 0.14; 95% CI 0.03-0.65; p = 0.012). Conclusion: The risk factors for in-hospital mortality were clinical (heart failure, septic shock), evidence of valve obstruction in echocardiography, Staphylococcus aureus etiology or negative blood cultures. Invasive treatment by surgery significantly decreased the mortality risk.
Background Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a valuable tool to predict and monitor the COVID-19 pneumonia... more Background Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a valuable tool to predict and monitor the COVID-19 pneumonia course. However, the influence of cardiac dysfunction (CD) on LUS findings remains to be studied. Our objective was to determine the effect of CD on LUS in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Material and methods Fifty-one patients with COVID-19 pneumonia participated in the study. Focused echocardiography (FoCUS) was carried out on day 1 to separate patients into two groups depending on whether they had FoCUS signs of CD (CD+ vs CD−). LUS scores, based on the thickness of the pleural line, the B-line characteristics, and the presence or not of consolidations, were obtained three times along the patient’s admission (D1, D5, D10) and compared between CD+ and CD− patients. A correlation analysis was carried out between LUS scores and the ratio of the arterial partial pressure of oxygen to the fraction of the inspired oxygen (P/F ratio). Results Twenty-two patients were CD+ and ...
Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with severe complications and high mortalit... more Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with severe complications and high mortality. The assessment of mortality rates and predictors for fatal events is important to identify modifiable factors related to the pattern of treatment, in order to improve outcomes. Objectives: We sought to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients with IE and to determine predictors of in-hospital mortality. Methods: Retrospective single-center study including patients with IE admitted during a 10-year period (2006-2015). Data on comorbidities, clinical presentation, microbiology and clinical outcomes during hospitalization were evaluated. Risk factors of in-hospital death were analyzed. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 134 cases were included (73% males, mean age of 61 ± 16 years-old). Half of them had previous valvular heart disease. Healthcare-associated IE and negative blood-cultures occurred in 22% and prosthetic IE in 25%. The aortic valve was the one...
BACKGROUND Neurological complications are common in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Re... more BACKGROUND Neurological complications are common in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Recent data suggest that neurologic events are a major determinant of prognosis, and that surgery is critical in improving the outcome. OBJECTIVE To characterize patients with IE and neurological complications and to determine predictors of embolization to the central nervous system (CNS) and mortality. METHODS Retrospective analysis of patients admitted to a tertiary center with the diagnosis of IE from 2006 to 2016. Statistical significance was defined by a p-value < 0.05. RESULTS We identified 148 episodes of IE, 20% of which had evidence of CNS embolization. In patients with CNS embolization, 76% presented with ischemic stroke. During follow-up, 35% were submitted to surgery and both in-hospital and one-year mortality were 39%. These patients had longer hospitalizations, but there were no significant differences regarding mortality in patients with and without CNS embolization. The ...
European journal of case reports in internal medicine, 2021
Hypercalcaemia is a frequent finding in malignancies including lymphomas. However, there are no r... more Hypercalcaemia is a frequent finding in malignancies including lymphomas. However, there are no reports of hypercalcaemia in hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL). HSTCL is a rare and aggressive neoplasm which is usually difficult to diagnose. We present a case of HSTCL in which hypercalcaemia was the initial presentation. LEARNING POINTS Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL) is difficult to diagnose, has a poor prognosis and usually presents with hepatosplenomegaly, B symptoms and cytopenias.Hypercalcaemia is an extremely rare clinical presentation of HSTCL.Severe hypercalcaemia is a life-threatening condition and should always be corrected and investigated.
Objective: Characterize the hypertensive patients admitted in the Internal Medicine Ward, and ana... more Objective: Characterize the hypertensive patients admitted in the Internal Medicine Ward, and analyze the blood pressure control and therapeutic strategies adopted. Design and method: Observational/retrospective study of the hypertensive population admitted in an Internal Medicine ward during a month, focusing on demographic data, type of Hypertension, cardiovascular risk factors, diagnosis, blood pressure and therapeutic changes at discharge Results: In a total universe of 89 patients admitted during a month in the analyzed ward, there were 68 with previous diagnosis of hypertension. The average age was 76,7 and 58,8% were woman; most (52,9%) with systolic hypertension. Diabetes and Dyslipidemia were the most frequent risk factors, but there was a significant omission of data regarding other cardiovascular risk factors and particularly about presence of target-organ damage. Stroke was a previous event in 41,1%. In average, patients were treated with 2 antihypertensive drugs (maximu...
Abstract Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with severe complications and high... more Abstract Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with severe complications and high mortality. The assessment of mortality rates and predictors for fatal events is important to identify modifiable factors related to the pattern of treatment, in order to improve outcomes. Objectives: We sought to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients with IE and to determine predictors of in-hospital mortality. Methods: Retrospective single-center study including patients with IE admitted during a 10-year period (2006-2015). Data on comorbidities, clinical presentation, microbiology and clinical outcomes during hospitalization were evaluated. Risk factors of in-hospital death were analyzed. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 134 cases were included (73% males, mean age of 61 ± 16 years-old). Half of them had previous valvular heart disease. Healthcare-associated IE and negative blood-cultures occurred in 22% and prosthetic IE in 25%. The aortic valve was the one most often affected by infection. Staphylococcus aureus was the most commonly isolated microorganism. Forty-four (32.8%) patients underwent cardiac surgery. The in-hospital mortality rate was 31.3% (42 patients). The identified risk factors for in-hospital mortality were Staphylococcus aureus etiology (OR 6.47; 95% CI: 1.07-39.01; p = 0.042), negative blood-cultures (OR 9.14; 95% CI: 1.42-58.77; p = 0.02), evidence of valve obstruction in echocardiography (OR 8.57; 95% CI: 1.11-66.25; p = 0.039), clinical evolution with heart failure (OR 4.98; 95%CI: 1.31-18.92; p = 0.018) or septic shock (OR 20.26; 95% CI: 4.04-101.74; p < 0.001). Cardiac surgery was a protective factor of mortality (OR 0.14; 95% CI 0.03-0.65; p = 0.012). Conclusion: The risk factors for in-hospital mortality were clinical (heart failure, septic shock), evidence of valve obstruction in echocardiography, Staphylococcus aureus etiology or negative blood cultures. Invasive treatment by surgery significantly decreased the mortality risk.
Background Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a valuable tool to predict and monitor the COVID-19 pneumonia... more Background Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a valuable tool to predict and monitor the COVID-19 pneumonia course. However, the influence of cardiac dysfunction (CD) on LUS findings remains to be studied. Our objective was to determine the effect of CD on LUS in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Material and methods Fifty-one patients with COVID-19 pneumonia participated in the study. Focused echocardiography (FoCUS) was carried out on day 1 to separate patients into two groups depending on whether they had FoCUS signs of CD (CD+ vs CD−). LUS scores, based on the thickness of the pleural line, the B-line characteristics, and the presence or not of consolidations, were obtained three times along the patient’s admission (D1, D5, D10) and compared between CD+ and CD− patients. A correlation analysis was carried out between LUS scores and the ratio of the arterial partial pressure of oxygen to the fraction of the inspired oxygen (P/F ratio). Results Twenty-two patients were CD+ and ...
Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with severe complications and high mortalit... more Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with severe complications and high mortality. The assessment of mortality rates and predictors for fatal events is important to identify modifiable factors related to the pattern of treatment, in order to improve outcomes. Objectives: We sought to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients with IE and to determine predictors of in-hospital mortality. Methods: Retrospective single-center study including patients with IE admitted during a 10-year period (2006-2015). Data on comorbidities, clinical presentation, microbiology and clinical outcomes during hospitalization were evaluated. Risk factors of in-hospital death were analyzed. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 134 cases were included (73% males, mean age of 61 ± 16 years-old). Half of them had previous valvular heart disease. Healthcare-associated IE and negative blood-cultures occurred in 22% and prosthetic IE in 25%. The aortic valve was the one...
BACKGROUND Neurological complications are common in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Re... more BACKGROUND Neurological complications are common in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Recent data suggest that neurologic events are a major determinant of prognosis, and that surgery is critical in improving the outcome. OBJECTIVE To characterize patients with IE and neurological complications and to determine predictors of embolization to the central nervous system (CNS) and mortality. METHODS Retrospective analysis of patients admitted to a tertiary center with the diagnosis of IE from 2006 to 2016. Statistical significance was defined by a p-value < 0.05. RESULTS We identified 148 episodes of IE, 20% of which had evidence of CNS embolization. In patients with CNS embolization, 76% presented with ischemic stroke. During follow-up, 35% were submitted to surgery and both in-hospital and one-year mortality were 39%. These patients had longer hospitalizations, but there were no significant differences regarding mortality in patients with and without CNS embolization. The ...
European journal of case reports in internal medicine, 2021
Hypercalcaemia is a frequent finding in malignancies including lymphomas. However, there are no r... more Hypercalcaemia is a frequent finding in malignancies including lymphomas. However, there are no reports of hypercalcaemia in hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL). HSTCL is a rare and aggressive neoplasm which is usually difficult to diagnose. We present a case of HSTCL in which hypercalcaemia was the initial presentation. LEARNING POINTS Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL) is difficult to diagnose, has a poor prognosis and usually presents with hepatosplenomegaly, B symptoms and cytopenias.Hypercalcaemia is an extremely rare clinical presentation of HSTCL.Severe hypercalcaemia is a life-threatening condition and should always be corrected and investigated.
Objective: Characterize the hypertensive patients admitted in the Internal Medicine Ward, and ana... more Objective: Characterize the hypertensive patients admitted in the Internal Medicine Ward, and analyze the blood pressure control and therapeutic strategies adopted. Design and method: Observational/retrospective study of the hypertensive population admitted in an Internal Medicine ward during a month, focusing on demographic data, type of Hypertension, cardiovascular risk factors, diagnosis, blood pressure and therapeutic changes at discharge Results: In a total universe of 89 patients admitted during a month in the analyzed ward, there were 68 with previous diagnosis of hypertension. The average age was 76,7 and 58,8% were woman; most (52,9%) with systolic hypertension. Diabetes and Dyslipidemia were the most frequent risk factors, but there was a significant omission of data regarding other cardiovascular risk factors and particularly about presence of target-organ damage. Stroke was a previous event in 41,1%. In average, patients were treated with 2 antihypertensive drugs (maximu...
Uploads
Papers by Ana Broa