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This retrospective descriptive study analyzes the clinical and epidemiological characteristics, the disease evolution and its association with laboratory markers of poor prognosis of the first 100 patients with COVID-19 admitted to internal medicine wards at the Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, University of Buenos Aires. Thirty-one patients were nursing home residents, the most common clinical manifestations were fever, cough and odynophagia. Regarding comorbidities, obesity was the most frequent one and hypertension was the most prevalent in patients with pneumonia. The most important predictors of mortality were age and pneumonia. Patients older than 70 years had higher acute phase reactants showing an exaggerated inflammatory response. Mortality was high (13%), compared to most reports (5%), probably because of the advanced age of our population and the unfavorable clinical conditions they presented at admission.

A 62-year-old man with a history of systemic sclerosis was admitted with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and acute kidney injury without clinical data suggestive of glomerulonephritis. Laboratory tests showed anemia, leukocytosis with neutrophilia, thrombocytopenia, elevated serum creatinine and metabolic acidosis. Antinuclear antibodies were positive at a titer of 1/640 (speckled, 1/160; nucleolar, 1/320) while rheumatoid factor, anti Scl-70, anti-centromere, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody and anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies were negative and serum complement levels were within normal range. During the following days, the patient developed multiple organ failure and, eventually, died. Lupus anticoagulant was revealed positive after the patient's death, suggesting a catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome. Clinical data and autopsy were consistent with this diagnosis.

Tumor-induced osteomalacia is a rare disease of bone metabolism. The characteristic of this disease is an increase in phosphate excretion followed by hypophosphatemia, due to phosphaturic agents produced by different types of tumors. Tumor resection results in complete resolution of clinical, biochemical and radiological abnormalities. We present the case of a 61 year old man with signs, symptoms and laboratory findings consistent with oncogenic osteomalacia due to a rhino-sinusal mesenchymal tumor. The histological diagnosis showed a vascular neoplasm: hemangiopericytoma.

In order to evaluate the relationship between systemic inflammatory response and mortality in the older hospitalized patient, we developed a prospective cohort study in which we evaluated a nutritional score (SGA), years of instruction, functional status, organic failure (Marshall), presence of sepsis, comorbidities (Charlson), cognitive state (MMSE), albumin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and mortality. Fifty two patients were included, 19 men (36.5%) and 33 women (63.5%), mean age was 80 (Interquartile Range 12.5) years. 29 (55.8%) patients were well-nourished and 23 (44.2%) malnourished, 53.8% of patients developed sepsis at admission or during hospitalization. Total nosocomial mortality was 7.7 % (n = 4) and one-year mortality was 31.8% (n = 14). Comparative analyses showed older age (80 vs. 78; p = 0.012), less years of instruction (7 vs. 8; p = 0.027), lower MMST (14 vs. 27; p = 0.017), lower previous functional status (21 vs. 32; p < 0.0001), lower albumin (3 vs. 3.35; p = 0.014) and higher organic failure score at admission (3 vs. 1; p = 0.01) with more number of affected organs (2 vs. 1; p = 0.003) in malnourished patients compared to well nourished ones. Higher incidence of sepsis -at admission or during hospitalization- (73.9% vs. 37.9%; p = 0.01) and more severe stages of sepsis were also observed in malnourished patients. One-year mortality was significantly higher in malnourished (52.2% vs. 9.5%, log rank test = 0.002). In conclusion, malnourished patients presented greater systemic inflammatory response.

The pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients is unusual, and its presentation as large masses with involvement of the chest wall and the neighboring soft tissues has not been found in our bibliographic research. The variety gattii (serotype B/C) is limited geographically to tropical and subtropical regions and appears to affect particularly immunocompetent individuals. We describe the case of a 51-year-old man from the Northeast of Argentina, with a history of smoking 10 pack/year. He presented an increased volume of the left shoulder and reported that for the last six months he had been unable to move it due to the pain. A percutaneous biopsy of the mass provided a diagnosis of Cryptococcus neoformans, variety gattii. The patient was treated with antifungal therapy showing a favourable outcome with a progressive decrease of the mass.

Purpose: Our objective was to describe the relationship between sepsis syndrome mortality and cognitive and physical disability in elderly persons., Methods: A 1-year consecutive cohort study in clinical beds of a university hospital was performed. Variables were severity of sepsis syndrome, organ failure, functional status, age, sex, and positive cultures. Outcomes were in-hospital and 1-year mortalities., Results: The study included 137 patients (>70 years), both sexes. Data from 116 (84.5%) patients were obtainable at 1-year follow-up. Forty-eight (35%) patients presented with sepsis (11/137, 8%) or severe sepsis (37/137, 27%). In-hospital mortality was 15.3% (0% for sepsis and 21.8% if severe) and increased with organ failure (p <.0001). One-year mortality was 54.78% (63/116), mostly related to severe sepsis; predictors were severe organ failure (p <.0001), prior functional status (p =.0005), and Mini-Mental State Examination (p =.03). Prior functional status and organ failure were independent predictors., Conclusions: In-hospital and 1-year mortality increased with septic syndrome severity, prior functional status, and organ failure.

Brown tumor is a localized form of osteitis fibrosa cystica, being part of the hyperparathyroid bone disease. It rarely is the first manifestation of hyperparathyroidism, since nowadays, the diagnosis is made at an asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic stage. We present a case of a left superior maxillar brown tumor as the first manifestation of primary hyperparathyroidism due to a parathyroid adenoma. A parathyroidectomy was performed, and there was a regression of the bone lesion, without the need of performing other local surgical procedures.

Cardiovascular manifestations of hyperthyroidism are frequent and sometimes are relevant in the clinical picture. Usually an hyperdynamic circulatory state hallmarks the disease with low peripheral resistance, increased intravascular volume and cardiac output. However, right chamber dilatation with tricuspid valve regurgitation and cardiac failure are unusual. We present the case of a young woman with Graves-Basedow disease without cardiovascular history who complained about palpitations, peripheral edemas, weight loss and fever. The clinical findings were tachycardia with irregular pulse, right heart failure and regurgitant tricuspid murmur that increased with inspiration. The chest radiograph and the echocardiogram showed right ventricular dilatation and severe tricuspid regurgitation without pulmonary hypertension. The treatment with propranolol, corticosteroids and diuretics was successful. The patient was asymptomatic with sinus rhythm. We discuss the effects of thyroidal hormones on the cardiovascular system and postulate pathophysiologic mechanisms of heart failure in hyperthyroidism.