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Background and Aim The impact of liver function test (LFTs) abnormality on adverse clinical outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of abnormal LFTs on clinical outcomes in a large cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Methods We retrospectively collected data on 2,912 consecutive patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to a makeshift hospital in China between 5 February and 23 March 2020. The association between LFTs abnormalities (baseline and peak values) and clinical outcomes was measured by using Cox regression models. Results On admission 1,414 patients (48.6%) had abnormal LFTs, with alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) elevation in 662 (22.7%), 221 (7.6%), 52 (1.8%), 135 (4.6%), and 536 (18.5%) patients, respectively, and hypoalbuminemia in 737 (25.3%) patients. During a median 13 (IQR 8-19) days of hospitalization, 61 patients (2.1%) died, 106 patients (3.6%) admitted to intensive care unit (ICU), and 75 patients (2.6%) required mechanical ventilation. After adjustment for confounders, baseline abnormal LFTs were independently associated with increased risks of mortality (adjusted HR 3.66, 95%CI 1.64-8.19, p = 0.002), ICU admission (adjusted HR 3.12 95%CI 1.86-5.23, p less then 0.001), and mechanical ventilation (adjusted HR 3.00, 95%CI 1.63-5.52, p less then 0.001), which was homogeneous across the severity of COVID-19 infection. Among the parameters of LTFs, the associations with the outcomes were more pronounced for AST and albumin abnormality. In contrast, ALT elevation was not significantly associated with those outcomes. Similar results were observed for peak values of LFTs during hospitalization. Conclusions Abnormality of AST, albumin, TBIL, ALP, and GGT but not ALT were independently associated with adverse outcomes.Background The post-cardiac arrest (CA) phase is characterized by high fluid requirements, endothelial activation and increased vascular permeability. Erythrocytes are large cells and may not leave circulation despite massive capillary leak. We hypothesized that dynamic changes in hemoglobin concentrations may reflect the degree of vascular permeability and may be associated with neurologic function after CA. Methods We included patients ≥18 years, who suffered a non-traumatic CA between 2013 and 2018 from the prospective Vienna Clinical Cardiac Arrest Registry. Patients without return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), with extracorporeal life support, with any form of bleeding, undergoing surgery, receiving transfusions, without targeted temperature management or with incomplete datasets for multivariable analysis were excluded. The primary outcome was neurologic function at day 30 assessed by the Cerebral Performance Category scale. Differences of hemoglobin concentrations at admission and 12 h after ROSC were calculated and associations with neurologic function were investigated by uni- and multivariable logistic regression. Results Two hundred and seventy-five patients were eligible for analysis of which 143 (52%) had poor neurologic function. For every g/dl increase in hemoglobin from admission to 12 h the odds of poor neurologic function increased by 26% (crude OR 1.26, 1.07-1.49, p = 0.006). The effect remained unchanged after adjustment for fluid balance and traditional prognostication markers (adjusted OR 1.27, 1.05-1.54, p = 0.014). Conclusion Increasing hemoglobin levels in spite of a positive fluid balance may serve as a surrogate parameter of vascular permeability and are associated with poor neurologic function in the early post-cardiac arrest period.The convergence of a vulnerable population and a notorious pathogen is devastating, as seen in the case of sepsis occurring during the first 28 days of life (neonatal period). Sepsis leads to mortality, particularly in low-income countries (LICs) and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). Klebsiella pneumoniae, an opportunistic pathogen is a leading cause of neonatal sepsis. The success of K. pneumoniae as a pathogen can be attributed to its multidrug-resistance and hypervirulent-pathotype. Though the WHO still recommends ampicillin and gentamicin for the treatment of neonatal sepsis, K. pneumoniae is rapidly becoming untreatable in this susceptible population. With escalating rates of cephalosporin use in health-care settings, the increasing dependency on carbapenems, a "last resort antibiotic," has led to the emergence of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP). CRKP is reported from around the world causing outbreaks of neonatal infections. Carbapenem resistance in CRKP is largely mediated by highly transmissible plasmid-encoded carbapenemase enzymes, including KPC, NDM, and OXA-48-like enzymes. Further, the emergence of a more invasive and highly pathogenic hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKP) pathotype in the clinical context poses an additional challenge to the clinicians. The deadly package of resistance and virulence has already limited therapeutic options in neonates with a compromised defense system. Although there are reports of CRKP infections, a review on neonatal sepsis due to CRKP/ hvKP is scarce. Here, we discuss the current understanding of neonatal sepsis with a focus on the global impact of the CRKP, provide a perspective regarding the possible acquisition and transmission of the CRKP and/or hvKP in neonates, and present strategies to effectively identify and combat these organisms.Background and Aims Acute urticaria (AU) is the most frequently reported immediate hypersensitivity reaction in skin by administration of iodinated contrast media (ICM). We aimed to establish the pattern and identify the risk factors of AU among inpatients undergoing non-emergent coronary angiography (CAG) with prophylactic corticosteroids in China. Methods Medical records of 19,326 adult inpatients undergoing non-emergent CAG with prophylactic methylprednisolone in 2013-2019 were retrospectively investigated. AU was identified within 1 h post-ICM administration, and diffuse involvement was defined when wheals occur in two or more body parts, including the back, abdomen, chest, and extremities. Age- and sex-matched inpatients (14) without AU were randomly selected for assessment of risk factors. read more Results Approximately 0.8% of CAG inpatients had AU, including 101 diffuse and 64 limited form. The diffuse AU was more common in settings of non-diagnostic CAG, iohexol used, average ICM injection≥3 ml/min, recurrent CAG, and past history of immediate hypersensitivity to ICM.