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Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Objectives: Infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 can induce uncontrolled systemic inflammation and multiple organ failure. The aim of this study was to evaluate if plasma exchange, through the removal of circulating mediators, can be used as rescue therapy in these patients. Design: Single center case series. Setting: Local study. Subjects: Four critically ill adults with coronavirus disease 19 pneumonia that failed conventional interventions. Interventions: Plasma exchange. Two to six sessions (1.2 plasma volumes). Human albumin (5%) was used as the main replacement fluid. Fresh frozen plasma and immunoglobulins were administered after each session to avoid coagulopathy and hypogammaglobulinemia. Measurements and Main Results: Serum markers of inflammation and macrophage activation. All patients showed a dramatic reduction in inflammatory markers, including the main cytokines, and improved severity scores after plasma exchange. All survived to ICU admission. Conclusions: Plasma exchange mitigates cytokine storm, reverses organ failure, and could improve survival in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 infection.

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a risk factor for porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT), a rare disease originating in the liver characterised by overproduction of porphyrins. Although hepatitis C infection is highly prevalent among patients with porphyria, only a minority of hepatitis C patients develop PCT. Aims To explore the presence of porphyrin abnormalities in a cohort of asymptomatic hepatitis C-infected patients and the impact of anti-viral therapy. Methods Eighty-four consecutive patients with HCV infection treated with direct-acting antivirals after 1 January 2018 were longitudinally evaluated for the presence of porphyrin abnormalities. Those patients with biochemical abnormalities at baseline were additionally evaluated at follow-up. Porphyrins in urine were screened by fluorometry and isomer separation was performed by liquid chromatography. Results In five patients, all of them asymptomatic, porphyrin profile abnormalities were detected: three presented significant increased urinary porphyrins with a typical PCT profile, and two showed normal levels of urinary porphyrins, but abnormal porphyria-like profiles. Urine evaluation after hepatitis C cure showed complete normalisation of the urinary porphyrins in all patients, confirming the biochemical cure of the disease. Conclusions We document the existence of rare cases of hepatitis C-infected patients with significant uroporphyrinuria in the absence of dermatological manifestations. Anti-viral therapy normalises the biochemical disorder, preventing patients from presenting PCT associated complications.

Simple Summary Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, showing high mortality rates. A small portion of gastric cancer patients, known as early onset gastric cancer (EOGC) patients, develop the disease before age 50, and their characteristics are poorly described. Thus, our main objective was to describe the clinical, molecular, and genetic characteristics of EOGC in a large multicenter cohort of patients. We were able to identify that most EOGC cases have similar characteristics: diagnosed at advanced stage, diffuse type, and infrequent DNA mismatch repair somatic deficiency. Although familial aggregation of gastric cancer was uncommon, a germline genetic mutation was identified in 25% of the patients tested. Our results show that EOGC has a marked genetic heterogeneity. Thus, it is essential to consider familial history of tumors, not only GC, in order to select adequate patients to perform a suitable genetic counseling and enhance the emerging use of multigene panels. Abstract Gastric adenocarcinoma (GC) is a common tumor with high morbidity and mortality. Only 7% of patients with GC are diagnosed before age 50 (early onset gastric cancer (EOGC)), and their characteristics have been poorly described. We aimed to describe clinical, molecular, and genetic characteristics of EOGC. A total of 309 patients with EOGC were retrospectively studied in four Spanish centers. Personal information, family history, and tumor information were registered. Germinal genetic analysis was performed in patients who met current criteria of a hereditary syndrome at the time of diagnosis. The median age at diagnosis was 44 years. The majority (73.3%) of tumors were diffuse, and 78.3% were diagnosed in an advanced stage. Familial aggregation of GC was present in 18/117 (15.4%) cases, and 5/117 (4.3%) met criteria for familial GC. MMR-IHC was performed in 126/309 (40.7%) tumors: 4/126 (3.1%) had loss of expression in MLH1/PMS2, without an associated germline mutation. Sixteen germline genetic analyses were performed, detecting a pathogenic variant in four (25%) cases: one in BRCA2, one in TP53, and two in CDH1. Most EOGC are diffuse and diagnosed in an advanced stage. In these patients, DNA MMR system deficiency is uncommon. Although familial aggregation was observed in only 15% of cases, a germline mutation was found in 25% of patients tested with clinical criteria. This demonstrates that EOGC has a marked genetic heterogeneity, reinforcing the importance of an accurate genetic counseling and enhancing the emerging use of multigene panels.

A significant proportion of patients infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 develop severe respiratory symptoms due to an excessive immune response. Treatment of this condition may include immunosuppressive therapies, such as IL‐6 receptor antagonists and corticosteroids, which poses a risk for patients with active or past hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. In this prospective cohort study we analyzed the risk of HBV reactivation in patients with severe COVID‐19 and resolved HBV infection undergoing immunosuppressive therapy. From March 15thto April 30th2020, 600 patients with severe COVID‐19 were admitted into our Hospital and treated with immune‐modulators. Data regarding HBV infection was available in 484, of whom 69 (14%) were HBsAg negative/anti‐HBc positive. For these patients, HBV reactivation prophylaxis with entecavir was strongly recommended. Complete follow‐up was available in 61 patients: 72% were male, median age was 67 years, and anti‐HBs was >10 IU/mL in 72%. The immunosuppressive drug most used was tocilizumab (72%). Despite HBV prophylaxis recommendation, 38 (62%) patients received entecavir and 23 (38%) did not. Baseline features of both groups were similar. At follow‐up, we found no cases of HBsAg seroreversion and only 2 (3%) patients (no prophylaxis group) had detectable serum HBV‐DNA (

Background and Aims Since the introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), few data have been published about kidney outcome in hepatitis C virus related mixed cryoglobulinaemia (HCV-MC) patients treated with combined DAAs and rituximab. We aimed to asses if combined treatment with DAAs and rituximab in patients with HCV-MC improves kidney survival and immunological response. Method Observational, multicentre, cohort study of 100 patients with HCV-MC from 14 Spanish centres treated with DAAs. Patients were followed up for a median duration of 138 months (11.5 years). Long-term kidney survival and immunological response were evaluated based on immunosuppressive treatment received. Kidney event was defined as duplication of creatinine level or 50% decrease in glomerular filtration rate, dependence on renal replacement therapy or non-reduction of proteinuria by 50% compared to baseline. Immunological response was defined as the decrease in cryocrit ≤1%. Results Sustained virological response was attained in 98 (98%) patients. 49 patients were treated with immunosuppressive treatment associated with DAAs, 26 with rituximab and the rest (23) with steroids and/or cyclophosphamide. Patients receiving immunosuppressive treatment had higher basal cryocrit (6.3±4.5 vs 3.8±3.9%, p=0.011), lower glomerular filtration rate (55±27 vs 68±25 ml/min/1.73 m2) and more haematuria (p=0.001). The 26 patients treated with rituximab had more severe disease: higher viral load (p=0.001), cryocrit (p=0.011), proteinuria (p=0.004), microhaematuria (p=0.012) and hypertension (p=0.012) and lower glomerular filtration rate (p=0.001). 15 patients had a kidney event at the end of follow-up. Predictive variables of kidney events were lower age (HR 0.94, 95%CI 0.89-0.99; P= 0.038) and lower glomerular filtrate rate (HR 0.97, 95%CI 0.94-0.99; p=0.026), in a model adjusted to proteinuria and microhaematuria. Immunosuppressive treatment with or without rituximab did not change kidney survival. Regarding the immunological response, only 19 patients had a cryocrit >1% at the end of follow-up. There were no differences in age, viral load, proteinuria and basal glomerular filtration rate between these patients with no immunological response and those who had a sustained immunological response over time. The only differences between these two groups were a higher basal cryocrit and a minor C4 levels. Immunosuppressive treatment with or without rituximab did not changed the immunological response. Conclusion Patients with more severe HCV-MC are those receiving immunosuppressive treatment. However, immunosuppressive treatment does not change kidney survival nor immunological response of these patients in the long term.

Background Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) have shown high rates of sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the influence of DAAs on the course of kidney involvement in HCV-associated mixed cryoglobulinaemia (HCV-MC) has been little studied. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of antiviral treatment on kidney prognosis and evolution in patients diagnosed with HCV-MC. Methods The RENALCRYOGLOBULINEMIC study is an observational multicentre cohort study of 139 patients with HCV-MC from 14 Spanish centres. Clinical and laboratory parameters were measured before and after antiviral treatment. Primary endpoints were kidney survival and mortality after HCV-MC diagnosis. Secondary endpoints were clinical, immunological and virological responses after antiviral treatment. Results Patients were divided into three groups based on the treatment received: treatment with DAAs (n = 100) treatment with interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) (n = 24) and no treatment (n = 15). Patients were followed up for a median duration of 138 months (interquartile range 70–251. DAA treatment reduced overall mortality {hazard ratio [HR] 0.12 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04–0.40]; P Conclusions Results from the RENALCRYOGLOBULINEMIC study indicated that DAA treatment in patients with HCV-MC improves kidney survival and reduces mortality.

Resumen Contexto La disfagia es una alteracion de la deglucion altamente prevalente que afecta a personas de todas las edades, siendo la gente mayor y los pacientes con enfermedades neurologicas los de mas riesgo. Frecuentemente las personas mayores con disfagia no consultan por este motivo y acaban presentando complicaciones como desnutricion, deshidratacion o neumonias por aspiracion. Presentacion del caso Mujer de 88 anos, independiente para las actividades basicas de la vida diaria, con antecedentes de bocio multinodular, fibrilacion auricular permanente con mal control de la anticoagulacion en el ultimo ano y disfagia a solidos de 2 anos de evolucion no estudiada. Consulta por afagia de 24 h de evolucion. Una gastroscopia urgente resuelve la impactacion alimentaria y evidencia una estenosis esofagica. Asi se observa una progresiva normalizacion de los controles de la anticoagulacion, que se vuelven a alterar tras varios meses de tratamiento conservador. Se interpreta como una absorcion erratica del acenocumarol debido a la estenosis esofagica y ello obliga a realizar dilataciones esofagicas periodicas. Conclusiones La disfagia no solo puede alterar el estado nutricional del paciente, sino que tambien puede afectar la absorcion de los medicamentos prescritos. Cualquier actitud terapeutica requiere un seguimiento posterior para evaluar su efectividad y la posible aparicion de complicaciones.