Prognostic significance of peripheral consolidations at chest x-ray in severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

To evaluate the possible prognostic significance of the development of peripheral consolidations at chest x-ray in COVID-19 pneumonia, we retrospectively studied 92 patients with severe respiratory failure (PaO/FiO ratio < 200 mmHg) that underwent at least two chest x-ray examinations (baseline and within 10 days of admission). Patients were divided in two groups based on the evolution of chest x-ray toward the appearance of peripheral consolidations or toward a greater extension of the lung abnormalities but without peripheral consolidations. Patients who developed lung abnormalities without peripheral consolidations as well as patients who developed peripheral consolidations showed, at follow-up, a significant worsening of the PaO/FiO ratio but a significantly lower mortality and intubation rate was observed in patients with peripheral consolidations at chest x-ray.

Mesothelin is more useful in pleural effusion than in serum in the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma.

Background/aim: Soluble mesothelin-related peptide (SMRP) is regarded as a biomarker of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Herein, we compared the diagnostic performances of SMRP in matched pleural effusion (PE-SMRP) and serum (S-SMRP).

Materials And Methods: Diagnosis on pleural biopsies was performed for all patients including 43 with MPM, 23 with non-MPM pleural metastases (MTS) and 36 with benign (BNG) pleural diseases.