Fungal infection profile in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a prospective study at a large teaching hospital in a middle-income country.

Background: Critically ill COVID-19 patients are highly susceptible to opportunistic fungal infection due to many factors, including virus-induced immune dysregulation, host-related comorbidities, overuse and misuse of antibiotics or corticosteroids, immune modulator drugs, and the emergencies caused by the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the incidence, identify the potential risk factors, and examine the impact of fungal coinfection on the outcomes of COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: A prospective cohort study including 253 critically ill COVID-19 patients aged 18 years or older admitted to the isolation ICU of Zagazig University Hospitals over a 4-month period from May 2021 to August 2021 was conducted.

Ascitic Calprotectin as an early predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhotic ascites.

Background: Calprotectin is a heterodimer formed by S100A8 and S100A9 proteins which are enhanced during hepatic carcinogenesis and the increased expression of both proteins promotes malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. The potential correlation between ascitic Calprotectin and HCC was not studied.

Methods: 100 patients were stratified into a case group which enrolled 50 patients with cirrhotic ascites and documented HCC and a control group consisted of 50 patients with cirrhotic ascites without HCC.