Tanaffos Respiration Journal
Volume:22 Issue: 4, Autumn 2023

Given the increase in mortality from COVID-19 disease, understanding the causal chain leading to death in patients with this disease will be of particular importance. This study aimed to draw the death map of patients with COVID-19 in BESAT hospital (West of Iran), based on investigating the underlying, intermediate, and terminal causes of death in this group of patients.
To draw the death map of patients with COVID-19 in this cross-sectional study, the death certificate and medical records of 183 COVID-19 patients who died at BESAT Hospital in Hamadan (West of Iran) in 2020 were reviewed. The cases in which the underlying cause of death was COVID-19 were reviewed. A checklist was used to collect the data. It was designed based on the international form of medical certificate of cause of death (issued by WHO). The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software      version 23.
The most prevalent underlying causes of death were COVID-19 (60.7%), COVID-19-related pneumonia (19.1%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (10.9%), and severe sepsis (9.8%). Hypertension (8.2%), diabetes (6.0%), seizures (3.8%), and ischemic heart disease (2.2%) were the most influential conditions affecting death. The number of deaths due to the terminal cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome in women (22.5%) was much higher than in men (7.1%) (P-value=0.041). Findings indicated that most patients died from four main pathways originating from COVID-19, leading to causes such as sepsis, ARDS, myocarditis, MI, and PTE.
The results indicate that health officials and healthcare providers should be able to identify and monitor patients with chronic diseases and implement effective plans to prevent COVID-19. Physicians should also take important steps in offices, clinics, and hospitals, such as conducting early echocardiography in children, providing respiratory support, and preventing deep vein thrombosis in adults during hospitalization. It is also essential to inform the public through audio and video media, including radio and television.

Risk factors for the severity of occupational asthma (OA) are often attributed to occupational exposure. However, some recent epidemiological data suggest a link with obesity. The study aimed to analyze the relationship between obesity and the severity of (OA) assessed by non-specific bronchial provocation.
We conducted an epidemiological descriptive retrospective study including patients who were referred to the Occupational Medicine Department of Farhat Hached University Hospital of Sousse, for (OA) and who have completed a non-specific bronchoprovocation test to metacholine.
Our population consisted of 131 cases of (OA) with a female predominance. The average BMI was 27.34 ±5.30 kg. Obesity was observed in 29.8% of cases. The non-specific metacholine bronchial provocation test revealed an average dose of PD20 at 750.4 ±656.3 μg. Severe (OA) was observed in (35.1%). After univariate analysis, obesity in asthmatics had a significant association with age (p<0.001), marital status (p=0.005), average professional seniority (p<0.001), the evolution of complaints (p=0.035) and abnormal initial spirometry (p=0.044). As for the severity of (OA), the univariate analytical study did not show a significant link with obesity (p=0.68).
The association between obesity and OA is not an easy task and should be made using more accurate tools to measure body fat percentage. The preventive role of the occupational physician is essential in factories in order to make more prudent decisions when employing workers with a high BMI in high-risk occupations. Hence the importance of regular monitoring of weight in workers exposed to asthmatics during periodic examinations.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a known complication of hemodialysis (HD) but its pathogenesis and etiology is not completely clear. The purpose of the current study is to determine the prevalence and possible causes of PH among hemodialysis patients.
Demographic, clinical and laboratory data of 40 patients referred to hemodialysis ward of Masih Daneshvari Hospital during 12 months were recorded. Detailed echocardiography was performed for each patient within 24 hours of hemodialysis. PH was defined as systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) above 35 mmHg.
12 of 40 HD patients had PH (prevalence = 30%). The hemodialysis vintage in PH group was longer than patients without PH (No PH group) . Also, left atrium size, right ventricle size, left ventricle end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) and left ventricular mass index (LV mass index) were significantly higher in PH group; but ejection fraction (EF) was lower than No PH group. Left ventricle diastolic dysfunction and pericardial effusion were significantly associated with PH. The crude mortality rate was relatively similar in PH group and No PH group.
PH is prevalent in HD patients with multifactorial etiology. Increased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) is a very important factor to induce PH in these patients; on the other hand, chronic volume overload and left ventricle systolic and diastolic dysfunction are some of the predominant causes of increased PCWP in this population.

The increase in the number of patients with COVID-19 on a global scale made the early recognition of severe forms of the disease essential. Considering that IL-6 acts as a pro-inflammatory mediator, mediating acute phase responses, the objective of this study was to assess its value in the early severity stratification of SARS-CoV2 infection.
It was a prospective study included IL-6 measurement in patients with SARS-CoV2 infection upon admission to the emergency department. Two groups were considered (Group I: patients without hospitalization criteria; Group II: patients with hospitalization criteria). Analyzed variables were serum levels of IL-6, C-reactive protein, ferritin, d-dimers, sociodemographics, ventilator support, ICU admission, mortality, dates of diagnosis, hospitalization, and discharge. For the statistical analyses, Mann-Whitney test, Pearson's chi-square test, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, Youden index, and Spearman correlation were applied.
A total number of 117 patients were included. Mean age was significantly higher for group II (72,35±15,39 years; p<0,001). No statistically significant difference was seen between the groups regarding gender (p=0,111). The IL-6 values showed an excellent power of discrimination for the need for hospitalization (AUC=0,888; p<0,001) and the need for ICU admission (AUC=0,897; p=7.9 x 10-5). Also, its cut-off value of 12,4pg/mL for the need for hospitalization and 42,95 pg/mL for the need for ICU admission was determined. Positive correlation was seen between IL-6 value and length of stay [r(35)=0,380; p=0,020]. Three deaths were observed among patients with hospitalization criteria (8,1%).
The value of IL-6 at admission seems to independently influence the probability of hospitalization (general ward or ICU) and its duration.

The role of activation of inflammatory processes in the exacerbation of COVID-19 disease has been fully confirmed. In addition, the occurrence of thromboembolic events in patients with COVID-19 is expected even long after recovery from the disease. However, which factors are essentially prognostic for this disease is still not theoretically agreed upon. What we did in the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of some inflammatory and coagulation factors in predicting the severity of COVID-19 disease. In this study, the need for ICU admission was considered as a symbol of disease severity.
Forty-six cases were studied in this cross-sectional study. Patients over 18 years of age with a definitive diagnosis of COVID-19 were assessed in terms of coagulation profiles and inflammatory and cytokine markers. Regarding laboratory data, serum levels of D-dimer, protein S, protein C, FDP, and fibrinogen were measured using an automated coagulation analyzer, and serum levels of interleukin-6 were measured using the ELISA technique.
In total, 21 patients (45.7%) were admitted to the ICU due to the severity of the disease. In comparing inflammatory and coagulation factors between the two groups of patients, with and without ICU admission, a significant difference was revealed between fibrinogen (P=0.023), D-dimer (P=0.047), protein C (P=0.001), and protein S level (P=0.014). The decrease in protein C level had the highest value for predicting the severity of the disease and therefore the need for ICU admission.
Among various inflammatory and coagulation factors, the role of fibrinogen, D-dimer, protein C, and protein S in predicting the severe form of COVID-19 and the patient's need for ICU admission was confirmed.

Lung cancer is one of the most frequent neoplasms and is associated with serious oncologic emergencies (OE). We performed a retrospective study to characterize OE in lung cancer patients admitted to the pulmonology department to determine the effects of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. A total number of 82 patients were admitted with an emergency, mostly brain metastasis (n=37; 45.1%), followed by superior vena cava syndrome (n=13; 15.9%), cardiac tamponade (n=7; 8.5%), large pleural effusion (n=7; 8.5%), severe pulmonary embolism (n=6; 7.3%), spinal cord syndrome (n=6; 7.3%), massive hemoptysis (n=3; 3.7%), stridor (n=2; 2.4%) and atelectasis (n=1; 1.2%). Clinical and pathological data were retrieved from clinical charts including demographic information, smoking status, cancer histology, clinical stage at diagnosis, anticancer treatment, time between LC diagnosis until the OE, outcomes of OE treatment, and overall survival after OE. The predominant histology was adenocarcinoma (n=59; 71.9%) and 86.8% of the patients (n=71) were in stage IV. OE was the disease presentation in 45.2% (n=37) and 6-month mortality was 75.6%. Neurologic emergencies were associated with a lower risk of 6-month mortality compared to cardiovascular and respiratory [OR 0.255 (CI 0.72-0.90), p=0.035)]. Younger patients (p=0.011), metastatic disease (p=0.02), no cancer treatment (p<0.001), and small cell carcinoma (SCLC) (p=0.016) had a shorter time between cancer diagnosis and the event. OE occurred mostly in men with metastatic adenocarcinomas. Younger patients, SCLC, metastatic disease, and no cancer treatment were associated with a shorter time between lung cancer diagnosis until the occurrence of an OE and brain metastasis with a better prognosis. There were no differences between patients admitted in 2019 and 2020 that could be related to the access to healthcare services during the SARS-COV2 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected human beings worldwide. After recovery from the disease, the pulmonary function and physiological characteristics of COVID-19 patients are not well documented. The current study aims to assess post-COVID-19 lung function, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality within three months after recovery from the disease.
Ninety-seven patients (21 outpatients and 76 inpatients) with COVID-19 were followed three months after recovery. They were divided into two groups according to the severity of the disease. The spirometric parameters included FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/ FVC. A 6-minute walk test (6-MWT) was recorded. Besides, sleep quality using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and mood status in two dimensions of anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were compared between the groups.
More than 70% of the studied population presented at least one of the COVID-19 infection-related symptoms within three months after recovery. spirometric measurements revealed non-significant differences between the patients with severe versus non-severe COVID-19 in terms of FVC (P=0.805), FEV1 (P=0.948), FEV1/FVC (P=0.616), and 6MWT (P=0.409). Based on PSQI, sleep quality was significantly associated with the severity of disease (P=0.031), but HADS assessments were not significant (P>0.05).
This study demonstrated that a significant proportion of COVID-19 patients have corona symptoms and abnormal pulmonary function tests three months after recovery. Besides, sleep quality was considerably affected by the severity of the disease and was directly associated with the post-COVID-19 mood of the patients. It seems necessary to consider and control the long-term consequences of this infection regardless of the disease severity.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Among different lung cancer histopathologies, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has been known to be the most aggressive and lethal nature. This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics, outcomes, and trends of SCLC at a tertiary cancer care center in Iran. Retrospectively collected demographic characteristics and survival outcome data on histologically proven SCLC patients during 2009-2019 at the National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NRITLD) were reviewed. In a study of 334 SCLC patients, there were more male patients than female, with a ratio of 2.5 to 1, and the mean age at diagnosis was 58.36 years. While gender distribution and smoking status among women remained consistent over the study period, there was a significant increase in male smokers (P<0.001). Female patients were diagnosed at younger age and had a significantly lower proportion of smokers compared to males (P<0.016). The mean and median overall survival were 10.9 and 8.2 months, with one-, two-, and three-year survival rates of 21%, 10%, and 3% respectively. Younger patients and females had significantly higher survival rates. In both uni/multivariate analyses, only age < 58 years and female gender were significantly associated with longer survival. The relatively unchanged trend of SCLC in our series suggests that further research on prevention strategies especially smoking cessation, early detection, and new treatment options is urgently required.

Acute lung injury is respiratory failure due to various causes. Increased inflammatory and oxidative processes are recognized to play an essential role in the etiology of ARDS. Abelmoschus esculentus is an herbal product used to treat various diseases due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. We aimed to investigate whether Abelmoschus esculentus has an effect on acute lung injury.
In this experimental study, we used the ethanol extract of Abelmoschus esculentus seed. It divided forty male Wistar rats into five equal groups: 1) control, 2) Abelmoschus esculentus, 3) lipopolysaccharide,
4) lipopolysaccharide+Abelmoschus esculentus, and 5) lipopolysaccharide+ Abelmoschus esculentus +dexamethasone groups.
In the lipopolysaccharide group, native thiol, total thiol, IL-10, and IFN-ɣ levels significantly changed. Abelmoschus esculentus was effective when used with dexamethasone in increasing native thiol and total thiol values (p=0.008 and p=0.004, respectively). On the other hand, when Abelmoschus esculentus was used alone, it significantly increased IL-10 levels and decreased IFN-ɣ levels in the lipopolysaccharide group (p=0.025 and p<0.001, respectively). Additionally, improvements were noted in histological findings of alveolar congestion (p=0.006), intra-alveolar hemorrhage (p=0.006), and intra-alveolar macrophages (p=0.001).
Abelmoschus esculentus, with its anti-inflammatory effect, may represent a new potential for treating acute lung injury.

The current study tried to assess the effects of CKD on the severity and outcome of COPD in a population of patients who referred to our tertiary center in Tehran through a 3-year time section.
Through a retrospective cross-sectional design, the current study tried to assess the effects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the health situation and some spirometric and para-clinical parameters as well as their outcomes in patients who had been hospitalized for COPD. The participants had already COPD and we separate them into two groups with or without CKD.
Regarding the outcome of hospitalizations, 94% of the COPD and 77.9% of the COPD+CKD group were discharged in good health condition while 6% and 22.1% deceased, respectively. This shows significantly higher death rate in the latter group and the findings obtained the odds ratio of 4.5 for CKD to raise this rate.
The current study could suggest an absolute relationship between CKD and COPD in terms of respiratory and blood parameters as well as the mutual effects of the diseases on the outcome of each.

This study aims to investigate the clinical and demographic features of underlying medical conditions and the potential relationship between underlying diseases and the increased rate of morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19.
This study was conducted on 350 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at the Masih Daneshvari Hospital from February-July 2021. All participants had confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis based on symptoms and/or positive PCR test or chest X-ray results. Data was collected from medical records on demographics, disease severity, symptoms, underlying conditions like diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, obesity, renal disease/transplantation, and outcomes like hospital stay, ICU admission, and mortality. Relationships between age, underlying diseases, and mortality were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher's exact tests."
A total of 350 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were included in the study, with an average estimated age of (60.8±15.4). The age group of 56 and above had the highest morbidity rate, which accounted for 50% of the total participants. Among the COVID-19 patients, diabetes was the most common underlying medical condition, accounting for 31.4% of the cases. High blood pressure was present in 27.1% of the patients, and 17.1% of the total participants had coronary heart disease (CHD). Additionally, 10.9% of the participants were overweight, and 30 of them had previously experienced kidney failure or transplantation. Moreover, the study found that 40% of patients with diabetes died, while the mortality rate was 38.3% in patients with CHD and 47.4% in overweight participants. High blood pressure patients had a mortality rate of 43.2%, and patients with renal failure or kidney transplantation had a significantly increased risk of mortality at 83.3%. The research also revealed a significant and direct relationship between mortality rate, age group, and underlying disease among the patients (P<0.05).
The findings of the present study hold significant implications for preventive interventions and policy adoption, particularly in relation to the use of calendar age as the key criterion for risk evaluation. These results underscore the need for a more precise and focused approach to prioritizing patients with identified risk factors.

Lobular capillary hemangioma is a benign vascular tumor commonly found within the skin and upper respiratory mucosa and has rarely been reported within the trachea. The first case was reported by Irani et al. in 2003 and since then, less than 20 cases have been described. That’s why the characteristics and treatments remain relatively unknown.

A 53-year-old woman was symptomatic of recurrent episodes of hemoptysis associated with paroxysmal dyspnea. Physical examination, routine blood investigations, and chest x-ray were normal. The flexible bronchoscopy showed a polypoid bleeding lesion arising from the right lateral wall of the middle third of the trachea. Tumor biopsy was not performed considering an eventual bleeding risk. Computed tomography scanning showed a vascular, endotracheal budding tissue process without peritracheal or distant extension. A rigid bronchoscopy was performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. A 10-millimeter bronchoscope was used. A rigid coring technique was performed to remove the tumor. A minimal bleeding was completely controlled after diode laser treatment. There were no complications during or after the procedure. Pathology revealed no malignancy and the diagnosis of lobular capillary hemangioma was confirmed. At a 6-month follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic and the endoscopic control did not show any tumor recurrence.

The lobular capillary hemangioma is a benign tumor rarely observed in the trachea. Clinical features are not specific and the short-term prognosis depends on tumor size. Considering its benign nature, tumor removal by interventional bronchoscopy should be proposed as the first-line treatment.

Primary small cell carcinoma of the trachea is a rare tumor fitting in the spectrum of neuroendocrine tumors. Due to the rarity and unspecific symptoms, the tumor is frequently misdiagnosed with other chronic lung diseases, and diagnosis is delayed. Here, we described a 52-year-old male presenting with dyspnea and cough. He had been treated with bronchodilators for months for suspected asthma or bronchiolitis without improvement. He had central wheezing on the general examination. Chest CT scan was unremarkable except for soft tissue prominence in the thoracic trachea. A large exophytic tumor was observed on bronchoscopy. A biopsy specimen was taken and revealed small cell carcinoma of the trachea. The patient succumbed to illness a short time after the bronchoscopy and before receiving any treatment. Our effort through this case report was to raise awareness of this rare tumor since a delay in diagnosis could lead to serious complications and even death.