Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:Patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may develop end-stage lung disease requiring lung transplantation. We report the clinical course, pulmonary pathology with radiographic correlation, and outcomes after lung transplantation in three patients who developed chronic respiratory failure due to postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS:A retrospective histologic evaluation of explanted lungs due to coronavirus disease 2019 was performed. RESULTS:None of the patients had known prior pulmonary disease. The major pathologic findings in the lung explants were proliferative and fibrotic phases of diffuse alveolar damage, interstitial capillary neoangiogenesis, and mononuclear inflammation, specifically macrophages, with varying numbers of T and B lymphocytes. The fibrosis varied from early collagen deposition to more pronounced interstitial collagen deposition; however, pulmonary remodeling with honeycomb change was not present. Other findings included peribronchiolar metaplasia, microvascular thrombosis, recanalized thrombi in muscular arteries, and pleural adhesions. No patients had either recurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infection or allograft rejection following transplant at this time. CONCLUSIONS:The major pathologic findings in the lung explants of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection suggest ongoing fibrosis, prominent macrophage infiltration, neoangiogenesis, and microvascular thrombosis. Characterization of pathologic findings could help develop novel management strategies.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with increased rates of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams (PERT) have previously been associated with improved outcomes. We aimed to investigate whether PERT utilization, recommendations, and outcomes for patients diagnosed with acute PE changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a retrospective cohort study of all adult patients with acute PE who received care at an academic hospital system in New York City between March 1st and April 30th, 2020. These patients were compared against historic controls between March 1st and April 30th, 2019. PE severity, PERT utilization, initial management, PERT recommendations, and outcomes were compared. There were more cases of PE during the pandemic (82 vs. 59), but less PERT activations (26.8% vs. 64.4%, p < 0.001) despite similar markers of PE severity. PERT recommendations were similar before and during the pandemic; anticoagulation was most recommended (89.5% vs. 86.4%, p = 0.70). During the pandemic, those with PERT activations were more likely to be female (63.6% vs. 31.7%, p = 0.01), have a history of DVT/PE (22.7% vs. 1.7%, p = 0.01), and to be SARS-CoV-2 PCR negative (68.2% vs. 38.3% p = 0.02). PERT activation during the pandemic is associated with decreased length of stay (7.7 ± 7.7 vs. 13.2 ± 12.7 days, p = 0.02). PERT utilization decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic and its activation was associated with different biases. PERT recommendations and outcomes were similar before and during the pandemic, and led to decreased length of stay during the pandemic.

•The risk of thromboembolic events in COVID-19 is substantial•Pulmonary embolism should be considered in cases of clinical deterioration•Management of clot in transit is controversial.

BACKGROUND:Postoperative ileus (POI) is a temporary delay of coordinated intestinal peristalsis. Alvimopan, an oral peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist approved for accelerating gastrointestinal recovery, has never been studied specifically in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). AIM/OBJECTIVE:To investigate the efficacy of alvimopan in preventing POI among IBD patients. METHODS:A retrospective chart review was conducted on 246 IBD patients undergoing bowel surgery between 2012 and 2017. Data collected included demographics, IBD subtype, length of stay (LOS), postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms, and administration of alvimopan. The primary outcome was POI; secondary gastrointestinal recovery outcomes were: time to first flatus, time to first bowel movement, time to tolerating a liquid diet, time to tolerating solid food, and LOS. RESULTS:When compared with the control group, patients in the alvimopan group had shorter times to tolerating liquids and solids, first flatus, and first bowel movements (p < 0.01). LOS was shorter in the alvimopan group when compared with controls (p < 0.01). The overall incidence of POI was higher in controls than in the alvimopan group (p = 0.07). For laparoscopic surgeries, the incidence of POI was also higher in controls than in the alvimopan group (p < 0.01). On multivariable analysis, alvimopan significantly decreased time to all gastrointestinal recovery endpoints when compared to controls (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS:Alvimopan is effective in accelerating time to gastrointestinal recovery and reducing POI in IBD patients. While the benefits of alvimopan have been demonstrated previously, this is the first study of the efficacy of alvimopan in IBD patients.