COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients Research Articles

Role of antiphospholipid antibodies in Covid-19 and its correlation with disease progression

Abstract Background The SARS-CoV2 infection that leads to COVID-19 is a condition with an erratic and changeable course. The majority of patients have the mildest form, which frequently has flu-like symptoms so mild that the illness can go unnoticed. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), progressive hypoxemia, and unilateral or bilateral pneumonia are among the severe manifestations that occur in about 15% of infected patients and may necessitate mechanical ventilation support. When systemic hyperinflammation is in its worst, multiple organs are affected (cytokine storm), lymphopenia is present, and levels of ferritin, D-dimers, C-reactive protein, chemokines and cytokines, are markedly elevated. Aim of the work To research the association between COVID-19 patient antiphospholipid (APL) markers and thrombotic events. Patients and methodology Our study was a cross-sectional study and patients were selected from ward and ICU unit in Dar El Shefa Hospital, Cairo governorate. Results Our study demonstrated that cases with risk factors for thromboembolic events had worse outcomes more frequently; obesity was a statistically significant factor in these differences. Additionally, we discovered that cases with cytokine storm had worse outcomes more frequently, and that the differences in thromboembolic events and deep venous thrombosis were statistically significant. Conclusion In COVID-19 pneumonia patients, the clinical significance of antiphospholipid syndrome (APAs) is still unknown. Furthermore, it is still unclear how long these APAs last and how much they contribute to thrombotic events in patients.

PB0067 Prognostic Value of the ISTH DIC Scoring System in Prediction of 28-Day Mortality in Hospitalized COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients

PB0067 Prognostic Value of the ISTH DIC Scoring System in Prediction of 28-Day Mortality in Hospitalized COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients

Evaluation of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Risk Factors and Pathogens in COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Study

Objective: Many patients followed in intensive care units during the COVID-19 pandemic required mechanical ventilation. In the present study, the purpose was to examine the risk factors, frequency, and causative pathogens of ventilator-associated pneumonia in COVID-19 patients in intensive care units.
 
 Material and Method: The study had a retrospective study design and was conducted among COVID-19 patients followed in the tertiary intensive care units of a training and research hospital. COVID-19 patients, who were older than eighteen years, and intubated in the tertiary intensive care units between March 2020 and January 1, 2021, were included in the present study. Microbiological data such as reproductions in endotracheal aspirate cultures, infectious microorganisms, and antibiotic susceptibility were collected from the patient files. Univariate and Multivariate Binary Logistic Regression analysis were used to determine the risk factors effective in ventilator-associated pneumonia.
 
 Results: Ventilator-associated pneumonia was observed in 52.9% (108) of patients, which was confirmed by growth in endotracheal aspirate cultures. The hospitalization (17.56±14.09) and intubated follow-up times (14.55±11.66)(day) of the patients who had culture growth were significantly higher than the hospitalization (9.74±6.01) and intubated follow-up (7.12±4.32)(day) times of the patients without growth (P

Prediction of Survival by IL-6 in a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Anakinra in COVID-19 Cytokine Storm.

(1) Background: Some severe COVID-19 patients develop hyperinflammatory cytokine storm syndrome (CSS). We assessed the efficacy of anakinra added to standard of care (SoC) in hospitalized COVID-19 CSS patients. (2) Methods: In this single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (NCT04362111), we recruited adult hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, evidence of pneumonia, new/increasing oxygen requirement, ferritin ≥ 700 ng/mL, and at least three of the following indicators: D-dimer ≥ 500 ng/mL, platelet count < 130,000/mm3, WBC < 3500/mm3 or lymphocyte count < 1000/mm3, AST or ALT > 2X the upper limit of normal (ULN), LDH > 2X ULN, C-reactive protein > 100 mg/L. Patients were randomized (1:1) to SoC plus anakinra (100 mg subcutaneously every 6 h for 10 days) or placebo. All received dexamethasone. The primary outcome was survival and hospital discharge without need for intubation/mechanical ventilation. The data were analyzed according to the modified intention-to-treat approach. (3) Results: Between August 2020 and January 2021, 32 patients were recruited, of which 15 were assigned to the anakinra group, and 17 to the placebo group. Two patients receiving the placebo withdrew within 48 h and were excluded. The mean age was 63 years (SD 10.3), 20 (67%) patients were men, and 20 (67%) were White. At Day 10, one (7%) patient receiving anakinra and two (13%) patients receiving the placebo had died (p = 1.0). At hospital discharge, four (27%) patients receiving anakinra and four (27%) patients receiving the placebo had died. The IL-6 level at enrollment was predictive of death (p < 0.01); anakinra use was associated with decreases in CXCL9 levels. (4) Conclusions: Anakinra added to dexamethasone did not significantly impact the survival of COVID-19 pneumonia patients with CSS. Additional studies are needed to assess patient selection and the efficacy, timing, and duration of anakinra treatment for COVID-19 CSS.

Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Blood, Plasma and Albumin as a Potential Diagnostic Tool for Acute Inflammation in COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients.

Fluorescence lifetime measurements of blood or plasma offer valuable insights into the microenvironment and molecular interactions of fluorophores, particularly concerning albumin. Neutrophil- and hypoxia-induced oxidative stress in COVID-19 pneumonia patients leads to hyperinflammation, various oxidative modifications of blood proteins, and potential alterations in the fluorescence lifetime of tryptophan-containing proteins, especially albumin. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of blood and plasma as a prompt diagnostic tool for the early diagnosis and severity assessment of COVID-19-associated pneumonia. This study examined a cohort of sixty COVID-19 patients with respiratory symptoms. To investigate whether oxidative stress is the underlying cause of the change in fluorescence lifetime, human serum albumin was treated with chloramine T. The time-resolved spectrometer Life Spec II (Edinburgh Instruments Ltd., Livingston, UK), equipped with a sub-nanosecond pulsed 280 nm diode, was used to measure the fluorescence lifetime of blood and plasma. The findings revealed a significant reduction in the fluorescence lifetime of blood (diluted 200 times) and plasma (diluted 20 times) at 360 nm in COVID-19 pneumonia patients compared with their respective values recorded six months post-infection and those of healthy individuals. Significant negative correlations were observed between the mean fluorescence lifetime of blood and plasma at 360 nm and several severity biomarkers and advanced oxidation protein products, while a positive correlation was found with albumin and the albumin-globulin ratio. The time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy method demonstrates the potential to be used as a preliminary screening technique for identifying patients who are at risk of developing severe complications. Furthermore, the small amount of blood required for the measurements has the potential to enable a rapid fingerstick blood test.

Fibrinogen to albumin and C-reactive protein to albumin ratio can play an important role in catheterization decisions in COVID-19 pneumonia patients: A retrospective cohort study

Background/Aim: Elevated troponin T (Tp) is an important indicator in the decision to catheterize. However, since COVID-19 infection may cause elevated Tp, different biomarkers are needed to make the decision for catheterization. We aimed to investigate the importance of fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) and CRP-to-albumin ratio (CAR) values in predicting obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia and catheterized with the suspicion of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, clinical, laboratory, catheterization, and electrocardiography data of all patients were analyzed. Patients with obstructive CAD were defined as the MI group, and patients with normal coronary arteries were defined as the normal group. Results: The MI group consisted of 49 patients (66.2%), and the normal group consisted of 25 patients (33.8%). Both FAR and CAR were significantly higher in the MI group (P=0.007; P=0.009, respectively). FAR and CAR were found to be independent predictors of obstructive CAD (95% CI 0.06 [0.000-34.052], P=0.024; 95% CI 1.35 [0.803-2.255], P=0.025, retrospectively). A cut-off value of 0.64 for FAR has an 80% sensitivity and a 40% specificity, and a cut-off value of 0.65 for CAR has an 83% sensitivity and a 41% specificity in predicting obstructive CAD. Conclusion: A decision for ACS and catheterization in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia in the ICU should not be based only on elevated Tp, as it is useful to evaluate FAR and CAR values in addition to Tp.

EGFRcystatinC/eGFRcreatinine ratio < 0.6 in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundShrunken Pore Syndrome (SPS), defined as a reduced ratio between two estimated filtration rates (based on cystatin C and creatinine) is an increasingly recognized risk factor for long-term mortality. Although some patients with other conditions might be erroneously identified as SPS. Our aim was to bring the focus on possible pathophysiologic mechanisms influencing the ratio in the setting of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and acute kidney injury.MethodsA single-centered prospective cohort study was conducted to investigate biomarkers in symptomatic COVID-19 pneumonia patients admitted to a hospital in Latvia. Nineteen biomarkers were measured in blood and three in urine samples. Associations were sought between these biomarkers, chronic diseases and the estimated GFRcystatinC/eGFRcreatinine ratio < 0.6, mortality rates, and acute kidney injury development. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics, with significance set at p < 0.05.ResultsWe included 59 patients (average age 65.5 years, 45.8% female) admitted with COVID-19. Acute kidney injury occurred in 27.1%, and 25.4% died. Ratio < 0.6 was seen in 38.6%, associated with female sex, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and higher age. Ratio < 0.6 group had mortality notably higher − 40.9% vs. 16.2% and more cases of acute kidney injury (40.9% vs. 18.9%). Cystatin C showed strong associations with the ratio < 0.6 compared to creatinine. Urea levels and urea/creatinine ratio were higher in the ratio < 0.6 group. After excluding acute kidney injury patients, ratio < 0.6 remained associated with higher cystatin C and urea levels. Other biomarkers linked to a kidney injury as NGAL, and proteinuria did not differ.ConclusionWe prove that reduced ratio is common in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and is associated with increased mortality during hospitalization. Factors that influence this ratio are complex and, in addition to the possible shrinkage of pores, other conditions such as thickening of glomerular basal membrane, comorbidities, prerenal kidney failure and others may play an important role and should be addressed when diagnosing SPS. We highlight the need for additional diagnostic criteria for SPS and larger studies to better understand its implications in acute COVID-19 settings.

Echocardiographic parameters in COVID-19 patients and their association with ICU mortality: a prospective multicenter observational study

BackgroundEchocardiography has become an integral part of the management of critically ill patients. It helps to diagnose and treat various conditions. COVID-19 patients can develop cardiac dysfunction. We planned to study the echocardiographic parameters in COVID-19 patients.MethodsWe conducted a prospective observational multicenter study after institutional ethical committee approval. COVID-19 pneumonia patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were enrolled. The echocardiographic evaluation was done within 24–48 hours of admission. Assessment of the left and right heart with systolic and left ventricular diastolic function evaluation was done. The primary outcome was ICU mortality. The secondary outcomes were the length of ICU stay and duration of mechanical ventilation.ResultsAmong 573 patients mean age was 57.17 (14.67) with 68.60% being males. On day 1 of ICU, invasive mechanical ventilation was used in 257 (45%) patients. One hundred and forty-eight (25.83%) patients were on vasopressors when echocardiography was performed. Severe left ventricle (LV) systolic dysfunction was seen in 8.7% of patients and had higher odds of mortality [2.48(1.058–5.807), p = 0.037] followed by E and e′ with odds ratio of [0.984(0.971–0.998), p = 0.021] and 0.897 (0.805–0.998), p = 0.046], respectively. E/e′ indicative of filling pressure of the LV was not found to be significant. Troponin I, E/A, and RV dilatation were similar among survivors and non-survivors.ConclusionEchocardiographic evaluation in COVID-19 patients showed severe LV systolic dysfunction was associated with ICU mortality. E/e′ was not found to be significant but lower e′ was associated with higher mortality.Trial registration IEC 131/2020, CTRI/2020/06/025858 date 13th June 2020

Effects of three spontaneous ventilation modes on respiratory drive and muscle effort in COVID-19 pneumonia patients

BackgroundHigh drive and high effort during spontaneous breathing can generate patient self-inflicted lung injury (P-SILI) due to uncontrolled high transpulmonary and transvascular pressures, with deterioration of respiratory failure. P-SILI has been demonstrated in experimental studies and supported in recent computational models. Different treatment strategies have been proposed according to the phenotype of elastance of the respiratory system (Ers) for patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the effect of three spontaneous ventilation modes on respiratory drive and muscle effort in clinical practice and their relationship with different phenotypes. This was achieved by obtaining the following respiratory signals: airway pressure (Paw), flow (V´) and volume (V) and calculating muscle pressure (Pmus).MethodsA physiologic observational study of a series of cases in a university medical-surgical ICU involving 11 mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia at the initiation of spontaneous breathing was conducted. Three spontaneous ventilation modes were evaluated in each of the patients: pressure support ventilation (PSV), airway pressure release ventilation (APRV), and BiLevel positive airway pressure ventilation (BIPAP). Pmus was calculated through the equation of motion. For this purpose, we acquired the signals of Paw, V´ and V directly from the data transmission protocol of the ventilator (Dräger). The main physiological measurements were calculation of the respiratory drive (P0.1), muscle effort through the ΔPmus, pressure‒time product (PTP/min) and work of breathing of the patient in joules multiplied by respiratory frequency (WOBp, J/min).ResultsTen mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia at the initiation of spontaneous breathing were evaluated. Our results showed similar high drive and muscle effort in each of the spontaneous ventilatory modes tested, without significant differences between them: median (IQR): P0.1 6.28 (4.92–7.44) cm H2O, ∆Pmus 13.48 (11.09–17.81) cm H2O, PTP 166.29 (124.02–253.33) cm H2O*sec/min, and WOBp 12.76 (7.46–18.04) J/min. High drive and effort were found in patients even with low Ers. There was a significant relationship between respiratory drive and WOBp and Ers, though the coefficient of variation widely varied.ConclusionsIn our study, none of the spontaneous ventilatory methods tested succeeded in reducing high respiratory drive or muscle effort, regardless of the Ers, with subsequent risk of P-SILI.

Simulation of optimal dose regimens of photoactivated curcumin for antimicrobial resistance pneumonia in COVID-19 patients: A modeling approach.

Secondary antimicrobial resistance bacterial (AMR) pneumonia could lead to an increase in mortality in COVID-19 patients, particularly of geriatric patients with underlying diseases. The comedication of current medicines for AMR pneumonia with corticosteroids may lead to suboptimal treatment or toxicities due to drug-drug interactions (DDIs). This study aimed to propose new promising dosage regimens of photoactivated curcumin when co-administered with corticosteroids for the treatment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pneumonia in COVID-19 patients. A whole-body physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) with the simplified lung compartments model was built and verified following standard model verification (absolute average-folding error or AAFEs). The pharmacokinetic properties of photoactivated were assumed to be similar to curcumin due to minor changes in physiochemical properties of compound by photoactivation. The acceptable AAFEs values were within 2-fold. The verified model was used to simulate new regimens for different formulations of photoactivated curcumin. The AAFEs was 1.12-fold. Original formulation (120 mg once-daily dose) or new intramuscular nano-formulation (100 mg with a release rate of 10/h given every 7 days) is suitable for outpatients with MRSA pneumonia to improve patient adherence. New intravenous formulation (2000 mg twice-daily doses) is for hospitalized patients with both MRSA and VRSA pneumonia. The PBPK models, in conjunction with MIC and applied physiological changes in COVID-19 patients, is a potential tool to predict optimal dosage regimens of photoactivated curcumin for the treatment of co-infected AMR pneumonia in COVID-19 patients. Each formulation is appropriate for different patient conditions and pathogens.

One and one make eleven: An interpretable neural network for image recognition

Although non-interpretable (black-box) deep learning models are well known for their accuracy, interpretable deep learning models should be used for high stake decisions, such as: healthcare. In this paper, we present a novel technique of combining the existing state-of-the-art models, and using them as a base model to build an interpretable deep learning model Comb-ProtoPNet. In contrast to usual technique of combining the logits of two (or more) algorithms to form an ensemble algorithm, we combine the algorithms themselves. Our proposed interpretable model applies a prototype layer on top of the convolutional layers of an ensemble base model. We trained and tested our algorithm over the dataset of chest CT-scan images of COVID-19 patients, pneumonia patients and normal people. The use of a certain combination of blocks from two different state-of-the-art models (statistically) significantly improved the accuracy compared to the individual use of the state-of-the-art models as the base models, and this is where the part of the title “One and one make eleven” comes from.

Pulmonary embolism in COVID-19 pneumonia patients admitted to temporary hospital - The follow-up study

PurposeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is linked with major coagulation disorders, especially higher risk of developing pulmonary embolism (PE). Our study summarizes COVID-19 patients’ management with concomitant PE during the first weeks of pandemic and underlines the importance of D-dimer concentration assessment at admission in terms of prognosis. Material and methodsStudy group consisted of 107 outpatients (mean age 68.91 ​± ​12.83 years) admitted to the Temporary COVID-19 Hospital in Bialystok, Poland with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and suspicion of PE based on elevated D-dimer concentration (>500 ​μg/l) and/or low saturation rate (<90%). The clinical follow-up lasted 6 months. Death or re-hospitalization were used as composite clinical endpoint (CEP). ResultsCumulative incidence of PE was 62.3% (73/107 patients). Most of the patients were in the intermediate PE risk group according to the pulmonary embolism severity index (PESI) score. The mean total computed tomography (CT) lung involvement of COVID-19 findings was 48.42 ​± ​27.71%. Neither D-dimers nor NT-proBNP concentrations correlated significantly with the percentage of lung abnormalities in CT. Patients with baseline D-dimer concentration higher than 1429 ​μg/l had worse prognosis in 6-months observation, log-rank test, p ​= ​0.009. ConclusionsOngoing SARS-CoV-2 infection along with massive involvement of lung tissue and concomitant thrombi in pulmonary arteries are challenging for physicians. It seems that simple D-dimer concentration assessment at admission may be a helpful tool not only to predict PE but also to estimate the long-term prognosis.

Factors Associated with Pneumonia in Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 and the Role of Vaccination.

Patients with COVID-19 can develop different forms of the illness with more or less severe symptoms. A 2-year retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the factors associated with the development of pneumonia in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from March 2020 to February 2022. A total of 385 patients (59.0% males) with a mean age of 69.0 ± 16.0 years were included. At hospital admission, 318 patients (82.6%) reported one or more comorbidities, namely 201 (52.2%) subjects were affected by hypertension, 98 (25.5%) type 2 diabetes, 84 (21.8%) obesity, 36 (9.4%) cancer, and 14 (3.6%) suffered from kidney disease and were being treated with dialysis, and 76 (19.7%) resulted in being vaccinated with a higher prevalence of BNT162b2 vaccine (15.0%). Pneumonia was diagnosed in 276 (71.7%) patients. Multivariate regression analysis showed that pneumonia in COVID-19 patients was positively associated with type 2 diabetes (OR 1.81; 95% CI 1.00-3.27), obesity (OR 2.52; 95% CI 1.27-4.98), and negatively with hypertension (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.35-0.96). Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a strongly protective factor against the development of pneumonia in COVID-19 patients (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.28-0.85).

Diagnostic of Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia Using Passive Medical Microwave Radiometry (MWR).

Chest CT is widely regarded as a dependable imaging technique for detecting pneumonia in COVID-19 patients, but there is growing interest in microwave radiometry (MWR) of the lungs as a possible substitute for diagnosing lung involvement. The aim of this study is to examine the utility of the MWR approach as a screening tool for diagnosing pneumonia with complications in patients with COVID-19. Our study involved two groups of participants. The control group consisted of 50 individuals (24 male and 26 female) between the ages of 20 and 70 years who underwent clinical evaluations and had no known medical conditions. The main group included 142 participants (67 men and 75 women) between the ages of 20 and 87 years who were diagnosed with COVID-19 complicated by pneumonia and were admitted to the emergency department between June 2020 to June 2021. Skin and lung temperatures were measured at 14 points, including 2 additional reference points, using a previously established method. Lung temperature data were obtained with the MWR2020 (MMWR LTD, Edinburgh, UK). All participants underwent clinical evaluations, laboratory tests, chest CT scans, MWR of the lungs, and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for SARS-CoV-2. The MWR exhibits a high predictive capacity as demonstrated by its sensitivity of 97.6% and specificity of 92.7%. MWR of the lungs can be a valuable substitute for chest CT in diagnosing pneumonia in patients with COVID-19, especially in situations where chest CT is unavailable or impractical.

Predictive Factors and Impact of Secondary Pulmonary Infection on Mortality in Patients with Hypoxemic COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Secondary pulmonary infection (SPI) is a severe complication in patients with COVID-19. Objective: To investigate the risk factors, mortality rates, and complications associated with SPI in hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia patients. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Saraburi Hospital, analyzing medical records of 512 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The Fine-Gray model identified risk factors for SPI. Results: SPI was diagnosed in 25.4% of hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia patients. SPI patients (mean age of 65.9±15.1 years) had higher inflammation biomarkers, increased in-hospital mortality (IHM), and more complications than non-SPI patients. The primary pathogens causing IHM were gram-negative bacteria in 59.23%. Risk factors for SPI included age of 65 years or older (sHR 1.52; 95% CI 1.03 to 2.25; p=0.032), obesity (sHR 1.52; 95% CI 1.04 to 2.23; p=0.028), invasive mechanical ventilation (sHR 2.87; 95% CI 1.64 to 5.02; p&lt;0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level of 520 U/L or more (sHR 2.37; 95% CI 1.69 to 3.33; p=0.027), and catheter-related bloodstream infection (sHR 2.74; 95% CI 1.71 to 4.40; p&lt;0.001). SPI patients had an IHM rate of 74.62%. Multivariable analysis showed higher IHM in SPI patients (aOR 5.29; 95% CI 2.70 to 10.36) compared to non-SPI patients. Conclusion: SPI is a common and harmful complication in hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia. Older age, obesity, invasive mechanical ventilation, elevated LDH levels, and catheter-related bloodstream infection are significant risk factors for SPI. Early detection and prevention strategies are crucial to mitigate the short-term consequences of SPI in COVID-19 patients. Keywords: COVID-19; Secondary pulmonary infection; Mortality; Risk factors

Association between cardiovascular diseases and COVID-19 pneumonia outcome in Indonesia: a multi-center cohort study.

COVID-19 is a pandemic affecting 185 countries, including Indonesia. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in COVID-19 patients were linked to worse clinical outcomes. However, the association remained inconclusive due to limited data in Indonesia. This study aimed to determine the association between CVD in COVID-19 pneumonia patients with its clinical outcomes. This retrospective cohort study was conducted in four Indonesian hospitals, enrolling 584 adult COVID-19 pneumonia patients from September 2020 to July 2021. Patients were categorized into two groups: non-CVD and CVD [hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic heart failure (CHF), hypertensive heart disease (HHD), arrhythmia, cardiomegaly, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), mitral regurgitation (MR), and myocardial injury (MI)]. Clinical outcomes include in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit admission, ventilator use, earlier death, and prolonged hospital stay. Mann-Whitney test was used for analysis. The most common CVD was hypertension (48.1%), followed by MI (10.6%), CAD (9.2%), CHF (6.8%), HHD (3.1%), arrhythmia (1.7%), and others (0.7%). The in-hospital mortality rate was 24%, and patients were hospitalized for a median of 12 days. MI was the only CVD that increased in-hospital mortality (RR 2.105). It was also significantly increased in patients with diabetes mellitus (RR 1.475) and chronic kidney disease (RR 2.079). Meanwhile, prolonged hospital stay was associated with any CVD (RR 1.553), hypertension (RR 1.511), MI (RR 1.969), CHF (RR 1.595), diabetes mellitus (RR 1.359), and cerebrovascular disease (RR 2.203). COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with CVD, specifically MI and hypertension, worsens the COVID-19 clinical outcomes.

Corticosteroid-Associated Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head in Patients with Severe COVID-19: A Single-Center Study.

BACKGROUND Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head can result from high-dose corticosteroid therapy. Given that severe COVID-19 pneumonia patients respond positively to corticosteroids, this study aimed to explore the incidence of femoral head AVN associated with corticosteroid therapy in 24 patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19 at a single center. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 24 patients who were diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection through real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test (rRT-PCR) and with COVID-19 pneumonia via high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Moderate cases received 2×4 mg Dexamethasone while severe cases were also administered with 3×40 mg Methylprednisolone. Diagnosis of femoral head AVN was confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radiographs, which was subsequently treated by a total hip arthroplasty (THA) or a core decompression surgery (CDS) in line with the Ficat and Arlet classifications RESULTS Among the patients, 8 had a moderate infection course, while 16 were severe. The mean corticosteroid duration was 15±5 days for Dexamethasone and 30 days for Methylprednisolone. Severe patients presented with higher grade femoral head AVN and greater pain levels compared to moderate cases (p<0.05). Four patients developed bilateral AVN. The treatment resulted in 23 THAs and 5 CDSs CONCLUSIONS The data from this study corroborate earlier studies and case reports, suggesting an increased occurrence of AVN of the femoral head during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the high-dose corticosteroid therapy employed for patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Efficacy and safety of ultra-short wave diathermy on COVID-19 pneumonia: a pioneering study.

The ultra-short wave diathermy (USWD) is widely used to ameliorate inflammation of bacterial pneumonia, however, for COVID-19 pneumonia, USWD still needs to be verified. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of USWD in COVID-19 pneumonia patients. This was a single-center, evaluator-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Moderate and severe COVID-19 patients were recruited between 18 February and 20 April 2020. Participants were randomly allocated to receive USWD + standard medical treatment (USWD group) or standard medical treatment alone (control group). The negative conversion rate of SARS-CoV-2 and Systemic Inflammatory Response Scale (SIRS) on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 were assessed as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included time to clinical recovery, the 7-point ordinal scale, and adverse events. Fifty patients were randomized (USWD, 25; control, 25), which included 22 males (44.0%) and 28 females (56.0%) with a mean (SD) age of 53 ± 10.69. The rates of SARS-CoV-2 negative conversion on day 7 (p = 0.066), day 14 (p = 0.239), day 21 (p = 0.269), and day 28 (p = 0.490) were insignificant. However, systemic inflammation by SIRS was ameliorated with significance on day 7 (p = 0.030), day 14 (p = 0.002), day 21 (p = 0.003), and day 28 (p = 0.011). Time to clinical recovery (USWD 36.84 ± 9.93 vs. control 43.56 ± 12.15, p = 0.037) was significantly shortened with a between-group difference of 6.72 ± 3.14 days. 7-point ordinal scale on days 21 and 28 showed significance (p = 0.002, 0.003), whereas the difference on days 7 and 14 was insignificant (p = 0.524, 0.108). In addition, artificial intelligence-assisted CT analysis showed a greater decrease in the infection volume in the USWD group, without significant between-group differences. No treatment-associated adverse events or worsening of pulmonary fibrosis were observed in either group. Among patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 pneumonia, USWD added to standard medical treatment could ameliorate systemic inflammation and shorten the duration of hospitalization without causing any adverse effects.Clinical Trial Registration: chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2000029972.

Risk factors for intensive care admission in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: A retrospective study

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated mortality is predominantly due to respiratory failure. However, risk factors and predictive models for disease progression in patients with COVID-19 are not consistent across the globe. In this study, we aimed to assess the risk factors associated with intensive care (ICU) admission and mortality in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. MethodsInformation was retrieved from the database of all patients admitted with COVID-19 pneumonia between March 2020 and July 2020 at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. The patients’ demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics were analyzed. ResultsOf 1054 patients admitted with PCR proven COVID-19, 254 patients (24%) with radiological evidence of pneumonia were enrolled. The median age was 55, with 25.6% above 65 years and 55.1% males. The comorbidities included hypertension (45%), diabetes (43%), dyslipidemia (24%), solid organ and bone marrow transplantation (14.5%), malignancy (13.4%), ischemic heart disease (10.6%) and chronic kidney disease (9.4%). The mortality rate was 4.7%, and 22.8% were admitted to the ICU.The risk factors for ICU admission were> 65 years of age (RR: 1.74, CI 95%, 1.10–2.74, p = 0.017), diabetes melitus (RR: 1.66, CI 95% 1.06–2.62, p = 0.028), heart failure (RR: 2.51, CI 95%, 1.28–4.93, p = 0.007), respiratory rate> 25 (RR: 2.75, CI 95%, 1.66–4.55, p < 0.001), upper lobe involvement (RR: 1.68, CI 95%, 1.02–2.77, p = 0.043), and C-reactive protein (CRP)> 140 (RR: 1.89, CI 95%, 1.14–3.13, p = 0.013).The risk factors for mortality were> 65 years of age (RR: 5.82, CI 95%, 1.81–18.68, p = 0.003), upper lobe involvement on chest radiography (RR:4.40, CI 95%, 1.22–15.86, p = 0.016), diffuse chest computed tomography changes (RR: 7.36, CI 95%, 2.31–23.46, p < 0.011), ischemic heart disease (RR: 4.20, CI 95%, 1.36–13.04, p = 0.028), chronic kidney disease (RR: 6.85, CI 95%, 2.35–19.90, p < 0.003), cerebrovascular disease (RR:13.61, CI 95%, 5.01–36.96 p < 0.001), respiratory rate> 25 (RR: 3.94, CI 95%, 1.32–11.78 p = 0.023), oxygen saturation< 90% on admission (RR: 12.19, CI 95%, 3.71–40.01, p < 0.001), thrombocytopenia (RR:4.16, CI 95%, 1.37–12.64, p = 0.013), and elevated troponin (RR: 6.20, CI 95%, 1.73–22.24, p = 0.003). ConclusionsIn this study, nearly a quarter of the patients with COVID-19 pneumonia required intensive care. We identified several risk factors associated with ICU admission and mortality that may be useful for predicting, triaging, and managing COVID-19 pneumonia patients. However, these findings need to be validated prospectively.

Persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection with multiple clinical relapses in two patients with follicular lymphoma treated with bendamustine and obinutuzumab or rituximab.

People with hematologic malignancies have a significantly higher risk of developing severe and protracted forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to immunocompetent patients, regardless of vaccination status. We describe two cases of prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection with multiple relapses of COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with follicular lymphoma treated with bendamustine and obinutuzumab or rituximab. The aim is to highlight the complexity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in this fragile group of patients and the necessity of evidence-based strategies to treat them properly. Patients with hematological malignancies treated with bendamustine and anti-CD20 antibodies had a significant risk of prolonged and relapsing course of COVID-19. Specific preventive and therapeutic strategies should be developed for this group of patients.