Mortality In COVID-19 Patients Research Articles

The Association between Coagulation Parameters, C-Reactive Protein, D-Dimer and In-Hospital Mortality of Covid-19 Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Embolism

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease with severe cardiovascular complications, one of them is pulmonary embolism (PE). Studies have shown many contributing factors related to mortality of hospitalized COVID-19 patients that developed pulmonary embolism. This study aimed to find the association between coagulation parameters (PT and APTT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and D-dimer with in-hospital mortality of COVID-19 patients with suspected PE. COVID-19 patients in Ulin General Hospital Banjarmasin who met the clinical criteria of suspected PE, assessed with clinical scorings (Well’s score for PE and Padua prediction score for venous thromboembolism), and receiving anticoagulant therapy recorded in medical records were included in this study. A total of 91 patients were included, with most patients were female (59.3%), average age of 53.36 years, average BMI of 25.82 kg/m2, having normal electrocardiogram (79.1%), with history of hypertension (56%), and no histories of smoking (94.5%), diabetes mellitus (70.3%), heart failure (93.4%), coronary artery disease (96.7%), and chronic lung disease (95.6%). As much as 39.57% patients with suspected PE was deceased during the course of hospitalization. Unadjusted analysis showed significant increased levels of PT, APTT, and CRP, in deceased patients compared to those discharged alive (mean 14.62 vs 11.91 seconds, 42.94 vs 28.57 seconds, and 98.19 vs 47.01 mg/dL, respectively; p value < 0.01), and a non-significant increased level of D-dimer (mean 10.89 mg/L; p = 0.09). Multivariate logistic regression showed non-significant associations between PT, APTT, D-dimer, and CRP with in-hospital mortality (p values of 0.06, 0.14, 0.52, and 0.23, respectively). In conclusion, there is no association between coagulation parameters, CRP, and D-dimer levels with in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients with suspected PE. A further study with a larger sample size is needed to see the role of laboratory findings in predicting in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients with suspected PE.

The Effect of C-Reactive Protein Levels, Neutrophil, and Lymphocyte Count to Mortality of COVID-19 Patients with Sepsis in Referral Hospital

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by infection of Severe Acute RespiratoryDistress Syndrom Coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2). COVID-19 patients may develop sepsis, the disregulation ofthe immune system that causes organ dysfunction and life-threatening situations. High mortality of COVID-19and sepsis make it important to study. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of CRP levels, neutrophil,and lymphocyte count to mortality of COVID-19 patients with sepsis. This study is an analytic observational studywith a cross-sectional approach. Samples were randomly retrieved of COVID-19 patients with sepsis admittedin referral hospital. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis used SPSS 26th version of Windows. Theresults of this study indicate a significant effect of CRP levels and neutrophil count on mortality of COVID-19patients with sepsis. Meanwhile, lymphocyte count had no significant effects. The multivariate analysis showedits significance value. Partially, the effect of neutrophils on the patient's mortality has a significant value. Theconclusion of this study is CRP levels and neutrophil count simultaneously have an effect on higher mortality ofCOVID-19 patients with sepsis.

Role of microbiota-derived corisin in coagulation activation during SARS-CoV-2 infection

BackgroundCoagulopathy is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients. Hypercoagulability in COVID-19 results in deep vein thrombosis, thromboembolic complications, and diffuse intravascular coagulation. Microbiome dysbiosis influences the clinical course of COVID-19. However, the role of dysbiosis in COVID-19-associated coagulopathy is not fully understood. ObjectivesThe present study tested the hypothesis that the microbiota-derived proapoptotic corisin is involved in the coagulation system activation during SARS-CoV-2 infection. MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 47 consecutive patients who consulted for symptoms of COVID-19. A mouse acute lung injury model was used to recapitulate the clinical findings. A549 alveolar epithelial, THP-1, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells were used to evaluate procoagulant and anticoagulant activity of corisin. ResultsCOVID-19 patients showed significantly high circulating levels of corisin, thrombin-antithrombin complex, D-dimer, tumor necrosis factor-α, and monocyte-chemoattractant protein-1 with reduced levels of free protein S compared with healthy subjects. The levels of thrombin-antithrombin complex, D-dimer, and corisin were significantly correlated. A monoclonal anticorisin-neutralizing antibody significantly inhibited the inflammatory response and coagulation system activation in a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-associated acute lung injury mouse model, and the levels of corisin and thrombin-antithrombin complex were significantly correlated. In an in vitro experiment, corisin increased the tissue factor activity and decreased the anticoagulant activity of thrombomodulin in epithelial, endothelial, and monocytic cells. ConclusionThe microbiota-derived corisin is significantly increased and correlated with activation of the coagulation system during SARS-CoV-2 infection, and corisin may directly increase the procoagulant activity in epithelial, endothelial, and monocytic cells.

Clinical profile and prognosis of COVID-19 patients with neurological manifestations: A city-wide cross- sectional study in Iran

Background & Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate past medical and social history, initial symptoms, laboratory values, clinical course, and outcome of COVID-19 patients with neurological manifestations in Shahroud, Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data from all registered COVID-19 patients in Shahroud during March 2020 to July 2021 (n=30,228) were initially reviewed in terms of the prevalence of neurological symptoms. Additionally, the data of COVID-19 patients admitted to Shahroud’s hospital (n=8,412) was evaluated in details according to the clinical profile, socio-demographic characteristics, laboratory findings, and in-hospital outcomes. Data were compared between COVID-19 patients with and without neurological manifestations. Predictive factors of ICU admission and mortality in COVID-19 patients with neurological manifestations were also evaluated. Results: Fever, chills, anorexia, myalgia, arthralgia, nausea, vomiting, cough, dyspnea, diarrhea and abdominal pain were significantly more common among COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms compared to COVID-19 patients without such symptoms. Furthermore, smoking, drug abuse and history of underlying diseases were significantly more prevalent among the former group. Patients with neurological symptoms were more likely to be admitted to the hospital and ICU and had higher mortality rates. In terms of laboratory findings, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, and albumin levels were significantly lower in the patients with neurological symptoms. Age ≥ 50 years and history of underlying diseases were associated with increased ICU admission in COVID-19 patients with neurological manifestations. Conclusions: The following strategies could prove beneficial for COVID-19 patients: (i.) reduction of smoking and substance abuse, (ii.) close monitoring of more symptomatic patients and patients with a history of underlying diseases for neurological manifestations, (iii.) providing appropriate intensive care for older patients and those with underlying diseases who have neurological manifestations and (iv.) early detection of anemia, thrombocytopenia, and hypoalbuminemia.

Predictors of mortality among hospitalized hypertensive patients with COVID-19 during third and fourth waves in Pakistan.

Hypertension significantly contributes to the severity and mortality of COVID-19 patients. It has also been a risk factor for prolonged hospitalization and the need for intensive care. However, the data is still evolving. Therefore, this study investigated the predictors of mortality among hypertensive COVID-19 patients. A single-center cohort study was performed at Indus Hospital and Health Network, Karachi, Pakistan, between April 1, 2021, and October 31, 2021. This study included 333 hospitalized hypertensive COVID-19 patients and evaluated their clinical characteristics and survival outcomes. A multivariate logistic regression model was applied in IBM SPSS 27.0 to determine the predictors of mortality. The majority of patients were females (54.7%), the median age was 62 [55-70] years, with co-existing diabetes (56.5%) and severely ill (52.6%). The independent predictors of mortality identified were age ≥ 65 years (aOR 20.89, 95% CI, 5.81-75.15; p < 0.001), pulse rate (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.63; p = 0.006), serum creatinine (aOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.11-1.63; p = 0.002), use of antibiotics (aOR 3.40, 95% CI 1.29-8.98; p = 0.014)), corticosteroid (aOR 49.68, 95% CI 1.83-1350.31; p = 0.020), and who needed high flow oxygen supply (aOR 13.08, 95% CI 1.70-100.54; p < 0.001), non-invasive mechanical ventilation (aOR 229.01, 95% CI 29.30-1789.71; p < 0.001) and invasive mechanical ventilation (aOR 379.54, 95% CI 36.60-3935.87; p < 0.001). Our study suggests that older age, elevated pulse rate, serum creatinine, use of antibiotics and corticosteroids, and the need for mechanical ventilation predict mortality among hypertensive COVID-19.

The Differences in INR and D-dimer on Mortality of COVID-19 Patients at RSUD Dr. Saiful Anwar Malang

The Differences in INR and D-dimer on Mortality of COVID-19 Patients at RSUD Dr. Saiful Anwar Malang

Prediction of mortality in adult COVID-19 patients using chest CT severity scoring systems: A comparative analysis of different scores

Purpose: To compare the accuracy of mortality prediction of four CT severity scoring systems for COVID-19: CT severity score three levels, CT severity score, Total severity score, and Chest CT score. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 278 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 confirmed by a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in whom a CT scan was performed to assess the severity of lung involvement. This assessment was performed using four different scoring systems, including the CT severity score three levels, the CT severity score, the Total severity score, and the Chest CT score. Results: A total of 278 COVID-19 patients had chest CT scans, of whom 59 (21.22%) died and 219 (78.78%) survived. The ROC curves showed outstanding performance for the four chest CT severity scoring systems: 0.9580 for the CT severity score; 0.9532 for the CT severity score three levels; 0.9474 for the Total severity score; and 0.9327 for the Chest CT score. The comparison of these four ROC curves revealed no statistically significant difference between the four scoring systems (X2 = 3.89; p = 0.2740). Conclusion: The four chest CT severity scoring systems used predicted mortality in COVID-19 patients with excellent agreement and outstanding performance.

Impact of preexisting interstitial lung disease on mortality in COVID-19 patients from the early pandemic to the delta variant epidemic: a nationwide population-based study

BackgroundCOVID-19 patients with preexisting interstitial lung disease (ILD) were reported to have a high mortality rate; however, this was based on data from the early stages of the pandemic. It is uncertain how their mortality rates have changed with the emergence of new variants of concern as well as the development of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. It is also unclear whether having ILD still poses a risk factor for mortality. As COVID-19 continues to be a major concern, further research on COVID-19 patients with preexisting ILD is necessary.MethodsWe extracted data on COVID-19 patients between January 2020–August 2021 from a Japanese nationwide insurance claims database and divided them into those with and without preexisting ILD. We investigated all-cause mortality of COVID-19 patients with preexisting ILD in wild-type-, alpha-, and delta-predominant waves, to determine whether preexisting ILD was associated with increased mortality.ResultsOf the 937,758 adult COVID-19 patients, 7,333 (0.8%) had preexisting ILD. The proportion of all COVID-19 patients who had preexisting ILD in the wild-type-, alpha-, and delta-predominant waves was 1.2%, 0.8%, and 0.3%, respectively, and their 60-day mortality was 16.0%, 14.6%, and 7.5%, respectively. The 60-day mortality significantly decreased from the alpha-predominant to delta-predominant waves (difference − 7.1%, 95% confidence intervals (CI) − 9.3% to − 4.9%). In multivariable analysis, preexisting ILD was independently associated with increased mortality in all waves with the wild-type-predominant, odds ratio (OR) 2.10, 95% CI 1.91–2.30, the alpha-predominant wave, OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.84–2.50, and the delta-predominant wave, OR 2.10, 95%CI 1.66–2.66.ConclusionsAll-cause mortality rates for COVID-19 patients with preexisting ILD decreased from the wild-type- to the more recent delta-predominant waves. However, these patients were consistently at higher mortality risk than those without preexisting ILD. We emphasize that careful attention should be given to patients with preexisting ILD despite the change in the COVID-19 environment.

Association Between Head Computed Tomography Findings and In-Hospital Mortality in COVID-19 Patients.

The present study investigated the association between head computed tomography (CT) findings and mortality in patients with COVID-19. Specifically, we focused on low-density lesions identified on head CT screenings. We performed a single-center, retrospective cohort study based on data obtained from the medical charts of inpatients admitted to the Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital between January 1 and December 31, 2021. We focused on the basal ganglia--a representative anatomical region for assessing routine head CT in patients with COVID-19. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of low-density lesions in the basal ganglia. The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome was the length of hospital stay. We performed multivariable regression analyses for outcomes to adjust for patients' background and disease severity. During the study period, 1,906 COVID-19 patients were admitted to our facility. Among them, 1,203 patients underwent head CT evaluations and were included in this study. The median age was 56 years (interquartile range: 43-76 years) and 725 patients (60.3%) were male. A total of 235 (19.5%) patients required oxygen therapy on admission and 1,051 (87.4%) patients had pneumonia. Crude in-hospital mortality was 6.1% and the median length of hospital stay was 10 days (interquartile range: 8-14 days). The multivariate regression analyses showed that low-density lesions in the basal ganglia were significantly associated with increased in-hospital mortality and prolonged hospital stay. The presence of ischemic changes in the basal ganglia denoted by low-density findings may be a promising prognostic factor in patients with COVID-19.

Severity and Mortality in Covid-19 With Hepatitis B Co-Infection A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigate the severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients coinfected with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). Utilizing established databases and adhering to PRISMA guidelines, 15 studies were included after a rigorous selection and data extraction process, with quality assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). Statistical analysis was conducted using Review Manager (RevMan) software. The findings indicate a significantly higher risk of severe clinical outcomes and mortality in COVID-19 patients with HBV co-infection compared to those without HBV. Among patients with both HBV and COVID-19, 30.2% developed severe clinical outcomes, compared to 19.5% in COVID-19 patients without HBV. Mortality rates were also higher in the co-infected group (4.9%) compared to those with only COVID-19 (3.4%). The study notes considerable heterogeneity among the included studies, as indicated by high I2 values. These results align with previous findings on the impact of chronic liver diseases on COVID-19 outcomes but contrast with some studies suggesting a potential protective effect of HBV. The analysis also considers the complexities of managing COVID-19 in HBV patients, particularly the risks associated with corticosteroid therapy and HBV reactivation, while acknowledging limitations such as variability in methodologies and potential publication biases. The study underscores the heightened severity and mortality risks for COVID-19 patients with HBV co-infection, emphasizing the need for tailored management strategies and further research into the mechanisms and optimal treatment protocols for this patient population.

Prolonged viral pneumonia and high mortality in COVID-19 patients on anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy

PurposeIn clinical practice, we observed an apparent overrepresentation of COVID-19 patients on anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical picture of COVID-19 in these patients.MethodsAll adult patients from Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland, with COVID-19 diagnosis and/or positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result up to March 2023, and with anti-CD20 therapy within 12 months before COVID-19 were included. Data was retrospectively obtained from electronic patient records.ResultsNinety-eight patients were identified. 44/93 patients (47.3%) were hospitalized due to COVID-19. Patients with demyelinating disorder (n = 20) were youngest (median age 36.5 years, interquartile range 33–45 years), had less comorbidities, and were least likely to be hospitalized (2/20; 10.0%) or die (n = 0). COVID-19 mortality was 13.3% in the whole group, with age and male sex as independent risk factors. Persistent symptoms were documented in 33/94 patients (35.1%) alive by day 30, in 21/89 patients (23.6%) after 60 days, and in 15/85 after 90 days (17.6%), mostly in patients with haematological malignancy or connective tissue disease. Prolonged symptoms after 60 days predisposed to persistent radiological findings (odds ratio 64.0; 95% confidence interval 6.3–711; p < 0.0001) and persistently positive PCR (odds ratio 45.5, 95% confidence interval 4.0–535; p < 0.0001). Several patients displayed rapid response to late antiviral therapy.ConclusionAnti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy is associated with high COVID-19 mortality and with a phenotype consistent with prolonged viral pneumonia. Our study provides rationale for retesting of immunocompromised patients with prolonged COVID-19 symptoms and considering antiviral therapy.

Molecular Determination of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Interleukin-8, Interleukin-10, and C-X-C Chemokine Receptor-2 Genetic Variations and their Association with Disease Susceptibility and Mortality in COVID-19 Patients.

Altered cytokine levels have been associated with poor outcomes among COVID-19 patients. TNF-α, IL-8 and IL-10 are key cytokines in COVID-19 pathogenesis, and CXCR-2 is a major chemokine receptor involved in inflammatory response. Polymorphisms in the genes of these proteins are proposed to influence disease outcomes. In this study, we aimed to find out the association of genetic polymorphisms in TNF-α, IL-8, IL-10 and CXCR-2 genes with susceptibility to and mortality of COVID-19. The present case-control study was conducted on 230 subjects, among whom 115 were clinically diagnosed and RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients and 115 healthy control subjects. The polymorphisms in TNFα -308 G>A (rs1800629), IL-8 -251T>A (rs4073), CXCR2 +785 C>T (rs2230054) genes were detected by ARMS -PCR assay whereas for IL-10 (-1082 G>A), rs1800896 G>A allele-specific PCR assay was used and their association with COVID-19 susceptibility and mortality was estimated by multivariate analysis. The results were analyzed for risk of infection and mortality through different inheritance models. Frequencies of TNF-α rs1800629 GA, AA, IL-8 rs4073 TA, AA, IL-10 (-1082 G>A), rs1800896 GA and GG, and CXCR2 rs2230054 CT genotypes were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, COVID-19 patients had a higher frequency of the polymorphic A allele of TNF-α, the A allele of IL-8, the G allele of IL-10, and the T allele of CXCR2. The risk of susceptibility to COVID-19 was significantly associated with TNF-α rs1800629 GA, GA+AA genotypes and the A allele, IL-8 rs4073 TA, AA genotypes and A allele, IL-10 rs1800872 GA and CC genotypes and C allele, and CXCR2 rs2230054 CT and CT+CC genotypes. TNF-α-GA and AA genotypes and A allele, IL-8 TA and AA genotypes and A allele and CXCR-2 CC and CT genotypes have significant associations with mortality risk in COVID-19 patients, while GA and GG genotypes of the IL-10 are shown to confer significant protection against mortality from COVID-19. The findings of this study provide important insights into the COVID-19 disease and susceptibility risk. The polymorphisms in TNFα -308 G>A (rs1800629), IL-8 -251T>A (rs4073), IL-10 (-1082 G>A), rs1800896 and CXCR2 +785 C>T (rs2230054) are associated with the risk of susceptibility to COVID-19 and with mortality in COVID-19 patients. Further studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to confirm our findings.

Predictors of mortality in hospitalised patients with COVID-19: a 1-year case–control study

BackgroundA paucity of predictive models assessing risk factors for COVID-19 mortality that extend beyond age and gender in Latino population is evident in the current academic literature.ObjectivesTo determine the associated...

Survival and risk of death in Covid-19 patients admitted to a public hospital in the Legal Amazon

Objective: To evaluate survival and risk of mortality in COVID-19 patients admitted to a public hospital located in the Legal Amazon. Method: A retrospective longitudinal documentary study, in which 196 medical records of patients admitted from April to August 2020, at the General Hospital of Palmas, diagnosed with COVID-19, were assessed. Socioeconomic data, age, sex, comorbidities, and disease outcome were collected from the records. Results: The average age was 58.6±16 years. Male sex was predominant (66.8%) and individuals with comorbidities (77%). It was observed that 76.14% of the patients were between 40 and 80 years of age. The Kaplan-Meier curve demonstrated a decline in survival over time, indicating that the likelihood of a patient surviving for 16 days is around 50%. The Log-rank test showed a statistical difference for the variables age (p = 0.01) and cancer (p = 0.02), suggesting a reduction in the probability of survival in older patients with cancer. The Cox regression identified that the risk of death in patients between 60 and 79 years was approximately 3 times higher than in those aged 40, while in those aged 80 or older, it was 6 times higher. In the same model, the risk of death in patients with obesity was 98% higher, and 2.11 times higher in patients with cancer. Conclusions: The research provided important insights into the behavior of COVID-19 in the Legal Amazon, which will support the response to the virus and other health crises.

Predictors of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) among COVID-19 Patients at the US Department of Veterans Affairs: The Important Role of COVID-19 Vaccinations.

There are knowledge gaps about factors associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) among COVID-19 patients. To examine AKI predictors among COVID-19 patients, a retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted between January 2020 and December 2022. Logistic regression models were used to examine predictors of AKI, and survival analysis was performed to examine mortality in COVID-19 patients. A total of 742,799 veterans diagnosed with COVID-19 were included and 95,573 were hospitalized within 60 days following COVID-19 diagnosis. A total of 45,754 developed AKI and 28,573 AKI patients were hospitalized. Use of vasopressors (OR = 14.73; 95% CL 13.96-15.53), history of AKI (OR = 2.22; CL 2.15-2.29), male gender (OR = 1.90; CL 1.75-2.05), Black race (OR = 1.62; CL 1.57-1.65), and age 65+ (OR = 1.57; CL 1.50-1.63) were associated with AKI. Patients who were vaccinated twice and boosted were least likely to develop AKI (OR = 0.51; CL 0.49-0.53) compared to unvaccinated COVID-19 patients. Patients receiving two doses (OR = 0.77; CL = 0.72-0.81), or a single dose (OR = 0.88; CL = 0.81-0.95) were also less likely to develop AKI compared to the unvaccinated. AKI patients exhibited four times higher mortality compared to those without AKI (HR = 4.35; CL 4.23-4.50). Vaccinated and boosted patients had the lowest mortality risk compared to the unvaccinated (HR = 0.30; CL 0.28-0.31). Use of vasopressors, being unvaccinated, older age, male gender, and Black race were associated with post COVID-19 AKI. Whether COVID-19 vaccination, including boosters, decreases the risk of developing AKI warrants additional studies.

Thrombocytopenia Secondary to COVID-19: Outcomes Analysis in Terms of Thrombotic Microangiopathy, Acute Kidney Injury, and Mortality.

Background: COVID-19 usually complicates respiratory failure; microvascular, macrovascular, and renal complications are common. Both micro and macrovascular complications are associated with multi-organ dysfunction and in-hospital mortality. Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) causes microvascular thromboses associated with organ failure, including acute kidney injury (AKI). Materials and Methods: This Retrospective Cohort study included 100 COVID-19 patients with thrombocytopenia, followed up in a university hospital's intensive care unit (ICU). The primary endpoints were in-hospital mortality or discharge from the hospital and assessing the occurrence of TMA and AKI during the hospitalization. The effect of thrombotic microangiopathy and acute kidney injury on mortality was investigated using logistic regression models in Stata software version 12.1. Results: The TMA and AKI were associated with in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients presenting with thrombocytopenia in multivariate regression analysis, adjusted for other variables. The effect of AKI on mortality was obtained (adjusted OR 4.09, 95% CI: 1.33-12.53, p = 0.01). Moreover, the odds of mortality due to TMA were ten-fold higher in the patients who had TMA than those who did not (adjusted OR 10.26, 95% CI: 1.26-83.76, p = 0.03). Conclusion: We outlined TMA in COVID-19 patients, which could be responsible for kidney injury and mortality in critically COVID-19 patients.

The prognostic significance of insulin resistance in COVID-19: a review.

Emerging publications indicate that diabetes predisposes patients with COVID-19 to more severe complications, which is partly attributed to inflammatory condition. In the current review, we reviewed recent published literature to provide evidence on the role of insulin resistance (IR) in diabetes, the association between diabetes and COVID-19 severity and mortality, the impact of COVID-19 infection on incident new-onset diabetes, mechanisms responsible for IR in COVID-19 patients, and the predictive value of different surrogates of IR in COVID-19. The literature search performs to find out studies that have assessed the association between IR surrogates and morbidity and mortality in patients with COVID-19. We showed that there is a bulk of evidence in support of the fact that diabetes is a potent risk factor for enhanced morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients with diabetes are more prone to remarkable dysglycemia compared to those without diabetes, which is associated with an unfavourable prognosis. Furthermore, SARS-COV2 can make patients predispose to IR and diabetes via activating ISR, affecting RAAS signaling pathway, provoking inflammation, and changing the expression of PPARɣ and SREBP-1. Additionally, higher IR is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients and different surrogates of IR can be utilized as a prognostic biomarker for COVID-19 patients. Different surrogates of IR can be utilized as predictors of COVID-19 complications and death.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular disease in the cardiovascular center of Kermanshah, in the west of Iran

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases (CVD) are known as the most common cause of mortality worldwide. Hence, exploring the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on CVD and its risk factors. This study aimed to explore clinical and echocardiographic characteristics and cardiac manifestations in COVID-19 patients. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 386 patients with COVID-19 admitted to Imam Ali Hospital, the largest specialized cardiology hospital in western Iran. The checklist included information about age, gender, hypertension, BMI, diabetes, chronic renal disease, cigarette smoking, echocardiography and ECG findings, in-hospital MACE, venous and arterial thrombotic events. To analyze the data, SPSS23, paired-samples t-test, chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used. ResultsOur findings showed 57 % of patients were male and 43 % were female. The paients' average age was 64.61 ± 14.21 years. Moreover, 25.9 % of patients had diabetes, 27.7 % had blood pressure, 11.7 % were cigarette smokers and 11.1 % had hyperlipidemia. The main electrocardiographic abnormalities were ST-T changes in 1.31 % of the patients, sinus tachycardia in 16.3 % and atrial fibrillation in 11.1 % of patients. Mild to moderate pericardial effusion was observed in 8.1 % and pleural effusion in 9.1 % of the sample. Common cardiac complications were ACS in 52.9 %, DHF in 24.4 %, and CHB in 4.4 % of patients. 19.4 % of patients died during hospitalization. Mild to moderate pericardial effusion (OR = 1.96, 95 % CI 1.18–2.14, P = 0.012) was an independent predictor of mortality in COVID-19 patients. ConclusionResults of the study showed it is essential to pay closer attention to elderly, diabetic and hypertensive patients, who are more prone to COVID-19 infection. Moreover, common cardiac complications were ACS and DHF, respectively.

Baricitinib statistically significantly reduced COVID-19-related mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of five phase III randomized, blinded and placebo-controlled clinical trials.

Due to high heterogeneity and risk of bias (RoB) found in previously published meta-analysis (MA), a concrete conclusion on the efficacy of baricitinib in reducing mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients was unable to form. Hence, this systematic review and MA were conducted to analyse whether RoB, heterogeneity, and optimal sample size from placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are still the problems to derive a concrete conclusion. Search engines PubMed/MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, and other sources like preprints and reference lists were searched with appropriate keywords. The RoB and MA were conducted using RevMan 5.4. The grading of the articles was conducted using the GRADEPro Guideline Development Tool. Ten RCTs were included in the current systematic review. Only five low RoB articles are Phase III placebo-controlled RCTs with a high certainty level based on the GRADE grading system. For the MA, based on five low RoB articles, baricitinib statistically significantly reduced mortality where the risk ratio (RR) = 0.68 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.56-0.82; P < 0.0001; I2 = 0%; P = 0.85]. The absolute mortality effect (95% CI) based on the grading system was 35 fewer mortalities per 1000 COVID-19 patients, whereas in the baricitinib and control groups, the mortality was 7.4% and 10.9%, respectively. With the presence of an optimal sample size of 3944 from five low RoB-placebo-controlled RCTs, which represent a minimum of 300 million population of people and with the presence of 0% heterogeneity from MA, the effectiveness of baricitinib in reducing the mortality in COVID-19 patients is concretely proven.

Impact of Prior Bariatric Surgery on Mortality in COVID-19 Patients: a Comprehensive Meta-analysis

Impact of Prior Bariatric Surgery on Mortality in COVID-19 Patients: a Comprehensive Meta-analysis