COVID-19 infection affects different organs of the human body, and blood cells are not an exception. Peripheral blood smear (PBS) is a simple and available method to investigate blood cells’ morphologic changes. In this study, we aimed to determine the morphologic changes and abnormalities of COVID-19 patients and their relation to the patients’ clinical course. In this prospective cross-sectional study, we included 89 PCR-positive COVID-19 patients. A pathologist examined the PBS findings of these patients. The patients’ clinical course, including severity, outcome, intubation, and ICU admission, was extracted from their profiles. The statistical analyses were done to find out the relation between PBS findings and patients’ clinical course. Results showed that smudge cells are the most frequent abnormality in our participants. Other findings were schistocyte; atypical lymphocytes; and increased large granular lymphocytes, shift to left of granulocytes, giant platelets, and leukoerythroblastic reaction. Our results did not show any statistically significant relationship between PBS findings and their clinical course. Although other studies suggested PBS as a possible predictive tool for COVID-19 disease, our study showed that these findings could not predict nor relate to the patients’ clinical course. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12308-021-00459-3.

Background: Imagery techniques have been used as essential parts of diagnostic workup for patients suspected for 2019-nCoV infection, Multiple studies have reported the features of chest computed tomography (CT) scans among a number of 2019-nCoV patients. Method: Study Identification was carried out in databases (PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library) to identify published studies examining the diagnosis, the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Heterogeneity among reported prevalence was assessed by computing p-values of Cochrane Q-test and I 2 -statics. The pooled prevalence of treatment failure was carried out with a fixed effects meta-analysis model, generating the pooled 95% confidence interval. A random-effect model was used to pool the results since this model could incorporate the heterogeneity of the studies and therefore proved a more generalized result.Results: According to the combined results of meta-analysis, the total 55% of corona patients were males. The mean age of the patients was 41.31 (34.14, 48.47). Two prevalent clinical symptoms between patients were fever, cough with prevalence of 85%, and 62%, respectively.Either Ground Glass Opacity GGO or consolidation was seen in 86% but 14% had NO GGO or consolidation.The other rare CT symptoms were pericardial effusion, and pleural effusion with 4, 5, 7% prevalence, respectively. The most prevalent event was Either GGO or consolidation in 85% of patients.

Background:The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is higher in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients compared to healthy populations. This deficiency could lead to several complications with different mechanisms and might result in reduced survival in patients. Leptin and adiponectin are messenger proteins with endocrine secretion from adipocytes and various effects in cellular mechanisms. The goal of this study was to find the effect of vitamin D administration on serum levels of leptin and adiponectin in ESRD patients.Materials and Methods:This double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out on 64 ESRD patients on hemodialysis in the Amin and Noor hospitals of Isfahan, Iran. Patients were categorized into two groups, on control and intervention; serum levels of vitamin D, leptin, and adiponectin were measured in both groups before and after the study. The intervention group was treated with vitamin D pearls, while the control group received placebo in the same manner.Results:The mean [standard deviation (SD)] ages of the patients were 62 (21) years and 60 (19) years in the control and treated groups, respectively.Conclusion:The change in serum level of vitamin D was statistically significant in the treatment group but not in the control group. The serum level of leptin was reduced in the treatment group, while the serum level of adiponectin increased significantly, but none of these changes were statistically significant in the control group. This study showed that vitamin D administration is associated with an increase in adiponectin and a decrease in leptin level in ESRD patients.

Background:Chronic kidney disease is a progressive and irreversible loss of renal function. Anemia is one of the main complications of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) which is linked closely with other complications of the disease. The primary therapy for anemia in these patients is erythropoietin (EPO). The goal of this study was to find the effect of Vitamin D administration in addition to the appropriate dose of EPO in ESRD patients with Vitamin D deficiency.Materials and Methods:This was a double-blind clinical trial on 64 ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis in Amin and Noor Hospitals of Isfahan, Iran. The patients were divided into two groups of control and intervention. The intervention group was given Vitamin D supplements and the control group received placebo. The required dose of EPO to reach the target hemoglobin (Hb) was measured and statistically analyzed.Results:A total number of 32 females and 32 males were included in this study. All the patients in the treatment group were aged between 18 and 76 and the patients in the control group were aged between 21 and 76 years old. There was a significant statistical relationship between Vitamin D administration and the required dose of EPO in both groups (P = 0.013). However, there was no correlation between the concentration of Hb and serum Vitamin D levels.Conclusion:Based on the main finding of this study, the relationship between Vitamin D administration and required dose of EPO seems that the predicted dose of Vitamin D prescribing strategy in Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines is not adequate to achieve normal serum Vitamin D in ESRD patients.

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