Background The recent emergence of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) disease had been associated with reports of fungal infections such as aspergillosis and mucormycosis especially among critically ill patients treated with steroids. The recent surge in cases of COVID-19 in India during the second wave of the pandemic had been associated with increased reporting of invasive mucormycosis post COVID-19. There are multiple case reports and case series describing mucormycosis in COVID-19. Purpose In this review, we included most recent reported case reports and case-series of mucormycosis among patients with COVID-19 and describe the clinical features and outcome. Results Many of the mucormycosis reports were eported from India, especially in COVID-19 patients who were treated and recovered patients. The most commonly reported infection sites were rhino-orbital/rhino-cerebral mucormycosis. Those patients were diabetic and had corticosteroids therapy for controlling the severity of COVID-19, leading to a higher fatality in such cases and complicating the pandemic scenario. The triad of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), corticosteroid use and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus have been evident for significant increase in the incidence of angioinvasive maxillofacial mucormycosis. In addition, the presence of spores and other factors might play a role as well. Conclusion With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and increasing number of critically ill patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, it is important to develop a risk-based approach for patients at risk of mucormycosis based on the epidemiological burden of mucormycosis, prevalence of diabetes mellitus, COVID-19 disease severity and use of immune modulating agents including the combined use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents in patients with cancer and transplants.
Organ/space SSIs remain a serious and common complication after SPK and PAK. Prolonged cold ischemic time and SPK transplant were the risk factors predictive of SSIs. Appropriate perioperative prophylaxis in high-risk patients targeting the potential pathogens producing SSIs in kidney and/or pancreas transplant recipients and a reduction in cold ischemia may prove beneficial in reducing these SSIs.
Background: The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 is variable and ranges from asymptomatic, mildly symptomatic, moderately severe and severe disease. A small proportion might develop severe disease and may have cytokine storm. One of the therapeutic options to treat such cases is Tocilizumab (TCZ). In this study, we present cases of severe COVID-19 treated with TCZ and glucocorticoids and discuss the treatment responses. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of severe COVID-19 cases treated with TCZ and glucocorticoids. The case series examined the characteristics and outcome of those patients. Results: This study included 40 Severe Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) confirmed patients who received TCZ and glucocorticoids. The mean age of the included patients was 57.55 (±Standard deviation 12.86) years. There were 34 (85%) males, 19 (47.5%) were obese (BMI >30), 13 (32.5%) over weight, and five (12.5%) normal weight. The mean days from positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to admission was 1.641 (±3.2) days. Of the patients, 18 (45%) had diabetes mellitus, 14 (35%) had hypertension. The mean days from hospital admission to ICU was 1.8 (±2.6), 20 (50%) required mechanical ventilation, 39 (97.5%) had received prone position, seven (17.5%) had renal replacement therapy, 13 (32.5%) required inotropes, four (10%) had plasmapheresis, one (2.5%) had intravenous immunoglobulin, all patients received steroid therapy, and the majority 31 (77.5%) did not receive any anti-viral therapy. Of all the patients, six (15%) died, 28 (70%) were discharged and six (15%) were still in hospital. Conclusion: The overall mortality rate was lower than those cited in meta-analysis. As our understanding of the COVID-19 continues, the approach and therapeutics are also evolving.
COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is one of the longest viral pandemics in the history of mankind, which have caused millions of deaths globally and induced severe deformities in the survivals. For instance, fibrosis and cavities in the infected lungs of COVID-19 are some of the complications observed in infected patients post COVID-19 recovery. These health abnormalities, including is multiple organ failure—the most striking pathological features of COVID-19—have been linked with diverse distribution of ACE2 receptor. Additionally, several health complications reports were reported after administration of COVID-19 vaccines in healthy individuals, but clinical or molecular pathways causing such complications are not yet studied in detail. Thus, the present systematic review established the comparison of health complication noted in vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals (COVID-19 infected patients) to identify the association between vaccination and the multiorgan failure based on the data obtained from case studies, research articles, clinical trials/Cohort based studies and review articles published between 2020–2022. This review also includes the biological rationale behind the COVID-19 infection and its subsequent symptoms and effects including multiorgan failure. In addition, multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) has been informed in individuals post vaccination that resulted in multiorgan failure but, no direct correlation of vaccination with MIS has been established. Similarly, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) also noted to cause multiorgan failure in some individuals following full vaccination. Furthermore, severe complications were recorded in elderly patients (+40 years of age), indicates that older age individuals are higher risk by COVID-19 and post vaccination, but available literature is not sufficient to comply with any conclusive statements on relationship between vaccination and multiorgan failure.
Background SARS-CoV-2 is associated with a severe inflammatory response contributing to respiratory and systemic manifestations, morbidity, and mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods Tocilizumab (TCZ) efficacy on mortality and length of hospital stay was retrospectively evaluated in patients who received TCZ and compared with that in controls with a similar severity of COVID-19. The primary endpoint was survival probability on day 28. The secondary endpoints included survival at day 14 and length of hospital stay. Results Of the 148 patients included in the study, 62 received TCZ and standard of care, whereas 86 served as a control group and received only standard of care. The two groups were similar, although TCZ-treated patients were more likely to exhibit hypertension (46.7% vs. 29.8%), chronic kidney disease (14.5% vs. 1.1%), and high Charlson score (1.18 vs. 1.00; p = 0.006) and less likely to receive corticosteroid treatment (48.5% vs. 93.0%). TCZ was associated with lower mortality on both day 28 (16.1% vs. 37.2%, p = 0.004) and day 14 (9.7% vs. 24.4%, p = 0.022). The hospital stay was longer in the TCZ-treated than in the control group (15.6 ± 7.59 vs.17.7 ± 7.8 days, p = 0.103). Ten patients (16.0%) in the TCZ-treated group developed infections. Conclusion TCZ was associated with a lower likelihood of death despite resulting in higher infection rates and a non-significant longer hospital stay.
A 43-year-old man with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and previous thromboembolic events treated with warfarin for 6 months, presented with right flank pain accompanied with vomiting, dizziness, and altered mental status 2 weeks after discontinuation of warfarin. His clinical examination findings were unremarkable. Routine blood work showed lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and hypoosmolar hyponatremia. Random serum cortisol level was low (14 nmol/L). Computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed bilateral bulky heterogeneous suprarenal gland surrounded by fat stranding representing adrenal hemorrhage. He was treated for acute adrenal crisis and subsequently started on hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone, with significant clinical improvement. His diagnosis was secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Bilateral adrenal thrombosis lead to hemorrhage in the adrenals as a paradoxical effect after warfarin cessation and primarily caused by APS. Bilateral adrenal bleeding should lead to the suspicion of thrombophilic disorders, such as APS, with cautious anticoagulation as the treatment of choice
Introduction:There is no specific anti-viral therapies for 2019 Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19) infection. Here, we compared patients receiving steroids at different dosages versus no steroids in severe and critical COVID-19 patients. Methods:We retrospectively studied COVID-19 patients who received low-dose or high-dose corticosteroid therapy compared to no steroid. Results:The study period, June-August 2020, included 169 patients with COVID-19 were included and there were 39.1% female and 60.9% male with an average age of 53.1 years. The distribution of cases was as follows: high-dose 39 (23.1%), low-dose 54 (32.0%), and no steroid 76 (45.5%). Of all the patients, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission was for 31 (18.3%), nine (5.3%) required intubation, and 52 (30.8%) had no comorbidities. There is no difference in the mean age between the different groups. However, those being treated with steroid were more likely to have a high SOFA score (0.37 ± 0.68, 0.36 ± 0.67 and 0.04 ± 0.34, for low-dose, high-dose steroid and no steroid groups, respectively (p = 0.001). Cox regression was not possible as the mortality rate was very low (3/169; 1.78%) and none of the multivariate methods would be possible. However, there was a significant difference in the hospital LOS and the ICU LOS. Conclusion:Cox regression was not possible as the mortality rate was very low (1.78%) and none of the multivariate methods would be possible as the model will not converge. However, in t-test only, intubation was associated risk of mortality.
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