Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the underlying cause of a global crisis that the entire world is facing. It is a highly contagious viral infection, which is why social distancing seems to be effective. Its ability to survive on various surfaces and aerosolize necessitates very meticulous precautions, including airborne isolation for severely ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation. However, these patients may need routine diagnostic investigations including chest computed tomography and chest tomography angiogram scans (CT and CTA) to rule out other potential differential diagnoses and guide management. In this case, we focus on the utility of multiorgan ultrasonography (MOU) at the bedside to diagnose and manage pulmonary embolism (PE) in COVID-19 patients.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory viral illness caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. It is known to cause severe illness in certain patients, who develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) often requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation adding to significant morbidity and mortality. Tocilizumab is an interleukin-6 inhibitor that has shown promise in improving outcomes in patients with COVID-19. It is usually administered to patients with severe COVID-19 who develop ARDS. We present three cases of COVID-19 where the patients were admitted to the hospital for observation and were found to be worsening clinically. They were believed to be developing ARDS, and intubation and mechanical ventilation were anticipated. Tocilizumab was administered in the early phase of the disease before intubation. Patients improved clinically and ultimately did not require intubation. Our findings suggest that early use of tocilizumab might be beneficial in preventing clinical deterioration and intubation in select COVID-19 patients.
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