Is it COVID-19? The value of medicolegal autopsies during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

Geller, Rachel; Aungst, Jenna L; Newton-Levins, Anna; Smith, Geoffrey; Mošunjac, Marina; Mosunjac, Mario; Cunningham, Christy S; Gowitt, Gerald T.

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.111106

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The current study took place during the first and second waves of COVID-19 in Jordan, with more than several thousand of newly diagnosed cases at waves’ peaks [ 53 ]. Several differential diagnoses should be considered in outbreak setting with community spread of SARS-CoV-2, including other viral infections, previously undiagnosed heart disease, and drug toxicity among other conditions [ 54 ]. Despite the absence of DAD in four cases, the role of SARS-CoV-2 in mortality cannot be ruled out, particularly in the cases with ACS and this issue could be viewed as a caveat in our stratification approach.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem lung and heart examination of COVID-19 patients in a case series from Jordan

Abdaljaleel

Tawalbeh

Sallam³

et al. 2023

JPTM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a pandemic for more than 2 years. Autopsy examination is an invaluable tool to understand the pathogenesis of emerging infections and their consequent mortalities. The aim of the current study was to present the lung and heart pathological findings of COVID-19–positive autopsies performed in Jordan. Methods: The study involved medicolegal cases, where the cause of death was unclear and autopsy examination was mandated by law. We included the clinical and pathologic findings of routine gross and microscopic examination of cases that were positive for COVID-19 at time of death. Testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed through molecular detection by real-time polymerase chain reaction, serologic testing for IgM and electron microscope examination of lung samples. Results: Seventeen autopsies were included, with male predominance (76.5%), Jordanians (70.6%), and 50 years as the mean age at time of death. Nine out of 16 cases (56.3%) had co-morbidities, with one case lacking such data. Histologic examination of lung tissue revealed diffuse alveolar damage in 13/17 cases (76.5%), and pulmonary microthrombi in 8/17 cases (47.1%). Microscopic cardiac findings were scarcely detected. Two patients died as a direct result of acute cardiac disease with limited pulmonary findings. Conclusions: The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in postmortem examination can be an incidental or contributory finding which highlights the value of autopsy examination to determine the exact cause of death in controversial cases.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%