International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Apr 2021
High-flow oxygen therapy in elderly patients infected with SARS-CoV2 with a contraindication for transfer to an intensive care unit: A preliminary report.
In a conventional hospital ward, we used high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) to treat elderly COVID-19 patients noneligible for intensive care unit transfer. ⋯ In this preliminary report, we observed that HFNO saved the lives of one-third of elderly COVID-19 patients who would have systematically died.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Apr 2021
Meta AnalysisTricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) measured by echocardiography and mortality in COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we assessed the association between tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) measured by echocardiography and mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). ⋯ CRD42021232194.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Apr 2021
Observational StudyTocilizumab treatment in critically ill patients with COVID-19: A retrospective observational study.
Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines are observed in severe COVID-19 infections, and cytokine storm is associated with disease severity. Tocilizumab, an interleukin-6 receptor antagonist, is used to treat chimeric antigen receptor T cell-induced cytokine release syndrome and may attenuate the dysregulated immune response in COVID-19. We compared outcomes among tocilizumab-treated and non-tocilizumab-treated critically ill COVID-19 patients. ⋯ Tocilizumab treatment was associated with fewer deaths compared to non-treatment despite predominantly being used in patients with more advanced respiratory disease.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Apr 2021
ReviewSARS-CoV-2 and immune-microbiome interactions: Lessons from respiratory viral infections.
By the beginning of 2020, infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) had rapidly evolved into an emergent worldwide pandemic, an outbreak whose unprecedented consequences highlighted many existing flaws within public healthcare systems across the world. While coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is bestowed with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, involving the vital organs, the respiratory system transpires as the main route of entry for SARS-CoV-2, with the lungs being its primary target. ⋯ Interestingly, a recent body of evidence indicated the pulmonary and gut microbiomes as potential modulators for altering the course of COVID-19, potentially via the microbiome-immune system axis. While the relative concordance between microbes and immunity has yet to be fully elucidated with regards to COVID-19, we present an overview of our current understanding of COVID-19-microbiome-immune cross talk and discuss the potential contributions of microbiome-related immunity to SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and COVID-19 disease progression.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Apr 2021
The effect of tocilizumab, anakinra and prednisolone on antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19: A prospective cohort study with multivariate analysis of factors affecting the antibody response.
Disease severity, previous medications and immunosuppressive agents could affect the antibody response against SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to analyze variables affecting the humoral response to SARS-CoV-2. ⋯ The use of tocilizumab, anakinra and prednisolone for COVID-19 did not affect the antibody response against SARS-CoV-2. The main driver of antibody response among patients with COVID-19 was the extent of pulmonary involvement on CT.