Frontiers in medicine
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Frontiers in medicine · Jan 2020
ReviewPulmonary and Extra-Pulmonary Clinical Manifestations of COVID-19.
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been recently identified as the culprit of the highly infectious, outbreak named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China. Now declared a public health emergency, this pandemic is present in more than 200 countries with over 14 million cases and 600,000 deaths as of July 18, 2020. Primarily transmitted through the respiratory tract, the most common clinical presentations of symptomatic individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 include fever, dyspnea, cough, fatigue, and sore throat. ⋯ While it is known that COVID-19 manifests similarly to the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the 2012 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), primarily affecting the pulmonary system, the impact of the disease extends far beyond the respiratory system and affects other organs of the body. The literature regarding the extrapulmonary manifestations (cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, gastrointestinal, ocular, dermatologic, and neurological) of COVID-19 is scant. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of the organ-specific clinical manifestations of COVID-19, to increase awareness about the various organs affected by SARS-CoV-2 and to provide a brief insight into the similarities and differences in the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 and the earlier SARS and MERS.
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Frontiers in medicine · Jan 2020
Hypertension Risk in Young Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.
Objective: A number of publications have assessed the prevalence of hypertension in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients with inconclusive results. Since in general populations the occurrence of hypertension is related to age and comorbidities, we investigated the incidence rate and hazard ratios (HRs) of hypertension between healthy subjects and young women with PCOS as well as comorbidities. Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study by using the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. ⋯ Conclusion: The risk of developing hypertension in young women with PCOS was higher than in controls in this cohort study. The comorbidities of DM and hyperlipidemia could interact with PCOS patients and further increase the risk of hypertension. An earlier screening for hypertension and comorbidities in patients with PCOS may be warranted, even in young women.
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Frontiers in medicine · Jan 2020
Case ReportsFalse Positive COVID-19 Antibody Test in a Case of Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis.
Collateral damage due to 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) represents an emerging issue. Symptoms of COVID-19 are not disease-specific. Differential diagnosis is challenging and the exclusion of other life-threatening diseases has major caveats. ⋯ Pulses of methylprednisolone along with cyclophosphamide were applied. At day 10, treatment response was noticed as indicated by respiratory and renal function improvement. This report highlights the need for meticulous patient evaluation in order to avoid misdiagnosis in the era of COVID-19.
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Background: The recent COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe has caused great concern worldwide. Due to the limited evidence available on the dynamics of the virus and effective treatment options available, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a huge impact in terms of morbidity and mortality. The economic impact is still to be assessed. ⋯ Unfortunately, no vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 or effective drug regimen for COVID-19 currently exists. Drug repurposing of available antiviral agents may provide a respite; moreover, a cocktail of antiviral agents may be helpful in treating this disease. Here, we have highlighted a few available antimicrobial agents that could be very effective in treating COVID-19; indeed, a number of trials are underway to detect and confirm the efficacy of these agents.