Articles: sars-cov-2.
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Review Practice Guideline
Management of Patients with Cerebellar Ataxia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Current Concerns and Future Implications.
The current worldwide severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has brought some medical systems to the brink of collapse. This crisis is also negatively impacting the care of patients with non-COVID-19 conditions, including those with cerebellar ataxia (CA). Older patients with CA and those with immune-mediated ataxias on immunosuppressive medication are potentially at high risk of developing serious complications of the infection, although it is also possible that immunosuppressive agents may provide a defense against cytokine storm. ⋯ We identify and review some of the short- and long-term consequences of this global pandemic for the community of ataxia patients and their families and for the clinical and academic neurologists/ataxiologists caring for these patients. This includes the recognition that telemedicine has emerged as a principle means of caregiver-patient contact and that neurological manifestations of COVID-19 including those specific to cerebellar neurobiology are increasingly recognized and will require close surveillance and monitoring. This COVID-19 Cerebellum Task Force consensus provides some guidance on how we may approach this uncertain time and consider preparing for the new realities we face in CA patient care once this acute crisis has passed.
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Testing for COVID-19 remains limited in the United States and across the world. Poor allocation of limited testing resources leads to misutilization of health system resources, which complementary rapid testing tools could ameliorate. ⋯ A prediction tool based on complete blood count results can better allocate SARS-CoV-2 testing and other health care resources such as personal protective equipment during a pandemic surge.
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Cardiovascular research · Aug 2020
Single-cell analysis of SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 and spike protein priming expression of proteases in the human heart.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) directly binds to ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) to facilitate cellular entry. Compared with the lung or respiratory tract, the human heart exhibits greater ACE2 expression. However, little substantial damage was found in the heart tissue, and no viral particles were observed in the cardiac myocytes. This study aims to analyse ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein proteases at the single-cell level, to explore the cardiac involvement in COVID-19 and improve our understanding of the potential cardiovascular implications of COVID-19. ⋯ Compared with the lung, ACE2 is relatively more highly expressed in the human heart, while the key S protein priming protease, TMPRSS2, is rarely expressed. The low percentage of ACE2+/TMPRSS2+ cells reduced heart vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 to some degree. CTSL and FURIN may compensate for S protein priming to mediate SARS-CoV-2 infection of the heart.
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Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. · Aug 2020
ReviewThe potential of JAK/STAT pathway inhibition by ruxolitinib in the treatment of COVID-19.
Ruxolitinib is the first approved JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor, and is known to interfere with the JAK / STAT signaling pathway, one of the critical cellular signaling pathways involved in the inflammatory response. This review presents an overview of SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic, and then focuses on the potential efficacy of ruxolitinib in this infection. The potential targets of ruxolitinib were determined by using genetic alterations that have been reported in COVID-19 patients. The potential effectiveness of ruxolitinib is suggested by evaluating the interactions of these potential targets with ruxolitinib or JAK/STAT pathway.
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Gastroent Hepat Barc · Aug 2020
Review Practice GuidelineAEG-SEED position paper for the resumption of endoscopic activity after the peak phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the suspension of programmed activity in most of the Endoscopy Units in our environment. The aim of this document is to facilitate the resumption of elective endoscopic activity in an efficient and safe manner. ⋯ The AEG and SEED recommend restarting endoscopic activity in a phased, safe manner, adapted to local resources and the epidemiological situation of SARS-CoV-2 infection.