Factors Associated with Severity of Acute Kidney Injury and Adverse Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a well-recognized complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The short and long-term outcomes of patients who develop AKI have not been well characterized. METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, we describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of critically ill adults with severe COVID-19 and AKI. Patient-level variables were extracted from the electronic medical record. Using nadir-to-peak serum creatinine, AKI was defined using the KDIGO definition. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined factors associated with development of moderate-to-severe (stage 2-3) AKI, severe (stage-3) AKI, and the composite of renal replacement therapy (RRT) or in-hospital death. RESULTS: Among 459 critically ill adults with COVID-19, 371 (80.1%) developed AKI, with 179 (37.9%) developing stage-3 AKI. Male gender, black and Asian/Native American race, lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), higher body mass index (BMI), and higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) IV score were more prevalent among patients with severe AKI, as were systemic markers of inflammation. On multivariable analysis, male gender, black and Asian/Native American race, higher APACHE IV score, lower baseline eGFR, and higher BMI (mainly the highest BMI stratum ≥35 kg/m2) were independently associated with higher stages of AKI severity. Male gender, lower baseline eGFR, and higher APACHE IV score were also independently associated with the composite of RRT or in-hospital death. Moderate-to-severe AKI and severe AKI were independently associated with in-hospital death, and there was a significant interaction between BMI and moderate-to-severe AKI for the outcome of in-hospital death. Among 83 (18.1%) patients who required RRT, 27 (32.5%) survived, and 12 (44.4%) remained dialysis-dependent at discharge. At 3 and 6 months, 5 (41.7%) and 4 (33.3%) remained dialysis-dependent, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: AKI is common in critically ill adults with COVID-19. Several patient-level risk factors are associated with higher stages of AKI severity. BMI might be an effect modifier of AKI severity for in-hospital death. Among AKI survivors, there is a high rate of short- and long-term dialysis dependence.

Reprint of: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregivers’ sleep

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the sleep quality of healthcare workers. With differences depending on the questionnaire used, the professional's specialty, and the country studied, about half of caregivers developed sleep disorders during this health crisis. Sleep disorders were associated primarily by symptoms of insomnia, poor sleep quality, reduced total sleep time, and frequent nightmares. Sleep alterations affected both frontline and backline caregivers during the COVID pandemic. Healthcare workers’ sleep studies confirm the importance of spreading the recommendations published by sleep experts.

Head-to-head comparison of cytokines storm-induced coagulopathy in septic shock and COVID-19

Background : Since December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is the main health concern around the world. Host immune response to the virus is variable and can induce a dysregulated inflammatory response associated with venous and arterial thrombosis called Covid-19 associated coagulopathy (CAC). During septic shock, inflammatory reaction generates endothelial activation and procoagulant state with microvascular thrombi inducing disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Although CAC and DIC induce altered coagulation and fibrinolytic responses, their clinical outcomes are different. Aims : We investigated and compared coagulopathy between septic shock and critical Covid-19 patients. Methods : Septic shock patients were diagnosed following the Survival Sepsis Campaign guidelines. They were admitted in intensive care unit (ICU) and included in the study within 2 days after admission. Covid-19 patients were admitted in ICU for severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) due to SARS-Cov2 infection and included within 2 days after admission. Patient's plasma was isolated and used to measure circulating biomarkers by ELISA. Results : We observed an increase in vWF and TFPI in both septic and Covid-19 patients compared to controls, highlighting endothelial damage. Interestingly, circulating TF was only elevated in Covid-19 patients. Platelet activation differed between the two cohorts of patients. P-selectin and Trem-like transcript 1 were specifically heightened in septic shock whereas CD40L was only augmented in Covid-19. Coagulation markers were increased in a diseasedependent way, with PAI-1, tPA and D-Dimers higher in septic shock and fibrinogen level, higher in Covid-19. Conclusions : Covid-19 patients had longer length-of-stay with more pronounced respiratory failure. This strong lung disruption overtime induced plasmatic tissue factor release with sustained inflammatory response characterized by sCD40L and fibrinogen secretion. Given the similarities between Covid-19 and septic shock regarding fibrinolysis and coagulation, but not platelet activation, endothelium seems to play a central role in Covid-19 and might explain the differences between CAC and DIC.

Country-level determinants of COVID-19 case rates and death rates: An ecological study.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a variable worldwide impact, likely related to country-level characteristics. In this ecological study, we explored the association of COVID-19 case rates (per 100,000 people) and death rates (per 100,000 people) with country-level population health characteristics, economic and human development indicators, and habitat-related variables. To calculate country-level COVID-19 case and death rates, the number of cases and deaths were extracted from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center through September 30, 2021. Country-level population health characteristics, economic, human development, and habitat-related indicators were extracted from several publicly available online sources of international organizations. Results were tabulated according to world zones and country economies. Unadjusted and adjusted multiple imputation linear regression analyses were performed to examine the association between country-level variables (per 1-standard deviation [SD] increase) and COVID-19 case and death rates. To satisfy the linear regression model assumptions of normality of residuals, we used the square root transformation of both outcomes. A total of 187 countries and territories were analyzed, with a median (25th, 75th percentiles) aggregate COVID-19 case rate of 3,605 (463, 8,228) per 100,000, a COVID-19 death rate of 45.9 (8.9, 137.1) per 100,000, and a case-fatality rate of 1.6% (1.2%, 2.6%). On multivariable analyses, each country-level 1-SD higher percentage of adults with obesity (ß coefficient 13.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 13.7; 8.9, 18.4), percentage of smokers (5.8; 95% CI 1.2, 10.5), percentage of adults with high blood pressure (4.9; 95% CI 0.3, 9.6), and gross national income (GNI) per capita (9.5; 95% CI 4.6, 14.5) was independently associated with higher square root of COVID-19 case rate, while average household size (-1.7; 95% CI -12.3, -3.2) was independently associated with lower square root of COVID-19 case rate. Similarly, each 1-SD higher percentage of adults with obesity (1.76; 95% CI 0.99, 2.52), percentage of adults with high blood pressure (1.11; 95% CI 0.48, 1.74), percentage of adults with physical inactivity (1.01; 95% CI 0.10, 1.191), and travel & tourism competitiveness index (1.05; 95% CI 0.06, 2.04) was independently associated with higher square root of COVID-19 death rate, whereas GNI per capita (-0.92; 95% CI -1.81, -0.03), and average household size (-1.07; 95% CI -1.87, -0.27) was independently associated with lower square root of COVID-19 death rate. This ecological study informs the need to develop country-specific public health interventions to better target populations at high risk for COVID-19, and test interventions to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2, taking into consideration cross-country differences in population health characteristics, and economic, human development and habitat-related factors.