Risk factors for prolonged nucleic acid conversion time in patients with COVID-19

Objectives: The time for PCR positivity to negativity is defined as nucleic acid conversion time (NCT) and is very important in terminating the isolation of patients and determining infectiousness in patients with COVID-19. The aim of this study is to determine the median NCT and to evaluate the clinical and laboratory parameters affecting it in patients with COVID-19. Methods: This study included 318 patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 diagnosed with PCR positivity retrospectively. Results: The median NCT was 11 days. Patients were divided into 2 groups as early (<11 days) and late conversion (≥11 days). Older age, sore throat, onset fever, fever 72 h after hospitalization, history of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus without a mask, and moderated disease were significantly more common in the late conversion group. In addition, favipiravir use was higher in early conversion group and hydroxychloroquine use was higher in late conversion group. In multivariate analysis, sore throat (OR = 2.570;95% CI: 1.051–6.284, P = 0.039) and hydroxychloroquine use (OR = 3.518, 95% CI: 1.163–10.635, P = 0,026) were independent risk factors for late conversion. Favipiravir use (OR = 0.062, 95% CI: 0.021–0.184, P = 0.0001) negatively affected the late conversion. Conclusion: NCT was longer in patients with COVID-19 who had sore throat at admission and were treated with hydroxychloroquine instead of favipiravir. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Health Sciences (Qassim University) is the property of Journal of Health Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Tracheal Stenosis After Prolonged Intubation Due to COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: The authors aimed to evaluate the characteristics and management outcomes of patients who developed tracheal stenosis after invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) due to COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The data of 7 patients with tracheal stenosis and 201 patients without tracheal stenosis after IMV due to COVID-19 between March 2020 and October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. INTERVENTIONS: Flexible bronchoscopy was performed for the diagnosis of tracheal stenosis and the evaluation of the treatment's effectiveness, and rigid bronchoscopy was applied for the dilatation of tracheal stenosis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In the follow-up period, tracheal stenosis was observed in 7 of 208 patients (2 women, 5 men; 3.3%). The patients were divided into 2 groups as patients with tracheal stenosis (n = 7) and patients without tracheal stenosis (n = 201). There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of age, sex, body mass index, and comorbidities (p > 0.05). The mean duration of IMV of the patients with tracheal stenosis was longer than patients without tracheal stenosis (27.9 ± 13 v 11.2 ± 9 days, p < 0.0001, respectively). Three (43%) of the stenoses were web-like and 4 (57%) of them were complex-type stenosis. The mean length of the stenoses was 1.81 ± 0.82 cm. Three of the patients were treated successfully with bronchoscopic dilatation, and 4 of them were treated with tracheal resection. CONCLUSIONS: Tracheal stenosis developed in 7 of 208 (3.3%) patients with COVID-19 who were treated with IMV. The most important characteristic of patients with tracheal stenosis was prolonged IMV support.

COVID-19 and thrombosis: Prophylaxis and management.

COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China in late December 2019, and WHO declared it a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The disease has a wide spectrum ranging from asymptomatic or mild disease to ARDS and death. There have been over 83.9 million cases with 1.8 million deaths worldwide. COVIDassociated coagulopathy appears to be an entity responsible for deaths. Thromboprophylaxis is recommended in patients with COVID-19 to prevent arterial and venous thromboembolism. Low molecular weight heparin such as enoxaparin is often recommended. However, there is still no consensus regarding the treatment dose and duration. The purpose of this review was to observe the pathogenesis of thromboembolic events in COVID-19, current thromboprophylaxis regimens, treatment dosage and duration with guidelines of international scientific institutions.

Smoking and COVID-19

It is known that SARS-CoV-2 affects the respiratory tract and causes pneumonia and respiratory failure in patients. Smoking increases susceptibility to many respiratory diseases, including infections, and affects the prognosis and mortality of these diseases. The increased levels of angiotensin converting enzyme-2, which is a binding receptor for SARS-CoV-2 in the lungs, suggest that smoking has negative effects on patients with COVID-19. In this review, the relationship between smoking and COVID-19 is examined with a review of current literature. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] SARS-CoV-2'nin solunum yollarını etkilediği ve hastalarda pnömoni ve solunum yetmezliğine neden olduğu bilinmektedir. Sigara içmek enfeksiyonlar dahil birçok solunum yolu hastalığına yatkınlığı artırmakta ve bu hastalıkların prognozunu ve ölüm oranını etkilemektedir. Akciğerlerde SARS-CoV-2 için bağlanma yeri olduğu bildirilen anjiyotensin dönüştürücü enzim2'nin artan seviyeleri, sigaranın COVID-19 hastalığı üzerinde olumsuz etkileri olduğunu düşündürmektedir. Bu derlemede, sigara ve COVID-19 arasındaki ilişki, mevcut literatürle birlikte incelenmiştir. (Turkish) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Respiratory Case Reports is the property of LookUs Scientific and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Smoking and comorbidities are associated with COVID-19 severity and mortality in 565 patients treated in Turkey: a retrospective observational study

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the prevalence of smoking rates and comorbidities and evaluate the relationship between them and disease severity and mortality in inpatients with COVID-19. METHODS: COVID-19 patients were divided into the following groups: clinic group, intensive care unit (ICU) group, survivors, and non-survivors. Non-COVID-19 patients were included as a control group. The groups were compared. RESULTS: There was no difference between patients with and without COVID-19 in terms of smoking, asthma, diabetes, dementia, coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension, chronic renal failure and arrhythmia (p&gt;0.05). Older age (Odds ratio (OR), 1.061;95% confidence interval (CI): 1.041-1.082;p&lt;0.0001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR, 2.775;95% CI: 1.128-6.829;p=0.026) and CAD (OR, 2.696;95% CI: 1.216-5.974;p=0.015) were significantly associated with ICU admission. Current smoking (OR, 5.101;95% CI: 2.382-10.927;p&lt;0.0001) and former smoking (OR, 3.789;95% CI: 1.845-7.780;p&lt;0.0001) were risk factors for ICU admission. Older age (OR;1.082;95% CI: 1.056-1.109;p&lt;0.0001), COPD (OR, 3.213;95% CI: 1.224-8.431;p=0.018), CAD (OR, 6.252;95% CI: 2.171-18.004;p=0.001) and congestive heart failure (CHF) (OR, 5.917;95% CI 1.069-32.258;p=0.042), were significantly associated with mortality. Current smoking (OR, 13.014;95% CI: 5.058-33.480;p&lt;0.0001) and former smoking (OR, 6.507;95% CI 2.731-15.501;p&lt;0.0001) were also risk factors for mortality. CONCLUSION: Smoking, older age, COPD, and CAD were risk factors for ICU admission and mortality in patients with COVID-19. CHF was not a risk factor for ICU admission;however, it was a risk factor for mortality. RESUMO OBJETIVO: Buscamos explorar as taxas de prevalência de tabagismo e de comorbidades e avaliar a relação entre elas e a severidade e mortalidade da doença em pacientes hospitalizados com COVID-19. MÉTODOS: Pacientes com COVID-19 foram divididos nos seguintes grupos: grupo clínico, grupo da unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI), grupo de sobreviventes e não-sobreviventes. Pacientes sem COVID-19 foram incluídos em um grupo de controle. Os grupos foram comparados. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença entre os pacientes com e sem COVID-19 em termos de tabagismo, asma, diabetes, demência, doença arterial coronariana (DAC), hipertensão arterial, insuficiência renal crônica e arritmia (p&gt;0,05). Idade mais avançada (odds ratio (OR), 1,061;95% de intervalo de confiança (IC): 1,041-1,082;p&lt;0,0001), doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (DPOC) (OR, 2,775;95% IC: 1,128-6,829;p=0,026) e DAC (OR, 2,696;95% IC: 1,216-5,974;p=0,015) estavam significativamente associados com a admissão na UTI. O tabagismo atual (OR, 5,101;95% IC: 2,382-10,927;p &lt;0,0001) e tabagismo prévio (OR, 3,789;95% IC: 1,845-7,780;p&lt;0,0001) foram fatores de risco para admissão na UTI. Idade mais avançada (OR;1,082;95% IC: 1,056-1,109;&lt;0,0001), DPOC (OR, 3,213;95% IC: 1,224-8,431;p=0,018), DAC (OR, 6,252;95% IC: 2,171-18,004;p=0,001) e insuficiência cardíaca congestiva (ICC) (OR, 5,917;95% IC 1,069-32,258;p=0,042) estavam significativamente associados com mortalidade. O tabagismo atual (OR, 13,014;95% IC: 5,058-33,480;p&lt;0,0001) e o tabagismo prévio (OR, 6,507;95% IC 2,731-15,501;p&lt;0,0001) também foram fatores de risco para mortalidade. CONCLUSÃO: O tabagismo, a idade avançada, DPOC e DAC foram fatores de risco para admissão na UTI e mortalidade em pacientes com COVID-19. ICC não foi um fator de risco para admissão na UTI;no entanto, foi um fator de risco para mortalidade.

Smoking and comorbidities are associated with COVID-19 severity and mortality in 565 patients treated in Turkey: a retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the prevalence of smoking rates and comorbidities and evaluate the relationship between them and disease severity and mortality in inpatients with COVID-19. METHODS: COVID-19 patients were divided into the following groups: clinic group, intensive care unit (ICU) group, survivors, and non-survivors. Non-COVID-19 patients were included as a control group. The groups were compared. RESULTS: There was no difference between patients with and without COVID-19 in terms of smoking, asthma, diabetes, dementia, coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension, chronic renal failure and arrhythmia (p>0.05). Older age (Odds ratio (OR), 1.061; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.041-1.082; p< 0.0001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR, 2.775; 95% CI: 1.128-6.829; p=0.026) and CAD (OR, 2.696; 95% CI: 1.216-5.974; p=0.015) were significantly associated with ICU admission. Current smoking (OR, 5.101; 95% CI: 2.382-10.927; p<0.0001) and former smoking (OR, 3.789; 95% CI: 1.845-7.780; p<0.0001) were risk factors for ICU admission. Older age (OR; 1.082; 95% CI: 1.056-1.109; p<0.0001), COPD (OR, 3.213; 95% CI: 1.224-8.431; p=0.018), CAD (OR, 6.252; 95% CI: 2.171-18.004; p=0.001) and congestive heart failure (CHF) (OR, 5.917; 95% CI 1.069-32.258; p=0.042), were significantly associated with mortality. Current smoking (OR, 13.014; 95% CI: 5.058-33.480; p<0.0001) and former smoking (OR, 6.507; 95% CI 2.731-15.501; p<0.0001) were also risk factors for mortality. CONCLUSION: Smoking, older age, COPD, and CAD were risk factors for ICU admission and mortality in patients with COVID-19. CHF was not a risk factor for ICU admission; however, it was a risk factor for mortality.