Comparison of clinical, radiological and laboratory findings in discharged and dead patients with COVID-19 Comparación de los hallazgos clínicos, radiológicos y de laboratorio en pacientes dados de Alta y fallecidos con COVID-19

Background Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a recently described infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Iran was the first country where the SARS-Cov-2 was detected in the Middle East. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical, radiological and laboratory findings in hospitalized COVID-19 confirmed cases in Iran. Methods The clinical manifestations, radiological data, laboratory findings, and the underlying diseases of the patients with COVID-19 were obtained from electronic medical records. Next, this information was compared in discharged and dead patients. Results Overall, 4028 patients with COVID-19 including 3088 discharged, 778 dead, and 162 still hospitalized patients were enrolled in this study. The highest percentage of people who recovered (55%) was between 30 and 60 years old and the highest percentage of deaths (74.4%) was more than 60 years old. Based on demographic data, 50.05% were female and 49.95% were male. Clinical evaluations revealed that dyspnea (56.9%), cough (31.4%) and fever (17.8%) were the most manifestations. Comorbidities were significantly higher in the dead group. Laboratory analysis revealed abnormalities in lymphocyte count (LYM), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP). The most prevalent computed tomography (CT) scan data were ground-glass opacity (GGO) (30.5%) and consolidation (9.4%). Conclusions Laboratory parameters and clinical and radiological findings help to evaluate the follow-up of the disease in patients. Age and comorbidities are factors that predispose people to COVID-19. Further research is needed to evaluate the effects of various factors on the progression of COVID-19 infection.

Comparison of clinical, radiological and laboratory findings in discharged and dead patients with COVID-19.

Background: Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a recently described infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Iran was the first country where the SARS-Cov-2 was detected in the Middle East. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical, radiological and laboratory findings in hospitalized COVID-19 confirmed cases in Iran. Methods: The clinical manifestations, radiological data, laboratory findings, and the underlying diseases of the patients with COVID-19 were obtained from electronic medical records. Next, this information was compared in discharged and dead patients. Results: Overall, 4028 patients with COVID-19 including 3088 discharged, 778 dead, and 162 still hospitalized patients were enrolled in this study. The highest percentage of people who recovered (55%) was between 30 and 60 years old and the highest percentage of deaths (74.4%) was more than 60 years old. Based on demographic data, 50.05% were female and 49.95% were male. Clinical evaluations revealed that dyspnea (56.9%), cough (31.4%) and fever (17.8%) were the most manifestations. Comorbidities were significantly higher in the dead group. Laboratory analysis revealed abnormalities in lymphocyte count (LYM), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP). The most prevalent computed tomography (CT) scan data were ground-glass opacity (GGO) (30.5%) and consolidation (9.4%). Conclusions: Laboratory parameters and clinical and radiological findings help to evaluate the follow-up of the disease in patients. Age and comorbidities are factors that predispose people to COVID-19. Further research is needed to evaluate the effects of various factors on the progression of COVID-19 infection.

Antecedentes: La enfermedad por coronavirus de 19 (COVID-19) es una enfermedad infecciosa recientemente descrita causada por el síndrome respiratorio agudo severo por coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Irán fue el primer país de Oriente Medio donde se detectó SARS-Cov-2. En el estudio actual, nuestro objetivo fue evaluar los hallazgos clínicos, radiológicos y de laboratorio en pacientes hospitalizados con confirmación de COVID-19 en Irán. Métodos: Se obtuvieron las manifestaciones clínicas, los datos radiológicos, los hallazgos de laboratorio y las enfermedades subyacentes de los registros clínicos electrónicos. Seguidamente, se comparó esta información con los pacientes dados de alta y fallecidos. Resultados: A nivel global, se incluyó en este estudio a 4.028 pacientes con COVID-19, de los cuales 3.088 habían recibido el alta, 778 habían fallecido, y 162 seguían hospitalizados. El mayor porcentaje de recuperaciones (55%) se produjo entre las personas de 30 a 60 años, y el mayor porcentaje de muertes (74,4%) se dio en los mayores de 60 años. Sobre la base de los datos demográficos, el 50,05% fueron mujeres y el 49,95% varones. Las evaluaciones clínicas revelaron que la disnea (56,9%), la tos (31,4%) y la fiebre (17,8%) fueron las manifestaciones más prevalentes. Las comorbilidades fueron significativamente más elevadas en el grupo de fallecidos. Las analíticas revelaron anomalías en cuanto a recuento linfocitario, tasa de sedimentación eritrocitaria (ESR), y biomarcadores inflamatorios tales como proteína C reactiva (PCR). Los datos procedentes de la tomografía computarizada (TC) fueron opacidad en vidrio esmerilado (GGO) (30,5%) y consolidación (9,4%). Conclusiones: Los parámetros de laboratorio y los hallazgos clínicos y radiológicos ayudan a evaluar el seguimiento de la enfermedad en los pacientes. La edad y las comorbilidades son factores que predisponen a las personas a la COVID-19. Es necesaria más investigación para evaluar los efectos de los diversos factores en la progresión de la infección por COVID-19.

COVID-19 in HIV-positive patients: A systematic review of case reports and case series.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are two viral diseases for which there are currently no definitive treatments. Nowadays, because of the health system's focus on the COVID-19 epidemic, the control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has received less attention. In this review, we will discuss the characteristics of COVID-19 in HIV-positive patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using the PRISMA guideline, the databases of Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched systematically from January 1, 2019 to February 24, 2021. The following keywords were used: "Human Immunodeficiency Virus," "acquired immune deficiency syndrome," "HIV," "AIDS," "COVID-19," "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2," "novel coronavirus," "SARS-CoV-2," "nCoV disease," "SARS2," and "2019-nCoV disease." RESULTS: Twenty-one percent of studies were conducted in the USA (n = 13), 16% in China (n = 10), and 13% in Italy (n = 8), respectively. The majority of the patients were men (74.3%). Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate was used in 47.4% of patients, emtricitabine in 58.4%, and lamivudine in 34.8% to treat HIV. Symptoms of HIV patients with COVID-19 included coughing (81.3%), fever (62.8%), and dyspnea (60%). Hydroxychloroquine (39.34%) and azithromycin (36.58%) were the common treatment options for COVID-19. The total death rate in HIV-positive patients with COVID-19 was about 9%. CONCLUSION: In the current systematic review, we demonstrated that HIV-positive patients co-infected with COVID-19 have high comorbidity of hypertension and diabetes mellitus. HIV/COVID-19 co-infection might have negatively influenced the HIV treatment and diagnosis, which indicates the need to regularly screen HIV patients in the COVID-19 pandemic.

An update review of globally reported SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in preclinical and clinical stages.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the rapidly spreading pandemic COVID-19 in the world. As an effective therapeutic strategy is not introduced yet and the rapid genetic variations in the virus, there is an emerging necessity to design, evaluate and apply effective new vaccines. An acceptable vaccine must elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses, must have the least side effects and the storage and transport systems should be available and affordable for all countries. These vaccines can be classified into different types: inactivated vaccines, live-attenuated virus vaccines, subunit vaccines, virus-like particles (VLPs), nucleic acid-based vaccines (DNA and RNA) and recombinant vector-based vaccines (replicating and non-replicating viral vector). According to the latest update of the WHO report on April 2nd, 2021, at least 85 vaccine candidates were being studied in clinical trial phases and 184 candidate vaccines were being evaluated in pre-clinical stages. In addition, studies have shown that other vaccines, including the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine and the Plant-derived vaccine, may play a role in controlling pandemic COVID-19. Herein, we reviewed the different types of COVID-19 candidate vaccines that are currently being evaluated in preclinical and clinical trial phases along with advantages, disadvantages or adverse reactions, if any.

Bacterial co-infections with SARS-CoV-2.

The pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has affected millions of people worldwide. To date, there are no proven effective therapies for this virus. Efforts made to develop antiviral strategies for the treatment of COVID-19 are underway. Respiratory viral infections, such as influenza, predispose patients to co-infections and these lead to increased disease severity and mortality. Numerous types of antibiotics such as azithromycin have been employed for the prevention and treatment of bacterial co-infection and secondary bacterial infections in patients with a viral respiratory infection (e.g., SARS-CoV-2). Although antibiotics do not directly affect SARS-CoV-2, viral respiratory infections often result in bacterial pneumonia. It is possible that some patients die from bacterial co-infection rather than virus itself. To date, a considerable number of bacterial strains have been resistant to various antibiotics such as azithromycin, and the overuse could render those or other antibiotics even less effective. Therefore, bacterial co-infection and secondary bacterial infection are considered critical risk factors for the severity and mortality rates of COVID-19. Also, the antibiotic-resistant as a result of overusing must be considered. In this review, we will summarize the bacterial co-infection and secondary bacterial infection in some featured respiratory viral infections, especially COVID-19.