Risk factors of pulmonary complications in the patients with COVID-19: A case-control study (preprint)

Background Pneumothorax (PTX), pneumomediastinum (PM), and emphysema (EM) are complications of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Studying these situations' risk factors, complications, and prognosis is essential for early diagnosis during a pandemic. Methods We performed a case-control study of patients diagnosed with coronavirus pneumonia complicated with PTX, PM, and EM compared with patients without these complications to evaluate the risk factors for the incidence and prognosis of patients with pulmonary complications of COVID-19. We used parametric, non-parametric, and regression tests to analyze the data. Results We enrolled 162 patients (81 complicated, 81 uncomplicated). A past medical history of diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidemia (HLP), lung disease, and ischemic heart disease (IHD) was not associated with PTX, PM, and EM in COVID 19 pneumonia (p-value > 0.05). The mortality rate was higher in the case group (69% vs. 15%). Among ventilator modes, 46.2% of intubated patients in the case group had synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV) for their ventilation. ESR, CRP, D-dimer, LDH, WBC, and troponin significantly increased, and lymphocytes decreased in complicated COVID compared to control groups (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion The nature of SARS-CoV-2 predisposes patients to PTX and other pulmonary complications. In practice, we could predict the complications and severity of COVID-19 pneumonia from some specific laboratory data.

Prevalence of Hypothyroidism Among Patients With COVID-19, Tehran, Iran (preprint)

Objective: Numerous comorbidities are involved in the severity of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hypothyroidism's impact on COVID-19 is yet to be understood properly. Cellular immunity and different cytokines, on the other hand, are thought to play a role in the development and progress of COVID-19 and thyroid disease, according to earlier research. The goal of this study was to find out how common (prevalent) hypothyroidism was among COVID-19 patients and its possible influence on the disease prognosis on hospitalized patients at a Tehran University Hospital. Methods: : Demographic information and other data related to our study, mainly comorbidities, were collected from 493 COVID-19 patients’ medical records and analyzed . Results: : We identified that hypothyroidism was significantly prevalent in hospitalized COVID-19 patients than in the general population. Overall, in patients with hypothyroidism (n=65), n=21(32.3%) patients expired of whom 14 (66.7%) patients were females and 7 (33.3%) were males. In these patients, no statistically significant difference was observed between the expired and discharged groups (Adjusted Odds Ratio (OR adj ): 1.04 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.59-1.83 p-value=0.87). As a result, hypothyroidism was not linked to an increased risk of death. Conclusion: In this current study, we demonstrated that the prevalence of hypothyroidism was higher in hospitalized COVID-19 patients than in the normal population especially in females but without significant adverse effects on the risk of mortality from this disease.