Interferon-gamma release assay testing to assess COVID-19 vaccination response in a SARS-CoV-2 seronegative patient on rituximab: a case report.

We describe the case of a 44-year-old female patient on rituximab for the treatment of multiple sclerosis with undetectable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) IgG specific antibodies 18 days after the second dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Interferon-gamma release assay testing for SARS-CoV-2 was positive on day 19, demonstrating a robust T cell-mediated response despite the lack of an antibody-mediated response.

Anti-inflammatory effects of oral supplementation with curcumin: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

CONTEXT: Chronic inflammation is a major contributor to the development of noncommunicable diseases. Curcumin, a bioactive polyphenol from turmeric, is a well-known anti-inflammatory agent in preclinical research. Clinical evidence remains inconclusive because of discrepancies regarding optimal dosage, duration, and formulation of curcumin. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review, conducted and reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and checklist, was to evaluate the efficacy of curcumin supplementation on systemic inflammatory mediators, comparing dose, duration, and bioavailability status of interventions. DATA SOURCES: The Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane literature databases were searched from 1980 to May-end 2019. Randomized controlled trials investigating effects of dietary curcumin on inflammatory mediators in humans not receiving anti-inflammatory treatment were eligible for inclusion. Two authors independently assessed titles and abstracts of identified articles for potential eligibility and respective, retrieved, full-text articles; disagreements were resolved by a third author. Evidence quality was critically appraised using the Quality Criteria Checklist for Primary Research. DATA EXTRACTION: Thirty-two trials (N = 2,038 participants) were included and 28 were meta-analyzed using a random-effects model; effect sizes were expressed as Hedges' g (95%CI). DATA ANALYSIS: Pooled data (reported here as weighted mean difference [WMD]; 95%CI) showed a reduction in C-reactive protein (-1.55 mg/L; -1.81 to -1.30), interleukin-6 (-1.69 pg/mL, -2.56 to -0.82), tumor necrosis factor α (-3.13 pg/mL; -4.62 to -1.64), IL-8 (-0.54 pg/mL; -0.82 to -0.28), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (-2.48 pg/mL; -3.96 to -1.00), and an increase in IL-10 (0.49 pg/mL; 0.10 to 0.88), with no effect on intracellular adhesion molecule-1. CONCLUSION: These findings provide evidence for the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin and support further investigation to confirm dose, duration, and formulation to optimize anti-inflammatory effects in humans with chronic inflammation. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42019148682.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Coronavirus Disease Patients under Nonsurge Conditions, Northern California, USA, March-April 2020.

Limited data are available on the clinical presentation and outcomes of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients in the United States hospitalized under normal-caseload or nonsurge conditions. We retrospectively studied 72 consecutive adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in 2 hospitals in the San Francisco Bay area, California, USA, during March 13-April 11, 2020. The death rate for all hospitalized COVID-19 patients was 8.3%, and median length of hospitalization was 7.5 days. Of the 21 (29% of total) intensive care unit patients, 3 (14.3% died); median length of intensive care unit stay was 12 days. Of the 72 patients, 43 (59.7%) had underlying cardiovascular disease and 19 (26.4%) had underlying pulmonary disease. In this study, death rates were lower than those reported from regions of the United States experiencing a high volume of COVID-19 patients.