The MedConnect Program: Symptomatology, Return Visits, and Hospitalization of COVID-19 Outpatients Following Discharge From the Emergency Department.

Background and objective Although hospitalization is required for only a minority of those infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the high rates of morbidity and mortality among these patients have led researchers to focus on the predictors of admission and adverse outcomes in the inpatient population. However, there is scarce data on the clinical trajectory of individuals symptomatic enough to present for emergency care, but not sick enough to be admitted. In light of this, we aimed to examine the symptomatology, emergency department (ED) revisits, and hospitalization of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outpatients after discharge from the ED. Methods Adult patients with COVID-19 infection were prospectively enrolled after discharge from the ED between May and December 2020. Patients were followed up longitudinally for 14 days via phone interviews designed to provide support and information and to track symptomatology, ED revisits, and hospitalization. Results A volunteer, medical student-run program enrolled 199 COVID-19 patients discharged from the ED during the first nine months of the pandemic. Of the 176 patients (88.4%) who completed the 14-day protocol, 29 (16.5%) had a second ED visit and 17 (9.6%) were admitted, 16 (9%) for worsening COVID-19 symptoms. Age, male sex, comorbid illnesses, and self-reported dyspnea, diarrhea, chills, and fever were associated with hospital admission for patients with a subsequent ED visit. For those who did not require admission, symptoms generally improved following ED discharge. Age >65 years and a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were associated with a longer duration of cough, but generally, patient characteristics and comorbidities did not significantly affect the overall number or duration of symptoms. Conclusions Nearly one in five patients discharged from the ED with COVID-19 infection had a second ED evaluation during a 14-day follow-up period, despite regular phone interactions aimed at providing support and information. More than half of them required admission for worsening COVID-19 symptoms. Established risk factors for severe disease and self-reported persistence of certain symptoms were associated with hospital admission, while those who did not require hospitalization had a steady improvement in symptoms over the 14-day period.

COVID-19 Outcomes Among Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Case-control Study.

BACKGROUND: Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are considered to be "vulnerable" to COVID-19 infection due to immunosuppression. To date, there are no studies that compared the disease severity of COVID-19 in SOT recipients with nontransplant patients. METHODS: In this case-control study, we compared the outcomes of COVID-19 between SOT recipients and their matched nontransplant controls. The cases were all adult SOT recipients (N = 41) from our academic health center who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between March 10, 2020 and May 15, 2020 using positive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for SARS-CoV2. The controls (N = 121) were matched on age (±5 y), race, and admission status (hospital or outpatient). The primary outcome was death and secondary outcomes were severe disease, intubation and renal replacement therapy (RRT). RESULTS: Median age of SOT recipients (9 heart, 3 lung, 16 kidney, 8 liver, and 5 dual organ) was 60 y, 80% were male and 67% were Black. Severe disease adjusted risk of death was similar in both the groups (hazard ratio = 0.84 [0.32-2.20]). Severity of COVID-19 and intubation were similar, but the RRT use was higher in SOT (odds ratio = 5.32 [1.26, 22.42]) compared to non-SOT COVID-19 patients. Among SOT recipients, COVID-19-related treatment with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was associated with 10-fold higher hazard of death compared to without HCQ (hazard ratio = 10.62 [1.24-91.09]). CONCLUSIONS: Although African Americans constituted one-tenth of all SOT in our center, they represented two-thirds of COVID-19 cases. Despite high RRT use in SOT recipients, the severe disease and short-term death were similar in both groups. HCQ for the treatment of COVID-19 among SOT recipients was associated with high mortality and therefore, its role as a treatment modality requires further scrutiny.

Tocilizumab for Treatment of Mechanically Ventilated Patients With COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can manifest in rapid decompensation and respiratory failure with elevated inflammatory markers, consistent with cytokine release syndrome for which IL-6 blockade is an approved treatment. METHODS: We assessed effectiveness and safety of IL-6 blockade with tocilizumab in a single-center cohort of patients with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation. The primary endpoint was survival probability postintubation; secondary analyses included an ordinal illness severity scale integrating superinfections. Outcomes in patients who received tocilizumab compared with tocilizumab-untreated controls were evaluated using multivariable Cox regression with propensity score inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). RESULTS: 154 patients were included, of whom 78 received tocilizumab and 76 did not. Median follow-up was 47 days (range, 28-67). Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, although tocilizumab-treated patients were younger (mean: 55 vs 60 years), less likely to have chronic pulmonary disease (10% vs 28%), and had lower D-dimer values at time of intubation (median: 2.4 vs 6.5 mg/dL). In IPTW-adjusted models, tocilizumab was associated with a 45% reduction in hazard of death (HR, .55; 95% CI, .33-.90) and improved status on the ordinal outcome scale [OR per 1-level increase, .58; .36-.94). Although tocilizumab was associated with an increased proportion of patients with superinfections (54% vs 26%; P < .001), there was no difference in 28-day case fatality rate among tocilizumab-treated patients with versus without superinfection (22% vs 15%; P = .42). Staphylococcus aureus accounted for ~50% of bacterial pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients, tocilizumab was associated with lower mortality despite higher superinfection occurrence.