ABSTRACT
Background and aims: Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are commonly used in the treatment of hypertension. However, it is still not clear whether there are differences among different anti-hypertensive drugs in the treatment of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and hypertension. Herein, we aimed to assess the relation between different anti-hypertensive medications and COVID-19 outcomes. Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 58 hypertensive patients with COVID-19 who were treated with different anti-hypertensive drugs and reviewed the clinical data obtained from electronic medical records, including epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and the treatment and progression of the disease. Results: There was no obvious difference in clinical prognosis after using any anti-hypertensive drugs in patients with COVID-19 and hypertension, but the different anti-hypertensive drugs were associated with the use of non-invasive ventilator treatment at admission comparing two groups between ACEIs/ARBs and CCBs+ACEIs/ARBs. Conclusion: there is no evidence showing that the different use of anti-hypertensive drugs is related to outcomes of patients with COVID-19 and hypertension, even between single drug regimen and combined therapy (with at least two anti-hypertensive drugs as combined therapy).
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , HypertensionABSTRACT
Background: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a pandemic, posing a serious threat to public health worldwide. Whether survivors of COVID-19 pneumonia may be at risk of pulmonary fibrosis is still unknown.Methods: This study involves 462 laboratory confirmed patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital. A total of 457 patients underwent thin-section chest CT scans during the hospitalization or after discharge to identify the pulmonary lesion. A total of 287 patients were followed up from 90 days to 150 days after the onset of the disease.Finding: 397 (86.87%), 311 (74.40%), 222 (79.56%), 141 (68.12%) and 49 (62.03%) patients developed with pulmonary fibrosis during the 0-30, 31-60, 61-90, 91-120 and >120 days after onset, respectively. Reversal of pulmonary fibrosis were found in 18 (4.53%), 61 (19.61%), 40 (18.02%), 54 (38.30%) and 24 (48.98%) COVID-19 patients during the 0-30, 31-60, 61-90, 91-120 and >120 days after onset, respectively. It was observed that Age, BMI, Fever, and Highest PCT were predictive factors for sustaining fibrosis even after 90 days from onset. Only a fraction of COVID-19 patients suffered with abnormal lung function after 90 days from onset.Interpretation: Long-term pulmonary fibrosis was more likely to develop in patients with older age, high BMI, severe/critical condition, fever, long time to turn the viral RNA negative, pre-existing disease and delay to admission. Fibrosis developed in COVID-19 patients could be reversed in about a half of the patients after 120 days from onset. The pulmonary function of most of COVID-19 patients with pulmonary fibrosis could turn to normal condition after three months from onset.Funding Statement: Shenzhen Science and Technology Research and Development Project (202002073000001 and 202002073000002), Shenzhen Fund for Guangdong Provincial High-level Clinical Key Specialties (SZGSP011).Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.Ethics Approval Statement: This study was conducted at Shenzhen Third People's Hospital and approved by the Ethics Committees, each patient gave written informed consent.
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections , Fever , Pulmonary Fibrosis , COVID-19ABSTRACT
Background: Thousands of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have been discharged from hospitals, persistent follow-up studies are required to evaluate the prevalence of post-COVID-19 fibrosis.Methods: This study involves 462 laboratory confirmed patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital from January 11, 2020 to April 26, 2020. A total of 457 patients underwent thin-section chest CT scans during the hospitalization or after discharge to identify the pulmonary lesion. A total of 287 patients were followed up from 90 days to 150 days after the onset of the disease, and lung function tests were conducted in about three months after the onset. The risk factors affecting the persistence of pulmonary fibrosis were identified through regression analysis and the prediction model of the persistence of pulmonary fibrosis was established.Results: Parenchymal bands, irregular interfaces, reticulation and traction bronchiectasis were the most common CT features in all COVID-19 patients. During the 0-30, 31-60, 61-90, 91-120 and >120 days after onset, 86.87%, 74.40%, 79.56%, 68.12% and 62.03% patients developed with pulmonary fibrosis and 4.53%, 19.61%, 18.02%, 38.30% and 48.98% patients reversed pulmonary fibrosis, respectively. It was observed that Age, BMI, Fever, and Highest PCT were predictive factors for sustaining fibrosis even after 90 days from onset. A predictive model of the persistence with pulmonary fibrosis was developed based-on the Logistic Regression method with an accuracy, PPV, NPV, Sensitivity and Specificity of the model of 76%, 71%, 79%, 67%, and 82%, respectively. More than half of COVID-19 patients revealed abnormal condition in lung function after 90 days from onset, and the ratio of abnormal lung function did not differ on a statistically significant level between the fibrotic and non-fibrotic groups.Conclusions: Persistent pulmonary fibrosis was more likely to develop in patients with older age, high BMI, severe/critical condition, fever, long time to turn the viral RNA negative, pre-existing disease and delay to admission. Fibrosis developed in COVID-19 patients could be reversed in about a third of the patients after 120 days from onset. The pulmonary function of less than half of COVID-19 patients could turn to normal condition after three months from onset. An effective prediction model with an average Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.84 was established to predict the persistence of pulmonary fibrosis in COVID-19 patients for early diagnosis.
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections , Fibrosis , Lung Diseases , Fever , COVID-19 , Pulmonary FibrosisABSTRACT
Abstract Background SARS-CoV-2 could infect people at all ages, and the viral shedding and immunological features of children COVID-19 patients were analyzed. Methods Epidemiological information and clinical data were collected from 35 children patients. Viral RNAs in respiratory and fecal samples were detected. Plasma of 11 patients were collected and measured for 48 cytokines. Results 40% (14/35) of the children COVID-19 patients showed asymptomatic infections, while pneumonia shown by CT scan occurred in most of the cases (32/35, 91.43%). Elevated LDH, AST, CRP, neutropenia, leukopenia, lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in some cases, and CD4 and CD8 counts were normal. A total of 22 cytokines were significantly higher than the healthy control, and IP-10, IFN-2 of them in children were significantly lower than the adult patients. Meanwhile, MCP-3, HGF, MIP-1, and IL-1ra were similar or lower than healthy control, while significantly lower than adult patients. Viral RNAs were detected as early as the first day after illness onset (d.a.o) in both the respiratory and fecal samples. Viral RNAs decreased as the disease progression and mostly became negative in respiratory samples within 18 d.a.o, while maintained relatively stable during the disease progression and still detectable in some cases during 36~42 d.a.o. Conclusion COVID-19 in children was mild, and asymptomatic infection was common. Immune responses were relatively normal in children COVID-19 patients. Cytokine storm also occurred in children patients, while much weaker than adult patients. Positive rate of viral RNAs in fecal samples was high, and profile of viral shedding were different between respiratory and gastrointestinal tract.
Subject(s)
COVID-19ABSTRACT
Background SARS-CoV-2 could infect people at all ages, and the viral shedding and immunological features of children COVID-19 patients were analyzed.Methods Epidemiological information and clinical data were collected from 35 children patients. Viral RNAs in respiratory and fecal samples were detected. Plasma of 11 patients were collected and measured for 48 cytokines.Results 40% (14/35) of the children COVID-19 patients showed asymptomatic infections, while pneumonia shown by CT scan occurred in most of the cases (32/35, 91.43%). Elevated LDH, AST, CRP, neutropenia, leukopenia, lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in some cases, and CD4 and CD8 counts were normal. A total of 22 cytokines were significantly higher than the healthy control, and IP-10, IFN-α2 of them in children were significantly lower than the adult patients. Meanwhile, MCP-3, HGF, MIP-1α, and IL-1ra were similar or lower than healthy control, while significantly lower than adult patients. Viral RNAs were detected as early as the first day after illness onset (d.a.o) in both the respiratory and fecal samples. Viral RNAs decreased as the disease progression and mostly became negative in respiratory samples within 18 d.a.o, while maintained relatively stable during the disease progression and still detectable in some cases during 36~42 d.a.o. Conclusion COVID-19 in children was mild, and asymptomatic infection was common. Immune responses were relatively normal in children COVID-19 patients. Cytokine storm also occurred in children patients, while much weaker than adult patients. Positive rate of viral RNAs in fecal samples was high, and profile of viral shedding were different between respiratory and gastrointestinal tract.
Subject(s)
Thrombocytopenia , Pneumonia , Leukopenia , Neutropenia , COVID-19 , LymphopeniaABSTRACT
Background: This study aims to analyze the changes and significance of organ function indices in patients with severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia for prediction of major organ damages and guiding treatment schemes. Methods: 63 patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia were selected as the severe group and 73 patients with mild syndromes were selected as the mild group. SAS9.4 software was used for statistical analysis of the data. Results: Levels of ALT, AST, cTnI, Cr, PT, APTT and D-DIC of the severe group were significantly higher while PLT was lower than those of the mild group. The data of all quantitative variables were converted into categorical variables. Significantly higher levels of AST, ALB, D-DIC and higher proportion of bilateral lung involvement were observed from the severe group comparing to those in the mild group, while the difference in the other indices between the two groups was insignificant in statistical perspective. Conclusions: There are significant differences in the levels of multiple organ function indices between the severe group and the mild group of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia infection. Through examining the relevant indices, conditions of patients’ multiple organ function damage could be predicted and used as guidance of treatment.
Subject(s)
Pneumonia , COVID-19ABSTRACT
Background: This study aims to analyze the changes and significance of organ function indices in patients with severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia for prediction of major organ damages and guiding treatment schemes.Methods: 63 patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia were selected as the severe group and 73 patients with mild syndromes were selected as the mild group. SAS9.4 software was used for statistical analysis of the data.Results: Levels of ALT, AST, cTnI, Cr, PT, APTT and D-DIC of the severe group were significantly higher while PLT was lower than those of the mild group. The data of all quantitative variables were converted into categorical variables. Significantly higher levels of AST, ALB, D-DIC and higher proportion of bilateral lung involvement were observed from the severe group comparing to those in the mild group, while the difference in the other indices between the two groups was insignificant in statistical perspective.Discussion: There are significant differences in the levels of multiple organ function indices between the severe group and the mild group of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia infection. Through examining the relevant indices, conditions of patients’ multiple organ function damage could be predicted and used as guidance of treatment.
Subject(s)
Pneumonia , COVID-19ABSTRACT
Summary Background The novel coronavirus (CoV) severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 outbreak started at the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China, and spread over 100 countries. SARS-CoV-2 uses the membrane protein Angiotensin I converting enzyme 2(ACE2) as a cell entry receptor. Indeed, it was reported that the balance of Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS), regulated by both ACE and ACE2, was altered in COVID-19 patients. It is controversial, however, whether commonly used anti-hypertensive drugs Angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and Angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) shall be continued in the confirmed COVID-19 patients. This study was designed to investigate any difference in disease severity between COVID-19 patients with hypertension comorbidity. The included COVID-19 patients used ACEI, ARB, calcium channel blockers (CCB), beta blockers (BB), or thiazide to treat preexisting hypertension prior to the hospital were compared to patients who did not take any of those drugs. Methods In this multicentre retrospective study, clinical data of 511 COVID-19 patients were analyzed. Patients were categorized into six sub-groups of hypertension comorbidity based on treatment using one of anti-hypertension drugs (ACEI, ARB, CCB, BB, thiazide), or none. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the use of ACEI and ARB associated with pneumonia using published studies. Findings Among the elderly (age>65) COVID-19 patients with hypertension comorbidity, the risk of COVID-19-S (severe disease) was significantly decreased in patients who took ARB drugs prior to hospitalization compared to patients who took no drugs (OR=0.343, 95% CI 0.128-0.916, p=0.025). The meta-analysis showed that ARB use has positive effects associated with morbidity and mortality of pneumonia. Interpretation Elderly (age>65) COVID-19 patients with hypertension comorbidity who are taking ARB anti-hypertension drugs may be less likely to develop severe lung disease compared to patients who take no anti-hypertension drugs. Funding National Natural Science Foundation of China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
Subject(s)
Lung Diseases , Pneumonia , Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome , Hypertension , COVID-19ABSTRACT
BackgroundThe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak started in Wuhan, Hubei, China since Dec 2019 and cases of infection have been continuously reported in various countries. It is now clear that the COVID-19 coronavirus is transmissible from human to human. Nucleic acid detection is considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of COVID-19. In this case report, we describe our experience in detection of COVID-19 from a confirmed patient using nucleic acid test of bronchoalveolar-lavage fluid (BALF) samples but not nasopharyngeal swabs.Case presentationWe present a case of severely ill COVID-19 infected 46-year-old man with fever, coughing and chest tightness. We performed viral detection using his BALF samples and imaging method (CT) for confirmation. The patient received combination of interferonalfa-1b and ribavirin, lopinavir and ritonavir for antiviral treatment at different stages. Other medication was also given to him in combination for anti-inflammation, intestinal microbial regulation, phlegm elimination, liver protection and pulmonary fibrosis prevention purposes. We provided oxygen supply to him using BIPAP ventilator and high-flow humidification oxygen therapy instrument to facilitate respiration. The patient was cured and discharged.ConclusionThis case report described an effective supportive medication scheme to treat COVID-19 infected patient and emphasized the necessity of detection of the viral genome using BALF samples and its significance in the diagnosis and prognosis of the disease.
Subject(s)
Infections , Chest Pain , Fever , COVID-19 , Inflammation , Pulmonary Fibrosis , Cerebrospinal Fluid LeakABSTRACT
The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, December 2019, and continuously poses a serious threat to public health. Our previous study has shown that cytokine storm occurred during SARS-CoV-2 infection, while the detailed role of cytokines in the disease severity and progression remained unclear due to the limited case number. In this study, we examined 48 cytokines in the plasma samples from 53 COVID-19 cases, among whom 34 were severe cases, and the others moderate. Results showed that 14 cytokines were significantly elevated upon admission in COVID-19 cases. Moreover, IP-10, MCP-3, and IL-1ra were significantly higher in severe cases, and highly associated with the PaO2/FaO2 and Murray score. Furthermore, the three cytokines were independent predictors for the progression of COVID-19, and the combination of IP-10, MCP-3 and IL-1ra showed the biggest area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) calculations. Serial detection of IP-10, MCP-3 and IL-1ra in 14 severe cases showed that the continuous high levels of these cytokines were associated with disease deterioration and fatal outcome. In conclusion, we report three cytokines that closely associated with disease severity and outcome of COVID-19. These findings add to our understanding of the immunopathologic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which suggested novel therapeutic targets and strategy.