ABSTRACT
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in children typically results in similar symptoms with other viral respiratory agents including human adenoviruses (HAdVs). Mixed HAdV and SARS-CoV-2 infection (co-infection) in children might result in enhanced or reduced disease severity compared with single infections. The present study aims to investigate the rate of SARS-CoV2 and HAdV infection and also their coinfection and compare the two infections regarding their laboratory, and clinical characteristics at hospital admission. A total of 360 combined oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swab samples from hospitalized children were examined.by real-time PCR for the existence of the SARS-CoV-2 and HAdVs The symptoms, clinical characteristics and laboratory findings were retrieved and compared in SARS-CoV-2 and HAdVs positive cases. Of the total 360 suspected COVID-19 hospitalized children, 45 (12.5%) and 19 (5.3%) specimens were PCR-positive for SARS-CoV-2 and HAdV respectively. SARS-CoV-2 and HAdV co-infection was detected in 4 cases (1.1%). Regarding symptoms at hospital admission, fever in SARS-CoV-2 positive group were significantly higher than those in HAdV positive group [34 (85%) vs. 7 (46.7%), p = 0.012]. However, percentages of cases with sore throat, headache, fatigue, lymphadenopathy and conjunctivitis in HAdV positive group were significantly higher than those in SARS-CoV-2 positive group. SARS-CoV-2 and HAdV co-infected children showed mild respiratory symptoms. The present study revealed that SARS-CoV-2 positive children often appear to have a milder clinical course than children with respiratory HAdV infection and children co-infected with SARSCoV-2 and HAdV had less-severe disease on presentation.
Subject(s)
COVID-19ABSTRACT
Background: Diastolic dysfunction has been reported in patients with COVID-19. Due to the role of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in the diagnosis of heart failure, this study investigated the relationship between serum NT-proBNP levels and diastolic heart failure in COVID-19 patients. Methods: : This descriptive-analytical study was performed at Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital in Babol. Fifty-four patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis who were admitted to the ICU were included in the study. The primary outcome was the relationship and predictive role of NT-proBNP and diastolic heart failure in patients with severe SARS-COV-2 infection. Patients with pro BNP >125 pg/mL underwent echocardiography and the relationship between echocardiographic indices and NT-proBNP was assessed as a secondary outcome. Results: : Our study showed that plasma NT-proBNP levels in patients with increased diastolic dysfunction were associated with disease severity. It was also found that the cut-off point of NT-proBNP = 799 pg/mL could be a predictor of diastolic dysfunction grades two and three. In this study, patients with a serum NT-proBNP level equal or above 799 had 37 times higher chance of having diastolic dysfunction than those with a serum NT-proBNP level below 799. Patients with NT-proBNP above 556 had RV_EA> 2 in echocardiography, indicating increased right-sided filling pressures. Conclusion: Despite the confounding factors in the interpretation of the pro BNP level in COVID-19, its level can be used to estimate the presence of high-grade diastolic heart failure on the left and right sides of the heart and the presence of high filling pressures. Lower levels of NT-proBNP are associated with right-sided diastolic failure.