COVID-19 with rheumatic diseases: a report of 5 cases.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the result of an infection with the new virus, SARS-CoV-2, is rapidly spreading worldwide. It is largely unknown whether the occurrence of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic immune diseases has some specific manifestations, or makes them more prone to rapidly progress into severe COVID-19. In this case report, we describe the clinical features of 5 rheumatic immune disease patients with the concomitant presence of COVID-19. Amongst these patients, 4 had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 1 had systemic sclerosis (SSc). Two patients had a history of close contact with a COVID-19 patient. The age of the patients ranged between 51 and 79 years. Fever (80%), cough (80%), dyspnea (40%), and fatigue (20%) were the most common presenting symptoms. Laboratory investigations revealed leukopenia and lymphopenia in 2 patients. In all the patients, chest computerized tomography (CT) revealed patchy ground glass opacities in the lungs. During the hospital stay, the condition of two patients remained the same (i.e., mild COVID-19), two patients progressed to the severe COVID-19, and one patient worsened to the critically ill COVID-19. These patients were treated with antiviral agents for COVID-19, antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections, and immunomodulatory agents for rheumatic immune diseases. All the patients responded well, were cured of COVID-19, and subsequently discharged.

Early renal impairment is associated with in-hospital death of patients with COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: Renal impairment is a common complication in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although its prognostic significance remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: This study determines the impact of early renal impairment on the clinical outcome of COVID-19. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and hospitalized in Xiaogan Central Hospital from 20 January to 29 February 2020 were retrospectively included and grouped into two cohorts (cohort with normal renal function and cohort with renal insufficiency) based on the renal function detected on admission. Records of clinical manifestation, laboratory findings and clinical outcome were collected and compared between these two cohorts. RESULTS: A total 543 COVID-19 patients were included. Among these patients, 70 patients developed early renal impairment, with an incidence of 12.89%. A significantly higher white blood cell (WBC) count, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), serum creatine (Cr), blood urine nitrogen (BUN) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and a significantly lower blood platelet (PLT), lymphocyte count, prealbumin and albumin (ALB) were detected in the cohort with renal insufficiency (P < 0.05). Patients with early renal impairment were also associated with higher incidences of haematuria/proteinuria, higher incidences of mortality and prolonged hospitalization duration. The independent risk factors for in-hospital death included age >65 years old, complication of diabetes, renal impairment on admission (Cr > 73 µmol/L and eGFR < 60 ml/min 1.73 m2 ), WBC > 9.5 × 109 /L and ALB < 35 g/L. CONCLUSION: Early renal impairment is associated with higher risk of in-hospital death for patients with COVID-19. Risk stratification according to renal function can better guide the clinical management of COVID-19.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 long-term nucleic acid positive patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) long-term nucleic acid positive patients (hereinafter referred to as CLTAPs). METHODS: Patients were recruited from the Xiaogan Central Hospital between 16 January 2020 and 28 March 2020. Among the 562 cases of patients with laboratory-identified COVID-19 infection by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qtPCR), 19 cases of COVID-19 patients with more than 41 days from the first to the last time of nucleic acid test were selected as the study group, and 76 cases of age- and gender-matched COVID-19 patients were selected as the control group (hereinafter referred to as C-CLTAPs). Demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory examination and computed tomography (CT) imaging characteristics were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: On admission, among the 562 cases of patients with COVID-19, there were 398 cases of ordinary COVID-19 patients, 99 cases of severe COVID-19 patients and 99 cases of critical COVID-19 patients. CLTAPs had milder clinical symptoms and longer viral shedding time in comparison to C-CLTAPs. Compared to C-CLTAPs, CLTAPs had a lower infection index at admission. CLTAPs used less oxygen therapy and a higher proportion of hydroxychloroquine treatment in comparison to C-CLTAPs. In comparison to C-CLTAPs, CLTAPs showed slower pulmonary CT progression and faster pulmonary CT absorption. CONCLUSION: In this study, out of the 562 cases, we found 19 CLTAPs. The clinical differences between CLTAPs and C-CLTAPs were compared and analyzed. We hope that these finding can provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of CLTAPs.

Analysis of clinical features and pulmonary CT features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with diabetes mellitus.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this paper was to investigate the clinical features and pulmonary CT imaging features of COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 16, 2020 to March 28, 2020, among the 568 cases of COVID-19 patients diagnosed in Xiaogan Central Hospital, 64 cases of COVID-19 patients with diabetes were selected as the diabetic group, and 64 cases of COVID-19 patients with age and gender matching without diabetes were selected as the non-diabetic group, and their clinical data and pulmonary CT characteristics were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: Compared with the non-diabetic group, the proportion of patients in the diabetic group with chronic underlying disease was higher, and they were in more a serious condition at admission. Inflammation index and characteristics of glycolipid metabolism results showed that COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus were more likely to have elevated inflammatory markers and hypercoagulability, accompanied by hypoproteinaemia and glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. Treatment and clinic outcome results showed that the time of nucleic acid turning negative in the diabetic group was significantly longer than that in the non-diabetic group. Radiological data showed that COVID-19 combined with diabetes prolonged the time of detoxification in patients. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus and chronic hypertension are associated with increased inflammatory markers and disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism. These patients tend to develop serious diseases, especially the rapid progression of CT lesions in the lungs of patients with a wide range ofinvolvement, and prolonged absorption and detoxification time.

Convalescent plasma therapy in critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 patients with persistently positive nucleic acid test, case series report.

INTRODUCTION: Globally, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still spreading rapidly. At present, there are no specifically approved therapeutic agents or vaccines for its treatment. Previous studies have shown that the convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) is effective in patients with COVID-19. However, its efficacy in patients with persistently positive nucleic acid test is unknown. PATIENT CONCERNS: In this report, we present the clinical data of 5 critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted, between January 16 and February 26, 2020, in intensive care unit of Xiaogan Central Hospital. DIAGNOSIS AND INTERVENTIONS: All these patients had a persistently positive nucleic acid test and received CPT. All 5 patients had severe respiratory failure, and thus, required invasive mechanical ventilation. The median time from the onset of symptoms to initiating the CPT was 37 (Interquartile range, 34-44) days. OUTCOMES: Only 2 patients were cured and subsequently discharged, while 3 patients succumbed due to multiple organ failure. CONCLUSION: The time of initiating the CPT may be an important factor affecting its efficacy, and its therapeutic effect in the treatment of COVID-19, in the late stage, is limited.