Secondary Infections in Critical Patients with COVID-19 Associated ARDS in the ICU: Frequency, Microbiologic Characteristics and Risk Factors.

OBJECTIVE:  To determine frequency, microbiologic characteristics and risks of secondary infections in patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). STUDY DESIGN: An Observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY:  COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU), University of Health Sciences, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Research and Training Hospital, Turkey, from July 2020 to January 2021. METHODOLOGY: Demographic data of the COVID-19 patients with ARDS, was collected with reference to (age, gender), comorbidities, illness scores, ICU management modalities, hospital, and ICU stay durations and ICU outcomes. Secondary infections [bloodstream infection (BSI), possible lower respiratory tract infection (pLRTI) or urinary tract infections (UTI)], microbiologic pathogens, and resistant patterns were recorded. RESULTS:  A total of 205 COVID-19-related ARDS patients were included in this study. Out of them, 61 (29.8%) were diagnosed with secondary infection, 27 (13.1%) had at least one BSI, 20 (9.8%) had at least one pLRTI, and 34 (16.6%) had at least one UTI. Gram-negative pathogens were the most common cause of secondary infections (66/91, 72.5%). Klebsiella spp for BSI (10/19, 52.6%), Acinetobacter baumannii for pLRTI (10/18, 55.6%), and Escherichia coli for UTI (29/40, 72.5%) were the main causative agents. Among all Gram-negative bacteria, Carbapenem resistant was 62.1% (41/66) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases positivity was 22.7% (15/66). At multivariable analysis, application of mechanical ventilation (MV) longer than 48 h, central catheterisation longer than 72 h, ICU stay longer than 10 days, and the time from hospitalisation to admission to the ICU longer than 48 h were associated with secondary infections. CONCLUSION: Patients with COVID-19 associated ARDS had a high rate of secondary infections. In order to reduce secondary infection in these patients, MV duration and ICU stay should be shortened and invasive catheters should be removed as soon as possible. KEY WORDS: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Acute respiratory distress syndrome, Secondary infections.

Role Of Il-6 In The Adjustment Of The Medical Treatment Of Patients With Covid-19 Associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Many cytokines propose to play a role in the pathogenesis of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) associated COVID-19 disease. High interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels are associated with mortality and other poor clinical outcomes in COVID-19. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the correlation of IL-6 level with clinical and other inflammatory parameters, its role in treatment change and its relationship with mortality in COVID-19 patients developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were investigated. RESULTS: Totally 76 patients were included in the study; Thirty-four (44.7%) patients were female and 42 (55.3%) patients were male. All patients had IL-6 levels above the upper reference value (>5.9 pg/mL). Overall, 48 patients (63.1%) had a severe clinical presentation (tachypnoea, tachycardia, fever) that was clinically compatible with IL-6 values, and medical treatment was changed for COVID-19 in this group. A positive correlation was detected between IL-6 and CRP on the day of the change in treatment (p=0.035, r=0.76). There was no decrement observed in IL-6 level on the 3rd day in patients that was clinically thought to have cytokine storm and whose treatment was changed. Mortality was higher in the group whose treatment was changed. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that IL-6 level alone is insufficient to decide on a change in treatment, and correlation of IL-6 with the patient's clinical status is more significant in such decision.

Determination of Anxiety and Perceived Social Support among Mothers with Infants from 0-1 Years During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Many children were registered to be infected as a result of close contact with COVID-19 cases or due to travel through epidemic regions. On one hand, the responsibility of motherhood and the womans mental adjustment to this role, and on the other, the inadequate data about effects of COVID-19 on the baby may cause anxiety disorders in mothers. At the same time, social support provided during one of the vital crisis periods of parenting may assist in reducing stress on the individual. Objektive: The aim of this descriptive study was to determine the anxiety and perceived social support levels felt by mothers with infants 0-1 years old during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The sample of the study was comprised 146 mothers with infants from 0-1 years of age reached online. Study data were collected with a questionnaire Generalized Anxiety Disorder Test (GAD-7) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Results: Forty one percent of mother had someone to support baby care, 81.5% followed news related to COVID19, 80.8% had sufficient knowledge levels about COVID-19 and 85.6% experienced worry about their babys health during the COVID-19 pandemic. GAD-7 test points of 96.9% of mothers had higher than limit for generalized anxiety disorder. Mothers MSPSS score were above the mean. Mothers with low income, insufficient knowledge about the COVID-19 pandemic and experienced worry about the babys health had higher mean GAD7 7 points and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). Additionally, mean GAD7 7 were significantly correlated at low levels with the MSPSS total (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results of the study determined that as perceived social support reduced, anxiety levels increased among mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hematological manifestations of COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome patients and the impact of thrombocytopenia on disease outcomes: A retrospective study.

Background: Platelet count is a simple and readily available biomarker, in which thrombocytopenia was shown to be independently associated with disease severity and risk of mortality in the critical coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of thrombocytopenia on disease progression in critically ill COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) admitted to a medical intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: COVID-19-associated ARDS patients in our research hospitals' ICU were retrospectively investigated. Patients were divided into two groups as thrombocytopenic (<150 × 109/ml) patients on admission or those who developed thrombocytopenia during ICU follow-up (Group 1) and those without thrombocytopenia during ICU course and follow-up (Group 2). Results: The median platelet count of all patients was 240 × 109/ml, and the median D-dimer was 1.16 mg/ml. On admission, 32 (18.3%) patients had thrombocytopenia. The mean platelet count of Group 1 was 100.0 ± 47.5 × 109/ml. Group 1 was older and their Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and sequential organ failure assessment scores were higher. Group 1 had lower hemoglobin, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts and higher ferritin and procalcitonin level. Invasive mechanical ventilation was more commonly needed, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was more frequently observed in Group 1. The ICU and hospital length of stay of Group 1 was longer with higher mortality. Conclusion: Patients with thrombocytopenia had increased inflammatory markers, frequency of DIC, duration of ICU stay, and mortality. The presence of thrombocytopenia may reflect the progression of COVID-19 toward an unfavorable outcome.

Characteristics of our hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia patients receiving corticosteroids and mortality-associated factors.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is a disease associated with diffuse lung injury that has no proven effective treatment yet. It is thought that glucocorticoids may reduce inflammation-mediated lung injury, disease progression, and mortality. We aimed to evaluate our patient's characteristics and treatment outcomes who received corticosteroids for COVID-19 pneumonia. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study and reviewed 517 patients admitted due to COVID-19 pneumonia who were hypoxemic and administered steroids regarding demographic, laboratory, and radiological characteristics, treatment response, and mortality-associated factors. RESULTS: Of our 517 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who were hypoxemic and received corticosteroids, the mortality rate was 24.4% (n = 126). The evaluation of mortality-associated factors revealed that age, comorbidities, a CURB-65 score of ≥ 2, higher SOFA scores, presence of MAS, high doses of steroids, type of steroids, COVID-19 treatment, stay in the intensive care unit, high levels of d-dimer, CRP, ferritin, and troponin, and renal dysfunction were associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Due to high starting and average steroid doses are more associated with mortality, high-dose steroid administration should be avoided. We believe that knowing the factors associated with mortality in these cases is essential for close follow-up. The use of CURB-65 and SOFA scores can predict prognosis in COVID-19 pneumonia.

Role of serological rapid antibody test in the management of possible COVID-19 cases.

BACKGROUND: Although the detection of viral particles by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the gold standard diagnostic test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the false-negative results constitute a big challenge. AIM: To examine a group of patients diagnosed and treated as possible COVID-19 pneumonia whose multiple nasopharyngeal swab samples were negative for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by RT-PCR but then serological immunoglobulin M/immunoglobulin G (IgM/IgG) antibody against SARS-CoV-2 were detected by rapid antibody test. METHODS: Eighty possible COVID-19 patients who had at least two negative consecutive COVID-19 RT-PCR test and were subjected to serological rapid antibody test were evaluated in this study. RESULTS: The specific serological total IgM/IgG antibody against SARS-CoV-2 was detected in twenty-two patients. The mean age of this patient group was 63.2± 13.1-years-old with a male/female ratio of 11/11. Cough was the most common symptom (90.9%). The most common presenting chest computed tomography findings were bilateral ground glass opacities (77.2%) and alveolar consolidations (50.1%). The mean duration of time from appearance of first symptoms to hospital admission, to hospital admission, to treatment duration and to serological positivity were 8.6 d, 11.2 d, 7.9 d, and 24 d, respectively. Compared with reference laboratory values, serologically positive patients have shown increased levels of acute phase reactants, such as C-reactive protein, ferritin, and procalcitonin and higher inflammatory markers, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, lactate dehydrogenase enzyme, and fibrin end-products, such as D-dimer. A left shift on white blood cell differential was observed with increased neutrophil counts and decreased lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated the feasibility of a COVID-19 diagnosis based on rapid antibody test in the cases of patients whose RT-PCR samples were negative. Detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 with rapid antibody test should be included in the diagnostic algorithm in patients with possible COVID-19 pneumonia.

COVID-19 related acute respiratory distress syndrome: Pathological, radiological and clinical concordance.

Severe coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) represents viral pneumonia from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, when ARDS occurs as part of COVID-19, it has different features. The strategy of breathing support is very important in treating COVID-19 related ARDS (CARDS). Though it meets the CARDS Berlin definition, COVID-19 pneumonia is a specific disease with different phenotypes. Recently, it has been suggested that CARDS has two phenotypes, type L (Type 1 or non-ARDS) and type H (Type 2, ARDS), and these phenotypes respond differently to respiratory support treatments. In this review, after mentioning the pathophysiology and radiological relationship of CARDS, the definition and treatment approaches of two different forms of CARDS were discussed.

Clinical Outcomes and Independent Risk Factors for 90-Day Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with Respiratory Failure Infected with SARS-CoV-2: A Multicenter Study in Turkish Intensive Care Units.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the long-term outcomes of COVID-19 from different parts of the world. AIMS: To determine risk factors of 90-day mortality in critically ill patients in Turkish intensive care units (ICUs), with respiratory failure. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, observational cohort. METHODS: Patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and who had been followed up in the ICUs with respiratory failure for more than 24 hours were included in the study. Their demographics, clinical characteristics, laboratory variables, treatment protocols, and survival data were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 421 patients were included. The median age was 67 (IQR: 57-76) years, and 251 patients (59.6%) were men. The 90-day mortality rate was 55.1%. The factors independently associated with 90-day mortality were invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) (HR 4.09 [95% CI: [2.20-7.63], P < .001), lactate level >2 mmol/L (2.78 [1.93-4.01], P < .001), age ≥60 years (2.45 [1.48-4.06)], P < .001), cardiac arrhythmia during ICU stay (2.01 [1.27-3.20], P = .003), vasopressor treatment (1.94 [1.32-2.84], P = .001), positive fluid balance of ≥600 mL/day (1.68 [1.21-2.34], P = .002), PaO2/FiO2 ratio of ≤150 mmHg (1.66 [1.18-2.32], P = .003), and ECOG score ≥1 (1.42 [1.00-2.02], P = .050). CONCLUSION: Long-term mortality was high in critically ill patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in intensive care units in Turkey. Invasive mechanical ventilation, lactate level, age, cardiac arrhythmia, vasopressor therapy, positive fluid balance, severe hypoxemia and ECOG score were the independent risk factors for 90-day mortality.

Corticosteroid use in COVID-19 pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a 1-2% fatality rate, where no specific treatment has yet been defined. Although corticosteroids are recommended for selected COVID-19 patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and septic shock, there is no consensus regarding patient subgroups, dose, and duration. In this study, it was aimed to examine the contribution of corticosteroid treatment to the management of COVID-19 pneumonia without ARDS, septic shock both in acute and recovery setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population was divided into two as those who used corticosteroids during the recovery phase (who did not develop sufficient radiological or clinical improvement) and those who did so during the activation phase (non-ARDS/septic shock condition, clinical, laboratory or radiological progression). RESULT: We identified 47 patients, 26 of which were males, and mean age was 60.5 ± 16.5 years. Seventeen patients were found to receive corticosteroids during the recovery phase and the rest (n= 30) during the activation period. After corticosteroid therapy, we found reduction of increased pre-treatment levels of D-dimer, ferritin, fibrinogen, CRP, increment of decreased pre-treatment lymphocyte count and saturation. Complete symptomatic improvement was detected in 6.9% and 17.6% of the patients in the activation phase and recovery phase, respectively. Complete radiological improvement was found in 11.5% and 35.3% of the patients in the activation phase and recovery phase, respectively. While corticosteroid treatment was initiated on day 4.2 ± 2.6 and continued for a mean of 5.9 ± 2.8 days in the activation group, it was started on day 8.1 ± 11.3 and administered for 7.8 ± 3.8 days in the recovery group. In both groups, methylprednisolone was given at a median dose of 40 mg/day. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term low-dose corticosteroid therapy may improve clinical, radiological, laboratory outcomes in the management of COVID-19 pneumonia during the activation period without ARDS and non-septic shock and during recovery period with no satisfactory response. Further randomized controlled studies will be useful in demonstrating its efficacy.

The Relationship between COVID-19 Severity and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)/ Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposure history in healthcare workers: a multi-center study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought countries' health services into sharp focus. It was drawn to our group's attention that healthcare workers (HCWs) had a lower mortality rate against higher COVID-19 incidence compared to the general population in Turkey. Since risk of exposure to tuberculosis bacillus among healthcare workers are higher than the population, we aimed to investigate if there is a relationship between BCG and Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposure history with COVID-19 severity in infected HCWs. This study was conducted with 465 infected HCWs from thirty-three hospitals to assess the relationship between COVID-19 severity (according to their hospitalization status and the presence of radiological pneumonia) and BCG and Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposure history. HCWs who required hospital admission had significantly higher rates of chronic diseases, radiological pneumonia, and longer working hours in the clinics. Higher rates of history of contact and care to tuberculosis patients, history of tuberculosis, and BCG vaccine were observed in hospitalized HCWs. HCWs who had radiological pneumonia had a significantly increased ratio of history of care to tuberculosis patients and a higher family history of tuberculosis. The findings from our study suggest that the lower mortality rate despite the more severe disease course seen in infected HCWs might be due to frequent exposure to tuberculosis bacillus and the mortality-reducing effects of the BCG vaccine.