ABSTRACT
Recent research has demonstrated that critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) show significant immune system dysregulation. Due to that, some nutrients that influence immunomodulation have been suggested as a form of treatment against the infection. This review collected the information on the impact of vitamins on the prognosis of COVID-19, with the intention of facilitating treatment and prevention of the disease risk status in patients. The collected information was obtained using the PubMed electronic database by searching for articles that relate COVID-19 and the mechanisms/effects of the nutrients: Proteins, glucose, lipids, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium, including prospective, retrospective, and support articles. The findings reveal an optimal response related mainly to omega-3, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, calcium, and iron that might represent benefits in the treatment of critically ill patients. However, nutrient supplementation should be done with caution due to the limited availability of randomized controlled studies.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic, being a global health concern since December 2019 when the first cases were reported. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the COVID-19 causal agent, is a ß-coronavirus that has on its surface the spike protein, which helps in its virulence and pathogenicity towards the host. Thus, effective and applicable diagnostic methods to this disease come as an important tool for the management of the patients. The use of the molecular technique PCR, which allows the detection of the viral RNA through nasopharyngeal swabs, is considered the gold standard test for the diagnosis of COVID-19. Moreover, serological methods, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and rapid tests, are able to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-specific immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin M, and immunoglobulin G in positive patients, being important alternative techniques for the diagnostic establishment and epidemiological surveillance. On the other hand, reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification also proved to be a useful diagnostic method for the infection, mainly because it does not require a sophisticated laboratory apparatus and has similar specificity and sensitivity to PCR. Complementarily, imaging exams provide findings of typical pneumonia, such as the ground-glass opacity radiological pattern on chest computed tomography scanning, which along with laboratory tests assist in the diagnosis of COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in more than 93 million cases and 2 million deaths in the world. SARS-CoV-2 respiratory tract infection and its main clinical manifestations such as cough and shortness of breath are well known to the scientific community. However, a growing number of studies have reported SARS-CoV-2-related gastrointestinal involvement based on clinical manifestations, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain as well as on the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with coronavirus disease 2019. Furthermore, current evidence suggests SARS-CoV-2 transmission via the fecal-oral route and aerosol dissemination. Moreover, studies have shown a high risk of contamination through hospital surfaces and personal fomites. Indeed, viable SARS-CoV-2 specimens can be obtained from aerosols, which raises the possibility of transmission through aerosolized viral particles from feces. Therefore, the infection by SARS-CoV-2 via fecal-oral route or aerosolized particles should be considered. In addition, a possible viral spread to sources of drinking water, sewage, and rivers as well as the possible risk of viral transmission in shared toilets become a major public health concern, especially in the least developed countries. Since authors have emphasized the presence of viral RNA and even viable SARS-CoV-2 in human feces, studies on the possible fecal-oral coronavirus disease 2019 transmission become essential to understand better the dynamics of its transmission and, then, to reinforce preventive measures against this infection, leading to a more satisfactory control of the incidence of the infection.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a global emergency, is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The gold standard for its diagnosis is the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, but considering the high number of infected people, the low availability of this diagnostic tool in some contexts, and the limitations of the test, other tools that aid in the identification of the disease are necessary. In this scenario, imaging exams such as chest X-ray (CXR) and computed tomography (CT) have played important roles. CXR is useful for assessing disease progression because it allows the detection of extensive consolidations, besides being a fast and cheap method. On the other hand, CT is more sensitive for detecting lung changes in the early stages of the disease and is also useful for assessing disease progression. Of note, ground-glass opacities are the main COVID-19-related CT findings. Positron emission tomography combined with CT can be used to evaluate chronic and substantial damage to the lungs and other organs; however, it is an expensive test. Lung ultrasound (LUS) has been shown to be a promising technique in that context as well, being useful in the screening and monitoring of patients, disease classification, and management related to mechanical ventilation. Moreover, LUS is an inexpensive alternative available at the bedside. Finally, magnetic resonance imaging, although not usually requested, allows the detection of pulmonary, cardiovascular, and neurological abnormalities associated with COVID-19. Furthermore, it is important to consider the challenges faced in the radiology field in the adoption of control measures to prevent infection and in the follow-up of post-COVID-19 patients.