Studying the post-COVID-19 condition: research challenges, strategies, and importance of Core Outcome Set development.

BACKGROUND: A substantial portion of people with COVID-19 subsequently experience lasting symptoms including fatigue, shortness of breath, and neurological complaints such as cognitive dysfunction many months after acute infection. Emerging evidence suggests that this condition, commonly referred to as long COVID but also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) or post-COVID-19 condition, could become a significant global health burden. MAIN TEXT: While the number of studies investigating the post-COVID-19 condition is increasing, there is no agreement on how this new disease should be defined and diagnosed in clinical practice and what relevant outcomes to measure. There is an urgent need to optimise and standardise outcome measures for this important patient group both for clinical services and for research and to allow comparing and pooling of data. CONCLUSIONS: A Core Outcome Set for post-COVID-19 condition should be developed in the shortest time frame possible, for improvement in data quality, harmonisation, and comparability between different geographical locations. We call for a global initiative, involving all relevant partners, including, but not limited to, healthcare professionals, researchers, methodologists, patients, and caregivers. We urge coordinated actions aiming to develop a Core Outcome Set (COS) for post-COVID-19 condition in both the adult and paediatric populations.

Management of thymomatous myasthenia gravis - Case report of a rare Covid19 infection sequelae.

INTRODUCTION: SARS CoV19 infection can predispose to many autoimmune and neurological conditions, thymomatous myasthenia gravis being one of them. The rarity of these case poses therapeutic dilemmas about their further management. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 61 year old gentleman who had covid19 infection 2 months back, presented with new onset myasthenia gravis and an anterior mediastinal mass. He was diagnosed as a case of anti acetyl choline receptor antibody positive thymomatous myasthenia gravis. The patient was posted for video assisted thoracoscopic excision of thymoma. The procedure was uneventful and patient was discharged with improvement in myasthenic symptoms. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of WHO Type A Spindle cell thymoma. DISCUSSION: SARS CoV19 infection is associated with an array of autoimmune disorders due to various proposed phenomenon including molecular mimicry and loss of immune tolerance. Post infectious thymomatous myasthenia gravis is extremely uncommon, and can be managed with open, minimally invasive or robotic approach. CONCLUSION: This is the first documented case of post covid19 infection thymomatous myasthenia gravis to the best of our knowledge, managed with minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery. Further research is required for documentation of the natural history of the disease and therapeutic outcomes.