Arrhythmogenesis and COVID-19.

The ongoing coronavirus infection-2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has had devastating impacts on the global population since 2019. Cardiac complications are a well-documented sequala of COVID-19, with exposed patients experiencing complications such as myocardial infarction, myocarditis, and arrythmias. This article aims to review prominent literature regarding COVID-19 and its link with arrhythmias, as well as to discuss some of the possible mechanisms by which arrhythmogenesis may occur in patients with COVID-19.

Implications of COVID-19 for the busy gastroenterologist.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infection caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) originated in China in December 2020 and declared pandemic by WHO. This coronavirus mainly spreads through the respiratory tract and enters cells through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The clinical symptoms of COVID-19 patients include fever, cough, and fatigue. Gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, anorexia, and vomiting) may be present in 50% of patients and may be associated with worst prognosis. Other risk factors are older age, male gender, and underlying chronic diseases. Mitigation measures are essential to reduce the number of people infected. Hospitals are a place of increased SARS-CoV-2 exposure. This has implications in the organization of healthcare services and specifically endoscopy departments. Patients and healthcare workers safety must be optimized in this new reality. Comprehension of COVID-19 gastrointestinal manifestations and implications of SARS-CoV-2 in the management of patients with gastrointestinal diseases, under or not immunosuppressant therapies, is essential. In this review, we summarized the latest research progress and major societies recommendations regarding the implications of COVID-19 in gastroenterology, namely the adaptations that gastroenterology/endoscopy departments and professionals must do in order to optimize the provided assistance, as well as the implications that this infection will have, in particularly vulnerable patients such as those with chronic liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease under or not immunosuppressant therapies.

Subacute thyroiditis and thyrotoxicosis after SARS-CoV-2 vaccine: report of 2 cases / Tiroiditis subaguda y tirotoxicosis posterior a vacuna contra SARS-CoV-2: reporte de 2 casos

La enfermedad por coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 que surgió en el año 2019 (COVID-19), ha obligado al rápido desarrollo de vacunas para prevenir su propagación e intentar controlar la pandemia. Dentro de las vacunas desarrolladas, las primeras en ser aprobadas con una tecnología nueva en el campo de la vacunación, fueron las vacunas basadas en ARNm (ácido ribonucleico mensajero), que lograron tasas de efectividad cercanas al 95 % para la prevención de la enfermedad COVID-19 grave. Los eventos adversos comunes son reacciones locales leves, pero ha habido varios informes de pacientes que desarrollaron tiroiditis subaguda y disfunción tiroidea después de recibir la vacuna contra SARS-CoV-2. Este artículo presenta dos casos de tiroiditis subaguda poco después de recibir la vacuna contra COVID-19

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease which emerged in 2019 (COVID-19), has forced the rapid development of vaccines to prevent the spread of infection and attempt to control the pandemic. Among the vaccines developed, one of the first to be approved with a new technology in the field of vaccination, was the mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccine, with rates of effectiveness close to 95% for the prevention of severe COVID-19 disease. Common adverse events are mild local reactions, but there have been some reports of patients developing sub-acute thyroiditis and thyroid dysfunction after receiving the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. This article presents two case reports of subacute thyroiditis shortly after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine

Reactive lymphadenopathy due to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine: a case report / Linfadenopatía reactiva por vacuna Pfizer-BioNTech para COVID-19: reporte de un caso

Uno de los efectos secundarios encontrados en pacientes con antecedente de vacunación por COVID-19, especialmente con la vacuna Pfizer-BioNTech, es la aparición de múltiples adenopatías hiperplásicas, principalmente en los ganglios linfáticos axilares, supraclaviculares e infraclaviculares ipsilaterales al sitio de vacunación. Presentamos el caso de una paciente femenina de 33 años, con aparición de masa dolorosa supraclavicular izquierda, quien una semana antes había sido vacunada con la primera dosis de la vacuna Pfizer-BioNTech en región deltoidea izquierda. Los hallazgos citológicos fueron sugestivos de una enfermedad linfoproliferativa, y el estudio histopatológico reveló linfadenopatía reactiva con proliferación de inmunoblastos B activados, secundaria a la vacunación contra COVID-19. Aportamos a la literatura con la caracterización de los hallazgos histopatológicos de la linfadenopatía posvacunación contra COVID-19. Es importante que los médicos tratantes y radiólogos estén familiarizados con este diagnóstico diferencial, para brindar recomendaciones adecuadas basadas en un seguimiento a corto plazo, en lugar de realizar biopsias, intervenciones y conductas inmediatas innecesarias en el manejo de los pacientes

One of the side effects found in patients with a history of vaccination for COVID-19, especially with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, is the appearance of multiple hyperplastic adenopathies, mainly axillary, supraclavicular and infraclavicular lymph nodes ipsilateral to the vaccination site. We present the case of a 33-year-old female patient, with the appearance of a painful left supraclavicular mass, who was vaccinated a week earlier with the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the left deltoid region. The cytological findings were suggestive of a lymphoproliferative disease, and the histopathological study revealed reactive lymphadenopathy with proliferation of activated B immunoblasts, secondary to vaccination against COVID-19. We contribute to the literature with the characterization of the histopathological findings of COVID-19 post-vaccination lymphadenopathy. It is important for treating physicians and radiologists to be familiar with this differential diagnosis, in order to provide appropriate recommendations based on short-term follow-up, instead of performing unnecessary immediate biopsies or interventions in patient management.

Vertigo and Dizziness After Coronavirus Disease-2019 Vaccination: A Nationwide Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Side effects occurring after COVID-19 vaccination can include vertigo and dizziness. Despite its high incidence, few studies to date have assessed dizziness/vertigo after vaccination. The present study investigated the incidence of dizziness/vertigo after COVID-19 vaccination in South Korea. METHODS: Adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccination reported to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency from February 26, 2021, to July 31, 2022 (week 74) were analyzed. The incidence rates of dizziness/vertigo in subjects vaccinated with 5 COVID-19 vaccines, AZD1222 (AstraZeneca), BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech), JNJ-78436735 (Janssen), mRNA-1273 (Moderna), and NVX-CoV2373 (Novavax), were determined. RESULTS: A total of 126 725 952 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered, with 473 755 suspected adverse reactions (374 per 100 000 vaccinations) reported. Vertigo/dizziness was reported after the administration of 68 759 doses, or 54.3 per 100 000 vaccinations, making it the third most common adverse reaction after headache and muscle pain. CONCLUSION: Dizziness/vertigo was generally a mild adverse reaction after COVID-19 vaccination, but it was the third most common adverse reaction in Korea. Studies are necessary to clarify the causal relationship between vaccination and dizziness/vertigo and to prepare subjects for this possible adverse reaction.

Epigenomic landscape exhibits interferon signaling suppression in the patient of myocarditis after BNT162b2 vaccination.

After the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, a novel mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2) was developed at an unprecedented speed. Although most countries have achieved widespread immunity from vaccines and infections, yet people, even who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection, are recommended to receive vaccination due to their effectiveness in lowering the risk of recurrent infection. However, the BNT162b2 vaccine has been reported to increase the risk of myocarditis. To our knowledge, for the first time in this study, we tracked changes in the chromatin dynamics of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the patient who underwent myocarditis after BNT162b2 vaccination. A longitudinal study of chromatin accessibility using concurrent analysis of single-cell assays for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing showed downregulation of interferon signaling and upregulated RUNX2/3 activity in PBMCs. Considering BNT162b2 vaccination increases the level of interferon-α/γ in serum, our data highlight the immune responses different from the conventional responses to the vaccination, which is possibly the key to understanding the side effects of BNT162b2 vaccination.

Is the Effect of the COVID-19 Vaccine on Heart Rate Variability Permanent?

Background and Objectives: The risk of autonomic dysfunction with COVID-19 vaccines used worldwide in the COVID-19 pandemic remains a topic of debate. Heart rate variability has a number of parameters that can be used to assess autonomic nervous system dynamics. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) on heart rate variability and autonomic nervous system parameters, and the duration of the effect. Materials and Methods: A total of 75 healthy individuals who visited an outpatient clinic to receive the COVID-19 vaccination were included in this prospective observational study. Heart rate variability parameters were measured before vaccination and on days 2 and 10 after vaccination. SDNN, rMSSD and pNN50 values were evaluated for time series analyses, and LF, HF, and LF/HV values for frequency-dependent analyses. Results: The SDNN and rMSDD values declined significantly on day 2 after vaccination, while the pNN50 and LF/HF values increased significantly on day 10. The values at pre-vaccination and at day 10 were comparable. The pNN50 and LF/HF values declined significantly on day 2 and increased significantly on day 10. The values at pre-vaccination and at day 10 were comparable. Conclusions: This study showed that the decline in HRV observed with COVID-19 vaccination was temporary, and that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination did not cause permanent autonomic dysfunction.

Struggling With Recovery From Opioids: Who Is at Risk During COVID-19?

OBJECTIVES: Individuals in recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD) are vulnerable to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent findings suggest increased relapse risk and overdose linked to COVID-19-related stressors. We aimed to identify individual-level factors associated with COVID-19-related impacts on recovery. METHODS: This observational study (NCT04577144) enrolled 216 participants who previously partook in long-acting buprenorphine subcutaneous injection clinical trials (2015-2017) for OUD. Participants indicated how COVID-19 affected their recovery from substance use. A machine learning approach Classification and Regression Tree analysis examined the association of 28 variables with the impact of COVID-19 on recovery, including demographics, substance use, and psychosocial factors. Ten-fold cross-validation was used to minimize overfitting. RESULTS: Twenty-six percent of the sample reported that COVID-19 had made recovery somewhat or much harder. Past-month opioid use was higher among those who reported that recovery was harder compared with those who did not (51% vs 24%, respectively; P < 0.001). The final classification tree (overall accuracy, 80%) identified the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) as the strongest independent risk factor associated with reporting COVID-19 impact. Individuals with a BDI-II score ≥10 had 6.45 times greater odds of negative impact (95% confidence interval, 3.29-13.30) relative to those who scored <10. Among individuals with higher BDI-II scores, less progress in managing substance use and treatment of OUD within the past 2 to 3 years were also associated with negative impacts. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the importance of monitoring depressive symptoms and perceived progress in managing substance use among those in recovery from OUD, particularly during large-magnitude crises.

Efficacy of Sotrovimab (SOT), Molnupiravir (MOL), and Nirmatrelvir/Ritponavir (N/R) and Tolerability of Molnupiravir in Outpatients at High Risk for Severe COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: The main goal of this study was to assess the potential clinical impact of an outpatient administration of available antivirals including SOT, N/R, and MOL to COVID-19 patients at high risk for disease progression. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis on 2606 outpatient individuals with mild to moderate COVID-19 at risk for disease progression, hospitalization, or death. After receiving either SOT (420/2606), MOL (1788/2606), or N/R (398/2606), patients were followed-up with regarding primary (hospitalization rate) and secondary (treatment and side effects) outcomes by phone. RESULT: A total of 2606 patients were treated at the outpatient clinic (SOT: 420; N/R: 398; MOL: 1788). 3.2% of the SOT patients (1 ICU admission), 0.8% of the MOL patients (2 ICU admissions), and none of the N/R patients were hospitalized. 14.3% of the N/R patients reported strong to severe side effects, exceeding SOT (2.6%) and MOL (5%) patients. A reduction in COVID symptoms after the treatment was experienced by 43% of patients in both the SOT and MOL groups and by 67% of patients in the N/R group, respectively. Women had a higher chance of symptom improvement with MOL (OR 1.2, 95%CI 1.0-1.5). CONCLUSION: All antiviral treatment options effectively prevented hospitalization in high-risk COVID-19 patients and were well tolerated. Side effects were pronounced in patients with N/R.

Sweet syndrome induced by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: A systematic review of patient-report studies.

Since COVID-19 became a global pandemic in 2020, the development and application of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines has become an important task to prevent the spread of the epidemic. In addition to the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, the adverse reactions caused by vaccines in a small number of people also deserve our attention. We aimed to discuss and analyze the possible causes of Sweet syndrome caused by the COVID-19 vaccine by integrating the effective information from 16 patients and combining it with the latest views on the innate immune mechanism. We searched the PubMed and Embase databases for published patient reports on the occurrence or recurrence of Sweet syndrome after COVID-19 vaccination. We summarized the basic information of the patients, the type of vaccination, the presence of underlying diseases, and the clinical manifestations, clinical treatment and prognosis of the patients. The results were reported in narrative methods and were sorted into tables. We initially identified 53 studies. 16 articles were included through full-text screening. Based on the table we compiled, we generally concluded that the first dose of any type of COVID-19 vaccine was more likely to cause Sweet syndrome than subsequent doses. Sweet syndrome may occur after COVID-19 vaccination. Clinicians should consider Sweet syndrome in addition to common adverse reactions such as anaphylaxis and infection when a patient presents with acute fever accompanied by nodular erythema, pustules, and edematous plaques after COVID-19 vaccination.

Development of giant cell arteritis after vaccination against SARS-CoV2: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an autoimmune vasculitis that affects large and medium-sized blood vessels. The mRNA vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) has been associated with the development of immune-mediated diseases. In this article, we present a case of GCA that developed after vaccination against SARS-CoV2. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 77-year-old man developed fever, general fatigue, and headache 1 day after the third dose of vaccination against SARS-CoV2. Nodular swelling and tenderness of the bilateral temporal arteries were observed. DIAGNOSES: Although right temporal artery biopsies were negative, the patient was diagnosed with GCA based on criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology for the classification of GCA. INTERVENTIONS: The patient received methylprednisolone 1000 mg for 3 days. This was followed by prednisolone 1 mg/kg/d, which was decreased by 10 mg every week to 30 mg. From day 16 of hospitalization, the patient received tocilizumab 162 mg/wk every other week. OUTCOMES: There was no occurrence of acute side effects. After 38 days of treatment, the condition improved and the patient was discharged from the hospital; as stated above, the dose of prednisolone was tapered to 30 mg/d. LESSONS: We experienced a case of GCA that occurred immediately after vaccination against SARS-CoV2 with an mRNA vaccine. Early signs of GCA include fever, fatigue, and headache, and often resemble those noted after vaccination against SARS-CoV2. The potential presence of GCA should be determined in individuals with persistent fever and headache after vaccination against SARS-CoV2.

Anti-factor Xa vs aPTT for heparin monitoring in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to evaluate the correlation of anti-factor Xa (anti-Xa) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) measures with heparin dosing in adult patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study evaluating adult patients managed on ECMO for at least 24 hours who received unfractionated heparin for systemic anticoagulation and were monitored per protocol using anti-Xa and/or aPTT coagulation assays. The primary outcome was the correlation between aPTT and anti-Xa measures. The secondary outcomes included, but were not limited to, the number of hemorrhagic and thrombotic events. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were included in this study. In the 227 events where both laboratory values were collected, a weak correlation was found between anti-Xa and aPTT (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.4, P = 0). In the 12 hemorrhagic events that occurred, aPTT was collected for only 10 events. Fifty percent of those events were associated with supratherapeutic aPTT, while none of the hemorrhagic events were associated with a supratherapeutic anti-Xa level. Two thrombotic events occurred, one of which had subtherapeutic anti-Xa and aPTT and the other of which had neither an anti-Xa nor aPTT measure on the day the event occurred. CONCLUSION: In a population of patients on ECMO, many of whom had coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there was a weak association between aPTT and anti-Xa measures. Hemorrhagic evens were more common than thrombotic events; however, a relationship between these events and aPTT or anti-Xa levels was not determined. The applicability of these findings to an ECMO population without COVID-19 is unknown and will require further study.

The effect of COVID-19 vaccination on anticoagulation stability in adolescents and young adults using vitamin K antagonists.

INTRODUCTION: The European Medicine Agency has authorized COVID-19 vaccination in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) from 12 years onwards. In elderly vitamin K antagonist (VKA) users, COVID-19 vaccination has been associated with an increased risk of supra- and subtherapeutic INRs. Whether this association is also observed in AYAs using VKA is unknown. Our aim was to describe the stability of anticoagulation after COVID-19 vaccination in AYA VKA users. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-crossover study was performed in a cohort of AYAs (12-30 years) using VKAs. The most recent INR results before vaccination, the reference period, were compared with the most recent INR after the first and, if applicable, second vaccination. Several sensitivity analyses were performed in which we restricted our analysis to stable patients and patients without interacting events. RESULTS: 101 AYAs were included, with a median age [IQR] of 25 [7] years, of whom 51.5 % were male and 68.3 % used acenocoumarol. We observed a decrease of 20.8 % in INRs within range after the first vaccination, due to an increase of 16.8 % in supratherapeutic INRs. These results were verified in our sensitivity analyses. No differences were observed after the second vaccination compared to before and after the first vaccination. Complications after vaccination occurred less often than before vaccination (9.0 vs 3.0 bleedings) and were non-severe. CONCLUSIONS: the stability of anticoagulation after COVID-19 vaccination was decreased in AYA VKA users. However, the decrease might not be clinically relevant as no increase of complications nor significant dose adjustments were observed.