Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography assessment of retinal and choroidal changes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the retinal and choroidal changes in the macular region of patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) using structural spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) analysis. METHODS: This cross-sectional observational case-control study included patients recovered from COVID-19. The COVID-19 in all participants was confirmed using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. The participants had mild to moderate degree of disease without a history of hospitalization, steroid usage, or blood saturation below 92%. Macular SD-OCT was performed at least two weeks and up to one month after recovery from systemic COVID-19. Quantitative and qualitative changes detected by macular SD-OCT imaging were evaluated in COVID-19 recovered patients and compared with the results of age-matched normal controls. RESULTS: Participants in this study included 30 cases (60 eyes) and 60 healthy controls (120 eyes). In total, 17 (28.3%) eyes in patient group showed at least one abnormal finding indicated by macular SD-OCT imaging included hyperreflective lesions in different retinal layers. In addition, dilated choroidal vessels and retinal pigment epitheliopathy were evident in 41 (68.3.6%) and 4 (6.6%) eyes in patient group, respectively, and their OCT findings resembled those with pachychoroid spectrum. No statistically significant differences were observed in retinal layers or retinal volume between the two groups. The mean ± SD subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) was determined at 380.3 ± 12.40 µm, which was significantly thicker than that in control group (310.7 ± 57.5 µm) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Regarding retinal thickness, no significant change was observed in different retina layers of patients with COVID-19; however, there were striking qualitative changes, such as hyperreflective lesions in different retinal layers. The evaluation of choroidal structure and thickness demonstrated remarkable abnormal pachyvessels and significant thickening of the SFCT but the clinical significance of these findings is unknown.

Optic Nerve Head Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Findings after Coronavirus Disease.

PURPOSE: To quantify the microvasculature density of the optic nerve head (ONH) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) analysis in patients recovered from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: In a comparative cross-sectional, observational study, patients recovered from COVID-19 whose initial diagnosis was confirmed by a rRT-PCR of a nasopharyngeal sample were included in this study. OCTA of ONH was performed in included patients and normal controls. Vascular density (VD) of the all vessels (AV) and small vessels (SV) inside the disc and radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) network density were measured in COVID-19 recovered patients and compared with similar parameters in an age-matched group of normal controls. RESULTS: Twenty-five COVID-19 patients and twenty-two age-matched normal controls were enrolled in the study and one eye per participant was evaluated. The mean whole image SV VD in the COVID-19 group (49.31 ± 1.93) was not statistically significantly different from that in the control group (49.94 ± . 2.22; P = 0.308). A decrease in RPC VD was found in all AV and SV VD measured, which became statistically significant in whole peripapillary SV VD, peripapillary inferior nasal SV VD, peripapillary inferior temporal SV VD, peripapillary superior nasal SV VD, and grid-based AV VD inferior sector (P < 0.05). Inside disc SV VD in the COVID-19 group (49.43 ± 4.96) was higher than in the control group (45.46 ± 6.22) which was statistically significant (P = 0.021). CONCLUSION: Unremarkable decrease was found in ONH microvasculature in patients who had recovered from COVID-19. These patients may be at risk of ONH vascular complications. Increase in inner disc SV VD may be an indicator of ONH hyperemia and edema.

Pachychoroid Spectrum Disorder Findings in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019.

PURPOSE: To report the occurrence of acute, bilateral, central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), and pachychoroid spectrum disorder findings in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: In recovered cases of COVID-19 with visual disturbances, complete ocular examinations with multimodal retinal and choroidal evaluation, including enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography, fluorescein or indocyanine green angiography, and blue autofluorescence, were obtained. RESULTS: Four COVID-19 recovered patients presented with bilateral blurred vision. Ocular examination and imaging revealed pachychoroid and pachyvessels associated with choroidal hyperpermeability without any obvious intraocular inflammation. Bilateral localized serous retinal detachment was obvious in three cases compatible with pachychoroid associated with CSC manifestation and pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy in one patient. CSC was resolved with treatment by steroidal antimineralocorticoid (Eplerenone) in two patients and by photodynamic therapy in one patient. None of the patients reported emotional stress and history of corticosteroid consumption. CONCLUSION: Hyperpermeability of the choroid, pachychoroidopathy, or choroidal vessel congestion can be observed or exacerbated in association with COVID-19.

Clinical features and disease severity in an Iranian population of inpatients with COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can present with a variety of symptoms. Severity of the disease may be associated with several factors. Here, we review clinical features of COVID-19 inpatients with different severities. This cross-sectional study was performed in Imam Reza hospital, Mashhad, Iran, during February-April 2020. COVID-19 patients with typical computed tomography (CT) patterns and/or positive reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were included. The patients were classified into three groups of moderate, severe, and critical based on disease severity. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiologic findings were collected and compared. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Overall, 200 patients with mean age of 69.75 ± 6.39 years, of whom 82 (41%) were female were studied. Disease was severe/critical in the majority of patients (167, 83.5%). Disease severity was significantly associated with age, malignant comorbidities, dyspnea, nausea/vomiting, confusion, respiratory rate, pulse rate, O2 saturation, extent of CT involvement, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), pH, pO2, and aspartate transaminase (P < 0.05). Moreover, complications including shock, coagulopathy, acidosis, sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and intubation were significantly higher in patients with higher severities (P < 0.05). O2 saturation, nausea/vomiting, and extent of lung CT involvement were independent predictors of severe/critical COVID-19 (OR 0.342, 45.93, and 25.48, respectively; P < 0.05). Our results indicate O2 saturation, nausea/vomiting, and extent of lung CT involvement as independent predictors of severe COVID-19 conditions. Serum CRP levels and pO2 were also considerably higher patients with higher severity and can be used along with other factors to predict severe disease in COVID-19 patients.

Optical coherence tomography angiography analysis of the retina in patients recovered from COVID-19: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the density of the macular microvasculature and the area of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in patients recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) analysis. METHODS: In a comparative cross-sectional, observational study, patients recovered from COVID-19 were included in this study. All included subjects exhibited a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Spectral domain macular OCTA was performed at least 2 weeks after recovery from systemic COVID-19. Vessel density (VD) of the superficial (SCP) and deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP) and the area of the FAZ were measured in COVID-19 recovered patients versus age-matched normal controls. RESULTS: Thirty-one recovered COVID-19 patients and 23 healthy normal controls were studied. Mean quality scan index was 7.64 ± 0.66 in the COVID cases and 8.34 ± 0.71 in the normal controls (p = 0.001). Mean SCP VD and DCP VD of the COVID cohort were significantly lower than the SCP VD and DCP VD of the control group in the foveal and parafoveal regions. FAZ area was greater in the COVID cohort, but this difference was not statistically significant. In addition, in the COVID cohort, VD of the SCP was lower in patients with a history of COVID-19 hospitalization versus those without such a history, but this did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Patients recovered from COVID-19 displayed alterations in the retinal microvasculature, including a significantly lower VD in the SCP and DCP. Patients with coronavirus infection may be at risk of retinal vascular complications.

Thrombotic events in COVID-19 patients: A case series and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly emerged as a threatening pandemic. Clinical features of this pandemic involve a wide range of manifestations and are not completely known. Here, we present six cases of thrombotic events in patients with COVID-19. CASE PRESENTATION: In this case series, we present six patients with confirmed COVID-19, according to real-time polymerase chain reaction, who were referred to our emergency department and were found to have thrombotic events. Pulmonary thromboembolism was diagnosed in three patients by computed tomography (CT) angiography. One patient was found to have deep vein thrombosis in Doppler ultrasonography. Another patient who presented with loss of consciousness was finally diagnosed with a cerebrovascular accident using brain CT. One of the patients had developed a myocardial infarction evident on the electrocardiogram. CONCLUSION: It is ostensible that COVID-19 puts the patients at an increased risk for developing thrombotic conditions, possibly through formation of hyper-inflammatory and hyper-coagulative states. However, further prospective studies are recommended to confirm these findings.

Efficacy and safety of convalescent plasma therapy in severe COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Since SARS-CoV-2 infection is rapidly spreading all around the world, affecting many people and exhausting health care resources, therapeutic options must be quickly investigated in order to develop a safe and effective treatment. The present study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma (CP) for treating severe cases of COVID-19 who developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Among 64 confirmed cases of severe COVID-19 with ARDS in this study, 32 patients received CP besides first line treatment. Their clinical response and outcome in regard to disease severity and mortality rate were evaluated and compared with the other 32 patients in the control group who were historically matched while randomly chosen from previous patients with the same conditions except for receiving CP therapy. Analysis of the data was performed using SPSS software. Patients with plasma therapy showed improvements in their clinical outcomes including a reduction in disease severity in terms of SOFA and APACHE II scores, the length of ICU stay, need for noninvasive ventilation and intubation and also showed an increase in oxygenation. They also showed reduction in mortality which was statistically significant in less severe cases with mild or moderate ARDS. Early administration of the convalescent plasma could successfully contribute to the treatment of severe COVID-19 patients with mild or moderate ARDS at risk of progressing to critical state.