Potential benefits of precise corticosteroid therapy for critical COVID-19.

This study was aimed to explore the precise dose of corticosteroid therapy in critical COVID-19. A total of forty-five critical COVID-19 patients were enrolled. The process of critical COVID-19 was divided into alveolitis and fibrosis stages. Most nonsurvivors died in fibrosis phase. Nonsurvivors had more dyspnea symptoms, fewer days of hospitalization, shorter duration of alveolitis and fibrosis. High-dose daily corticosteroid therapy (≥150 mg/d) was associated with shorter survival time and lower lymphocyte count in fibrosis phase. Moreover, a high cumulative dose (≥604 mg) was tied to longer duration of virus shedding, lower oxygenation index (OI), higher incidence of tracheal intubation, fewer lymphocytes and higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). In alveolitis phase, the low-to-moderate-dose daily corticosteroid therapy and a small cumulative dose reduced lymphocytes. In conclusion, low-to-moderate dose corticosteroids may be beneficial in the fibrosis phase. High-dose corticosteroid therapy in the fibrosis phase aggravates the severity of critical COVID-19.

New-onset Evans syndrome associated with systemic lupus erythematosus after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

Evans syndrome presents as concurrent autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most frequent autoimmune disorder associated with Evans syndrome. We herein report a case of new-onset Evans syndrome associated with SLE after BNT162b2 mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in a 53-year-old woman. Blood examination at diagnosis showed hemolytic anemia with a positive Coombs test and thrombocytopenia. Hypocomplementemia and the presence of lupus anticoagulant indicated a strong association with SLE. Prednisolone administration rapidly restored hemoglobin level and platelet count. This case suggests that mRNA COVID-19 vaccination may cause an autoimmune disorder. Physicians should be aware of this adverse reaction by mRNA COVID-19 vaccination and should consider the benefits and risks of vaccination for each recipient.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome Variant Occurring after SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination.

Although SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are very safe, we report 4 cases of the bifacial weakness with paresthesias variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) occurring within 3 weeks of vaccination with the Oxford-AstraZeneca SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. This rare neurological syndrome has previously been reported in association with SARS-CoV-2 infection itself. Our cases were given either intravenous immunoglobulin, oral steroids, or no treatment. We suggest vigilance for cases of bifacial weakness with paresthesias variant GBS following vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 and that postvaccination surveillance programs ensure robust data capture of this outcome, to assess for causality. ANN NEUROL 2021;90:315-318.

Myocarditis After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: A Vaccine-Induced Reaction?

Vaccination plays an important role in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 to minimie the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its life-threatening complications. Myocarditis has been reported as a possible and rare adverse consequence of different vaccines, and its clinical presentation can range from influenza-like symptoms to acute heart failure. We report a case of a 30-year-old man who presented progressive dyspnea and constrictive retrosternal pain after receiving SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Cardiac magnetic resonance and laboratory data revealed typical findings of acute myopericarditis.

Pityriasis rubra pilaris post-infection due COVID-19: case report.

CASE DESCRIPTION: 32-month-old boy, IgG positive for SARS-CoV-2, presented to the emergency department with dermatologic lesions. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Four days before admission, he presented skin eruptions with redness and pruritus on hands and feet. Generalized papular erythema was evidenced, upper extremities with diffuse erythematosquamous plaques, palmoplantar keratoderma, so he was evaluated by a dermatologist who diagnosed pityriasis rubra pilaris. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: rehydrating cream, cetirizine 0.5 mg/kg/day every two days, and prednisolone 2 mg/kg/day in the morning. He was discharged after 14 days, the patient presented clinical improvement, but the erythematous lesion persisted on the trunk and extremities. In the evaluation, after three months, the patient did not show the described lesions, evidencing an improvement and clinical resolution of the dermatological problems. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: We report a patient with pityriasis rubra piloris associated with a post-infection by SARS-CoV-2 that had not been described before.

Reactive arthritis after COVID-19.

A previously healthy 53-year-old man was hospitalised for 12 days due to COVID-19 with shortness of breath. A few days after discharge from hospital, the patient developed fever and severe pain in several joints in the lower extremities. The pain was so severe that the patient was unable to stand on his feet. Synovial fluid from the right-side knee contained a high number of polynuclear cells and a few mononuclear cells. Microscopy, culture and PCR tests for bacterial infection were all negative. Furthermore, the patient tested negative for rheumatoid factor, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27. Thus, the condition was compatible with reactive arthritis. The condition improved markedly after a few days' treatment with non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs and prednisolone.

Lower motor neuron facial palsy in a postnatal mother with COVID-19.

COVID-19 is caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 and is a potentially fatal disease that is of great global public health concern. In addition to respiratory symptoms, neurological manifestations have been associated with COVID-19. This is attributed to the neurotropic nature of coronaviruses. The authors present a case of Bell's palsy associated with COVID-19 in a term primigravida.

Can pulse steroid therapy increase the risk of infection by COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis?

BACKGROUND: Iran is one of the countries with a high prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) and COVID-19.MS patients receiving the immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive therapy have a higher risk of infection. Due to the significance of determining the risk factors for getting COVID-19 among MS patients, the present study was designed to assess the risk of infection following the pulse steroid therapy. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included all MS patients that received corticosteroids in Tehran from December 2019 to August 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic spread. The subjects' clinical records including their sex, age, the type of MS, the type of medication, the number of days using corticosteroids, the status of prednisolone intake, and the number of days receiving prednisolone after the corticosteroid therapy were obtained. Moreover, main outcomes such as COVID-19 infection and the occurrence of death were recorded by patient's visits and follow-up phone calls. COVID-19 infection was confirmed by physicians according to the clinical performance of RT-PCR, chest CT scan, and antibody tests. RESULTS: Totally, 133 MS cases participated in the study, and the pulse therapy was completed for 104 (78.2%) patients up to 5-7 days. 89 (66.9%) cases used the prednisolone tablet following the pulse therapy. Overall, the infection by Covid-19 was observed in 8 (6%) cases, among whom 5 (71.4%) cases received the pulse therapy for 5-7 days and 4 (57.1%) cases had a history of taking the prednisolone tablet. The age of less than 40 years (OR = 1.03; 95% CI (0.23-4.51)), male sex (OR = 0.35; 95% CI (0.03-3.34)), and the RRMS type (OR = 2.87; 95% CI (0.52-15.72)) had no effect on the risk of Covid-19 infection. In addition, there was not statistically significant difference between subjects with the short-term pulse therapy duration (3-4 days) (OR 0.68 (0.12-3.74) and those with the long-term pulse therapy duration (5-7 days). Similarly, no statistically significant difference was observed between subjects taking prednisolone (OR = 1.62 (0.34-7.61) and those not taking prednisolone. Furthermore, there was no significant association between different medication groups and the risk of Covid-19 infection (p < 0.05). No death occurred due to Covid-19 infection among the subjects. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 infection was more common among female and younger patients as well as patients with a longer duration of the pulse therapy and prednisolone intake. There was no significant association between the pulse steroid therapy in MS patients and the risk of infection by COVID-19 in the Iranian population.

Sustained coronavirus disease 2019-related organizing pneumonia successfully treated with corticosteroid.

A 70-year-old Japanese man contracted severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and required oxygen to maintain oxygen saturation (>90%), 5 weeks after onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy revealed pathological features of organizing pneumonia with alveolar epithelial injury, and prednisolone administration led to alleviation of respiratory symptoms and recovery of respiratory function. This case report is the first to demonstrate the use of corticosteroids to successfully treat post-COVID-19 respiratory failure in a patient with biopsy-proven organizing pneumonia. We propose that steroid treatment be considered for patients with persistent respiratory dysfunction as COVID-19 pneumonia sequelae.

Subacute thyroiditis as a presenting manifestation of COVID-19: a report of an exceedingly rare clinical entity.

The SARS-CoV-2 has wreaked havoc globally and has claimed innumerable lives all over the world. The symptoms of this disease may range from mild influenza-like symptoms to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome with high morbidity and mortality. With improved diagnostic techniques and better disease understanding, an increased number of cases are being reported with extrapulmonary manifestations of this disease ranging from renal and gastrointestinal to cardiac, hepatic, neurological and haematological dysfunction. Subacute thyroiditis is a self-limiting and painful thyroid gland inflammation most often secondary to viral infections. We report a case of subacute thyroiditis in a 58-year-old gentleman presenting with a painful swelling in the neck who was subsequently detected to be positive for SARS-CoV-2. We seek to highlight the broad clinical spectrum of the COVID-19 by reporting probably the first case of subacute thyroiditis possibly induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection from India.

COVID-19 pandemic and biological therapy in rheumatologic disorders: how to deal with?

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has involved more than 159 countries and more than 5 million people worldwide. A 40-year-old man with a history of rheumatoid arthritis treated with prednisolone, Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs), and biologic agents was admitted with chief complaints of fever, chills, malaise, myalgia, and dyspnea. Chest computed tomography showed bilateral subsegmental atelectasis and diffuse ground-glass opacities in both lungs inducing the suspicion of COVID-19 infection. The oro-nasopharynx swab sample for COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction was positive. In addition to supportive care, lopinavir/ritonavir 400/100 mg twice daily and oseltamivir (75 mg) twice daily were started in combination with a starting dose of hydroxychloroquine (400 mg). The methotrexate dose was decreased, and the dose of prednisolone was increased to 30 mg for 10 days. Azathioprine and adalimumab were continued at previous doses. The use of biologic agents and DMARDs in rheumatic patients is a serious challenge in the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the key roles of cytokines in the promotion of the disease, the rheumatic patients may benefit from continuing their previous treatment, which may have protective effects.

Sudden irreversible hearing loss post COVID-19.

Sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is frequently seen by otolaryngologists. The exact pathophysiology of the disease is still unknown, with the most likely causative factor being following a viral infection. Immediate steroids are the best treatment to improve prognosis. Despite a plethora of papers in the literature describing SSNHL, there are only a few reported cases of hearing loss following COVID-19, none of which have been reported in the UK. This paper presents the first UK case of SSNHL following COVID-19. Physical examination and imaging excluded any other cause of hearing loss. A literature review showed that four other cases have been previously described. Hearing loss can be a significant cause of morbidity and can easily be missed in the intensive care setting. Being aware and screening for SSNHL following COVID-19 enables an early course of steroids, which offers the best chance of recovering hearing.

Coronavirus disease 2019-associated rapidly progressive organizing pneumonia with fibrotic feature: Two case reports.

INTRODUCTION: Pneumonia is one of the most important characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and imaging findings of COVID-19 pneumonia are diverse and change over disease course. However, the detailed clinical course of organizing pneumonia (OP) caused by COVID-19 has not been clarified. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 60-year-old man and a 61-year-old woman diagnosed with mild COVID-19 were admitted to our hospital. Their respiratory symptoms were deteriorating even after initiating treatment with antiviral drugs. DIAGNOSIS: Chest X-rays and computed tomography scan showed a rapid progression of linear consolidation with reversed halo sign, distributed in subpleural and peri-bronchial regions. They also presented with pulmonary fibrosis findings, including traction bronchiectasis and marked lung volume reduction. They were diagnosed with rapidly progressing OP. INTERVENTIONS: They were treated with systemic corticosteroids. OUTCOMES: The patients' imaging findings and respiratory conditions improved rapidly without any adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Physicians should carefully monitor patients with COVID-19, as they can develop rapidly progressive and fibrotic OP, which respond to corticosteroids.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of COVID-19 pneumonia in kidney transplant recipients in Razi hospital, Rasht, Iran.

BACKGROUND: In late December 2019, a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 started to spread around the world in different populations. Its clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcome in kidney transplant recipients are little known. Therefore, we describe 22 kidney transplant recipients with SARS-CoV-2-induced pneumonia. METHODS: All kidney transplant recipients who referred to the Razi Hospital of Rasht with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection from February 20 to 19th of April 2020 have been included in this observational study. RESULTS: We present 22 cases of COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients (median age 52 years [interquartile range 40.75-62.75 years]) and baseline eGFR 60 (mL/min/1.73 m2 ) (44.75-86.75). Patients complained of cough (72.7%), dyspnea (63.6%), fever (68.2%), and chill (72.7%) with greater prevalence. We decreased the dose of immunosuppression and started stress dose of intravenous hydrocortisone or equivalent oral prednisolone. Each patient received antiviral therapy based on the latest updated version of local protocol at the time of admission. CT scan findings in 90.9% of patients showed bilateral multifocal lesions. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was observed in 12 patients during hospitalization. Six patients died after a median of 12 days from admission (IQR, 1-21). CONCLUSIONS: In this small observational study, we observed high AKI occurrence and mortality rate in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19.

The clinical value of two combination regimens in the Management of Patients Suffering from Covid-19 pneumonia: a single centered, retrospective, observational study.

BACKGROUND: There is no identified pharmacological therapy for COVID-19 patients, where potential therapeutic strategies are underway to determine effective therapy under such unprecedented pandemic. Therefore, combination therapies may have the potential of alleviating the patient's outcome. This study aimed at comparing the efficacy of two different combination regimens in improving outcomes of patients infected by novel coronavirus (COVID-19). METHODS: This is a single centered, retrospective, observational study of 60 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 positive inpatients (≥18 years old) at two wards of the Baqiyatallah Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Patient's data including clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded. According to the drug regimen, the patients were divided into two groups; group I who received regimen I consisting azithromycin, prednisolone, naproxen, and lopinavir/ritonavir and group II who received regimen II including meropenem, levofloxacin, vancomycin, hydroxychloroquine, and oseltamivir. RESULTS: The oxygen saturation (SpO2) and temperature were positively changed in patients receiving regimen I compared to regimen II (P = 0.013 and P = 0.012, respectively). The serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP) changed positively in group I (P < 0.001). Although there was a significant difference in platelets between both groups (75.44 vs 51.62, P < 0.001), their change did not clinically differ between two groups. The findings indicated a significant difference of the average length of stay in hospitals (ALOS) between two groups, where the patients under regimen I showed a shorter ALOS (6.97 vs 9.93, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study revealed the beneficial effect of the short-term use of low-dose prednisolone in combination with azithromycin, naproxen and lopinavir/ritonavir (regimen I), in decreasing ALOS compared to regimen II. Since there is still lack of evidence for safety of this regimen, further investigation in our ongoing follow-up to deal with COVID-19 pneumonia is underway. Graphical abstract.