COVID-19 and pregnancy: A narrative review on the use of convalescent plasma

The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is a global concern, considering both the severity of the disease, with a high mortality rate compared to that of other influenza-like viral illnesses, and the lack of a specific, effective treatment. Pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represent a further challenge for clinicians. Indeed, although the majority of them are asymptomatic or their SARS-CoV-2 disease has a mild to moderate course, in some cases this viral infection is accompanied by severe respiratory symptoms. In such a critical clinical setting, the already limited therapeutic armamentarium available for COVID-19 patients is further restricted in pregnant women because of the risk of fetal toxicity especially during the first trimester of gestation. Among the treatment options, the use of convalescent plasma has gained increasing interest from investigators in pregnant women, given the initial positive reports on safety and efficacy aspects of this treatment in critically ill COVID-19 patients. However, the literature data are scanty and almost limited to single case reports, considering that pregnant women are usually excluded from trials on convalescent plasma. In this narrative review, we will critically discuss the current literature evidence on the use of hyperimmune plasma during pregnancies complicated by COVID-19.Copyright © 2021 AME Publishing Company.

Thermodynamics and SARS-COV-2: Neurological effects in post-COVID 19 syndrome

There is increasing evidence that infection with SARS-CoV-2 can cause a spectrum of neurological symptoms. In this paper, we develop a theoretical concept underlying such neurological COVID-19 consequences by employing a non-equilibrium thermodynamic approach that allows linking the neuronal electric potential with a virus-induced pH variation. Our theoretical findings support further experimental work on therapeutically correcting electrolyte imbalances, such as Na+ and K+, to attenuate the neurological effects of SARS-CoV-2. © 2021 by the author(s);licensee Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti (Messina, Italy). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).