Fungemia in COVID-19 ICU patients, a single medical center experience.

A known proportion of patients who are admitted for the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requires intensive care unit (ICU) level of care. Prolonged ICU stay is a risk factor for the development of nosocomial candidemia. The current study aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors associated with the development of nosocomial candidemia among patients admitted to the ICU for COVID-19. Patients who developed nosocomial candidemia were identified, and their clinical course was reported. A 1:3 case control matching was used to identify non-candidemia patients who served as controls. 89 patients were admitted to the ICU for COVID-19 during the study period. The incidence of nosocomial candidemia was 8.9% (n = 8). Case-control matching identified 24 patients with similar disease severity at the time of ICU admission. Median time to first isolation of yeast was 26 days. Candidemia patients reported longer median ICU stay than controls. (40 vs. 10 days, p = .004). In hospital death rates were comparable in both groups (38% vs. 54%, p = .548). Prolonged mechanical ventilation support was associated with the development of nosocomial candidemia.

Tocilizumab use in COVID-19-associated pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: We sought to evaluate the effect of tocilizumab (TCB), a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody against soluble interleukin-6 receptors, in patients hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: We included all patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who had completed hospitalization between March 10, 2020 and April 10, 2020 with follow-up through April 20, 2020. Patients who received TCB in addition to standard of care within 48 h of admission were matched in a 1:2 fashion to a similar cohort who received standard of care alone. Clinical outcomes were compared between matched groups. The primary outcome was de-escalation in oxygen therapy. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital death, septic shock, and acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring hemodialysis. RESULTS: Out of 77 patients who received TCB in addition to standard of care, 34% (n = 26) received TCB within 48 h of admission. One-to-two propensity matching identified 20 versus 40 patients in the TCB and no-TCB treatment arms. In the TCB group, an improvement in oxygenation was observed in 80% (n = 16) of the patients by 7 days post TCB administration. After matching, there was no difference in clinical outcomes between TCB and no-TCB patients. In-hospital death: 10% versus 8%; p = .823, septic shock: 10% versus 11%, p = .912, AKI requiring hemodialysis (10% vs. 13%; p = .734). CONCLUSIONS: Early treatment with TCB in patients admitted for COVID-19 led to an improvement in their oxygen status during hospitalization. This change however did not translate into improved survival when compared to a matched cohort with a similar clinical profile.

Clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19 and HIV coinfection.

BACKGROUND: Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection may be at an increased risk for morbidity and mortality from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We present the clinical outcomes of HIV patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in a matched comparison with historical controls. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of HIV patients admitted for COVID-19 between March 2020 and April 2020 to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Data on baseline clinical characteristics and hospital course were documented and compared with that of a matched control group of COVID-19 patients who had no history of HIV. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the log-rank tests were used to estimate and compare in-hospital survival between both unmatched and matched groups. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients with HIV were hospitalized with COVID-19. The median age was 59 years. The rates of in-hospital death, the need for mechanical ventilation, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission were 13% (n = 3), 9% (n = 2), and 9% (n = 2), respectively. The HIV infection was well-controlled in all patients except for three patients presented with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). All AIDS patients were discharged home uneventfully. A one-to-one propensity matching identified 23 COVID-19 patients who served as a control group. In both pre- and post-match cohorts, survival between HIV and control groups were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort of HIV-infected patients hospitalized for COVID-19, there was no difference in mortality, ICU admission, and the need for mechanical ventilation when compared with a matched control of COVID-19 patients with HIV.

Coinfection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Bordetella bronchiseptica Pneumonia in a Renal Transplant Patient.

Bordetella species cause respiratory infections in both humans and animals. Bordetella bronchiseptica (B. bronchiseptica) infection is an uncommon pathogen in humans. The clinical spectrum of infections with SARS-CoV-2 includes viral pneumonia of variable severity, with some patients developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), requiring mechanical ventilation support. Transplant patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection have high mortality. Bacterial coinfection, including pneumonia, have been described in patients with COVID-19. We present a renal transplant patient with COVID-19 pneumonia who developed B. bronchiseptica superinfection and had a rapid clinical and radiological response to azithromycin treatment.

Coronavirus disease 19 in minority populations of Newark, New Jersey.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to report the clinical features and outcomes of Black/African American (AA) and Latino Hispanic patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalized in an inter-city hospital in the state of New Jersey. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of AA and Latino Hispanic patients with COVID-19 admitted to a 665-bed quaternary care, teaching hospital located in Newark, New Jersey. The study included patients who had completed hospitalization between March 10, 2020, and April 10, 2020. We reviewed demographics, socioeconomic variables and incidence of in-hospital mortality and morbidity. Logistic regression was used to identify predictor of in-hospital death. RESULTS: Out of 416 patients, 251 (60%) had completed hospitalization as of April 10, 2020. The incidence of In-hospital mortality was 38.6% (n = 97). Most common symptoms at initial presentation were dyspnea 39% (n = 162) followed by cough 38%(n = 156) and fever 34% (n = 143). Patients were in the highest quartile for population's density, number of housing units and disproportionately fell into the lowest median income quartile for the state of New Jersey. The incidence of septic shock, acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring hemodialysis and admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) was 24% (n = 59), 21% (n = 52), 33% (n = 82) respectively. Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were older age, lower serum Hemoglobin < 10 mg/dl, elevated serum Ferritin and Creatinine phosphokinase levels > 1200 U/L and > 1000 U/L. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from an inter-city hospital's experience with COVID-19 among underserved minority populations showed that, more than one of every three patients were at risk for in-hospital death or morbidity. Older age and elevated inflammatory markers at presentation were associated with in-hospital death.