Bronchopleural fistula causing persistent pneumothorax in COVID-19 pneumonia patient with no risk factors.

Although pneumothorax is a well-known complication of COVID-19 pneumonia especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation, bronchopleural fistula causing persistent pneumothorax in sole COVID-19 pneumonia is extremely rare. In this case, we illustrate that bronchopleural fistula can be found in COVID-19 pneumonia, even with no risk factors nor mechanical ventilation administration.

A Rare Case of Hemoglobin E/Beta-Thalassemia and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease, with multisystemic involvement. Hemoglobin E/beta-thalassemia (HbE/beta-thalassemia) is the genotype responsible for approximately one-half of all severe beta-thalassemia worldwide. When beta-thalassemia and SLE coexist, SLE seems to have a more severe course. Here we report a 32-year-old female who presented with dizziness and fatigue was found to have severe hemolytic anemia with thrombocytopenia. Upon further evaluation, she was diagnosed with HbE/beta-thalassemia and SLE, which is a very rare association. In SLE patients, anemia usually results from the disease itself, but it is important to think of other coexisting conditions like thalassemia.