Development and Pilot of an Mpox Severity Scoring System.

Clinical severity scores facilitate comparisons to understand risk factors for severe illness. For the 2022 multinational monkeypox clade IIb virus outbreak, we developed a 7-item Mpox Severity Scoring System (MPOX-SSS) with initial variables refined by data availability and parameter correlation. Application of MPOX-SSS to the first 200 patients diagnosed with mpox revealed higher scores in those treated with tecovirimat, presenting >3 days after symptom onset, and with CD4 counts <200 cells/mm3. For individuals evaluated repeatedly, serial scores were concordant with clinical observations. The pilot MPOX-SSS demonstrated good discrimination, distinguished change over time, and identified higher scores in expected groups.

Tecovirimat Treatment of People With HIV During the 2022 Mpox Outbreak : A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The recent mpox outbreak has disproportionately affected people with HIV (PWH) and resulted in the first widespread use of the novel antiviral tecovirimat. Whether treatment outcomes differ between PWH and those without HIV is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of PWH and HIV-negative persons with mpox virus (MPXV) infection treated with tecovirimat. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of patients treated with tecovirimat for confirmed MPXV infection from June to August 2022. SETTING: Two academic medical centers in New York City. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 196 persons treated with tecovirimat from 20 June to 29 August 2022. Of 154 testing positive for MPXV, 72 were PWH and 4 had a CD4 count lower than 0.20 × 109 cells/L. MEASUREMENTS: Patient demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, treatment outcomes, and safety data for tecovirimat. RESULTS: Indications for tecovirimat treatment were similar between the PWH and HIV-negative groups. Four participants had serious adverse events; none were attributed to tecovirimat. Three of these 4 participants had HIV infection, and 2 had CD4 counts less than 0.20 × 109 cells/L. Twenty-two percent of participants had nonsevere adverse effects. Groups had similar rates of hospitalization, indications for treatment, and co-occurring infections, but PWH had fewer days from symptom onset to treatment (7.5 vs. 10). There was no difference in treatment outcomes, including days to improvement or rate of persistent symptoms. LIMITATION: Patients with mpox who were not treated with tecovirimat were not followed routinely and therefore lacked comparable outcome data, limiting evaluation of efficacy. CONCLUSION: In our cohort of patients treated with tecovirimat for severe mpox, HIV status did not seem to affect treatment outcomes. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institutes of Health.

Elevated inflammatory markers are associated with poor outcomes in COVID-19 patients treated with remdesivir.

The antiviral remdesivir has been shown to decrease the length of hospital stay in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients requiring supplemental oxygen. However many patients decompensate despite being treated with remdesivir. To identify potential prognostic factors in remdesivir-treated patients, we performed a retrospective cohort study of patients hospitalized at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center between March 23, 2020 and May 27, 2020. We identified 55 patients who were treated with remdesivir for COVID-19 and analyzed inflammatory markers and clinical outcomes. C-reactive protein (CRP), d-dimer, and lactate dehydrogenase levels were significantly higher in patients who progressed to intubation or death by 14 days compared to those who remained stable. CRP levels decreased significantly after remdesivir administration in patients who remained nonintubated over the study period. To our knowledge, this is the largest study to date examining inflammatory markers before and after remdesivir administration. Our findings support further investigation into COVID-19 treatment strategies that modify the inflammatory response.

COVID-19 in Hospitalized Adults With HIV.

BACKGROUND: The spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic have caused significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 and HIV co-infection remain uncertain. METHODS: We conducted a matched retrospective cohort study of adults hospitalized with a COVID-19 illness in New York City between March 3, 2020, and May 15, 2020. We matched 30 people with HIV (PWH) with 90 control group patients without HIV based on age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Using electronic health record data, we compared demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and clinical outcomes between PWH and control patients. RESULTS: In our study, the median age (interquartile range) was 60.5 (56.6-70.0) years, 20% were female, 30% were black, 27% were white, and 24% were of Hispanic/Latino/ethnicity. There were no significant differences between PWH and control patients in presenting symptoms, duration of symptoms before hospitalization, laboratory markers, or radiographic findings on chest x-ray. More patients without HIV required a higher level of supplemental oxygen on presentation than PWH. There were no differences in the need for invasive mechanical ventilation during hospitalization, length of stay, or in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations and outcomes of COVID-19 among patients with SARS-CoV-2 and HIV co-infection were not significantly different than patients without HIV co-infection. However, PWH were hospitalized with less severe hypoxemia, a finding that warrants further investigation.

Provider Attitudes toward the Use of Hepatitis C Virus-Positive Organs in Kidney Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Direct-acting antivirals have changed the landscape of hepatitis C virus (HCV) care. While transplantation with HCV-positive donor organs is increasing, little is known about providers' attitudes toward this topic. The aim of this study is to determine providers' attitudes toward HCV-positive kidney transplantation. METHODS: Willing transplant and nontransplant nephrologists, transplant surgeons, and mid-level providers completed an online survey from April through May 2018. The survey asked about HCV knowledge and willingness to transplant HCV-positive antibody, nucleic acid testing-positive kidneys into HCV-negative recipients. Descriptive analyses including mean and median for continuous variables and frequencies for categorical variables were calculated. RESULTS: Seven-hundred surveys were emailed and 99 providers (62 transplant nephrologists, 28 nontransplant nephrologists, 7 transplant surgeons, and 2 advanced practice providers) completed the survey (participation rate 14.1%). All providers knew that HCV was curable, with 60% believing that it had no effect on transplant success and 32% thinking it reduced transplant success. Providers were significantly more likely to offer a HCV-positive organ to HCV-positive recipients compared to HCV-negative recipients in all queried circumstances (p < 0.005 in all cases), especially with increasing impact on patient's quality of life. While only 39% of providers would offer a HCV-positive organ for transplant to a patient without HCV if it reduced the waitlist time by 1 year, 92% would offer a HCV-positive organ if it reduced the waitlist time by 4 years. However, only 47% thought that the use of HCV-positive kidneys should be for routine care, while 38% believed it should be reserved for research purposes only. There were no significant differences between transplant and nontransplant nephrologists in attitudes toward HCV-positive kidney transplantation. Providers believed that donor organs from those who were obese, >50 years old, or had died from a cardiac arrest were significantly more likely to reduce the likelihood of a successful transplant 1-year posttransplant when compared with a HCV-positive organ (p < 0.005 in all cases). Eighty-six percent of providers had concerns about HCV curability posttransplant. CONCLUSION: Although 92% of providers were willing to offer a HCV-positive kidney for transplant as patient waitlist time increases, less than half supported offering HCV-positive transplantation for routine care rather than for research. The results underscore the need for further education and data about the efficacy and safety of HCV-positive kidney transplantation.