Concomitant renal and splenic infarctions in a COVID-19-patient with a catastrophic thrombotic syndrome.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, thrombotic events have been accurately described in patients infected by the SARS-CoV-2, especially venous thromboembolism. However, the mystery of arterial thrombosis is still unclear. Here, we report the case of a 59-year-old man with diabetes mellitus, admitted for COVID-19-pneumonia complicated by pulmonary embolism, a thrombus in the aortic isthmus, the descending thoracic aorta associated with splenic and left renal infarctions, and an acute right limb ischemia. The etiological assessment of this catastrophic thrombotic syndrome showed no evidence for preexisting inherited or acquired thrombophilia. Our case emphasizes the hypercoagulability state in COVID-19-patient leading to both arterial and venous thromboembolisms and the need to establish adequate strategies for the diagnosis and management of thrombo-embolisms to prevent these potentially fatal complications.

COVID-19 complicated by infective endocarditis or concomitant infection? a case report.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic and public health emergency. With a high infectivity and dissemination rate, cardiovascular complications have been observed and associated with a poorer prognosis. COVID-19 appears to be both a risk and prognosis factor for infective endocarditis. In this report, we present the case of a 53-year-old woman with a non-productive cough, progressive dyspnea and fatigue, diagnosed with COVID-19 four weeks earlier. The patient was referred to our department displaying the same symptoms. She was diagnosed with infective endocarditis of the mitral valve based on clinical symptoms, as well as radiological and analytical investigations. The patient was given appropriate medical treatment before admission based on azithromycin, corticosteroids for two weeks, during the hospitalization, she underwent treatment with antibiotics based on Teicoplanin and gentamicin. Outcome was good; the disappearance of the vegetative lesion on the weekly transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). This rare case highlights questions about considering other coexisting diagnoses as well as possible complications a long with COVID-19.

Acute Myocardial Injury Assessed by High-Sensitive Cardiac Troponin Predicting Severe Outcomes and Death in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 Infection.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac injury has been linked to a poor prognosis during COVID-19 disease. Nevertheless, the risk factors associated are yet to be thoroughly investigated. OBJECTIVES: We sought to compare demographical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes in patients infected by the SARS-CoV-2 with and without cardiac injury, to further investigate the prevalence of acute cardiac injury as well as its impact on their outcomes in COVID-19-patients. METHODS: We included in a retrospective analysis, all COVID-19 patients admitted between October first and December first, 2020, at the University Hospital Center of Oujda (Morocco) who underwent a troponin assay which was systematically measured on admission. The study population was divided into two groups: cardiac-injured patients and those without cardiac injury. Clinical, biological data and in-hospital outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: 298 confirmed COVID-19 cases were included. Our study found that compared to non-cardiac-injured, cardiac-injured patients are older, with higher possibilities of existing comorbidities including hypertension (68 [42.2%] vs 40 [29.2%], P = 0.02), diabetes (81 [50.3%] vs 53 [38.7%] P = 0.044), the need for mechanical ventilation, ICU admission and mortality. A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis shows a significantly increased risk of death among cardiac-injured COVID-19-patients as compared to non-cardiac injured. (HR, 1.620 [CI 95%: 2.562-1.024]). CONCLUSION: Our retrospective cohort found that old age, comorbidities, a previous history of CAD, were significantly associated with acute cardiac injury. COVID-19 patients with acute cardiac injury are at a higher risk of ICU admission, and death.

Risk stratification of sudden cardiac death in Brugada syndrome: an updated review of literature.

Brugada syndrome is a rare but serious inherited heart disease that causes sudden cardiac death by polymorphic ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. It is an autosomal dominant genetic disease that usually occurs in patients in their forties with a structurally normal heart. Electrically, it manifests by ST elevation segment ≥ 2 mm of at least one right precordial lead (V1 and/or V2). Stratification of sudden cardiac death in Brugada syndrome is not always easy and constitutes a real challenge for the practitioner. In this review, we will present the current state of knowledge for arrhythmic risk stratification and the prevention of sudden cardiac death that can result from this syndrome.

Diagnostic Accuracy of D-Dimers for Predicting Pulmonary Embolism in COVID-19-Patients.

IMPORTANCE: Proinflammatory and hypercoagulable states with marked elevation seen in D-Dimer levels have been accurately described in patients infected by the SARS- Cov2 even without pulmonary embolism (PE). OBJECTIVES: To compare D-dimers values in patients infected by the novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) with and without PE and to establish an optimal D-dimer cut-off to predict the occurrence of PE, which guides pulmonary computed tomography angiography (CTPA) indication. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled all COVID-19-patients admitted between October first and November 22th, 2020, at the University Hospital Center of Mohammed VI, Oujda (Morocco), suspected to have PE and underwent a CTPA. Demographic characteristics and blood test results were compared between PE-positive and PE-negative. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was constructed to establish an optimal D-Dimer cut-off to predict the occurrence of PE. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 84 confirmed COVID-19-patients. The mean age was 64.93 years (SD 14.19). PE was diagnosed on CTPA in 31 (36.9%) patients. Clinical symptoms and in-hospital outcomes were similar in both groups except that more men had PE (p = .025). The median value of D-dimers in the group of patients with PE was significantly higher (14 680[IQR 33620-3450]ng/mL compared to the group of patients without PE 2980[IQR 6870-1600]ng/mL [P < .001]. A D-dimer at 2600 ng/mL was the optimal cut-off for predicting PE with a sensitivity of 90.3%, and AUC was .773[CI 95%, .667 -.876). CONCLUSION: A D-dimer cut-off value of 2600 ng/mL is a significant predictor of PE in COVID-19-patients with a sensitivity of 90.3%.

Late-onset of pulmonary embolism following hospitalization for COVID-19 despite thromboprophylaxis: a report of two cases.

The global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in an increased incidence of venous thromboembolism among hospitalized COVID-19-patients, especially those who required intensive care, despite thromboprophylaxis. This has resulted in the use of higher doses of thromboprophylaxis or therapeutic anticoagulation therapy even in the absence of thrombotic events. However, after their hospital discharge, authors and current guidelines are not unanimous about extended anticoagulant therapy in patients with COVID-19. Here, we report two pulmonary embolism cases following hospitalization for COVID-19, despite intermediate doses of thromboprophylaxis. These rare cases suggest that there may be a residual thrombotic risk following hospitalization for COVID-19 and highlight questions about extended prophylactic-anticoagulation therapy after hospital discharge of patients with COVID-19.