Consequences of COVID-19 Among Adult HIV Patients Versus Non-HIV Patients: Two-Year Data From the Primary Isolation Centre in Sudan.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic remains to have a global impact despite the great efforts in prevention. Controversy persists regarding the outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 among HIV patients versus non-HIV individuals. Objective This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 among adult patients with HIV versus non-HIV in the chief isolation centre in Khartoum state, Sudan. Methods This is an analytical cross-sectional, comparative single-centre study conducted at the Chief Sudanese Coronavirus Isolation Centre in Khartoum from March 2020 to July 2022. Data were analysed using SPSS V.26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, USA). Results This study included 99 participants. The overall age mean was 50±1 years old, with a male predominance of 66.7% (n=66). 9.1% (n=9) of the participants were HIV cases, 33.3% of whom were newly diagnosed. The majority, 77.8%, reported poor adherence to anti-retroviral therapy. The most common complications included acute respiratory failure (ARF) and multiple organ failure, 20.2% and 17.2%, respectively. The overall complications were higher among HIV cases than non-HIV cases; however, statistically insignificant (p>0.05 ), except for acute respiratory failure (p<0.05). 48.5% of participants were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), with slightly higher rates among HIV cases; however, this was statistically insignificant (p=0.656). Regarding the outcome, 36.4% (n=36) recovered and were discharged. Although a higher mortality rate was reported among HIV cases compared to non-HIV cases (55% vs 40%), it was statistically insignificant (p=0.238). Conclusion The mortality and morbidity percent proportion among HIV patients with superimposed COVID-19 infection was higher than in non-HIV patients but statistically insignificant aside from ARF. Consequently, this category of patients, to a large extent, should not be considered highly susceptible to adverse outcomes when infected with COVID-19; however, ARF should be closely monitored for.

Triple-Negative Sjogren's Syndrome and Recurrent Pneumothorax: An Uncommon Presentation of Autoimmune Disease.

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic exocrinopathy caused by lymphocytic infiltration and is associated with numerous manifestations and morbidities. We discuss a case of a 60-year-old female who presented to the Acute Medical Assessment Unit complaining of progressive shortness of breath for one month, not associated with chest pain or lower limb swelling. She also reported joint pain involving both wrists and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, oral dryness, hair loss, and numerous tongue ulcerations. Blood workup revealed triple-negative SS, negative rheumatoid factor, anti-SSA and anti-SSB, a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and antinuclear antibody (ANA) titer of 640. A diagnosis of SS was made. Nevertheless, her CT chest showed massive left-sided pneumothorax; subsequently, a chest tube was urgently inserted. The chest tube was removed two days later with complete resolution on chest X-ray (CXR). However, one week later, she presented with a recurrent pneumothorax that persisted and required surgical intervention that led to complete recovery afterward. Pneumothorax is an extremely rare but potentially unfavorable complication related to SS, with only two cases reported in the literature so far and usually associated with underlying lung pathology.