Mucormycosis in a Patient with Severe COVID-19 Disease-The First Case Report in Romania and a Literature Review.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 infection is often associated with a vast spectrum of opportunistic bacterial and fungal infections. Herein, we share a summary of the first case of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) in a patient from Romania. CASE PRESENTATION: A 51-year-old male non-smoker, with no known relevant medical history, who denied any previous alcohol use and was vaccinated against COVID-19 (complete scheme with Vaxzevria), was admitted to the hospital for severe COVID-19 infection. The first mucormycosis-related symptoms were reported on the eighth day of admission and were followed by the rapid deterioration of the patient's condition and, consequently, death. The main aggravating factors, which were identified to be associated with the development of mucormycosis and with the poor outcome, were the association of severe COVID-19, new-onset COVID-19-triggered type 2 diabetes, and corticoid treatment for severe COVID-19. CONCLUSION: The association between severe COVID-19 and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, triggered by COVID-19 infection, increases the risk of severe opportunistic fungal infections and the associated mortality rates.

Cardiovascular Comorbidities in Relation to the Functional Status and Vitamin D Levels in Elderly Patients with Dementia.

(1) Background: As dementia is an incurable, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease, we gathered and analyzed a number of patient characteristics, assessing possible correlations that may support early diagnosis and a more accurate prognosis for cognitively impaired patients. (2) Methods: We used standard clinical parameters (cognitive and functional status, comorbidities, and plasma vitamin D levels) in a study group of 162 patients aged above 55 years old. (3) Results: We reported a higher incidence of cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities in patients with severe or moderate cognitive impairment; a validated correlation between functional status, cognitive status, and serum vitamin D levels; and a more frequently associated profile of neurologic comorbidities in patients with a more significant cognitive deficiency. (4) Conclusions: The present research adds data on the significant correlations of cognitive deficits with cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurologic diseases (and the lack of correlation with osteoarticular illness). Clinicians should make the best use of the current screening and assessment tools (such as the functional scoring of daily activities, cognitive evaluation, and the screening of risk factors). Our data may offer starting points for future in-depth analysis of dementia-modifiable risk factors.