Evaluation of clinical features and laboratory findings in critical intensive care unit patients with severe coronavirus disease-19 who underwent extracorporeal cytokine adsorption.

AIM: To evaluate the inflammatory parameters and oxygenation in severe coronavirus disease-19 patients who underwent extracorporeal cytokine adsorption (CA). METHODS: Patients who underwent extracorporeal CA for cytokine storm were included in the study. The changes in oxygenation, laboratory parameters, and mortality rates were investigated. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were included in the study. The hemoglobin, thrombocyte, and C-reactive protein (CRP) decreased, and PaO2 /FiO2 ratio increased (p < 0.001; p < 0.01; p < 0.001; p = 0.04, respectively). Twelve (33.3%) patients received a single session, 24 (66.6%) received 2 or more sessions. CRP and fibrinogen levels decreased, and PaO2 /FIO2 ratio increased in the single session group (p = 0.04; p = 0.04; p = 0.01, respectively). In the multi-session group, the hemoglobin, platelet, procalcitonin, and CRP levels decreased, and PaO2 /FIO2 ratio increased (p < 0.01; p = 0.02; p = 0.02; p < 0.01; p = 0.01, respectively). Day 15, 30, and 90 mortality rates were 61.1%, 83.3%, and 88.9%. CONCLUSION: CA with hemoperfusion reduced CRP and improved oxygenation; however, mortality rates were high.

Acute cerebellitis, transverse myelitis and polyradiculoneuritis related to post-COVID-19 infection.

CONTEXT: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), acute cerebellitis and transverse myelitis are rare complications of COVID-19 infection separately. The combination of these three, however, has not yet been reported. FINDINGS: We present an atypical case (42-year-old man) that developed acute ascending flaccid paraparesis, ataxia and urinary retention two weeks after COVID-19 infection. Neurological examination revealed distal and proximal weakness (4/5) on lower extremities, decreased tendon reflexes, sixth cranial nerve palsy and dysmetria without sensory disturbance. His cranial MRI showed cerebellitis whereas the spinal MRI showed transverse myelitis at the T11/12 level. Albuminocytologic dissociation was present in the cerebrospinal fluid. The nerve conduction study was concordant with early findings of GBS. He recovered well after corticosteroid treatment without needing any immunotherapy. On day seven of hospitalization, the modified Rankin Scale score was 0. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 infection may present with a combination of neurological manifestations such as cerebellitis, transverse myelitis and GBS. This patient presented significant functional recovery after treatment with corticosteroid without immunotherapy.