scholarly journals Severity of Illness Caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants of Concern in Children: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study

Author(s):  
Priya R. Edward ◽  
Ramon Lorenzo-Redondo ◽  
Megan E. Reyna ◽  
Lacy M Simons ◽  
Judd F. Hultquist ◽  
...  

Background: Recent surges in coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) is attributed to the emergence of more transmissible severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs). However, the relative severity of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in children is unknown. Methods: This retrospective single-center cohort study was performed at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago, academic free-standing childrens hospital. We included all children 0-18 years-old diagnosed with COVID-19 between October 15th, 2020 and August 31st, 2021 and whose SARS-CoV-2 isolate was sequenced using the Illumina platform. For each patient sample, we identified the SARS-CoV-2 lineage, which was assigned to one of the following groups: Non-VOC, alpha VOC, beta VOC, gamma VOC, or delta VOC. We measured frequency of 5 markers of COVID-19 severity: hospitalization; COVID-19 pharmacologic treatment; respiratory support; intensive care unit admission; and severe disease as classified by the COVID-19 World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Progression Scale (severe disease; score of 6 or higher). A series of logistic regression models were fitted to estimate odds of each severity marker with each VOC (in comparison to non-VOCs), adjusting for COVID-19 community incidence and demographic and clinical co-variates. Results: During the study period, 2,025 patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2; 1,422 (70.2%) had sufficient viral load to permit sequencing. Among the 499 (35.1%) patients whose isolate was sequenced, median (inter-quartile range) age was 7 (1,12) years; 256 (51.3%) isolates were a VOC: 96 (37.5%) alpha, 38 (14.8%) gamma, and 119 (46.5%) delta. After adjusting for age, Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, high-risk medical conditions, and COVID-19 community incidence, neither alpha nor delta was associated with severe COVID-19. Gamma was independently associated with hospitalization (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.6-21.5, p=0.007), respiratory support (OR 8.3, 95% CI 1.5-56.3, p=0.02), and severe disease as classified by the WHO Clinical Progression Scale (OR 7.7, 95% CI 1.0-78.1, p=0.05). Conclusions: Compared to non-VOC COVID-19 infections, the gamma VOC, but not the alpha or delta VOCs, was associated with increased severity. These data suggest that recent increased in pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations are related to increased delta COVID-19 incidence rather than increased delta virulence in children.

Author(s):  
Kashif Naeem ◽  
Vinod Choondal ◽  
Mahmoud Hamouri ◽  
Ahmed Abbas ◽  
Sreevidya Machingal ◽  
...  

Since December 2019, the world has witnessed the Coronavirus disease caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. We share our initial experience at a center in Dubai, UAE, with a diverse ethnic population and present the clinical characteristics of the first 100 laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease patients. In this retrospective, single center study, we included all adult (≥12 years old) laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients who presented at Al Kuwait Hospital, Dubai, UAE between 21 February 2020 and 15 April 2020. We extracted data on the demograhics, clinical presentation, laboratory and imaging results, treatment, complications and outcomes from the electronic medical records. Results are expressed as counts and percentages for categorical variables, and mean (with range) for continuous variables. A total of one hundred patients were studied. Mean age was 44 years (range 13-82 years); 16% were aged more than 60 years. 69% were males. Most of the patients (41%) belonged to South Asia, while 33% belonged to the Middle East. 21% were diabetics, 20% were hypertensives, 10% were active smokers and 6% were known cases of asthma/chronic obstructive lung disease. Upon admission, fever (46%) and dry cough (41%) were the most common symptoms, while  24% were asymptomatic on admission. Mean duration of symptoms before hospital admission was 5.1 days (range 1-14 days). Upon admission, 8% had low platelets, 7% had lymphopenia, 61% had high C-reactive protein, 48% had high ferritin, 37% had high lactate dehydrogenase, and 31% had high D-dimers. 63% had normal chest radiography upon presentation. Computed tomography chest showed ground glass opacification in 80%, consolidation in 21% while 14% had ill defined patchy opacities. All lesions were located peripherally and 79% had bilateral involvement with predominantly lower lobe disease. 8% had critical illness. Chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine (93%) and the protease inhibitor lopinavir-ritonavir (86%) were the most commonly prescribed treatment. 8% needed non-invasive ventilation and 7% were intubated and ventilated invasively. 7% developed acute repiratory distress syndrome, 5% went into septic shock and needed vasopressor support, 2% developed acute cardiac injury, 17% had acute kidney injury, 11% had acute liver injury and 2% developed disseminated intravascular coagulation. Almost half of the patients (49%) were declared recovered after having two negative COVID-19 PCR tests while 5% died. We concluded that the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents with different clinical characteristics in the UAE with an ethnic diverse background. Majority affected were young, males and diabetic. One-fourth were asymptomatic on admission, while fever and dry cough were the most common symptoms. High C-reactive protein and ferritin on admission was common. Most of the patients had normal chest radiograph on admission, while computed tomography chest showed the characteristic findings in over two-thirds. Almost half of our patients recovered while 5% died. This is an intial experience only and increased patient cohort will provide further information.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangelos Giamarellos-Bourboulis ◽  
Evdoxia Kyriazopoulou ◽  
Garyfallia Poulakou ◽  
Haralampos Milionis ◽  
Simeon Metallidis ◽  
...  

Abstract Early recognition of risk and start of treatment may improve unfavorable outcome of COVID-19. In the SAVE-MORE double-blind randomized trial, 594 patients with pneumonia without respiratory dysfunction at risk as defined by plasma suPAR (soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor) ≥ 6 ng/ml were 1:2 randomized to subcutaneous placebo or 100 mg anakinra once daily for 10 days; 85.9% were co-administered dexamethasone. After 28 days, anakinra-treated patients were distributed to lower strata of the 11-point World Health Organization ordinal Clinical Progression Scale (WHO-CPS) (adjusted odds ratio-OR 0.36; 95%CI 0.26–0.50; P < 0.001); anakinra protected from severe disease or death (≥ 6 points of WHO-CPS) (OR: 0.46; P: 0.010). The median WHO-CPS decrease in the placebo and anakinra groups was 3 and 4 points (OR 0.40; P < 0.0001); the median decrease of SOFA score was 0 and 1 points (OR 0.63; P: 0.004). 28-day mortality decreased (hazard ratio: 0.45; P: 0.045) and hospital stay was shorter. (Sponsored by the Hellenic Institute for the Study of Sepsis ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT04680949)


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 748-752
Author(s):  
Swapnali Khabade ◽  
Bharat Rathi ◽  
Renu Rathi

A novel, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causes severe acute respiratory syndrome and spread globally from Wuhan, China. In March 2020 the World Health Organization declared the SARS-Cov-2 virus as a COVID- 19, a global pandemic. This pandemic happened to be followed by some restrictions, and specially lockdown playing the leading role for the people to get disassociated with their personal and social schedules. And now the food is the most necessary thing to take care of. It seems the new challenge for the individual is self-isolation to maintain themselves on the health basis and fight against the pandemic situation by boosting their immunity. Food organised by proper diet may maintain the physical and mental health of the individual. Ayurveda aims to promote and preserve the health, strength and the longevity of the healthy person and to cure the disease by properly channelling with and without Ahara. In Ayurveda, diet (Ahara) is considered as one of the critical pillars of life, and Langhana plays an important role too. This article will review the relevance of dietetic approach described in Ayurveda with and without food (Asthavidhi visheshaytana & Lanhgan) during COVID-19 like a pandemic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rina Das ◽  
Dinesh Kumar Mehta ◽  
Meenakshi Dhanawat

Abstract:: A novel virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), appeared and expanded globally by the end of year in 2019 from Wuhan, China, causing severe acute respiratory syndrome. During its initial stage, the disease was called the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). It was named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 February 2020. The WHO declared worldwide the SARS-CoV-2 virus a pandemic on March 2020. On 30 January 2020 the first case of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported in India. Now in current situation the virus is floating in almost every part of the province and rest of the globe. -: On the basis of novel published evidences, we efficiently summarized the reported work with reference to COVID-19 epidemiology, pathogen, clinical symptoms, treatment and prevention. Using several worldwide electronic scientific databases such as Pubmed, Medline, Embase, Science direct, Scopus, etc were utilized for extensive investigation of relevant literature. -: This review is written in the hope of encouraging the people successfully with the key learning points from the underway efforts to perceive and manage SARS-CoV-2, suggesting sailent points for expanding future research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Iyen ◽  
Stephen Weng ◽  
Yana Vinogradova ◽  
Ralph K. Akyea ◽  
Nadeem Qureshi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although obesity is a well-recognised risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the impact of long-term body mass index (BMI) changes in overweight or obese adults, on the risk of heart failure, CVD and mortality has not been quantified. Methods This population-based cohort study used routine UK primary care electronic health data linked to secondary care and death-registry records. We identified adults who were overweight or obese, free from CVD and who had repeated BMI measures. Using group-based trajectory modelling, we examined the BMI trajectories of these individuals and then determined incidence rates of CVD, heart failure and mortality associated with the different trajectories. Cox-proportional hazards regression determined hazards ratios for incident outcomes. Results 264,230 individuals (mean age 49.5 years (SD 12.7) and mean BMI 33.8 kg/m2 (SD 6.1)) were followed-up for a median duration of 10.9 years. Four BMI trajectories were identified, corresponding at baseline, with World Health Organisation BMI classifications for overweight, class-1, class-2 and class-3 obesity respectively. In all four groups, there was a small, stable upwards trajectory in BMI (mean BMI increase of 1.06 kg/m2 (± 3.8)). Compared with overweight individuals, class-3 obese individuals had hazards ratios (HR) of 3.26 (95% CI 2.98–3.57) for heart failure, HR of 2.72 (2.58–2.87) for all-cause mortality and HR of 3.31 (2.84–3.86) for CVD-related mortality, after adjusting for baseline demographic and cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusion The majority of adults who are overweight or obese retain their degree of overweight or obesity over the long term. Individuals with stable severe obesity experience the worst heart failure, CVD and mortality outcomes. These findings highlight the high cardiovascular toll exacted by continuing failure to tackle obesity.


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