scholarly journals Diagnostic Approaches for COVID-19 and Its Associated Complications

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2071
Author(s):  
Ivan E. Wang ◽  
Grant Cooper ◽  
Shaker A. Mousa

With almost 4 million deaths worldwide from the COVID-19 pandemic, the efficient and accurate diagnosis and identification of COVID-19-related complications are more important than ever. Scales such as the pneumonia severity index, or CURB-65, help doctors determine who should be admitted to the hospital or the intensive care unit. To properly treat and manage admitted patients, standardized sampling protocols and methods are required for COVID-19 patients. Using PubMed, relevant articles since March 2020 on COVID-19 diagnosis and its complications were analyzed. Patients with COVID-19 had elevated D-dimer, thrombomodulin, and initial factor V elevation followed by decreased factor V and factor VII and elevated IL-6, lactate dehydrogenase, and c-reactive protein, which indicated coagulopathy and possible cytokine storm. Patients with hypertension, newly diagnosed diabetes, obesity, or advanced age were at increased risk for mortality. Elevated BUN, AST, and ALT in severe COVID-19 patients was associated with acute kidney injury or other organ damage. The gold standard for screening COVID-19 is reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using sputum, oropharyngeal, or nasopharyngeal routes. However, due to the low turnover rate and limited testing capacity of RT-PCR, alternative diagnostic tools such as CT-scan and serological testing (IgM and IgG) can be considered in conjunction with symptom monitoring. Advancements in CRISPR technology have also allowed the use of alternative COVID-19 testing, but unfortunately, these technologies are still under FDA review and cannot be used in patients. Nonetheless, increased turnover rates and testing capacity allow for a bright future in COVID-19 diagnosis.

2007 ◽  
Vol 98 (12) ◽  
pp. 1323-1328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douwe Pons ◽  
Pascalle Monraats ◽  
Moniek de Maat ◽  
Nuno Pires ◽  
Paul Quax ◽  
...  

SummarySince activation of the haemostatic system is an important feature of the wound healing response triggered by arterial injury, variations in genes involved in thrombus formation may play a role in restenosis after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Therefore, our aim was to examine the relationship between polymorphisms that are known to play a role in the haemostatic system and the risk of clinical restenosis in the GENetic DEterminants of Restenosis (GENDER) study,a multicenter prospective study design that enrolled 3,104 consecutive patients after successful PCI. Target vessel revascularization (TVR) was the primary endpoint. All patients were genotyped for six polymorphisms in the Factor II, Factor V, Factor VII and PAI-1 genes. The PAI-1 4G variant was associated with an increased risk ofTVR. When compared to 5G/5G homozygotes, heterozygous patients were at higher risk for TVR (HR: 1.46, 95%CI: 1.05–2.03), whereas patients with the 4G/4G genotype had an even further increased risk (HR: 1.69, 95%CI: 1.19–2.41). In contrast, the factor V 506Gln (factor V Leiden) amino acid substitution was associated with a decreased risk of TVR (HR: 0.41, 95%CI: 0.19–0.86). Our findings indicate that polymorphisms in the factorV and PAI-1 genes may play a role in the process of restenosis.


2020 ◽  
pp. 23-28
Author(s):  
Muhammad Abdur Rahim ◽  
Tabassum Samad ◽  
Ishrat Jahan ◽  
Md Mashud Alam ◽  
Talha Sami Ul Haque ◽  
...  

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk for infection because of immunosuppressed state. CKD is an independent risk factor for poor outcome in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study was designed to describe clinical and laboratory parameters of COVID-19 patients with preexisting CKD. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Nephrology, BIRDEM General Hospital from July to December 2020. Hospitalized adult patients with CKD not yet on dialysis, who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), irrespective of symptoms were included in this study. RT-PCR negative cases were excluded. Results: Total patients were 40 (mean age 58.3 years, 52.5% male). Common comorbidities were diabetes mellitus (92.5%), hypertension (67.5%) and ischaemic heart disease (27.5%). Fever, cough, shortness of breath, headache and fatigue were common presenting features. Nearly one-fifth had no COVID-related symptoms. Lymphopenia and high inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP) were common. Sixteen patients were complicated by acute kidney injury, four patients required haemodialysis and 23 had electrolyte imbalance. Most cases were mild to moderate; most were transferred to COVID-dedicated hospitals or discharged with home isolation protocols. Three patients required intensive care unit shifting and two patients died. Conclusion: Most CKD patients had comorbid conditions. Clinical presentation was typical in most cases. Case fatality rate was higher than Bangladeshi statistics. Birdem Med J 2020; 10, COVID Supplement: 23-28


VASA ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lea Weingarz ◽  
Marc Schindewolf ◽  
Jan Schwonberg ◽  
Carola Hecking ◽  
Zsuzsanna Wolf ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: Whether screening for thrombophilia is useful for patients after a first episode of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a controversial issue. However, the impact of thrombophilia on the risk of recurrence may vary depending on the patient’s age at the time of the first VTE. Patients and methods: Of 1221 VTE patients (42 % males) registered in the MAISTHRO (MAin-ISar-THROmbosis) registry, 261 experienced VTE recurrence during a 5-year follow-up after the discontinuation of anticoagulant therapy. Results: Thrombophilia was more common among patients with VTE recurrence than those without (58.6 % vs. 50.3 %; p = 0.017). Stratifying patients by the age at the time of their initial VTE, Cox proportional hazards analyses adjusted for age, sex and the presence or absence of established risk factors revealed a heterozygous prothrombin (PT) G20210A mutation (hazard ratio (HR) 2.65; 95 %-confidence interval (CI) 1.71 - 4.12; p < 0.001), homozygosity/double heterozygosity for the factor V Leiden and/or PT mutation (HR 2.35; 95 %-CI 1.09 - 5.07, p = 0.030), and an antithrombin deficiency (HR 2.12; 95 %-CI 1.12 - 4.10; p = 0.021) to predict recurrent VTE in patients aged 40 years or older, whereas lupus anticoagulants (HR 3.05; 95%-CI 1.40 - 6.66; p = 0.005) increased the risk of recurrence in younger patients. Subgroup analyses revealed an increased risk of recurrence for a heterozygous factor V Leiden mutation only in young females without hormonal treatment whereas the predictive value of a heterozygous PT mutation was restricted to males over the age of 40 years. Conclusions: Our data do not support a preference of younger patients for thrombophilia testing after a first venous thromboembolic event.


1994 ◽  
Vol 71 (06) ◽  
pp. 755-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
E M Bladbjerg ◽  
P Marckmann ◽  
B Sandström ◽  
J Jespersen

SummaryPreliminary observations have suggested that non-fasting factor VII coagulant activity (FVII:C) may be related to the dietary fat content. To confirm this, we performed a randomised cross-over study. Seventeen young volunteers were served 2 controlled isoenergetic diets differing in fat content (20% or 50% of energy). The 2 diets were served on 2 consecutive days. Blood samples were collected at 8.00 h, 16.30 h and 19.30 h, and analysed for triglycerides, FVII coagulant activity using human (FVII:C) or bovine thromboplastin (FVII:Bt), and FVII amidolytic activity (FVIPAm). The ratio FVII:Bt/FVII:Am (a measure of FVII activation) increased from fasting levels on both diets, but most markedly on the high-fat diet. In contrast, FVII: Am (a measure of FVII protein) tended to decrease from fasting levels on both diets. FVII:C rose from fasting levels on the high-fat diet, but not on the low-fat diet. The findings suggest that high-fat diets increase non-fasting FVII:C, and consequently may be associated with increased risk of thrombosis.


1974 ◽  
Vol 32 (01) ◽  
pp. 057-064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Nemerson ◽  
S.A Silverberg ◽  
J Jesty

SummaryTwo reactions of the extrinsic pathway of coagulation, the activations of Factor X and prothrombin, have been studied in purified systems and shown to be self-damping. Factor X was activated by the tissue factor - Factor VII complex, and prothrombin by two systems: the coagulant protein of Taipan venom, and the physiological complex of activated Factor X, Factor V, lipid, and calcium ions. In each case the yield of enzyme, activated Factor X or thrombin, is a function of the concentration of activator. These and other observations are considered as a basis for a control mechanism in coagulation.


1996 ◽  
Vol 75 (02) ◽  
pp. 270-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benget Zöller ◽  
Johan Holm ◽  
Peter Svensson ◽  
Björn Dahlbäck

SummaryInherited resistance to activated protein C (APC-resistance), caused by a point mutation in the factor V gene leading to replacement of Arg(R)506 with a Gin (Q), and inherited protein S deficiency are associated with functional impairment of the protein C anticoagulant system, yielding lifelong hypercoagulability and increased risk of thrombosis. APC-resistance is often an additional genetic risk factor in thrombosis-prone protein S deficient families. The plasma concentration of prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2), which is a marker of hyper-coagulable states, was measured in 205 members of 34 thrombosis-prone families harbouring the Arg506 to Gin mutation (APC-resistance) and/or inherited protein S deficiency. The plasma concentration of F1+2 was significantly higher both in 38 individuals carrying the FV:Q506 mutation in heterozygous state (1.7 ± 0.7 nM; mean ± SD) and in 48 protein S deficient cases (1.9 ± 0.9 nM), than in 100 unaffected relatives (1.3 ±0.5 nM). Warfarin therapy decreased the F1+2 levels, even in those four patients who had combined defects (0.5 ± 0.3 nM). Our results agree with the hypothesis that individuals with APC-resistance or protein S deficiency have an imbalance between pro- and anti-coagulant forces leading to increased thrombin generation and a hypercoagulable state.


1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (03) ◽  
pp. 369-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
T A B Sanders ◽  
G J Miller ◽  
Tamara de Grassi ◽  
Najat Yahia

SummaryFactor VII coagulant activity (FVIIc) is associated with an increased risk of fatal ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Several reports have suggested that dietary fat intake or hypertriglyceridaemia are associated with elevated levels of FVII. This study demonstrates that an intake of long-chain fatty acids sufficient to induce postprandial lipaemia in healthy subjects leads to a substantial elevation in both FVIIc and the concentration of FVII circulating in the activated form. Such an increase in FVIIc could not be induced by medium-chain triglycerides. These results suggest that the consumption of a sufficient amount of long-chain triglycerides to induce postprandial lipaemia induces the activation of FVII.


1961 ◽  
Vol 06 (01) ◽  
pp. 015-024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Erik Bergentz ◽  
Oddvar Eiken ◽  
Inga Marie Nilsson

Summary1. Infusions of low molecular weight dextran (Mw = 42 000) to dogs in doses of 1—1.5 g per kg body weight did not produce any significant changes in the coagulation mechanism.2. Infusions of high molecular weight dextran (Mw = 1 000 000) to dogs in doses of 1—1.5 g per kg body weight produced severe defects in the coagulation mechanism, namely prolongation of bleeding time and coagulation time, thrombocytopenia, pathological prothrombin consumption, decrease of fibrinogen, prothrombin and factor VII, factor V and AHG.3. Heparin treatment of the dogs was found to prevent the decrease of fibrinogen, prothrombin and factor VII, and factor V otherwise occurring after injection of high molecular weight dextran. Thrombocytopenia was not prevented.4. In in vitro experiments an interaction between fibrinogen and dextran of high and low molecular weight was found to take place in systems comprising pure fibrinogen. No such interaction occurred in the presence of plasma.5. It is concluded that the coagulation defects induced by infusions of high molecular weight dextran are due to intravascular coagulation.


1960 ◽  
Vol 4 (01) ◽  
pp. 001-016
Author(s):  
Jessica H. Lewis ◽  
Paul Didisheim ◽  
John H. Ferguson ◽  
Kenichi Hattori

SummaryNormal whole blood was allowed to stand in glass tubes at 37° C, and the clotting process stopped at various intervals by the addition of sodium oxalate. During the first 15 minutes a marked acceleration of clotting activity was found. Study of the individual coagulation factors showed the following changes: a sustained and rapid fall in platelet count, a sustained and rapid rise in PTC (factor IX), a steady fall in fibrinogen, a more gradual fall in AHF (factor VIII), a rapid rise and subsequent fall in proaccelerin (factor V) activity, a somewhat lesser and slower rise and fall in proconvertin (factor VII) activity, and a slow fall in prothrombin concentration. No changes were noted in Hageman factor or PTA activities.


1970 ◽  
Vol 23 (03) ◽  
pp. 593-600
Author(s):  
P Pudlák ◽  
I Farská ◽  
V Brabec ◽  
V Pospíšilová

Summary1. The following coagulation changes were found in rats with experimental hypersplenism: a mild prolongation of the recalcification time, shortened times in Quick’s test, a lowered activity in plasma thrombin time and shortened times in the partial thromboplastin test. Concentrations of factor II, V, VII (+X), VIII and X did not differ from those of normal control rats.2. The administration of adrenaline to hypersplenic rats induced the correction of the partial thromboplastin test, Quick’s test and plasma thrombin time to normal values. Concentrations of coagulation factors were not significantly changed. An increase was found in factor V.3. Splenectomy performed in hypersplenic rats was followed by a shortened recalcification time, a prolongation of the partial thromboplastin test and of the test with partial thromboplastin and kaolin. A prolongation was also observed in Quick’s test. Complete correction of plasma thrombin time was not observed. The concentration of factor VII increased.4. The administration of adrenaline to splenectomized rats with experimental hypersplenism did not induce any significant changes with the exception of a corrected plasma thrombin time and a decreased concentration of factor VIII.5. A different reaction of factor VIII to adrenaline in normal and hypersplenic rats is pointed out.


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