Severe COVID-19 along with Cytokine Storm in Pemphigus Vulgaris Managed Successfully with Dexamethasone Pulse Therapy

The objective of the study was the evaluation of the effectiveness of tocilizumab in patients with coronavirus infection COVID-19 who were treated in the intensive care unit of an infectious diseases hospital. Material and methods. There was carried out a retrospective analysis of the case histories of 40 patients with confirmed severe and extremely severe coronavirus infection COVID-19. The average age of the patients was 58.3 ± 1.8 years, the total lung lesion volume was 83.2 ± 2.0%. Results: The survival rate of patients who received immunosuppressive therapy with tocilizumab in combination with pulse therapy of glucocorticosteroids was 55%, and 44% of patients with 100% lung involvement. The use of tocilizumab (4-8 mg / kg) led to a statistically significant decrease in the level of C-reactive protein in the blood, which was an indicator of adequate pharmacotherapy of the "cytokine storm" in the ICU.

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Cardiac function in pemphigus vulgaris patients before and after steroid pulse therapy

Journal of Dermatological Treatment ◽

10.1080/09546634.2019.1708850 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Mohammad Shahidi-Dadras ◽

Mehdi Pishgahi ◽

Mohammadreza Tabary ◽

Zohreh Kheradmand ◽

Farnaz Araghi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Function ◽

Pemphigus Vulgaris ◽

Pulse Therapy ◽

Steroid Pulse Therapy ◽

Steroid Pulse ◽

Before And After

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Churg-Strauss Syndrome or Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: Exuberant Classic Clinical Picture of a Rare Disease

Case Reports in Dermatology ◽

10.1159/000489162 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 175-181

Author(s):

Luana Vieira Mukamal ◽

Celso Tavares Sodré ◽

Lara Beatriz Prata ◽

Fernanda Nakasato ◽

Tullia Cuzzi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rare Disease ◽

Clinical Picture ◽

Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis ◽

Pulse Therapy ◽

Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis ◽

Churg Strauss Syndrome ◽

Strauss Syndrome ◽

Dexamethasone Pulse Therapy ◽

Eosinophilic Granulomatosis ◽

Churg Strauss

The authors present a classic case of Churg-Strauss syndrome with an exuberant clinical picture in a 34-year-old woman. She showed the following diagnostic criteria: asthma, polyneuropathy, rhinopathy, marked eosinophilia, positive p-ANCA with a perinuclear pattern, and skin histopathology results suggestive of vasculitis with eosinophils. There was a good response to prednisone, dexamethasone pulse therapy, and cyclophosphamide.

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Therapeutic Effects of Continuous Epidural Infusion of Local Anesthetics with Dexamethasone for Postherpetic Neuralgia

10.20944/preprints202003.0116.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Eun Mi Choi ◽

Mi Hwa Chung ◽

Joo-Hyun Jun ◽

Eun Hee Chun ◽

In-Jung Jun ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Herpes Zoster ◽

Complete Remission ◽

Local Anesthetics ◽

Pulse Therapy ◽

Epidural Infusion ◽

Continuous Epidural Infusion ◽

Steroid Administration ◽

Vas Scores ◽

Epidural Steroid ◽

Dexamethasone Pulse Therapy

The most common complication of herpes zoster is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which is accompanied by severe pain that lowers patients’ quality of life. Although epidural injection of local anesthetics and steroids is effective in controlling neuropathic pain resulting from herpes zoster, few studies report the efficacy and safety of epidural steroid administration in PHN patients. We randomly assigned 42 patients with severe PHN pain (visual analog scale (VAS) score ≥7) to receive continuous epidural infusion of local anesthetics with either a one-time bolus of 5 mg dexamethasone or dexamethasone pulse therapy. VAS scores significantly decreased over time for all patients, but the reduction in VAS scores and likelihood of achieving complete remission were significantly greater among patients who received dexamethasone pulse therapy, without any adverse effects. These results show that continuous epidural infusion of local anesthetics with dexamethasone is effective and safe for reducing PHN pain and promoting complete remission and that more pronounced beneficial effects are associated with more intense epidural steroid administration.

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