Summary Background Since December, 2019, Wuhan, China, has experienced an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 have been reported but risk factors for mortality and a detailed clinical course of illness, including viral shedding, have not been well described. Methods In this retrospective, multicentre cohort study, we included all adult inpatients (≥18 years old) with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from Jinyintan Hospital and Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital (Wuhan, China) who had been discharged or had died by Jan 31, 2020. Demographic, clinical, treatment, and laboratory data, including serial samples for viral RNA detection, were extracted from electronic medical records and compared between survivors and non-survivors. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression methods to explore the risk factors associated with in-hospital death. Findings 191 patients (135 from Jinyintan Hospital and 56 from Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital) were included in this study, of whom 137 were discharged and 54 died in hospital. 91 (48%) patients had a comorbidity, with hypertension being the most common (58 [30%] patients), followed by diabetes (36 [19%] patients) and coronary heart disease (15 [8%] patients). Multivariable regression showed increasing odds of in-hospital death associated with older age (odds ratio 1·10, 95% CI 1·03–1·17, per year increase; p=0·0043), higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (5·65, 2·61–12·23; p Interpretation The potential risk factors of older age, high SOFA score, and d-dimer greater than 1 μg/mL could help clinicians to identify patients with poor prognosis at an early stage. Prolonged viral shedding provides the rationale for a strategy of isolation of infected patients and optimal antiviral interventions in the future. Funding Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences; National Science Grant for Distinguished Young Scholars; National Key Research and Development Program of China; The Beijing Science and Technology Project; and Major Projects of National Science and Technology on New Drug Creation and Development.

Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study

Early increase of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) serum levels is indicative of increased risk of progression of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to respiratory failure. The SAVE-MORE double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of anakinra, an IL-1α/β inhibitor, in 594 patients with COVID-19 at risk of progressing to respiratory failure as identified by plasma suPAR ≥6 ng ml−1, 85.9% (n = 510) of whom were receiving dexamethasone. At day 28, the adjusted proportional odds of having a worse clinical status (assessed by the 11-point World Health Organization Clinical Progression Scale (WHO-CPS)) with anakinra, as compared to placebo, was 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.26–0.50). The median WHO-CPS decrease on day 28 from baseline in the placebo and anakinra groups was 3 and 4 points, respectively (odds ratio (OR) = 0.40, P < 0.0001); the respective median decrease of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score on day 7 from baseline was 0 and 1 points (OR = 0.63, P = 0.004). Twenty-eight-day mortality decreased (hazard ratio = 0.45, P = 0.045), and hospital stay was shorter. The SAVE-MORE phase 3 study demonstrates the efficacy of anakinra, an IL-1α/β inhibitor, in patients with COVID-19 and high serum levels of soluble plasminogen activator receptor.

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Early treatment of COVID-19 with anakinra guided by soluble urokinase plasminogen receptor plasma levels: a double-blind, randomized controlled phase 3 trial.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) is a pediatric hyperinflammation disorder caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has now been reported from several countries the world over. Some of the clinical manifestations of MIS-C mimic Kawasaki disease (KD) shock syndrome. MIS-C develops 4-6 weeks following SARS-CoV-2 infection, and is presumably initiated by adaptive immune response. Though it has multisystem involvement, it is the cardiovascular manifestations that are most prominent. High titres of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are seen in these patients. As this is a new disease entity, its immunopathogenesis is not fully elucidated. Whether it has some overlap with KD is still unclear. Current treatment guidelines recommend use of intravenous immunoglobulin and high-dose corticosteroids as first-line treatment. Mortality rates of MIS-C are lower compared to adult forms of severe COVID-19 disease.

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Severe COVID-19, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, and Kawasaki disease: immunological mechanisms, clinical manifestations and management.

Recent studies have provided insights into the pathology of and immune response to COVID-191–8 However, a thorough investigation of the interplay between infected cells and the immune system at sites of infection has been lacking Here we use high-parameter imaging mass cytometry9 that targets the expression of 36 proteins to investigate the cellular composition and spatial architecture of acute lung injury in humans (including injuries derived from SARS-CoV-2 infection) at single-cell resolution These spatially resolved single-cell data unravel the disordered structure of the infected and injured lung, alongside the distribution of extensive immune infiltration Neutrophil and macrophage infiltration are hallmarks of bacterial pneumonia and COVID-19, respectively We provide evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infects predominantly alveolar epithelial cells and induces a localized hyperinflammatory cell state that is associated with lung damage We leverage the temporal range of fatal outcomes of COVID-19 in relation to the onset of symptoms, which reveals increased macrophage extravasation and increased numbers of mesenchymal cells and fibroblasts concomitant with increased proximity between these cell types as the disease progresses—possibly as a result of attempts to repair the damaged lung tissue Our data enable us to develop a biologically interpretable landscape of lung pathology from a structural, immunological and clinical standpoint We use this landscape to characterize the pathophysiology of the human lung from its macroscopic presentation to the single-cell level, which provides an important basis for understanding COVID-19 and lung pathology in general Imaging mass cytometry of the human lung reveals the cellular composition and spatial architecture during COVID-19 and other acute injuries, enabling the characterization of lung pathophysiology from structural, immunological and clinical perspectives

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The spatial landscape of lung pathology during COVID-19 progression.

Vitamin D deficiency co-exists in patients with COVID-19. At this time, dark skin color, increased age, the presence of pre-existing illnesses and vitamin D deficiency are features of severe COVID disease. Of these, only vitamin D deficiency is modifiable. Through its interactions with a multitude of cells, vitamin D may have several ways to reduce the risk of acute respiratory tract infections and COVID-19: reducing the survival and replication of viruses, reducing risk of inflammatory cytokine production, increasing angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 concentrations, and maintaining endothelial integrity. Fourteen observational studies offer evidence that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations are inversely correlated with the incidence or severity of COVID-19. The evidence to date generally satisfies Hill's criteria for causality in a biological system, namely, strength of association, consistency, temporality, biological gradient, plausibility (e.g., mechanisms), and coherence, although experimental verification is lacking. Thus, the evidence seems strong enough that people and physicians can use or recommend vitamin D supplements to prevent or treat COVID-19 in light of their safety and wide therapeutic window. In view of public health policy, however, results of large-scale vitamin D randomized controlled trials are required and are currently in progress.

Evidence Regarding Vitamin D and Risk of COVID-19 and Its Severity

Summary Background A subset of patients with severe COVID-19 develop a hyperinflammatory syndrome, which might contribute to morbidity and mortality. This study explores a specific phenotype of COVID-19-associated hyperinflammation (COV-HI), and its associations with escalation of respiratory support and survival. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled consecutive inpatients (aged ≥18 years) admitted to University College London Hospitals and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals in the UK with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 during the first wave of community-acquired infection. Demographic data, laboratory tests, and clinical status were recorded from the day of admission until death or discharge, with a minimum follow-up time of 28 days. We defined COV-HI as a C-reactive protein concentration greater than 150 mg/L or doubling within 24 h from greater than 50 mg/L, or a ferritin concentration greater than 1500 μg/L. Respiratory support was categorised as oxygen only, non-invasive ventilation, and intubation. Initial and repeated measures of hyperinflammation were evaluated in relation to the next-day risk of death or need for escalation of respiratory support (as a combined endpoint), using a multi-level logistic regression model. Findings We included 269 patients admitted to one of the study hospitals between March 1 and March 31, 2020, among whom 178 (66%) were eligible for escalation of respiratory support and 91 (34%) patients were not eligible. Of the whole cohort, 90 (33%) patients met the COV-HI criteria at admission. Despite having a younger median age and lower median Charlson Comorbidity Index scores, a higher proportion of patients with COV-HI on admission died during follow-up (36 [40%] of 90 patients) compared with the patients without COV-HI on admission (46 [26%] of 179). Among the 178 patients who were eligible for full respiratory support, 65 (37%) met the definition for COV-HI at admission, and 67 (74%) of the 90 patients whose respiratory care was escalated met the criteria by the day of escalation. Meeting the COV-HI criteria was significantly associated with the risk of next-day escalation of respiratory support or death (hazard ratio 2·24 [95% CI 1·62–2·87]) after adjustment for age, sex, and comorbidity. Interpretation Associations between elevated inflammatory markers, escalation of respiratory support, and survival in people with COVID-19 indicate the existence of a high-risk inflammatory phenotype. COV-HI might be useful to stratify patient groups in trial design. Funding None.

COVID-19-associated hyperinflammation and escalation of patient care: a retrospective longitudinal cohort study.

OBJECTIVE Similarities in the clinical and laboratory features of primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have led to attempts to treat patients with primary SS or SLE with similar biologic therapeutics. However, the results of many clinical trials are disappointing, and no biologic treatments are licensed for use in primary SS, while only a few biologic agents are available to treat SLE patients whose disease has remained refractory to other treatments. With the aim of improving treatment selections, this study was undertaken to identify distinct immunologic signatures in patients with primary SS and patients with SLE, using a stratification approach based on immune cell endotypes. METHODS Immunophentyping of 29 immune cell subsets was performed using flow cytometry in peripheral blood from patients with primary SS (n = 45), patients with SLE (n = 29), and patients with secondary SS associated with SLE (SLE/SS) (n = 14), all of whom were considered to have low disease activity or be in clinical remission, and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 31). Data were analyzed using supervised machine learning (balanced random forest, sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis), logistic regression, and multiple t-tests. Patients were stratified by K-means clustering and clinical trajectory analysis. RESULTS Patients with primary SS and patients with SLE had a similar immunologic architecture despite having different clinical presentations and prognoses. Stratification of the combined primary SS, SLE, and SLE/SS patient cohorts by K-means cluster analysis revealed 2 endotypes, characterized by distinct immune cell profiles spanning the diagnoses. A signature of 8 T cell subsets that distinctly differentiated the 2 endotypes with high accuracy (area under the curve 0.9979) was identified in logistic regression and machine learning models. In clinical trajectory analyses, the change in damage scores and disease activity levels from baseline to 5 years differed between the 2 endotypes. CONCLUSION These findings identify an immune cell toolkit that may be useful for differentiating, with high accuracy, the immunologic profiles of patients with primary SS and patients with SLE as a way to achieve targeted therapeutic approaches.

Two shared immune cell signatures stratify patients with Sjögren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus with potential therapeutic implications.

A priority of the National Institute of Health Research is to ensure that research is inclusive at all levels. Underrepresentation of specific demographics affects the generalisability and external validity of trial findings. Clinical research participants should be a proportional and accurate representation of the patient population using the healthcare services. To ensure meaningful outcomes of clinical research, studies require engagement of participants from varied demographics. In April 2019 a new EPCR system (EPIC) was introduced at University College London Hospital (UCLH) that allows data searches of up to 10,000 records. As a first step towards incorporating these priorities in our research work, we explored the EPCR system to establish the characteristics of our research active population.1. Compare the demographic identifiers of rheumatology patients at UCLH against the patients that have participated in rheumatology research at UCLH.2. Establish underrepresented groups within the research cohort.We extracted a random dataset of 10,000 patients who were associated with the rheumatology department using the electronic patient record database and identified the subgroup of research participants. The demographic identifiers: ethnicity, age, gender, and postcode were extracted for the entire dataset. The deprivation indices were determined using postcodes (1 most deprived, 10 least deprived)[1]. Ethnicity, age, gender, and indices of deprivation were compared between the groups. For descriptive analysis of this work we used the percentage of the population for each identifier of the rheumatology cohort and compared this to the research subgroup.There were 990 (9.9%) patients who were recorded as a participant of a research project. The ethnicities that had a higher percentage representation in the research subgroup were Black Caribbean (2.96% v 4.65% difference of 1.68) Other Black Background (1.14% v 2.53% difference of 1.38) and Other Mixed Background (1.29% v 2.32% difference of 1.04). Other White Background (9.49% v 7.27% difference of 2.22), Not Stated/ Unknown (2.99% v 1.11% difference of 1.88%) and White British (56.24% v 54.95% difference of 1.29) ethnic profiles had a lower percentage representation in the research subgroup when compared to the rheumatology cohort.Figure 1.All patients had a recorded gender of male or female. The rheumatology population was 60.97% female compared to 76.26% in the research subgroup. The deprivation index was 5.39 for the rheumatology cohort compared to the research population of 5.24. A difference of 12.5 years was seen between the median age of rheumatology patients (61 years) compared to research participants (48.5 years).From this random dataset analysis approximately 10% of the rheumatology population participated in research. The demographic profile of ethnicity and indices of deprivation were similar across both groups, however proportionately the research subgroup is younger and has higher representation of women compared to the rheumatology population. Limitations of this work include exclusion of research participants prior to the installation of the EPCR, incomplete documentation of research participation within EPCR and sample size limited to 10,000 of the rheumatology population. However, selection bias is reduced due to the large random sample size and generalisability and representativeness is an advantage of this. In view of the low uptake of research participation, it is very important to identify barriers to increasing engagement and involvement in research. Further research is warranted to explore if there are particular age groups that are underrepresented and establish reasons for lack of engagement of men in rheumatology clinical research.[1]https://imd-by-postcode.opendatacommunities.org/imd/2019,last accessed on 15 Jan 2023NIL.None Declared.

https://ard.bmj.com/content/annrheumdis/82/Suppl_1/328.full.pdf

Hajar J'bari

Papers

COVID-19-associated hyperinflammation and escalation of patient care: a retrospective longitudinal cohort study.

Two shared immune cell signatures stratify patients with Sjögren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus with potential therapeutic implications.

Pos0205-hpr characterisation of research participants: a preliminary exploration using electronic patient case records (epcr)