Background Progressive respiratory failure is the primary cause of death in the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Despite widespread interest in the pathophysiology of the dise...

https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa2015432

Pulmonary Vascular Endothelialitis, Thrombosis, and Angiogenesis in Covid-19.

Importance The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, due to the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused a worldwide sudden and substantial increase in hospitalizations for pneumonia with multiorgan disease. This review discusses current evidence regarding the pathophysiology, transmission, diagnosis, and management of COVID-19. Observations SARS-CoV-2 is spread primarily via respiratory droplets during close face-to-face contact. Infection can be spread by asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and symptomatic carriers. The average time from exposure to symptom onset is 5 days, and 97.5% of people who develop symptoms do so within 11.5 days. The most common symptoms are fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath. Radiographic and laboratory abnormalities, such as lymphopenia and elevated lactate dehydrogenase, are common, but nonspecific. Diagnosis is made by detection of SARS-CoV-2 via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing, although false-negative test results may occur in up to 20% to 67% of patients; however, this is dependent on the quality and timing of testing. Manifestations of COVID-19 include asymptomatic carriers and fulminant disease characterized by sepsis and acute respiratory failure. Approximately 5% of patients with COVID-19, and 20% of those hospitalized, experience severe symptoms necessitating intensive care. More than 75% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 require supplemental oxygen. Treatment for individuals with COVID-19 includes best practices for supportive management of acute hypoxic respiratory failure. Emerging data indicate that dexamethasone therapy reduces 28-day mortality in patients requiring supplemental oxygen compared with usual care (21.6% vs 24.6%; age-adjusted rate ratio, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.74-0.92]) and that remdesivir improves time to recovery (hospital discharge or no supplemental oxygen requirement) from 15 to 11 days. In a randomized trial of 103 patients with COVID-19, convalescent plasma did not shorten time to recovery. Ongoing trials are testing antiviral therapies, immune modulators, and anticoagulants. The case-fatality rate for COVID-19 varies markedly by age, ranging from 0.3 deaths per 1000 cases among patients aged 5 to 17 years to 304.9 deaths per 1000 cases among patients aged 85 years or older in the US. Among patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit, the case fatality is up to 40%. At least 120 SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are under development. Until an effective vaccine is available, the primary methods to reduce spread are face masks, social distancing, and contact tracing. Monoclonal antibodies and hyperimmune globulin may provide additional preventive strategies. Conclusions and Relevance As of July 1, 2020, more than 10 million people worldwide had been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Many aspects of transmission, infection, and treatment remain unclear. Advances in prevention and effective management of COVID-19 will require basic and clinical investigation and public health and clinical interventions.

/pdf/pathophysiology-transmission-diagnosis-and-treatment-of-2o6dok06xg.pdf

Pathophysiology, Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Review.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jth.14817

Anticoagulant treatment is associated with decreased mortality in severe coronavirus disease 2019 patients with coagulopathy.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the pathogen responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has resulted in global healthcare crises and strained health resources. As the population of patients recovering from COVID-19 grows, it is paramount to establish an understanding of the healthcare issues surrounding them. COVID-19 is now recognized as a multi-organ disease with a broad spectrum of manifestations. Similarly to post-acute viral syndromes described in survivors of other virulent coronavirus epidemics, there are increasing reports of persistent and prolonged effects after acute COVID-19. Patient advocacy groups, many members of which identify themselves as long haulers, have helped contribute to the recognition of post-acute COVID-19, a syndrome characterized by persistent symptoms and/or delayed or long-term complications beyond 4 weeks from the onset of symptoms. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the current literature on post-acute COVID-19, its pathophysiology and its organ-specific sequelae. Finally, we discuss relevant considerations for the multidisciplinary care of COVID-19 survivors and propose a framework for the identification of those at high risk for post-acute COVID-19 and their coordinated management through dedicated COVID-19 clinics.

/pdf/post-acute-covid-19-syndrome-1bat2sg5js.pdf

Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.

https://academicworks.medicine.hofstra.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7158&context=articles

COVID-19 and Thrombotic or Thromboembolic Disease: Implications for Prevention, Antithrombotic Therapy, and Follow-up

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jth.14768

Abnormal coagulation parameters are associated with poor prognosis in patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jth.14810

ISTH interim guidance on recognition and management of coagulopathy in COVID-19.

Validation of the PLASMIC score, a clinical prediction tool for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura diagnosis, in Chinese patients.

With the outbreak of COVID-19 ongoing, this infectious disease has been posing a significant threat to public health. However, we are still relatively inexperienced on recognizing the clinical characteristics of severe COVID-19 and death cases. Therefore, we hereby collected and analyzed a total of 232 cases to illustrate the clinical characteristics of such patients in Wuhan and to find notable marks for early clinical warning. We consider age, comorbidities, platelet count, albumin, D-dimer, LDH, CRP and IL-6 level might be more meaningful marks for COVID-19 prognostic evaluation.

/pdf/clinical-characteristics-of-moderate-and-severe-cases-with-4a2rp74n18.pdf

Ning Tang

Papers

Abnormal coagulation parameters are associated with poor prognosis in patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia.

Anticoagulant treatment is associated with decreased mortality in severe coronavirus disease 2019 patients with coagulopathy.

ISTH interim guidance on recognition and management of coagulopathy in COVID-19.

Validation of the PLASMIC score, a clinical prediction tool for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura diagnosis, in Chinese patients.

Clinical characteristics of moderate and severe cases with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective study.