Project description:ARDS, first described in 1967, is the commonest form of acute severe hypoxemic respiratory failure. Despite considerable advances in our knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of ARDS, insights into the biologic mechanisms of lung injury and repair, and advances in supportive care, particularly ventilatory management, there remains no effective pharmacological therapy for this syndrome. Hospital mortality at 40% remains unacceptably high underlining the need to continue to develop and test therapies for this devastating clinical condition. The purpose of the review is to critically appraise the current status of promising emerging pharmacological therapies for patients with ARDS and potential impact of these and other emerging therapies for COVID-19-induced ARDS. We focus on drugs that: (1) modulate the immune response, both via pleiotropic mechanisms and via specific pathway blockade effects, (2) modify epithelial and channel function, (3) target endothelial and vascular dysfunction, (4) have anticoagulant effects, and (5) enhance ARDS resolution. We also critically assess drugs that demonstrate potential in emerging reports from clinical studies in patients with COVID-19-induced ARDS. Several therapies show promise in earlier and later phase clinical testing, while a growing pipeline of therapies is in preclinical testing. The history of unsuccessful clinical trials of promising therapies underlines the challenges to successful translation. Given this, attention has been focused on the potential to identify biologically homogenous subtypes within ARDS, to enable us to target more specific therapies 'precision medicines.' It is hoped that the substantial number of studies globally investigating potential therapies for COVID-19 will lead to the rapid identification of effective therapies to reduce the mortality and morbidity of this devastating form of ARDS.
Project description:In the last decades lung ultrasound (LUS) has become of crucial importance in the evaluation and monitoring of a widely range of pulmonary diseases. One of the major benefits which favours this examination, is that this is a non-invasive, low-cost and radiation-free imaging modality which allows repeated imaging. LUS plays an important role in a wide range of pathologies, including cardiogenic oedema, acute respiratory distress syndrome and fibrosis. Specific LUS findings have proved useful and predictive of acute respiratory distress syndrome which is of particular relevance in the suspicion and monitoring of patients with lung disease. Furthermore, several studies have confirmed the role of LUS in the screening of interstitial lung diseases in connective tissue diseases. Given these data, LUS will likely play an important role in the management of COVID-19 patients from identification of specific abnormalities corresponding to definite pneumonia phases and CT scans findings. In addition, LUS could allow reduction in the exposure of health-care workers to potential infection. Herein, we provide a summary on emerging role of lung ultrasound in COVID-19 pneumonia.
Project description:Type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, and other associated metabolic complications have been demonstrated as a crucial contributor to the enhanced morbidity and mortality of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Data on the interplay between metabolic comorbidities and the outcomes in patients with COVID-19 have been emerging and rapidly increasing. This implies a mechanistic link between metabolic diseases and COVID-19 resulting in the exacerbation of the condition. Nonetheless, new evidences are emerging to support insulin-mediated aggressive glucose-lowering treatment as a possible trigger of high mortality rate in diabetic COVID-19 patients, putting the clinician in a confounding and difficult dilemma for the treatment of COVID-19 patients with metabolic comorbidities. Thus, this review discusses the pathophysiological link among severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), metabolic complications, and severe inflammation in COVID-19 development, especially in those with multi-organ injuries. We discuss the influence of several routinely used drugs in COVID-19 patients, including anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant drugs, antidiabetic drugs, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors. Especially, we provide a balanced overview on the clinical application of glucose-lowering drugs (insulin and metformin), angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers. Although there is insufficient evidence from clinical or basic research to comprehensively reveal the mechanistic link between adverse outcomes in COVID-19 and metabolic comorbidities, it is hoped that the update in the current review may help to better outline the optimal strategies for clinical management of COVID-19 patients with metabolic comorbidities.
Project description:Coronavirus disease 2019 (SARS-CoV2) is an active global health threat for which treatments are desperately being sought. Even though most people infected experience mild to moderate respiratory symptoms and recover with supportive care, certain vulnerable hosts develop severe clinical deterioration. While several drugs are currently being investigated in clinical trials, there are currently no approved treatments or vaccines for COVID-19 and hence there is an unmet need to explore additional therapeutic options. At least three inflammatory disorders or syndromes associated with immune dysfunction have been described in the context of cellular therapy. Specifically, Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS), and Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) all have clinical and laboratory characteristics in common with COVID19 and associated therapies that could be worth testing in the context of clinical trials. Here we discuss these diseases, their management, and potential applications of these treatment in the context of COVID-19. We also discuss current cellular therapies that are being evaluated for the treatment of COVID-19 and/or its associated symptoms.
Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused the relocation of huge financial resources to departments dedicated to infected patients, at the expense of those suffering from other pathologies.AimTo compare clinical features and outcomes in COVID-19 pneumonia and non-COVID-19 pneumonia patients.Patients and methods53 patients (35 males, mean age 61.5 years) with COVID-19 pneumonia and 50 patients (32 males, mean age 72.7 years) with non-COVID-19 pneumonia, consecutively admitted between March and May 2020 were included. Clinical, laboratory and radiological data at admission were analyzed. Duration of hospitalization and mortality rates were evaluated.ResultsAmong the non-COVID patients, mean age, presence of comorbidities (neurological diseases, chronic kidney disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Charlson Comorbidity Index and risk factors (tobacco use and protracted length of stay in geriatric healthcare facilities) were higher than in COVID patients. The non-COVID-19 pneumonia group showed a higher (24% vs. 17%), although not statistically significant in-hospital mortality rate; the average duration of hospitalization was longer for COVID patients (30 vs. 9 days, p = .0001).ConclusionsIn the early stages of the COVID pandemic, our centre noted no statistical difference in unadjusted in-hospital mortality between COVID and non-COVID patients. Non-COVID patients had higher Charlson Comorbidity Scores, reflecting a greater disease burden in this population.Key MessagesIn March 2020, the COVID-19 disease was declared a pandemic, with enormous consequences for the organization of health systems and in terms of human lives; this has caused the relocation of huge financial resources to departments dedicated to infected patients, at the expense of those suffering from other pathologies.Few published reports have compared COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 pneumonia. In our study, performed in a geographic area with a low prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we found few statistically significant differences in terms of clinical characteristics between the two groups analyzed.In the early stages of the COVID pandemic, our centre noted no statistical difference in unadjusted in-hospital mortality between COVID and non-COVID patients. Non-COVID patients had higher Charlson Comorbidity Scores, reflecting a greater disease burden in this population.
Project description:A new global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in high mortality and morbidity. Currently numerous drugs are under expedited investigations without well-established safety or efficacy data. Pharmacogenomics may allow individualization of these drugs thereby improving efficacy and safety. In this review, we summarized the pharmacogenomic literature available for COVID-19 drug therapies including hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, azithromycin, remdesivir, favipiravir, ribavirin, lopinavir/ritonavir, darunavir/cobicistat, interferon beta-1b, tocilizumab, ruxolitinib, baricitinib, and corticosteroids. We searched PubMed, reviewed the Pharmacogenomics Knowledgebase (PharmGKB®) website, Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pharmacogenomics information in the product labeling, and the FDA pharmacogenomics association table. We found several drug-gene variant pairs that may alter the pharmacokinetics of hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine (CYP2C8, CYP2D6, SLCO1A2, and SLCO1B1); azithromycin (ABCB1); ribavirin (SLC29A1, SLC28A2, and SLC28A3); and lopinavir/ritonavir (SLCO1B1, ABCC2, CYP3A). We also identified other variants, that are associated with adverse effects, most notable in hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine (G6PD; hemolysis), ribavirin (ITPA; hemolysis), and interferon ? -1b (IRF6; liver toxicity). We also describe the complexity of the risk for QT prolongation in this setting because of additive effects of combining more than one QT-prolonging drug (i.e., hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine and azithromycin), increased concentrations of the drugs due to genetic variants, along with the risk of also combining therapy with potent inhibitors. In conclusion, although direct evidence in COVID-19 patients is lacking, we identified potential actionable genetic markers in COVID-19 therapies. Clinical studies in COVID-19 patients are deemed warranted to assess potential roles of these markers.
Project description:Novel Corona-virus Disease 2019 (nCOVID 19) is caused by a novel virulent corona virus and leads to potentially fatal virulent pneumonia and severe respiratory distress syndrome. It was initially declared as public health emergency if international concern by WHO followed by Pandemic on 12th March 2020. As of 10th April 2020, more than 1.5 million people are affected globally with around 95,000 deaths. Vaccines for this deadly virus are currently under development and many drugs used for other indications have been repurposed and investigated for prophylaxis and treatment of COVID 19. As per SOLIDARITY trial by WHO, some of the most promising candidates include chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine which are anti-malarial medications, Remdesivir, Lopinavir-Ritonavir combination with or without interferon which are anti-HIV drugs and convalescent plasma therapy. The current evidence of efficacy and ongoing research has been elaborated in the article. Besides, there has been evidence regarding inflammatory pathogenesis of this virus leading to cytokine storm in susceptible individuals. Thus, anti-proinflammatory cytokine drugs like Anakinra and Tocilizumab are undergoing multiple trials and some results are encouraging. Similarly, use of anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-37 and IL-38 is hypothesised to be useful and is under research. The situation is still evolving and hence there is yet no definitive therapy but to conclude the use of repurposed medications can be a boon till a definitive therapy and vaccines are developed.
Project description:During the COVID-19 epidemic, the prevalence of the disease means that practically any lung opacity on an X-ray could represent pneumonia due to infection with SARS-CoV-2. Nevertheless, atypical radiologic findings add weight to negative microbiological or serological tests. Likewise, outside the epidemic wave and with the return of other respiratory diseases, radiologists can play an important role in decision making about diagnoses, treatment, or preventive measures (isolation), provided they know the key findings for entities that can simulate COVID-19 pneumonia. Unifocal opacities or opacities located in upper lung fields and predominant airway involvement, in addition to other key radiologic and clinical findings detailed in this paper, make it necessary to widen the spectrum of possible diagnoses.
Project description:By 27 February 2020, the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused 82 623 confirmed cases and 2858 deaths globally, more than severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) (8273 cases, 775 deaths) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) (1139 cases, 431 deaths) caused in 2003 and 2013, respectively. COVID-19 has spread to 46 countries internationally. Total fatality rate of COVID-19 is estimated at 3.46% by far based on published data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC). Average incubation period of COVID-19 is around 6.4 days, ranges from 0 to 24 days. The basic reproductive number (R0 ) of COVID-19 ranges from 2 to 3.5 at the early phase regardless of different prediction models, which is higher than SARS and MERS. A study from China CDC showed majority of patients (80.9%) were considered asymptomatic or mild pneumonia but released large amounts of viruses at the early phase of infection, which posed enormous challenges for containing the spread of COVID-19. Nosocomial transmission was another severe problem. A total of 3019 health workers were infected by 12 February 2020, which accounted for 3.83% of total number of infections, and extremely burdened the health system, especially in Wuhan. Limited epidemiological and clinical data suggest that the disease spectrum of COVID-19 may differ from SARS or MERS. We summarize latest literatures on genetic, epidemiological, and clinical features of COVID-19 in comparison to SARS and MERS and emphasize special measures on diagnosis and potential interventions. This review will improve our understanding of the unique features of COVID-19 and enhance our control measures in the future.