Project description:Risk of severe disease and death due to coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is increased in certain patient demographic groups, including those who are of advanced age, male sex, and obese body mass index. Investigations of the biological variations that contribute to this risk have been hampered by heterogeneous severity, with immunologic features of critical disease potentially obscuring differences between risk groups. To examine immune heterogeneity related to demographic risk factors, we enrolled 38 patients hospitalized with clinically homogeneous COVID-19 pneumonia – defined as oxygen saturation <94% on room air without respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction – and performed single-cell RNA-sequencing of leukocytes collected at admission. Examination of individual risk factors identified strong shifts within neutrophil and monocyte/dendritic cell compartments, revealing altered immune cell type-specific responses in higher-risk COVID-19 patient subgroups. Specifically, we found transcriptional evidence of altered neutrophil maturation in aged versus young patients and enhanced cytokine responses in monocytes/dendritic cells of male versus female patients. Such innate immune cell alterations may contribute to outcome differences linked to these risk factors. They also highlight the importance of diverse patient cohorts in studies of therapies targeting the immune response in COVID-19.
Project description:We describe a patient affected by Covid-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome with a cerebral nervous system vasculitis triggered by SARS-Cov-2, managed at the University hospital, in Novara, Italy in the area most impacted by the pandemic and where 749 Covid-19 positive patients were admitted from March 1st until April 25th, 2020.
Project description:Metatranscriptomic analysis identifies a state of pathogen dominance and suppressed pulmonary immune signaling in critically ill COVID-19 patients with secondary bacterial pneumonia.
Project description:PurposeEspecially in elderly and multimorbid patients, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) may result in severe pneumonia and secondary complications. Recent studies showed pneumothorax in rare cases, but tension pneumothorax has only been reported once.Case presentationA 47-year-old male was admitted to the emergency department with fever, dry cough and sore throat for the last 14 days as well as acute stenocardia and shortage of breath. Sputum testing (polymerase chain reaction, PCR) confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Initial computed tomography (CT) showed bipulmonary groundglass opacities and consolidations with peripheral distribution. Hospitalization with supportive therapy (azithromycin) as well as non-invasive oxygenation led to a stabilization of the patient. After 5 days, sputum testing was negative and IgA/IgG antibody titres were positive for SARS-CoV-2. The patient was discharged after 7 days. On the 11th day, the patient realized pronounced dyspnoea after coughing and presented to the emergency department again. CT showed a right-sided tension pneumothorax, which was relieved by a chest drain (Buelau) via mini open thoracotomy. Negative pressure therapy resulted in regression of the pneumothorax and the patient was discharged after 9 days of treatment.ConclusionTreating physicians should be aware that COVID-19 patients might develop severe secondary pulmonary complications such as acute tension pneumothorax.Level of evidenceV.