Systemic inflammatory markers and psychophysical olfactory scores in coronavirus disease 2019 patients: is there any correlation?

Urea/Creatinine Ratio's Correlation with Creatine Kinase Normalization in Pediatric COVID-19 Patients with Myositis: Evaluating Prognostic and Predictive Value

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been chiefly linked with substantial respiratory complications. However, emerging studies have brought attention to the occurrence of severe muscle inflammation (myositis) related to COVID-19, potentially leading to multi-organ failure and increased mortality. Myositis is generally characterized by heightened serum creatine kinase (CK) levels. Acute myositis is characterized by an infiltration of viruses into calf muscle fibers, which may cause a subsequent inflammatory response leading to calf muscle pain. Symptomatic and supportive management, along with explanation and reassurance, is all that is required in managing this condition. While the association between myositis and severe outcomes has been recognized in adults, it remains less understood in the pediatric population. The current retrospective study, conducted at Policlinico San Marco University Hospital in Catania, aimed to analyze clinical and laboratory factors associated with myositis in pediatric patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Between January 2022 and January 2023, ten pediatric patients diagnosed with myositis and SARS-CoV-2 infection were evaluated. The study highlighted clinical manifestations such as fever, calf muscle pain, and abnormal gait. Lab results showed elevated CK levels among other findings. All patients underwent treatment, with the majority recovering without complications. A notable correlation was observed between CK levels, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and the urea/creatinine ratio (UCR). The study also discusses potential pathophysiological mechanisms behind SARS-CoV-2's impact on skeletal muscles, emphasizing an indirect inflammatory response. Our findings underscore that while myositis in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection appears to follow a benign and self-limiting trajectory, it is crucial to monitor specific markers for early intervention and management. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and improve clinical outcomes.

Vaccination and Antiviral Treatment Reduce the Time to Negative SARS-CoV-2 Swab: A Real-Life Study

Clinical trials demonstrated the role of vaccines and antiviral treatments against SARS-CoV-2 in reducing the likelihood of disease progression and death. However, there are limited data available regarding the time to negativity of people who received these treatments. Further, several comorbidities and risk factors might affect the impact of vaccines and antiviral treatments. To this end, we aimed to evaluate and disentangle the impact of anti-SARS-CoV-2 treatments and that of underlying clinical factors associated with a shortened length of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Hence, we recorded the timeframe of positive nasopharyngeal swab in people infected while being hospitalized for reasons other than SARS-CoV-2 infection. All patients who died or were discharged with a positive swab were excluded from the study. A total of 175 patients were included in this study. Clinical conditions encompass malignancies, immunological disorders, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurodegenerative, and chronic kidney disease. Most of the participants (91.4%) were vaccinated before admission to the hospital, and 65.1% received antiviral treatment within three days after the symptom's onset. Unvaccinated patients had a longer median time to negativity than people who received at least two doses of vaccine (18 vs. 10 days). Concerning the clinical conditions of all patients, multivariate analysis highlighted a lower probability of 14-day conversion of antigenic test positivity in patients with hematological malignancy, including those vaccinated and those exposed to antiviral therapies. In conclusion, our data showed that prompt administration of antiviral treatments accelerates the clearance of SARS-CoV-2. Further, in the elderly patients under study, previous vaccination and antiviral treatment synergize to reduce time to negativity. This translates into a shorter hospitalization time and a lower risk of transmission through patients and connected healthcare workers in a hospital ward setting, with considerable improvement in cost-effective care management.

What Is the Efficacy of Sotrovimab in Reducing Disease Progression and Death in People with COVID-19 during the Omicron Era? Answers from a Real-Life Study

(1) Introduction: Since May 2021, sotrovimab has been available in Italy for early treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to prevent disease progression. However, some in vitro studies have questioned its efficacy on Omicron variants. Therefore, we aim to further investigate the efficacy of sotrovimab in real-life settings. (2) Methods: We conducted a retrospective study collecting medical records of people with SARS-CoV-2 infection evaluated in the infectious diseases units of Sassari, Foggia, and Bari, Italy. We included people with SARS-CoV-2 infection treated with sotrovimab and people who did not receive any treatment in 2022. The primary study outcome was to evaluate the efficacy of sotrovimab in reducing disease progression (defined as the necessity of starting oxygen supplementation) and COVID-19-related death. The secondary outcome was to evaluate the safety of sotrovimab. (3) Results: We included 689 people; of them, 341 were treated with sotrovimab, while 348 did not receive any treatment. Overall, we registered 161 (23.4%) disease progressions and 65 (9.4%) deaths, with a significant difference between treated and not-treated people (p < 0.001). In the multivariate logistic regression, increasing age [OR for ten years increasing age 1.23 (95%CI 1.04-1.45)] was associated with a higher risk of disease progression. In addition, cardiovascular disease [OR 1.69 (1.01-2.80), fever [OR 3.88 (95%CI 2.35-6.38)], and dyspnea [OR 7.24 (95%CI 4.17-12.58)] were associated with an increased risk of disease progression. In contrast, vaccination [OR 0.21 (95%CI 0.12-0.37)] and sotrovimab administration [OR 0.05 (95%CI 0.02-0.11)] were associated with a lower risk of developing severe COVID-19. Regarding mortality, people with older age [OR for ten years increasing age 1.36 (95%CI 1.09-1.69)] had a higher risk of death. In addition, in the multivariate analysis, cardiovascular disease lost statistical significance, while people on chemotherapy for haematological cancer [OR 4.07 (95%CI 1.45-11.4)] and those with dyspnea at diagnosis [OR 3.63 (95%CI 2.02-6.50)] had an increased risk of death. In contrast, vaccination [OR 0.37 (95%CI 0.20-0.68)] and sotrovimab treatment [OR 0.16 (95%CI 0.06-0.42)] were associated with lower risk. Only two adverse events were reported; one person complained of diarrhoea a few hours after sotrovimab administration, and one had an allergic reaction with cutaneous rash and itching. (4) Conclusions: Our study showed that sotrovimab treatment was associated with a reduction of the risk of disease progression and death in SARS-CoV-2-infected people, 70% of whom were over 65 years and a with high vaccination rate, with excellent safety. Therefore, our results reinforce the evidence about the efficacy and safety of sotrovimab during the Omicron era in a real-world setting.

Living with HIV and Getting Vaccinated: A Narrative Review

After 40 years of its appearance, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains a leading public health challenge worldwide. Since the introduction of antiretroviral treatment (ART), HIV infection has become a chronic condition, and people living with HIV could have life expectancies close to those of the general population. People with HIV often have an increased risk of infection or experience more severe morbidity following exposure to vaccine-preventable diseases. Nowadays, several vaccines are available against bacteria and viruses. However, national and international vaccination guidelines for people with HIV are heterogeneous, and not every vaccine is included. For these reasons, we aimed to perform a narrative review about the vaccinations available for adults living with HIV, reporting the most updated studies performed for each vaccine among this population. We performed a comprehensive literature search through electronic databases (Pubmed-MEDLINE and Embase) and search engines (Google Scholar). We included English peer-reviewed publications (articles and reviews) on HIV and vaccination. Despite widespread use and guideline recommendations, few vaccine trials have been conducted in people with HIV. In addition, not all vaccines are recommended for people with HIV, especially for those with low CD4 cells count. Clinicians should carefully collect the history of vaccinations and patients' acceptance and preferences and regularly check the presence of antibodies for vaccine-preventable pathogens.

Therapies for COVID-19-Related Persistent Olfactory Disorders: One of the Good Fruits of the Pandemic

At the beginning of 2021, the scientific community realized the burden of COVID-19-related persistent olfactory disorders (ODs). The percentage of those infected with COVID-19 who developed severe and persistent ODs [1-3] with devastating effects on their quality of life was 5 to 40% [4,5].

The Trajectories of Olfactory Dysfunction from the First to the Omicron Wave: Are We Getting over it?

It has now been two years since the publication in Pathogens of our European multicenter study on the prevalence of olfactory dysfunctions (OD) during COVID-19 [...].

Post-Viral Olfactory Loss: What We Learned from the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

Viral infections have always been one of the most frequent causes of persistent olfactory dysfunctions accounting for 18% to 45% of all cases [...].

Delayed femoral vein ligation reduces operative time and blood loss during hip disarticulation in patients with extremity tumors

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of delayed femoral vein ligation on the clinical outcomes of hip disarticulation. We retrospectively reviewed 20 patients with extremity tumors (10 bone tumors and 10 soft tissue sarcomas [STS]) who underwent hip disarticulation. Patients treated for hip disarticulation with synchronous femoral vein ligation (n = 10, regular surgery group) and hip disarticulation with delayed femoral vein ligation (n = 10, delayed ligation group), respectively, were enrolled in this study. The operative time and blood loss were used to evaluate the clinical outcomes. The delayed ligation group had significantly lower operative times than the regular surgery group (P < 0.05). Total, hidden, and intraoperative blood loss were all significantly lower in the delayed ligation group than in the regular surgery group (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in postoperative blood loss. In conclusion, delayed femoral vein ligation could significantly reduce the operative time, hidden blood loss, and intraoperative blood loss in patients undergoing hip disarticulation.

Results from psychophysical tests of smell and taste during the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a review

Only a few studies have assessed smell and taste in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with psychophysical tests, while the majority performed self-rating evaluations. Given the heterogeneity of the published literature, the aim of this review was to systematically analyse the articles on this topic with a focus on psychophysical testing. A search on PubMed and Web of Science from December 2019, to November 2021, with cross-references, was executed. The main eligibility criteria were English-language articles, investigating the clinical features of olfaction and gustation in COVID-19 patients using self-rating assessment, psychophysical testing and imaging techniques. A total of 638 articles were identified and 66 were included. Self-rating assessment was performed in 31 studies, while psychophysical testing in 30 and imaging techniques in 5. The prevalence of chemosensory dysfunction was the most investigated topic, followed by the recovery time. About the psychophysical assessment, the extended version of the Sniffin’ Sticks was used in 11 articles and the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center test in another 11. The olfactory threshold performance was the most impacted compared to the discrimination and identification capacities in accordance with the hypothesis of a tropism of SARS-CoV-2 for the olfactory mucosa. The timing significantly influenced the results of the psychophysical testing with 20% of patients presenting olfactory dysfunction at one month after infection.

The Effects of Persistent Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunctions on Quality of Life in Long-COVID-19 Patients

(1) Background: Persistent olfactory (POD) and gustatory (PGD) dysfunctions are one of the most frequent symptoms of long-Coronavirus Disease 2019 but their effect on the quality of life (QoL) of patients is still largely unexplored. (2) Methods: An online survey was administered to individuals who reported to have had SARS-CoV-2 infection at least 6 months prior with persisting COVID-19 symptoms (using the COVID symptom index), including ratings of POD and PGD, and their physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) components of quality of life were assessed using the standardized short form 12 questionnaire (SF-12). (3) Results: Responses from 431 unique individuals were included in the analyses. The most frequent persistent symptoms were: fatigue (185 cases, 42.9%), olfactory dysfunction (127 cases, 29.5%), gustatory dysfunction (96 cases, 22.3%) and muscle pain (83 cases, 19.3%). Respondents who reported persisting muscle pain, joint pain, fatigue, headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, and dyspnea had significantly worse PCS. Those experiencing persistent fatigue and dyspnea also showed significantly lower MCS. Respondents reporting POD or PGD showed significantly worse QoL, but only pertaining to the MCS. Multiple regressions predicted MCS based on olfactory and marginally on gustatory ratings, but not PCS. Age significantly affected the prediction of PCS but not MCS, and gender and temporal distance from the COVID-19 diagnosis had no effect. (4) Conclusions: POD and PGD are frequent symptoms of the long-COVID-19 syndrome and significantly reduce QoL, specifically in the mental health component. This evidence should stimulate the establishment of appropriate infrastructure to support individuals with persistent CD, while research on effective therapies scales up.

Chemosensory deficits are best predictor of serologic response among individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2

OBJECTIVE

Smell and taste alteration are closely linked to infection with SARS-CoV-2 and may be associated with a more indolent disease course. Serologic response rates among individuals with mild disease remains limited. We sought to identify whether chemosensory changes associated with COVID-19 were predictive of a serologic response.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 306 adults (≥18 years old) volunteering for convalescent plasma donation following perceived COVID-19 illness from April-June 2020. Documentation of COVID-19 PCR status, clinical symptoms at time of illness, and treatment course occurred at the time of serologic analysis, where we assessed chemosensory function using patient-perceived deficits. We implemented previously validated ELISA screening to determine serologic status regarding anti-Spike immunoglobulins. Statistical analysis using stepwise logistic models were employed to identify predictive factors of serologic response.

RESULTS

Of 306 patients undergoing serologic and chemosensory evaluation, 196 (64.1%) and 195 (63.7%) reported subjective olfactory and taste dysfunction, respectively, during the first two weeks of COVID-19 infection. In unadjusted models, the odds of developing suprathreshold IgG antibody titers were 1.98 times higher among those who reported altered smell (95% CI 1.14-3.42, p = 0.014) and 2.02 times higher among those with altered taste (95% CI 1.17-3.48, p = 0.011) compared to those with normal smell and taste. Multivariable logistic models adjusting for sex, age, race/ethnicity, symptom duration, smoking status and comorbidities index demonstrated that altered smell and taste remained significant predictors of positive anti-spike IgG response (smell OR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.05-3.44, p = 0.033; taste OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.12-3.61, p = 0.019).

CONCLUSION

Subjective chemosensory dysfunction, as self-reported smell or taste deficiency, is highly predictive of serologic response following SARS-CoV-2 infection. This information may be useful for patient counseling. Additional longitudinal research should be performed to better understand the onset and duration of the serologic response in these patients.

Predictors of smell recovery in a nationwide prospective cohort of patients with COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

To determine which factors (demographic, symptoms, comorbidities, and treatments) are associated with recovery of smell in patients with COVID-19 associated olfactory loss.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, longitudinal questionnaires.

SETTING

National survey.

METHODS

A longitudinal web-based nationwide survey of adults with COVID-19 associated smell and taste loss was launched April 10, 2020. After completing an initial entry survey, participants received detailed follow-up questionnaires 14 days, and 1, 3 and 6 months later.

RESULTS

As of June 25, 2021, 798 participants met study inclusion criteria and completed 6-month questionnaires. Of demographic characteristics only age <40 years was positively associated with smell recovery (p < .003). Of symptoms, difficulty breathing was negatively associated with smell recovery (p < .004), and nasal congestion positively associated with smell recovery (p < .03). Of pre-existing comorbidities only previous head injury (p < .017) was negatively associated with smell recovery. None of the queried medications used to treat COVID were associated with better rates of smell recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

Age <40 and presence of nasal congestion at time of COVID-19 infection were predictive of improved rates of smell recovery, while difficulty breathing at time of COVID-19 infection, and prior head trauma predicted worsened rates of recovery. Further study will be required to identify potential mechanisms for the other observed associations. Such information can be used by clinicians to counsel patients suffering COVID-19 associated smell loss as to prognosis for recovery.

New Onset of Smell and Taste Loss Are Common Findings Also in Patients With Symptomatic COVID-19 After Complete Vaccination

The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical profile of patients who developed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) after full vaccination. Demographic, epidemiological and clinical data were collected through medical records and online patient‐reported outcome questionnaire from patients who developed symptomatic SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, confirmed by nasopharyngeal swab, at least 2 weeks after completion of vaccination. A total of 153 subjects were included. The most frequent symptoms were: asthenia (82.4%), chemosensory dysfunction (63.4%), headache (59.5%), runny nose (58.2%), muscle pain (54.9%), loss of appetite (54.3%), and nasal obstruction (51.6%). Particularly, 62.3% and 53.6% of subjects reported olfactory and gustatory dysfunction, respectively. Symptom severity was mild or moderate in almost all cases. Chemosensory dysfunctions have been observed to be a frequent symptom even in subjects who contracted the infection after full vaccination. For this reason, the sudden loss of smell and taste could continue to represent a useful and specific diagnostic marker to raise the suspicion of COVID‐19 even in vaccinated subjects. In the future, it will be necessary to establish what the recovery rate is in these patients.

Prevalence of Persistent Olfactory Disorders in Patients With COVID-19: A Psychophysical Case-Control Study With 1-Year Follow-up

The purpose of this multicenter case-control study was to evaluate a group of patients at least 1 year after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with Sniffin' Sticks tests and to compare the results with a control population to quantify the potential bias introduced by the underlying prevalence of olfactory dysfunction (OD) in the general population. The study included 170 cases and 170 controls. In the COVID-19 group, 26.5% of cases had OD (anosmia in 4.7%, hyposmia in 21.8%) versus 3.5% in the control group (6 cases of hyposmia). The TDI score (threshold, discrimination, and identification) in the COVID-19 group was significantly lower than in the control group (32.5 [interquartile range, 29-36.5] vs 36.75 [34-39.5], P < .001). The prevalence of OD was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group, confirming that this result is not due to the underlying prevalence of OD in the general population.

Clinical, Prognostic, and Predictive Value of Olfactory Dysfunction for COVID-19: A Prospective Controlled Study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of olfactory dysfunction on the course and severity of COVID-19 and its prognostic and predictive significance for COVID-19.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective case-control study.

SETTING

Ondokuz Mayıs University School of Medicine.

METHODS

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive patients, patients with COVID-19-related symptoms who had a negative PCR result, and healthy controls were included in the study. Clinicodemographic characteristics, inflammatory markers, and computed tomography stages were recorded. Disease progression and intensive care unit admission were registered. The visual analog scale (0, worst; 10, best) was used to evaluate subjective olfactory, taste, and nasal breathing ability, and the Sniffin' Sticks identification (SS-ID) test was used for psychophysical olfactory assessment.

RESULTS

Mean SS-ID scores were significantly lower in the positive group (8.77) than in the negative (10.43) and healthy control (12.17) groups. VAS-smell scores were significantly lower and anosmia was more prevalent in PCR-positive patients (P < .01). SS-ID and VAS-smell scores were significantly correlated (r = 0.681, P < .001). The inflammatory parameters, pulmonary infiltration stage, disease progression, and ICU admission were not associated with SS-ID scores. A cutoff SS-ID score <9 resulted in 55.56% sensitivity in predicting COVID-19 positivity, and a cutoff VAS-smell score <8 yielded 72.22% sensitivity.

CONCLUSION

Olfactory dysfunction was detected objectively and subjectively in the PCR-positive group, and no difference was found in terms of taste function and nasal breathing. The severity and prognosis of COVID-19 are not exclusively dependent on olfactory dysfunction. The degree of olfactory dysfunction can be useful in predicting PCR positivity.

SARS-CoV-2 viral load as a predictor for disease severity in outpatients and hospitalised patients with COVID-19: A prospective cohort study

Introduction

We aimed to examine if severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycle quantification (C_q) value, as a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 viral load, could predict hospitalisation and disease severity in adult patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods

We performed a prospective cohort study of adult patients with PCR positive SARS-CoV-2 airway samples including all out-patients registered at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital (OUH) March 9-March 17 2020, and all hospitalised patients at OUH March 10-April 21 2020. To identify associations between C_q-values and a) hospital admission and b) a severe outcome, logistic regression analyses were used to compute odds ratios (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI), adjusting for confounding factors (aOR).

Results

We included 87 non-hospitalised and 82 hospitalised patients. The median baseline C_q-value was 25.5 (interquartile range 22.3–29.0). We found a significant association between increasing C_q-value and hospital-admission in univariate analysis (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.04–1.19). However, this was due to an association between time from symptom onset to testing and C_q-values, and no association was found in the adjusted analysis (aOR 1.08, 95% CI 0.94–1.23). In hospitalised patients, a significant association between lower C_q-values and higher risk of severe disease was found (aOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81–0.98), independent of timing of testing.

Conclusions

SARS-CoV-2 PCR C_q-values in outpatients correlated with time after symptom onset, but was not a predictor of hospitalisation. However, in hospitalised patients lower C_q-values were associated with higher risk of severe disease.

Predictive factors of smell recovery in a clinical series of 288 coronavirus disease 2019 patients with olfactory dysfunction

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The aim was to evaluate potential predictive factors of smell recovery in a clinical series of 288 patients presenting olfactory dysfunction (OD) related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Potential correlations were sought between epidemiological, clinical and immunological characteristics of patients and the persistence of OD at 60 days.

METHODS

COVID-19 positive patients presenting OD were prospectively recruited from three European hospitals. Baseline clinical and olfactory evaluations were performed within the first 2 weeks after OD onset and repeated at 30 and 60 days. In a subgroup of patients, anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies were measured in serum, saliva and nasal secretions at 60 days.

RESULTS

A total of 288 COVID-19 patients with OD were included in the study. Two weeks after the onset of the loss of smell, 52.4% of patients had OD on psychophysical tests, including 113 cases (39.2%) of anosmia and 38 cases (13.2%) of hyposmia. At 60-day follow-up, 25.4% of the patients presented persistent OD. There was no significant correlation between sex, age, viral load on nasopharyngeal swab or COVID-19 severity and poor olfactory outcome. In a subgroup of 63 patients, it was demonstrated that patients with poor olfactory outcomes at 60 days had lower levels of salivary and nasal immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgG1, but similar levels of antibodies in the serum.

CONCLUSIONS

No clinical markers predicted the evolution of OD at 60 days. Patients with poor olfactory outcome at 60 days had lower saliva and nasal antibodies, suggesting a role for local immune responses in the persistence of COVID-19 related OD.