[Differences among renin-angiotensin system inhibitor drugs in prognosis of hypertense patients with COVID-19]

Introduction

Concerns have been raised about Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi) in patients with COVID-19. Although recent trials have proved its security, evidence regarding intrinsic differences between RASi is lacking, especially in patients with arterial hypertension. Our objective was to analyse the prognosis of hypertense patients who received angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) or angiotensin-2 receptor blockers (ARBs) and were hospitalized due to COVID-19.

Materials and methods

392 consecutive patients with hypertension and COVID-19 were analyse. Incidence of the combined event (death or mechanical ventilation need) was the primary endpoint. Secondary, incidence of each event and time to event were analysed.

Results

155 received ACEi and 237 ARBs. During the hospitalization, the combined event was observed in the 31,6 % of patients. No differences were observed between those previously treated with ACEi and ARBs (33.5 vs. 30.9%; p = 0.51). In the survival analysis, no differences were observed regarding time to combined event (p = 0.91). In-hospital mortality was similar in both groups (32.3 vs. 29.1%; p = 0.51), as well as the need of mechanical ventilation (3.2 vs. 5.9%; p = 0.23).

Conclusions

The type of RASi was not associated with in-hospital major events in patients with arterial hypertension hospitalized due to COVID-19.

[Cardiovascular disease after COVID-19 infection in elderly patients. Results of annual follow-up of a cohort of survivors]

Introducción

Si bien el impacto de la infección por SARS-CoV-2 sobre el sistema cardiovascular es conocido en fase aguda, la repercusión cardiovascular de la población anciana superviviente a la infección respiratoria por la COVID-19 a largo plazo no ha sido suficientemente estudiada.

Métodos

Registro observacional de 240 pacientes ancianos (75 o más años), ingresados de forma consecutiva por infección respiratoria por la COVID-19 y supervivientes a la misma, entre el 1 de marzo y el 30 abril de 2020, en el Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real. Se analizó de forma prospectiva la incidencia de eventos cardiovasculares mayores (MACE) (mortalidad cardiovascular, síndrome coronario agudo, accidente cerebrovascular, enfermedad tromboembólica e insuficiencia cardiaca).

Resultados

La edad media fue de 83,75 ± 5,75 años. Tras un seguimiento medio de 352,2 ± 70,4 días el 13,8% de los pacientes falleció y el 9,6% presentó MACE, siendo el más frecuente la insuficiencia cardiaca, sin diferencias en la gravedad ni evolución general de la enfermedad aguda. En el modelo de regresión de Cox multivariante el riesgo de desarrollar MACE fue mayor en los pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (HR 4,29; IC 95% 1,62-11,39; p = 0,003) y diurético de asa (HR 2,99; IC 95% 1,27-7,07; p = 0,01).

Conclusiones

En población anciana superviviente a la COVID-19 la incidencia de MACE tras un año de seguimiento es elevada, siendo la principal manifestación la insuficiencia cardiaca.

[Mortality and associated prognostic factors in elderly and very elderly hospitalized patients with respiratory disease COVID-19]

INTRODUCTION

Elderly patients with COVID-19 has a worse clinical evolution, being more susceptible to develop serious manifestations. The differences between the elderly and very elderly population, mortality and associated prognostic factors of SARS-CoV-2 infection have not been enough studied yet.

METHODS

An observational study of 416 elderly patients admitted consecutively to Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real for COVID-19 respiratory infection from March 1st to April 30th, 2020. Data were collected including patient demographic information, medical history, clinical characteristics, laboratory data, therapeutic interventions and clinical outcomes during the hospitalization and after discharge, until June 15, 2020 with the aim of analyzing mortality, and associated prognostic factors.

RESULTS

The mean age was 84.43±5.74 years old; elderly patients (75-84 years) were 50.2% of the sample and very elderly (≥85 years) the remaining 49.8%. In Cox regression model, mortality rate was higher in very elderly group (HR = 2.58; 95% CI: 1.23-5.38; P = .01), hypertensive (HR = 3, 45; 95% CI: 1.13-10.5; P = .03) and chronic kidney disease patients (HR = 3.86; 95% CI: 1.3-11.43; P = .02). In contrast, calcium antagonists (HR = 0.27; 95% CI: 0.12-0.62; P = .002) and anticoagulant therapy during hospitalization (HR = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.08 0, 83; P = .02) were associated with a longer time free of mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality rate was higher in very eldery patients compared with eldery; and in hypertensive and chronic kidney disease patients. Anticoagulation therapy and calcium chanel bloquers treatment during hospitalization were associated with a higher survival in the short-term follow-up in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

[Comparative analysis between the use of renin-angiotensin system antagonists and clinical outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 respiratory infection]

INTRODUCTION

Hypertension has been associated with worse outcomes in patients with COVID-19 infection, so concerns have been raised about the possibility that inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) could influence the prognosis of these patients.

METHODS

This is an observational study of 921 consecutive patients admitted with COVID-19 respiratory infection to Hospital General Universitario Ciudad Real from March 1 to April 30, 2020. Following data were collected including patient demographic information, medical history, clinical characteristics, laboratory data, therapeutic interventions during the hospitalization and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

The mean age was 78years, and 59.2% of patients had a history of hypertension. Patients with previous treatment with RAS inhibitor (42.4%) showed lower risk of the primary composite endpoint (mortality or need for invasive mechanical ventilation). Treatment with RAS inhibitor (both outpatient treatment and during hospitalization) had neither effect on mortality nor need for invasive ventilation. There were no differences in time-to-event analysis between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

RAS inhibitor treatment prior to admission in patients with COVID-19 respiratory infection was associated with lower risk of the primary composite endpoint and did not show neither impact on mortality nor need for invasive mechanical ventilation, even if these drugs were prescribed during hospitalization.

Acute myelitis and SARS-CoV-2 infection. A new etiology of myelitis?

The etiological agent of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), SARS-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in Wuhan, China, and quickly spread worldwide leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to recognize it not only as a pandemic but also as an important thread to public health. Beyond respiratory symptoms, new neurological manifestations are being identified such as headache, ageusia, anosmia, encephalitis or acute cerebrovascular disease. Here we report the case of an acute transverse myelitis (TM) in a patient with SARS-CoV-2 infection detected by the nasopharyngeal swab technique but not in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis. Anti-herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 and varicella-zoster IgM antibodies were not detected in serum samples and spinal and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed no abnormal findings. This case remarks that COVID-19 nervous system damage could be caused by immune-mediated mechanisms.