Prevalence of comorbid asthma in Tunisian patients with COVID-19: clinical features and outcomes

INTRODUCTION

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in around 1 million COVID-19 infection cases and over 29,000 deaths in Tunisia thus far. There is great variability in the prevalence of asthma among patients with COVID-19, but the impact of asthma on patients with COVID-19 is not clear. We sought to describe the clinical features of Tunisian patients with COVID-19 and to compare asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients.

METHODOLOGY

This retrospective study included 675 Tunisian patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19. Clinical characteristics were collected from medical records. Bivariate analyses and multivariate regression models were used to assess the associations between asthma and the risk of severe symptoms, including death/recovery.

RESULTS

The prevalence of asthma in the sample was 14.5%. The results show that asthmatic patients with COVID-19 have significantly less severe symptoms and better outcomes than non-asthmatic patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Asthma was not found to be associated with higher severity or worse prognosis among patients with COVID-19 in Tunisia.

Cloning and molecular modeling of a thermostable carboxylesterase from the chicken uropygial glands

Starting from total uropygial glands mRNAs, chicken uropygial carboxylesterase (cuCES) cDNA was synthesized by RT-PCR and cloned into the PGEM-T vector. Amino acid sequence of the cuCES is compared to that of human liver carboxylesterase 1 (hCES1). Given the high amino acid sequence homology between the two enzymes, a 3-D structure model of the chicken carboxylesterase was built using the structure of hCES1 as template. By following this model and utilizing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the resistance of the chicken carboxylesterase at high temperatures could be explained. The docking of substrate analogs into the cuCES active site was used to explain the fact that the chicken carboxylesterase cannot hydrolyze efficiently large substrate molecules.

[Contribution of the cryosurgery in the management of xeroderma pigmentosum]

BACKGROUND

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) occurs frequently in young patients with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). Because tumours are multiple and usually found on the face, alternatives to surgery are proposed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cryosurgery for BCC in XP patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective study that included all instances of BCC occurring in XP patients treated by cryosurgery between January 2002 and October 2008.

RESULTS

Forty-five cases of primary facial BCC and one case of relapsing BCC (16 on the cheeks, 11 on the nose, six on the face and five on the inner edge of the eye area) were treated by cryosurgery in 18 XP patients (average age: 18.7 years; sex ratio: 0.5). Mean carcinoma size was 10mm. Thirty-six tumours were nodular and 10 were nodular and ulcerated. Follow-up ranged from 16 to 60 months (mean: 30 months). Complications were rare. Cosmetic results were satisfactory. We noted 10 cases of hypopigmentation (21.7%) and one notch on the nose following treatment for recurrent BCC on a radiotherapy scar. Relapse occurred in one case (2.17%).

CONCLUSION

Because of its simplicity, its good safety, its sparing of skin and its reliability of oncological outcome, cryosurgery is the treatment of choice for CBC in XP patients.