Somkuwar S, Vijayabharathi P, Galhotra V, Rao S, Nagarkar NM, Raghani M, Pathak VK, Mehta R. Clinical, Demographic, and Oral Presentations of COVID-19 Associated Mucormycosis from a Tertiary Care Hospital in India: A Cross-Sectional Study.
J Maxillofac Oral Surg 2023;
22:1130-1138. [PMID:
38105823 PMCID:
PMC10719169 DOI:
10.1007/s12663-023-01970-z]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background
The black fungus, mucormycosis, is on the list of lethal complications reported in recent times in COVID patients.
Methodology
This cross-sectional study included all cases of post-COVID-19 mucormycosis. Patients' demographics, clinical presentations, and general health information were collected using a pre-designed form.
Results
The study included 171 participants with the mean (SD) age as 49 (10) years with the sex distribution as 71% (122/171) male and 29% (49/122) females. About half of the admitted patients (47%) were known cases of Diabetes Mellitus type II with a median (IQR) Glycosylated Haemoglobin (HbA1c) of 9.1% (7-11.1%). Only 28% (48/171) had received the first COVID vaccination, and 2.9% (5/171) were fully vaccinated with two doses. During COVID-19, 76% (130/171) required hospitalisation for a mean (SD) stay of 11 (6.4) days. Eighty percent of the patients (136/171) received steroids during therapy, while 87% (150/171) and 51% (88/171) received antibiotics and antivirals, respectively. Oxygen was administered to 71% of hospitalised patients (120/171), with 39.1% (47/120) receiving it for more than 7 days. About the development of the first symptoms of mucormycosis (headache, nasal congestion, black crusts in the nose, facial pain, swelling in cheeks and eyes, and loss of vision) after being diagnosed with COVID-19, 16% (28/171) reported it within 7 days, 75% (127/171) between 8 and 30th days and 9% (16/171) after a month. On examination, 20% of mucor patients had hard palate findings, eschars, fistulas, and perforations, 38% had periodontal abscesses, and 5% reported tenderness to percussion.
Conclusion
Generally, oral manifestations involved the palate and included varying degrees of mucosal discolouration, swelling, ulcers, superficial necrotic areas, and bone exposure and necrosis with dark eschars.
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