CORONA VIRUS
Hello everyone, Here are some important facts about COVID-19. From Clinical presentations to treatment. Please check it out and feel free to add more points. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: In a study describing 1099 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in Wuhan, the most common clinical features at the onset of illness were: •Fever in 88% •Fatigue in 38% •Dry cough in 67% •Myalgias in 14.9% •Dyspnea in 18.7% Pneumonia appears to be the most common and severe manifestation of infection. In this group of patients breathing difficulty developed after a median of five days of illness. Acute respiratory distress syndrome developed in 3.4% of patients. Other symptoms •Headache •Sore throat •Rhinorrhea •Gastrointestinal symptoms About 80% of confirmed COVID-19 cases suffer from only mild to moderate disease and nearly 13% have the severe disease (dyspnea, respiratory frequency ≥30/minute, blood oxygen saturation≤93%, PaO2/FiO2 ratio <300, and/or lung infiltrates >50% of the lung field within 24-48 hours). Critical illness (respiratory failure septic shock, and/or multiple organ dysfunction/failure) is noted in only in less than 6% of cases. INCUBATION PERIOD: The exact incubation period is not known. It is presumed to be between 2 to 14 days after exposure, with most cases occurring within 5 days after exposure. THE SPECTRUM OF ILLNESS SEVERITY: Most infections are self-limiting. COVID-19 tends to cause more severe illness in the elderly population or in patients with underlying medical problems. As per the report from the Chinese center for disease control and prevention that included approximately 44,500 confirmed Infections with an estimation of disease severity. • Mild illness was reported in 81% of patients. • Severe illness (Hypoxemia, >50% lung involvement on imaging within 24 to 48 hours) in 14%. • Critical Disease (Respiratory failure, shock, multi-organ dysfunction syndrome) was reported in 5 percent. • Overall case fatality rate was between 2.3 to 5%. AGE AFFECTED: • Mostly middle-aged (>30 years) and elderly. • Symptomatic infection in children appears to be uncommon, and when it occurs, it is usually mild. **The 4th version of Belgian guidance for COVID 19 is published on19th March 2020. It is one of the most precise guidelines published yet. Some points from that: 1. Chloroquine is found to have good efficacy in vitro and it reduces the duration of viral shedding. But the drug has a narrow therapeutic window and cardiac toxicity is the most limiting side effect. 2. Hydroxychloroquine is more potent and is superior to chloroquine according to the very recent Gautret’ study. 3. Azithromycin may have a viral suppressive effect, but this needs to be proved as it was noticed accidentally in 6 patients of Gautret’ study. But I think it is a good choice for coverage of bacterial pneumonia. 4. Lopinavir/Ritonavir recently shown not to provide clinical benefit in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. It may reduce ICU stay if given within 10 days of infection but not beyond. 5. Remdesivir is promising but the studies are ongoing. Also, availability is a key issue. 6. Corticosteroids are not recommended as a systemic adjunctive treatment. 7. Paracetamol is the first-line analgesic and antipyretic over NSAIDs which are used with caution. 8. No need to stop ACEIs/ARBs in non-hospitalized patients. CONSIDER changing ACEIs/ARBs to another equivalent antihypertensive in hospitalized patients. 9. Antiviral therapy is not indicated in all patients with suspected/confirmed COVID19.
Certains aspects may be discussed 1.Hydroxy chloroquine- side effects are over emphasized- because its dose in prophylaxis is 400 mg B.D Ist day and then 400 mg O.D weekly for 7 weeks.for health care workers For contacts it is 400 mg B.D Ist day and then weekly for 3 weeks . For COVID- 19 patients it is used only in symptomatic patients with severe disease I.e respiratory rate >30 , PO2 -<93%, PaO2/ FiO2 - <300 with dose of 400 mg B.D 1st day and then 400 mg O.D for 4 days . I think with dose - the so called cardio toxicity is minimal As you know we have been using HCQS 200 mg B.D for Rheumatoid arthritis for more than 6 months even up to 1- 2 years and we have seen very few cases of cardiac side effects . 2.Incubation period is 1- 14 days - but few cases are reported to be positive even after 14 days , although earlier they were negative. 3.Few cases in China have now reported recurrence- although it was thought that it gives immunity after once is cured . 4.Now - of late in an Australian study it has been found that increased temperature may not effect the course of disease as earlier predicted that in coming summer the disease will disappear. 5.Now - more evidence is coming that by the end of june the pandemic will be nearly at the fag end but it may recur in November and this recurrence may be a regular phenomenon in coming years. 6.With passage of time we will be more wiser regarding the COVID 19 - particularly when the mutations occur THANKS
Certains aspects may be discussed 1.Hydroxy chloroquine- side effects are over emphasized- because its dose in prophylaxis is 400 mg B.D Ist day and then 400 mg O.D weekly for 7 weeks.for health care workers For contacts it is 400 mg B.D Ist day and then weekly for 3 weeks . For COVID- 19 patients it is used only in symptomatic patients with severe disease I.e respiratory rate >30 , PO2 -<93%, PaO2/ FiO2 - <300 with dose of 400 mg B.D 1st day and then 400 mg O.D for 4 days . I think with dose - the so called cardio toxicity is minimal As you know we have been using HCQS 200 mg B.D for Rheumatoid arthritis for more than 6 months even up to 1- 2 years and we have seen very few cases of cardiac side effects . 2.Incubation period is 1- 14 days - but few cases are reported to be positive even after 14 days , although earlier they were negative. 3.Few cases in China have now reported recurrence- although it was thought that it gives immunity after once is cured . 4.Now - of late in an Australian study it has been found that increased temperature may not effect the course of disease as earlier predicted that in coming summer the disease will disappear. 5.Now - more evidence is coming that by the end of june the pandemic will be nearly at the fag end but it may recur in November and this recurrence may be a regular phenomenon in coming years. 6.With passage of time we will be more wiser regarding the COVID 19 - particularly when the mutations occur THANKS
Nice review of COVID. We need to know travel history or contact of COVID case ... But now we are noticing cases without symptoms and without travel or contact history... Good learning overall. Thank you for sharing. Specially illustration pictures.
Informative and useful post. But everything from age,incubation period, treatment part is changing rapidly from country to country and person to person.
Congratulations! Your case has been selected as Case of the day and you have been awarded 5 points for sharing the case. Keep posting your interesting cases, Happy Curofying!
Great important information cardiac monitoring and iron chelation.obtund the cytokine effect and modify inflammatory response
A good revision of COVID- 19 . Thanks Dr Prashant Ved
Very elaborative and practically useful clinical feedback from wuhan study.very helpful.
Thanks Curofians for Latest information On Covid-19
Informative
Presentation is very clear and informative. Treatment part is easy to remember. Very useful and nice
Cases that would interest you
- Login to View the image
x-ray chest of first case of Corona virus pneumonia patient aged 61 years male who died during treatment in WUHAN city of China.
Dr. Ramesh Dutt Gautam39 Likes33 Answers - Login to View the image
THE COVID-19 SYMPTOMS WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT As the pandemic spreads around the world, doctors are beginning to scope the coronavirus’s damage. Seen initially as a cause of viral pneumonia during the chaos of an explosion of cases in China, it’s now emerging as an enigmatic pathogen capable of harming the body in a myriad of unexpected, and sometimes lethal, ways. Clinical manifestations range from common cold-like symptoms and bronchitis to more severe disease such as pneumonia, severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, multi-organ failure and even death. The illness may occur as a direct result of viral infection, as well as the body’s response to it. Here’s a snapshot of some of the symptoms Covid-19 causes, including some you might not have heard about. Blood Fever and inflammation may disrupt blood vessels, rendering blood cells more prone to clumping while interfering with the body’s ability to dissolve clots. That may trigger a clotting cascade that can lead to blood-vessel blockages in tissues and organs throughout the body. Life-threatening clots in the arteries of the lung, known as pulmonary emboli, may occur even after symptoms of the infection have resolved. Damaged blood vessels may become leaky and prone to bleeding. In children, inflammation of veins and arteries triggered by excessive immune activation may cause an illness similar to Kawasaki disease, an inflammatory disorder. Brain Dysfunction in the lining of blood vessels and associated bleeding and clotting disorders may cause strokes and bleeding in the brain. Patients may also experience headache, dizziness, confusion, impaired consciousness, poor motor control, delirium and hallucinations. Eyes Red, puffy eyes, sometimes referred to as pink eye, may result from infection in the conjunctiva, the tissue that lines the inside of the eyelids and covers the white part of the eye. Gastrointestinal tract Infection of cells lining the digestive tract may cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Blood-vessel blockages caused by abnormal clotting have been found to damage the bowel, requiring emergency surgery and resection. Hands Prickling or burning sensation in the hands and limbs may indicate Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare nervous-system disorder that may be triggered by aberrant immune responses to viral infection. Other symptoms of the syndrome include poor coordination, muscle weakness and temporary paralysis. Heart Cardiac injury, sometimes leading to irregular heartbeat, heart failure, and cardiac arrest, may occur as a result of excess strain, inflammation of the heart muscle and coronary artery, blood clots, and overwhelming multi-organ illness. Infection, fever, and inflammation in people with existing heart-vessel blockages may cause their fatty plaques to break off, blocking or stopping blood flow in organs and tissues. Limbs Obstructions in large blood vessels may cause insufficient flow, or acute ischemia, in the limbs. Severe vascular complications can be lethal. At least one reported cases resulted in lower limb amputation. Liver Liver dysfunction may occur as a direct result of the viral infection, or more likely because of immune-mediated, systemic inflammation and circulatory blockages cutting blood flow to the organ. Lungs The virus targets the epithelial cells that line and protect the respiratory tract as well as the walls of the tiny grape-like air sacs, or alveoli, through which gas exchange occurs to oxygenate the blood. Damage to alveoli and inflammation in the lungs can cause pneumonia, characterized by chest pain and shortness of breath. In severe cases, the lack of oxygen can trigger acute respiratory distress syndrome, leading to multi-organ-system failure. Kidneys Acute kidney injury may result from clots and impaired blood supply, or as a direct result of infection. Nose and tongue While the virus can cause the sneezing and runny nose typical of a common cold, it can also disrupt the olfactory system, causing an abrupt full or partial loss of the sense of smell known as anosmia. Taste may also become distorted in a condition known as dyguesia. Skin Hive-like rashes, small red dots and purplish discolorations on the legs and abdomen are part of a complex category of so-called paraviral dermatoses that may result from the body’s immune response to the virus or from benign, superficial blood-vessel damage beneath the skin. Toes Purple rashes that resemble chickenpox, measles or chilblains may appear on the feet, especially of children and younger adults.
Dr. Prashant Ved17 Likes21 Answers - Login to View the image
40yrs/F presented to ED with C/o Severe Respiratory distress and altered mental status.Patient started noticing symptoms 5 days after operated for hysterectomy (Uterine fibroid) at some other hospital.Emergently intubated after acute respiratory failure,patient had to be deeply sedated and paralysed. O/e - Crackles and wheezes,BP -140/80,PR -72,Spo2 -98,Temp -103°F. DIAGNOSIS AND SUGGEST MANAGEMENT PLAN?
Dr. Prashant Vedwan6 Likes24 Answers - Login to View the image
Friends today I am discussing about Nail Abnormalities. What are nail abnormalities? Healthy nails appear smooth and have consistent coloring. As you age, you may develop vertical ridges, or your nails may be a bit more brittle. This is harmless. Spots due to injury should grow out with the nail. Abnormalities — such as spots, discoloration, and nail separation — can result from injuries to the fingers and hands, viral warts (periungual warts), infections (onychomycosis), and some medications, such as those used for chemotherapy. Certain medical conditions can also change the appearance of your fingernails. However, these changes can be difficult to interpret. Your fingernails’ appearance alone isn’t enough to diagnose a specific illness. A doctor will use this information, along with your other symptoms and a physical exam, to make a diagnosis. Abnormalities of the fingernail Some changes in your nails are due to medical conditions that need attention. See your doctor if you have any of these symptoms: discoloration (dark streaks, white streaks, or changes in nail color) changes in nail shape (curling or clubbing) changes in nail thickness (thickening or thinning) nails that become brittle nails that are pitted bleeding around nails swelling or redness around nails pain around nails a nail separating from the skin These nail changes can be caused by a variety of different conditions, including ones we describe below. Beau’s lines Depressions that run across your fingernail are called Beau’s lines. These can be a sign of malnourishment. Other conditions that cause Beau’s lines are: diseases that cause a high fever such as measles, mumps, and scarlet fever peripheral vascular disease pneumonia uncontrolled diabetes zinc deficiency Clubbing Clubbing is when your nails thicken and curve around your fingertips, a process that generally takes years. This can be the result of low oxygen in the blood and is associated with: cardiovascular diseases inflammatory bowel disease liver diseases pulmonary diseases AIDS Koilonychia (spooning) Koilonychia is when your fingernails have raised ridges and scoop outward, like spoons. It’s also called “spooning.” Sometimes the nail is curved enough to hold a drop of liquid. Spooning can be a sign that you have: iron deficiency anemia heart disease hemochromatosis, a liver disorder that causes too much iron to be absorbed from food lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation hypothyroidism Raynaud’s disease, a condition that limits your blood circulation Leukonychia (white spots) Nonuniform white spots or lines on the nail are called leukonychia. They’re usually the result of a minor trauma and are harmless in healthy individuals. Sometimes leukonychia is associated with poor health or nutritional deficiencies. Factors can include infectious, metabolic, or systemic diseases as well as certain drugs. Mees’ lines Mees’ lines are transverse white lines. This can be a sign of arsenic poisoning. If you have this symptom, your doctor will take hair or tissue samples to check for arsenic in your body. Onycholysis When the nail plate separates from the nail bed, it causes a white discoloration. This is called onycholysis. This can be due to infection, trauma, or products used on the nails. Other causes for onycholysis include: psoriasis thyroid disease Pitting Pitting refers to small depressions, or little pits, in the nail. It’s common in people who have psoriasis, a skin condition that causes the skin to be dry, red, and irritated. Some systemic diseases can also cause pitting. Terry’s nails When the tip of each nail has a dark band, it’s called Terry’s nails. This is often due to aging, but it can also be caused by: congestive heart failure diabetes liver disease Yellow nail syndrome Yellow nail syndrome is when the nails get thicker and don’t grow as fast as normal. Sometimes the nail lacks a cuticle and may even pull away from the nail bed. This can be the result of: internal malignancies lymphedema, swelling of the hands pleural effusions, fluid buildup between the lungs and chest cavity respiratory illnesses such as chronic bronchitis or sinusitis rheumatoid arthritis These are just some of the signs of abnormal fingernails. Having any of these signs isn’t proof of any medical condition. You’ll need to visit your doctor to determine if your condition is serious. In many cases, proper care of your nails is enough to correct their appearance. How to care for your nails You can prevent many nail abnormalities by taking good care of your nails. Follow these general guidelines to keep your nails healthy: Tips Don’t bite or tear at your nails, or pull on hangnails. Always use nails clippers and trim them after you bathe, when nails are still soft. Keep your nails dry and clean. Using sharp manicure scissors, trim your nails straight across, rounding the tips gently. If you have a problem with brittle or weak nails, keep them short to avoid breakage. Use lotion on your nails and cuticles to keep the nail and nail beds moisturized. Homoeopathic medicines for nail abnormalities Medicines according to Cause1 Cause Medicines From a hurt Ledum pal. Prick with a needle under the nail Allium cepa, Bovista, Sulphur; Hard work Rhus tox, Sepia; Prick near the nail Iodum; Splinters Baryta carb., Hepar sulph., Iodum, Lachesis, Nitricum acidum, Petroleum, Silicea, Sulphur; Splits of the skin adhering to the nails Allium cepa, Natrum mur. TABLE 2 Medicines according to the Sensation Sensations Medicines Irritable feeling under finger nails, relieved by biting them Ammonium brom. Itching-about roof of Upas tiente Pains-Burning under Sarsarparilla Pains, gnawing, beneath finger nails Alumina; Sarsaparilla.; Sepia Pains, neuralgic, beneath finger nails Berberis vulgaris Pains, neuralgic Alumina; Allium cepa; Colchicum Pains, smarting at roots Sulphur Pains, splinter-like, beneath toe nails Fluoric acidum Pains, ulcerative, beneath toe nails Antimonium crudum; Graphites; Teucrium Medicines according to Location1 Fig. Medicines according to location pastedGraphic.png TABLE 3 Medicines according to Pathology Pathology Medicines Atrophy Silicea Blueness Digitalis; Oxalicum Acidum Deformed-brittle, thickened (onchogryposis) Alumina; Anatherium; Antimonium crudum; Arsenicum album; Causticum; Dioscorea; Fluoricum acidum; Graphites; Merc. Sol.; Natrum muriaticum; Sabadilla; Secal cor..; Senecio aureus; Sepia; Silicea; Thuja.; X-ray. Falling off Brassica napus; Butyric acid; Helleborus faetidus; Helleborus Hangnails Lycopodium; Natrum muriaticum; Sulphur; Upas tiente Hypertrophy (onychauxis) Graphites Inflammation of pulp (onychia) Arnica; Calendula; Fluoricum acidum.; Graphites; Phosphorus; Psorinum; Sarsaparilla; Silicea; Upas tiente Inflammation, under toe nails Sabadilla Ingrowing toe nails Causticum; Magnetis polus austral.; Nitricum acidum; Silicea; Staphysagria; Teucrium; Tetrodymite Softening Plumbum met; Thuja Spots, white on Alumina; Nitricum acidum Trophic changes Radium brom Ulceration Alumina; Garphites; Merc. Sol.; Phosphorus; Sanguinaria; Sarsaparilla; Silicea; Teucrium; Tetrodymite Yellow color Conium maculatum
Dr. Rajesh Gupta5 Likes9 Answers - Login to View the image
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that can progress rapidly from asymptomatic to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), refractory coagulopathy and multiorgan failure. A recent pathological anatomical study [6], starting on emerging observations that suggest that COVID-19 has clinical features distinct from typical ARDS, has recognized the role of an intense complement activation that could lead to diffuse thrombotic microangiopathy and end organ dysfunction; a complement inhibitor (i.e. a humanized anti-C5 monoclonal antibody, eculizumab) might be considered in severe COVID-19. In line with these considerations, further treatment against COVID-19 seems to be represented by an other recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, named tocilizumab, which binds the human IL-6 receptor, inhibiting its signal transduction. Chinese researches [7] have achieved encouraging results in 21 patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Currently, COVID-19 infection does not have specific antiviral drug treatment, so the treatment of the disease must be focused on check the progression of the inflammatory cascade. The “time factor” seems to be important in both the development and treatment of this disease: it appears necessary to block early the “cytokine storm”. We feel like stating that the oxygen therapy and the mechanical ventilatory support in critically ill COVID-19 patients are not intended “to cure” but to “take time”, as a bridge therapy while the immune system faces the “cytokine storm”. Based on these considerations, we can hypothesize that an early diagnosis and an early blockage of inflammatory and thrombotic cascades than at the end-stages, with an immunological treatment and an anticoagulant therapy, are fundamental elements to improve the outcome of patients with COVID-19 infection. Source- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987720310574?via%3Dihub
Dr. Mahima Chaudhary4 Likes2 Answers
127 Likes