COVID-19

In this Swiss multi-center study 47 patients after mild/moderate and 66 patients after severe/critical SARS-CoV-2 infection were followed up 4 months after recovery. In the patient group with a severe/critical course there were significantly more patients with a higher BMI, higher age, hypertension, diabetes and renal failure. A severe/critical condition during COVID-19 was associated with decreased pulmonary function as assessed by predicted % diffusion of carbon monoxide (DLCO), reduced distance during a 6 minutes walking test and exercise induced blood oxygen desaturation at 4 months follow up. Mosaic hypoattenuation in chest CT was significantly associated with severe/critical disease progression of COVID-19. Importantly, predicted % DLCO was the strongest and most important correlate for a severe/critical condition during COVID-19 infection, which may explain the reduced walking distance and desaturation during exercise. According to the authors this is the first European prospective longitudinal cohort study to understand the sequelae and different functional trajectories of COVID-19 patients.

Analysis of persisting anti-SARS CoV2 humoral, B- and T-cell immunity in 188 patients with mild to moderate COVID-Infection

Phase III results for the second COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (Moderna, mRNA-1273) demonstrate a similar performance compared with the Pfizer/Biontech BNT162b2 vaccine. Overall vaccine efficacy over 2 months after dose 2 was 94.1% with no differences according to gender, ethnicity and presence of risk factors. Efficacy > 65 years was somewhat lower (86%). Reactogenicity as to be expected, no severe adverse events reported.

Postponing the treatment of patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis increases the risk of worse patient outcome.

In this comparison between man and machine, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm outplayed human radiologists in classifying chest radiographs into “normal”, “COVID-19 pneumonia”, and “other pneumonia”.

Case series with one of the first series of patients with COVID-19 undergoing abdominal surgery. Illustrative is the visualization of SARS-CoV2 in the GI-Tract.

This is a comprehensive report of the Pfizer/ BioNTech vaccine product tested in a randomized trial (43'448 participants who received the vaccine or placebo injection). Based on 170 laboratory-confirmed infections, vaccine efficacy was 95% (90%–98%) for more than 7 days after a second dose of vaccine. Subgroup analyses for the age group over 65, gender and obesity category show similar vaccine efficacy estimates (all over 90% although with more uncertainty). The safety profile of the vaccine was characterized by short-term, mild-to-moderate pain at the injection site, fatigue, and headache. The incidence of serious adverse events was low and was similar in the vaccine and placebo groups.

This is an interim analysis based on 11'636 participants (7'548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) on the safety and efficacy of the “Oxford & AstraZeneca” vaccine product. Overall vaccine efficacy was 70% (95% CI 55%–81%) for symptomatic COVID-19 cases in seronegative participants more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Adverse events were rare and occurred at similar rate as in the control group where participants received a meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline.

Pediatric risk factors for severe COVID-19 have not been defined. This large study based on a non-selected population of health care insured patients finds that children and adolescents 0-24 years of age with chronic conditions are no more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2, but carry a modestly elevated risk of severe disease (i.e., need for hospitalization) compared with previously healthy individuals. Specifically, malignant, endocrine and metabolic disorders are associated with 2-3 fold increased risk, but not respiratory or cardiovascular disease.

This study amongst frontline health care workers from 13 hospitals in the US found that 94% of the personell with initially positive antibody test post infectionem showed a decline in the followup testing, 60 days later. Furthermore, it was shown that 28% seroreverted to below the threshold of positivity and that participants with higher initial antibody responses were more likely to have antibodies detected at the follow-up test compared to those who had a lower initial antibody response.