Rare genetic alterations in the TLR7 gene may have predisposed two sets of brothers to falling severely ill with COVID-19, a new research has found. People infected with SARS-CoV-2 exhibit a range of symptoms, and while age, sex, and comorbidities such as diabetes and obesity may predispose patients to more severe disease, there is emerging
The Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, the journal of the European League Against Rheumatism, EULAR, has published findings of an observational study on the treatment of patients with COVID-19-associated Cytokine storm syndrome (CSS). The study demonstrates that a treatment strategy combining intensive immunosuppression (using glucocorticoids and an IL-6 inhibitor) as well as close monitoring dramatically improves
An analysis of data obtained from a symptom tracker app has shown that there are six distinct “types” of covid-19, each distinguished by a cluster of symptoms. The researchers said that these types could be used to predict the need for respiratory support in severe covid-19. The study is available online as a preprint and
In some parts of the U.S., COVID-19 cases may be six to 24 times higher than reported figures, according to new antibody data from the CDC. The data covers more than 16,000 blood samples collected from patients as part of routine care in 10 cities and states between March 23 and May 12. The CDC shared preliminary antibody data
A recent article suggested the rapid decay of anti–SARS-CoV-2 IgG in early infection, but the rate was not described in detail. In this correspondence just published on The New England Journal a total of 31 of the 34 participants had two serial measurements of IgG levels and the remaining 3 participants had three serial measurements.
As the world continues to learn more about COVID-19, emerging data reveals that hospitalized patients with COVID-19 have an increased risk for blood clots. In a new Illustrated Review published in Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis (RPTH) , leading thrombosis experts Prof. Beverley Hunt, OBE, and Prof. Marcel Levi, explain a clotting phenomenon found in most hospitalized
A SARS-CoV-2 protein, N-terminal nonstructural protein 1 (Nsp1) , may play a critical role in weakening antiviral innate immune defenses, according to a study published in Science on July 17. Researchers identified how the viral protein specifically shuts down host protein production and subsequently blocks host immune functions. Following host infection, precursor proteins are proteolytically cleaved into
Since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, scientists and health authorities have often observed that children do not appear to contract and transmit the virus to the same extent as adults. While the mechanisms behind this reduced vulnerability have remained somewhat mysterious and speculative, new evidence from South Korea shows that the age of children is also a vital factor to
Overall mortality of covid-19 patients in intensive care units (ICU) has fallen from 59.5% at the end of March to 41.6% at the end of May, a drop of almost a third, researchers have said. The team from England carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies from Asia, Europe, and North America,
Recommendation There are insufficient data for the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (the Panel) to recommend either for or against the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma for the treatment of COVID-19. Rationale for Recommendation Thousands of patients in the United States have received COVID-19 convalescent plasma through clinical trials, expanded access treatment trials, and single-patient Emergency Investigational New
