The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has put significant strain on the current health system and has exposed dangers previously overlooked. The pathogen known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2), is notable for attacking the pulmonary system causing acute respiratory distress, but it can also severely affect other systems in at-risk individuals including cardiovascular compromise, gastrointestinal distress, acute kidney injury, coagulopathies, cutaneous manifestations, and ultimately death from multi-organ failure. Unfortunately, the reliability of negative test results is questionable and the high infectious burden of the virus calls for extended safety precautions, especially in symptomatic patients. We present a confirmed COVID-19 case that was transferred to our burn center for concern of Steven Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) overlap syndrome after having two negative confirmatory COVID-19 tests at an outside hospital. A 58-year-old female with a history of morbid obesity, HTN, gout, CML managed with imatinib, and chronic kidney disease presented as a transfer from a community hospital to our burn center. The patient was admitted to her community hospital with febrile, acute respiratory distress. Imaging and clinical presentation was consistent with COVID-19 and lab tests for the pathogen were ordered. During observation, while waiting for results, she was placed under patient under investigation (PUI) protocol. Once negative results were obtained, the PUI protocol was abandoned despite ongoing symptoms. Subsequently, dermatological symptoms developed and transfer to our burn center was initiated. After a second negative test result, the symptomatic patient was transferred to our burn center for expert wound management. Given the lack of resolve of respiratory symptoms and concern for the burn patient population, the patient was placed in PUI protocol and an internal COVID-19 was ordered. The patient's initial exam under standard COVID-19 airborne precautions revealed 5% total body surface area of loss of epidermis affecting bilateral thighs, bilateral arms, and face. A dermatopathological biopsy suggested a bullous drug reaction with an erythema multiform-like reaction pattern versus SJS/TEN. Moreover, the internal COVID-19 test returned positive.
A 50-years old male presented with quadriplegia and paresthesia and was diagnosed as Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). He was found positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) six weeks prior to the onset of weakness. GBS disability score was 4. Electrophysiology showed acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculopathy. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG was found positive. Immunological tests for
Campylobacter jejuni
, Zika virus, Hepatitis E virus,Herpes Simplex virus,
Haemophilus influanzae
and
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
were negative. Patient received standard dose of intravenous immunoglobulin and after six months had almost complete recovery of muscle power. This case represents possible association of SARS-CoV-2 infection and GBS with good clinical outcome.
We present a case of 68-year-old man with diabetes, heart failure, status post-coronary artery bypass grafs, cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator in situ, altered liver function, with corona virus disease 2019. He presented with cough and high grade fever with occasional dyspnea. He was treated at home with favipiravir, methyl prednisolone, enoxaparin and antibiotics and home oxygen therapy. He re-tested positive on 14th and 21st day and later on 31st day he was found RT-PCR negative for SARS-CoV-2. Patient came for a follow-up after 3 months in healthy state with normal D-dimer and other inflammatory markers.
Birdem Med J 2020; 10, COVID Supplement: 131-134
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