The elderly may represent a specific cluster of high-risk patients for developing COVID-19 with rapidly progressive clinical deterioration. Indeed, in older individuals, immunosenescence and comorbid disorders are more likely to promote viralinduced cytokine storm resulting in life-threatening respiratory failure and multisystemic involvement. Early diagnosis and individualized therapeutic management should be developed for elderly subjects based on personal medical history and polypharmacotherapy. Our review examines the pathogenesis and clinical implications of ageing in COVID-19 patients; finally, we discuss the evidence and controversies in the management in the long-stay residential care homes and aspects of end-of-life care for elderly patients with COVID-19.

Latest evidences from literature suggest that SARS-CoV-2 disease 2019 (COVID-19) is commonly complicated with coagulopathy and that disseminated intravascular coagulation is present in the majority of deceased patients. Particularly, conventional coagulation parameters appear to be significantly altered in patients with poor prognosis. A wide-ranging cross- talk between coagulative haemostasis and inflammation, as well as the activation of coagulation cascade during viral infections, are well established. Another important evidence which may explain coagulation disorders in COVID-19 is the increase of thrombus formation under conditions of hypoxia. Despite the exact pathophysiological mechanism of coronavirus-induced thromboembolism needs to be further investigated, this finding suggests that it is good practice to assess the risk of thrombosis in COVID-19 patients to improvethe clinical management in terms of anticoagulation therapy. Anticoagulants, mainly low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), should be tailored in patients meeting sepsis induced coagulopathy (SIC) criteria or with markedly elevated D-dimer. In this context, further studies are needed to optimise the decision making in therapeutic approach.

Background: Severe eosinophilic asthma is frequently associated to chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) that contribute to poor asthma control. Mepolizumab is an anti-IL-5 monoclonal antibody, approved for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma. A limited number of studies have assessed the efficacy of mepolizumab on CRSwNP in severe asthmatics. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of mepolizumab on sino-nasal symptoms, polyp growth and asthma control in severe eosinophilic asthma patients with CRSwNP in real life. Methods: In this study 44 severe eosinophilic asthma patients with CRSwNP were treated with mepolizumab (100 mg q4w) for 1 year. The following outcomes were assessed before (T0), after 6 (T6) and 12 months (T12) of treatment: sino/nasal outcome test (SNOT-22), Total Endoscopic Nasal Polyp Score (TENPS), %FEV1 (FEV1/FEV1 predicted) and Asthma control test (ACT). Blood eosinophil count, exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) and prednisone intake were measured. In a subgroup of patients, nasal cytology was performed before (T0), after 6 (T6) and after 12 months (T12) of treatment with mepolizumab. Results: We reported a significant reduction of SNOT-22 [from 51.5 ± 21.2 at baseline (T0) to 31.70 ± 17.36 at T6 and 29.7 ± 21.5 at T12 (T0–T12 p < 0.001)] and a decrease of TENPS (from 2.88 ± 3.07 to 1.70 ± 2.37 and 1.77 ± 2.56 at T0, T6 and T12, respectively, T0–T12 p = 0.99). A significant improvement of %FEV1, ACT and a decrease in blood eosinophils and mean prednisone intake were also reported. No statistically significant decreasing trend was measured for FENO. Nasal cytology findings suggest a significant reduction of eosinophil percentage following mepolizumab treatment (from 16.8 ± 7.2% to 3.6 ± 6.2% and 0.8 ± 2.4% at T0, T6 and T12 respectively, T0 to T12: p < 0.001). Conclusions: Mepolizumab improves sino-nasal and asthma symptoms and reduces polyp growth in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma and concomitant CRSwNP in real life. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.

In the published article, the title was published incorrectly as COVID-19 and the elderly: insights into pathogenesis and clinical decision-making. The updated title is "COVID-19 and the elderly patients: insights into pathogenesis and clinical decision-making".

To investigate the early CT findings in COVID-19 pneumonia as compared to influenza A virus H1N1 (AH1N1), with focus on vascular enlargement within consolidation or ground glass opacity (GGO) areas. Methods: 50 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were retrospectively compared to 50 patients with AH1N1 pneumonia diagnosed during the 2009 pandemic. Two radiologists reviewed chest CT scans independently and blindly, with discordance resolved by consensus. Dilated or tortuous vessels within hyperdense lesions were recorded. Results: COVID-19 pneumonia presented with bilateral (96%), peripheral areas of GGO (22%), consolidation (4%) or combined GGO-consolidation (74%). The vascular enlargement sign in COVID-19 pneumonia was much more commonly present in COVID-19 (45/50, 90%) versus AH1N1 pneumonia (12/50, 24%) (p < 0.001). Vascular enlargement was more often present in lower lobes with a peripheral distribution. Conclusions: Vascular enlargement in consolidative/GGO areas may represent a reasonably common early CT marker in COVID-19 patients and is of uncertain etiology. Although speculative, theoretical mechanisms could potentially reflect acute inflammatory changes, pulmonary endothelial activation, or acute stasis. Further studies are necessary to verify specificity and to study if prognostic for clinical outcomes.