RESUMO
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease that induces skeletal muscle weakness, affecting different muscle groups. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), became both a diagnostic and a therapeutic challenge during the pandemic. The effects of COVID-19 are not only limited to the acute symptoms but also to the post-infectious sequelae. We present the case of a 30-year-old Caucasian woman, with no significant medical history, who presented to the emergency room with acute respiratory failure. The patient tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 with a rapid antigen test and during hospitalization developed a myasthenic crisis, ultimately being diagnosed with seropositive MG.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: The abnormal presence of free air in the thorax, pneumothorax, and pneumomediastinum are complications for critically ill patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The development of these events may lead to a poor prognosis and make the management of this category of patients more difficult. STUDY DESIGN: We performed an observational retrospective study, including patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and pneumonia who were hospitalized, to analyze the cases that developed pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum as a complication. RESULTS: A total of 28 cases (1.51%) from 1844 patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia developed pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum during hospitalization. Of them, 21 (75%) needed intensive care unit admission and ventilation, and 10 (35.71) were cured. CONCLUSION: The male gender is more probable to be involved in the development of pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. The incidence of these events is low, and conservative treatment could provide a better outcome.
RESUMO
Introduction The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. Facing a new and unknown virus, the entire medical community made considerable efforts to find a specific treatment, develop guidelines, and even create a vaccine. Besides all the measures taken, a wide range of complications associated with the disease increased the mortality and morbidity rates, adding more difficulty to the management of the patients. Study design We performed a retrospective study, including the patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia who were admitted to our hospital between March 2020 and August 2021. We analyzed complications that developed during the hospitalization, such as respiratory failure or acute injury to other organs (the heart, pancreas, kidneys, and liver), and whether they were treatment- and hospitalization-related. Results One thousand eight hundred and forty-four cases were evaluated, and we analyzed the complications that developed during the hospitalization. Out of this, 1392 (75.48%) cases developed at least one complication during hospitalization, most frequently respiratory failure (71.14%), hyperglycemia (43.54%), renal injury (42.67%), or cardiovascular events (7.10%). Conclusion SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients with pneumonia can cause injuries to any organ, making the management of those patients even more difficult.