Decreased in-hospital mortality associated with aspirin administration in hospitalized patients due to severe COVID-19.

Hypercoagulability and thrombosis caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are related to the higher mortality rate. Because of limited data on the antiplatelet effect, we aimed to evaluate the impact of aspirin add-on therapy on the outcome of the patients hospitalized due to severe COVID-19. In this cohort study, patients with a confirmed diagnosis of severe COVID-19 admitted to Imam Hossein Medical Center, Tehran, Iran from March 2019 to July 2020 were included. Demographics and related clinical data during their hospitalization were recorded. The mortality rate of the patients was considered as the primary outcome and its association with aspirin use was assessed. Nine hundred and ninety-one patients were included, of that 336 patients (34%) received aspirin during their hospitalization and 655 ones (66%) did not. Comorbidities were more prevalent in the patients who were receiving aspirin. Results from the multivariate COX proportional model demonstrated a significant independent association between aspirin use and reduction in the risk of in-hospital mortality (0.746 [0.560-0.994], p = 0.046). Aspirin use in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is associated with a significant decrease in mortality rate. Further prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to assess the efficacy and adverse effects of aspirin administration in this population.

Brucellosis in transplant recipients: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by Brucella species. The purpose of this study was to evaluate brucellosis in all types of transplant patients. METHODS: All the cases of brucellosis in transplant patients with no time and language limitations were searched and retrieved on May 20, 2020, using the following search keywords: (Brucella OR Brucellosis) AND (Transplant OR Transplantation) through the following medical databases: Web of Sciences, Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and regional databases, for example, SID. All clinical features, including the time of transmission (before, during, and after transplantation), treatment protocols and medications, and patients' outcomes were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 14 cases reported in 14 studies (out of 777 studies) were retrieved. Kidney (50%), liver (28.5%), and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (14.2%) were the most reported types of transplantation. The presentation of brucellosis in 42.8% of the patients occurred in the early post-transplantation period, whereas 57.1% of the cases presented with late onset disease. CONCLUSION: Brucellosis in transplant recipients seems to be uncommon even in the endemic regions. However, rare cases could be transmitted through bone marrow transplantation and transfusion. Precise screening and meticulous supervision during and after transplantation might lead to a reduction in the frequency of brucellosis.