Study of the Severity of Covid-19 in Hypertensive Patients in Primary Care, in Spain. Preliminary Results

Objective: Decision-making in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions related to the disease progression in hypertensive patients according to their BP control and the presence of comorbidities or target organ involvement. It has been reported that HTN can worse the outcomes of patients infected by COVID-19. The aim of this study is to assess the clinical and sociodemographic parameters in this population of hypertensives treated in Primary Care, according to the severity of the disease progression (mild-asymptomatic or those who required hospital admission). Design and Methods: Multicentric, observational, cross-sectional, retrospective and analytical study. The patients were selected through a random sampling in 12 provinces in Spain, among patients older than 18y with treated hypertension and COVID-19 (PCR positive) under the primary care scope (119 investigators). Data collection time was 15 months (IQR= 5), from November 2020 to February 2022, outside the first wave. Result(s): 1372 patients were recruited (51% women, mean age 67yo), smoking 12.5%, obesity 43.9%, diabetes 27.5%, controlled arterial hypertension 55.9% (BP<140/90). The severity of COVID-19 progression was: mild-asymptomatic 971 (71%), hospital admission 401 (29%), admission to ICU 74 (5%), death 48 (4%). Comparing the progression of the covid-19 disease of patients who requires hospital admission vs mild-asymptomatic, statistically significant differences were found between some comorbidities: COPD 21.7% vs 11.9%, p<0.001;Diabetes 33.7% vs 24.9%, p<0.05;Dyslipidemia 64.6% vs 57.9%, p<0.05;CKD 21.5% vs 11.1%, p<0.01;Stroke 9.5% vs 5.5%, p<0.05;Atrial Fibrillation 17.7% vs 7.2%, p<0.001;Heart Failure 17% vs 5.8%, p<0.01;Ischemic Heart Disease 13.2% vs 4.6%, p<0.001. As well as: GFR <60 ml/min 110 (27%) vs 140 (14%), p<0.001;ACR (median, IQR) 72 mg/g (10-118) vs 62 (7-115), p<0.05 . Conclusion(s): Among Spanish hypertensive patients in Primary Care, Covid-19 mortality achieves 4%. Some comorbidities such as diabetes, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease or dyslipidemia, in which hypertension itself develop obvious vascular organ damage, results in worsening the outcomes of this population.

IMPACT of COVID OUTBREAK on PREVENTION and CARE for HIV and STIs at A LARGE HOSPITAL

Background: Routine medical care was drastically affected by the overwhelming irruption of COVID-19 pandemic. We comprehensively assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevention and care for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections at a large reference hospital providing preventive and clinical services for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections. Methods: We retrospectively compared clinical and laboratory data from March to December 2020 (first ten months of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemics in Spain) vs. the same period 2019 in the setting of Hospital Clínic of Barcelona which provides preventive and clinical services for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections for the region of Catalonia and is the largest of its kind in Spain. Monthly clinical data on HIV pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis users and on adults with HIV infection were retrieved from the administrative hospital database. Monthly tests for HIV, hepatitis B and C, Treponema pallidum, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Chlamydia trachomatis, and plasma lipids and glucose were recovered from the laboratory database. De novo HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C diagnosis were considered whenever a person had a first known positive laboratory test. Results: There were less (28% reduction) but more advanced (mean [SD] CD4 cell counts per mm3 at HIV diagnosis 305 [167] vs. 370 [170], P<0.001;26 (18%) persons had AIDS-defining conditions at HIV diagnosis vs. 20 (10%), P=0.03) HIV cases and more gonorrhea (39% increase, P<0.001) and chlamydia (37% increase, P<0.001) infections in 2020 vs. 2019. In people with HIV, rates of viral load above the level of detection remained stable (11% vs 11%, P=0.147) despite less scheduled visits (25% reduction, P<0.001). However, they had less antiretroviral prescription changes (10% reduction, P=0.018), worse plasma lipids (mean total cholesterol 190 vs 185 mg/dL, P<0.001;mean LDL cholesterol 114 vs 110 mg/dL, P<0.001;mean triglycerides 136 vs 125 mg/dL, P<0.001;mean HDL cholesterol 47 vs 48 mg/dL, P=0.006), and an excess of mortality (29 deaths vs 11, 264% increase, P=0.006) due in great part to COVID-19 (n=11) but also to other non-COVID-19 causes. Conclusion: In the setting of a large Spanish reference hospital, SARS-CoV-2 epidemics was associated with an increase of some prevalent sexually transmitted infections, with less but more advanced de novo HIV infections, and with worse non-virologic healthcare outcomes and higher mortality in people living with HIV.

Tocilizumab reduces the risk of ICU admission and mortality in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

OBJECTIVE: In some patients the immune response triggered by SARS-CoV-2 is unbalanced, presenting an acute respiratory distress syndrome which in many cases requires intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The limitation of ICU beds has been one of the major burdens in the management around the world; therefore, clinical strategies to avoid ICU admission are needed. We aimed to describe the influence of tocilizumab on the need of transfer to ICU or death in non-critically ill patients. METHODS: A retrospective study of 171 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection that did not qualify as requiring transfer to ICU during the first 24h after admission to a conventional ward, were included. The criteria to receive tocilizumab was radiological impairment, oxygen demand or an increasing of inflammatory parameters, however, the ultimate decision was left to the attending physician judgement. The primary outcome was the need of ICU admission or death whichever came first. RESULTS: A total of 77 patients received tocilizumab and 94 did not. The tocilizumab group had less ICU admissions (10.3% vs. 27.6%, P=0.005) and need of invasive ventilation (0 vs 13.8%, P=0.001). In the multivariable analysis, tocilizumab remained as a protective variable (OR: 0.03, CI 95%: 0.007-0.1, P=0.0001) of ICU admission or death. CONCLUSIONS: Tocilizumab in early stages of the inflammatory flare could reduce an important number of ICU admissions and mechanical ventilation. The mortality rate of 10.3% among patients receiving tocilizumab appears to be lower than other reports. This is a non-randomized study and the results should be interpreted with caution.

COVID-19: from epidemiology to treatment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the daily clinical practice of cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. Preparedness of health workers and health services is crucial to tackle the enormous challenge posed by SARS-CoV-2 in wards, operating theatres, intensive care units, and interventionist laboratories. This Clinical Review provides an overview of COVID-19 and focuses on relevant aspects on prevention and management for specialists within the cardiovascular field.