Clinical outcomes after early ambulatory multidrug therapy for high-risk SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection.

There is an emergency need for early ambulatory treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in acutely ill patients in an attempt to reduce disease progression and the risks of hospitalization and death. Such management should be applied in high-risk patients age > 50 years or with one or more medical problems including cardiovascular disease. We evaluated a total of 922 outpatients from March to September 2020. All patients underwent contemporary real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay tests from anterior nasal swab samples. Patients age 50.5 ± 13.7 years (range 12 to 89), 61.6% women, at moderate or high risk for COVID-19 received empiric management via telemedicine. At least two agents with antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 (zinc, hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin) and one antibiotic (azithromycin, doxycycline, ceftriaxone) were used along with inhaled budesonide and/or intramuscular dexamethasone consistent with the emergent science on early COVID-19 treatment. For patients with high severity of symptoms, urgent in-clinic administration of albuterol nebulizer, inhaled budesonide, and intravenous volume expansion with supplemental parenteral thiamine 500 mg, magnesium sulfate 4 grams, folic acid 1 gram, vitamin B12 1 mg. A total of 320/922 (34.7%) were treated resulting in 6/320 (1.9%) and 1/320 (0.3%) patients that were hospitalized and died, respectively. We conclude that early ambulatory (not hospitalized, treated at home), multidrug therapy is safe, feasible, and associated with low rates of hospitalization and death. Early treatment should be considered for high-risk patients as an emergency measure while we await randomized trials and guidelines for ambulatory management.

Systemic lupus erythematosus: review of synthetic drugs.

INTRODUCTION: Synthetic drugs are prescribed for nearly all patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a multisystem autoimmune disease, to ameliorate symptoms and positively influence outcome. While only 2 biologic agents have been approved for the treatment of SLE, synthetic drugs are still the mainstay of therapy in SLE. The highly variable and unpredictable course of SLE poses a challenge for physicians as to what drug(s) should be prescribed for which patient. AREAS COVERED: Previous and recent studies have evaluated several synthetic drugs in the treatment of SLE. This article reviews currently available evidence for the efficacy and safety of synthetic drugs in SLE and discusses future treatment perspectives. EXPERT OPINION: Hydroxychloroquine should be considered an anchor drug in SLE because of the multiple beneficial effects of this agent. When patients present with persistent disease activity despite hydroxychloroquine therapy or need higher dosages and/or prolonged use of glucocorticoids (GCs), additional immunosuppressants should be promptly prescribed. Based on available evidence, azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil are the drugs of first choice. Determination of a 'safe' GC dose for chronic daily use is of major importance and should be subject of further studies in large patient populations.

Hansen's disease in a patient with a history of sarcoidosis.

We report a rare case of concomitant Hansen's disease (HD) and sarcoidosis. Reticulin staining may be a helpful diagnostic tool in establishing the diagnosis of sarcoidosis in skin lesions. The diagnosis of HD can be established despite negative polymerase chain reaction results for the detection of Mycobacterium leprae DNA. Finally, a well-established diagnosis of sarcoidosis does not preclude the development of another granulomatous disorder. Hence, when new lesions developed in a patient with sarcoidosis despite appropriate therapy, other concurrent diagnoses should be pursued.

[Leprosy disclosed by polyarthritis]. / Lèpre révélée par une polyarthrite.

BACKGROUND: We report a case of leprosy observed in a French woman who had lived in Africa 30 years earlier. The clinical presentation was misleading, suggesting connective tissue disease. CASE REPORT: A 69-year-old woman was hospitalized in April 1996 for inflammatory joint disease. The first manifestations had developed three years earlier and the patient had been on systemic corticosteroid therapy associated with anti-malarials since 1993. The clinical presentation progressively included neurological and skin manifestations. Histology examination gave the diagnosis of lepromatous leprosy. Three-drug anti-leprosy treatment in one oral dose was initiated. DISCUSSION: Chronic Mycobacterium leprae infection usually leads to overt leprosy with neurological and cutaneous involvement. Rheumatological forms are less common and found almost exclusively during leprous reactions. The association of inflammatory join pain with neurological and skin manifestations wrongly suggested vasculitis. In addition, the general corticosteroid therapy certainly was implicated in disease activation and progression to a purely lepromatous form.

Tratamento sintomático da reação leprótica com o sulfato de hidroxicloroquina

O presente trabalho aborda o tratamento sintomático da reação leprótica pelo sulfato de Hidroxicloroquina. Especial atenção foi dedicada às normas que devem reger as pesquisas terapêuticas relacionadas com a reação leprótica. O autor considera que as seguintes normas devem ser respeitadas: 1- Deve sempre existir um grupo "controle", tratado com placebo indêntico à droga usada. 2- Todos os pacientes devem ser internados. 3- A experiência deve ser conduzida "às cegas", evitando assim a influência psicológica que o médico possa ter sobre o doente. Isto é alcançado quando o pesquisador descobre qual o grupo tratado e qual o grupo contrôle. 4- Nenhum medicamento deve ser usado, afim de não perturbar o rigorismo da pesquisa. Nem mesmo antérmicos ou analgésicos, vitaminas, soluções endovenosas, etc, devem ser usados. 5- Os doentes escolhidos devem apresentar um quadro tanto quanto poss¡vel uniforme. Excluam-se os casos leves, bem como os demasiadamente severos que comprometem o estado geral (estes por não poderem prescindir da medicação de "suspensão"). 6- Todos os casos devem ser lepromatosos, excluindo-se desde logo os lepromatoides reacionais. Foram estudados dois grupos com vinte doentes em cada um, um dos quais recebeu a substância ativa e o outro serviu de testemunho, recebendo placebo indêntico à droga usada. Após a comparação de resultados, verificou-se não ter havido diferença significante entre ambos os grupos.