Ophthalmic Manifestations Among Patients Surviving COVID-19

Vagner Loduca Lima,1 Larissa Caroline Mansano Soares,1 Leonardo Amarante Pereira,1 Priscila Alves Nascimento,1 Luciano Rabello Netto Cirillo,1 Hebert Toshiaki Sakuma,1 Glaucia Luciano da Veiga,1,2 Julio Zaki Abucham-Neto,1 Fernando Luiz Affonso Fonseca1– 3 1Departamento de Oftalmologia, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, Brazil; 2Laboratório de Análises Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, Brasil; 3Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas da Universidade Federal de São Paulo/UNIFESP, Diadema, BrasilCorrespondence: Glaucia Luciano da Veiga, Departamento de Oftalmologia, Faculdade de Medicina ABC, 2000 Lauro Gomes Avenue, Santo André, SP, 09069-870, Brazil, Tel +55 11 4993-5488, Email [email protected] and Aim: To identify ocular findings related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients after the resolution of COVID-19 using complete ocular examinations and optical coherence tomography (OCT).Methods: In this cross-sectional study, conducted from May 30 to October 30, 2020, patients who recovered from various stages COVID-19 underwent eye examination and multimodal retinal imaging (Retinographies and Spectral-OCT).Results: We included 50 patients, 29 (58%) males, median age of 46.5 [standard deviation 15.8]. Of these, 42% (21) had mild, 18% (9) had severe and 40% (20) had critical disease. The median time interquartile range (IQR) between symptom onset and ocular examination was 55 days [IQR 39– 71]. Seven patients (14%) reported ophthalmic symptoms, transitory low visual acuity (6%) and retroocular pain (8%). On OCT, one patient without comorbidities had sectoral retinal pallor suggestive of acute retinal ischaemia and oedema of the retina’s inner layers and atrophy. All findings progressively and spontaneously improved months after resolution of COVID-19.Conclusion: Patients with COVID-19 present findings compatible with the general population depending on age and comorbidities; nevertheless, acute retinal findings associated with the disease may be present, such as caused either by the direct effects of retinal SARS-CoV-2 infection, by indirect effects of the cytokine storm or by the pro-thrombotic state associated with COVID-19. Therefore, retinal involvement in patients with COVID-19 remains subject to considerable discussion and study.Keywords: COVID-19, retina, ophthalmology, Sars-Cov-2, eye manifestation

Symptomatic treatment of the common cold with a fixed-dose combination of paracetamol, chlorphenamine and phenylephrine: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Background: The common cold and other viral airway infections are highly prevalent in the population, and their treatment often requires the use of medications for symptomatic relief. Paracetamol is as an analgesic and antipyretic; chlorphenamine is an antihistamine; and phenylephrine, a vasoconstrictor and decongestant. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a fixed-dose combination of paracetamol, chlorphenamine and phenylephrine in the symptomatic treatment of the common cold and flu-like syndrome in adults. Methods: This study enrolled 146 individuals aged 18 to 60 years who had moderate to severe flu-like syndrome or common cold. After clinical examination and laboratory tests, individuals were randomly assigned to receive the fixed-dose combination (73) or placebo (73), five capsules per day for 48 to 72 hours. The primary efficacy endpoint was the sum of the scores of 10 symptoms on a four-point Likert-type scale. To evaluate treatment safety, the occurrence of adverse events was also measured. Results: Mean age was 33.5 (±9.5) years in the placebo group and 33.8 (±11.5) in the treatment group. There were 55 women and 18 men in the placebo group, and 46 women and 27 men in the treatment group. Comparison of overall symptom scores in the two groups revealed a significantly greater reduction in the treatment group than in the placebo group (p = 0.015). Analysis at the first 13 dose intervals (± 66 h of treatment) showed a greater reduction of symptom scores in the treatment group than in the placebo group (p < 0.05). The number and distribution of adverse events were similar in both groups. Conclusion: A fixed-dose combination of paracetamol, chlorphenamine and phenylephrine was safe and more effective than placebo in the symptomatic treatment of the common cold or flu-like syndrome in adults

Interaction of Leptospira with the Innate Immune System

International audienceInnate immunity encompasses immediate host responses that detect and respond to microbes. Besides recognition by the complement system (see the chapter by A. Barbosa, this volume), innate immunity concerns cellular responses. These are triggered through recognition of conserved microbial components (called MAMPs) by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), leading, through secretion of cytokines, antimicrobial peptides, and immune mediators, to cellular recruitment and phagocytosis. Leptospira spp. are successful zoonotic pathogenic bacteria that obviously overcome the immune system of their hosts. The first part of this chapter summarizes what is known about leptospires recognition and interaction with phagocytes and other innate immune cells, and the second part describes specific interactions of leptospiral MAMPs with PRRs from the TLR and NLR families. On the one hand, pathogenic leptospires appear to escape macrophage and neutrophil phagocytosis. On the other hand, studies about PRR sensing of leptospires remain very limited, but suggest that pathogenic leptospires escape some of the PRRs in a host-specific manner, due to peculiar cell wall specificities or post-translational modifications that may impair their recognition. Further studies are necessary to clarify the mechanisms and consequences of leptospiral escape on phagocytic functions and hopefully give clues to potential therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring the defective activation of PRRs by pathogenic Leptospira spp