Natural history of COVID-19 and therapeutic options.

Natural history of COVID-19 and therapeutic options. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2020 Dec 24;:1-24 Authors: Gautret P, Million M, Jarrot PA, Camoin-Jau L, Colson P, Fenollar F, Leone M, La Scola B, Devaux C, Gaubert JY, Mege JL, Vitte J, Melenotte C, Rolain JM, Parola P, Lagier JC, Brouqui P, Raoult D Abstract Introduction: COVID-19 presents benign forms in young patients who frequently present with anosmia. Infants are rarely infected, while severe forms occur in patients over 65 years of age with comorbidities, including hypertension and diabetes. Lymphopenia, eosinopenia, thrombopenia, increased lactate dehydrogenase, troponin, C-reactive protein, D-dimers and low zinc levels are associated with severity. Areas covered: The authors review the literature and provide an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the natural history of and therapeutic options for COVID-19. Expert opinion: Diagnosis should rely on PCR and not on clinical presumption. Because of discrepancies between clinical symptoms, oxygen saturation or radiological signs on CT scans, pulse oximetry, and radiological investigation should be systematic. The disease evolves in successive phases: an acute virological phase, and, in some patients, a cytokine storm phase; an uncontrolled coagulopathy; and an acute respiratory distress syndrome. Therapeutic options include antivirals, oxygen therapy, immunomodulators, anticoagulants and prolonged mechanical treatm...
Source: Expert Review of Clinical Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Tags: Expert Rev Clin Immunol Source Type: research