Alireza Fatemi

Background: The symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) range from asymptomatic to severe respiratory distress or death. Reviews on potential COVID-19 treatments show no established therapy. Photobiomodulation can help in reducing inflammation and speed up tissue repair. In addition, due to its few side effects, it appears to be effective in restricting COVID-19. Therefore, it was decided to use this method in disease control to achieve the systemic impact of intravascular photobiomodulation therapy in this study. Methods: A total of 60 patients were randomly divided into three groups of 20 subjects: A control group that received common treatments for COVID-19, a group treated with a low-power gallium arsenide laser diode (660 nm) with an output dose of 2 J/cm2 for 7 minutes and 5 days in a row in addition to standard treatments, and another group that received common treatments with the same laser dose at the same time as the first group with a low-power diode laser (450 nm). Laboratory data and clinical criteria between groups were compared before and after the treatment. Results: An increase in O2 and partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) was significant in the two laser therapy groups (P < 0.05). In addition, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) decreased significantly in the blue laser group (mean difference = -1.44 ± 12.72). The COP score was reduced in all groups; however, only in the blue laser group the reduction in COP score was significant (P < 0.05). In the blue laser group, the COP score before and after the treatment was reduced. Conclusions: The use of an intravenous laser with red and blue wavelength with an output dose of 2 J/cm2 for 7 minutes and 5 days in a row, in addition to standard treatments, showed the improvement of oxygenation (O2 and PO2 in arterial blood gas [ABG]) and the reduction of inflammatory factors (erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR] and C-reactive protein [CRP]) and COP scores. However, further extensive studies are needed to prove the therapeutic effects of intravenous lasers, along with the usual treatments for COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health issue and patients with underlying conditions are more susceptible to catastrophic outcomes. Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a severe systemic disease caused by immune system hypersensitive reaction. We present a case of TEN that later complicated with COVID-19,Deep Vein Thrombosis(DVT),Pulmonary Emboli(PE),and death.

Background: As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to escalate, it is important to identify the prognostic factors related to increased mortality and disease severity. To assess the possible associations of vitamin D level with disease severity and survival, we studied 248 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in a single center in a prospective observational study from October 2020 to May 2021 in Tehran, Iran. Methods: Patients who had a record of their 25-hydroxyvitamin D level measured in the previous year before testing positive with COVID-19 were included. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was measured upon admission in COVID-19 patients. The associations between clinical outcomes of patients and 25-hydroxyvitamin D level were assessed by adjusting for potential confounders and estimating a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: The median (interquartile range) age of patients was 60 years (44–74 years), and 53% were male. The median serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level prior to admission decreased with increasing COVID-19 severity (P=0.009). Similar findings were obtained when comparing median serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D on admission between moderate and severe patients (P=0.014). A univariate logistic regression model showed that vitamin D deficiency prior to COVID-19 was associated with a significant increase in the odds of mortality (odds ratio, 2.01; P=0.041). The Multivariate Cox model showed that vitamin D deficiency on admission was associated with a significant increase in risk for mortality (hazard ratio, 2.35; P=0.019).Conclusions: Based on our results, it is likely that deficient vitamin D status is associated with increased mortality in COVID-19 patients. Thus, evaluating vitamin D level in COVID-19 patients is warranted.

Background: COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Given that the severe shortage of hospital beds has led to early discharge and insufficient patient education on home care routines and isolation protocols, the close follow-up of patients and their immediate relatives is an integral part of transitioning from hospital care to home care for patients with COVID-19. Objective: We designed the Tele-COVID-19 prospective cohort to follow-up with COVID-19 patients in Tehran, Iran, and improve health care delivery and the recording of postdischarge patients’ clinical profiles. Methods: All adult patients who were admitted to the COVID-19 wards of teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran were eligible to participate in this cohort study. At baseline, patients were recruited from 4 major hospitals from March 9, 2020 to May 20, 2020. Telephone follow-ups, which were led by volunteer medical students, were conducted on postdischarge days 1-3, 5, 7, 10, and 14. We collected data on a range of sociodemographic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics by using a standard questionnaire. Results: Of the 950 patients with confirmed COVID-19 who were approached, 823 (response rate: 86.6%) consented and were enrolled into the cohort. Of the 823 participants, 449 (54.5%) were male. The mean age of participants was 50.1 years (SD 12.6 years). During the initial data collection phase, more than 5000 phone calls were made and over 577 reports of critical patients who were in need of urgent medical attention were recorded. Conclusions: The Tele-COVID-19 cohort will provide patients with sufficient education on home care and isolation, and medical advice on care and the proper use of drugs. In addition, by preventing unnecessary hospital returns and providing information on household SARS-CoV-2 transmission as early as possible, this cohort will help with effective disease management in resource-limited settings. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/23316

Cold plasma as a potential adjunctive therapy in COVID-19: report of three cases Fahimeh Abdollahimajd1,2, Mohammad Reza Pourani1*, Alireza Fatemi,3 Hamideh Moravvej1*1 Skin Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Given that the severe shortage of hospital beds has led to early discharge and insufficient patient education on home care routines and isolation protocols, the close follow-up of patients and their immediate relatives is an integral part of transitioning from hospital care to home care for patients with COVID-19. OBJECTIVE We designed the Tele-COVID-19 prospective cohort to follow-up with COVID-19 patients in Tehran, Iran, and improve health care delivery and the recording of postdischarge patients’ clinical profiles. METHODS All adult patients who were admitted to the COVID-19 wards of teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran were eligible to participate in this cohort study. At baseline, patients were recruited from 4 major hospitals from March 9, 2020 to May 20, 2020. Telephone follow-ups, which were led by volunteer medical students, were conducted on postdischarge days 1-3, 5, 7, 10, and 14. We collected data on a range of sociodemographic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics by using a standard questionnaire. RESULTS Of the 950 patients with confirmed COVID-19 who were approached, 823 (response rate: 86.6%) consented and were enrolled into the cohort. Of the 823 participants, 449 (54.5%) were male. The mean age of participants was 50.1 years (SD 12.6 years). During the initial data collection phase, more than 5000 phone calls were made and over 577 reports of critical patients who were in need of urgent medical attention were recorded. CONCLUSIONS The Tele-COVID-19 cohort will provide patients with sufficient education on home care and isolation, and medical advice on care and the proper use of drugs. In addition, by preventing unnecessary hospital returns and providing information on household SARS-CoV-2 transmission as early as possible, this cohort will help with effective disease management in resource-limited settings. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/23316