Table 1.
Characteristics, treatment, and major autopsy findings in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.
| Entire COVID-19 cohort | Immediate cause of death (autopsy) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thrombosis or bleeding | Right cardiac failure | Sepsis | ||
| Characteristics | n = 11 | n = 5 | n = 3 | n = 3 |
| Pulmonary SARS-CoV-2 RNA, log10 copies/ml, median (IQR) | 2.46 (1.73–3.81) | 2.24 (0.87–3.48) | 2.46 (1.73–6.06) | 2.74 (1.25–5.90) |
| Sex, n (%) | ||||
| Female | 5 (45) | 1 (20) | 1 (33) | 3 (100) |
| Male | 6 (55) | 4 (80) | 2 (67) | 0 (0) |
| Age, years, median (IQR) | 68 (62–79) | 68 (62–74) | 79 (71–90) | 68 (45–79) |
| Time to death, days, median (95% CI) | 19 (16–22) | 19 (15–23) | 26 (5–46) | 19 (11–27) |
| Number of comorbidities, median (IQR) | 5 (4–5) | 5 (4–7) | 4 (3–5) | 5 (4–5) |
| Co-infectiona, n (%) | 9 (82) | 4 (80) | 2 (67) | 3 (100) |
| Chronic respiratory conditionsb, n (%) | 7 (64) | 4 (80) | 2 (67) | 1 (33) |
| Chronic cardiac conditionsc, n (%) | 8 (73) | 5 (100) | 2 (67) | 1 (33) |
| Chronic vascular conditionsd, n (%) | 9 (82) | 3 (60) | 3 (100) | 3 (100) |
| Chronic renal conditions, n (%) | 2 (18) | 1 (20) | 0 (0) | 1 (33) |
| Chronic gastrointestinal conditionse, n (%) | 5 (45) | 2 (40) | 1 (33) | 2 (67) |
| Chronic endocrine conditionsf, n (%) | 3 (27) | 2 (40) | 0 (0) | 1 (33) |
| Autoimmune diseasesg, n (%) | 1 (9) | 1 (20) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Chronic haematological conditions, n (%) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| History of solid neoplasiah, n (%) | 2 (18) | 2 (40) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Anticoagulation, n (%) | 8 (73) | 4 (80) | 2 (67) | 2 (67) |
| Antibiotic treatment, n (%) | 11 (100) | 5 (100) | 3 (100) | 3 (100) |
| ICU (invasive ventilation, ECMO, HD), n (%) | 9 (82) | 4 (80) | 2 (67) | 3 (100) |
| ES frequency, median (IQR) | 2 (1–6) | 2 (1.5–4.5) | 6 (0–13) | 2 (0–11) |
| TS frequency, median (IQR) | 0 (0–0) | 0 (0–1) | 0 (0–0) | 0 (0–0) |
| FFP frequency, median (IQR) | 0 (0–14) | 0 (0–16) | 0 (0–0) | 5 (0–27) |
| Microthrombi, autopsy proof, n (%) | 9 (82) | 4 (80) | 2 (67) | 3 (100) |
| ARDS, autopsy proof of DAD, n (%) | 9 (82) | 4 (80) | 3 (100) | 2 (67) |
| Pulmonary abscesses, autopsy proof, n (%) | 3 (27) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (100) |
SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; log, logarithm; RNA, ribonucleic acid; n, number of patients; IQR, interquartile range; CI, confidence interval; ICU, intensive care unit; ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; HD, haemodialysis; ES, erythrocyte substitution concentrate; TS, thrombocyte substitution concentrate; FFP, fresh frozen plasma; ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; DAD, diffuse alveolar damage; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; HSV-1, herpes simplex virus 1.
Co-infection included bacterial (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium), viral (HIV, HSV-1), and fungal (Candida species) pathogens.
Respiratory conditions comprised chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.
Cardiac conditions comprised cardiac insufficiency, chronic ischemic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, and persistent arrhythmias.
Vascular conditions comprised arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, and peripheral arterial occlusive disease.
Gastrointestinal conditions comprised liver cirrhosis and peptic ulcer.
Endocrinological conditions comprised diabetes mellitus type II, hypothyreosis, and dyslipoproteinemia.
Autoimmune disease was rheumatoid arthritis.
Solid neoplasia comprised history of squamous cell lung cancer or basal cell carcinoma.