Emanuele Rocco Villani1, Angelo Carfì2, Antonella Di Paola1, Luigi Palmieri3, Chiara Donfrancesco3, Cinzia Lo Noce3, Domenica Taruscio4, Paola Meli5, Paolo Salerno4, Yllka Kodra4, Flavia Pricci3, Manuela Tamburo de Bella6, Marco Floridia7, Graziano Onder3. 1. Department of Geriatrics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. 2. Department of Geriatrics, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy. 3. Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. 4. National Center for Rare Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. 5. National Center for Innovative Technologies in Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. 6. Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. 7. National Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Persons with Down syndrome (DS) are presumed to be at high risk of severe CoVID-19, due to immune dysregulation and often compromised cardiopulmonary function. Aim of the present study is to assess epidemiological and clinical characteristics of individuals with DS deceased in Italian hospitals with CoVID-19. METHODS: We used a nationwide database of 3,438 patients deceased with RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in Italy (10.4% of all deaths with CoVID-19 in the country at the time of analysis). Data on demographics, pre-existing comorbidities and in-hospital complications leading to death were extracted from medical charts obtained from hospitals. Data on individuals with DS deceased with CoVID-19 were obtained from this sample. RESULTS: Sixteen cases of death in individuals with DS (0.5% of all charts analyzed) were identified. Acute respiratory distress syndrome occurred in all 16 cases. Compared with individuals without DS, those with DS deceased with CoVID-19 were younger (52.3 ± 7.3 vs. 78.1 ± 10.6 years, p < .001) and presented a higher incidence of superinfections (31.2 vs. 13.0%, p = .029). Autoimmune diseases (43.8 vs. 4%, p < .001), obesity (37.5 vs. 11%, p = .009), and dementia (37.5 vs. 16.3%, p = .012) were more prevalent in individuals with DS. ICU admissions was similar in both groups (25 vs. 18.8%, p = .129). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with DS deceased with CoVID-19 are younger than individuals without DS. Comorbidity burden and increased risk of complications (i.e., bacterial superinfections) can influence CoVID-19 prognosis in individuals with DS. Specific strategies to prevent and mitigate the effects of CoVID-19 in the population with DS are needed.
BACKGROUND:Persons with Down syndrome (DS) are presumed to be at high risk of severe CoVID-19, due to immune dysregulation and often compromised cardiopulmonary function. Aim of the present study is to assess epidemiological and clinical characteristics of individuals with DS deceased in Italian hospitals with CoVID-19. METHODS: We used a nationwide database of 3,438 patients deceased with RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in Italy (10.4% of all deaths with CoVID-19 in the country at the time of analysis). Data on demographics, pre-existing comorbidities and in-hospital complications leading to death were extracted from medical charts obtained from hospitals. Data on individuals with DS deceased with CoVID-19 were obtained from this sample. RESULTS: Sixteen cases of death in individuals with DS (0.5% of all charts analyzed) were identified. Acute respiratory distress syndrome occurred in all 16 cases. Compared with individuals without DS, those with DS deceased with CoVID-19 were younger (52.3 ± 7.3 vs. 78.1 ± 10.6 years, p < .001) and presented a higher incidence of superinfections (31.2 vs. 13.0%, p = .029). Autoimmune diseases (43.8 vs. 4%, p < .001), obesity (37.5 vs. 11%, p = .009), and dementia (37.5 vs. 16.3%, p = .012) were more prevalent in individuals with DS. ICU admissions was similar in both groups (25 vs. 18.8%, p = .129). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with DS deceased with CoVID-19 are younger than individuals without DS. Comorbidity burden and increased risk of complications (i.e., bacterial superinfections) can influence CoVID-19 prognosis in individuals with DS. Specific strategies to prevent and mitigate the effects of CoVID-19 in the population with DS are needed.
Authors: Diego Real de Asua; Miguel A Mayer; María Del Carmen Ortega; Jose M Borrel; Teresa de Jesús Bermejo; Domingo González-Lamuño; Coral Manso; Fernando Moldenhauer; María Carmona-Iragui; Anke Hüls; Stephanie L Sherman; Andre Strydom; Rafael de la Torre; Mara Dierssen Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2021-08-23 Impact factor: 4.241
Authors: Kathryn D Tuttle; Katherine A Waugh; Paula Araya; Ross Minter; David J Orlicky; Michael Ludwig; Zdenek Andrysik; Matthew A Burchill; Beth A J Tamburini; Colin Sempeck; Keith Smith; Ross Granrath; Dayna Tracy; Jessica Baxter; Joaquin M Espinosa; Kelly D Sullivan Journal: Cell Rep Date: 2020-11-17 Impact factor: 9.423