A clinical case of COVID-19 infection in a young patient with a соmorbid pathology

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Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a rapid increase in the number of cases and high mortality worldwide. Here we report a clinical case of severe COVID-19 with the development of lethal complications in a young patient with an unfavorable comorbid background. Description of the case: Patient R., a 36-year-old male, was admitted to the infectious diseases department with the complaints of frequent unproductive cough, pyretic body temperature, headache. Computed tomography of the chest revealed bilateral polysegmental pneumonia with the damage of up to 65% of the lung tissue. PCR for SARS-CoV-2 mRNA was positive. The medical history mentioned arterial hypertension for five years, obesity (BMI 41.5). The disease lasted for about 7 days, the patient took antipyretic, antibacterial medication without noticeable improvement. Despite the ongoing therapy for two days, the signs of pulmonary heart failure increased, culminating in the cardiac arrest, unsuccessful resuscitation and biological death of the patient. A sectional study revealed signs of pronounced edema in the lungs with a hemorrhagic component, hemolyzed erythrocytes were found in the lumen of the alveoli. In the heart, a histological examination revealed unevenly hypertrophied cardiomyocytes with areas of fragmentation. In the epithelium of the renal tubules, signs of karyorrhexis were found, and multiple areas of erythrocyte infiltration were found in the stroma. Conclusion: The clinical case demonstrates a rapid fulminant course of COVID-19 in a young patient with arterial hypertension and obesity, who developed viral-bacterial pneumonia, which led to the development of pulmonary heart failure, pulmonary edema, and necronephrosis.

About the authors

Olga V. Vorobeva

Chuvash State University

Author for correspondence.
Email: olavorobeva@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3259-3691
SPIN-code: 5084-1379

MD, PhD

Russian Federation, 15, Moskovskii, Cheboksary, 428015

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Macroscopic picture of viral pneumonia: the lungs are dark red, liquid blood flows from the cut surface.

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3. Fig. 2. Microscopic picture of changes in the lungs: а — signs of severe edema with a hemorrhagic component, hemolyzed erythrocytes in the lumen of the alveoli; б — in the lumen of the alveoli, neutrophilic infiltration, hyaline membranes, erythrocyte sludge in the capillaries. Staining with hematoxylin and eosin, ×400.

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4. Fig. 3. Microscopic picture of changes in the heart: а — layers of adipose tissue between cardiomyocytes; б — fragmentation of muscle fibers, uneven hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, ×400.

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5. Fig. 4. Microscopic picture of fatty steatosis of the liver: signs of small- (а) and medium-drop (б) dystrophy with a peripheral arrangement of nuclei. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, ×400.

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Copyright (c) 2022 Vorobeva O.V.

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