Red blood cell exchange to avoid intubating a COVID-19 positive patient with sickle cell disease?

J Clin Apher. 2020 Aug;35(4):378-381. doi: 10.1002/jca.21809. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Abstract

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim lives across the globe, insufficient data exists regarding the optimal treatment. It is well known that patients 55 years of age or older and patients with certain chronic diseases are at higher risk of severe illness, including acute respiratory distress syndrome and death. A potentially fatal pulmonary complication of sickle cell disease, acute chest syndrome, can be precipitated by acute infections, including respiratory viruses. We report the case of a patient with sickle cell disease (HbSC) who developed COVID-19 pneumonia and acute chest syndrome who was treated with emergent red blood cell exchange in order to avoid endotracheal intubation.

Keywords: HbSC; SARS-CoV-2; acute chest syndrome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Chest Syndrome / etiology
  • Acute Chest Syndrome / therapy
  • Adult
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Anemia, Sickle Cell / complications*
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Azithromycin / therapeutic use
  • Betacoronavirus*
  • COVID-19
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Contraindications, Procedure
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications*
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy
  • Erythrocyte Transfusion / methods*
  • Humans
  • Hydroxychloroquine / therapeutic use
  • Intubation, Intratracheal*
  • Male
  • Methylprednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Oxygen Inhalation Therapy
  • Pandemics*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy
  • Respiration, Artificial
  • Respiratory Insufficiency / etiology
  • Respiratory Insufficiency / therapy*
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • Analgesics
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Hydroxychloroquine
  • Azithromycin
  • Methylprednisolone