A Patient's Guide to Pneumonia: Causes, Treatment and Prevention
Choroidal Vascularity Index Offers Insight Into Eye Health After COVID-19 Recovery
A total of 43 patients who recovered from the SARS-CoV-2 infection with mild pneumonia were included along with 45 healthy individuals.
(Image Credit: AdobeStock/megaflopp)
Researchers from Istanbul, Turkey, conducted a study that found that the choroidal vascularity index (CVI) can shed light on the choroidal vascular physiology in patients who had had mild COVID-19 pneumonia and recovered completely,1 reported Muge Toprak, MD, and colleagues. Toprak is from the Kocaeli City Hospital, Istanbul. They published their findings in International Ophthalmology.
A total of 43 patients who recovered from the SARS-CoV-2 infection with mild pneumonia (group 1, COVID group) were included along with 45 healthy individuals (group 2, healthy control group).
All fully recovered patients were evaluated 6 months after the pneumonia resolved. The investigators measured the choroidal structures using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). The primary measurement of interest was the CVI, which the investigators defined as the ratio of the luminal area to the total choroidal area.
The patients who comprised group 1 (COVID group) had significantly higher values compared to the healthy group 2 controls in the mean total choroidal area, the stromal area, and the luminal area. There was no difference in the CVI between the 2 groups (p = 0.080).
Based on their findings, the investigators concluded that the CVI can reveal the choroidal vascular physiology in patients who have fully recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia. The EDI-OCT technology can be used to evaluate choroidal vascular alterations and thereby serve as a non-invasive indicator for early vascular impairment following SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Reference:Pneumonia: What Are The Main Symptoms And How Dangerous Is It?
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Your support makes all the difference. Read moreAndrea McLean has revealed she was rushed to hospital after collapsing in her home.
The 55-year-old Loose Women star was diagnosed with severe pneumonia, acute kidney injury and sepsis, after undergoing a series of tests.
McLean and her partner sought medical help, as she detailed how she was rushed to hospital and underwent a series of tests.
But what is pneumonia and what are the symptoms to look out for? Here's everything you need to know.
What is pneumonia?
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Symptoms of pneumonia can include sweating or shivering (Getty Images)Pneumonia is swelling (inflammation) of the tissue in one or both lungs.
According to the NHS, it's usually caused by a bacterial infection or a virus.
Pneumonia can affect people of any age, but it's more common and can be more serious in certain groups of people, such as the very young or the elderly.
People in these groups are more likely to need hospital treatment if they develop pneumonia.
Other groups that have an increased risk of developing pneumonia include babies and very young children, people who smoke, people with other health conditions, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, or a heart, kidney or liver condition, and people with a weakened immune system – for example, as a result of a recent illness, such as flu, having HIV or AIDS, having chemotherapy, or taking medicine after an organ transplant.
What causes pneumonia?
Pneumonia is usually the result of a bacterial infection, but other forms exist, such as viral pneumonia, which is caused by a virus, such as Covid-19, and aspiration pneumonia, which can be caused by breathing in vomit, a foreign object, such as a peanut, or a harmful substance, such as smoke or a chemical.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia develops in hospital while being treated for another condition; people in intensive care on breathing machines are particularly at risk of this.
Fungal pneumonia is rare in the UK and tends to affect people with a weakened immune system.
What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
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Pneumonia can usually be treated at home (Getty Images)Common symptoms of pneumonia can include:
Less common symptoms can include:
Symptoms of pneumonia can develop suddenly over 24 to 48 hours, or they may come on more slowly over several days.
When should I get help?
If you feel unwell and have symptoms of pneumonia, contact your GP.
The NHS recommends that those with a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with others until you feel better.
How is pneumonia treated?
Mild pneumonia tends to be treated at home with antibiotics and plenty of rest and water.
At-risk groups may need to be treated in hospital, as it can lead to serious complications, which can be fatal depending on a person's health and age.
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