Germany's first COVID-19 deceased:a 59-year-old man presenting with diffuse alveolar damage due to SARS-CoV-2 infection
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Germany's first COVID-19 deceased:a 59-year-old man presenting with diffuse alveolar damage due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. / Heinrich, Fabian; Sperhake, Jan-Peter; Heinemann, Axel; Mushumba, Herbert; Lennartz, Maximilian; Nörz, Dominik; Glatzel, Markus; Lütgehetmann, Marc; Püschel, Klaus.
In: VIRCHOWS ARCH, Vol. 477, No. 3, 04.09.2020, p. 335-339.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Germany's first COVID-19 deceased:a 59-year-old man presenting with diffuse alveolar damage due to SARS-CoV-2 infection
AU - Heinrich, Fabian
AU - Sperhake, Jan-Peter
AU - Heinemann, Axel
AU - Mushumba, Herbert
AU - Lennartz, Maximilian
AU - Nörz, Dominik
AU - Glatzel, Markus
AU - Lütgehetmann, Marc
AU - Püschel, Klaus
PY - 2020/9/4
Y1 - 2020/9/4
N2 - Clinical characterization of COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019) is being performed worldwide to gain insights into the pathogenesis and course of the disease. Little is known regarding morphological findings, which are essential to understanding the unique features and pathomechanisms of the disease, from which one can identify possible new treatments. It has been shown that diffuse alveolar damage, signifying acute respiratory distress syndrome, is present together with atypical multinucleated cells in reported cases of the disease by Tian et al. (J Thorac Oncol 15:700-704, 2020). Macroscopic morphological findings in COVID-19 remain elusive to this day. Here, we report the case of the first German to die due to COVID-19. A detailed examination consisting of full-body computed tomography, autopsy, histology assessment, and viral assessment has been performed. The lungs of the deceased contained high concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and displayed the typical radiological signatures of COVID-19. Furthermore, a morphological pattern was found displaying hyperaemic areas interspersed by normally perfused areas affecting the whole lung. We also report a finding suggestive of micro-thrombotic events in the lung, which is compatible with the recently described coagulation changes and increased incidence of pulmonary artery embolisms seen in COVID-19 patients as reported by Wichmann et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2020). A broader study is needed to confirm these findings.
AB - Clinical characterization of COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019) is being performed worldwide to gain insights into the pathogenesis and course of the disease. Little is known regarding morphological findings, which are essential to understanding the unique features and pathomechanisms of the disease, from which one can identify possible new treatments. It has been shown that diffuse alveolar damage, signifying acute respiratory distress syndrome, is present together with atypical multinucleated cells in reported cases of the disease by Tian et al. (J Thorac Oncol 15:700-704, 2020). Macroscopic morphological findings in COVID-19 remain elusive to this day. Here, we report the case of the first German to die due to COVID-19. A detailed examination consisting of full-body computed tomography, autopsy, histology assessment, and viral assessment has been performed. The lungs of the deceased contained high concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and displayed the typical radiological signatures of COVID-19. Furthermore, a morphological pattern was found displaying hyperaemic areas interspersed by normally perfused areas affecting the whole lung. We also report a finding suggestive of micro-thrombotic events in the lung, which is compatible with the recently described coagulation changes and increased incidence of pulmonary artery embolisms seen in COVID-19 patients as reported by Wichmann et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2020). A broader study is needed to confirm these findings.
KW - Autopsy
KW - Betacoronavirus
KW - Coronavirus Infections/pathology
KW - Germany
KW - Humans
KW - Lung Diseases/pathology
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Pandemics
KW - Pneumonia, Viral/pathology
KW - Pulmonary Alveoli/pathology
KW - Thrombosis/pathology
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-020-02872-y
U2 - 10.1007/s00428-020-02872-y
DO - 10.1007/s00428-020-02872-y
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 32666230
VL - 477
SP - 335
EP - 339
JO - VIRCHOWS ARCH
JF - VIRCHOWS ARCH
SN - 0945-6317
IS - 3
ER -