Coronavirus Disease Portal|Home|PHGKB

Coronavirus Disease Portal|Home|PHGKB

 Spotlight on COVID-19

Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone Inhibitors and Susceptibility to and Severity of COVID-19
G Kurfman, JAMA, June 19, 2020

A new study together with previous studies in other patient populations, should lay to rest concerns about the use of ACEI/ARBs in patients with or at risk for COVID-19. When there is a clinical indication for their use, ACEI/ARBs should not be discontinued in patients with COVID-19, unless the drugs cannot be tolerated due to hemodynamic instability.

Can phone apps slow the spread of the coronavirus?
K Servick, Science, June 19, 2020

Epidemiological models suggest apps can change a pandemic's course. Ensuring that an app detects risky contacts without overwhelming users with false alarms is one challenge; getting enough people to download an app is another. Health officials weigh competing apps and prepare pitches to privacy-conscious citizens considering how to put an app to the test.

Genes, Blood Type Tied to Risk of Severe COVID-19
NIH Director's Blog, June 18, 2020

The analysis identified two places, one on chromosome 3 and covers a cluster of six genes with potentially relevant functions such as a protein known to interact with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The other association signal popped up on chromosome 9, right over the area of the genome that determines ABO blood type.

Genomewide Association Study of Severe Covid-19 with Respiratory Failure
D Ellinghaus et al, NEJM, June 17, 2020

We conducted a genomewide association study involving 1980 patients with Covid-19 and severe disease (defined as respiratory failure) at seven hospitals. We identified a 3p21.31 gene cluster as a genetic susceptibility locus in patients with Covid-19 with respiratory failure and confirmed a potential involvement of the ABO blood-group system.