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Background: Systemic biomarkers for severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection are of great interest. In this study, we evaluated a set of collagen metabolites and extracellular matrix remodeling biomarkers including procollagen type III amino terminal propeptide (PIIINP), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) and hyaluronic acid (HA) as prognostic indicators in COVID-19 patients., Methods: Ninety COVID-19 patients with the absence of chronic liver diseases were enrolled. Serum PIIINP, TIMP-1, and HA were measured and correlated with inflammatory indices and clinical variables. Patients were stratified for disease severity according to WHO criteria in two groups, based on the requirement of oxygen support., Results: Serum TIMP-1, but not PIIINP and HA was significantly higher in patients with WHO score ≥5 compared to patients with WHO score <5 [PIIINP: 7.2 (5.4-9.5) vs. 7.1 (4.5-9.9), p = 0.782; TIMP-1: 298.1 (20.5-460) vs. 222.2 (28.5-452.8), p = 0.01; HA: 117.1 (55.4-193.7) vs. 75.1 (36.9-141.8), p = 0.258]. TIMP-1 showed moderate correlation with CRP (r = 0.312, p = 0.003) and with LDH (r = 0.263, p = 0.009). CRP and serum LDH levels were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients with WHO score ≥5 compared to the group of patients with WHO score < 5 [15.8 (9-44.5) vs. 9.3 (3.4-33.8), p = 0.039 and 373 (282-465) vs. 289 (218-383), p = 0.013, respectively]., Conclusion: In patients with COVID-19, circulating TIMP-1 was associated with disease severity and with systemic inflammatory index, suggesting that TIMP-1 could represent a promising non-invasive prognostic biomarker in COVID-19 patients. Interestingly, our results prompted that serum TIMP-1 level may potentially be used to select the patients for therapeutic approaches targeting matrix metalloproteases pathway., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Brusa, Terracciano, Bruzzese, Fiorenza, Stanziola, Pinchera, Valente, Gentile, Cittadini, Mormile, Mormile and Portella.)

Introduction: In solid organ transplant recipients, COVID-19 is associated with a poor prognosis because of immunosuppression. Some studies suggest a potential therapeutic role of mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors in SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study aimed to assess the impact of mTOR employment on the evolution and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection in solid organ transplant recipients., Methods: We enrolled kidney transplant patients attending the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Federico II in Naples and followed up on these patients from March 2020 to June 2021. We evaluated the risk of acquiring the SARS-CoV-2 infection, the clinical presentation of the disease, and its outcome together with the type of immunosuppressive therapy. Finally, we assessed the impact of mTOR inhibitors on relevant clinical metrics of SARS-CoV-2 infection., Results: We enrolled 371 patients, of whom 56 (15.1%) contracted SARS-CoV-2 infection during the period of the study. There were no differences observed among the different immunosuppressive therapies concerning the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection. In contrast, the type of immunosuppressive therapy had a significant impact on the outcome of the disease. In detail, patients who received mTOR inhibitors, as part of their immunosuppressive therapy, compared to other regimens had a lower chance of developing a moderate or severe form of the disease (OR = 0.8, 95, CI: (0.21-0.92), P = 0.041)., Conclusion: In kidney transplant patients, the use of mTOR inhibitors as part of an immunosuppressive regimen is associated with a better prognosis in the case of COVID-19., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Pinchera, Spirito, Buonomo, Foggia, Carrano, Salemi, Schettino, Papa, La Rocca, Crocetto, Napolitano, Villari and Gentile.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the management of solid organ transplant recipients and on clinical evolution in post-transplantation. Little is known on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in these patients. The severity and lethality of this disease in solid organ transplant patients are higher thanin the general population. This study aims to describe clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in solid organ transplant recipients followed in our center., Methods: In this observational study, we enrolled all kidney transplant recipientsattending the A.O.U. Federico II of Naples from March 2020 to January 2021. For each patient we evaluated the epidemiological and clinical characteristics as well as outcome., Results: We enrolled 369 kidney transplant patients (229, male, 62%). Of these, 51 (13.8%) acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection and 29 showed symptomatic disease. Of the 51 patients with the infection, 48 (94.11%) had at least one comorbidity and such comorbidities did not constitute a risk factor for a more severe disease. Hospitalization was necessary for 7 (13.7%) patients. Of these, 2 required low-flow oxygen supplementation, 3 non-invasive/high flow ventilation and 2 invasive ventilation. Finally, 2 patients died., Conclusions: Our study shows a lower mortality and hospitalization rate compared to figures available in the literature (4% vs. 13-30% and 14% vs. 32-100%, respectively). Furthermore, the comorbidities examined (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes) did not constitute a risk factor for a more severe disease condition in this patient category. Further studies with larger sample size are necessary to confirm these data., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Pinchera, Spirito, Ferreri, Rocca, Celentano, Buonomo, Foggia, Scotto, Federico, Gentile, Carrano and “Federico II” COVID-19 Team.)

Background: Protease inhibitors have been considered as possible therapeutic agents for COVID-19 patients. Objectives: To describe the association between lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) or darunavir/cobicistat (DRV/c) use and in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients. Study Design: Multicenter observational study of COVID-19 patients admitted in 33 Italian hospitals. Medications, preexisting conditions, clinical measures, and outcomes were extracted from medical records. Patients were retrospectively divided in three groups, according to use of LPV/r, DRV/c or none of them. Primary outcome in a time-to event analysis was death. We used Cox proportional-hazards models with inverse probability of treatment weighting by multinomial propensity scores. Results: Out of 3,451 patients, 33.3% LPV/r and 13.9% received DRV/c. Patients receiving LPV/r or DRV/c were more likely younger, men, had higher C-reactive protein levels while less likely had hypertension, cardiovascular, pulmonary or kidney disease. After adjustment for propensity scores, LPV/r use was not associated with mortality (HR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.13), whereas treatment with DRV/c was associated with a higher death risk (HR = 1.89, 1.53 to 2.34, E-value = 2.43). This increased risk was more marked in women, in elderly, in patients with higher severity of COVID-19 and in patients receiving other COVID-19 drugs. Conclusions: In a large cohort of Italian patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in a real-life setting, the use of LPV/r treatment did not change death rate, while DRV/c was associated with increased mortality. Within the limits of an observational study, these data do not support the use of LPV/r or DRV/c in COVID-19 patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Di Castelnuovo, Costanzo, Antinori, Berselli, Blandi, Bonaccio, Bruno, Cauda, Gialluisi, Guaraldi, Menicanti, Mennuni, My, Parruti, Patti, Perlini, Santilli, Signorelli, Stefanini, Vergori, Ageno, Aiello, Agostoni, Al Moghazi, Arboretti, Aucella, Barbieri, Barchitta, Bartoloni, Bologna, Bonfanti, Caiano, Carrozzi, Cascio, Castiglione, Chiarito, Ciccullo, Cingolani, Cipollone, Colomba, Colombo, Crosta, Dalena, Dal Pra, Danzi, D'Ardes, de Gaetano Donati, Di Gennaro, Di Tano, D'Offizi, Filippini, Maria Fusco, Gaudiosi, Gentile, Gini, Grandone, Guarnieri, Lamanna, Larizza, Leone, Lio, Losito, Maccagni, Maitan, Mancarella, Manuele, Mapelli, Maragna, Marra, Maresca, Marotta, Mastroianni, Mazzitelli, Mengozzi, Menichetti, Milic, Minutolo, Molena, Mussinelli, Mussini, Musso, Odone, Olivieri, Pasi, Perroni, Petri, Pinchera, Pivato, Poletti, Ravaglia, Rossato, Rossi, Sabena, Salinaro, Sangiovanni, Sanrocco, Scorzolini, Sgariglia, Simeone, Spinicci, Trecarichi, Veronesi, Vettor, Vianello, Vinceti, Visconti, Vocciante, De Caterina, Iacoviello and The COVID-19 RISK and Treatments (CORIST) Collaboration.)