Common pathological findings in the heart in COVID-19-related sudden death cases: An autopsy case series
Background: Cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of sudden out-of-hospital death after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. Such unexpected COVID-19-related cardiomyopathies are challenging to diagnose as specific pa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023077721 |
| _version_ | 1797646515536134144 |
|---|---|
| author | Daisuke Kyuno Masatoshi Tateno Yusuke Ono Kazufumi Magara Kumi Takasawa Akira Takasawa Makoto Osanai |
| author_facet | Daisuke Kyuno Masatoshi Tateno Yusuke Ono Kazufumi Magara Kumi Takasawa Akira Takasawa Makoto Osanai |
| author_sort | Daisuke Kyuno |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of sudden out-of-hospital death after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. Such unexpected COVID-19-related cardiomyopathies are challenging to diagnose as specific pathological findings are not always identified. Case summary: We reported the autopsy findings of two cases of sudden death due to COVID-19-related cardiomyopathies. In one case, death occurred after SARS-CoV-2 infection, while in the other, after COVID-19 vaccination. We found common pathological findings in both hearts: decreased staining intensity with special stains, loss of rhabdomeres, and multivacuolation in cardiomyocytes without inflammatory cell infiltration. The remaining organs showed no findings that could have contributed to the deaths. Conclusion: In cases of sudden death after SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccination, the decreased staining intensity with special stains may aid the diagnosis of sudden death due to COVID-19-related cardiomyopathy, even when H&E staining shows few findings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:02:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5e33f74f1cfa4dfda3620dd9657d7b1a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:02:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-5e33f74f1cfa4dfda3620dd9657d7b1a2023-10-30T06:06:35ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-10-01910e20564Common pathological findings in the heart in COVID-19-related sudden death cases: An autopsy case seriesDaisuke Kyuno0Masatoshi Tateno1Yusuke Ono2Kazufumi Magara3Kumi Takasawa4Akira Takasawa5Makoto Osanai6Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan; Corresponding author. Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University, South-1, West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan.Department of Surgical Pathology, Kushiro Red Cross Hospital, Kushiro, JapanDepartment of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, JapanDepartment of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, JapanDepartment of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, JapanDepartment of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, JapanDepartment of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, JapanBackground: Cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of sudden out-of-hospital death after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. Such unexpected COVID-19-related cardiomyopathies are challenging to diagnose as specific pathological findings are not always identified. Case summary: We reported the autopsy findings of two cases of sudden death due to COVID-19-related cardiomyopathies. In one case, death occurred after SARS-CoV-2 infection, while in the other, after COVID-19 vaccination. We found common pathological findings in both hearts: decreased staining intensity with special stains, loss of rhabdomeres, and multivacuolation in cardiomyocytes without inflammatory cell infiltration. The remaining organs showed no findings that could have contributed to the deaths. Conclusion: In cases of sudden death after SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccination, the decreased staining intensity with special stains may aid the diagnosis of sudden death due to COVID-19-related cardiomyopathy, even when H&E staining shows few findings.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023077721Coronavirus disease 2019VaccinationSudden deathcardiomyopathyAutopsy case series |
| spellingShingle | Daisuke Kyuno Masatoshi Tateno Yusuke Ono Kazufumi Magara Kumi Takasawa Akira Takasawa Makoto Osanai Common pathological findings in the heart in COVID-19-related sudden death cases: An autopsy case series Heliyon Coronavirus disease 2019 Vaccination Sudden death cardiomyopathy Autopsy case series |
| title | Common pathological findings in the heart in COVID-19-related sudden death cases: An autopsy case series |
| title_full | Common pathological findings in the heart in COVID-19-related sudden death cases: An autopsy case series |
| title_fullStr | Common pathological findings in the heart in COVID-19-related sudden death cases: An autopsy case series |
| title_full_unstemmed | Common pathological findings in the heart in COVID-19-related sudden death cases: An autopsy case series |
| title_short | Common pathological findings in the heart in COVID-19-related sudden death cases: An autopsy case series |
| title_sort | common pathological findings in the heart in covid 19 related sudden death cases an autopsy case series |
| topic | Coronavirus disease 2019 Vaccination Sudden death cardiomyopathy Autopsy case series |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023077721 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT daisukekyuno commonpathologicalfindingsintheheartincovid19relatedsuddendeathcasesanautopsycaseseries AT masatoshitateno commonpathologicalfindingsintheheartincovid19relatedsuddendeathcasesanautopsycaseseries AT yusukeono commonpathologicalfindingsintheheartincovid19relatedsuddendeathcasesanautopsycaseseries AT kazufumimagara commonpathologicalfindingsintheheartincovid19relatedsuddendeathcasesanautopsycaseseries AT kumitakasawa commonpathologicalfindingsintheheartincovid19relatedsuddendeathcasesanautopsycaseseries AT akiratakasawa commonpathologicalfindingsintheheartincovid19relatedsuddendeathcasesanautopsycaseseries AT makotoosanai commonpathologicalfindingsintheheartincovid19relatedsuddendeathcasesanautopsycaseseries |