Humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal coronaviruses in COVID-19 patients.

We used enzyme-linked immunoassay methods to measure the prevalence and the levels of antibody responses to the nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and four seasonal human coronaviruses (HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, HCoV 229E, and HCoV-NL63) in a cohort of 115 convalescent plasma donors infected with SARS-CoV-2 (1-61 days after symptom onset) compared to antibody levels in 114 individuals with no evidence of a recent infection with SARS-CoV-2. In the humoral response to the four seasonal coronaviruses, only HCoV-HKU1- and HCoV-229E-assays showed slightly elevated antibody levels in the COVID group compared to the control group. While in the COVID-group the levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies correlated significantly with disease severity, no association was found in the levels of antibodies against the seasonal coronaviruses.

Fibrinolysis and the Influence of Tranexamic Acid Dosing in Cardiac Surgery.

Objective: The present study aimed to determine whether underlying disease, performed surgery, and dose of tranexamic acid influence fibrinolysis measured with D-dimer levels.

Design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: Single institution (Department of Cardiac Surgery and Section of Clinical Hemostaseology at the Düsseldorf University Hospital).

[66-year old female patient with vitreous and mucosal bleeding].

History And Clinical Findings: We report on a 66-year-old female patient, who presented with a new occurrence of mucosal bleeding and also developed a vitreous hemorrhage.

Investigations And Diagnosis: The bleeding symptoms were caused by an acquired von Willebrand disease (VWD) associated with Waldenström macroglobulinemia. In this context, acquired VWD disease results from a dysfunction of the von Willebrand factor (VWF) caused by monoclonal immunoglobulin of type IgM.