RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Bilateral corneal endothelial failure following COVID-19 pneumonia
JF BMJ Case Reports
JO BMJ Case Reports
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e242702
DO 10.1136/bcr-2021-242702
VO 14
IS 9
A1 Li Jiang
A1 Yit Yang
A1 Jaishree Gandhewar
YR 2021
UL http://casereports.bmj.com/content/14/9/e242702.abstract
AB We describe a patient who developed acute bilateral corneal decompensation following COVID-19 pneumonia and prolonged intensive care unit ventilation. SARS-CoV-2 uses human ACE2 as the receptor for entry with subsequent downregulation of ACE2. ACE2 receptors are found in human ocular surface cells including cornea. Mouse models of ACE2 deficiency result in corneal haze, oedema and ocular surface inflammation due to upregulation of the inflammatory cascades. We therefore hypothesise that the cause of this patient’s corneal decompensation was viral endotheliitis due to direct infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.