A 98-Year-Old Male With Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Treated for COVID-19 at Home

Abstract

In the absence of evidenced-based guidelines for early home treatment of COVID-19, some Italian groups of volunteer physicians (both general practitioners (GPs) and hospital doctors) virtually gathered themselves to discuss the best available evidence and develop shared schemes of therapy. We present the case of a 98-year-old unvaccinated male on chronic anticoagulant therapy with dabigatran for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), who has been successfully treated for COVID-19 at home, according to one of the multidrug treatments proposed, since hospital admission was not feasible. At the very beginning of symptoms, anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamin D, and adjuvant dietary supplements (quercetin, vitamin C, zinc, and vitamin K2) were administered, followed by dexamethasone and antibiotic therapy, according to the evolving clinical conditions. Gastroprotection with omeprazole was added. Eventually, our patient fully recovered, thus suggesting that careful home assistance under strict medical supervision can be successful, even in a very old subject with comorbidities, particularly if early treatment simultaneously addressing inflammation, hypercoagulation, and viral replication is started.

Keywords: anti-inflammatory drugs; covid-19 retro; dietary supplements; early treatment response; old patients.

Figure 1. Chest X-ray showing interstitial pneumonia