Table 2.

Clinical course of autopsy patients who died from COVID-19 ARDS

Case 1: Older patient with multiple preexisting medical conditions 
 This 64-year-old male of Hispanic decent with diabetes, end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis, heart failure, and hepatitis C on ledipasvir/sofosbuvir therapy developed fever after presenting with respiratory distress to the emergency room. SARS-CoV-2 PCR from a nasopharyngeal swab obtained prior to his demise was positive. He declined medical intervention, including intubation, and died within 5 hours of presentation. There was no clinical evidence of sepsis in this patient, premortem bacterial cultures were negative, and autopsy was conducted within 5 hours of his death. Neutrophil infiltration, but without immunofluorescence testing for NETs or platelets, of this patient’s autopsy lung sample has been published.4  
Case 2: Elderly with preexisting medical conditions and ARDS 
 This 73-year-old male with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes developed ARDS with an arterial oxygen saturation of 50%. He was intubated and treated empirically with ceftriaxone, azithromycin, and doxycycline for community-acquired pneumonia with negative blood cultures. His chest radiograph showed diffuse patchy airspace opacification. SARS-CoV-2 PCR from a nasopharyngeal swab was positive. The patient required mechanical ventilation and experienced acute renal failure (creatinine increased from 2.4 to 4.1 mg/dL). His white blood cell count increased as did his absolute neutrophil count. He was lymphopenic. He remained afebrile with a temperature maximum of 37.8°C. He expired on hospital day 5 from COVID-19–related ARDS. 
Case 3: Elderly with multiple preexisting medical conditions and cardiac arrest 
 This 71-year-old male with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and diabetes had cough and fever for several days prior to a witnessed sudden cardiac arrest at home. His wife was a known SARS-CoV-2+ household exposure with minimal symptoms, similar to the patient’s initial presentation. Despite attempts at cardiopulmonary resuscitation by emergency medical personal in transit and in the emergency room, he expired. A SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab was positive in the emergency room prior to his demise. 
Case 1: Older patient with multiple preexisting medical conditions 
 This 64-year-old male of Hispanic decent with diabetes, end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis, heart failure, and hepatitis C on ledipasvir/sofosbuvir therapy developed fever after presenting with respiratory distress to the emergency room. SARS-CoV-2 PCR from a nasopharyngeal swab obtained prior to his demise was positive. He declined medical intervention, including intubation, and died within 5 hours of presentation. There was no clinical evidence of sepsis in this patient, premortem bacterial cultures were negative, and autopsy was conducted within 5 hours of his death. Neutrophil infiltration, but without immunofluorescence testing for NETs or platelets, of this patient’s autopsy lung sample has been published.4  
Case 2: Elderly with preexisting medical conditions and ARDS 
 This 73-year-old male with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes developed ARDS with an arterial oxygen saturation of 50%. He was intubated and treated empirically with ceftriaxone, azithromycin, and doxycycline for community-acquired pneumonia with negative blood cultures. His chest radiograph showed diffuse patchy airspace opacification. SARS-CoV-2 PCR from a nasopharyngeal swab was positive. The patient required mechanical ventilation and experienced acute renal failure (creatinine increased from 2.4 to 4.1 mg/dL). His white blood cell count increased as did his absolute neutrophil count. He was lymphopenic. He remained afebrile with a temperature maximum of 37.8°C. He expired on hospital day 5 from COVID-19–related ARDS. 
Case 3: Elderly with multiple preexisting medical conditions and cardiac arrest 
 This 71-year-old male with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and diabetes had cough and fever for several days prior to a witnessed sudden cardiac arrest at home. His wife was a known SARS-CoV-2+ household exposure with minimal symptoms, similar to the patient’s initial presentation. Despite attempts at cardiopulmonary resuscitation by emergency medical personal in transit and in the emergency room, he expired. A SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab was positive in the emergency room prior to his demise. 
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