Organ changes after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a patient with systemic sclerosis according to autopsy

Abstract

The article presents a description of a clinical case with a fatal outcome due to SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus-induced bilateral viral pneumonia with areas of pneumofibrosis, complicated by acute respiratory failure. The presence of systemic sclerosis in this patient aggravated the course of the disease and became one of the causes of death. Autopsy revealed signs of bilateral pneumonia with lesions in both lungs and areas of pneumofibrosis.Histological examination revealed alveoli with rupture of interalveolar septa, areas of atelectasis, serous-purulent exudate with desquamated alveolocytes, places with organization of exudate, zones of pneumofibrosis. Scleroderma cardiosclerosis, linear necrosis of cardiomyocytes were present in the heart. There were signs of multiple organ failure – pulmonary edema, cerebral edema.