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Additional data on Coronavirus risk

https://www.genengnews.com/news/coronavirus-inpatients-risk-factors-for-...

For patients admitted to the hospital and confirmed to have the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the key risk factors for death are:

    Advanced age
    Signs of sepsis
    Blood clotting issues

Risk factors come from a new retrospective study that evaluated data records for 191 patients—137 survivors and 54 non-survivors. Each patient had been admitted to one of two hospitals in Wuhan, China.

The study, which appeared March 9 in The Lancet—in a paper entitled “Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study”—could help clinicians identify patients with poor prognosis at an early stage.

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For some reason unknown at this time, young people are not particularly susceptible to Coronavirus (like they are with the flu). Older people who are healthy and do not have an underlying immune weakening condition are also less likely to get sick from the virus. In fact, what makes the virus a 'pandemic' is that many people who contract the virus don't know they have it. They travel around asymptomatic leaving viral particles around them. They may have the virus, their bodies deal with it and then it's gone. This is how the disease will resolve itself over time as the greater population develops immunity.

Although governments are trying to curtail the spread - reality is you can control the spread yourself by practicing good hygiene - wash your hands and don't touch your face until AFTER you wash your hands and your hands are dry. This is one of those things that will have to run its course. The good news is it is not Ebola. It is a respiratory infection that is similar to the rhino virus' (cold) and influenze (same family genetically). Death rate is NOT ten times influenza as commonly reported. There has not been enough testing to get the numerator value at a high enough true level.The actual death rate will turn out to be similar to influenza.

In our home, we conduct ourselves normally - no change in our behavior except when I shake hands with someone, I wash my hands soon after.

Also - get your vitamin D level checked and raise it if below 50 - and as Sandy pointed out take vitamin C. Even if you get exposed to Corona, at least you may never even know you had it.

Hi Scuba,

One of the queries I was about to post was ( apart from the Dasatinib issue of infection especially of a pleural nature,) the extent that tkis especially when taken over a long period compromise the immune system .Whilst is recognised that chemotherapy and possibly radiotherapy might have an immuno suppressive effect I can not find definitive articles in the literature on the effects of tkis;tkis are often put in the same category as chemotherapy but as we know they involve targeted molecular therapy.There is some evidence that the use of imatinib at a lower level as a secondary therapy in some other conditions might actually boost the immune system but large doses of tkis such as imatinib 600 mg might have the opposite effect.

Has anyone any further evidence on this or ever discussed it with their clinician?

Just doing a search on strategies that boost the immune system I have come up with the need for adequate sleep and rest with management strategies for individual stress;exercise;no smoking ;minimal alcohol and dietary considerations such as lots of vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds,probiotics, garlic, turmeric etc.Finally lots of exposure to the rays of sunlight seem to be vital as long as one can avoid skin cancer.Often cited are the importance of VIts C,B6 and E.You have mentioned Vit D3 and sunlight in your previous postings;I would add zinc citrate say 50 mg daily as an immune protector.

The negatives cited for the immune system are fizzy drinks (sodas),sugar ,processed foods,refined carbohydrates and excess alcohol.

Best regards

John

 

John,

Here is some 'unorthodox' thinking on my part.

When we were all diagnosed with CML, just prior before we knew what was happening to us, our bodies were loaded with CML white blood cells that were poor performing and largely crowded out our normal blood system. It had to get really really bad before our bodies gave up and we became sick (fever, fatigue, general unwell). By that time almost all of us had FISH bcr-abl cell counts at 100%. We were at huge risk of getting sick and if Covid-19 had been around at that time, who knows.

In my own case, I developed pneumonia (about a year before diagnosis in 2009) when I never was sick like that before. Little did I know  my body was getting ravaged by CML. My normal immune system was getting destroyed. I had no disease fighting ability to speak of ...

Fast forward - we take TKI's and for many of us, it destroyed the leukemic blood system and then - this is the important part - our normal immune system starts to regenerate with brand new immune cells that are normal, and non-leukemic. This transformation from leukemic to non-leukemic is like a complete re-start of our immune system with new cell making machinery. Our blood making system had to start with the original stem cells to re-create our entire blood system. To this day I marvel at the biology of it all. So simple and complex at the same time.

What is the significance of this:

Most of us who have CML and have responded very well to TKI's probably have stronger more powerful immune systems than the general public. Even with the suppressive effect of TKI's on normal blood making (even WBC's), we have an over abundance of white blood cells around to fight just about anything nature can throw at us.

It is my learned opinion, that "we" on this forum have healthier bodies with which to fight Coronavirus than the general public. Combine that with the knowledge we all share on nutrition, vitamins, & minerals specifically to enhance our immune system and I feel like superman out in public. I simply have zero fear of Covid-19 - none. To me, it's a bug like the flu. People could sneeze on me (and people with the flu DID) and I won't get it - or at most - it will be mild and gone in a few days.

Ironic - but it took CML to improve my immune system and help me become healthier. Expensive way to learn, but it is what it is. CML probably extended my life.

Page A11 of today's Washington Post (a paper of record):

"We will see more cases," Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told lawmakers at a congressional hearing Wednesday.  He said the virus has proven to be 10 times more lethal than the flu and can no longer be contained nationwide because it is widely spreading in some communities.  Italics mine.

Kat - you will see. It's not 10 times. Dr. Fauci has to report the data as he collects it. He's not a mathematician. As more Covid-19 tests are done, the numerator will get bigger and the number of deaths as a percentage will shrink. They are already seeing this in South Korea where testing is much further along than in the U.S. Nevertheless, it is the elderly who are most at risk - especially those with underlying disease. Young people are largely not affected.

https://www.statnews.com/2020/02/25/new-data-from-china-buttress-fears-a...

The fact that this virus is spreading so fast is the reason the death rate is overestimated. People are not getting tested because they don't know they have it and are traveling all over the world spreading it. Sick people tend not to travel. These asymptomatic people are the reason why the death rate appears higher than it actually is and why it is spreading in a pandemic fashion. Keep that in mind as the media continues to frighten the world. More clicks that way.

Hi Scuba,my last 2 blood tests are undetectable on 40 mg Dasatinib ,if I were to reduce it to 20 mg without my Doc knowing cos I don't go to clinic till May ,would this improve my immune system or not make much difference .I am 63 with no problems with side effects and take all the vitamins you recommend and would like to try and improve my chance of not getting Corona ,thanks ,Denise.

I don't think it would make any difference. The only reason to lower your dose is to lessen any side effects and lower your toxicity profile. If you are undetectable on 40 mg, there is a very good chance you will remain undetectable on 20 mg. I would always make sure your doctor knows what you are doing, however*.

Improving your odds that you won't get Coronavirus is highest by doing simple things like washing your hands after being out and about - making sure not to touch your mucous membranes (eyes, ears, nose, throat & other areas). And making sure your vitamin D blood level is above 50 ng/ml (but < than 100 ng/ml). Taking vitamin C (1000 mg/day over several doses) and zinc will do more to arm your body's defenses than a TKI. Keep in mind that it takes weeks and weeks to raise vitamin D level especially if it is very low.

(*note: I went a month without even my 20 mg sprycel due to an bureaucracy snafu, so will be interesting to see what my recent PCR test reveals)

I believe what Fauci meant is that among those noticeably stricken (sick), this coronavirus is showing a mortality 10 times that of influenza.  That may or may not change with the number of people shown by testing to have the virus in their system.  It depends on how you take the percentage.  It is hard to compare, as most people who get sick with the flu neither go to the doctor nor get a test to confirm it is flu. 

I heard that an astroid as big as the moon is on a collision course
to earth at 1000 kilometers a second. Any time now. BANG!
A big tsunami or earthquake, A volcano. The sun will burn out.
Be very scared.

Or maybe not. perhaps a premature excitable narration by folks
that sell excitable narration’s is what I heard. By the same folks that
tell you face cream takes 10 years off your looks, and marijuana
will cure cancer. And everybody that don’t agree with you is a Hitler.

This is not the time to stock up on toilet paper or hand sanitizer.
It is not the time to be scared. It is not the time to panic.
George Harrison said, “All things will pass”.
When you are faced with your imminent death, what would do?
If you were on death row, what would you do?

I would have a juicy cheese burger, a tall chilled stout, and watch
Lawrence of Arabia. My favorite movie.
With the love of my life of 40 years.
Stuff I do most nights..
Don’t worry, Be happy..

All things will pass.

Romo

Romo!

Where have you been!? We miss you.

Glad you are back and joining the conversation.

I don't understand  - but perhaps it's the name. Corona is cool.

Reality is, people who get it - get sick - maybe. and then it passes. And then they have immunity so they don't get it again.

Older people, are at more risk - just like with the flu or other respiratory virus - but that is not what the media focus on.

Wash your hands, stay aware and you will be fine. Don't kiss strangers.

Stock up on toilet paper ..... why? I have no idea, just do it.