Advances in respiratory medicine
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One important concern during the management of COVID-19 pneumonia patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure is early anticipation of the need for intubation. ROX is an index that can help in identification of patients with low and those with high risk of intubation. So, this study was planned to validate the diagnostic accuracy of the ROX index for prediction of COVID-19 pneumonia outcome (the need for intubation) and, in addition, to underline the significant association of the ROX index with clinical, radiological, demographic data. ⋯ ROX is a simple noninvasive promising tool for predicting discontinuation of high-flow oxygen therapy and could be used in the assessment of progress and the risk of intubation in COVID-19 patients with pneumonia.
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e two diseases together.
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In 2019, a pandemic began due to infection with a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. In many cases, this coronavirus leads to the development of the COVID-19 disease. Lung damage in the course of this disease often leads to acute hypoxic respiratory failure and may eventually lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ⋯ Given the dynamics of the developing pandemic, this is not an easy task as new scientific data is presented almost every day. However, we believe the knowledge contained in this study will help doctors care for patients with COVID-19. The main target audience of this study is not so much pneumonologists or intensivists who have extensive experience in the application of the techniques discussed here, but rather doctors of other specializations who must master new skills in order to help patients during the time of a pandemic.
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Very little is known about the immediate physiological implications of vaping or inhaling second-hand vapor. This study used a quantitative approach to understand the short-term physiological implications of vape use and exposure to sec-ond-hand vapor for people who do not vape. ⋯ Vaping without flavorings or nicotine do not appear to have an immediate negative health impact on vital signs. The physiological effects of long-term exposure and/or vape use requires additional investigation. Information was established regarding the physiological effects of non-flavored, non-nicotine vaping so future studies can compare the effects of vaping with assorted flavors and nicotine concentrations to the effects of vaping only the base ingredients (vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol). New knowledge was gleaned relating to exposure to vapor, a phenomenon not previously examined but common espe-cially among non-vaping people who attend social events where people are vaping.