Internal and emergency medicine
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Review Meta Analysis
High-dose versus low-dose venous thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are at high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Standard doses of anticoagulant prophylaxis may not be sufficiently effective for the prevention of VTE. The objective of this systematic-review and meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy and safety of high-dose versus low-dose thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. ⋯ In hospitalized patients with COVID-19, high-dose thromboprophylaxis is more effective than low-dose for the prevention of VTE but increases the risk of major bleeding.
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Patients who are over 65 years old represent up to 24% of emergency department (ED) admissions. They are at increased risk of under-triage due to impaired physiological responses. The primary objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of elevated lactate by point of care testing (POCT) in this population. The secondary objective was to assess the additional value of lactate level in predicting an early poor outcome, as compared to and combined with common clinical scores and triage scales. ⋯ The prevalence of elevated lactate was 27.1%. Lactate level alone or combined with different triage scales or clinical scores such as MEWS, NEWS and qSOFA was not associated with prediction of a poor outcome. MEWS alone performed best in predicting poor outcome. The usefulness of POCT lactate measurement at triage is questionable in the population of 65 and above.
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There are important differences in epidemiology, pathophysiology, HF patterns, prognosis, and treatment. Women have a higher incidence of HFpEF due to sex-specific factors (such as anthropometry, role of estrogens, pregnancy-related cardiomyopathies), increased incidence of comorbidities, and gender-specific conditions. Men instead present a predisposition to the development of HFrEF due to a higher incidence of coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction. ⋯ In addition, a full understanding of gender-specific factors that are studied in small populations is lacking in the literature, and only in recent years, studies have increased their focus on this issue. Understanding how society, family, and environment affect the prognosis of HF patients may help clinicians provide more appropriate levels of care. In this overview, we aimed at summarizing all the key available evidence regarding sex/gender differences in heart failure.
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To determine the predictive factors of mortality after hospitalization for acute heart failure (AHF) in an internal medicine department. Retrospective observational analysis conducted on 164 patients hospitalized for AHF in 2016-2017. Demographic, clinical and biological characteristics were assessed during hospitalization. ⋯ In elderly multimorbid patients, AHF prognosis appears to be influenced by nutritional criteria, including lower BMI, hypoalbuminemia, and hyperuricemia (independently of renal function). These results underline the importance of nutritional status, especially as therapeutic options are available. This consideration paves the way for further research in this field.
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The CHA2DS2-VASc score incorporates several comorbidities which have prognostic implications in COVID-19. We assessed whether a modified score (M-R2CHA2DS2-VASc), which includes pre-admission kidney function and male sex, could be used to classify mortality risk among people hospitalized with COVID-19. This retrospective study included adults admitted for COVID-19 between March and December 2020. ⋯ Higher category was also associated with increased need for mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy. All-cause 90-day mortality remained significantly associated with M-R2CHA2DS2-VASc. The M-R2CHA2DS2-VASc score is associated with 30-day mortality rates among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and adds predictive value when combined with initial COVID-19 severity.