Medizinische Klinik, Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin
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Med Klin Intensivmed Notfmed · Dec 2020
[Risk stratification through implementation and evaluation of a COVID-19 score : A retrospective diagnostic study].
The clinical manifestation of COVID-19 is nonspecific and varies greatly, which makes it more difficult to discriminate from other (virus) infections. Neither individual findings nor combinations of findings are specific enough to be able to diagnose COVID-19 with a high degree of certainty. The goal was to identify patients in the emergency department, who are at risk for COVID-19 disease, early by using a score, so that they could be isolated pre-emptively. ⋯ The score, which is easy to obtain during the initial assessment, supports the assessment of the pretest probability for a COVID-19 infection as part of the risk stratification and can influence the treatment pathway in terms of pre-emptive isolation, PCR testing and other treatment options at an early stage. Due to the nonspecific symptoms of the disease; however, it must be accepted that the goal of high sensitivity results in a relatively low specificity of the score.
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Med Klin Intensivmed Notfmed · Dec 2020
ReviewGerman recommendations for critically ill patients with COVID‑19.
Since December 2019, a novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread around the world resulting in an acute respiratory illness pandemic. The majority of patients presents with mild symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, about 5% become critically ill and require intensive care treatment. ⋯ Early intubation and repeated prone positioning are key elements in treating hypoxemic COVID-19 patients. Strict adherence to basic infection control measures (including hand hygiene) and use of personal protection equipment (PPE) are essential in the care of patients. Procedures that lead to formation of aerosols should be avoided where possible and carried out with utmost precaution.