The American journal of medicine
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Observational Study
Evolution of Care and Outcomes Across Surges in Hospitalized Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has unfolded in distinct surges. Understanding how surges differ may reveal important insights into the evolution of the pandemic and improve patient care. ⋯ The COVID-19 pandemic has evolved significantly with respect to hospitalized patient populations and therapeutic approaches, and clinical outcomes have substantially improved. Hospitalization after the first surge was independently associated with improved outcomes, even after controlling for relevant clinical covariates.
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Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematologic malignancy in the United States and the most common hematologic malignancy among Blacks/African Americans. Delay in diagnosis is common and has been associated with inferior disease-free survival and increased rates of myeloma-related complications. ⋯ When patient symptoms and basic laboratory findings are suggestive of multiple myeloma, the primary care provider should initiate extended laboratory work-up that includes serum protein electrophoresis, serum immunoglobulin free light chain assay, and serum immunofixation. Heightened awareness within high-risk populations such as Blacks/African Americans may help to eliminate racial disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of multiple myeloma.