The American journal of emergency medicine
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Facing the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, evidence to inform decision-making at all care levels is essential. Based on the results of a study by Petrilli et al., we have developed a calculator using patient data at admission to predict critical illness (intensive care, mechanical ventilation, hospice care, or death). ⋯ Of 127 patients with non-critical illness, 104 were correctly identified. Our results indicate that published knowledge can be reliably applied to assess patient risk, potentially reducing the cognitive burden on physicians, and helping policymakers better prepare for future needs.
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Case Reports
Bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax in SARS-CoV-2 infection: A very rare, life-threatening complication.
In the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era, the presence of acute respiratory failure is generally associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome; however, it is essential to consider other differential diagnoses that require different, and urgent, therapeutic approaches. Herein we describe a COVID-19 case complicated with bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax. A previously healthy 45-year-old man was admitted to our emergency department with sudden-onset chest pain and progressive shortness of breath 17 days after diagnosis with uncomplicated COVID-19 infection. ⋯ The patient remained under observation and was then discharged home. Bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax is a very rare, potentially life-threatening complication in patients with COVID-19. This case highlights the importance of recognizing this complication early to prevent potentially fatal consequences.