Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnętrznej
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Pol. Arch. Med. Wewn. · May 2020
ReviewAddressing multiple gastroenterological aspects of coronavirus disease 2019.
The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic has become the biggest challenge for the whole human community since many years. It seems that the proper identification of all people infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) is the best strategy to limit the transmission. However, in a significant proportion of patients, there are no clinical manifestations of the disease, and symptoms may be very mild or atypical. ⋯ Patients with new‑onset diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting without any other evident etiological factors should be tested for SARS‑CoV‑2 infection. Gastroenterologists and members of other medical specialties should also remember that the current epidemiological situation has changed diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms in the management of several gastrointestinal and liver disorders. This review article summarizes the currently available data on multiple gastroenterological aspects of COVID‑19 and provides information on practical recommendations and position statements of the most prominent associations in the field of gastroenterology, which appeared in response to the emergence of the pandemic.
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Pol. Arch. Med. Wewn. · May 2020
Clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes of patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a retrospective single-center experience of a designated hospital in Poland.
Since the first reported case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) in Poland, the worldwide pandemic has spread throughout the country, leading to many hospital admissions. There has been an urgent need to determine clinical characteristics of Polish patients with laboratory‑confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV 2) infection in the clinical setting. ⋯ Polish patients with COVID‑19 have similar characteristics and risk factors for adverse outcomes to those observed in countries in which outbreaks occurred earlier. Significantly higher mortality in patients transferred from other centers warrants special attention and transfer policy should be verified.
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Pol. Arch. Med. Wewn. · May 2020
Prevalence of atherosclerotic stenosis of the carotid and cerebral arteries in patients with stable or unstable coronary artery disease.
Carotid artery atherosclerosis is a recognized predictor of cardiovascular events. The coexistence of coronary atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular disease is associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. ⋯ No differences in the prevalence of atherosclerosis of the carotid and cerebral arteries were found between patients with stable and unstable CAD in this study. Advanced CAD is one of the risk factors for hemodynamically significant cerebral artery stenosis.