Infection & chemotherapy
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Infection & chemotherapy · Sep 2021
Significance and Associated Factors of Long-Term Sequelae in Patients after Acute COVID-19 Infection in Korea.
As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has progressed, there has been a growing awareness of the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 infection. However, until recently, there was no published study that investigated COVID-19-related sequelae and related factors for greater than six months from the onset of COVID-19 symptoms or the time of COVID-19 diagnosis in Korea. ⋯ The results showed that the rate of COVID-19-related long-term sequelae was 65.7%. The most common long-term sequela was fatigue. The risk factor identified was female gender. It was found that the long-term sequelae had various manifestations, including mental and psychological aspects. To improve the care of COVID-19 recovered patients with COVID-19-related long-term sequelae, the participation of a comprehensive and an interdisciplinary group of researchers is required.
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Infection & chemotherapy · Jun 2021
Association of Early Favipiravir Use with Reduced COVID-19 Fatality among Hospitalized Patients.
The antiviral agent favipiravir is an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitor. ⋯ We found that initiation of favipiravir within the first 72 h after the onset of disease symptoms reduced fatality in patients with COVID-19.
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Infection & chemotherapy · Dec 2020
ReviewDecision on Chemotherapy Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: a Review and a Practical Approach from Iran.
To provide a step-by-step approach to chemotherapy (CTx) in the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era. The COVID-19 pandemic is the current global issue resulting in vast health implications. Amid the COVID-19 era, special attention must be paid to at-risk groups, including patients with cancer. ⋯ We herein provide practical recommendations on the CTx of cancer patients over the pandemic based on our experience in an educational hospital. The decision on CTx should be considered to be individualized based on clinical findings. We hope that our experience provides a practical guide for clinical oncologists to deliver more effective cancer care over the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Infection & chemotherapy · Sep 2020
ReviewConvalescent Plasma Therapy for Coronavirus Disease 2019.
Convalescent plasma has been used for decades to prevent and treat a wide range of infectious diseases for which no specific treatment is available. The use of convalescent plasma involves transfusing plasma collected from patients who have recovered from a viral illness, in an attempt to transfer virus-neutralizing antibodies and confer passive immunity. In addition to the antiviral mechanisms of neutralizing antibodies, the immunomodulatory effects of plasma components could have benefits. ⋯ With historical precedents and recent clinical studies, convalescent plasma therapy should be considered as a candidate therapy for COVID-19 given the limited effectiveness of antiviral drugs and lack of a vaccine. A system to secure safe collection and use of convalescent plasma should be developed as a response to the pandemic. Further clinical trials should be conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy concurrently with its clinical use.
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Infection & chemotherapy · Sep 2020
A Universal Screening Strategy for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Intensive Care Units: Korean Experience in a Single Hospital.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is not differentiated clinically from other respiratory infections, and intensive care units (ICUs) are vulnerable to in-hospital transmission due to interventions inducing respiratory aerosols. This study evaluated the effectiveness of universal SARS-CoV-2 screening in ICUs in terms of screened-out cases and reduction in anxiety of healthcare personnel (HCP). ⋯ A universal screening program for SARS-CoV-2 infection in ICUs with the coordination of other countermeasures in the hospital was reasonably effective in preventing in-hospital transmission in a pandemic situation and making clinical practices and HCP stable.