Frontiers in medicine
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Frontiers in medicine · Jan 2020
ReviewThe Lung, the Heart, the Novel Coronavirus, and the Renin-Angiotensin System; The Need for Clinical Trials.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor for COVID-19 (SARs-CoV-2). ACE2 protects the lung and heart from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and acute myocarditis and arrhythmias, because it breaks down Angiotensin II, which has inflammatory effects in the lung and heart as well as in the kidney. When SARS-CoV-2 binds to ACE2, it suppresses it, so this protective action of ACE2 is lost. ⋯ Drugs that prevent the inflammatory actions of Angiotensin II (i.e., Angiotensin receptor blockers, ARBs) prevent acute lung injury caused by SARS-CoV. Clinical trials are underway to test the risks and benefits of ARBs and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) in COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization. Other potential treatments are also discussed.
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Frontiers in medicine · Jan 2020
COVID-19 Clinical Characteristics, and Sex-Specific Risk of Mortality: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Background: The rapidly evolving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. It was first detected in the Wuhan city of China and has spread globally resulting in a substantial health and economic crisis in many countries. Observational studies have partially identified different aspects of this disease. ⋯ Mortality associated with COVID-19 was higher in our study compared to the previous reports from China. The mortality was significantly higher among the hospitalized male group. Further studies are required to evaluate the effect of different variables resulting in sex disparity in COVID-19 mortality.
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Frontiers in medicine · Jan 2020
Ruxolitinib Rapidly Reduces Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in COVID-19 Disease. Analysis of Data Collection From RESPIRE Protocol.
Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is causing millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide. Cumulative clinical and laboratory evidence suggest that a subset of patients with severe COVID-19 may develop a cytokine storm syndrome during the course of the disease, with severe respiratory impairment requiring ventilatory support. One field of research nowadays is to identify and treat viral-induced hyperinflammation with drugs used in other clinical conditions characterized by an hyperinflammation status. ⋯ In our case series of 18 critically ill patients with COVID-19 and ARDS, administration of ruxolitinib resulted in a clinical improvement that concurred to modify the standard course of disease. Ruxolitinib can be a therapeutic option for patients with respiratory insufficiency in COVID-19 related ARDS. RESPIRE Study (Ruxolitinib for the treatment of acute rESPIratory distREss syndrome, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04361903).
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Frontiers in medicine · Jan 2020
Transnasal Humidified Rapid Insufflation Ventilatory Exchange With Nasopharyngeal Airway Facilitates Apneic Oxygenation: A Randomized Clinical Noninferiority Trial.
Background: Transnasal humidified rapid insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE) was used to extend the safe apnea time. However, THRIVE is only effective in patients with airway opening. Nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) is a simple device that can help to keep airway opening. ⋯ No patient had a SpO2 < 90% during apnea. Conclusion: When THRIVE was applied during anesthesia-induced apnea, NPA placement kept airway opening and was noninferior to jaw thrust in terms of its effects on PaO2 and PaCO2 at 20 min after apnea. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03741998).
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Frontiers in medicine · Jan 2020
Performance of Two Risk-Stratification Models in Hospitalized Patients With Coronavirus Disease.
Background: Despite an increase in the familiarity of the medical community with the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is presently a lack of rapid and effective risk stratification indicators to predict the poor clinical outcomes of COVID-19 especially in severe patients. Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, we included 117 cases confirmed with COVID-19. The clinical, laboratory, and imaging features were collected and analyzed during admission. ⋯ The K-M survival analysis showed that patients with MuLBSTA score ≥ 12 had higher risk of ICU (log-rank, P = 0.001) and high risk of death (log-rank, P = 0.000). Conclusions: The MuLBSTA score is valuable for risk stratification and could effectively screen high-risk patients at admission. The higher score at admission have higher risk of ICU care and death in patients infected with COVID.