Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Nov 2020
Evaluation of the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety severity of physicians working in the internal medicine department of a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional survey.
Internists who have an important role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic are under both physical and psychological pressures. ⋯ In this survey of internists in a university hospital equipped with clinics, wards and intensive care unit for patients with COVID-19, female gender and having family members over 65 years old and with chronic diseases were associated with increased anxiety levels.
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Internal medicine journal · Nov 2020
Midland non-invasive ventilation score: a tool to predict non-invasive ventilation failure in people with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.
Use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure has clear benefits over invasive ventilation. Existing risk prediction models are complex and difficult to apply in the acute setting. ⋯ Individuals with Midland NIV score of ≤11 (average 13% NIV failure) may be suitable for general ward care, compared to intensive care for those with Midland NIV score ≥12 (average 66% NIV failure rate). Prospective external validation is required.
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Over recent years, Australians have been subject to an unprecedented number of environmental events materially and visibly affecting air quality, including thunderstorm asthma and bushfire smoke. There is increasing evidence that poor air quality adversely affects health with consequences for mortality and morbidity with measured particulates (PM2.5) in January 2019 frequently exceeding World Health Organization standards. ⋯ Given these events, consideration needs to be given to environmental health literacy which will support individuals with pre-existing illness to recognise and mitigate as far as possible the effects of adverse air quality. Recognising the impact of poor air quality should also urge physicians to advocate for clean air as a necessity for good health.
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In patients with COVID-19, certain medical conditions could result in poorer clinical outcomes. However, the prognostic role of hypothyroidism in COVID-19 is still unknown. ⋯ Among 390 COVID-19 admitted patients, 21 hypothyroid cases (5.4%) were found, in which nearly 90% were aged 50 years and older. Regarding the effect of hypothyroidism on COVID-19 mortality, 60 (15.3%) of total patients and 4 (19%) of hypothyroid patients died, and no significant difference was found between the two groups.