Articles: disease.
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Comparative Study
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on General Surgery Acute Admissions and Urgent Operations: A Comparative Prospective Study.
As part of the effort to control the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) outbreak, strict emergency measures, including prolonged national curfews, have been imposed. Even in countries where healthcare systems still functioned, patients avoided visiting emergency departments (EDs) because of fears of exposure to COVID-19. ⋯ During the COVID-19 epidemic, fewer patients presented to the ED requiring acute surgical care. Those who did, often did so in a delayed fashion and in worse clinical condition. More patients required urgent surgical interventions compared to the control period. Governments and healthcare systems should emphasize to the public not to delay seeking medical attention, even in times of crises.
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To assess the role of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in improving personal hygiene in Saudi Arabia. Methods: We administered a questionnaire distributed online between 19 and 28 May 2020 to determine alterations in personal hygiene practices during this pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic phase. Results: We included 211 respondents from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in this study. Improvement at different levels was detected in all examined personal hygiene items compared to the pre-pandemic stage. The percentages of respondents who always washed their hands after coming back home (34.1%), used soap to wash their hands (58.8%), used a hand sanitizer outside (5.2%), wore a face masks while outside (1.4%) and washed their hands before preparing and/or eating food (74.9%) was increased before the pandemic to 89.6%, 90%, 63.5%, 59.2% and 89.1% during the pandemic, respectively. The percentage of respondents who never shake hands with people they know increased from 0% before the pandemic to 62.6% during the pandemic. The mean duration of washing hands with soap significantly increased from 13.31 seconds before the pandemic to 28.01 seconds during the pandemic (p less than 0.0001). ⋯ The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a noticeable improvement in the personal hygiene habits in Saudi Arabia mainly those related to COVID-19 prevention.
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J Coll Physicians Surg Pak · Nov 2020
Variability of Breast Density Assessment and the Need for Additional Imaging: A Comparison between Computed Mammography and Digital Mammography.
To determine the variability of breast density assessment and the need for additional imaging using computed radiography (CR) mammography versus digital radiography (DR) mammography. ⋯ Patients who underwent screening CR mammography, followed by DR mammography a year later, were selected. Only disease-free individuals were included in the study. Evaluation of breast density was done subjectively, using the breast imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS) by two independent experienced radiologists. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcox Signed Rank-sum test to compare both modalities. Fisher Exact method was used to compare the need for ultrasound imaging. Results: A total of 295 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 52.76 ± 0.64 years. There was a significant difference in the change of breast density when comparing both modalities (Z= -11.839, p <0.001). A statistically significant reduction in the need for further breast ultrasound was observed after DR mammography than with CR mammography (p <0.001). Conclusion: Use of DR mammography, especially in patients with dense breast parenchyma, is a better screening tool overall. It translates to better feasibility for the radiologist and is more economical for the patient. DR mammography decreases unnecessary imaging and leads to better visualisation, thus providing a more accurate categorisation of breast density. Key Word: Computed radiography mammography, Breast density, Screening, Breast cancer, Digital mammography, Ultrasound.
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Mayo Clinic proceedings · Nov 2020
Review Meta AnalysisAnticoagulation in COVID-19: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Rapid Guidance From Mayo Clinic.
A higher risk of thrombosis has been described as a prominent feature of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This systematic review synthesizes current data on thrombosis risk, prognostic implications, and anticoagulation effects in COVID-19. We included 37 studies from 4070 unique citations. ⋯ Coagulopathy and thrombotic events were frequent among patients with COVID-19 and further increased in those with more severe forms of the disease. We also present guidance on the prevention and management of thrombosis from a multidisciplinary panel of specialists from Mayo Clinic. The current certainty of evidence is generally very low and continues to evolve.