Articles: coronavirus.
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Diagnostics (Basel) · Jan 2021
ReviewThe Role of TEG Analysis in Patients with COVID-19-Associated Coagulopathy: A Systematic Review.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated coagulopathy (CAC), characterized by hypercoagulability and an increased risk of thrombotic complications, is an important consideration in the management of patients with COVID-19. As COVID-19 is a new disease, no standard of care for the diagnosis or management of its associated coagulopathy is yet established. Whole blood viscoelastic tests, such as thromboelastography (TEG® hemostasis analyzer), analyze whole blood to provide a complete overview of the coagulation status. ⋯ Furthermore, utilization of thromboelastography in this patient population was shown to predict thrombotic complications. The benefits of thromboelastography presented here, in addition to advantages compared with laboratory coagulation tests, position thromboelastography as an important opportunity for optimizing diagnosis of CAC and improving patient management in COVID-19. Given that the benefits of thromboelastography have already been demonstrated in several other clinical applications, we anticipate that clinical data from future studies in patients with COVID-19 will further elucidate the optimal use of thromboelastography in this patient population.
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Indication for invasive mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 pneumonia has been a major challenge. This study aimed to evaluate if lung ultrasound (LUS) can assist identification of requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation in moderate to severe COVID-19 pneumonia. ⋯ LUS-score had only a moderate diagnostic value for requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation in moderate to severe COVID-19. However, LUS proved valuable as complement to respiratory parameters in guidance of disease severity and identifying critical coexisting conditions.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jan 2021
Meta AnalysisRegional and Chronological Variation of Chemosensory Dysfunction in COVID-19: a Meta-Analysis.
Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction are frequently reported in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the reported prevalence of olfactory and/or gustatory dysfunction varies widely, and the reason for the inter-study differences is unclear. Hence, in this meta-analysis, we performed subgroup analyses to investigate the factors that contribute to the inter-study variability in the prevalence of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. ⋯ The regional and chronological differences in the prevalence rates of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions partly explain the wide inter-study variability.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic is a global health crisis that has culminated in thousands of deaths. In order to reduce the spread of Sars-CoV-2 virus, governments of several countries have adopted social isolation as a strategy. However, social isolation has culminated in deleterious effects for the population's health, including increased physical inactivity, stress and, consequently, adverse changes in body composition, cardiorespiratory capacity, muscle strength, physical functionality, and vascular events, which are increasingly pointed out as the main determinants of cardiovascular health. Staying physically active during lockdown is a challenge, especially for the population with a higher risk of mortality from COVID-19 who are still encouraged to maintain social distance until there is a vaccine available. Strategies to avoid physical inactivity, and reduce stress levels can promote cardiovascular protection, and must be considered during COVID-19 time. ⋯ A home-based training protocol could be an interesting and effective strategy for the population who need to remain physically active and safe at home.
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Am J Health Syst Pharm · Jan 2021
Advancing ambulatory pharmacy practice through a crisis: Objectives and strategies used in an ambulatory care action team's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an effort to expedite the publication of articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AJHP is posting these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. ⋯ Building a strong communication infrastructure and a pharmacy ambulatory action team were essential to respond to a crisis and continue ambulatory clinical pharmacy services expansion.