Articles: coronavirus.
-
The disruptions of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impacted the delivery and utilization of healthcare services with potential long-term implications for population health and the hospital workforce. Using electronic health record data from over 700 US acute care hospitals, we documented changes in admissions to hospital service areas (inpatient, observation, emergency room [ER], and same-day surgery) during 2019-2020 and examined whether surges of COVID-19 hospitalizations corresponded with increased inpatient disease severity and death rate. ⋯ Infectious disease admissions increased by 52%. The monthly measures of inpatient case mix index, length of stay, and non-COVID death rate were higher in all months in 2020 compared with respective months in 2019.
-
Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Dec 2022
At what frequency of vaccination do the vaccinated potentially pose an equal risk to the unvaccinated for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 inside restaurants in New York City?
From August 2021 to 7 March 2022, New York City prohibited indoor dining in restaurants selectively for persons who had not received a Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. However, vaccinated persons may also be actively infected and potentially transmit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV‑2). Based on assuming a 7:1 ratio of COVID-19 cases in New York State for the unvaccinated versus the vaccinated, it can be estimated that when 87.5% of adults in New York City are vaccinated, the rate of unsuspected SARS-CoV‑2 infections (asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic) among vaccinated adults going to restaurants would be equivalent to that for the unvaccinated.
-
Colchicine, because of its anti-inflammatory and possible anti-viral properties, has been proposed as potential therapeutic option for COVID-19. The role of colchicine to mitigate "cytokine storm" and to decrease the severity and mortality associated with COVID-19 has been evaluated in many studies. ⋯ Based on the available data, colchicine shall not be recommended to treat COVID-19. Further high-quality and multi-center RCTs are required to assess the meaningful impact of this drug in COVID-19.KEY MESSAGESColchicine, an anti-inflammatory agent has demonstrated anti-viral properties in in-vitro studies by degrading the microtubules, as well as by inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.Colchicine has been studied as a potential therapeutic option for COVID-19, with variable results.Until further research can establish the efficacy of colchicine in COVID-19, the use of colchicine in COVID-19 shall be restricted to clinical trials.
-
To describe different strategies adopted during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic to cope with the shortage of mechanical ventilators. ⋯ The experience and evidence gained during the current pandemic is of paramount importance for physicians and law-makers to plan in advance an appropriate response to any future similar crisis. Intensive care unit, hospital, national and international policies can all be improved to build systems capable of treating an unexpectedly large number of patients, while keeping a high standard of safety.