Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is associated with hypercoagulability and increased thrombotic risk in critically ill patients. To our knowledge, no studies have evaluated whether aspirin use is associated with reduced risk of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and in-hospital mortality. METHODS: A retrospective, observational cohort study of adult patients admitted with COVID-19 to multiple… Continue reading #Aspirin Use Is Associated With Decreased Mechanical Ventilation, Intensive Care Unit Admission, and In-Hospital Mortality in Hospitalized Patients With #Coronavirus Disease 2019
Category: Infectivology
Utility of bedside leucocyte esterase testing to rule out septic #arthritis
Suspected septic arthritis is a common presentation to EDs. The underlying diagnosis is often non-infective pathology. Differentiating between aetiologies is difficult. A bedside test with high negative predictive value (NPV) may allow safe discharge of patients, reduce the time in the ED, hospital admission and associated costs. This study aims to evaluate the NPV of… Continue reading Utility of bedside leucocyte esterase testing to rule out septic #arthritis
Empiric #antibiotics for community-acquired #pneumonia in adult patients: a systematic review and a network meta-analysis
The main aim of this network meta-analysis is to identify the empiric antibiotic (Em-ATB) with the highest probability of being the best (HPBB) in terms of (1) cure rate and (2) mortality rate in hospitalised patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) . Method Inclusion criteria: (1) adult patients (>16 years old) diagnosed with CAP that required… Continue reading Empiric #antibiotics for community-acquired #pneumonia in adult patients: a systematic review and a network meta-analysis
Circulating Vitamin #D levels status and clinical prognostic indices in #COVID-19 patients
Several immune mechanisms activate in COVID-19 pathogenesis. Usually, coronavirus infection is characterized by dysregulated host immune responses, interleukine-6 increase, hyper-activation of cytotoxic CD8 T lymphocytes. Interestingly, Vitamin D deficiency has been often associated with altered immune responses and infections. In the present study, we evaluated Vitamin D plasma levels in patients affected with different lung… Continue reading Circulating Vitamin #D levels status and clinical prognostic indices in #COVID-19 patients
Assessment of protection against #reinfection with #SARS-CoV-2 among 4 million PCR-tested individuals in Denmark in 2020: a population-level observational study
The degree to which infection with SARS-CoV-2 confers protection towards subsequent reinfection is not well described. In 2020, as part of Denmark's extensive, free-of-charge PCR-testing strategy, approximately 4 million individuals (69% of the population) underwent 10·6 million tests. Using these national PCR-test data from 2020, we estimated protection towards repeat infection with SARS-CoV-2. Methods In… Continue reading Assessment of protection against #reinfection with #SARS-CoV-2 among 4 million PCR-tested individuals in Denmark in 2020: a population-level observational study
Impact of the #COVID-19 Vaccine on Asymptomatic #Infection Among Patients Undergoing Pre-Procedural COVID-19 Molecular Screening
Several vaccines are now clinically available under emergency use authorization in the United States and have demonstrated efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19. The impact of vaccines on asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection is largely unknown. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of consecutive, asymptomatic adult patients (n = 39,156) within a large United States healthcare system who… Continue reading Impact of the #COVID-19 Vaccine on Asymptomatic #Infection Among Patients Undergoing Pre-Procedural COVID-19 Molecular Screening
Low #Zinc Levels at Admission Associates with Poor Clinical Outcomes in #SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Background: Zinc is an essential micronutrient that impacts host–pathogen interplay at infection. Zinc balances immune responses, and also has a proven direct antiviral action against some viruses. Importantly, zinc deficiency (ZD) is a common condition in elderly and individuals with chronic diseases, two groups with an increased risk for severe severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)… Continue reading Low #Zinc Levels at Admission Associates with Poor Clinical Outcomes in #SARS-CoV-2 Infection
#Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis prevents major infective episodes in patients with systemic #lupus erythematosus on immunosuppressants: A non-concurrent cohort study
Prophylactic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) prevents pneumocystis jirovecii infection in SLE on immunosuppression. Its role in preventing other major infections in immuno suppressed SLE patients is unknown. Methods A non-concurrent cohort study was conducted on patients of SLE fulfilling SLICC and/or ACR 1997 criteria, who received tapering dose of steroid starting with ≥0.5 mg/kg/day of prednisolone or equivalent… Continue reading #Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis prevents major infective episodes in patients with systemic #lupus erythematosus on immunosuppressants: A non-concurrent cohort study
Short-Course #Antimicrobial Therapy for Pediatric Community-Acquired #Pneumonia The SAFER Randomized Clinical Trial
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common occurrence in childhood; consequently, evidence-based recommendations for its treatment are required. Objective To determine whether 5 days of high-dose amoxicillin for CAP was associated with noninferior rates of clinical cure compared with 10 days of high-dose amoxicillin. Design, Setting, and Participants The SAFER (Short-Course Antimicrobial Therapy for Pediatric Respiratory… Continue reading Short-Course #Antimicrobial Therapy for Pediatric Community-Acquired #Pneumonia The SAFER Randomized Clinical Trial
2 Medical News 