Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Critical Care for August 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
FDA Could Green-Light COVID-19 Vaccines Before Clinical Trials Completed
MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Emergency use authorization (EUA) or approval for a COVID-19 vaccine before phase 3 clinical trials are complete could be considered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to the agency’s commissioner, Stephen Hahn, M.D.
Community-Level Factors Explain Some Racial Disparities in COVID-19
MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Community-level factors explain some, but not all, racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 rates in Massachusetts, according to a report published online Aug. 27 in Health Affairs.
Physician’s Briefing Weekly Coronavirus Roundup
Here is what the editors at Physician’s Briefing chose as the most important COVID-19 developments for you and your practice for the week of Aug. 24 to 28, 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Model Says COVID-19 Deaths Could Surpass 317,000 by December
FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A widely cited model for COVID-19 deaths in the United States predicts a total of 317,000 deaths by December.
Low Rates of Severe Disease, Death Reported for Children With COVID-19
FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Severe disease and death appear to be rare among children and young people hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, according to an observational study in the United Kingdom published online Aug. 27 in The BMJ.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Mortality, Intubation Rates Lower With Anticoagulation in COVID-19
FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, anticoagulation (AC) is associated with reduced mortality and intubation, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Early Use of Empiric Antibacterial Therapy Common in COVID-19
FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Early empiric antibacterial therapy use is high in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
COVID-19 Infection May Initially Present as Acute Pancreatitis
FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Acute pancreatitis may be a gastrointestinal manifestation of COVID-19, according to research published online Aug. 26 in Gastroenterology.
Maine Summer Camps Identified, Isolated COVID-19 Cases
THURSDAY, Aug. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Three COVID-19-positive people with no symptoms were successfully identified and isolated at four overnight camps in Maine, according to research published in the Aug. 26 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Metabolic Syndrome Linked to Worse Outcomes in COVID-19
THURSDAY, Aug. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with a lethal outcome for patients with COVID-19, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in Diabetes Care.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Admissions for Stroke, TIA Down Early in COVID-19 Pandemic
THURSDAY, Aug. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Admissions for stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) have decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in Stroke and Vascular Neurology.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Risk for COVID-19 Hospitalization Follows Usual Pattern in Lupus
THURSDAY, Aug. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), predictors of hospitalization include race, presence of comorbidity, and body mass index, according to a study published online July 26 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Changes to CDC COVID-19 Testing Guidelines Trigger Concern
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Experts are alarmed about revised U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines advising that people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19 do not need to be tested, even if they have recently been exposed to the new coronavirus.
U.S. Nursing Home Staff Must Be Tested Regularly for COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Nursing home staff will have to be tested regularly for COVID-19, and facilities that fail to do so will face fines, the Trump administration said Tuesday.
AHA Details How to Lower Stroke Risk During, After Heart Surgery
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a scientific statement issued by the American Heart Association and published online Aug. 26 in Circulation, recommendations are presented for reducing the risk for perioperative stroke in adults undergoing cardiac and thoracic aortic operations.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Increase in Hospital Bed Use Tied to COVID-19 Deaths in Seven Days
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU bed use as a percentage of a state’s hospital bed capacity is significantly associated with an increase in overall COVID-19 deaths during the next seven days, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Nurse Understaffing Common in Hospitals Prior to COVID-19
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Many hospital nurses in Illinois and New York were burned out and working in understaffed conditions immediately prior to the first wave of COVID-19 patients, according to a study published online Aug. 18 in BMJ Quality & Safety.
Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Asymptomatic Children Identified
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The pooled prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV02) in asymptomatic children is 0.65 percent and is significantly associated with the incidence of COVID-19 in the general population, according to a research letter published online Aug. 25 in JAMA Pediatrics.
WHO: Plasma Therapy for COVID-19 Still Experimental
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The use of blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors to treat patients hospitalized with the disease is still considered experimental, the World Health Organization said the day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it would allow emergency use of the therapy.
Return to Hospital Infrequent After COVID-19 Admission
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Return to hospital after discharge for inpatients with COVID-19 is infrequent, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Heart Events Observed for ~12 Percent of Adults Hospitalized With Flu
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Among adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza, 11.7 percent have an acute cardiovascular event, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Staffing, PPE Shortages Continue in U.S. Nursing Homes
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — One in five U.S. nursing homes reports a severe shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and any shortage of staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report published online Aug. 20 in Health Affairs.
Widespread Mask Use Could Save 70,000 U.S. Lives by Dec. 1
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There could be another 134,000 COVID-19 deaths in the United States by Dec. 1 if no new prevention measures are introduced, and the number of deaths could be much higher if rules are relaxed, researchers report. However, they also said that 70,000 lives could be saved if more people wore masks, CNN reported.
World’s First Confirmed Case of COVID-19 Reinfection Reported in Hong Kong
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The world’s first confirmed case of reinfection with the new coronavirus has been reported in Hong Kong.
Pop Concert Held to Learn More About COVID-19 Spread
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — About 1,500 people attended a pop concert in Germany to help researchers learn how the new coronavirus spreads in such situations.
FDA Approves Wider Use of Plasma as COVID-19 Treatment
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Sunday cleared the way for more hospitalized COVID-19 patients to be treated with the blood plasma of COVID-19 survivors.
The New York Times Article
More Information
Clinical Impact of Remdesivir in Moderate COVID-19 Unclear
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patients with moderate COVID-19 receiving a five-day course of remdesivir have a statistically significant difference in clinical status compared with usual care, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Physician’s Briefing Weekly Coronavirus Roundup
Here is what the editors at Physician’s Briefing chose as the most important COVID-19 developments for you and your practice for the week of Aug. 17 to 21, 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
White House Blocks FDA’s Power to Regulate Lab Tests
FRIDAY, Aug. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The Trump administration has blocked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from regulating a wide swath of laboratory tests, including ones for COVID-19.
Extract From Deadly Plant Touted as COVID-19 Cure
FRIDAY, Aug. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Experts have slammed claims by a major Trump donor that an extract from a deadly plant is a cure for COVID-19.
Incidence of COVID-19 Up for American Indians, Alaska Natives
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The overall incidence of COVID-19 is increased among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons in the United States, according to research published in the Aug. 19 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
SARS-CoV-2 Nasopharyngeal Load Higher in Children Than Adults
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have the highest nasopharyngeal viral load in the first two days of symptoms, according to a study published online Aug. 20 in The Journal of Pediatrics.
Disparities Seen in COVID-19 Hospitalizations in Racial/Ethnic Subgroups
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There are considerable disparities in the prevalence of COVID-19 across racial/ethnic subgroups in the United States, according to a research letter published online Aug. 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
FDA Emergency Approval on Hold for Blood Plasma to Treat COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration emergency approval of blood plasma as a COVID-19 treatment was put on hold last week after senior federal health officials said data supporting the therapy were too weak.
Disparities Seen in COVID-19 Hot Spots for Racial, Ethnic Minority Groups
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Disparities in COVID-19 cases are seen in one or more underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in almost all hot spots in the United States, according to research published in the Aug. 14 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
COVID-19 Spread Among Students Prompts UNC to Return to Online Teaching
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a potential harbinger of what could unfold on college campuses across the United States this fall, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said Monday it will revert back to online teaching after testing showed a rapid spread of COVID-19 among students.
COVID-19 Cases Rebound Sharply in U.S. Nursing Homes
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 cases in U.S. nursing homes rose nearly 80 percent earlier this summer, and the vast majority of them occurred in Sunbelt states, a new study shows.
Mortality Down but Health Care Costs Up From Gun Violence
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2005 to 2016, there was a decrease in gunshot wound (GSW) mortality, accompanied by increasing mean costs, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
CV Risk Factors, Comorbidity Tied to COVID-19 CV Complications
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients hospitalized with COVID-19, preexisting cardiovascular comorbidities or risk factors (RFs) are associated with cardiovascular complications, which contribute to mortality, according to a meta-analysis published online Aug. 14 in PLOS ONE.
Hospital Visitation, Communication Policies Evolving Due to COVID-19
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patient visitation policies and clinician communication methods in hospitals have undergone a major overhaul, according to a letter to the editor published online July 20 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Physician’s Briefing Weekly Coronavirus Roundup
Withdrawal From Medetomidine Increasingly Seen in ICUs 
NEWS2 Scores Can ID Patients With Suspected Sepsis Needing Timely Treatment .jpeg)
Flu Treatment With Oseltamivir Linked to Reduced Risk for Pediatric ICU Admissions, Length of Stay 
Therapeutic Hypothermia Duration Explored in Comatose OHCA Survivors 
Autonomous Oxygen Titration Increases Proportion of Time in Normoxemia 
Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation May Offer Long-Term Cardiovascular Benefits in OSA 
High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C May Benefit Trauma Patients 
Smartphone-Based Heart Rhythm Monitoring Reduces Same-Day Cancellations 
.jpg)
