Internal and emergency medicine
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Safety and effectiveness of biosimilar enoxaparin (Inhixa) for the prevention of thromboembolism in medical and surgical inpatients.
In 2016, biosimilar enoxaparin (Inhixa®, Techdow) was introduced in European markets with the same indications as branded enoxaparin (Clexane®, Sanofi). Its use is constantly increasing in clinical practice, however, little information from post-marketing clinical trials is available on its safety and effectiveness. We conducted an observational, retrospective study to assess the safety and effectiveness of Inhixa in preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) in medically ill patients and in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. ⋯ The pooled estimate of the incidence of major bleeding with Clexane was 0.5% (IC 95%: 0.2-1.1) in medical patients and 2.6% (IC 95% 1.3-5.1) in surgical patients. The incidence of thrombotic events was 0.6% (IC 95%: 0.2-1.8) and 0.7% (CI95% 0.3-1.6), respectively. The incidence of bleeding and thrombosis in medical and surgical patients receiving Inhixa was low suggesting biosimilar enoxaparin is a valid alternative to branded enoxaparin.
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Multicenter Study
Disorders of sodium balance and its clinical implications in COVID-19 patients: a multicenter retrospective study.
The worldwide spread of SARS-CoV-2 has infected millions of people leading to over 0.3 million mortalities. The disruption of sodium homeostasis, tends to be a common occurrence in patients with COVID-19. ⋯ Sodium balance disorder, particularly hyponatremia, is a common condition among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Hubei, China, and it is associated with a higher risk of severe illness and increased in-hospital mortality.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Clinical risk scores for the early prediction of severe outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19.
Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with severe acute respiratory failure. Early identification of high-risk COVID-19 patients is crucial. We aimed to derive and validate a simple score for the prediction of severe outcomes. ⋯ The LASSO selection identified 6 variables (age, history of coronary heart disease, CRP, AST, D-dimer, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio) and resulted in the best performing score with an area under the curve of 0.79 in the derivation cohort and 0.80 in the validation cohort. Using a cut-off of 7 out of 13 points, sensitivity was 0.93, specificity 0.34, positive predictive value 0.59, and negative predictive value 0.82. The proposed score can identify patients at low risk for severe outcome who can be safely managed in a low-intensity setting after hospital admission for COVID-19.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Using gel for difficult mask ventilation on the bearded patients: a simulation-based study.
The beard is a well-known cause of difficult mask ventilation due to excessive air leaks. Various techniques have been proposed to overcome this difficulty, such as applying a gel on the mask edge. Our objective was to determine whether the gel technique will improve ventilation and to assess the comfort of the provider. ⋯ In addition, only nine participants believed the technique was not comfortable, while the remaining individuals found it comfortable or natural. In our bearded simulation model, applying the gel significantly improved ventilation without negatively affecting comfort. Further studies and education are encouraged in the field of basic airway management.
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Observational Study
Anakinra after treatment with corticosteroids alone or with tocilizumab in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and moderate hyperinflammation. A retrospective cohort study.
Little evidence appears to exist for the use of anakinra, a recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, after non-response to treatment with corticosteroids alone or combined with tocilizumab in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and moderate hyperinflammatory state. ⋯ In patients with moderate hyperinflammatory state associated with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, treatment with anakinra after non-response to corticosteroids or corticosteroids plus tocilizumab therapy may be an option for the management of these patients and may improve their prognosis.