Articles: pandemics.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Nov 2020
Multicenter Study Observational StudyThe longitudinal impact of COVID-19 pandemic on neurosurgical practice.
This observational cross-sectional multicenter study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on neurosurgical practice. ⋯ Our study demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic decreased the number of procedures performed in neurosurgery practice. The load of emergency neurosurgery procedures did not change throughout the three periods, which reflects the need to designate ample resources to cover emergencies. Notably, with strict screening for COVID -19 infections, neurosurgical procedures could be safely performed during the early pandemic phase. We recommend to restart performing neurosurgical procedures once the pandemic gets stabilized to avoid possible post pandemic health-care system intolerable overload.
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Multicenter Study
Use of tocilizumab in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with coronavirus infection is related to a cytokine storm with large interleukin-6 (IL-6) release. The IL-6-receptor blocker tocilizumab may control the aberrant host immune response in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this pandemic, kidney transplant (KT) recipients are a high-risk population for severe infection and showed poor outcomes. ⋯ Each mg/L of CRP soon after tocilizumab increased the risk of death by 1% (HR 1.01 [confidence interval 1.004-1.024], P = .003). Although patients who died presented with worse respiratory situation at admission, this was not significantly different at tocilizumab administration and did not have an impact on outcome in the multivariate analysis. Tocilizumab may be effective in controlling cytokine storm in COVID-19 but randomized trials are needed.
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Multicenter Study
Neurosurgical Procedures and Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case-Control Multi-Center Study.
Quantitative documentation of the effects of outbreaks, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, is limited in neurosurgery. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on neurosurgical practice and to determine whether surgical procedures are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. ⋯ During the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall number of neurosurgical procedures declined, but the load of emergency procedures remained the same, thus highlighting the need to allocate sufficient resources for emergencies. More importantly, performing neurosurgical procedures during the pandemic in regions with limited effects of the outbreak on the health care system was safe. Our findings may aid in developing guidelines for acute and long-term care during pandemics in surgical subspecialties.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Nov 2020
Multicenter Study Observational StudyCompliance Phenotypes in Early ARDS Before the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Rationale: A novel model of phenotypes based on set thresholds of respiratory system compliance (Crs) was recently postulated in context of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In particular, the dissociation between the degree of hypoxemia and Crs was characterized as a distinct ARDS phenotype. Objectives: To determine whether such Crs-based phenotypes existed among patients with ARDS before the COVID-19 pandemic and to closely examine the Crs-mortality relationship. ⋯ PaO2/FiO2 and Crs were dissociated. Lower Crs was independently associated with higher mortality. The Crs-mortality relationship lacked a clear transition threshold.
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G Ital Cardiol (Rome) · Nov 2020
Multicenter Study[Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on structural heart interventions in Italy].
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to deferral of many non-urgent procedures in most healthcare systems worldwide. With this study we aimed to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on interventional treatment of structural heart disease (SHD) in Italy. ⋯ The COVID-19 pandemic caused a 79% drop in SHI volumes in Italy. PFO closure, LAAO and PMVR decreased more significantly as compared to TAVR. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of this reduction on outcomes of patients with SHD.