Articles: coronavirus.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jul 2020
ReviewThe role and response of palliative care and hospice services in epidemics and pandemics: a rapid review to inform practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are escalating rapidly across the globe, with the mortality risk being especially high among those with existing illness and multimorbidity. This study aimed to synthesize evidence for the role and response of palliative care and hospice teams to viral epidemics/pandemics and inform the COVID-19 pandemic response. We conducted a rapid systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines in five databases. ⋯ All had an observational design. Findings were synthesized using a previously proposed framework according to systems (policies, training and protocols, communication and coordination, and data), staff (deployment, skill mix, and resilience), space (community provision and use of technology), and stuff (medicines and equipment as well as personal protective equipment). We conclude that hospice and palliative services have an essential role in the response to COVID-19 by responding rapidly and flexibly; ensuring protocols for symptom management are available, and training nonspecialists in their use; being involved in triage; considering shifting resources into the community; considering redeploying volunteers to provide psychosocial and bereavement care; facilitating camaraderie among staff and adopting measures to deal with stress; using technology to communicate with patients and carers; and adopting standardized data collection systems to inform operational changes and improve care.
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Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand · Jul 2020
ReviewMaternal and perinatal outcomes with COVID-19: A systematic review of 108 pregnancies.
The pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has exposed vulnerable populations to an unprecedented global health crisis. The knowledge gained from previous human coronavirus outbreaks suggests that pregnant women and their fetuses are particularly susceptible to poor outcomes. The objective of this study was to summarize the clinical manifestations and maternal and perinatal outcomes of COVID-19 during pregnancy. ⋯ Although the majority of mothers were discharged without any major complications, severe maternal morbidity as a result of COVID-19 and perinatal deaths were reported. Vertical transmission of the COVID-19 could not be ruled out. Careful monitoring of pregnancies with COVID-19 and measures to prevent neonatal infection are warranted.
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The 2019 Coronavirus Pandemic challenges the delivery of care for patients with head and neck cancer. An important aspect of this care has been the evolution of enhanced survivorship services, which include surveillance for recurring cancer and prevention of second primaries. The application of evidence-based approaches to the identification and management of treatment and tumor-related toxicities has embraced the use of validated patient-reported outcomes instruments, health promotion, and care coordination. In this manuscript, we describe how our multidisciplinary team of survivorship providers has accommodated to the need to provide patients with social distancing while acknowledging the importance of continued care during treatment and through the spectrum of survivorship.
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Much of the focus regarding the global pandemic of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has been on the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic complications. However, neurologic complications have arisen as an increasingly recognized area of morbidity and mortality. ⋯ When caring for COVID-19 patients, emergency medicine clinicians should be aware of the neurologic complications from COVID-19.