The Effect of Hydroxychloroquine on Mortality and Pneumonia Development in SARS-Cov-2 Positive Mildly Symptomatic Outpatients without Findings of Pneumonia

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara A ◽  
◽  
Guner R ◽  
Erdinç S ◽  
Korukoglu G ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Group ◽  
Health Information System ◽  
Early Period ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Shortness Of Breath ◽  
Early Use ◽  
Lung Auscultation ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Although a period longer than 10 months has passed since the detection of the first cases in and more than 40 million people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 worldwide, there is still no well-accepted and proven treatment choice for the novel coronavirus disease. This study aimed to retrospectively investigate cases in whom treatment had started due to detected as positive during screening and also having shown signs including fever, cough, shortness of breath, excessive malaise, fatigue or loss of smell-taste, without any findings of pneumonia between March 11, 2020, when the first cases were detected in Turkey, and the beginning of May, 2020. A total of 19.276 SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive outpatients, within the first 48 hours of detection and had no findings in lung auscultation or radiology, were detected from the data of Health Information System. 9559 patients were males (49.6%) and 9717 were females (50.4%). An underlying disease considered in the risk group for COVID-19 was found in 1789 of the patients (8.8%). An underlying disease was present in 9.4% using hydroxychloroquine and in 9% not using hydroxychloroquine. 43 deaths (0.2%) were detected among all cases. Mortality in cases using and not using hydroxychloroquine was respectively 5 (in 12.293 cases) and 38 (in 6.983 cases). It was confirmed that pneumonia developed in 2.080 of the patients (10.8%). This number was found as 1286 (10.5%) in cases using HQ and as 794 (11.4%) in cases not using HQ. In conclusion, since this study confirmed that hydroxychloroquine used in outpatients presenting in the early period without any symptoms of pneumonia can ensure survival and prevent pneumonia development particularly in young adults, we may speculate that the early use of hydroxychloroquine in mildly symptomatic patients results in a cost-effective and potent treatment.

scholarly journals A Bittersweet Memoir

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-135
Author(s):  
Anita Y. N. Lim
Keyword(s):  
Video Clip ◽  
Early Period ◽  
General Medicine ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
The Novel ◽  
National University ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract I wrote this journal in March 2020 prior to the World Health Organization declaring the COVID-19 infection as a worldwide pandemic on March 11. The situation in Singapore was unfolding even as public healthcare institutions were tasked to lead the charge to contain the novel coronavirus as it was then called. This journal describes my experiences and impressions during my work in an isolation ward at the National University Hospital during this early period. I was to be catapulted into Pandemic Team 3 in the second and third weeks of February 2020. The urgency of hospital measures to respond to the novel coronavirus meant that the general medicine consultant roster which I was on was hijacked to support the pandemic wards. I thought wryly to myself that it was a stroke of genius to commandeer the ready-made roster of senior physicians; it would have been difficult for the roster monster to solicit senior physicians to volunteer when there were still so many unknowns about this virus. Graphic images of the dire situation in Wuhan, China, were circulating widely on social media. It was heart-wrenching to read of Dr. Li Wen Liang’s death. He had highlighted the mysterious pneumonia-causing virus. The video clip of him singing at a karaoke session that went viral underscored the tragedy of a young life cut short. Questions raced in my mind. “Are we helpless to prevent the spread of this virus?” “Is the situation in China to be replicated here in Singapore?” This seemed incredulous, yet, might it be possible? The immediate responses that jumped up within me was “yes, it’s possible, but let’s pray not. Whatever has to be done, must be done.”

Who Counts? Old Age in COVID Times

2020 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 745-757
Author(s):  
Jane F. Thrailkill
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Risk Group ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Congregate Care ◽  
Structural Inequalities

Abstract People over sixty-five have been singled out as a uniquely vulnerable risk group for the novel coronavirus. Yet the discourse of risk obscures (and exacerbates) socially created dangers of congregate care in the United States: poorly paid workers holding down multiple jobs and the endemic “plagues” of loneliness, boredom, and hopelessness. Humorous memes about who counts as old point out structural inequalities, while millions of able-bodied “shut-ins” (due to lockdowns and job losses) may experience forced empathy: fuel for new imaginings about how to care for—and value—elders moving forward.

scholarly journals Severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Patients with Cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-126
Author(s):  
Zahraa Qusairy ◽  
Miran Rada
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
Therapeutic Agents ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Supportive Treatment ◽  
Plasma Therapy ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has appeared to be one of the biggest global health threats worldwide with no specific therapeutic agents. As of August 2020, over 22.4 million confirmed cases and more than 788,000 deaths have been reported globally, and the toll is expected to increase before the pandemic is over. Given the aggressive nature of their underlying disease, cancer patients seem to be more vulnerable to COVID-19 and various studies have confirmed this hypothesis. Herein, we review the current information regarding the role of cancer in SARS-CoV-2 infections. Moreover, we discuss the effective supportive treatment options for COVID-19 including Dexamethasone, Tocilizumab and Remdesivir and convalescent plasma therapy (CPT), as well as discuss their efficacy in COVID-19 patients with cancer.

Implementation of a Mobile App to Facilitate Socially-Distanced Hospital Communication and Patient Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emeka C. Anyanwu ◽  
R. Parker Ward ◽  
Atman Shah ◽  
Vineet Arora ◽  
Craig Umscheid
Keyword(s):  
Call Center ◽  
Early Period ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
Hospital Policies ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Observation Period

BACKGROUND The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly altered the delivery of healthcare, requiring clinicians and hospitals to adapt to rapidly changing hospital policies, as well as social distancing guidelines. To help address these challenges, we adapted an existing mobile app to communicate hospital policies, as well as enable direct communication between clinical team members and hospitalized patients. OBJECTIVE To describe the features and utilization of a novel mobile application. METHODS We implemented moblMD, a mobile app for iOS and Android. We worked with our Hospital Incident Command System to identify key policies to distribute using the app. The app was also populated with a searchable directory of numbers to patient bedside phones and hospital locations. We monitored anonymized user activity from February 1 – July 31, 2020. RESULTS Following its announcement the app was downloaded by a total of 1104 clinicians during the observation period, with 504 downloads within 72 hours of the first announcement. Review of COVID policies using the app was most common during the first week. Users made sustained use of hospital phone dialing features throughout the observation period and its use mirrored hospital activity and call center volume trends. CONCLUSIONS We were able to rapidly develop and deploy a communication-focused mobile app in the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic that has demonstrated initial and sustained value for clinicians in communicating with inpatients and each other in the context of social distancing.

scholarly journals Trends in Ophthalmology Resident Operative Experience and the Early Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (02) ◽  
pp. e200-e209
Author(s):  
Andreas K. Lauer ◽  
Sophia M. Chung ◽  
Daniel C. Tu ◽  
Jeffrey R. SooHoo ◽  
John R. Potts
Keyword(s):  
Cataract Surgery ◽  
Early Period ◽  
Glaucoma Surgery ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Operative Experience ◽  
Case Logs ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to evaluate trends in ophthalmology resident operative experience and the early impact of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Design Present study is a retrospective analysis of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Case Log System. Participants Anonymized graduating resident case logs from 2011 to 2020 academic years (AYs) were examined for this study. Methods Regression analysis for each procedure category was performed to identify trends between 2011 and 2019 AYs. Unpaired two-tailed t-test compared 2018 to 2019 and 2019 to 2020 AY's for each category surgeon (S) and as surgeon and assistant (S + A). Main Outcome Measures Mean and median cases as (S) and (S + A) during 2011 to 2019 AYs. Comparison between 2018 to 2019 and 2019 to 2020 AY's for each category as (S) and (S + A) to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Total ophthalmology procedures as (S) rose from a mean of 479.6 to 601.3 (p < 0.001; R 2 = 0.96; Δ/year = 16.9) and a median of 444 to 537 (p < 0.001; R 2 = 0.97; Δ/year = 13.1). Total procedures as (S + A) rose from a mean of 698.1 to 768 (p < 0.01; R 2 = 0.83; Δ/year = 9.07) and a median of 677 to 734 (p < 0.05; R 2 = 0.61; Δ/year = 6.64). Cataract procedures as (S) rose from a mean of 152.8 to 208 (p < 0.001; R 2 = 0.99; Δ/year = 7.98) and a median of 146 to 197 (p < 0.001; R 2 = 0.97; Δ/year = 7.87). Cataract procedures as both (S + A) rose from a mean 231.4 to 268.7 (p < 0.001; R 2 = 0.95; Δ/year = 5.5) and a median of 213 to 254 (p < 0.001; R 2 = 0.93; Δ/year = 5.33). Between 2018 to 2019 and 2019 to 2020 AYs, the first pandemic year was associated with significant reductions in total procedures (601.3–533.7 [p < 0.0001]) as (S) and 768.0 to 694.4 (p < 0.0001) as (S + A), cataract surgery (208–162.2 [p < 0.0001]) as (S) and 268.7 to 219.1 (p < 0.0001) as (S + A), and glaucoma surgery (16.3–14.2 [p = 0.0068]) as (S) and 25.6 to 22.6 (p = 0.0063) as (S + A). Conclusion During 2011 to 2019 AYs, cataract, intravitreal injections, glaucoma, and total procedures increased significantly. During the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic (2019–2020 AY), national halting of elective procedures had a precipitous effect on resident cataract surgery experience to volumes similar to 2013 to 2014 AY where the mean was twice the current required minimum number. With few exceptions, other procedure volumes remained stable.

scholarly journals Vaccination for the novel coronavirus disease in hematological disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Tuphan Kanti Dolai ◽  
Ankita Sen
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Post Vaccination ◽  
Hematological Disorders ◽  
Disease Outcomes ◽  
Disease Condition ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Response Post

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is now an ongoing pandemic. First detected in December 2019 at Wuhan, China, this disease has now spread to all parts of the world. COVID-19 may affect anyone, without regard for age, sex, or underlying disease condition. Patients with benign or malignant diseases when affected, usually have a more severe outcome than people without comorbidities. Increasing one’s immunity by vaccination against COVID-19 will help to improve the disease outcomes of COVID-19 in patients who already have some underlying disease. The live-attenuated or killed and recombinant viral protein vaccines currently available can elicit both humoral and cellular immunities. However, in immunocompromised patients (either due to the disease pathology or treatment-related immunosuppression), immune response may not be as effective as expected. Depending on the underlying disease pathogenesis, the patient may not be able to mount an adequate immune response post-vaccination. However, in view of the severe risks posed by COVID-19 disease, vaccination is of utmost importance. This review aims at understanding the importance of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients with hematological disorders, and also aims to understand the side effects which arise post-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. We have tried to ascertain the best way to vaccinate patients with hematological disorders.

scholarly journals Mathematical modelling and optimal cost-effective control of COVID-19 transmission dynamics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Olaniyi ◽  
O.S. Obabiyi ◽  
K.O. Okosun ◽  
A.T. Oladipo ◽  
S.O. Adewale
Keyword(s):  
Basic Reproduction Number ◽  
Least Squares Method ◽  
Reproduction Number ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Cumulative Number ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Disease Free ◽  
The Basic Reproduction Number

Abstract The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by a new strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains the current global health challenge. In this paper, an epidemic model based on system of ordinary differential equations is formulated by taking into account the transmission routes from symptomatic, asymptomatic and hospitalized individuals. The model is fitted to the corresponding cumulative number of hospitalized individuals (active cases) reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and parameterized using the least squares method. The basic reproduction number which measures the potential spread of COVID-19 in the population is computed using the next generation operator method. Further, Lyapunov function is constructed to investigate the stability of the model around a disease-free equilibrium point. It is shown that the model has a globally asymptotically stable disease-free equilibrium if the basic reproduction number of the novel coronavirus transmission is less than one. Sensitivities of the model to changes in parameters are explored. It is revealed further that the basic reproduction number can be brought to a value less than one in Nigeria, if the current effective transmission rate of the disease can be reduced by 50%. Otherwise, the number of active cases may get up to 2.5% of the total estimated population. In addition, two time-dependent control variables, namely preventive and management measures, are considered to mitigate the damaging effects of the disease using Pontryagin's maximum principle. The most cost-effective control measure is determined through cost-effectiveness analysis. Numerical simulations of the overall system are implemented in MatLab® for demonstration of the theoretical results.

Long COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-268
Author(s):  
Yulia G. Belotserkovskaya ◽  
◽  
Anna G. Romanovskikh ◽  
Igor P. Smirnov ◽  
Alexander I. Sinopalnikov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Frame ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Shortness Of Breath ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Clinical Disorders ◽  
Persistent Fatigue ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Long Term Consequences ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The term “long COVID-19” describes the long-term effects of the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19. Patients with severe COVID-19 who require hospitalization, as well as those who are on outpatient treatment with mild clinical forms of the disease, often report persistent fatigue, shortness of breath, pain, cough and other respiratory and extrapulmonary symptoms for weeks and months. The generally accepted time frame that separates the duration of the acute and subacute phase of infection from the long COVID-19 is 28 days. The article describes the duration and the course of clinical disorders caused by COVID-19 and their persisting after the end of the acute phase of the disease. In addition, the current understanding of the causes of long-term consequences and the possibilities of drug and non-pharmacological correction are presented.

scholarly journals Mortality Rate of Infection With COVID-19 in Korea From the Perspective of Underlying Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 384-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-Jung Kang
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Death Rate ◽  
Circulatory System ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
The Novel ◽  
First Case ◽  
Serious Disease ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Underlying Diseases ◽  
High Possibility

ABSTRACTOn December 31, 2019 the China National Health Commission (NHC) reported that an unknown cause of pneumonia had been detected in Wuhan in Hubei province. On February 12, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was given a formal name, COVID-19. On January 20, 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Korea. The age-specific death rate was the highest among patients over 70 years of age, with underlying diseases in their circulatory system, such as myocardial infarction, cerebral infraction, arrythmia, and hypertension. Patients with underlying disease who are 70 years of age or older should recognize that there is a high possibility of developing a serious disease in case of viral infection and follow strict precautions.

scholarly journals Convalescent Blood: Current Perspective on the Efficacy of a Legacy Approach in COVID-19 Treatment

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Roghayeh Sheervalilou ◽  
Milad Shirvaliloo ◽  
Saman Sargazi ◽  
Soraiya Bahari ◽  
Ramin Saravani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Transfusion ◽  
Unknown Origin ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Viral Disease ◽  
The Novel ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Current Perspective ◽  
Antiviral Medication ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Almost All

Since early 2020, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc in many societies around the world. As of the present, the SARS-CoV-2-borne disease is propagating in almost all countries, affecting hundreds of thousands of people in an unprecedented way. As the name suggests, the novel coronavirus, widely known as SARS-CoV-2, is a new emerging human pathogen. A novel disease of relatively unknown origin, COVID-19 does not seem to be amenable to the currently available medicines since there is no specific cure for the disease. In the absence of any vaccine or effective antiviral medication, we have no tools at our disposal, but the method of quarantine, be it domestic or institutional, to hinder any further progression of this outbreak. However, there is a record of physicians in the past who practiced convalescent blood transfusion. To their awe, the method seemed to be useful. It is anticipated that these contemporary methods will outdo any other vaccination process in the time being, as blood transfusion is instead a cost-effective and time-friendly technique. Following a successful trial, this new approach of contemporary nature to a viral disease may serve as an emergency intervention to intercept infectious outbreaks and prevent an impending epidemic/pandemic. In this review, we document the most recent evidence regarding the efficiency of convalescent plasma and serum therapy on SARS, MERS, and particularly COVID-19, while discussing potential advantages and possible risks of such practice.

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