Chest Medicine
The U.K. approves Merck’s COVID-19 antiviral pill, calling it a world first.
5 Nov, 2021 | 09:51h | UTCThe U.K. approves Merck’s COVID-19 antiviral pill, calling it a world first – NPR
Related:
Merck to allow other nations to produce new COVID-19 antiviral.
Video: Merck’s Covid pill could transform treatment. Here’s how it works.
How antiviral pill Molnupiravir shot ahead in the COVID drug hunt.
What we know — and don’t know — about Merck’s new Covid-19 pill.
Merck’s Covid-19 pill is great news but may not be a game-changer.
Video | A Pill For COVID? A Doctor Explains Molnupiravir.
Observational study showed J&J single shot vaccine had an effectiveness of 74% against symptomatic Covid-19.
4 Nov, 2021 | 10:08h | UTCCommentaries:
Single-Dose Ad26.COV2.S Vaccine—Room for Improvement – JAMA Network Open
Real-world study shows J&J COVID-19 vaccine 74% effective – CIDRAP
Related:
CDC Guidance: Immunocompromised may need a fourth Covid-19 shot.
4 Nov, 2021 | 10:06h | UTCCommentaries:
Immunocompromised may need a fourth Covid-19 shot, CDC says – CNN
Some immunocompromised people can receive a 4th Covid shot, CDC says – NBC News
The USPSTF draft statement recommends against screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in asymptomatic adults.
4 Nov, 2021 | 09:56h | UTCChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Screening – U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
Commentary: USPSTF Still Advises Against COPD Screening for Asymptomatic Adults – HealthDay
ASH Guideline issued a conditional recommendation against routine use of outpatient anticoagulant prophylaxis in patients with COVID-19 being discharged from the hospital.
4 Nov, 2021 | 10:03h | UTC
M-A: Zinc might help to stave off respiratory infection symptoms and cut illness duration – “But quality of evidence variable, and no clarity on optimal formulation or dose”.
4 Nov, 2021 | 09:53h | UTCNews Release: Zinc might help to stave off respiratory infection symptoms and cut illness duration – BMJ
Commentary on Twitter
A zinc supplement might help stave off the symptoms of respiratory tract infections, such as coughing, congestion, and sore throat, and cut illness duration, suggests a pooled analysis of the available evidence, published in @BMJ_Open https://t.co/Nq5KadAw5y
— BMJ Group (@bmj_company) November 2, 2021
Review: The role of chest imaging in the diagnosis, management, and monitoring of Covid-19.
3 Nov, 2021 | 10:05h | UTC
RCT: Among children with community-acquired pneumonia discharged within 48 hours from the ED or hospital, lower-dose outpatient oral amoxicillin was noninferior to a higher dose, and a 3-day duration course was noninferior to 7 days.
3 Nov, 2021 | 09:56h | UTCEffect of Amoxicillin Dose and Treatment Duration on the Need for Antibiotic Re-treatment in Children With Community-Acquired Pneumonia: The CAP-IT Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA (free for a limited period)
Related:
ACP Guidance: Appropriate Use of Short-Course Antibiotics in Common Infections
RCT: 7 days of antibiotic therapy as good as 14 days for afebrile men with urinary tract infection.
Commentary on Twitter
🔥Just published🔥
CAP-IT RCT
Children w CAP discharged from ED or hospital (w/in48 hrs)
lower-dose outpatient oral amoxicillin was noninferior to higher dose& 3d was noninferior to 7 d, w regard to need for Abx re-treatment @BradSpellberg table update 🤔 https://t.co/VkxBmJaEeW pic.twitter.com/fKzpGp1XM7— Antibiotic Steward Bassam Ghanem 🅱️C🆔🅿️🌟 (@ABsteward) November 2, 2021
Consensus Statement: Preoperative management of gastrointestinal and pulmonary medications.
2 Nov, 2021 | 02:53h | UTCRelated articles from Mayo Clinic Proceedings:
Consensus Statement: Preoperative management of endocrine, hormonal, and urologic medications
Consensus statement: Preoperative management of opioid and nonopioid analgesics
Review: Preoperative Cardiac Risk Assessment
Review | Perioperative cardiac risk reduction in noncardiac surgery.
Systematic Review of Perioperative Cardiac Risk Prediction Indices
Review: Perioperative venous thromboembolism prophylaxis
Observational study suggests a third dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine can prevent severe COVID-19-related outcomes, compared with only two doses received at least 5 months before.
31 Oct, 2021 | 20:14h | UTCInvited Commentary: Boosters appear effective, but are they always needed? – The Lancet
Commentaries on Twitter
Nice analysis of boosters in @TheLancet Fri.: https://t.co/KqXInFa3a9
But I want to highlight one number:
Risk of severe disease w no booster & no coexisting conditions = 1 in 32,000 (3 per 100k).
If you have no other medical problems, this is not an urgent priority. pic.twitter.com/Qwcwsf6LIY
— David Dowdy (@davidwdowdy) October 31, 2021
Study in Israel suggests third dose of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine effective in protecting individuals against severe COVID-19-related outcomes, compared with receiving only two doses at least 5 months before. https://t.co/g3vFqVFZLI pic.twitter.com/HfbBAPY8qP
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) October 31, 2021
Adding to the body of data for booster shot effectiveness, a new @TheLancet report of over 728,000 people w/ 3 shots vs >728,000 matched controls (2 shots):
93% reduction of Covid hospitalizationshttps://t.co/cVpANpnkHs pic.twitter.com/LlBwWi2Vtw— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 30, 2021
Study shows fully vaccinated individuals can still catch SARS-CoV-2 delta variant and efficiently transmit infection in household settings, including to fully vaccinated contacts.
31 Oct, 2021 | 20:16h | UTCCommentaries:
COVID vaccines protect against Delta but don’t fully stop disease spread – CIDRAP
Covid: Double vaccinated can still spread virus at home – BBC
Commentary on Twitter
NEW—#COVID19 vaccines lower the risk of infection with the #DeltaVariant. However, infection can still be passed on in household settings after two doses.
Authors urge unvaccinated to get vaccinated & those eligible to receive a booster. 1/2 https://t.co/jq8DCK69Ww pic.twitter.com/1XzHnKCF01
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) October 28, 2021
CDC Study: COVID-19 vaccine associated with 5 times the protection of ‘natural immunity’.
31 Oct, 2021 | 20:09h | UTCCommentaries:
COVID-19 vaccine gives 5 times the protection of ‘natural immunity,’ data show – CIDRAP
COVID shots more protective than past infection, study shows – Associated Press
Commentary on Twitter
⚠️BREAKING—REINFECTION & NATURAL IMMUNITY—new CDC study in hospitalized adults finds: unvaccinated people with prior #COVID19 infection recently were **5 times more likely** to be reinfected / get breakthrough versus people recently fully vaccinated! 🧵 https://t.co/VGmWPmm5lE pic.twitter.com/mlt5fJ3643
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) October 29, 2021
Study suggests smoking cessation, but not reduction, is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
31 Oct, 2021 | 19:59h | UTCSmoking cessation, but not reduction, reduces cardiovascular disease incidence – European Heart Journal (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary on Twitter
May I just reduce the number of cigarettes? New study shows this is not enough! Smoking cessation, but not reduction, was associated with cardiovascular disease incidence drop.https://t.co/lVgXMwavNs#smoke, #cigarettes, #MI, #cardiotwitter, @ESC_Journals, @escardio. pic.twitter.com/FrqB5V2tx3
— EHJ Editor-in-Chief (@ehj_ed) October 31, 2021
Imaging of congenital lung diseases presenting in the adulthood: a pictorial review.
31 Oct, 2021 | 19:53h | UTC
Update to post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection: Caring for the ‘long-haulers’.
29 Oct, 2021 | 10:20h | UTCRelated:
Systematic Review: Short-term and long-term rates of postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
WHO Consensus: A clinical case definition of post COVID-19 condition (Long Covid).
Characterizing long COVID: a living systematic review.
Long Covid – The illness narratives.
New guidelines to help doctors manage long COVID patients published.
M-A: More than 50 long-term effects of COVID-19. (several articles on the subject)
The effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine in older adults during SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant circulation in São Paulo was 77.9% against symptomatic Covid-19, 87.6% against hospitalization, and 93.6% against death.
29 Oct, 2021 | 10:25h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
https://twitter.com/MHitchingsEpi/status/1453779176826105857
Complications of critical COVID-19: Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations for the mechanically ventilated patient.
29 Oct, 2021 | 10:14h | UTC
mRNA vaccines induce durable immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern.
29 Oct, 2021 | 10:16h | UTCmRNA vaccines induce durable immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern – Science
Commentary from the author on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Antibodies come and go, but memory cells are forever (maybe not forever, but at least 6 months). Our latest in @ScienceMagazine: https://t.co/YHHBMrMsTA
How long does immune memory last after #mRNA vax? Is it effective vs. variants? What about “boosted” responses?
Full 🧵⬇️… pic.twitter.com/oZ5BxLuVdw
— Rishi Goel (@rishirajgoel) October 14, 2021
RCT: Early treatment of Covid-19 with SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody Sotrovimab is associated with reduced risk of hospitalization.
28 Oct, 2021 | 10:20h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
In this phase 3 trial, sotrovimab or placebo was administered to outpatients within 5 days after the onset of #COVID19 symptoms. Patients receiving sotrovimab had a lower incidence of hospitalization for any reason. #IDTwitter https://t.co/4VcgoK3xac pic.twitter.com/W82v3jNRmB
— NEJM (@NEJM) October 27, 2021
RCT: Early treatment with fluvoxamine reduced the risk of emergency care and hospitalization among patients with COVID-19.
28 Oct, 2021 | 10:22h | UTCCommentaries:
The TOGETHER Trial: COVID-19 and Fluvoxamine Take Two – REBEL EM
The antidepressant fluvoxamine can keep COVID-19 patients out of the hospital – ScienceNews
Related:
Commentary on Twitter
NEW in @LancetGH: Using SSRI #fluvoxamine to treat high-risk outpatients with early-diagnosed #COVID19 reduced the need for prolonged observation in an emergency setting or hospitalisation: largest trial to date. https://t.co/BVtMju74lp @TogetherTrial pic.twitter.com/F1FnZuyqdY
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) October 27, 2021
Longitudinal respiratory subphenotypes in patients with COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome: results from three observational cohorts.
28 Oct, 2021 | 10:11h | UTCCommentaries:
Respiratory Subphenotypes of COVID-19-Related ARDS – ICU Management & Practice
Commentary on Twitter
NEW—At baseline, #COVID19-related #ARDS has no consistent resp subphenotype. Pts diverged from fairly homogenous to a more heterogeneous popn, w/ trajectories of ventilatory ratio and mechanical power being the most discriminatory.
PRoVENT–COVID study: https://t.co/v8GTVcYLxq pic.twitter.com/Tv72jOzuAC
— The Lancet Respiratory Medicine (@LancetRespirMed) October 13, 2021
Breakthrough infections occur in those with lower antibody levels.
27 Oct, 2021 | 01:45h | UTCOriginal study: Covid-19 Breakthrough Infections in Vaccinated Health Care Workers – New England Journal of Medicine
Mix-and-match COVID vaccines ace the effectiveness test – “No need for brand loyalty”.
27 Oct, 2021 | 01:42h | UTCMix-and-match COVID vaccines ace the effectiveness test – Nature
Related:
Should You Mix and Match Your Booster Shot?
A primer on what we know about mixing and matching Covid vaccines.
Another study shows increased immune response with heterologous Oxford-AstraZeneca/mRNA vaccination.
RCT: Mixing 2 different Covid vaccines is associated with increased risk of side effects.
Heterologous AstraZeneca/Pfizer vaccination seems to be associated with increased effectiveness against Covid-19 compared to homologous Pfizer/Pfizer vaccination.
27 Oct, 2021 | 01:44h | UTCImmunogenicity and efficacy of heterologous ChadOx1/BNT162b2 vaccination – Nature
Related:
Should You Mix and Match Your Booster Shot?
A primer on what we know about mixing and matching Covid vaccines.
Another study shows increased immune response with heterologous Oxford-AstraZeneca/mRNA vaccination.
RCT: Mixing 2 different Covid vaccines is associated with increased risk of side effects.
Commentary on Twitter
A dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine followed by a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine confers better protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection than two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, according to a study in healthcare workers published in @Nature. https://t.co/6hIVkiOLQ1 pic.twitter.com/AmsyVUMpoj
— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) October 26, 2021
COVID super-immunity: one of the pandemic’s great puzzles – “People who have previously recovered from COVID-19 have a stronger immune response after being vaccinated than those who have never been infected. Scientists are trying to find out why”.
27 Oct, 2021 | 01:41h | UTCCOVID super-immunity: one of the pandemic’s great puzzles – Nature