Internal Medicine
Year in Review: Top Infectious Diseases Articles Of 2020
12 Jan, 2021 | 01:31h | UTCYear In Review: Top Infectious Diseases Articles Of 2020 – IDStewardship
Systematic Review: “For the general population of persons with elevated blood pressure, the benefits of trying to achieve a lower blood pressure target rather than a standard target (140/90 mm Hg or less) do not outweigh the harms associated with that intervention.”
12 Jan, 2021 | 01:30h | UTCBlood pressure targets in adults with hypertension – Cochrane Library
Summary: The use of lower blood pressure targets for people with hypertension – Cochrane Library
Related systematic review: Blood pressure targets in people with cardiovascular disease – Cochrane Library
Commentary on Twitter
The use of lower #bloodpressure targets for people with #hypertension https://t.co/W1bF8W7CDD Updated @CochraneHTN systematic review includes 11 randomised controlled trials involving 38,688 adult participants.
— Cochrane (@cochranecollab) December 30, 2020
[Abstract Only] Randomized trial: No difference in long-term outcomes with endovascular revascularization plus supervised exercise vs. supervised exercise only for intermittent claudication
12 Jan, 2021 | 01:15h | UTCLong-Term Follow-up of a Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Endovascular Revascularization Plus Supervised Exercise with Supervised Exercise only for Intermittent Claudication – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
[Preprint] Randomized trial: Arthritis drugs improve survival in critically ill patients with Covid-19
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:56h | UTCCommentaries: Covid-19: Arthritis drugs improve survival in intensive care patients, shows study – The BMJ AND Arthritis drugs could help save lives of Covid patients, research finds – The Guardian AND Expert comment – Two potentially life-saving drugs for critically ill COVID-19 patients – London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Commentary on Twitter
Two rheumatoid arthritis drugs will now be used to treat the patients with severe covid-19 in intensive care, after new findings have shown that they significantly improve survival and cut the time spent in hospital by a week to 10 days https://t.co/cxNM64L5S6
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) January 8, 2021
New SARS-CoV-2 variants: increased transmissibility likely to cause more deaths and possibly a new wave of the disease
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:54h | UTC- SARS-CoV-2 Variants – World Health Organization
- Why epidemiologists are so worried about the new Covid-19 variants, in 2 charts – Vox
- We lost to SARS-CoV-2 in 2020. We can defeat B-117 in 2021 – STAT
- Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.1.7 in England: insights from linking epidemiological and genetic data – Imperial College of London AND Commentary: New COVID-19 variant growing rapidly in England – Imperial College London
- Genetic Variants of SARS-CoV-2—What Do They Mean? – JAMA
- Podcast: Understanding SARS-CoV-2 Genetic Variants – JAMA
- Podcast: Understanding the New SARS-CoV-2 Mutation Found in England – JAMA
- Viral mutations may cause another ‘very, very bad’ COVID-19 wave, scientists warn – Science
- Mutant coronavirus in the United Kingdom sets off alarms, but its importance remains unclear – Science
- New variant of SARS-CoV-2 in UK causes surge of COVID-19 – The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
- Scientists are monitoring a coronavirus mutation that could affect the strength of vaccines – STAT
- Instead of debating ‘first-shot’ vs. ‘set-aside’ vaccine approaches, hospitals’ study should compare them – STAT
- The Mutated Virus Is a Ticking Time Bomb – Vox
- What We Know About The New U.K. Variant Of Coronavirus — And What We Need To Find Out – NPR
- The New Mutations – Science Translational Medicine
- New Virus Strain’s Transmissibility to Cause More Deaths: Study – Bloomberg
- U.K. variant puts spotlight on immunocompromised patients’ role in the COVID-19 pandemic – Science
- When unusually severe COVID is seen, rapid identification-and-virus-sequencing are needed world-wide – Science Speaks: Global ID News
- Covid-19: New coronavirus variant is identified in UK – The BMJ
- The looming questions scientists need to answer about the new variant of the coronavirus – STAT
- With limited surveillance of Covid-19 variant, it’s déjà vu all over again – STAT
- New coronavirus variant: What do we know? – BBC
- Covid-19 in South Africa: Scientists seek to understand new variant – BBC
- New coronavirus variant: what is the spike protein and why are mutations on it important? – The Conversation
Randomized trial: Neutralizing monoclonal antibody not efficacious among hospitalized patients with covid-19
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:55h | UTCCommentaries: Covid-19: Trial of LY-CoV555 Stopped for Futility – Physician’s Weekly AND Results of NIH-sponsored ACTIV-3 trial published – NIH News Releases AND Bamlanivimab Flops in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients – MedPage Today (free registration required)
[Press release – results not published yet] International trials of blood thinners in critically ill COVID-19 patients pause due to futility
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:44h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
The 3 largest RCTs of therapeutic #anticoagulation for #COVID19 pts in the ICU have ALL been stopped early for futility. (@remap_cap @ATTACC_COVID & #ACTIV4)
Nothing published yet, but given the large n of these RCTs, I'm increasingly skeptical about anticoagulation in COVID19. pic.twitter.com/RrLSoOsp3v
— Nick Mark MD (@nickmmark) December 22, 2020
Randomized trial: Low-dose digoxin results in similar patient-reported quality of life compared to bisoprolol for heart rate control in atrial fibrillation
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:37h | UTCEffect of Digoxin vs Bisoprolol for Heart Rate Control in Atrial Fibrillation on Patient-Reported Quality of Life: The RATE-AF Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Editorial: Digitalis Glycosides for Heart Rate Control in Atrial Fibrillation
Commentary: Digoxin Could Sub for Beta-Blockers in Certain Afib Patients – Physician’s Weekly
Commentary on Twitter
In this RCT, low-dose #digoxin led to no difference in patient-reported quality of life at 6 months vs bisoprolol in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation and symptoms of heart failure. @ICVS_UoB #afib https://t.co/XtCPdba5xg
— JAMA (@JAMA_current) December 28, 2020
[Preprint] Characterizing Long COVID in an International Cohort: 7 Months of Symptoms and Their Impact
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:41h | UTCRelated: Explanations for ‘long Covid’ remain elusive. For now, believing patients and treating symptoms is the best doctors can do – STAT AND Long COVID: who is at risk? – The Conversation
Commentary on Twitter
How long is #LongCovid?
The most extensive symptom assessment and longest duration (7 months) of nearly 3,800 individuals shows how debilitating this is in young, predominantly women, w/ most unable to return to full prior work https://t.co/o0YUNse1EA @ahandvanish @AthenaAkrami pic.twitter.com/3miXJFdVp0— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) December 29, 2020
Randomized trial: Proton pump inhibitors do not benefit patients with persistent throat symptoms
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:32h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Medicating random throat symptoms with proton pump inhibitors (for months) has, somehow, become routine care despite no gd evidence it actually helps.
So guess what happens if you compare 16 wk of double dose PPI with placebo in a proper trial?
…Yeah.https://t.co/mrnq4tcEUk pic.twitter.com/uZo630Sg9j
— Jussi Mustonen (@JusiMD) January 8, 2021
Open Access: Textbook of Patient Safety and Clinical Risk Management
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:34h | UTCTextbook of Patient Safety and Clinical Risk Management – Springer
Commentary on Twitter
https://twitter.com/helenbevan/status/1343127378650935298
Axial spondyloarthritis: New advances in diagnosis and management
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:22h | UTCState of the Art Review: Axial spondyloarthritis: new advances in diagnosis and management – The BMJ
Review: Management of Crohn Disease
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:20h | UTCManagement of Crohn Disease: A Review – JAMA (free for a limited period)
Podcast: Crohn Disease Management – JAMA
Guideline Synopsis: Management of patients with a patent foramen ovale with history of stroke or TIA
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:19h | UTCManagement of Patients With a Patent Foramen Ovale With History of Stroke or TIA – JAMA (free for a limited period)
Original Guideline: Practice advisory update summary: Patent foramen ovale and secondary stroke prevention: Report of the Guideline Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology – Neurology
Study suggests that 7 days of home blood pressure monitoring is likely better than 24h ambulatory monitoring or 3 office measurements
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:17h | UTCEditorial: Which Blood Pressure Measurement Best Predicts Cardiovascular Outcomes?
Commentary: Is Home BP Monitoring the Best Approach For Diagnosing HTN? – American College of Cardiology
NICE Guideline: Managing the long-term effects of COVID-19
18 Dec, 2020 | 10:27h | UTC
Systematic review: Melatonin may have a similar effect to benzodiazepines in reducing preoperative and postoperative anxiety in adults
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:14h | UTCMelatonin for preoperative and postoperative anxiety in adults – Cochrane Library
Summary: Melatonin for preoperative and postoperative anxiety in adults – Cochrane Library
Effects of low sodium diet vs. high sodium diet on blood pressure, renin, aldosterone, catecholamines, cholesterol, and triglyceride
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:12h | UTC
NICE Guideline: Do not use Vitamin D to prevent or treat COVID 19
18 Dec, 2020 | 10:03h | UTCCOVID-19 rapid guideline: vitamin D – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
News release: NICE, PHE and SACN publish rapid COVID-19 guidance on vitamin D
Commentaries: Covid and vitamin D: ‘Not enough evidence’ for treatment – BBC AND Covid-19: Evidence is lacking to support vitamin D’s role in treatment and prevention – The BMJ
Commentary on Twitter
https://twitter.com/onisillos/status/1339485382501666816
Vaccines are here. We have to talk about side effects
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:59h | UTCVaccines Are Here. We Have to Talk About Side Effects – Wired
Commentary on Twitter
All vaccines have side effects and trust comes from freely discussing them. Nice piece by @marynmck https://t.co/eUISXTiFVP
— Madhu Pai, MD, PhD (@paimadhu) December 17, 2020
“Racial Bias in Pulse Oximetry Measurement”. In two large cohorts, Black patients had nearly three times the frequency of occult hypoxemia that was not detected by pulse oximetry as White patients
18 Dec, 2020 | 10:01h | UTCRacial Bias in Pulse Oximetry Measurement – New England Journal of Medicine
Commentary: Devices Used In COVID-19 Treatment Can Give Errors For Patients With Dark Skin – NPR
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
1/ Our research letter on racial bias in pulse oximetry measurement, out today in NEJM https://t.co/6dLuNGosxp pic.twitter.com/XXsfWfc5dv
— Michael Sjoding (@msjoding) December 17, 2020
COVID 5 times deadlier than flu for hospital patients, study finds
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:53h | UTCCOVID 5 times deadlier than flu for hospital patients, study finds – CIDRAP
Commentary on Twitter
Among people admitted to hospital, #COVID19 was associated with increased risk of various extrapulmonary clinical manifestations, compared with seasonal influenza #BMJResearch https://t.co/R0J9HCvsH2
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) December 16, 2020
Studies reveal deadliness of COVID-19, even in young adults
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:57h | UTCData reveal deadliness of COVID-19, even in young adults – CIDRAP
Survey: Around 1 in 5 COVID-19 patients exhibit symptoms for a period of 5 weeks or longer; Around 1 in 10 COVID-19 patients exhibit symptoms for a period of 12 weeks or longer
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:49h | UTCThe prevalence of long COVID symptoms and COVID-19 complications – Office of National Statistics
Commentary on Twitter
The prevalence of long COVID symptoms & COVID-19 complications published by @ONS
10% of covid positive patients exhibit symptoms for a period of > 12 weeks
20% for > 5 weeksGreat work by @DanAyoubkhani @Vnafilyan https://t.co/8YgxkCG847
@martinmckee pic.twitter.com/Itizxkk8xC
— Prof Kamlesh Khunti (@kamleshkhunti) December 17, 2020
2020 ACC/AHA Guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:45h | UTCNews release: Updated guideline for heart valve disease spotlights less invasive treatments
Key Perspectives: Part 1
Key Perspectives: Part 2
Key Perspectives: Part 3
Commentary on Twitter
New ACC/@American_Heart Guideline for the Management of patients with #cvVHD includes expanded treatment options; recommends less invasive interventions, when possible; and stresses the importance of #SharedDecisionMaking. Read it in #JACC: https://t.co/g9RE9buXNC pic.twitter.com/jnwt8d5QC7
— JACC Journals (@JACCJournals) December 17, 2020