February 02, 2022
Struggling with strategies for strain
Hospitalist leaders and hospital administrators were interviewed before the pandemic for a study about hospital capacity strain. The study authors explain some lessons that everyone working in hospitals can now take from their responses.
EUAs revised for convalescent plasma, monoclonals, vaccines
In addition to the emergency use authorization (EUA) changes, recent FDA actions include a notification that some patients have had false-positive test results for syphilis after COVID-19 vaccination. The agency also approved a new antiviral to treat post-transplant cytomegalovirus infection and several newly generic drugs.
Research on CPAP, HFNO, IVIG, and lung transplants for COVID-19
One study found that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) outperformed conventional oxygen, but high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) did not. Another found no benefit from hyperimmune IV immunoglobulin (IVIG) in hospitalized patients. Two analyses showed good outcomes from lung transplants in COVID-19 patients.
Dyspnea common, linked to PTSD in intubated critically ill patients
In a cohort study at 10 French ICUs, more than a third of intubated patients reported dyspnea, and when interviewed 90 days after ICU discharge, they had higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than patients without dyspnea.
VTE readmissions continue more than 30 days after complex cancer surgery
In a retrospective cohort study using U.S. data from 2016, 0.6%, 1.1%, and 1.7% of patients undergoing complex cancer surgery were readmitted with VTE as a primary diagnosis by 30, 90, and 180 days after discharge.
Addiction medicine consults associated with lower postdischarge mortality
A recent study found that patients referred to an inpatient addiction medicine consultation service had significant reductions in 90-day mortality and seven-day hospital readmissions but a significant increase in 30-day ED visits compared to controls with substance use disorder.