Physician's Briefing Weekly Coronavirus Roundup
Here is what the editors at Physician's Briefing chose as the most important COVID-19 developments for you and your practice for the week of Nov. 30 to Dec. 4, 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
Increased PCR Testing Shown to Slow COVID-19 Transmission
FRIDAY, Dec. 4, 2020 -- Increased testing has the greatest influence in terms of reducing the average reproduction number of COVID-19, according to a report published online Dec. 2 in Health Affairs.
Antiviral Drugs Have No Effect on Mortality in COVID-19
FRIDAY, Dec. 4, 2020 -- For hospitalized patients with COVID-19, remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, and interferon regimens seem to have little to no effect on mortality, according to a study published online Dec. 2 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Ongoing Anticoagulant Use Does Not Avert Severe COVID-19
FRIDAY, Dec. 4, 2020 -- Direct oral anticoagulant use is not associated with a reduction in the risk for severe COVID-19, according to a study published online Dec. 1 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Emergency Departments Saw Decrease in All Non-COVID-19 Diagnoses
FRIDAY, Dec. 4, 2020 -- During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency departments experienced decreases in nearly all non-COVID-19 conditions, according to a study published online Nov. 5 in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
Large Increase Seen in Overdose-Related Cardiac Arrests in COVID-19
FRIDAY, Dec. 4, 2020 -- There was a large national increase in overdose-related cardiac arrests during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a research letter published online Dec. 3 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Mental Health Symptoms Common for Perinatal Women During COVID-19
THURSDAY, Dec. 3, 2020 -- Mental health symptoms are common among perinatal women during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in Psychiatry Research.
Everyone Who Gets COVID-19 Vaccine Will Receive Vaccination Card
THURSDAY, Dec. 3, 2020 -- All Americans who get a COVID-19 vaccine will get a vaccination card, officials say.
Teens Still Able to Access E-Cigarettes During COVID-19 Pandemic
THURSDAY, Dec. 3, 2020 -- Underage youth report being able to access electronic cigarettes from online and retail stores during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online Dec. 3 in JAMA Network Open.
SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Low in U.S. From July to Sept. 2020
THURSDAY, Dec. 3, 2020 -- Most people in the United States did not have detectable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies as of September 2020, according to a study published online Nov. 24 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
CDC Director Warns of Dire Winter Ahead for COVID-19 Hospitalizations, Deaths
THURSDAY, Dec. 3, 2020 -- The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Wednesday that the coming winter months might be the darkest period yet in the COVID-19 pandemic.
CDC Shrinks COVID-19 Quarantine Time, Advises Against Holiday Travel
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2, 2020 -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shortened the recommended length of quarantine after exposure to the new coronavirus but is again asking Americans to avoid any and all travel during the coming holiday season.
Anxiety Doubled in Young People During COVID-19 Pandemic
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2, 2020 -- Younger people seem to be experiencing increased anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online Nov. 24 in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Britain Approves Emergency Use of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2, 2020 -- Britain became the first Western country to allow emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday after approving the Pfizer vaccine candidate in the race to inoculate millions of people around the globe.
More Than One-Third of Children With SARS-CoV-2 Are Asymptomatic
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2, 2020 -- More than one-third of children with a positive result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 are asymptomatic, according to a study published online Nov. 24 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
Admission Hyperglycemia Predicts Mortality in COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2, 2020 -- Among noncritical hospitalized COVID-19 patients, admission hyperglycemia is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in the Annals of Medicine.
Review: Thromboembolism Risk High in COVID-19 Patients
TUESDAY, Dec. 1, 2020 -- The rate of thromboembolism is high in patients with COVID-19 and is associated with increased odds of mortality, according to a review published online Nov. 20 in EClinicalMedicine.
Admission for SARS-CoV-2 Down With Prior Metabolic Surgery
TUESDAY, Dec. 1, 2020 -- Prior metabolic surgery and subsequent weight loss are associated with reduced rates of hospital admission for patients with obesity who are infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, according to a study published online Nov. 23 in Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.
Chilblain-Like Lesions During COVID-19 Tied to Type I Interferonopathy
TUESDAY, Dec. 1, 2020 -- Patients presenting with chilblain-like lesions during the COVID-19 pandemic have histologic and biologic patterns of type I interferonopathy, according to a study published online Nov. 25 in JAMA Dermatology.
Diabetic Retinopathy May Up Risk for COVID-19 Intubation
TUESDAY, Dec. 1, 2020 -- For patients with diabetes hospitalized with COVID-19, the risk for intubation is increased more than fivefold for those with diabetic retinopathy, according to a study published online Nov. 2 in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.
Risk for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Lower for O, Rh− Blood Groups
TUESDAY, Dec. 1, 2020 -- Type O and rhesus-negative blood groups seem to be associated with a lower risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, according to a study published online Nov. 24 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Racial Disparity Seen in COVID-19 Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome
MONDAY, Nov. 30, 2020 -- Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children occurs more often among Black and Hispanic children than White children, according to a research letter published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Network Open.
Decline in SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response Seen Over 60 Days
MONDAY, Nov. 30, 2020 -- More than one-quarter of health care personnel who were positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies were seronegative on repeat testing about 60 days later, according to research published in the Nov. 27 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Moderna to Request Emergency Approval for COVID-19 Vaccine
MONDAY, Nov. 30, 2020 -- Moderna said it would apply on Monday for emergency use authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine and the first shots could be given as early as Dec. 21, The New York Times reported.
COVID-19 Outcomes Not Improved With Convalescent Plasma
MONDAY, Nov. 30, 2020 -- For adults with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, no significant differences are seen in clinical status or mortality for those receiving convalescent plasma versus placebo, according to a study published online Nov. 24 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
© 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted: December 2020
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