Impact of Treatment Variability on ARDS Mortality Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a potentially fatal condition characterised by acute hypoxaemia, and bilateral radiographic infiltrates and a mortality of 36 to 47%. Interventions like lung protective ventilation (LPV) and prone positioning have been shown to improve survival but remain underused. Other treatment methods such as neuromuscular blockade, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, steroids and ...

Original Investigation January 24, 2022 Effect of Noninvasive Respiratory Strategies on Intubation or Mortality Among Patients With Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure and COVID-19: The RECOVERY-RS Randomized Clinical Trial Gavin D. Perkins, Chen Ji, Bronwen A. Connolly, et al JAMA. Published online January 24, 2022. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.0028 Key Points Question  What is the effect of initial noni...

ORIGINAL ARTICLEFREE PREVIEW Hydrocortisone to Improve Survival without Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Kristi L. Watterberg, Michele C. Walsh, Lei Li, et al N Engl J Med 2022; 386:1121-1131DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2114897 Abstract BACKGROUND Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a prevalent complication after extremely preterm birth. Inflammation with mechanical ventilation may contribute to its development. Whether hydrocortisone treatment after the second postnatal...

Pathophysiology and Management of COVID-19 Pneumonia COVID-19 pneumonia is an evolving disease. In this review, the authors focus on the development of its pathophysiologic characteristics over time and how these changes determine modifications in treatment. The clinical features of COVId-19 are highly variable, ranging from asymptomatic patients to patients with a severe form of respiratory failure. These clinical features also tend to change with time. Althoug...

COMMENT|ONLINE FIRST Understanding of COVID-19 from infection–fatality ratio Xiaoying Gu, Bin Cao Lancet Published: February 24, 2022 DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00281-1 Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, confirmed cases and cumulative deaths have been the most important numbers released by WHO and raised worldwide attention.1 The two numbers can help to roughly estimate the COVID-19 mortality rate (COVID-19 deaths to population num...

Original Investigation Caring for the Critically Ill PatientJanuary 24, 2022 Clinical Outcomes Among Patients With 1-Year Survival Following Intensive Care Unit Treatment for COVID-19 Hidde Heesakkers, Johannes G. van der Hoeven, Stijn Corsten, et al JAMA. Published online January 24, 2022. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.0040 Key Points Question  What are the 1-year outcomes among patients who survive intensive care unit (ICU) treatment for ...

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Effect of mRNA Vaccine Boosters against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Infection in Qatar Laith J. Abu-Raddad, Hiam Chemaitelly, Houssein H. Ayoub, et al N Engl J Med March 9, 2022DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2200797 Abstract BACKGROUND Waning of vaccine protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and the emergence of the omicron (or B.1.1.529) variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have led to expedited efforts...

RECOVERY Trial: Use of Aspirin in Patients With COVID-19 The use of aspirin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 because of its anti-thrombotic properties. Thrombosis is a key feature of COVID-19, with 5-30% of hospitalised patients having a major venous thromboembolic event and up to 3% having an arterial thromboembolic event. The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial is the first randomised controlled trial to report on the effect...

Original Investigation January 21, 2022 Association Between 3 Doses of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine and Symptomatic Infection Caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and Delta Variants Emma K. Accorsi, Amadea Britton, Katherine E. Fleming-Dutra, et al JAMA. Published online January 21, 2022. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.0470 Key Points Question  What is the association between 3 doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection with th...

ARTICLES|ONLINE FIRST Variation in the COVID-19 infection–fatality ratio by age, time, and geography during the pre-vaccine era: a systematic analysis COVID-19 Forecasting Team Lancet Published: February 24, 2022 DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02867-1 Summary Background The infection–fatality ratio (IFR) is a metric that quantifies the likelihood of an individual dying once infected with a pathogen. Understanding the determinants of IFR var...