Viewpoint December 17, 2020 COVID-19 as the Leading Cause of Death in the United States Steven H. Woolf, Derek A. Chapman, Jong Hyung Lee JAMA. Published online December 17, 2020. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.24865 The current exponential increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is reaching a calamitous scale in the United States, potentially overwhelming the health care system and causing substantial loss of life. The news media dutifully repor...

Research Letter October 30, 2020 Peripheral Oxygen Saturation in Older Persons Wearing Nonmedical Face Masks in Community Settings Noel C. Chan, Karen Li; Jack Hirsh JAMA. 2020;324(22):2323-2324. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.21905 Based on the evidence that nonmedical face masks prevent the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,1,2 many governments are mandating the wearing of masks in the community. However...

Research Letter December 22/29, 2020 Uptake and Accuracy of the Diagnosis Code for COVID-19 Among US Hospitalizations Sameer S. Kadri, Jake Gundrum, Sarah Warner, et al JAMA. 2020;324(24):2553-2554. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.20323 Administrative claims may provide an understanding of the clinical and economic burden of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, their limited sensitivity in identifying conditions, such as sepsis,1 sugge...

Original Investigation November 24, 2020E20-260 200-101 Effect of Nebulized Magnesium vs Placebo Added to Albuterol on Hospitalization Among Children With Refractory Acute Asthma Treated in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Clinical Trial Suzanne Schuh, Judy Sweeney, Maggie Rumantir, et al JAMA  2020;324(20):2038-2047. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.19839 Abstract Importance While intravenous magnesium decreases h...

Feature Christmas 2020: The Citadel Harms and the Xmas factor Robin E Ferner, Jeffrey K Aronson BMJ 2020; 371: m4067 (Published 16 December 2020) doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4067 The Christmas season is associated with preventable harms from cards, tree decorations, and presents, as well as overeating and overdrinking. Given the balance of benefits and harms, Christmas may not be cost effective. We hope you’re well, that you’ve posted the last of...

CORRESPONDENCECRISC C2090-611 Shedding of Viable SARS-CoV-2 after Immunosuppressive Therapy for Cancer Teresa Aydillo, Ana S. Gonzalez-Reiche, Sadaf Aslam, et al N Engl J Med December 1, 2020DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2031670 TO THE EDITOR: Detection of replication-competent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the most reliable indicator of contagiousness.1 Although the duration of live-virus shedding is well-characterized in immunoc...

ONLINE FIRST THIS WEEK(FREE ACCESS) Review ~ Demoule A. et al. - How to ventilate obstructive and asthmatic patients Review ~ Guérin C. et al. - Prone position in ARDS patients: why, when, how and for whom Review ~ Chanques G. et al. - Analgesia and sedation in patients with ARDSConference Reports and Expert Panel ~ Robba C. et al. - Mechanical ventilation in patients with acute b...

ORIGINAL ARTICLE REGN-COV2, a Neutralizing Antibody Cocktail, in Outpatients with Covid-19 David M. Weinreich, Sumathi Sivapalasingam, Thomas Norton, et al N Engl J Med December 17, 2020DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2035002 Abstract BACKGROUND Recent data suggest that complications and death from coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) may be related to high viral loads. METHODS In this ongoing, double-blind, phase 1–3 trial involving nonhospitalized patients wit...

Research Christmas 2020: House of God Estimating my equilibrium energy intake during lockdown: very introspective study R A Lewis BMJ 2020; 371: m4561 (Published 16 December 2020) doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4561 Abstract Objective To estimate the daily dietary energy intake for me to maintain a constant body weight. How hard can it be? Design Very introspective study. Setting At home. In lockdown. (Except every Tuesday afternoon a...

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Humoral Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 in Iceland Daniel F. Gudbjartsson, Gudmundur L. Norddahl, Pall Melsted, et al N Engl J Med 2020; 383:1724-1734DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2026116 Abstract BACKGROUND Little is known about the nature and durability of the humoral immune response to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). METHODS We measured antibodies in serum samples from 30,576 persons in Iceland, u...