Analysis of Similarities and Differences between Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Both coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID?19) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are epidemic, contagious, sudden, and publicly harmful diseases. The whole?genome nucleotide identity of the pathogens causing the two diseases reached 79.5%. The mechanism and treatment of COVID?19 are still under investigation. Combining the experiences of SARS prevention and treatment in 2003, and the case data and literature of COVID?19, the similarities and differences between the two diseases in terms of causes, susceptible people, characteristics, dialectical mode, and treatment were analyzed. The two diseases are both plagues in terms of Chinese medicine. The cause of SARS was “heat poison,” and its pathogenesis was “heat poison, stasis, and qi and yin deficiency.” Therefore the treatment regimen was mainly to clear away heat, detoxicate, and expel evil. While the cause of COVID?19 was “wet poison,” and its pathogenesis was “wet, poison, heat, stasis, close, syncope, and yang collapse.” Hence the basic treatment strategy was to declare lung and remove dampness. Treatment of COVID?19 was clearing away evil qi as soon as possible, with the basic treatment regimen, which was declaring lung, removing dampness, and dispelling the evil. Combined with Traditional Chinese medicine’s (TCM’s) understanding and experience in SARS prevention and treatment, and Chinese clinical cured cases, we try to provide strategies for people all over the world to understand and respond to COVID?19, through the analysis and comparison. To improve COVID-19 prevention and treatment regimen and give full play to the advantages of TCM.     

Red blood cell exchange to avoid intubating a COVID-19 positive patient with sickle cell disease?

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim lives across the globe, insufficient data exists regarding the optimal treatment. It is well known that patients 55 years of age or older and patients with certain chronic diseases are at higher risk of severe illness, including acute respiratory distress syndrome and death. A potentially fatal pulmonary complication of sickle cell disease, acute chest syndrome, can be precipitated by acute infections, including respiratory viruses. We report the case of a patient with sickle cell disease (HbSC) who developed COVID-19 pneumonia and acute chest syndrome who was treated with emergent red blood cell exchange in order to avoid endotracheal intubation.     

改良俯卧位对俯卧位通气临床疗效及并发症的影响

目的观察改良俯卧位对俯卧位通气(PPV)临床疗效及并发症的影响。方法将该院呼吸和危重症医学科行PPV的52例患者随机分为对照组和实验组各26例,对照组应用常规方法进行PPV,实验组采用改良俯卧位进行PPV。比较两组患者PPV的临床效果和并发症发生情况。结果两组间俯卧位前和俯卧位后12 h的氧合指数无明显差异(P>0.05);两组患者俯卧位后12 h的氧合指数均较各组俯卧位前明显改善(P<0.05);两组患者气管插管脱出、血流动力学显著波动、误吸和面部水肿的发生率无显著差异(P>0.05);实验组皮肤压疮的发生率明显低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论改良俯卧位对PPV的临床疗效无显著影响,但可以降低皮肤压疮的发生率。     

Acute Appendicitis During Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Changes in Clinical Presentation and CT Findings

BackgroundQuarantine and stay-at-home orders are strategies that many countries used during the acute pandemic period of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to prevent disease dissemination, health system overload, and mortality. However, there are concerns that patients did not seek necessary health care because of these mandates.PurposeTo evaluate the differences in the clinical presentation of acute appendicitis and CT findings related to these cases between the COVID-19 acute pandemic period and nonpandemic period.Materials and MethodsA retrospective observational study was performed to compare the acute pandemic period (March 23, 2020, to May 4, 2020) versus the same period the year before (March 23, 2019, to May 4, 2019). The proportion of appendicitis diagnosed by CT and level of severity of the disease were reviewed in each case. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed to identify significant differences between the two groups.ResultsA total of 196 abdominal CT scans performed due to suspected acute appendicitis were evaluated: 55 from the acute pandemic period and 141 from the nonpandemic period. The proportion of acute appendicitis diagnosed by abdominal CT was higher in the acute pandemic period versus the nonpandemic period: 45.5% versus 29.8% (P = .038). The severity of the diagnosed appendicitis was higher during the acute pandemic period: 92% versus 57.1% (P = .003).ConclusionDuring the acute COVID-19 pandemic period, fewer patients presented with acute appendicitis to the emergency room, and those who did presented at a more severe stage of the disease.     

Psychological Outcome after Hemorrhagic Stroke is Related to Functional Status

BackgroundTo identify opportunities to improve morbidity after hemorrhagic stroke, it is imperative to understand factors that are related to psychological outcome.Design/MethodsWe prospectively identified patients with non-traumatic hemorrhagic stroke (intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage) between January 2015 and February 2021 who were alive 3-months after discharge and telephonically assessed 1) psychological outcome using the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders anxiety, depression, emotional and behavioral dyscontrol, fatigue and sleep disturbance inventories and 2) functional outcome using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Barthel Index. We also identified discharge destination for all patients. We then evaluated the relationship between abnormal psychological outcomes (T-score >50) and discharge destination other than home, poor 3-month mRS score defined as 3-5 and poor 3-month Barthel Index defined as <100.Results73 patients were included; 41 (56%) had an abnormal psychological outcome on at least one inventory. There were 41 (56%) patients discharged to a destination other than home, 44 (63%) with poor mRS score and 28 (39%) with poor Barthel Index. Anxiety, depression, emotional and behavioral dyscontrol and sleep disturbance were all associated with a destination other than home, poor mRS score, and poor Barthel Index (all p<0.05). Fatigue was related to poor mRS score and poor Barthel Index (p=0.005 and p=0.006, respectively).ConclusionMultiple psychological outcomes 3-months after hemorrhagic stroke are related to functional status. Interventions to improve psychological outcome and reduce morbidity in patients with poor functional status should be explored by the interdisciplinary team.     

Treating acute myeloid leukemia in the modern era: A primer

Recent years have seen tremendous advances in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML), largely because of progress in understanding the genetic basis of the disease. The US Food and Drug Administration approved 7 agents for AML in the last 2 years: the first new drugs in decades. In this review, the authors discuss these new approvals in the backdrop of an overall strategy for treating AML today. Treating AML in the modern era requires: 1) access to and use of upfront genetic and cytogenetic testing, not only to describe prognosis but also to help identify the best available therapy; 2) effectively working new therapies into a conventional backbone of treatment, including transplantation; and 3) continued commitment to clinical trials designed to capitalize on advances in genetics and immunology to foster the next wave of drug approvals.     

淫羊藿及其拆分组配伍麻黄对急性肾小球肾炎水肿模型大鼠影响

目的通过研究淫羊藿及其拆分组配伍麻黄对冰水浴联合注射牛血清白蛋白所致急性肾小球肾炎水肿模型大鼠的影响,探究淫羊藿配伍麻黄的利水作用及淫羊藿发挥利水作用的物质基础。方法先将SD雄性大鼠置于代谢笼内适应性喂养3 d。随机取10只大鼠作为空白对照组,其余大鼠于实验第1~3天冰水浴至大鼠四肢僵硬先造成大鼠风寒感冒模型;再于实验第4天和第11天早上9∶00按150 mg·kg^-1给大鼠腹腔注射牛血清白蛋白(BSA),空白对照组则注射等量的生理盐水。取造模成功大鼠60只,随机分成6组,每组10只,分别为:模型组,麻黄+生淫羊藿组,麻黄+多糖组,麻黄+非黄酮组,麻黄+大极性黄酮组,麻黄+小极性黄酮组。各组大鼠从实验第15天开始按照10 mL·kg^-1灌胃给予相应试剂,空白组给予等体积蒸馏水,连续灌胃20 d。收集实验大鼠第34天24 h尿液,大鼠处死后,测定尿蛋白、血清肌酐、血清尿素氮、白细胞、中性粒细胞百分比、血小板指标含量。取肾脏组织用于做病理切片并于HE染色。结果麻黄+生淫羊藿组尿蛋白含量由显著性下降(P<0.05),血清肌酐、血清尿素氮、中性粒细胞百分比有极显著性下降(P<0.01);部分肾小球周围有少量的炎性细胞,炎性细胞浸润有所减轻。麻黄+非黄酮组血清肌酐、白细胞数量、中性粒细胞百分比有显著性下降(P<0.05),尿蛋白、血清尿素氮水平有极显著性下降(P<0.01);肾小球肿胀有所减轻,有囊腔变小。麻黄+大极性黄酮组中性粒细胞百分比有极显著性下降(P<0.01);肾小球依旧有肿胀,炎性细胞浸润减少。麻黄+小极性黄酮组血清尿素氮、中性粒细胞百分比有及显著性下降(P<0.01);肾小球肿胀有减轻,肾小球附近的炎性细胞浸润有减少。麻黄+多糖组肾小球依旧充血肿胀,依旧有炎性细胞浸润,有肾小管扩张。结论淫羊藿及其拆分组配伍麻黄对急性肾小球肾炎水肿模型大鼠有较好的治疗作用,且疗效为:麻黄+非黄酮组>麻黄+生淫羊藿组>麻黄+小极性黄酮组>麻黄+非极性黄酮组>麻黄+多糖组,淫羊藿主要利水作用物质基础为非黄酮成分。     

中西医结合护理干预妊娠晚期合并急性单纯性阑尾炎患者的临床观察

目的:探讨中西医结合护理干预妊娠晚期合并急性单纯性阑尾炎的临床疗效。方法:将2017 年9 月—2018 年12月于我院接受中西医结合保守治疗的31 例妊娠晚期合并急性单纯性阑尾炎患者作为研究对象，按随机数表法随机分为中西医结合护理组(观察组16 例)与常规护理组(对照组15 例)，对照组采取常规护理措施，观察组在对照组的基础上增加中西医结合护理措施，对比两组患者的临床疗效。结果:观察组患者的心理状态变化、新生儿体质状况以及临床疗效等指标等情况均明显优于对照组，且组间对比差异显著有统计学意义(P ＜ 0.05)。结论:中西医结合护理对妊娠晚期合并急性单纯性阑尾炎有较好的临床效果，可减少、甚至避免孕妇因合并急性阑尾炎而造成的打击和创伤。