Dear colleague,
Our weekly FOAMed Quiz is suspended until further notice.
However, quite a large body of evidence is published weekly on COVID-19. Evidence that might help us and our patients get through the upcoming weeks to months.
These are the best FOAMed resources and most useful papers of the last 7 days.
Last weeks most useful FOAMed:
Scott Weingard discusses Airway Pressure Release Ventilation (APRV) on EMcrit, as well as Awake Pronation.
Justin Morgenstern discusses Aerosols, Droplets, and Airborne Spread: Everything you could possibly want to know and Aerosol generating procedures.
EM cases posted EM Quick Hits 16 on COVID-19 Oxygenation Strategies and more.
RebelEM covered these useful posts:Trying Not to Intubate Early & Why ARDSnet may be wrong and Airway Pressure Release Ventilation (APRV) Made Simple.
DFTB also covered Aerosol Generating Procedures.
The following papers deserve some additional attention or are not yet covered in the FOAM society.
Paper 1
Title: The use of high-flow nasal oxygen in COVID-19
Author: Lyons, C.
Publication date: April 4, 2020
Journal: Anaesthesia
Aim: Explaining why High-Flow Nasal Oxygen could well be an appropriate therapy for COVID-19.
Conclusion: ‘’The COVID-19 pandemic has evoked an understandable sense of vulnerability in healthcare workers. Clinicians should remain open-minded that HFNO may be an appropriate therapy for many patients for whom tracheal intubation has not yet become a necessity but for whom low-flow nasal oxygen or facemask oxygen is not providing adequate respiratory support.’’
Link to paper: The use of high‐flow nasal oxygen in COVID‐19
Paper 2
Title: Prediction of Number of Cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Using Social Media Search Index
Author: Qin, L.
Publication date: Apr 5, 2020
Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,
Aim: This study investigated the correlation between the number of new cases of COVID-19 and the search index for a popular social network in China
Methods: Social media search indexes (SMSI) for dry cough, fever, chest distress, coronavirus, and pneumonia to predict new suspected COVID-19 case numbers from 20 January 2020 to 9 February 2020.
Results: The new suspected COVID-19 case numbers correlated significantly with the lagged series of SMSI. SMSI could be detected 6–9 days earlier than new suspected cases of COVID-19.
Conclusion: SMSI could be an effective early predictor for the number of COVID-19 infections.
Link to paper: Prediction of Number of Cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Using Social Media Search Index
Paper 3
Title: Baseline Characteristics and Outcomes of 1591 Patients Infected With SARS-CoV-2 Admitted to ICUs of the Lombardy Region, Italy
Author: Grasselli, G.
Publication date: April 6, 2020
Journal: JAMA
Aim: What are the baseline characteristics and outcomes of patients with laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in Lombardy, Italy?
Methods / Results: Retrospective case series that involved 1591 critically ill patients
The majority were older men, a large proportion required mechanical ventilation and high levels of PEEP, and ICU mortality was 26%.
Link to paper: Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Infected With SARS-CoV-2 Admitted to ICUs in Italy
Paper 4
Title: Pre-proof: A first Case of Meningitis/Encephalitis associated with SARS-Coronavirus-2
Author: Moriguchi, T.
Publication date: April 3, 2020
Journal: International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Aim: This is the first case of meningitis associated with SARS-CoV-2 who was brought in by ambulance.
Highlight: This patient had transient generalized seizures and obvious neck stiffness The specific SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in the nasopharyngeal swab but was detected in a CSF.
Link to paper: A first Case of Meningitis/Encephalitis associated with SARS-Coronavirus-2
