Nebulized enriched heparin improves respiratory parameters in patients with COVID-19: a phase I/II randomized and triple-blind clinical trial.

To evaluate the safety and the potential antiviral treatment of inhaled enriched heparin in patients with COVID-19. The specific objectives were to investigate the anticoagulation profile, antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects, and respiratory evolution of inhaled enriched heparin. We conducted a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled Phase I/II clinical trial in hospitalized adults with COVID-19 receiving inhalation of enriched heparin or saline (placebo) every 4 h for 7 days.

Saliva as a Biological Fluid in SARS-CoV-2 Detection.

Background: The polymerase chain reaction of upper respiratory tract swab samples was established as the gold standard procedure for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID pandemic. However, saliva collection has attracted attention as an alternative diagnostic collection method. The goal of this study was to compare the use of saliva and nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) samples for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Dichotomous outcomes vs. survival regression models for identification of predictors of mortality among patients with severe acute respiratory illness during COVID-19 pandemics.

Introduction: As the studies predicting mortality in severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) have inferred associations either from dichotomous outcomes or from time-event models, we identified some clinical-epidemiological characteristics and predictors of mortality by comparing and discussing two multivariate models.

Methods: To identify factors associated with death among all SARI hospitalizations occurred in Botucatu (Brazil)/regardless of the infectious agent, and among the COVID-19 subgroup, from March 2020 to 2022, we used a multivariate Poisson regression model with binomial outcomes and Cox proportional hazards (time-event). The performance metrics of both models were also analyzed.

Excess mortality among kidney transplant recipients: Impact of COVID-19-related deaths during the pandemic.

Background: Because COVID-19 has been associated with high lethality rates among kidney transplant recipients (KTR), but also with a severe disruption and delays in overall healthcare, this study aims to evaluate the excess mortality in the pandemic era among KTR in a high-volume Brazilian transplant center.

Methods: This study used data from a single center that provides follow-up on all its transplant recipients. The population of interest included all the patients who were transplanted between August 31, 1983 and December 31, 2022 and who were live from January 1, 2014.

A Study on the Epidemiological-Molecular Role of Strains in the Development of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in a Tertiary Hospital in Brazil.

This study aimed to explore the molecular epidemiology of isolated from patients on mechanical ventilation and the participation of virulence factors in the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients under mechanical ventilation, with periodic visits for the collection of tracheal aspirates and clinical data. The isolates were analyzed regarding resistance profile, virulence, expression of protein A and alpha-toxin using Western blot, clonal profile using PFGE, sequence type using MLST, and characterization and quantification of phenol-soluble modulins.