Routine use of immunosuppressants is associated with mortality in hospitalised patients with COVID-19.

Background: Whilst there is literature on the impact of SARS viruses in the severely immunosuppressed, less is known about the link between routine immunosuppressant use and outcome in COVID-19. Consequently, guidelines on their use vary depending on specific patient populations.

Methods: The study population was drawn from the COPE Study (COVID-19 in Older People), a multicentre observational cohort study, across the UK and Italy.

The influence of ACE inhibitors and ARBs on hospital length of stay and survival in people with COVID-19.

Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic the continuation or cessation of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) has been contentious. Mechanisms have been proposed for both beneficial and detrimental effects. Recent studies have focused on mortality with no literature having examined length of hospital stay.

The effect of frailty on survival in patients with COVID-19 (COPE): a multicentre, European, observational cohort study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on health-care systems. Frailty is being used in clinical decision making for patients with COVID-19, yet the prevalence and effect of frailty in people with COVID-19 is not known. In the COVID-19 in Older PEople (COPE) study we aimed to establish the prevalence of frailty in patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to hospital and investigate its association with mortality and duration of hospital stay.

Clinical evaluation of the new Pall leucocyte-depleting blood cardioplegia filter (BC1).

It is now widely acknowledged that autologous leucocytes are inappropriately activated during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Removal of these activated leucocytes has been proposed as a clinical intervention. Several papers have recently reported benefits of systemic leucocyte depletion during CPB.