Barthel's Index: A Better Predictor for COVID-19 Mortality Than Comorbidities.

Background: The most consistently identified mortality determinants for the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection are aging, male sex, cardiovascular/respiratory diseases, and cancer. They were determined from heterogeneous cohorts that included patients with different disease severity and previous conditions. The main goal of this study was to determine if activities of daily living (ADL) dependence measured by Barthel's index could be a predictor for COVID-19 mortality.

Current and future pharmacotherapy options for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of clinical trials investigating the effect of pharmacological treatments on patients with bronchiectasis. Areas covered: This review provides an overview of current drugs used in bronchiectasis patients as well as those that could make a future contribution to the management of this disease. Expert commentary: Bronchiectasis is a very heterogeneous disease, so it can be studied from a phenotypic standpoint and its pathophysiological mechanisms (endotypes) can be defined.

Research: Comparison of the Accuracy of a Pocket versus Standard Pulse Oximeter.

Background: Pulse oximetry has become an essential tool in clinical practice. With patient self-management becoming more prevalent, pulse oximetry self-monitoring has the potential to become common practice in the near future. This study sought to compare the accuracy of two pulse oximeters, a high-quality standard pulse oximeter and an inexpensive pocket pulse oximeter, and to compare both devices with arterial blood co-oximetry oxygen saturation.