Impact of intermediate to high doses of methylprednisolone on mortality rate in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia-induced severe systemic inflammation.

Introduction: In addition to respiratory support needs, patients' characteristics to guide indication or timing of corticosteroid treatment in COVID-19 patients are not completely established. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of methylprednisolone on mortality rate in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia-induced severe systemic inflammation (PI-SSI).

Methods: Between 9 March and 5 May 2020 (final follow-up on 2 July 2020), a retrospective cohort study was conducted in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 PI-SSI (≥2 inflammatory biomarkers [IBs]: temperature ≥38℃, lymphocyte ≤800 cell/µL, C-reactive protein ≥100 mg/L, lactate dehydrogenase ≥300 units/L, ferritin ≥1000 mcg/L, D-dimer ≥500 ng/mL).

Topical issues in venous thromboembolism.

Despite clear guidelines and the availability of effective treatments, venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains relatively common, particularly in the hospital setting. This paper reviews topical issues in VTE, in terms of treatments, data and guidelines. Existing anticoagulants have several limitations.

Overview of venous thromboembolism.

Thrombosis occurs at sites of injury to the vessel wall, by inflammatory processes leading to activation of platelets, platelet adherence to the vessel wall and the formation of a fibrin network. A thrombus that goes on to occlude a blood vessel is known as a thromboembolism. Venous thromboembolism begins with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which forms in the deep veins of the leg (calf) or pelvis.

[Locoregional anesthesia and drugs that affect hemostasis. Suggestions of the expert meeting in the ESRA Congress in Barcelona].

Growing interest in the effect of hemostasis-altering medications on regional anesthetic techniques was analyzed recently in a review article suggesting certain safety measures, by Llau and colleages in Revista Española de Anestesiología y Reanimación. Since that review, however, it has become necessary to extend the discussion of clinical issues, based on information presented at the Eighth Local Meeting of the European Society for Regional Anesthesia (ESRA) of May 2002. There, participants debated the most controversial aspects, with attention to practical questions such as temporal safety margins and approaches to take given certain platelet antiaggregants, fibrinolytics or drug combinations.