ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and endothelial injury in COVID-19.

Background: COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) as a receptor for cellular entry. It is theorized that ACE inhibitors (ACE-Is) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) may increase vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 by upregulating ACE-2 expression, but ACE-I/ARB discontinuation is associated with clinical deterioration.

Objective: To determine whether ACE-I and ARB use is associated with acute kidney injury (AKI), macrovascular thrombosis and in-hospital mortality.

Long-Term Survival after Cardiac Surgery in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Although many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) require a prolonged length of stay (PLOS) following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the impact of PLOS on long-term survival has not been examined in this population.

Objectives: To determine the association between PLOS and long-term survival among COPD and non-COPD patients after CABG and to examine consequent policy and practice-based implications.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of CABG patients was conducted between 2002 and 2011.

Long-Term Mortality of 306,868 Patients with Multi-Vessel Coronary Artery Disease: CABG versus PCI.

Background: Several randomized controlled trials (RCT) have reported no difference in long-term mortality between coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The purpose of this pooled observational analysis was to compare recent retrospective studies examining long-term survival of patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease undergoing CABG and PCI.

Methodology: We searched Medline for observational studies comparing long-term (>1 year) survival between CABG and PCI for the treatment of multi-vessel coronary artery disease over the past 10 years.

Incisional negative pressure therapy to prevent wound complications following cesarean section in morbidly obese women: a pilot study.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the efficacy of incisional negative pressure therapy in decreasing postoperative wound complications when placed prophylactically over clean, closed incisions following cesarean section in obese patients.

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study comparing rates of wound complications following cesarean sections in morbidly obese women prior to and following the institution of standard use of prophylactic incisional negative pressure therapy. All women with a body mass index greater than 45 kg/m(2) undergoing cesarean section in a 2-year period in a single institution were included.

Predictors of fetal growth in maternal HIV disease.

We sought to determine predictors of fetal growth restriction in maternal HIV disease. Pregnant HIV-positive women on antiretroviral therapy were monitored with serial viral load and CD4 counts. Individualized growth potential (GP) percentile was calculated for birth weight (BW).