A Basic Review of the Preliminary Evidence That COVID-19 Risk and Severity Is Increased in Vitamin D Deficiency.

As the world's attention has been riveted upon the growing COVID-19 pandemic, many researchers have written brief reports supporting the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency is related to the incidence and severity of COVID-19. The clear common thread among the top risk groups-vitamin D deficiency-may be being overlooked because of previous overstated claims of vitamin D benefits. However, the need to decrease COVID-19 fatalities among high-risk populations is urgent.

Evidence for Polymeric Membrane Dressings as a Unique Dressing Subcategory, Using Pressure Ulcers as an Example.

Wound management recommendations usually group dressings by base substrate material or reimbursement codes, even when functional differences are vast (., honey-containing alginates, super-absorbent hydrogels). Polymeric membrane dressings (PMDs) diverge dramatically from conventional foam dressings in functional attributes, indications, and patient results, providing an opportunity to demonstrate the evidence for categorizing dressings based upon functional differences.

Polymeric Membrane Dressings for Topical Wound Management of Patients With Infected Wounds in a Challenging Environment: A Protocol With 3 Case Examples.

Patients with acute wounds often delay seeking medical assistance until an incapacitating infection has developed. When such patients come for help at a remote Christian clinic in northern Ghana, West Africa, the goals of care are to resolve and prevent a return of infection, decrease pain, enable an immediate return to normal activities, and facilitate healing. Because the local protocol of care, Edinburgh University Solution of Lime (EUSOL)-soaked gauze, did not meet these goals, the author tried using a variety of donated wound dressing regimens.

A review of the literature informing affordable, available wound management choices for rural areas of tropical developing countries.

Health professionals are often absent in rural areas of tropical developing countries. Current wound management in this environment is costly and largely ineffective. Achieving effective wound management in this setting will require educating the lay health providers who manage wounds in villages.

A concept development of the village health worker.

Problem: Village health workers (VHWs) promote health and provide basic health care in areas of the world where basic health knowledge and health professionals are scarce. The 1960s-1980s saw a dramatic increase in the training of VHWs in resource-limited environments. Politics changed, disillusionment set in, and enthusiasm waned.

PolyMem Wic Silver Rope: A Multifunctional Dressing for Decreasing Pain, Swelling, and Inflammation.

Problem: Choosing the most appropriate dressing to meet the complex needs of patients with narrow deep wounds, such as tunnels, fistulas, and cysts, is a daunting task. Such wounds are difficult to cleanse and tend to be extremely painful. Wound patients need a drug-free dressing that handles exudates, decreases the need for traumatic cleansing during dressing changes, and addresses wound pain, inflammation, and swelling.