Corticosteroid treatment has no effect on hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Since the start of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, corticosteroid use has been the subject of debate. The available evidence is uncertain, and knowledge on the subject is evolving. The aim of our cohort study was to evaluate the association between corticosteroid therapy and hospital mortality, in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 after balancing for possible confounders.

Normal values of exhaled carbon monoxide in healthy subjects: comparison between two methods of assessment.

Background: In a previous study, exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) has been assessed in healthy non-smokers with a photo acoustic spectrometer Brüel&Kjær 1312. Unexpectedly, values were higher than those reported in literature, which were mostly obtained with electrochemical analysers. This study was aimed to compare eCO values obtained with Brüel&Kjær 1312 and PiCO + Smokerlyzer, a largely utilized electrochemical analyser.

Ultrasound artifacts mimicking pleural sliding after pneumonectomy.

Study Objective: To determine the presence of pleural sliding on chest ultrasonography (US) in a series of patients admitted to a surgical intensive care unit (SICU).

Design: Prospective, observational study.

Setting: 16-bed SICU of a University hospital.

Compression of the inferior vena cava in bowel obstruction.

Introduction: We investigated whether (a) the inferior vena cava (IVC) is compressed in bowel obstruction and (b) some tracts are more compressed than others.

Methods: Two groups of abdominal computed tomography (CT) examinations were collected retrospectively. Group O (N = 69) scans were positive for bowel obstruction, group C (N = 50) scans were negative for diseases.