Racial and ethnic variation in COVID-19 care, treatment, and outcomes: A retrospective cohort study from the MiCOVID-19 registry.

Background: Racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 outcomes exist, but whether in-hospital care explains this difference is not known. We sought to determine racial and ethnic differences in demographics, comorbidities, in-hospital treatments, and in-hospital outcomes of patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Methods And Findings: This was a cohort study using MiCOVID-19, a multi-center, retrospective, collaborative quality improvement registry, which included data on patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across 38 hospitals in the State of Michigan.

Race, Ethnicity, and 60-Day Outcomes After Hospitalization With COVID-19.

Objective: To examine racial and ethnic disparities in clinical, financial, and mental health outcomes within a diverse sample of hospitalized COVID-19-positive patients in the 60 days postdischarge.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting And Participants: A total of 2217 adult patients who were hospitalized with a COVID-19-positive diagnosis as evidenced by test (reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction), a discharge diagnosis of COVID-19 (ICD-10 code U07.

Diagnostic patterns and stress testing trends after implementing high-sensitivity troponin assay.

Objectives: High-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) testing was approved in the United States to better facilitate diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Although hsTnT has been widely studied internationally, the impact of hsTnT on discharge diagnoses and health care utilization within the United States is less known. We sought to evaluate the effects of implementing hsTnT on diagnosis patterns and stress testing utilization.

Current Trends in Anticoagulation Bridging for Patients With Chronic Atrial Fibrillation on Warfarin Undergoing Endoscopy.

For warfarin-treated patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) at low thromboembolic risk, recent studies have shown harm associated with periprocedural bridging using low-molecular-weight heparin. Clinician surveys have indicated a preference toward excessive bridging, especially among noncardiologists; however, little is known about actual practice patterns in these patients. We performed a retrospective evaluation of bridging in the setting of gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Partnership for Diversity: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Nurturing Cultural Competence at an Emerging Medical School.

Fostering cultural competence in higher education institutions is essential, particularly in training future health care workers to care for diverse populations. The opportunity to explore techniques to address diversity and cultural competence at a new medical school was undertaken by a multidisciplinary team of librarians, faculty, staff, and medical students. From 2011 to 2015, the team sponsored a voluntary programming series to promote cultural competence and raise awareness of health care disparities for the medical school.

Radiographically Occult Latent Radiogenic Osteosarcoma Uncovered on Tc-99m Methylene-diphosphonate Bone Scintigraphy.

We present a case of a 70-year-old male who was referred for a technetium-99m methylene-diphosphonate bone scan for mild left hip pain and an elevated alkaline phosphatase level of 770 units/L. No additional information was provided and the patient's history was limited due to a language barrier. We were able to ascertain that the patient had a remote history of prostate cancer, which had been treated with radiation.

Molecular mechanism of selectivity among G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 inhibitors.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are key regulators of cell physiology and control processes ranging from glucose homeostasis to contractility of the heart. A major mechanism for the desensitization of activated GPCRs is their phosphorylation by GPCR kinases (GRKs). Overexpression of GRK2 is strongly linked to heart failure, and GRK2 has long been considered a pharmaceutical target for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.