Publications by authors named "Rita Hsu"

Article Synopsis
  • During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the risks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in pregnant women were unclear, highlighting the need for research on infection rates in this population.
  • The study aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 infection rates among pregnant women in Washington State and assess disparities based on race, ethnicity, and English language proficiency.
  • Researchers identified 240 pregnant patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections, with over 70% belonging to minority racial and ethnic groups, indicating notable disparities in infection rates.
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Article Synopsis
  • Pregnant patients with COVID-19 in Washington State showed increased risks of severe disease, hospitalization, and mortality, with 1 in 11 developing severe illness and 1 in 80 dying during the study period.
  • Hospitalization rates for pregnant patients were significantly higher, at 10%, compared to 2.8% for similarly aged adults, indicating a 3.5-fold increase in risk.
  • Those hospitalized were more likely to have underlying health conditions, such as asthma, hypertension, and obesity, revealing a link between pre-existing morbidities and severe COVID-19 outcomes in pregnancy.
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Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the primary treatment for arterial gas embolism, decompression sickness and acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Though there has been a proliferation of hyperbaric centers throughout the United States, a scarcity of centers equipped to treat emergency indications makes transport of patients necessary. To locate and characterize hyperbaric chambers capable of treating emergency cases, a survey of centers throughout the entire United States was conducted.

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