Association between emergency department disposition and mortality in patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Objectives: Patients hospitalized for COVID-19 frequently develop hypoxemia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) after admission. In non-COVID-19 ARDS studies, admission to hospital wards with subsequent transfer to intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with worse outcomes. We hypothesized that initial admission to the ward may affect outcomes in patient with COVID-19 ARDS.

Right Ventricular Dysfunction Patterns among Patients with COVID-19 in the Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is common among patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease (COVID-19); however, its epidemiology may depend on the echocardiographic parameters used to define it. To evaluate the prevalence of abnormalities in three common echocardiographic parameters of RV function among patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), as well as the effect of RV dilatation on differential parameter abnormality and the association of RV dysfunction with 60-day mortality. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of ICU patients with COVID-19 between March 4, 2020, and March 4, 2021, who received a transthoracic echocardiogram within 48 hours before to at most 7 days after ICU admission.

Effect of total cholesterol and statin therapy on mortality in ARDS patients: a secondary analysis of the SAILS and HARP-2 trials.

Background: Two acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) trials showed no benefit for statin therapy, though secondary analyses suggest inflammatory subphenotypes may have a differential response to simvastatin. Statin medications decrease cholesterol levels, and low cholesterol has been associated with increased mortality in critical illness. We hypothesized that patients with ARDS and sepsis with low cholesterol could be harmed by statins.

Novel and Variants Are Implicated in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling and right heart failure. Specific genetic variants increase the incidence of PAH in carriers with a family history of PAH, those who suffer from certain medical conditions, and even those with no apparent risk factors. Inflammation and immune dysregulation are related to vascular remodeling in PAH, but whether genetic susceptibility modifies the PAH immune response is unclear.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Secondary to Drugs and Toxins.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension secondary to drugs and toxins is an important subgroup of group 1 pulmonary hypertension associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Many drugs and toxins have emerged as risk factors for pulmonary arterial hypertension, which include anorexigens, illicit agents, and several US Food and Drug Administration-approved therapeutic medications. Drugs and toxins are classified as possible or definite risk factors for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

First exposure to home therapy options--where, when, and how.

Pre-dialysis education is known to impact modality choice among patients with end stage renal disease, but many of these patients report a lack of education in alternative dialysis therapies. Since 2004, Satellite Healthcare, a non-profit dialysis provider, has implemented chronic kidney disease education through Options classes at WellBound Centers, resulting in 23% of patients being treated with home therapies. The Satellite Healthcare-WellBound experience confirms that Options classes and a compelling infrastructure for home dialysis therapies are vital elements to bring alternative dialysis therapies to more patients.