Elevated von Willebrand Factor Antigen Is an Early Predictor of Mortality and Prolonged Length of Stay for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Inpatients.

Context.—: Coagulation factor and endothelial injury marker, von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag), is elevated in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Objective.

Refining the Definition of Polypharmacy and Its Link to Disability in Older Adults: Conceptualizing Necessary Polypharmacy, Unnecessary Polypharmacy, and Polypharmacy of Unclear Benefit.

The term polypharmacy in older adults is generally used in a pejorative context in the medical literature. Because of its link to geriatric syndromes and disability, the avoidance of polypharmacy is usually recommended in older adults as a strategy to optimize functional status. However, there are many polypharmacy regimens based on high-quality trials that clearly reduce the risk of disability in older adults.

A comparison of magnetic and radiographic imaging artifact after using three types of metal rods: stainless steel, titanium, and vitallium.

Background Context: After spinal fusion surgery, postoperative management often includes imaging with either computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess the spinal canal and nerve roots. The metallic implants used in the fusion can cause artifact that interferes with this imaging, reducing their diagnostic value. Stainless steel is known to produce large amounts of artifact, whereas titanium is known to produce significantly less.