Characteristics and outcome of patients with COVID-19 complicated by Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: case series with literature review.

Background: Cardiac involvement with COVID-19 is increasingly being recognised. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 complicated by secondary Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is poorly understood.

Methods: This retrospective case series was conducted between March and April 2020 at four hospitals of Steward Health Care Network of Massachusetts, USA.

The Iowa Disinfection Cleaning Project: Opportunities, Successes, and Challenges of a Structured Intervention Program in 56 Hospitals.

OBJECTIVE A diverse group of hospitals in Iowa implemented a program to objectively evaluate and improve the thoroughness of disinfection cleaning of near-patient surfaces. Administrative benefits of, challenges of, and impediments to the program were also evaluated. METHODS We conducted a prospective, quasi-experimental pre-/postintervention trial to improve the thoroughness of terminal room disinfection cleaning.

Statistical considerations in meta-analysis.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have recently emerged as key sources of evidence to inform clinical care, from bedside individualized decisions to policy making. This article discusses the principles behind statistical methods for quantitative evidence synthesis, including meta-analysis and meta-regression. The authors present pertinent concepts in an intuitive and nonmathematical fashion by use of examples from the infectious diseases literature.

Improving cleaning of the environment surrounding patients in 36 acute care hospitals.

Objective: The prevalence of serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens transmitted in the hospital setting has reached alarming levels, despite intensified interventions. In the context of mandates that hospitals ensure compliance with disinfection procedures of surfaces in the environment surrounding the patient, we implemented a multihospital project to both evaluate and improve current cleaning practices.

Design: Prospective quasi-experimental, before-after, study.

Identifying opportunities to enhance environmental cleaning in 23 acute care hospitals .

Objective: The quality of environmental hygiene in hospitals is under increasing scrutiny from both healthcare providers and consumers because the prevalence of serious infections due to multidrug-resistant pathogens has reached alarming levels. On the basis of the results from a small number of hospitals, we undertook a study to evaluate the thoroughness of disinfection and cleaning in the patient's immediate environment and to identify opportunities for improvement in a diverse group of acute care hospitals.

Methods: Prospective multicenter study to evaluate the thoroughness of terminal room cleaning in hospitals using a novel targeting method to mimic the surface contamination of objects in the patient's immediate environment.

A case report comparing various radiological tests in the diagnosis of calcific uremic arteriolopathy.

Background: Calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA) is a rare necrotizing skin condition characterized by calcification in arterioles, leading to ischemia and skin ulcerations. This disease affects 1% to 4% of patients with chronic kidney disease and has a reported mortality rate up to 80%. The diagnosis of CUA is based on clinical judgment suggested by the characteristic skin lesions.