Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Management and Outcomes of Acute Cholecystitis at US Academic Centers.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-ranging effects on management of medical conditions. Many hospitals encountered staffing shortages, limited operating room availability, and shortage of hospital beds. There was increased psychological stress and fear of contracting COVID-19 infection, leading to delay in medical care for various disease processes.

Bevacizumab in Cervical Cancer: 5 Years After.

Over the past 5 years, addition of bevacizumab to combination chemotherapy for advanced, recurrent, and persistent cervical cancer has offered prolonged overall and progression-free survival. Since the original press release announcing the survival benefits of this antiangiogenesis therapy, there has been further study of bevacizumab related to quality of life, combination with other agents, use of imaging to evaluate likelihood of response, and development of biosimilars. This review summarizes publications related to bevacizumab use in advanced, recurrent, and persistent cervical cancer over the past 5 years since initial proof of concept of antiangiogenesis therapy and the initial dissemination of information regarding survival benefits of bevacizumab.

Patients With Burns Versus Patients With Complex Skin and Soft-Tissue Disease: An Analysis of Outcomes in the United States.

With the incidence of burns decreasing nationally, burn units are caring for more patients with nonburn conditions. The American Burn Association National Burn Repository does not currently report data regarding patients cared for in burn units without a diagnosis of burn. Using the National Inpatient Sample, we examined if there was a difference in characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted for burns compared with those with a primary admitting diagnosis of necrotizing skin infections and soft-tissue infections and exfoliative skin conditions.

Murine typhus in a pregnant woman.

Background: Murine typhus is a flea-borne disease caused by Rickettsia typhi. Although uncommon in most of the United States, it is endemic in Southern California. Most cases are unrecognized given its nonspecific viral symptoms and rare complications.