DG Alerts Despite prevailing assumptions in the literature, cytokine storm syndrome is relatively rare among patients with moderate and severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to a study published in Science Advances. Rather, the study revealed that the majority of COVID-19 patients exhibited suppressed immune profiles relative to the patterns observed among influenza-infected patients. To understand […]

DG Alerts A study published in Clinical Immunology finds high percentages of NK CD57+ cells and CD56dim NK cells and low percentages of CD56bright and NKT cells among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) compared to healthy donors. Moreover, the study shows that severe COVID-19 pneumonia and NKT cell reduction were independently associated. “NK cells seem to […]

AUTHORS: Turan, Alparslan MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: September 2020 – Volume 131 – Issue 3 – p 822-829 BACKGROUND:  Uncontrolled pain after noncardiac surgery activates the sympathetic nervous system, which causes tachycardia, hypertension, and increased cardiac contractility—all of which may increase myocardial oxygen demand. We therefore determined whether time-weighted average pain scores over […]

AUTHORS: Hunsberger, Joann B. MD, MS et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: September 2020 – Volume 131 – Issue 3 – p 866-875 BACKGROUND:  The epidemic of nonmedical use of prescription opioids (NMUPOs) has been fueled in part by the availability of leftover, legitimately prescribed opioids. In children, outpatient urological procedures are among the most common […]

AUTHORS: i, Jiafu MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: September 2020 – Volume 131 – Issue 3 – p 935-942 BACKGROUND:  The misuse of opioids stems, in part, from inadequate knowledge of molecular interactions between opioids and opioid receptors. It is still unclear why some opioids are far more addictive than others. The κ-opioid receptor […]

DG Alert A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism shows a 13.1% rate of thyroid dysfunction among patients with predominantly mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). “There may be a direct effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on thyroid function, potentially leading to exacerbation of pre-existing autoimmune thyroid disease. Low free […]

DG Alerts A study published in Science Advances reports on the ability of baricitinib, a JAK/STAT pathway inhibitor, to inhibit viral entry and reduce inflammatory markers in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, reducing mortality risk by 71% among patients with moderate-severe COVID-19 pneumonia. In addition, the study shows that baricitinib prevents the type-1 interferon (IFN) mediated increase […]

AUTHORS: Qin, Caroline X. BS et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: September 2020 – Volume 131 – Issue 3 – p 901-908 BACKGROUND:  Patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support are critically ill and have substantial transfusion requirements, which convey both risks and benefits. A retrospective analysis was conducted to assess the association between blood component […]

AUTHORS: Gurunathan, Usha MBBS, MD, M Epi, FANZCA et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: September 2020 – Volume 131 – Issue 3 – p 741-750 BACKGROUND:  There is a concern that midazolam, when used as a component of sedation for colonoscopy, may impair cognition and prolong recovery. We aimed to identify whether midazolam produced short- and […]

AUTHORS: Galvagno, Samuel M. Jr DO, PhD, FCCM et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: September 2020 – Volume 131 – Issue 3 – p 754-761 BACKGROUND:  Many believe obesity is associated with higher rates of mortality in the critically ill. The purpose of this retrospective observational study is to evaluate the association between body mass index […]