Beneficial effect of awake prone position in hypoxaemic patients with COVID-19: case reports and literature review.

We hereby present two case reports of moderate coronavirus disease patients, suffering from profound hypoxaemia, further deteriorating later on. A schedule pre-planned awake prone position manoeuvres were executed during their hospital stay. Following this, the patients' saturation improved, later to be weaned from oxygen support. Paucity of evidence and data regarding this topic led us to review the concept of awake prone position.

Clinical Characterization of 162 COVID-19 patients in Israel: Preliminary Report from a Large Tertiary Center.

BACKGROUND: In February 2020, the World Health Organisation designated the name COVID-19 for a clinical condition caused by a virus identified as a cause for a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China. The virus subsequently spread worldwide, causing havoc to medical systems and paralyzing global economies. The first COVID-19 patient in Israel was diagnosed on 27 February 2020. OBJECTIVES: To present our findings and experiences as the first and largest center for COVID-19 patients in Israel. METHODS: The current analysis included all COVID-19 patients treated in Sheba Medical Center from February 2020 to April 2020. Clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological data gathered during their hospitalization are presented. RESULTS: Our 162 patient cohort included mostly adult (mean age of 52 ± 20 years) males (65%). Patients classified as severe COVID-19 were significantly older and had higher prevalence of arterial hypertension and diabetes. They also had significantly higher white blood cell counts, absolute neutrophil counts, and lactate dehydrogenase. Low folic acid blood levels were more common amongst severe patients (18.2 vs. 12.9 vs. 9.8, P = 0.014). The rate of immune compromised patients (12%) in our cohort was also higher than in the general population. The rate of deterioration from moderate to severe disease was high: 9% necessitated non-invasive oxygenation and 15% were intubated and mechanically ventilated. The mortality rate was 3.1. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 patients present a challenge for healthcare professionals and the whole medical system. We hope our findings will assist other providers and institutions in their care for these patients.

Prolonged patients' In-Hospital Waiting Period after discharge eligibility is associated with increased risk of infection, morbidity and mortality: a retrospective cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged, inappropriate hospital stay after patients' eligibility for discharge from internal medicine departments is a world-wide health-care systems' problem. Nevertheless, the extent to which such surplus hospital stays are associated with infectious complications, their time frame of appearance and their long-term implications was not previously addressed. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of patients experiencing an In-hospital Waiting Period (IHWP) after discharge eligibility in a single, tertiary hospital. RESULTS: We screened the records of 245 patients out of which 104 patients fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The mean length of IHWP was 15.7 ± 4.79 day during which 9(8.7 %) patients died. The study primary composite end-point, in-hospital mortality or hospital acquired infection (pneumonia, UTI or sepsis) occurred in 32(31 %) patients. The most hazardous time was during the first 3 IHWP days: 63.7 % of patients experienced a complication and 44 % of the total complications occurred during this period. The occurrence of any complication during IHWP was associated, with statistical significance, with increased risk of mortality during the first year after IHWP initiation (HR = 6.02, p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Prolongation of hospital stay after patients are deemed to be discharged from internal medicine departments is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, mainly during the first surplus days of in-hospital stay. Efforts should be made to shorten such hospital stays as much as possible.

[Application of bed-side ultrasound tests in wards of internal medicine].

Bedside sonography by non-radiologists is rapidly expanding, presenting modern medicine with challenging professional, medico-legal, financial and logistic aspects. In the current article, we reviewed the relevant literature describing sonography application by internal medicine practitioners and the obstacles that may interfere with large-scale integration of point of care ultrasound imaging. In conclusion, we see a great potential for clinical benefit by internists who will use bedside sonography and we recommend establishing an official training program in the fiell of bedside ultrasonography by internists.

Comorbid Hypothyroidism and Low-Alanine Aminotransferase-Associated Sarcopenia Associated with Shortened Survival: A Retrospective Study of 16,827 Patients over a 21-Year Period.

Background: Hypothyroidism is very common worldwide. It is known to be associated with frailty which, in turn, is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Low ALT blood activity is an established marker for sarcopenia and frailty. The incidence and outcomes of the association between low ALT values and hypothyroidism, as manifested in elevated blood TSH levels, is unknown. The objective of this study was to assess if low ALT values could improve the prediction of clinical outcome in hypothyroid patients. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of hospitalized patients in a large, tertiary hospital. Results: Over a period of 21 years, an overall population of 16,827 patients were identified as eligible to participate in this study. Within the study population, 726 (4.3%) were classified as suffering from hypothyroidism (TSH values > 6 MIU/L) and 2184 (13%) were classified as patients with sarcopenia (ALT < 12 IU/L). Within our patient population, hypothyroidism was associated with sarcopenia in a statistically significant manner (p = 0.011). Patients classified as suffering from both hypothyroidism and sarcopenia had significantly shorter survival: A multivariate analysis showed that the frail and hypothyroid group of patients had a statistically significant risk of mortality in the next 5 years (HR = 3.6; CI 2.75-4.71; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Sarcopenia and frailty are common comorbidities, bearing negative long-term clinical outcomes. Low ALT values could serve as a useful biomarker for screening of patients already diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

Elevation in systolic blood pressure during heart failure hospitalization is associated with increased short and long-term mortality.

The relationship between systolic blood pressure (SBP) change during hospitalization of patients with heart failure (HF) and clinical outcomes has never been thoroughly investigated.A total of 3393 patients hospitalized with HF, from 25 hospitals in Israel, were enrolled. The SBP change was calculated by subtracting the discharge SBP values from the admission values and then divided into quartiles of SBP change. We compared the group with upper quartile SBP change to the lower 3 quartiles of change. Both groups had largely similar demographics and clinical characteristics. All-cause mortality rate was 24% at 1-year and 82.6% at 10-years, whereas patients in the upper SBP change group had significantly higher cumulative mortality probability at 1-year (30% vs 22%; log-rank P <0.001), and at 10-years (86% vs 82%; log-rank P <0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis adjusted for comorbidities demonstrated that patients in the upper SBP change quartile have an independent 17% higher mortality risk at 10-years [hazard ratio (HR) 1.17; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-1.28]. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that mortality risk was more pronounced in patients with preserved ejection fraction and in the subgroup with admission SBP ≥140 mm Hg.SBP change is significantly associated with 1- and 10-year all-cause mortality, as an increased SBP change is associated with worse prognosis. We believe that this readily available marker might facilitate risk stratification of patients and possibly improve care.

Vomiting and Hyponatremia Are Risk Factors for Worse Clinical Outcomes Among Patients Hospitalized Due to Nonsurgical Abdominal Pain: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

After initial evaluation in the Emergency Department (ED), many patients complaining of abdominal pain are classified as suffering from nonsurgical abdominal pain (NSAP). Clinical characteristics and risk factors for worse prognosis were not published elsewhere.Characterizing the clinical profile of patients hospitalized due to NSAP and identifying predictor variables for worse clinical outcomes.We made a retrospective cohort analysis of patients hospitalized due to NSAP compared to matched control patients (for age, gender, and Charlson comorbidity index) hospitalized due to other, nonsurgical reasons in a ratio of 1 to 10. We further performed in-group analysis of patients admitted due to NSAP in order to appreciate variables (clinical and laboratory parameters) potentially associated with worse clinical outcomes.Overall 23,584 patients were included, of which 2144 were admitted due to NSAP and 21,440 were matched controls. Patients admitted due to NSAP had overall better clinical outcomes: they had lower rates of in-hospital and 30-days mortality (2.8% vs 5.5% and 7.9% vs 10.4% respectively, P < 0.001 for both comparisons). They also had a significantly shorter length of hospital stay (3.9 vs 6.2 days, P < 0.001). Rates of re-hospitalization within 30-days were not significantly different between study groups. Among patients hospitalized due to NSAP, we found that vomiting or hyponatremia at presentation or during hospital stay were associated with worse clinical outcomes.Compared to patients hospitalized due to other, nonsurgical reasons, the overall prognosis of patients admitted due to NSAP is favorable. The combination of NSAP with vomiting and hyponatremia is associated with worse clinical outcomes.

Low Norton Scale Score Predicts Worse Outcomes for Parkinson's Disease Patients Hospitalized Due to Infection.

Background:Parkinson's disease (PD) patients are prone to infections leading to hospitalization. We used the Norton Scale score (NSS) as a prognostic tool for these patients. Method: Retrospective analysis of consecutive PD patients, all had NSS appreciation upon admission. Analyses were made to establish the association between NSS upon admission, short-term, and long-term clinical outcomes. Results: Five hundred twenty-eight PD patients' records were reviewed, of which 81 were eligible for analysis. Patients who died during hospitalization had a significantly lower NSS (10.0 vs. 13.1, p = .026). Among surviving patients, those who were discharged to more intensive care facilities relative to their original place of arrival also had a significantly lower NSS (10.38 vs. 13.63, p = .0002). Lower NSS was found to increase the risk for 1-year mortality (odds ratio = 1.3; 95% confidence interval = [1.09, 1.56], p = .003). Conclusion: Lower NSS upon admission of PD patients, suffering from infection is associated with worse clinical outcomes.