Could pulmonary low-dose radiation therapy be an alternative treatment for patients with COVID-19 pneumonia? Preliminary results of a multicenter SEOR-GICOR nonrandomized prospective trial (IPACOVID trial).

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of lung low-dose radiation therapy (LD-RT) for pneumonia in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Inclusion criteria comprised patients with COVID-19-related moderate-severe pneumonia warranting hospitalization with supplemental O2 and not candidates for admission to the intensive care unit because of comorbidities or general status. All patients received single lung dose of 0.5 Gy. Respiratory and systemic inflammatory parameters were evaluated before irradiation, at 24 h and 1 week after LD-RT. Primary endpoint was increased in the ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) or the pulse oximetry saturation (SpO2) to fractional inspired oxygen (FiO2) ratio of at least 20% at 24 h with respect to the preirradiation value. RESULTS: Between June and November 2020, 36 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and a mean age of 84 years were enrolled. Seventeen were women and 19 were men and all of them had comorbidities. All patients had bilateral pulmonary infiltrates on chest X­ray. All patients received dexamethasone treatment. Mean SpO2 pretreatment value was 94.28% and the SpO2/FiO2 ratio varied from 255 mm Hg to 283 mm Hg at 24 h and to 381 mm Hg at 1 week, respectively. In those who survived (23/36, 64%), a significant improvement was observed in the percentage of lung involvement in the CT scan at 1 week after LD-RT. No adverse effects related to radiation treatment have been reported. CONCLUSIONS: LD-RT appears to be a feasible and safe option in a population with COVID-19 bilateral interstitial pneumonia in the presence of significant comorbidities.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of 1,331 patients with COVID-19: HM Spanish Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Spain is one of the European countries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Epidemiologic studies are warranted to improve the disease understanding, evaluate the care procedure and prepare for futures waves. The aim of the study was to describe epidemiologic characteristics associated with hospitalized patients with COVID-19. METHODS: This real-world, observational, multicenter and retrospective study screened all consecutive patients admitted to 8 Spanish private hospitals. Inclusion criteria: hospitalized adults (age≥18 years old) with clinically and radiologically findings compatible with COVID-19 disease from March 1st to April 5th, 2020. Exclusion criteria: patients presenting negative PCR for SARS-CoV-2 during the first 7 days from hospital admission, transfer to a hospital not belonging to the HM consortium, lack of data and discharge against medical advice in emergency departments. RESULTS: One thousand and three hundred thirty-one COVID-19 patients (medium age 66.9 years old; males n= 841, medium length of hospital stayed 8 days, non-survivors n=233) were analyzed. One hundred and fifteen were admitted to intensive care unit (medium length of stay 16 days, invasive mechanical ventilation n= 95, septic shock n= 37 and renal replacement therapy n= 17). Age, male gender, leukocytes, platelets, oxygen saturation, chronic therapy with steroids and treatment with hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin were independent factors associated with mortality. The proportion of patients that survive and received tocilizumab and steroids were lesser and higher respectively than those that die, but their association was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Overall crude mortality rate was 17.5%, rising up to 36.5% in the subgroup of patients that were admitted to the intensive care unit. Seven factors impact in hospital mortality. No immunomodulatory intervention were associated with in-hospital mortality.

"Do not do" recommendations of the working groups of the Spanish Society of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC) for the management of critically ill patients. / Recomendaciones de "no hacer" en el tratamiento de los pacientes críticos de los grupos de trabajo de la Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva, Crítica y Unidades Coronarias (SEMICYUC).

The project "Commitment to Quality of Scientific Societies", promoted since 2013 by the Spanish Ministry of Health, seeks to reduce unnecessary health interventions that have not proven effective, have little or doubtful effectiveness, or are not cost-effective. The objective is to establish the "do not do" recommendations for the management of critically ill patients. A panel of experts from the 13 working groups (WGs) of the Spanish Society of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC) was selected and nominated by virtue of clinical expertise and/or scientific experience to carry out the recommendations. Available scientific literature in the management of adult critically ill patients from 2000 to 2017 was extracted. The clinical evidence was discussed and summarized by the experts in the course of consensus finding of each WG, and was finally approved by the WGs after an extensive internal review process carried out during the first semester of 2017. A total of 65 recommendations were developed, of which 5 corresponded to each of the 13 WGs. These recommendations are based on the opinion of experts and scientific knowledge, and aim to reduce those treatments or procedures that do not add value to the care process; avoid the exposure of critical patients to potential risks; and improve the adequacy of health resources.

[Preliminary study of the drug consumption in hospitalized elders]. / Estudio piloto sobre el consumo de fármacos en ancianos que ingresan en un hospital.

BACKGROUND: The absence of studies that evaluate the effect of the medical acts is an example of "mala praxis". The irrational use of medications is one of these cases. This study shows the characteristics of the drugs consumption in elders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We include 53 elders hospitalized between 1/02/02 and the 31/05/02. RESULTS: The elders received an average of 6.45 medicaments/day. The factors of more consumption are the origin from nursing home residents and the number of previous surgeries. The adverse effects were related in 25% of the hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: The basis of this situation is in the loss of the global perspective of the patients and in the abuse of the sanitary resources. Each drug is the result of an isolated medical act, determining the appearance of iatrogenic disease.

Estudio piloto sobre el consumo de fármacos en ancianos que ingresan en un hospital / Preliminary study of the drug consumption in hospitalized elders

Fundamento: La ausencia de estudios sobre el resultado de actos médicos conlleva mala praxis. El uso irracional de fármacos es uno de estos casos. Este estudio muestra las características del consumo de medicamentos en mayores de 65 años. Material y métodos: Se incluyeron 53 pacientes mayores de 65 años ingresados desde el 1/02/02 al 31/05/02. Resultados: La media de fármacos es 6,45/día. Los factores de mayor consumo son la procedencia de residencia y la existencia previa de un mayor numero de cirugías. El 25 por ciento de ingresos está relacionado con efectos secundarios. Conclusiones: La perdida del enfoque global del enfermo y el abuso de los recursos sanitarios son la base de esta situación. Cada fármaco es el resultado de actos médicos aislados, condicionando el desarrollo de iatrogenia (AU)

Determining the refractive index and average thickness of AsSe semiconducting glass films from wavelength measurements only.

The dispersive refractive index n(λ) and thickness d of chalcogenide glass thin films are usually calculated from measurements of both optical transmission and wavelength values. Many factors can influence the transmission values, leading to large errors in the values obtained for n(λ) and d. Anovel optical method is used to derive n(λ) and d for AsSe semiconducting glass thin films deposited by thermal evaporation in the spectral region where k(2) « n(2), using only wavelength values. This entails obtaining two transmission spectra: one at normal incidence and another at oblique incidence. The procedure yields values for the refractive index and average thickness of thermally evaporated chalcogenide films to an accuracy better than 3%.