Decrease in hemoglobin level predicts increased risk for severe respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients with pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: In December 2019, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in Wuhan, China, and has since spread throughout the world. This study aimed to investigate the association between the change in laboratory markers during the three days after pneumonia diagnosis and severe respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: Data of 23 COVID-19 patients with pneumonia, admitted to the Kumamoto City Hospital between February and April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 23 patients, eight patients received mechanical ventilation (MV) (MV group), and the remaining 15 comprised the non-MV group. The levels of hemoglobin (Hb) and albumin (Alb) decreased in the MV group during the three days after pneumonia diagnosis more than in the non-MV group (median Hb: 1.40 vs. -0.10 g/dL, P = 0.015; median Alb: 0.85 vs. -0.30 g/dL, P = 0.020). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the decrease in Hb was associated with receiving MV care (odds ratio: 0.313, 95% confidence interval: 0.100-0.976, P = 0.045). Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed that the optimal cut-off value for the decrease in Hb level was -1.25 g/dL, with sensitivity and specificity values of 0.867 and 0.750, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in Hb level during the short period after pneumonia diagnosis might be a predictor of worsening pneumonia in COVID-19 patients.

[A central monitoring system capturing the screen of an anesthesia monitor].

e have developed a flexible, economically efficient central monitoring system. The system converts RGB analog outputs on the screen of an anesthesia monitor display into digital video signals with TwinPact 100 (Thomson Canopus, Kobe), and depicts them on the screen of Vidi-installed (http://www.mitzpettel.com/ software/vidi.php) personal computers (iMac, Apple, Tokyo), which serve as terminal monitors. These PCs are monitored and administered through Apple Remote Desktop 3 (Apple, Tokyo) on a server computer (Mac Pro, Apple, Tokyo), connected to the LAN, in the office for anesthesiologists. As Bosco's Screen Share (http://www.componentx.com/ScreenShare/) has been installed on computers in every room, we can monitor their screens via a PC in another room using Firefox (http://mozilla.jp/firefox/) and other web browsers.The system, with a screen capturing function, was designed to comply with all monitor display of all medical equipment manufacturers, with possible expansion to the operating rooms.