Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Anesthesiology for April 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Symptomatic Health Care Staff in U.K. Screened for COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Screening symptomatic health care workers for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is feasible during the pandemic, according to a research letter published online April 22 in The Lancet.
Many Health Care Workers Face Risk for Poor Outcomes With COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, April 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) — More than one-quarter of health care workers with patient contact are at risk for poor outcomes from COVID-19, according to a study published online April 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
David Shulkin, M.D., on COVID-19 Financial Consequences for Health Care System
MONDAY, April 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Health care organizations are facing hard financial decisions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but an end is in sight as some are beginning to slowly open back up around the country, according to David Shulkin, M.D. Shulkin, who served as ninth secretary for Veterans Affairs and is former president and CEO of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, spoke with HealthDay during a live stream on the HealthDay YouTube channel and live blog.
Recommendations Developed for Anesthesia Use During COVID-19
TUESDAY, April 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations have been developed for use of anesthesia during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a joint statement issued by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine and the European Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Therapy.
Roadmap Developed for Resuming Elective Surgery During COVID-19
MONDAY, April 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A roadmap for resuming elective surgery after new cases of COVID-19 begin to wane is presented in a joint statement published by the American College of Surgeons and other societies.
Joint Statement
Surprise Billing Found for Visits to Ambulatory Surgery Centers
MONDAY, April 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — After insurer payment, potential surprise bills to patients for out-of-network providers occur in 8 percent of episodes at in-network ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), according to a report published online April 15 in Health Affairs.
Survey Finds Anesthesiologists Prepared for COVID-19 Patients
FRIDAY, April 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Anesthesiologists on the front lines of treating surgical COVID-19 patients in Turkey are generally knowledgeable about airway management, according to the results of a national survey published online April 6 in Surgical Infections.
Hydroxychloroquine Seems Not to Cut Ventilator Use in COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, April 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There is no evidence that use of hydroxychloroquine alone (HC) or with azithromycin (HC+AZ) reduces the risks for mechanical ventilation or death from any cause in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, according to a study that has not yet been peer reviewed and was posted online April 21 at medRxiv.org.
Scoring System Helps Guide Surgical Care During COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, April 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A scoring system for medically necessary time-sensitive (MeNTS) procedures can facilitate decision making and triage in the setting of COVID-19, according to a study published online April 9 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Benefit of Social Distancing Outweighs Economic Impact
MONDAY, April 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The economic benefits of lives saved through social distancing substantially outweigh the value of the projected losses to the U.S. economy, according to a study to be published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis.
IDSA Issues Rapid Guidelines for Treatment of COVID-19
FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In rapid guidelines issued by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), recommendations are presented for the treatment and management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Surgery Department Outlines Rapid Response to COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a comprehensive rapid response plan, published online April 9 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, surgeons from the University of California San Francisco present a strategy to triage surgeries to help manage health care resources during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Guidance Developed for Treating Cardiac Arrest During COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a document entitled “Interim Guidance for Basic and Advanced Life Support in Adults, Children, and Neonates With Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19,” published online April 9 in Circulation, recommendations are presented for treating victims of cardiac arrest during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Intubation Initiated in One in Five Who Died of COVID-19 in China
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Many patients who died from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China may have had delayed intubation, according to a research letter published online April 10 in JAMA Network Open.
SARS-CoV-2 Contamination of Air, Surfaces Examined in ICU, Wards
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Considerable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) contamination of air and object surfaces is reported in intensive care units (ICUs) and general coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) wards (GW), according to a study published online April 10 in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Medical Masks May Be Sufficient During COVID-19 Routine Care
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Use of medical masks, such as surgical or procedural masks, does not increase the risk for viral infection or respiratory illness, and their use may serve as a protective measure in instances of N95 respirator shortages, according to the results of a meta-analysis published online April 4 in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.
Remdesivir May Improve Oxygen-Support Class in Severe COVID-19
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Improvement in oxygen support status was observed in 68 percent of patients hospitalized with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who received compassionate use of remdesivir, according to a study published online April 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Mechanical Ventilation Needed by Most COVID-19 Patients in ICU
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Most patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requiring treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU) require mechanical ventilation, according to a study published online April 6 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Anxiety Up for Nonmedical Health Care Workers Versus Those on Front Lines
FRIDAY, April 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Non-medically trained health care workers caring for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have an increased prevalence of anxiety compared with medically trained health care workers, according to a research letter published online April 6 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Guidelines Developed for COVID-19 Patients in ICU
WEDNESDAY, April 8, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In guidelines issued by the international Surviving Sepsis Campaign initiative, published in Critical Care Medicine and Intensive Care Medicine, recommendations are presented for the management of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).
School Closures Could Further Complicate COVID-19 Effort
TUESDAY, April 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Potential contagion prevention from school closures needs to be weighed against the potential loss of health care workers due to child care obligations during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to a study published online April 3 in The Lancet Public Health.
Recommendations Issued for GI Procedures During COVID-19
TUESDAY, April 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a document issued by the American Gastroenterological Association, published online April 1 in Gastroenterology, recommendations are presented for gastrointestinal (GI) procedures during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Majority of Physicians Report Serious Concerns About COVID-19
MONDAY, April 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — According to a national survey conducted by Harvard Medical School, the RAND Corporation, and Doximity, practicing physicians currently report substantial concerns about supplies, the government response, and availability of testing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Might Aid in Severe COVID-19
MONDAY, April 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support might improve clinical outcomes in severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that cannot be adequately managed with mechanical ventilation alone, according to research published online March 30 in the ASAIO Journal.
Unemployed Workers Less Likely to Be Uninsured Post-ACA
THURSDAY, April 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Following implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), unemployed workers were less likely to be uninsured, and uninsurance rates decreased more in states with Medicaid expansion, according to a report from the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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