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Here are the stories of coronavirus that Medscape editors around the world think you need to know today.
Mask comparison
N95 masks that are past their expiration date or have been used and reused may be acceptable alternatives to standard new disposable N95 masks, new research indicates.
Researchers tested the fitted filtration efficiencies (FFEs) of 29 different face mask alternatives worn by a male and female volunteer who performed a series of repetitive movements of the torso, head and facial muscles to restore typical occupational activities.
The masks they tested included N95s up to 11 years before their expiration date, N95s that were sterilized with ethylene oxide and hydrogen peroxide such as steam, surgical masks, and respirators not approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). ).
The co-authors of a linked editorial write that despite the apparent “incomplete” FFE of non-NIOSH-approved respirators and surgical masks in the laboratory, “there is reason for optimism about their effectiveness in the world.”
Chloroquine linked to serious psychiatric side effects
Chloroquine intake may be associated with serious psychiatric side effects, even in patients with no family or personal history of psychiatric disorders, suggest researchers who have previously published studies. The assessment refers to a study of the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System database, a clinical trial for malaria prophylaxis, and case reports and series.
As a rheumatologist who uses hydroxychloroquine at a dose of 400 mg / day, I do not think we need to worry about serious [psychiatric] side effects, ”said Nilanjana Bose, MD, who was not involved in the review Medscape Medical News.
“These are potentially very side effects that psychiatrists need to be aware of,” said another expert.
COVID-19 Falls in American children are large in late July
A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Association of Pediatric Hospitals found that nearly 339,000 children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the American epidemic. Cases increased in the last half of July by 40% compared to the total reported earlier. There were 97,078 new cases.
Most of the new infections occurred in states in the South and West, according to the report, which was based on data from 49 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
Residents ready?
Most residents who were asked whether their training prepared them for COVID-19 in a Medscape survey said it did not or they were unsure.
While 40% said they felt prepared, 30% said they did not feel prepared, and 31% answered that they were not sure. The data include responses from 1659 U.S. medical residents.
The Kidney and COVID-19
The rates of acute kidney injury in hospital COVID-19 patients vary widely in reports across different cohorts, which “points to the idea that we do not fully understand this process and we do not know what is happening or the obvious risk factors,” “Transplant nephrologist Samira Farouk, MD, of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, said in a medscape commentary video.
She and nephrologist Matthew Sparks, MD, and Duke University discussed what is known, and what is still mysterious, about how COVID-19 affects patients’ kidneys. Whether SARS-CoV-2 directly infects and damages the kidney is “the million-dollar question,” Farouk said. “There is compelling evidence on both sides.”
In memoiriam
As frontline healthcare professionals care for patients with COVID-19, they commit to cumbersome, dehydrating work and also put themselves at risk for infection. Thousands all over the world have died.
Medscape has published a to-do list to remember them. We will continue to update this list as needed. Please help us ensure that this list is complete by submitting names with an age, occupation or specialty, and location via this form.
If you want to share other experiences, stories or concerns related to the pandemic, please join the conversation here.
Ellie Kincaid is Medscape’s associate managing editor. She has previously written about health care for Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and Nature Medicine. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ellie_kincaid.
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