MyMedR

Case series of COVID-19 with spontaneous pneumomediastinum

Nur Munirah I, Chidambaram SK

Med J Malaysia, 2022 01;77(1):92-94.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare condition in viral pneumonia. However, it can arise spontaneously in COVID-19 patients with no other risk factors. Here we present four cases of spontaneous pneumomediastinum in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia with no other precipitating factors.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral*

Two more coronaviruses may infect people

King A

Science, 2021 05 28;372(6545):893.

PMID: 34045334 DOI: 10.1126/science.372.6545.893

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/virology

Fulltext Monitoring of three-phase variations in the mortality of COVID-19 pandemic using control charts: where does Pakistan stand?

Mahmood Y, Ishtiaq S, Khoo MBC, Teh SY, Khan H

Int J Qual Health Care, 2021 Apr 16;33(2).

PMID: 33822932 DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzab062

BACKGROUND: At the end of December 2019, the world in general and Wuhan, the industrial hub of China, in particular, experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. Massive increment of cases and deaths occurred in China and 209 countries in Europe, America, Australia, Asia and Pakistan. Pakistan was first hit by COVID-19 when a case was reported in Karachi on 26 February 2020. Several methods were presented to model the death rate due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to forecast the pinnacle of reported deaths. Still, these methods were not used in identifying the first day when Pakistan enters or exits the early exponential growth phase.

OBJECTIVE: The present study intends to monitor variations in deaths and identify the growth phases such as pre-growth, growth, and post-growth phases in Pakistan due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS: New approaches are needed that display the death patterns and signal an alarming situation so that corrective actions can be taken before the condition worsens. To meet this purpose, secondary data on daily reported deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been considered, and the $c$ and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control charts are used To meet this purpose, secondary data on daily reported deaths in Pakistan due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been considered. The $ c$ and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control charts have been used for monitoring variations.

RESULTS: The chart shows that Pakistan switches from the pre-growth to the growth phase on 31 March 2020. The EWMA chart demonstrates that Pakistan remains in the growth phase from 31 March 2020 to 17 August 2020, with some indications signaling a decrease in deaths. It is found that Pakistan moved to a post-growth phase for a brief period from 27 July 2020 to 28 July 2020. Pakistan switches to re-growth phase with an alarm on 31/7/2020, right after the short-term post-growth phase. The number of deaths starts decreasing in August in that Pakistan may approach the post-growth phase shortly.

CONCLUSION: This amalgamation of control charts illustrates a systematic implementation of the charts for government leaders and forefront medical teams to facilitate the rapid detection of daily reported deaths due to COVID-19. Besides government and public health officials, it is also the public's responsibility to follow the enforced standard operating procedures as a temporary remedy of this pandemic in ensuring public safety while awaiting a suitable vaccine to be discovered.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/mortality*; Pneumonia, Viral/virology

Fulltext An Overview of Deep Learning Techniques on Chest X-Ray and CT Scan Identification of COVID-19

Serena Low WC, Chuah JH, Tee CATH, Anis S, Shoaib MA, Faisal A, et al.

Comput Math Methods Med, 2021;2021:5528144.

PMID: 34194535 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5528144

Pneumonia is an infamous life-threatening lung bacterial or viral infection. The latest viral infection endangering the lives of many people worldwide is the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19. This paper is aimed at detecting and differentiating viral pneumonia and COVID-19 disease using digital X-ray images. The current practices include tedious conventional processes that solely rely on the radiologist or medical consultant's technical expertise that are limited, time-consuming, inefficient, and outdated. The implementation is easily prone to human errors of being misdiagnosed. The development of deep learning and technology improvement allows medical scientists and researchers to venture into various neural networks and algorithms to develop applications, tools, and instruments that can further support medical radiologists. This paper presents an overview of deep learning techniques made in the chest radiography on COVID-19 and pneumonia cases.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis

Fulltext Lung Infection Segmentation for COVID-19 Pneumonia Based on a Cascade Convolutional Network from CT Images

Ranjbarzadeh R, Jafarzadeh Ghoushchi S, Bendechache M, Amirabadi A, Ab Rahman MN, Baseri Saadi S, et al.

Biomed Res Int, 2021;2021:5544742.

PMID: 33954175 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5544742

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global, national, and local public health concern which has caused a significant outbreak in all countries and regions for both males and females around the world. Automated detection of lung infections and their boundaries from medical images offers a great potential to augment the patient treatment healthcare strategies for tackling COVID-19 and its impacts. Detecting this disease from lung CT scan images is perhaps one of the fastest ways to diagnose patients. However, finding the presence of infected tissues and segment them from CT slices faces numerous challenges, including similar adjacent tissues, vague boundary, and erratic infections. To eliminate these obstacles, we propose a two-route convolutional neural network (CNN) by extracting global and local features for detecting and classifying COVID-19 infection from CT images. Each pixel from the image is classified into the normal and infected tissues. For improving the classification accuracy, we used two different strategies including fuzzy c-means clustering and local directional pattern (LDN) encoding methods to represent the input image differently. This allows us to find more complex pattern from the image. To overcome the overfitting problems due to small samples, an augmentation approach is utilized. The results demonstrated that the proposed framework achieved precision 96%, recall 97%, F score, average surface distance (ASD) of 2.8 ± 0.3 mm, and volume overlap error (VOE) of 5.6 ± 1.2%.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/virology

Fulltext Assessment of Clinical Characteristics and Mortality-Associated Factors in COVID-19 Critical Cases in Kuwait

Ayed M, Borahmah AA, Yazdani A, Sultan A, Mossad A, Rawdhan H

Med Princ Pract, 2021;30(2):185-192.

PMID: 33197912 DOI: 10.1159/000513047

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the clinical characteristics and identify mortality risk factors in intensive care unit (ICU)-admitted COVID-19 patients.

METHODS: We recruited and analyzed SARS-CoV-2-infected adult patients (age ≥18 years) who were admitted to the ICU at Jaber Al-Ahmad Al Sabah Hospital, Kuwait, between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2020. The risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality were assessed using multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS: We recruited a total of 103 ICU patients in this retrospective cohort. The median age of the patients was 53 years and the fatality rate was 45.6%; majority (85.5%) were males and 37% patients had more than 2 comorbidities. Preexisting hypertension, moderate/severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, lymphocyte count <0.5 × 109, serum albumin <22 g/L, procalcitonin >0.2 ng/mL, D-dimer >1,200 ng/mL, and the need for continuous renal replacement therapy were significantly associated with mortality.

CONCLUSION: This study describes the clinical characteristics and risk factors for mortality among ICU patients with CO-VID-19. Early identification of risk factors for mortality might help improve outcomes.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/mortality*; Pneumonia, Viral/virology

Fulltext A review on chitosan and its development as pulmonary particulate anti-infective and anti-cancer drug carriers

Rasul RM, Tamilarasi Muniandy M, Zakaria Z, Shah K, Chee CF, Dabbagh A, et al.

Carbohydr Polym, 2020 Dec 15;250:116800.

PMID: 33049807 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116800

Chitosan, as a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer, is characterized by anti-microbial and anti-cancer properties. It lately has received a widespread interest for use as the pulmonary particulate backbone materials of drug carrier for the treatment of infectious disease and cancer. The success of chitosan as pulmonary particulate drug carrier is a critical interplay of their mucoadhesive, permeation enhancement and site/cell-specific attributes. In the case of nanocarriers, various microencapsulation and micro-nano blending systems have been devised to equip them with an appropriate aerodynamic character to enable efficient pulmonary aerosolization and inhalation. The late COVID-19 infection is met with acute respiratory distress syndrome and cancer. Chitosan and its derivatives are found useful in combating HCoV and cancer as a function of their molecular weight, substituent type and its degree of substitution. The interest in chitosan is expected to rise in the next decade from the perspectives of drug delivery in combination with its therapeutic performance.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/drug therapy; Pneumonia, Viral/pathology; Pneumonia, Viral/virology

Fulltext COVID-19 Highlights the Need for More Effective Wildlife Trade Legislation

Borzée A, McNeely J, Magellan K, Miller JRB, Porter L, Dutta T, et al.

Trends Ecol Evol, 2020 12;35(12):1052-1055.

PMID: 33097287 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.10.001

Zoonosis-based epidemics are inevitable unless we revisit our relationship with the natural world, protect habitats, and regulate wildlife trade, including live animals and non-sustenance products. To prevent future zoonoses, governments must establish effective legislation addressing wildlife trade, protection of habitats, and reduction of the wildlife-livestock-human interface.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral*

Fulltext Use of rituximab and the risk of adverse clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients with systemic rheumatic disease

Kow CS, Hasan SS

Rheumatol Int, 2020 12;40(12):2117-2118.

PMID: 33044704 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-020-04715-0

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral*

In Reply to the Letter to the Editor Regarding "Impact of COVID-19 on Neurosurgical Training in Southeast Asia"

Baticulon RE, Nga VDW, Sobana M, Bahuri NFA, Wittayanakorn N

World Neurosurg, 2020 12;144:332.

PMID: 33227873 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.09.086

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral*

Fulltext Concerns of HIV-positive migrant workers in COVID-19 pandemic: A call for action

Ahmed A, Dujaili J, Sandhu AK, Hashmi FK

J Glob Health, 2020 Dec;10(2):020342.

PMID: 33110542 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.10.020342

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology*; Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control

Fulltext COVID-19 in Malaysia: Crucial measures in critical times

Ganasegeran K, Ch'ng ASH, Looi I

J Glob Health, 2020 Dec;10(2):020333.

PMID: 33110533 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.10.020333

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/mortality; Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology*; Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control*

Fulltext Breaking the cycle of the COVID-19 transmission: A challenge for Nigeria

Garba B, Zakaria Z, Salihu MD, Bande F, Saidu B, Bala JA

J Glob Health, 2020 Dec;10(2):020309.

PMID: 33110513 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.10.020309

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology*; Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control*; Pneumonia, Viral/transmission

Fulltext Asymmetric link between environmental pollution and COVID-19 in the top ten affected states of US: A novel estimations from quantile-on-quantile approach

Razzaq A, Sharif A, Aziz N, Irfan M, Jermsittiparsert K

Environ Res, 2020 Dec;191:110189.

PMID: 32919963 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110189

This study draws the link between COVID-19 and air pollution (ground ozone O3) from February 29, 2020 to July 10, 2020 in the top 10 affected States of the US. Utilizing quantile-on-quantile (QQ) estimation technique, we examine in what manner the quantiles of COVID-19 affect the quantiles of air pollution and vice versa. The primary findings confirm overall dependence between COVID-19 and air pollution. Empirical results exhibit a strong negative effect of COVID-19 on air pollution in New York, Texas, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania; especially at medium to higher quantiles, while New Jersey, Illinois, Arizona, and Georgia show strong negative effect mainly at lower quantiles. Contrarily, COVID-19 positively affects air pollution in Pennsylvania at extreme lower quantiles. On the other side, air pollution predominantly caused to increase in the intensity of COVID-19 cases across all states except lower quantiles of Massachusetts, and extreme higher quantiles of Arizona and New Jersey, where this effect becomes less pronounced or negative. Concludingly, a rare positive fallout of COVID-19 is reducing environmental pressure, while higher environmental pollution causes to increase the vulnerability of COVID-19 cases. These findings imply that air pollution is at the heart of chronic diseases, therefore the state government should consider these asymmetric channels and introduce appropriate policy measures to reset and control atmospheric emissions.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral*

Fulltext Virtual and essential - adolescent SRHR in the time of COVID-19

Nanda P, Tandon S, Khanna A

Sex Reprod Health Matters, 2020 12;28(1):1831136.

PMID: 33073718 DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2020.1831136

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology*

Access to Healthcare and Harm Reduction Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic for People Who Use Drugs

Stowe MJ, Calvey T, Scheibein F, Arya S, Saad NA, Shirasaka T, et al.

J Addict Med, 2020 12;14(6):e287-e289.

PMID: 33009167 DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000753

: Globally, there are concerns about access to healthcare and harm reduction services for people who use drugs (PWUD) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Members from the Network of Early Career Professionals working in Addiction Medicine shared their experiences of providing treatment to PWUD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on these qualitative reports, we highlight the similarities and discrepancies in access to services for PWUD in 16 countries under COVID-10 restrictions. In most countries reported here, efforts have been made to ensure continued access to services, such as mobilising opioid agonist maintenance treatment and other essential medicines to patients. However, due to travel restrictions and limited telemedicine services, several Network of Early Career Professionals working in Addiction Medicine members from lower-resourced countries experienced challenges with providing care to their patients during periods of COVID-19 lock-down. The insights provided in this commentary illustrate how the COVID-19 lock-down restrictions have impacted access to services for PWUD.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology*; Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control

The Changing Landscape of Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Perspectives of Early Career Professionals in 16 Countries

Calvey T, Scheibein F, Saad NA, Shirasaka T, Dannatt L, Stowe MJ, et al.

J Addict Med, 2020 12;14(6):e284-e286.

PMID: 32909983 DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000735

: Alcohol use is a major risk factor for infectious disease and reduction of harms associated with alcohol consumption are essential during times of humanitarian crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. As a network of early career professionals working in the area of addiction medicine, we provide our views with regards to national actions related to reducing alcohol-related harm and providing care for people with alcohol use disorder during COVID-19. We believe that COVID-19 related measures have affected alcohol consumption in the majority of countries represented in this commentary. Examples of these changes include changes in alcohol consumption patterns, increases in cases of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, disruptions in access to medical care for alcohol use disorder and increases in illegal production of alcohol. Our members urge that treatment for acute and severe conditions due to substance use should be considered as essential services in times of humanitarian crises like COVID-19.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology*; Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control; Pneumonia, Viral/psychology

Fulltext Early experience with universal preoperative and pre-procedural screening for COVID-19 in low-risk pediatric surgical patients requiring general anesthesia

Sii CKS, Lee JA, Nah SA

Pediatr Surg Int, 2020 Dec;36(12):1407-1411.

PMID: 33068142 DOI: 10.1007/s00383-020-04760-7

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed extraordinary demands on healthcare services worldwide. Some have reported increased viral transmission to healthcare workers during aerosol-generating procedures such as intubation. We report our experience with universal preoperative and preprocedural screening for COVID-19 in children requiring general anaesthesia with low risk of having the infection.

METHODS: This was a data review involving children aged

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis*

Fulltext Diagnostic techniques for COVID-19 and new developments

Sheikhzadeh E, Eissa S, Ismail A, Zourob M

Talanta, 2020 Dec 01;220:121392.

PMID: 32928412 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.121392

COVID-19 pandemic is a serious global health issue today due to the rapid human to human transmission of SARS-CoV-2, a new type of coronavirus that causes fatal pneumonia. SARS -CoV-2 has a faster rate of transmission than other coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS and until now there are no approved specific drugs or vaccines for treatment. Thus, early diagnosis is crucial to prevent the extensive spread of the disease. The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the most routinely used method until now to detect SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, several other faster and accurate assays are being developed for the diagnosis of COVID-19 aiming to control the spread of infection through the identification of patients and immediate isolation. In this review, we will discuss the various detection methods of the SARS-CoV-2 virus including the recent developments in immunological assays, amplification techniques as well as biosensors.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis*

Fulltext COVID-19 and the environment: A critical review and research agenda

Shakil MH, Munim ZH, Tasnia M, Sarowar S

Sci Total Environ, 2020 Nov 25;745:141022.

PMID: 32711074 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141022

The current Coronavirus infection (COVID-19) outbreak has had a substantial impact on many aspects of general life. Although a number of studies have been published on the topic already, there has not been a critical review of studies on the impacts of COVID-19 by and on environmental factors. The current study fills this gap by presenting a critical analysis of 57 studies on the nexus between COVID-19 and the environment, published in nine journals up to May 2020. Majority of the studies in our sample are published in Science of the Total Environment (74%), and studies used mostly descriptive statistics and regression as research methods. We identified four underlying research clusters based on a systematic content analysis of the studies. The clusters are: (1) COVID-19 and environmental degradation, (2) COVID-19 and air pollution, (3) COVID-19 and climate/metrological factors and (4) COVID-19 and temperature. Besides a critical analysis of the studies in each cluster, we propose research questions to guide future research on the relationship between COVID-19 and the environment.

Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral*

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