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Infectious Disease

Series

2021

COVID-19

Institution
Publication

Articles 1 - 30 of 51

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Likely Community Transmission Of Covid-19 Infections Between Neighboring, Persistent Hotspots In Ontario, Canada, Ben C. Shirley, Eliseos J. Mucaki, Peter Rogan Dec 2021

Likely Community Transmission Of Covid-19 Infections Between Neighboring, Persistent Hotspots In Ontario, Canada, Ben C. Shirley, Eliseos J. Mucaki, Peter Rogan

Biochemistry Publications

Introduction: This study aimed to produce community-level geo-spatial mapping of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ontario Canada in near real-time to support decision-making. This was accomplished by area-to-area geostatistical analysis, space-time integration, and spatial interpolation of COVID-19 positive individuals.
Methods: COVID-19 cases and locations were curated for geostatistical analyses from March 2020 through June 2021, corresponding to the first, second, and third waves of infections. Daily cases were aggregated according to designated forward sortation area (FSA), and postal codes (PC) in municipal regions Hamilton, Kitchener/Waterloo, London, Ottawa, Toronto, and Windsor/Essex county. Hotspots were identified with area-to-area tests including Getis-Ord Gi*, Global …


The Mystery Of Covid-19 Reinfections: A Global Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Rubaid Azhar Dhillon, Mohammad Aadil Qamar, Jaleed Ahmed Gilani, Omar Irfan, Usama Waqar, Mir Ibrahim Sajid, Syed Faisal Mahmood Dec 2021

The Mystery Of Covid-19 Reinfections: A Global Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Rubaid Azhar Dhillon, Mohammad Aadil Qamar, Jaleed Ahmed Gilani, Omar Irfan, Usama Waqar, Mir Ibrahim Sajid, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Department of Medicine

Background: As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, reports on disparities in vaccine roll out alongside COVID-19 reinfection have been emerging. We conducted a systematic review to assess the determinants and disease spectrum of COVID-19 reinfection.
Materials and methods: A comprehensive search covering relevant databases was conducted for observational studies reporting Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) confirmed infection and reinfection cases. A quality assessment tool developed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) for the assessment of case series was utilized. Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 for pooled proportions of findings in first infection and reinfection with a 95% confidence interval …


Metabolic Syndrome And Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome In Hospitalized Patients With Covid-19, Joshua L Denson, Aaron S Gillet, Yuanhao Zu, Margo Brown, Thaidan Pham, Yilin Yoshida, Franck Mauvais-Jarvis, Ivor S Douglas, Mathew Moore, Kevin Tea, Andrew Wetherbie, Rachael Stevens, John Lefante, Jeffrey G Shaffer, Donna Lee Armaignac, Katherine Belden, Margit Kaufman, Smith F Heavner, Valerie C Danesh, Sreekanth R Cheruku, Catherine A St Hill, Karen Boman, Neha Deo, Vikas Bansal, Vishakha K Kumar, Allan J Walkey, Rahul Kashyap, Society Of Critical Care Medicine Discovery Viral Infection And Respiratory Illness Universal Study (Virus): Covid-19 Registry Investigator Group Dec 2021

Metabolic Syndrome And Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome In Hospitalized Patients With Covid-19, Joshua L Denson, Aaron S Gillet, Yuanhao Zu, Margo Brown, Thaidan Pham, Yilin Yoshida, Franck Mauvais-Jarvis, Ivor S Douglas, Mathew Moore, Kevin Tea, Andrew Wetherbie, Rachael Stevens, John Lefante, Jeffrey G Shaffer, Donna Lee Armaignac, Katherine Belden, Margit Kaufman, Smith F Heavner, Valerie C Danesh, Sreekanth R Cheruku, Catherine A St Hill, Karen Boman, Neha Deo, Vikas Bansal, Vishakha K Kumar, Allan J Walkey, Rahul Kashyap, Society Of Critical Care Medicine Discovery Viral Infection And Respiratory Illness Universal Study (Virus): Covid-19 Registry Investigator Group

Division of Infectious Diseases and Environmental Medicine Faculty Papers

Importance: Obesity, diabetes, and hypertension are common comorbidities in patients with severe COVID-19, yet little is known about the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or death in patients with COVID-19 and metabolic syndrome.

Objective: To determine whether metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of ARDS and death from COVID-19.

Design, setting, and participants: This multicenter cohort study used data from the Society of Critical Care Medicine Discovery Viral Respiratory Illness Universal Study collected from 181 hospitals across 26 countries from February 15, 2020, to February 18, 2021. Outcomes were compared between patients with metabolic syndrome (defined …


Upregulated Type I Interferon Responses In Asymptomatic Covid-19 Infection Are Associated With Improved Clinical Outcome, Kiran I. Masood, Maliha Yameen, Javeria Ashraf, Saba Shahid, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Asghar Nasir, Nosheen Nasir, Bushra Jamil, Najia Karim Ghanchi, Iffat Khanum, Safina Abdul Razzak, Akber Kanji, Rabia Hussain, Martin E. Rottenberg, Zahra Hasan Nov 2021

Upregulated Type I Interferon Responses In Asymptomatic Covid-19 Infection Are Associated With Improved Clinical Outcome, Kiran I. Masood, Maliha Yameen, Javeria Ashraf, Saba Shahid, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Asghar Nasir, Nosheen Nasir, Bushra Jamil, Najia Karim Ghanchi, Iffat Khanum, Safina Abdul Razzak, Akber Kanji, Rabia Hussain, Martin E. Rottenberg, Zahra Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Understanding key host protective mechanisms against SARS-CoV-2 infection can help improve treatment modalities for COVID-19. We used a blood transcriptome approach to study biomarkers associated with differing severity of COVID-19, comparing severe and mild Symptomatic disease with Asymptomatic COVID-19 and uninfected Controls. There was suppression of antigen presentation but upregulation of inflammatory and viral mRNA translation associated pathways in Symptomatic as compared with Asymptomatic cases. In severe COVID-19, CD177 a neutrophil marker, was upregulated while interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) were downregulated. Asymptomatic COVID-19 cases displayed upregulation of ISGs and humoral response genes with downregulation of ICAM3 and TLR8. Compared across …


Non-Compliance To Social Distancing During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study Between The Developed And Developing Countries, Faiqa Binte Aamir, Syeda Maria Ahmad Zaidi, Saadia Abbas, Syed Roohan Aamir, Syed Nauman Ahmad Zaidi, Karishma Kanhya Lal, Syeda Sadia Fatima Oct 2021

Non-Compliance To Social Distancing During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study Between The Developed And Developing Countries, Faiqa Binte Aamir, Syeda Maria Ahmad Zaidi, Saadia Abbas, Syed Roohan Aamir, Syed Nauman Ahmad Zaidi, Karishma Kanhya Lal, Syeda Sadia Fatima

Medical College Documents

Background: Despite mass vaccination campaigns, the world has seen a steady rise in the number of SARS-CoV-2 cases, with 178,765,626 cases and 3,869,994 COVID-19 related deaths by June 19th, 2021. Therefore, it is important to enforce social distancing to control its spread. With the variation observed in the severity of the pandemic in different countries, it is also imperative to study the social distancing behaviors amongst the population in developed and developing countries.
Design and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 384 participants from 14 different countries were surveyed via an online REDCap form.
Results: In …


Effectiveness Of Pfizer-Biontech Mrna Vaccination Against Covid-19 Hospitalization Among Persons Aged 12-18 Years - United States, June-September 2021., Samantha M. Olson, Margaret M. Newhams, Natasha B. Halasa, Ashley M. Price, Julie A. Boom, Leila C. Sahni, Katherine Irby, Tracie C. Walker, Stephanie P. Schwartz, Pia S. Pannaraj, Aline B. Maddux, Tamara T. Bradford, Ryan A. Nofziger, Benjamin J. Boutselis, Melissa L. Cullimore, Elizabeth H. Mack, Jennifer E. Schuster, Shira J. Gertz, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Michele Kong, Melissa A. Cameron, Mary A. Staat, Emily R. Levy, Brandon M. Chatani, Kathleen Chiotos, Laura D. Zambrano, Angela P. Campbell, Manish M. Patel, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators Oct 2021

Effectiveness Of Pfizer-Biontech Mrna Vaccination Against Covid-19 Hospitalization Among Persons Aged 12-18 Years - United States, June-September 2021., Samantha M. Olson, Margaret M. Newhams, Natasha B. Halasa, Ashley M. Price, Julie A. Boom, Leila C. Sahni, Katherine Irby, Tracie C. Walker, Stephanie P. Schwartz, Pia S. Pannaraj, Aline B. Maddux, Tamara T. Bradford, Ryan A. Nofziger, Benjamin J. Boutselis, Melissa L. Cullimore, Elizabeth H. Mack, Jennifer E. Schuster, Shira J. Gertz, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Michele Kong, Melissa A. Cameron, Mary A. Staat, Emily R. Levy, Brandon M. Chatani, Kathleen Chiotos, Laura D. Zambrano, Angela P. Campbell, Manish M. Patel, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for use in children and adolescents aged 12-15 years and is licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for persons aged ≥16 (1). A randomized placebo-controlled trial demonstrated an efficacy of 100% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 75.3%-100%) in preventing outpatient COVID-19 in persons aged 12-15 years (2); however, data among adolescents on vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19 in real-world settings are limited, especially among hospitalized patients. In early September 2021, U.S. pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations reached the highest level during the pandemic (3,4). In a test-negative, case-control study at 19 pediatric hospitals in 16 …


Long-Term Survival Of Older Patients Hospitalized For Covid-19. Do Clinical Characteristics Upon Admission Matter?, Michał Chojnicki, Agnieszka Neumann-Podczaska, Mikołaj Seostianin, Zofia Tomczak, Hamza Tariq, Jerzy Chudek, Sławomir Tobis, Iwona Mozer-Lisewska, Aleksandra Suwalska, Andrzej Tykarski, Piotr Merks, Sylwia Kropińska, Małgorzata Sobieszczańska, Frank Romanelli, Katarzyna Wieczorowska-Tobis Oct 2021

Long-Term Survival Of Older Patients Hospitalized For Covid-19. Do Clinical Characteristics Upon Admission Matter?, Michał Chojnicki, Agnieszka Neumann-Podczaska, Mikołaj Seostianin, Zofia Tomczak, Hamza Tariq, Jerzy Chudek, Sławomir Tobis, Iwona Mozer-Lisewska, Aleksandra Suwalska, Andrzej Tykarski, Piotr Merks, Sylwia Kropińska, Małgorzata Sobieszczańska, Frank Romanelli, Katarzyna Wieczorowska-Tobis

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

Older adults are particularly susceptible to COVID-19 in terms of both disease severity and risk of death. To compare clinical differences between older COVID-19 hospitalized survivors and non-survivors, we investigated variables influencing mortality in all older adults with COVID-19 hospitalized in Poznań, Poland, through the end of June 2020 (n = 322). In-hospital, post-discharge, and overall 180-day mortality were analyzed. Functional capacity prior to COVID-19 diagnosis was also documented. The mean age of subjects was 77.5 ± 10.0 years; among them, 191 were females. Ninety-five (29.5%) died during their hospitalization and an additional 30 (9.3%) during the post-discharge period …


Covid-19 Vaccination In Sindh Province, Pakistan: A Modelling Study Of Health Impact And Cost-Effectiveness, Carl A B. Pearson, Fiammetta Bozzani, Simon R. Procter, Nicholas G. Davies, Maryam Huda, Henning Tarp Jensen, Marcus Keogh-Brown, Muhammad Khalid, Sedona Sweeney, Sergio Torres-Rueda Oct 2021

Covid-19 Vaccination In Sindh Province, Pakistan: A Modelling Study Of Health Impact And Cost-Effectiveness, Carl A B. Pearson, Fiammetta Bozzani, Simon R. Procter, Nicholas G. Davies, Maryam Huda, Henning Tarp Jensen, Marcus Keogh-Brown, Muhammad Khalid, Sedona Sweeney, Sergio Torres-Rueda

Community Health Sciences

Background: Multiple Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines appear to be safe and efficacious, but only high-income countries have the resources to procure sufficient vaccine doses for most of their eligible populations. The World Health Organization has published guidelines for vaccine prioritisation, but most vaccine impact projections have focused on high-income countries, and few incorporate economic considerations. To address this evidence gap, we projected the health and economic impact of different vaccination scenarios in Sindh Province, Pakistan (population: 48 million).
Methods and findings: We fitted a compartmental transmission model to COVID-19 cases and deaths in Sindh from 30 April to 15 …


Data-Driven Clustering Identifies Features Distinguishing Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome From Acute Covid-19 In Children And Adolescents., Alon Geva, Manish M. Patel, Margaret M. Newhams, Cameron C. Young, Mary Beth F. Son, Michele Kong, Aline B. Maddux, Mark W. Hall, Becky J. Riggs, Aalok R. Singh, John S. Giuliano, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Laura L. Loftis, Gwenn E. Mclaughlin, Stephanie P. Schwartz, Jennifer E. Schuster, Christopher J. Babbitt, Natasha B. Halasa, Shira J. Gertz, Sule Doymaz, Janet R. Hume, Tamara T. Bradford, Katherine Irby, Christopher L. Carroll, John K. Mcguire, Keiko M. Tarquinio, Courtney M. Rowan, Elizabeth H. Mack, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Julie C. Fitzgerald, Philip C. Spinella, Mary A. Staat, Katharine N. Clouser, Vijaya L. Soma, Heda Dapul, Mia Maamari, Cindy Bowens, Kevin M. Havlin, Peter M. Mourani, Sabrina M. Heidemann, Steven M. Horwitz, Leora R. Feldstein, Mark W. Tenforde, Jane W. Newburger, Kenneth D. Mandl, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators Oct 2021

Data-Driven Clustering Identifies Features Distinguishing Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome From Acute Covid-19 In Children And Adolescents., Alon Geva, Manish M. Patel, Margaret M. Newhams, Cameron C. Young, Mary Beth F. Son, Michele Kong, Aline B. Maddux, Mark W. Hall, Becky J. Riggs, Aalok R. Singh, John S. Giuliano, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Laura L. Loftis, Gwenn E. Mclaughlin, Stephanie P. Schwartz, Jennifer E. Schuster, Christopher J. Babbitt, Natasha B. Halasa, Shira J. Gertz, Sule Doymaz, Janet R. Hume, Tamara T. Bradford, Katherine Irby, Christopher L. Carroll, John K. Mcguire, Keiko M. Tarquinio, Courtney M. Rowan, Elizabeth H. Mack, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Julie C. Fitzgerald, Philip C. Spinella, Mary A. Staat, Katharine N. Clouser, Vijaya L. Soma, Heda Dapul, Mia Maamari, Cindy Bowens, Kevin M. Havlin, Peter M. Mourani, Sabrina M. Heidemann, Steven M. Horwitz, Leora R. Feldstein, Mark W. Tenforde, Jane W. Newburger, Kenneth D. Mandl, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) consensus criteria were designed for maximal sensitivity and therefore capture patients with acute COVID-19 pneumonia.

Methods: We performed unsupervised clustering on data from 1,526 patients (684 labeled MIS-C by clinicians)clusters, followed by recursive feature elimination to identify characteristics of potentially misclassified MIS-C-labeled patients.

Findings: Of 94 clinical features tested, 46 were retained for clustering. Cluster 1 patients (N = 498; 92% labeled MIS-C) were mostly previously healthy (71%), with mean age 7·2 ± 0·4 years, predominant cardiovascular (77%) and/or mucocutaneous (82%) involvement, high inflammatory biomarkers, and mostly SARS-CoV-2 PCR negative (60%). Cluster …


Clinical Outcomes In Patients Co-Infected With Covid-19 And Staphylococcus Aureus: A Scoping Review, Jenna Adalbert, Karan Varshney, Rachel Tobin, Rafael Pajaro Sep 2021

Clinical Outcomes In Patients Co-Infected With Covid-19 And Staphylococcus Aureus: A Scoping Review, Jenna Adalbert, Karan Varshney, Rachel Tobin, Rafael Pajaro

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Endemic to the hospital environment, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a leading bacterial pathogen that causes deadly infections such as bacteremia and endocarditis. In past viral pandemics, it has been the principal cause of secondary bacterial infections, significantly increasing patient mortality rates. Our world now combats the rapid spread of COVID-19, leading to a pandemic with a death toll greatly surpassing those of many past pandemics. However, the impact of co-infection with S. aureus remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to perform a high-quality scoping review of the literature to synthesize the existing evidence on the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 …


Residency Training On The Frontlines Of The Covid-19 Pandemic - A Qualitative Study From Tanzania, Mariam Noorani, Hussein Manji, Elizabeth Mmari, Samina Somji, Nahida Z. Walli, Sherin Kassamali, Shabbir Adamjee, Nancy Matillya, Hanifa Mbithe, Aliasger Nagri, Neelam Ismail Sep 2021

Residency Training On The Frontlines Of The Covid-19 Pandemic - A Qualitative Study From Tanzania, Mariam Noorani, Hussein Manji, Elizabeth Mmari, Samina Somji, Nahida Z. Walli, Sherin Kassamali, Shabbir Adamjee, Nancy Matillya, Hanifa Mbithe, Aliasger Nagri, Neelam Ismail

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Introduction: the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic has affected residency training globally. The aim of this study was to understand how the pandemic affected teaching and learning in residency programs in low resource settings where residents and faculty were working on the front line treating patients with the disease.

Methods: this qualitative study enrolled residents and faculty from the Aga Khan University in Tanzania who were providing front line care during the pandemic. Purposeful sampling was used and data was collected using focus group discussions and in-depth interviews between August and September 2020. Analysis was done using qualitative content analysis.

Results: …


Potential Immunomodulatory Properties Of Biologically Active Components Of Spices Against Sars-Cov-2 And Pan Β-Coronaviruses, Sourodip Sengupta, Debina Bhattacharyya, Grishma Kasle, Souvik Karmakar, Omkar Sahu, Anirban Ganguly, Sankar Addya, Jayasri Das Sarma Aug 2021

Potential Immunomodulatory Properties Of Biologically Active Components Of Spices Against Sars-Cov-2 And Pan Β-Coronaviruses, Sourodip Sengupta, Debina Bhattacharyya, Grishma Kasle, Souvik Karmakar, Omkar Sahu, Anirban Ganguly, Sankar Addya, Jayasri Das Sarma

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-induced COVID-19 has emerged as a defining global health crisis in current times. Data from the World Health Organization shows demographic variations in COVID-19 severity and lethality. Diet may play a significant role in providing beneficial host cell factors contributing to immunity against deadly SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Spices are essential components of the diet that possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. Hyperinflammation, an aberrant systemic inflammation associated with pneumonia, acute respiratory failure, and multiorgan dysfunction, is a major clinical outcome in COVID-19. Knowing the beneficial properties of spices, we hypothesize that spice-derived bioactive components …


Characteristics Of Patients Presenting With Covid-19 From Balochistan Province And Lessons Learnt, Abida Munir Badini, Aurangzeb Badini, Naeem M. Mengal, Kashmira Nanji Jul 2021

Characteristics Of Patients Presenting With Covid-19 From Balochistan Province And Lessons Learnt, Abida Munir Badini, Aurangzeb Badini, Naeem M. Mengal, Kashmira Nanji

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: With the spread of COVID-19 in Pakistan, Balochistan province with its unique problems of lowest literacy rates in the country, limited resources and a flail health care system is reporting an increasing number of cases of COVID-19. This study discusses the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients from the Balochistan province.
Study design: Situation report Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Balochistan province of Pakistan. The completion date for the study was April 30, 2020.
Methodology: The data was retrieved from the daily situation report from the Health Department, Government of Balochistan. Descriptive statistics …


Comparison Of Clinical Characteristics And Outcomes Between Covid-19 Pneumonia And H1n1 Influenza, Nosheen Nasir, Iffat Khanum, Kiren Habib, Rimsha Ahmed, Mujahid Hussain, Zahra Hasan, Muhammad Irfan Jun 2021

Comparison Of Clinical Characteristics And Outcomes Between Covid-19 Pneumonia And H1n1 Influenza, Nosheen Nasir, Iffat Khanum, Kiren Habib, Rimsha Ahmed, Mujahid Hussain, Zahra Hasan, Muhammad Irfan

Department of Medicine

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has been likened to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. We aim to study the similarities and differences between patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and H1N1 influenza in order to provide better care to patients, particularly during the co-circulation of Influenza A Subtype H1N1 and SARS-CoV-2.
Material and methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in order to compare clinical characteristics, complications, and outcomes of hospitalized patients with PCR-confirmed H1N1 influenza pneumonia and COVID-19 at a tertiary care center in Karachi, Pakistan.
Results: A total of 115 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were compared with 55 patients with H1N1 …


Covid-19 Treatment Combinations And Associations With Mortality In A Large Multi-Site Healthcare System., Dagan Coppock, Michael Baram, Anna Marie Chang, Patricia Henwood, Alan Kubey, Ross Summer, John Zurlo, Michael Li, Bryan Hess Jun 2021

Covid-19 Treatment Combinations And Associations With Mortality In A Large Multi-Site Healthcare System., Dagan Coppock, Michael Baram, Anna Marie Chang, Patricia Henwood, Alan Kubey, Ross Summer, John Zurlo, Michael Li, Bryan Hess

Division of Infectious Diseases and Environmental Medicine Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, mortality associated with the disease declined in the United States. The standard of care for pharmacological interventions evolved during this period as new and repurposed treatments were used alone and in combination. Though these medications have been studied individually, data are limited regarding the relative impact of different medication combinations. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the association of COVID-19-related mortality and observed medication combinations and to determine whether changes in medication-related practice patterns and measured patient characteristics, alone, explain the decline in mortality seen early in the COVID-19 …


Covid-19 In Children-Not Just Little Adults., Jennifer E. Schuster, Annabelle De St Maurice Jun 2021

Covid-19 In Children-Not Just Little Adults., Jennifer E. Schuster, Annabelle De St Maurice

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Comment on


Social Intervention By The Numbers: Evidence Behind The Specific Public Health Guidelines In The Covid-19 Pandemic., Michael P. Savage, David L. Fischman, Mamas A. Mamas Jun 2021

Social Intervention By The Numbers: Evidence Behind The Specific Public Health Guidelines In The Covid-19 Pandemic., Michael P. Savage, David L. Fischman, Mamas A. Mamas

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly become a worldwide pandemic ushering in a global health and economic crisis. In the absence of vaccines or definitive drug therapies, current strategies against COVID-19 rely on preventing the transmission of disease through nonpharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing and proper hand hygiene. For practical and perhaps ethical reasons, the clinical efficacy of these public health measures for managing pandemics has not been demonstrated in randomized controlled clinical trials. Accordingly, guideline recommendations for using nonpharmaceutical interventions are based primarily on observational and modeling studies and on expert opinion. A recent position paper from the …


Current Challenges In Covid-19 Triaging: A Global Perspective, Mauli Patel, Robin Sudandiradas, Trini Mathew, Paul Kilgore, Mahadev Rao, Chiranjay Mukhopadhay, Marcus Zervos May 2021

Current Challenges In Covid-19 Triaging: A Global Perspective, Mauli Patel, Robin Sudandiradas, Trini Mathew, Paul Kilgore, Mahadev Rao, Chiranjay Mukhopadhay, Marcus Zervos

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background and Objectives: Although countries around the world have been combatting the same COVID-19 pandemic over the last year, the triage approach taken by various Emergency Departments (ED) is unique. This paper outlines the guidelines followed by two tertiary care hospitals in Detroit, USA and Manipal, India. By comparing hospital triage implementation protocols, this paper offers insight regarding similarities and differences between Detroit and Manipal ED, as well as strategies to overcome respective challenges. Methods: Triage algorithms from the Detroit Medical Centre in Detroit and Kasturba Medical College Hospital in Manipal were contrasted to illustrate the similarities and differences in …


Clinical Characteristics And Outcomes Of Covid-19: Experience At A Major Tertiary Care Center In Pakistan, Nosheen Nasir, Kiren Habib, Iffat Khanum, Naveera Khan, Zehra Abdul Muhammad, Syed Faisal Mahmood Apr 2021

Clinical Characteristics And Outcomes Of Covid-19: Experience At A Major Tertiary Care Center In Pakistan, Nosheen Nasir, Kiren Habib, Iffat Khanum, Naveera Khan, Zehra Abdul Muhammad, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Section of Internal Medicine

Introduction: Limited data exist on clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in low-middle income countries. We aimed to describe the clinical spectrum and outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients at a tertiary-care center in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methodology: We conducted an observational study of adult COVID-19 patients hospitalized between February-June 2020. Patients with a discharge diagnosis of COVID-19 and PCR positivity were included. We created logistic regression models to understand association of clinical characteristics with illness severity and in-hospital mortality.
Results: The study population comprised 445 patients [67% males, median age 53 (IQR 40-64) years]. Majority of patients (N = …


Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 25, Wku Student Affairs Apr 2021

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 25, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

  • Mitchell, McKenna. Miles (and a Virus) Apart: How Long Distance Couples Are Navigating COVID-19
  • Non-Stop Semesters Have Increased Student Burnout
  • Dobbs, Jack. Just Jammin’ – Horse Cave
  • Latimer, Jacob. New Provost to Promote Student Success – Robert Fischer aka Bud
  • Tolbert, Ellie. Facebook Page for Women Creates Community – WKU Sorority Swap
  • Moore, Jake. WKU Set to Play Middle Tennessee State University in 1st Conference Matchup – Softball
  • Sparkman, Wyatt. Hilltoppers Claim First C-USA Sweep Over Marshall – Baseball
  • Kieser, Nick. Holding the Rope: …


Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 24, Wku Student Affairs Apr 2021

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 24, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

  • Latimer, Jacob. Original Title IX Reporter Anticipates Records Release – Nicole Ares
  • Bunton, Gabrielle. Bowling Green’s Redevelopment Effect on Black Community – Shake Rag, Jonesville
  • Gaskin, Loren. How Twitch Will Be the Future of Media
  • Meyer-Thornton, Zane. Nestled in Nature – Lost River Cave
  • Gaylord, Kaden. Appreciating Success in Women’s Sports – Softball, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball
  • Sparkman, Wyatt. Hilltoppers Drop Series at Florida International University, Host Marshall – Baseball
  • Lamb, Cassady. WKU Volleyball Set to Play in NCAA Tournament


Impact Of Body Mass Index On Covid-19-Related In-Hospital Outcomes And Mortality., Waqas Ullah, Sohaib Roomi, Nayab Nadeem, Rehan Saeed, Shafaq Tariq, Moataz Ellithi, Shujaul Haq, Ahmad Arslan, John Madara, Margot Boigon, Donald C. Haas, David L. Fischman Apr 2021

Impact Of Body Mass Index On Covid-19-Related In-Hospital Outcomes And Mortality., Waqas Ullah, Sohaib Roomi, Nayab Nadeem, Rehan Saeed, Shafaq Tariq, Moataz Ellithi, Shujaul Haq, Ahmad Arslan, John Madara, Margot Boigon, Donald C. Haas, David L. Fischman

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Background: Given the high prevalence of obesity around the globe, patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at an increased risk of devastating complications.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed to determine the association of basal metabolic index (body mass index (BMI)) with the need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), dialysis, upgrade to an intensive care unit (ICU) and mortality. Independent t-test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to calculate mean differences and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with its 95% confidence interval (CI), respectively.

Results: A total of 176 consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis were included. …


Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 22, Wku Student Affairs Mar 2021

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 22, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

  • Murray, Debra. President Timothy Caboni Signs Employment Agreement to Continue Serving as University President
  • Fleischaker, Jon & Michael Abate. Frankfort’s Assault on the Constitution & Transparency
  • Fisher, Brittany. Helping Hooves – New Beginnings Therapeutic Riding
  • Walters, Sarah. Fighting the Quarantine Blues with New Friends
  • Moore, Jake. Softball Looks Strong Ahead of Conference Play
  • Fleischman, Ian. WKU to Host Cardinals, Led by Ambere Barnett – Soccer
  • Gaylord, Kaden. Hilltoppers Play Louisiana Tech in NIT Quarterfinals – Basketball


Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 21, Wku Student Affairs Mar 2021

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 21, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

  • Bunton, Gabrielle. Local Family Helps the Homeless Through Donations – Warming Tree, Doyle Family
  • Burris, Lily. Reflection: How Things Have Changed One Year Into COVID
  • Gaskin, Loren. Burmese Residents Arrive for Vaccination
  • Meyer-Thornton, Zane. Showing the Ropes – Zhock Mason, Boxing
  • Murray, Debra. New House Bill Potentially Removes Pink Tax
  • Stryker, Shane. How COVID-19 Has Impacted Student Organizations
  • Lamb, Cassady. Lady Toppers Remain Undefeated, 4 Road Matches Left – Volleyball
  • Gaylord, Kaden. WKU Loses C-USA Championship, Set to Play in NIT – Basketball
  • Sparkman, Wyatt. …


Serial Population-Based Serosurveys For Covid-19 In Two Neighbourhoods Of Karachi, Pakistan, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Nadia Ansari, Farah Khalid, Mashal Amin, Hamna Shahbaz, Aneeta Hotwani, Najeeb Rehman, Usma Mehmood, Arjumand Rizvi, Junaid Iqbal, Ali Faisal Saleem, Fyezah Jehan Mar 2021

Serial Population-Based Serosurveys For Covid-19 In Two Neighbourhoods Of Karachi, Pakistan, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Nadia Ansari, Farah Khalid, Mashal Amin, Hamna Shahbaz, Aneeta Hotwani, Najeeb Rehman, Usma Mehmood, Arjumand Rizvi, Junaid Iqbal, Ali Faisal Saleem, Fyezah Jehan

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Objective: To determine population-based estimates of COVID-19 in a densely populated urban community of Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: Three cross-sectional surveys were conducted in April, June and August in low- and high-transmission neighborhoods. Participants were randomly selected to provide blood for Elecsys® immunoassay for detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Bayesian regression model was used to estimate seroprevalence after adjusting for the demographic characteristics of each district RESULTS: We enrolled 3005 participants from 623 households. In Phase 2, adjusted seroprevalence was estimated as 8.7% (95% CI 5.1-13.1) and 15.1% (95% CI 9.4 -21.7) in low and high transmission areas respectively, compared to 0.2% …


Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 20, Wku Student Affairs Mar 2021

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 20, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

  • Crimmins, Michael. Business Owners Debate Minimum Wage Increase
  • Deppen, Laurel & Michael Collins. Bowling Green Responds to On-campus Rape
  • We Can End Victim Blaming – Sexual Assault
  • Hendricks, Allie. Cheap Thrills – King of the Heap
  • Latimer, Jacob. Fewer Hybrid Classes This Spring Than Fall
  • Tolbert, Ellie. Local Bike Shops Hit by Pandemic-driven Bike Shortage
  • Kieser, Nick. Softball, Baseball Field Seating Faces Capacity Limits, Excludes Students Despite Fees
  • Toennies, Drew. Do or Die: Lady Toppers to Play Preliminary Round – Basketball
  • Gaylord, Kaden. Hilltoppers Set …


Nih Funding For Vaccine Readiness Before The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anthony E. Kiszewski, Ekaterina Galkina Cleary, Matthew J. Jackson, Fred D. Ledley Mar 2021

Nih Funding For Vaccine Readiness Before The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anthony E. Kiszewski, Ekaterina Galkina Cleary, Matthew J. Jackson, Fred D. Ledley

Natural & Applied Sciences Faculty Publications

Rapid development of vaccines for COVID-19 has relied on the application of existing vaccine technologies. This work examines the maturity of ten technologies employed in candidate vaccines (as of July 2020) and NIH funding for published research on these technologies from 2000–2019. These technologies vary from established platforms, which have been used successfully in approved products, to emerging technologies with no prior clinical validation. A robust body of published research on vaccine technologies was supported by 16,358 fiscal years of NIH funding totaling $17.2 billion from 2000–2019. During this period, NIH funding for published vaccine research against specific pandemic threats …


Role Of Awake Prone Positioning In Patients With Moderate-To-Severe Covid-19: An Experience From A Developing Country, Iffat Khanum, Fatima Samar, Fatimah Yousuf, Safia Awan, Adil Aziz, Kiren Habib, Nosheen Nasir, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Bushra Jamil Mar 2021

Role Of Awake Prone Positioning In Patients With Moderate-To-Severe Covid-19: An Experience From A Developing Country, Iffat Khanum, Fatima Samar, Fatimah Yousuf, Safia Awan, Adil Aziz, Kiren Habib, Nosheen Nasir, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Bushra Jamil

Department of Medicine

There is limited evidence on the efficacy of awake prone positioning (PP) in non-ventilated patients with COVID-19 who have hypoxemia. We, therefore, aim to describe our experience with the use of early proning in awake, non-intubated patients with confirmed COVID-19. In our retrospective observational study, 23 patients with confirmed positive PCR test results for Severe Acute respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and hypoxemia that required oxygen therapy with or without non-invasive ventilation were treated with PP. Patients were classified into mild, moderate and severe COVID-19 disease. There were no targeted number of hours for proning per day and patients were kept …


Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2-Induced Acute Aortic Occlusion: A Case Report, Artem Minalyan, Franklin L. Thelmo, Vincent Chan, Stephanie Tzarnas, Faizan Ahmed Mar 2021

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2-Induced Acute Aortic Occlusion: A Case Report, Artem Minalyan, Franklin L. Thelmo, Vincent Chan, Stephanie Tzarnas, Faizan Ahmed

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection can lead to a constellation of viral and immune symptoms called coronavirus disease 2019. Emerging literature increasingly supports the premise that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 promotes a prothrombotic milieu. However, to date there have been no reports of acute aortic occlusion, itself a rare phenomenon. We report a case of fatal acute aortic occlusion in a patient with coronavirus disease 2019.

Case report: A 59-year-old Caucasian male with past medical history of peripheral vascular disease presented to the emergency department for evaluation of shortness of breath, fevers, and dry cough. …


Point-Of-Care Lung Ultrasound For Covid-19: Findings And Prognostic Implications From 105 Consecutive Patients, Kosuke Yasukawa, Taro Minami, David R Boulware, Ayako Shimada, Ernest A Fischer Mar 2021

Point-Of-Care Lung Ultrasound For Covid-19: Findings And Prognostic Implications From 105 Consecutive Patients, Kosuke Yasukawa, Taro Minami, David R Boulware, Ayako Shimada, Ernest A Fischer

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Background: The prognostic value of point-of-care lung ultrasound has not been evaluated in a large cohort of patients with COVID-19 admitted to general medicine ward in the United States. The aim of this study was to describe lung ultrasound findings and their prognostic value in patients with COVID-19 admitted to internal medicine ward.

Method: This prospective observational study consecutively enrolled 105 hospitalized participants with COVID-19 at 2 tertiary care centers. Ultrasound was performed in 12 lung zones within 24 hours of admission. Findings were assessed relative to 4 outcomes: intensive care unit (ICU) need, need for intensive respiratory support, length …