This study, published in the Lancet, looks into the vaccine resulting from the collaboration of the Oxford University and AstraZeneca, among others. Data include interim results from 4 ongoing blind randomized controlled studies currently carried out in the UK, Brazil and South Africa. All participants over 18 years of age were assigned 1:1 to the…
N95 and Surgical Face Mask Sterilization Is Feasible
This study shows re-sterilization of N95 and KN95 surgical face masks is indeed feasible, though not all techniques will render the same results and not all protection elements will keep filtration capacity. COVID-19 has produced, among other things, a shortage of healthcare protection gear. The CDC has suggested reusing face masks to overcome this shortage. …
Convalescent Plasma for Severe Pneumonia from COVID-19
After testing multiple drugs and drug combinations in COVID-19 patients, only Remdesivir – for hospitalized patients – and dexamethasone – in patients requiring Oxygen – have shown some benefits. Convalescent plasma has been used for years assuming passive immunization might help control the infection until a specific immune response is established in the infected person.…
Natural History of Asymptomatic COVID-19 Infection
Information on the natural history of asymptomatic infection with the new coronavirus (COVID-19) remains scarce. We are just beginning to understand what happens with patients with severe disease. The outbreak of COVID-19 on the cruise ship Diamond Princess provided a unique opportunity to study contacts and patients with asymptomatic infection within a closed population. This…
Efficacy of Remdesivir against COVID-19
This final report published in NEJM about the efficacy of remdesivir against COVID-19 infection vs placebo showed its superiority though only in soft end points, which does not seem to modify the course of this pandemic. Multiple drugs initially promising have been shown ineffective against the new virus. The case of hydroxychloroquine resulted paradigmatic: not…
Death, Stroke, and Hospitalization while Waiting for TAVR
The consequences of deferring transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures because of the COVID 19 pandemic are piling up. Untreated severe aortic stenosis patients who had been scheduled for TAVR are seeing increased risk of all events, even mortality. According to recent studies published in JAMA, deferring TAVR in patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis is…
Long-Term Cardiovascular Effects of COVID-19
In many places worldwide, the worst part of the pandemic is still to come. Meanwhile, in other areas, the number of cases is rising again. In this context, the long-term effects of COVID-19 are starting to show. Many believe this is not a current issue, but it will definitely be a problem in the future.…
LATAM: Information on the Impact of the Pandemic with a Focus on MI
There are several studies from all corners of the world (China, Europe, USA) presenting data on the impact of COVID19 on interventional cardiology in general, and on MI in particular. What is new about this study is that it presents data on LATAM and that it has been published in an international magazine. Seldom do…
Infarction, Stroke and Aortic Emergency Syndromes in the Shadow of the Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has had a negative impact on the most pressing cardio and neurological emergencies, such as strokes or aortic dissection. These emergencies are normally treated in high complexity centers, which is why it is relatively simple to analyze the number of transfers before and after the pandemic. For some time, care centers have…
When and How Could Dexamethasone Be Useful in a COVID-19 Infection?
More details have emerged on the group of COVID-19 patients who received dexamethasone in the RECOVERY trial. These data, published as a preliminary report in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), suggest that dexamethasone could reduce mortality in cases when infection effects are mainly derived from immunopathological elements in patients requiring mechanical ventilation or…