Nirmatrelvir Use and Severe Covid-19 Outcomes during the Omicron Surge
Source : https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2204919
The oral protease inhibitor nirmatrelvir has shown substantial efficacy in high-risk, unvaccinated patients infected with the B.1.617.2 (delta) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Data regarding the...
Among patients 65 years of age or older, the rates of hospitalization and death due to Covid-19 were significantly lower among those who received nirmatrelvir than among those who did not. No evidence of benefit was found in younger adults.
ELF5 is a potential respiratory epithelial cell-specific risk gene for severe COVID-19 - Nature Communications
Source : https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-31999-6
Genetic factors have been found to be associated with severe COVID-19. Here, the authors integrated genomic, proteomic, and single-cell data to identify ELF5 as a candidate risk gene with a...
The transcription factor ELF5 (ELF5) shows robust and directionally consistent associations across different outcome definitions, including a >4-fold higher risk (odds ratio: 4.88; 95%-CI: 2.47–9.63; p-value
Mechanism behind deadly fungal infection on top of influenza or Covid-19 deciphered
Source : https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/962716
Over 15 per cent of all critically ill patients who end up in intensive care with severe influenza or Covid-19 additionally develop aspergillosis, a pulmonary fungal infection. This doubles their...
“In tissue stainings, we also saw that the corona or influenza virus affects the epithelium of the lungs. This is the layer of cells that lines the respiratory tract and lung tissue, which forms the first barrier against infections. For Covid-19, we were able to show that specifically in the locations where the virus affects the epithelium,...
A simple surgical mask modification to pass N95 respirator-equivalent fit testing standards during the COVID-19 pandemic
Source : https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272834
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has infected hundreds of millions of people resulting in millions of deaths worldwide. While N95 respirators remain the gold standard as personal protective equipment, they are...
Conclusions: Rubber bands, a low-cost and easily-accessible modification, can improve the seal and protective ability of a standard surgical mask to the level of an N95 respirator. This could mitigate N95 respirator shortages worldwide and provide individuals in under-resourced regions a practical means for increased personal respiratory...
Neurographic Evidence of Inflammatory Polyneuropathies in Peri-COVID-19 Circumstances and Their Relationship With Acute Disease Severity and Inflammatory Storm
Published: March 26, 2022 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.23517 Cite this article as: Hasrat N H, Kadhum H J, Hashim A R, et al. (March 26, 2022) Neurographic Evidence of Inflammatory Polyneuropathies in...
The majority of the inflammatory polyneuropathy (44.4%) was diagnosed four to 12 weeks after the COVID-19 infection, with GBS being the most common type (72.2% of cases). Moreover, the nerve conduction velocity, the distal latency, and the amplitude of the most studied nerves were slower, more prolonged, and lower, respectively, among the...