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A drug to treat harsh complications of coronavirus infection is registered in Russia

Levilimab received state approval through a fast-track mechanism, according to Decree No. 441 of the Government of the Russian Federation of April 4, 2020, since its mechanism of action is associated with the control of the cytokine storm, which is one of the manifestations of coronavirus infection.

9 Jun 2020

"A shred of evidence" BCG vaccinations protect against COVID-19

Professor David Levine from the University of California, Berkeley, says a study of people in Spain and Italy has provided a “shred of evidence” that the BCG vaccination may protect against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

9 Jun 2020

Convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 is safe and effective

A new systematic review available on medRxiv preprint server shows that using convalescent plasma in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is well-tolerated and may prompt the clearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as well as decrease disease severity; however, these effects are more pronounced in younger patients.

9 Jun 2020

Heart transplant recipients affected by COVID-19 face racial, gender disparities

Physician-scientists specializing in heart failure wanted to know: if their heart transplant patients contract COVID-19, would they have a different experience than the general public or others who are also immunosuppressed?

9 Jun 2020

Probiotics are not recommended for most digestive conditions

It is estimated that more than 3.9 million American adults have taken some form of probiotics, with many patients looking to probiotics to improve their gastrointestinal health.

9 Jun 2020

COVID-19 produces lung inflammation in non-human primate experiments

A new study published on the online preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 reports the successful use of three primate species to model the infection, pathogenesis, and clinical features associated with COVID-19. The research provides useful and immediately available models to test new vaccines and treatments.

9 Jun 2020

Metabolic diseases alter ACE2 expression and increase COVID-19 severity

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 reports that one mechanism for this variable severity is the differential expression of the ACE2 receptor in various metabolic conditions, thereby facilitating viral entry into the host cells.

9 Jun 2020

Cremation numbers reveal possible suppression of true COVID-19 data in China

A potentially explosive new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 suggests that the official Chinese statistics on COVID-19 cases or mortality are neither reliable nor credible. If true, such unreliable data during a crucial period of the pandemic in February and March 2020 could have seriously skewed the response and preparation of the rest of the world and altered the future course of the viral pneumonic illness.

8 Jun 2020

Human movement, poverty influence COVID-19 measures

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in June 2020 explains the significant risk posed by poverty and the success of measures to counter COVID-19. The research sets out a model for more focused but productive interventions in high-risk groups that can reduce mortality rates significantly.

8 Jun 2020

56 percent of pregnant women in UK hospitals with COVID-19 are BAME

According to a new national surveillance study released this week, over half of the pregnant women admitted to a hospital in the United Kingdom with COVID-19 are either black or belong to other ethnic minority groups.

8 Jun 2020

Heart damage among hospitalized COVID-19 patients linked to higher risk of mortality

Mount Sinai researchers have found that myocardial injury (heart damage) is prevalent among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and is associated with higher risk of mortality.

8 Jun 2020

Opioid, sedative and antidepressant use prior to surgery leads to more complications

A study led by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers showed that patients who already used opioids, sedatives or antidepressants prior to colorectal surgery experience significantly more complications post-surgery.

8 Jun 2020

Improving detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection among severely ill children

Researchers in the UK have conducted a study showing that children with a severe inflammatory syndrome had high levels of antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), despite having tested negative for the virus by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

8 Jun 2020

Kidney complications more prevalent among hospitalized COVID-19 patients at NYC

Hospitalized COVID-19 patients at a New York City medical facility had higher rates of kidney complications than other COVID-19 patient groups in different areas of the U.S. and other countries, according to a new study from researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian.

8 Jun 2020

Acute kidney injury in intensive-care COVID-19 patients

71 patients with severe lung injury were admitted to four intensive care units at Bordeaux University Hospital and their data were collected and evaluated over a period of six weeks (March/April 2020). AKI was defined using KDIGO criteria and ADQI according to the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) 16 workgroup.

8 Jun 2020

Blood pressure medications offer survival benefit for even the frailest elderly people

Taking blood pressure medication as prescribed helped even the frailest elderly people (65 and older) live longer, and the healthiest older people had the biggest survival boost, according to a large study in northern Italy published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

8 Jun 2020

High mortality rates among coronavirus-positive dialysis patients

Spain is one of the European countries besides the UK and Italy that was particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic in March.

5 Jun 2020

Bystander CPR benefits outweigh the risks of COVID-19 infection

Analysis of Seattle emergency medical services and hospital data from January 1 to April 15, 2020, indicates bystander CPR is a lifesaving endeavor whose benefits outweigh the risks of COVID-19 infection, according to a new article published yesterday in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

5 Jun 2020

Kidney impairment significantly higher among hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Germany was not hit as hard by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic as many other European countries. The reason for this is that the wave of infection reached Germany later, that the authorities were warned by the situation in Italy and Spain and at an early stage ordered a lockdown and conducted extensive testing.

5 Jun 2020

Volcanic glass spray effective in controlling mosquitoes

An indoor residual spray made by combining a type of volcanic glass with water showed effective control of mosquitoes that carry malaria, according to a new study.

5 Jun 2020