International Perfusion Association

Category: COVID-19

COVID Education

Durability of Original Monovalent mRNA Vaccine Effectiveness Against COVID-19 Omicron-Associated Hospitalization in Children and Adolescents – United States, 2021-2023

This study assesses the durability of the original monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in preventing hospitalization due to the Omicron variant among U.S. children aged 5-18. Between December 2021 and October 2023, vaccine effectiveness (VE) was 52% within 120 days of the last dose but dropped to 19% for doses received 120-364 days prior. VE was 31% when the last dose was within the past year. For severe cases requiring intensive interventions, VE was higher shortly after vaccination but decreased over time. The study supports CDC recommendations for updated vaccinations in children and adolescents.

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ICU Patient

Rates, Outcomes, and Resource Burden of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Use in Hospitalizations in the United States During the Pandemic

This study characterizes the burden and outcomes of ECMO use in U.S. hospitalizations during the pandemic, analyzing 17,520 cases from the National Inpatient Sample between 2019 and 2020. It highlights a significant increase in ECMO utilization, with a marked impact on inpatient mortality, length of hospital stay, and healthcare costs. Predominantly affecting patients with circulatory and respiratory diseases, ECMO hospitalizations showed a higher mortality rate (43.1%) compared to non-ECMO cases (2.1%), with an average hospital stay of 26 days and an average cost of US$967,647 per case. Factors like Hispanic descent, higher CCI score, age over 60, and a higher APRDRG risk were associated with increased mortality.

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Korea

Risk Factors for the Mortality of Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Requiring Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Non-Centralized Setting: A Nationwide Study

This nationwide study in Korea explored the mortality risk factors for COVID-19 patients needing Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support across 19 hospitals from January 2020 to August 2021. Of 127 patients, 55.1% died within 90 days post-ECMO initiation. The study identified older age and the need for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) as significant mortality risk factors. The research underscores the critical impact of age and CRRT on COVID-19 patient outcomes with ECMO, highlighting the need for tailored management strategies in these high-risk groups.

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COVID-19 Cost

Healthcare-Associated Infections in Patients with Severe COVID-19 Supported with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Nationwide Cohort Study

This study investigates the incidence and microbiology of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in severe COVID-19 patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, analyzing data from 701 patients in France. It found a 36% incidence rate of ECMO-associated infections (ECMO-AI), with bloodstream infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia being the most common. The infections were primarily caused by Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus species, and non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli. Interestingly, the study concludes that ECMO-AI were not significantly associated with hospital death rates.

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VV ECMP

Relationship between the Pre-ECMO and ECMO Time and Survival of Severe COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis explores the impact of pre-ECMO timing and ECMO duration on the survival of severe COVID-19 patients, analyzing 54 studies involving 13,691 patients. Results indicate significant differences in pre-ECMO intervals between survivors and non-survivors, without a direct linear relationship between longer pre-ECMO times and mortality risk. The study highlights the need for further research to understand the optimal timing for ECMO initiation in severe COVID-19 cases, as current evidence does not conclusively link extended pre-ECMO periods with decreased survival rates.

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Simpsons ECMO ICU

Development and Validation of a Robust and Interpretable Early Triaging Support System for Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19: Predictive Algorithm Modeling and Interpretation Study

The study developed and validated RIETS, a machine learning-based system using 11 routine clinical and laboratory biomarkers to predict COVID-19 severity upon hospitalization, showing high accuracy and low bias risk. RIETS demonstrated excellent predictive performance, including during the Omicron variant period, and provided interpretable data for clinical use, suggesting its potential for improving patient triaging and resource allocation in hospitals.

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COVID-19 Patient

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Prehospital and In-Hospital Treatment and Outcomes of Patients After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Japanese Multicenter Cohort Study

This study compared prehospital care, in-hospital treatment, and outcomes among out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing that survival rates and favorable outcomes at 1 month post-OHCA deteriorated in the post-pandemic period, with longer EMS response times and increased advanced airway management by EMS. Despite these changes, most prehospital and in-hospital treatments remained unchanged between the pre- and post-pandemic periods.

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VV ECMP

Post-COVID Changes in Lung Function 6 Months After Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Prospective Observational Clinical Trial

Six months after hospital discharge, patients with severe COVID-19 who received veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) showed persistent impairments in small airway function and reduced respiratory tissue elasticity, compared to healthy controls. These findings indicate moderate but ongoing lung function impairment in severe acute COVID-19 cases, even after recovery from the critical phase of the infection.

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COVID-19 Cost

Inpatient Costs of Treating Patients With COVID-19

This study analyzed the mean cost of inpatient care for COVID-19 patients in the US from March 2020 to March 2022, finding an overall increase from $10,394 to $13,072, with higher costs for patients with comorbidities like obesity and coagulation deficiency. The significant rise in costs, over five times the rate of medical inflation, was partly attributed to increased use of treatments like extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) over time.

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Florida State Surgeon General Calls for Halt in the Use of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines

On December 6, 2023, Florida State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo raised concerns to the FDA and CDC about potential nucleic acid contaminants in Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, specifically questioning the safety assessments regarding DNA integration risks. Despite FDA’s prior guidelines on DNA vaccines, Dr. Ladapo highlighted the lack of evidence for DNA integration assessments in these vaccines, emphasizing the unique health risks and advocating for non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.

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