Month: November 2020

These researchers identified 158,445 Scottish health care workers between 18 and 65 years of age who were employed by the National Health Service. They used Scottish employment databases to create linkages to other health-related databases and to identify members of their households (n = 229,905). Additionally, the researchers used these same databases to identify people from the general population. They mined the databases to identify hospitalizations for COVID between March 1, 2020 (when cases of COVID were first identified in Scotland), and June 6, 2020. Among the health care workers, 90,733 (57.3%) had direct patient contact (they used the term ... Read more

n this open-label phase II trial from 39 hospitals in India, the researchers randomized patients to standard care (n = 229) or standard care plus convalescent plasma (n = 235). The patients had all been hospitalized with moderate illness (PaO2/FiO2 ratio between 200 mm Hg and 300 mm Hg or a respiratory rate of more than 24 per minute with oxygen saturation 93% or less on room air). To be eligible, there also had to be a matched plasma donor (adults with a previous PCR-confirmed symptomatic bout with COVID). The staff administered the convalescent plasma as two infusions administered 24 ... Read more

HIVES OVERVIEW “Urticaria” or hives are raised areas of the skin that itch intensely and are red with a pale center. Hives develop when there is a reaction that activates immune cells in the skin called mast cells and release natural chemicals mainly histamine, which causes hive. In most cases, hives appear suddenly and disappear within several hours. HIVES SYMPTOMS Skin appearance — Hives are raised areas that itch intensely and are sometimes red with a pale center. Itching is usually the most bothersome symptom of hives, and it may be severe enough to interfere with work and sleep. Hives ... Read more