Adult respiratory syncytial virus infection and hypoxic cardiac arrest – Coexistent or causal?

Purpose of the study: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a wellknown pathogen in pediatric patients. (1) However, it also causes substantial morbidity and mortality in adults, posing a major healthcare problem. (2). Methods:We reviewed a patient suffering from cardiac arrest (CA) and acute RSV infection who was admitted to the Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. Results: A 74-year-old male patient complained about dyspnea and later went into CA. Bystander BLS was conducted for 7 minutes, and arriving EMS performed advanced life support (ALS). The initial rhythm check showed pulseless electrical activity. After further 6 minutes of ALS, sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved, and the patient was transported to the emergency department (ED). At the ED, the ECG showed no ischemia-like patterns, and point-of-care ultrasound revealed a highly reduced left ventricular function. Laboratory results showed signs of inflammation, and a routine PCR turned out positive for RSV. Awhole body computed tomography revealed no acute pathology, and before a background of chronic pulmonary disease, the CA event was deemed as hypoxic caused by exacerbation of the chronic pulmonary pathologies either parallel to- or directly through an acute RSV infection. Conclusion: An RSV infection should be considered during post- ROSC in adult patients with presumed hypoxic etiology of CA. From a public health perspective, an immune-naivety for RSV caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may potentially induce a rise in cases, morbidity, and mortality in the future.

Tell Us! A survey of public opinion on how to deal with COVID-19 risks and subsequent harm

SETTING: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us in many areas of life due to mitigation measures, delays in medical care, or the disease itself. When it concerns issues as complex and universal as COVID-19, the public should also have a say in how to deal with managing its impact. DESIGN: In a widely distributed online questionnaire, members of the Austrian public were invited to contribute experiences, ideas and opinions on the level of risk they were willing to accept regarding COVID-19. The huge variety of responses were categorised by social scientists into groups used in a workshop to draw up recommendations for responding to future challenges to the healthcare system from an interdisciplinary point of view. RESULTS: The results of the survey indicated that while members of the public are primarily afraid of illnesses caused by COVID-19, they also fear the psychological burden and effects at the societal level. CONCLUSION: Our study has shown that there is a significant public desire to have a say in issues which directly impact citizens.