Comparison of Computerized Prescription Support Systems in COVID-19 Patients: INTERCheck and Drug-PIN.

The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) infection requires major efforts in healthcare systems, due to the high risk of mortality, particularly in subjects with significant comorbidity (≥ 2 pathologies) and polypharmacy (≥ 5 drugs). The treatment of COVID-19 needs a careful evaluation, to reduce the risk of potentially adverse drug reactions. The aim of the study was to examine the use of computerized prescription support in the management and treatment of the COVID-19 infection. We evaluated n.33 patients (51% females) admitted to the west COVID Low-Medium Intensity of Care of Sant'Andrea Hospital during the period March-April 2020 and n.42 subjects (50% females) admitted to the Internal Medicine ward (as control group), by INTERCheck® and Drug-PIN®. The comorbidity (n. pathologies), polypharmacy (n. drugs), and total INTERCheck score in COVID-19 patients and controls were, respectively (mean ± standard deviation): 5.8 ± 3.8, 7.9 ± 4.5, and 9.2 ± 7.1 and 6.8 ± 2.6, 8.0 ± 2.6, and 4.9 ± 3.8 (statistically significant for comorbidity p < 0.01 and INTERCheck score p < 0.01). The correlation between the scores obtained by the INTERCheck and Drug-PIN software was statistically significant, either at admission (p < 0.0000001) or during hospitalization (p < 0.00000001). Both the computerized prescription support systems, INTERCheck® and Drug-PIN®, are useful to better characterize the patients and to ameliorate the drugs prescriptions in COVID-19 infection, with particular attention to the elderly population.

Cutaneous Basal Cell Carcinoma: Does Noninvasive Ventilation Accelerate Tumor Progression?

A 56-year-old woman presented to the emergency to be department with diarrhea, asthenia, cough, and dysgeusia. The patient had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and was found infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). On physical examination, a small basal cell carcinoma (BCC) lesion was identified on her scalp; however, following the administration of noninvasive ventilation, the appearance of both macroscopic and microscopic BCC worsened dramatically. Our findings point to positive pressure noninvasive ventilation used to treat COVID-19 associated with COPD as a possible causative agent for the progression of cutaneous BCC. (SKINmed. 2022;20:463-465).

SARS-Cov-2 pneumonia and concurrent myelodysplasia complicated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa over-infection.

The new virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCov-2) causing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread quickly in several countries and it has become pandemic. Different types of clinical manifestations are attributed to this infection. Some mechanisms related to the infection regarding the immune response are not still elucidated. Herein we reported a case of a 66-years-old patient affected by myelodysplasia who was referred to our hospital because of clinical and radiological manifestations of viral pneumonia. The clinical course has become complicated due to bacterial secondary over-infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa during stay in internal medicine unit whilst a persistent positive oral and naso-pharyngeal swab test was reported up to 100 days of admission. The patient had a fast clinical and radiological worsening that led her to be admitted to an intensive care unit. Despite intubation and mechanical ventilation she died in a few days.

The importance of genomic analysis in cracking the coronavirus pandemic.

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has pushed the scientific community to undertake intense research efforts. Understanding SARS-CoV-2 biology is necessary to discover therapeutic or preventive strategies capable of containing the pandemic. Knowledge of the structural characteristics of the virus genome and proteins is essential to find targets for therapies and immunological interventions.Areas covered: This review covers different areas of expertise, genomic analysis of circulating strains, structural biology, viral mutations, molecular diagnostics, disease, and vaccines. In particular, the review is focused on the molecular approaches and modern clinical strategies used in these fields.Expert opinion: Molecular approaches to SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have been critical to shorten time for new diagnostic, therapeutic and prevention strategies. In this perspective, the entire scientific community is moving in the same direction. Vaccines, together with the development of new drugs to treat the disease, represent the most important strategy to protect human from viral disease and prevent further spread. In this regard, new molecular technologies have been successfully implemented. The use of a novel strategy of communication is suggested for a better diffusion to the broader public of new data and results.

SARS-CoV-2 Lineages and Sub-Lineages Circulating Worldwide: A Dynamic Overview.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan, China, in early December 2019 has rapidly widespread worldwide, becoming one of the major global public health issues of the last centuries. Key Messages: Over the course of the pandemic, due to the advanced whole-genome sequencing technologies, an unprecedented amount of genomes have been generated, providing invaluable insights into the ongoing evolution and epidemiology of the virus during the pandemic. Therefore, this large amount of data played an important role in the SARS-CoV-2 mitigation and control strategies. Key Messages: The active monitoring and characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating worldwide is useful for a more specific diagnosis, better care, and timely treatment. In this review, a concise characterization of all the lineages and sub-lineages circulating and co-circulating across the world has been presented in order to determine the magnitude of the SARS-CoV-2 threat and to better understand the virus genetic diversity and its dispersion dynamics.

Clinical Management of Adult Coronavirus Infection Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Positive in the Setting of Low and Medium Intensity of Care: a Short Practical Review.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) is a viral infection which is rapidly spreading on a global scale and causing a severe acute respiratory syndrome that affects today about four and a half million registered cases of people around the world. The aim of this narrative review is to provide an urgent guidance for the doctors who take care of these patients. Recommendations contained in this protocol are based on limited, non-definitive, evidence and experience-based opinions about patients with low and medium intensity of care. A short guidance on the management of COVID-19 is provided for an extensive use in different hospital settings. The evidence-based knowledge of COVID-19 is rapidly evolving, and we hope that, in the near future, a definitive and most efficacious treatment will be available including a specific vaccine for SARS-CoV-2.