ABSTRACT
Objective The study is projected to examine the information contained in patent documents that are in the public domain, using prospecting mechanisms focused on available technologies for the treatment of diseases of the Coronavirus family. Methodology and Discussion This is an investigation to identify and evaluate technologies developed for SARS and MERS and their possible contributions to COVID-19. It adopted as a procedure a patentometric study carried out on the Questel & Oacute;rbita platform to identify public domain patents related to diseases caused by the Coronavirus and the Delphi method for the analysis of technologies and their possible contribution to the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: It is concluded that the adopted methodology was configured as an effective instrument for technological Contribution: prospecting studies, with some adjustments regarding the use of elements to evaluate the level of technological maturity.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Barts Health National Health Service Trust (BHNHST) serves a diverse population of 2.5 million people in London, UK. We undertook a health services assessment of factors used to evaluate the risk of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.METHODS: Patients with confirmed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results admitted between 1 March and 1 August 2020 were included, alongwith clinician-diagnosed suspected cases. Prognostic factors from the 4C Mortality score and 4C Deterioration scores were extracted from electronic health records and logistic regression was used to quantify the strength of association with 28-day mortality and clinical deterioration using national death registry linkage.RESULTS: Of 2783 patients, 1621 had a confirmed diagnosis, of whom 61% were male and 54% were from Black and Minority Ethnic groups; 26% died within 28 days of admission. Mortality was strongly associated with older age. The 4C mortality score had good stratification of risk with a calibration slope of 1.14 (95% CI 1.01-1.27). It may have under-estimated mortality risk in those with a high respiratory rate or requiring oxygen.CONCLUSION: Patients in this diverse patient cohort had similar mortality associated with prognostic factors to the 4C score derivation sample, but survival might be poorer in those with respiratory failure.