ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare the characteristics and outcomes of critically ill patients with COVID-19-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) who were treated with kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in the first and second waves of the pandemic in the megalopolis of Sao Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted in 10 intensive care units (ICUs). Patients aged ≥18 years, and treated with KRT due to COVID-19-associated AKI were included. We compared demographic, laboratory and clinical data, KRT parameters and patient outcomes in the first and second COVID-19 waves. RESULTS: We assessed 656 patients (327 in the first wave and 329 in the second one). Second-wave patients were admitted later (7.1±5.0 vs. 5.6±3.9 days after the onset of symptoms, p<0.001), were younger (61.4±13.7 vs. 63.8±13.6 years, p = 0.023), had a lower frequency of diabetes (37.1% vs. 47.1%, p = 0.009) and obesity (29.5% vs. 40.0%, p = 0.007), had a greater need for vasopressors (93.3% vs. 84.6%, p<0.001) and mechanical ventilation (95.7% vs. 87.8%, p<0.001), and had higher lethality (84.8% vs. 72.7%, p<0.001) than first-wave patients. KRT quality markers were independently associated with a reduction in the OR for death in both pandemic waves. CONCLUSIONS: In the Sao Paulo megalopolis, the lethality of critically ill patients with COVID-19-associated AKI treated with KRT was higher in the second wave of the pandemic, despite these patients being younger and having fewer comorbidities. Potential factors related to this poor outcome were difficulties in health care access, lack of intra-hospital resources, delay vaccination and virus variants.
Subject(s)
Acute Kidney Injury , COVID-19 , Humans , Adolescent , Adult , Brazil/epidemiology , COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/epidemiology , Critical Illness , Pandemics , Retrospective Studies , Renal Replacement Therapy , Acute Kidney Injury/epidemiology , Acute Kidney Injury/etiology , Acute Kidney Injury/therapyABSTRACT
RESUMO Pretendemos aqui discutir as peculiaridades da clínica em saúde pública junto a crianças e suas famílias durante a pandemia, considerando os impasses impostos pelo isolamento social e o acolhimento oferecido, mostrando a potência dos atendimentos online. Em contexto público já precário antes da covid-19, enfatizamos a valorização do trabalho clínico e da discussão psicanalítica para colaborar para a saúde institucional no oferecimento de nossos serviços à comunidade. Apresentam-se vinhetas clínicas ilustrativas.
ABSTRACT We intend here to discuss the peculiarities of the community health clinical services with children and their families during the pandemic, considering the impasses imposed by social isolation and the containment offered, showing the power of online sessions. In a public context already precarious before covid-19, we emphasize the relevance of clinical work and psychoanalytic discussion to collaborate for institutional health in offering our services to the community. Clinical vignettes are presented.
RESUMEN Aquí tenemos la intención de discutir las peculiaridades de la clínica de salud pública con los niños y sus familias durante la pandemia, teniendo en cuenta los interrogantes impuestos por el aislamiento social y la recepción ofrecida, mostrando el poder del trabajo en línea. En un contexto público ya precario antes de covid-19, enfatizamos la valorización del trabajo clínico y la discusión psicoanalítica para colaborar por la salud institucional en la oferta de nuestros servicios a la comunidad. Se presentan viñetas clínicas ilustrativas.
RESUMÉ On a l'intention de discuter ici les singularités de la clinique en santé clinique auprès des enfants et leurs familles pendant la pandémie, toute en considérant les impasses imposées par la distanciation sociale et les accueils offerts, et en démontrant la puissance des soins en ligne. Dans un contexte public déjà précaire avant le covid-19, nous soulignons la mise en valeur du travail clinique et de la discussion psychanalytique pour contribuer à la santé institutionnelle en offrant nos services à la communauté. On présente des vignettes cliniques pour illustrer.
Subject(s)
Social Isolation , Child Health , Telemedicine/methods , COVID-19/epidemiologyABSTRACT
We theoretically propose and experimentally validate a practical random bit generation method based on the detections of a coherent state in the few-photon regime by a gated single-photon threshold detector, operating at the telecom wavelength of 1550 nanometers. By fine tuning the mean number of photons per pulse of a laser beam directed to the single-photon detector, a 50-50 chance of detection or no-detection is reached; under this condition, detections inside the gate window are treated as "1"s, while "0"s are associated with the absence of detections. The same method could also be applied in a free-running single-photon detector for increased throughput by chopping the light signal instead of gating the detector. Both hardware implementations yielded bit strings, which were evaluated by a standard randomness test suite with good confidence. Despite the yet low rates achieved by the proposed method, its hardware compatibility with quantum key distribution setups makes it an interesting candidate for random number generation within the context of practical quantum communications.
