Effect of Whey Proteins on Malnutrition and Extubating Time of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients.

The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to a severe pandemic, starting from early 2020. Intensive care (ICU) management of the COVID-19 disease is difficult with high morbidity and mortality. Early nutritional support, especially with whey protein, seems to be crucial in this medical case. Thus, we aimed to assess the effects of an adequate nutritional protocol rich in whey protein on nutritional and inflammatory status, extubating time, and mortality of critically ill COVID-19 patients (CICP). METHODS: A prospective single-center exploratory observational study was undertaken on 32 consecutive CICP admitted to the ICU of Santa Maria Hospital, Terni, Italy, and treated with whey protein-enriched formula. Patients' demographics, nutritional status, indexes of inflammation, daily pre-albumin serum levels, duration of mechanical ventilation, and mortality were recorded. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were enrolled. Ninety-five percent of them showed a gradual reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP) values and increase in pre-albumin levels after the whey protein-enriched formula. Prealbumin levels were not correlated with a better nutritional status but with a shorter extubating time and better survival. CONCLUSIONS: An adequate administration of whey protein during COVID-19 patients' ICU stays can provide fast achievement of protein targets, reducing the duration of mechanical ventilation, and improving inflammatory status and ICU survival. Further prospective and large-scale, controlled studies are needed to confirm these results.

Prediction of major bleeding in patients receiving DOACs for venous thromboembolism: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: In the direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) era, extended anticoagulation is an attractive strategy after venous thromboembolism (VTE). The role of currently available bleeding risk scores for VTE patients treated with DOACs in clinical practice is undefined. METHODS: Consecutive patients with VTE were included in a prospective multicenter cohort at the initiation of treatment with DOACs. The role of ATRIA, HAS-BLED, Kuijer, ORBIT, RIETE and VTE-BLEED scores in predicting major bleeding (ISTH definition) while on DOAC treatment was assessed. RESULTS: Overall, 1034 patients were included and followed for one year or until the end of treatment or the occurrence of major bleeding. During study period, 26 major bleedings occurred in 25 patients (2.8% patient-year). Anemia, bleeding history and creatinine clearance <60 ml/min were significant predictors of major bleedings. The predictive value of bleeding risk scores was modest. In the 12-month study period, ORBIT (HR intermediate-high vs. low risk patients 3.62, 95% CI 1.65-7.94 and c-statistics 0.645, 95% CI 0.523-0.767) and VTE-BLEED (HR high vs. low 16.11, 95% CI 2.18-119.09 and c-statistics 0.674, 95% CI 0.593-0.755) score significantly predicted major bleeding. The lowest incidence of major bleeding (0.3%) was observed in the low-risk category of VTE-BLEED, while the highest (7.1%) in the high-risk category of ORBIT. CONCLUSIONS: In a real-life cohort of patients with VTE treated with DOACs, the predictive value of currently available bleeding risk scores was modest and not statistically different. Whether these scores can be used for decision making on anticoagulation should be assessed in management studies.