A Dedicated SARS-CoV-2 Testing Center for Public Service Agency Personnel: Implementation, Results, and Impact on Human Resources.

Objective: A global pandemic due to an emerging infectious disease requires efficient use of resources to ensure continued operation of essential services. To mitigate risk to these services and the population served, there needs to be a rapid identification of infected personnel via screening and testing.Methods: This retrospective study used prospectively collected data from a dedicated SARS-CoV-2 testing center for fire, police, and paramedic personnel in Toronto, Canada to determine the incidence of seropositive personnel and their immediate household, and estimate the days off work saved by timely access to testing and results.Results: In the consecutive 12-month study period, 10624 tests were carried out. Of 7951 personnel tested, 282 (3.55%) were positive, with positivity rates ranging from 2.52% for paramedics, 4.01% for police, and 4.25% for fire personnel. Household members tested positive in 173 of 2592 cases (6.67%), ranging from 5.22% for fire, 6.34% for paramedic, and 7.04% for police households. The median time to obtain test results was 1 day, with 90% available within 2 days. Implementation of the Center is estimated to have saved the Services 7669 person-days off work.Conclusion: A dedicated SARS-CoV-2 testing center for essential personnel can improve access to diagnostic testing and turnaround time for results, and provide a positive impact on human resource availability during a pandemic.

Second-trimester asynchronous multifetal delivery results in poor perinatal outcome.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to estimate the maternal and fetal morbidities associated with asynchronous delivery. METHODS: A review of maternal and fetal medical records was performed at 2 tertiary care centers over 12 years. Charts were identified by the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes for twin and triplet gestations. Asynchronous delivery was defined as an active attempt (tocolysis and/or emergent cerclage placement) to increase latency between delivery of the first fetus and subsequent fetuses. RESULTS: Fourteen cases of asynchronous delivery were identified out of 96922 deliveries including 1352 pregnancies complicated by multifetal gestation. The occurrence rate of asynchronous delivery was 0.14 per 1000 births. The etiology of preterm birth of the first fetus in 12 (86%) of 14 cases was second-trimester rupture of membranes. The mean gestational age for delivery of the first fetus was 21.+/- 2.0 weeks. All women received tocolysis and intravenous antibiotics. Two of 3 attempts at cerclage placement were successful. Median latency obtained was 2 days (range less than 1-70 days). There was 1 survival of a first born. There were 19 retained fetuses, 2 died in utero, 10 died between birth and day 57 of life, and 7 survived (37%; 95% confidence interval 16%, 62%) until hospital discharge. Six of 7 survivors had major sequelae from prematurity. One of 19 fetuses was discharged without major sequelae (5%; 95% confidence interval 0%, 25%). Maternal morbidity included 2 placental abruptions and 8 cases of infectious morbidity including 1 case of septic shock. CONCLUSION: Attempts at asynchronous deliveries are uncommon and are associated with a high rate of perinatal death. Most fetal survivors have significant damage from preterm birth.

Magnesium sulfate in women with mild preeclampsia: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether magnesium sulfate prevents disease progression in women with mild preeclampsia. METHODS: A total of 222 women with mild preeclampsia were randomized to receive intravenous magnesium sulfate (n = 109) or matched placebo (n = 113). Mild preeclampsia was defined as blood pressure of at least 140/90 mm Hg taken on two occasions in the presence of new-onset proteinuria. Patients with chronic hypertension or severe preeclampsia were excluded. Patients were considered to have disease progression if they developed signs or symptoms of severe preeclampsia, eclampsia, or laboratory abnormalities of full or partial HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets) syndrome. RESULTS: The groups were similar with respect to maternal age, ethnicity, gestational age, parity, and maternal weight at enrollment. Fourteen women (12.8%) in the magnesium group and 19 (16.8%) in the placebo group developed severe preeclampsia after randomization (relative risk = 0.8, 95% confidence interval 0.4, 1.5, P =.41). None in either group developed eclampsia or thrombocytopenia. Women assigned magnesium had similar rates of cesarean delivery (30% versus 25%), chorioamnionitis (3% versus 2.7%), endometritis (5.3% versus 4.3%), and postpartum hemorrhage (1% versus 0.9%), compared to those assigned placebo. Neonates born to women assigned magnesium had similar mean Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes as those born to women assigned placebo (7.7 +/- 1.5 versus 7.8 +/- 1.6 and 8.7 +/- 0.7 versus 8.8 +/- 0.6, respectively). CONCLUSION: Magnesium sulfate does not have a major impact on disease progression in women with mild preeclampsia. Magnesium use does not seem to increase rates of cesarean delivery, infectious morbidity, obstetric hemorrhage, or neonatal depression.