Emerging evidence for non-pharmacologic interventions in reducing the burden of respiratory illnesses.

The global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has led to significant morbidity and mortality, and unprecedented economic and health system disruption. Non-pharmacologic interventions (NPIs) such as masking and physical distancing have formed the underpinnings of COVID-19 infection control strategies. Concomitantly, numerous jurisdictions have seen a decrease in hospitalizations for non-COVID-19 respiratory illnesses (NCRIs) such as asthma, community-acquired pneumonia, influenza, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease relative to pre-pandemic levels. These associations give rise to a number of testable hypotheses regarding the efficacy of NPIs in reducing the substantial burden of NCRIs. Here, we review emerging perspectives on the role of NPIs in NCRI prevention with the ultimate goal of informing future research and public policy development as we move into what may be the endemic phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cancer - Associated Thrombosis - A Study of Cases.

Research shows that the presence of cancer increases the likelihood of developing venous thromboembolism (pulmonary thromboembolism and deep vein thrombosis) from as much as fourfold up to sevenfold. It is imperative that after early diagnosis we treat cancer-associated thrombosis with grave seriousness in order to reduce its morbidity and mortality. We present 14 case reports of patients with cancer-associated thrombosis including thrombosis related to malignant hemopathies.

Patient Outcomes With Use of Computed Tomography Angiography in Acute Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives It remains uncertain whether computed tomography angiography (CTA) in ischemic strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) benefits patient outcomes beyond those eligible for endovascular therapy. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the use of CTA against other imaging modalities for recurrent stroke, mortality, disability, emergency department (ED) revisits, or changes in management in ischemic stroke and TIA. (PROSPERO: 349590) Methods MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL were searched. We included studies evaluating CTA against non-CTA imaging modalities for outcomes of interest in ischemic stroke or TIA. Two reviewers extracted data and assessed study quality. Data were pooled by the generic inverse variance method. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q statistic and quantified by I2. Quality of the evidence was assessed by GRADE. Results We found 12 eligible cohort studies involving 17,481 patients, and no eligible RCTs. No changes were detected in recurrent stroke, mortality, or disability when CTA was compared against pooled imaging modalities, nor compared to non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) alone. The evidence for each outcome was graded as low quality to very low quality. Conclusions CTA use was not associated with significant reductions in recurrent stroke, mortality, or disability in ischemic stroke and TIA patient compared with other imaging modalities. More high-quality studies are needed.