Jonna Lorenz is a freelance journalist with more than 20 years of experience. Her background is in business and health care news, including reporting, editing and research for newspapers and websites.
Autoantibodies Block Interferons in 10% of Severe COVID-19 Cases
October 26th 2020Autoantibodies that attack type 1 interferons, neutralizing the immune system’s ability to block the SARS-CoV-2 virus, were present in 10% of patients with life-threatening coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, a new study found.
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Cefiderocol Shows Promise in Phase 3 Studies, But Questions Remain
October 19th 2020Cefiderocol was noninferior to high-dose, extended-infusion meropenem in terms of all-case mortality in patients with gram-negative nosocomial pneumonia and showed similar clinical and microbiological efficacy to best available therapies in carbapenem-resistant, gram-negative bacterial infections, according to 2 recently released studies.
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Underlying COPD in Patients with COVID-19 Presents Challenges
October 14th 2020Underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients infected with COVID-19 present a variety of challenges for health care professionals, including increased risk for poor clinical outcomes and increased risk of spreading the disease.
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Study Supports Prone Positioning in Conscious COVID-19 Patients Requiring CPAP
October 5th 2020Prone positioning has been found to improve outcomes for mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19, and a new study suggests the strategy may also benefit conscious patients requiring continuous positive airway pressure.
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Antivirals Are Unnecessary for Most Children with COVID-19
September 29th 2020A panel of pediatric infectious diseases experts recommends supportive care only for children with mild or moderate COVID-19 and suggests remdesivir therapy for those with severe illness requiring supplemental oxygen.
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Discordant Empirical Antibiotic Therapy for Bloodstream Infections Ups Risk of Mortality
September 21st 2020About 1 in 5 patients with bloodstream infections received discordant empirical antibiotic therapy, increasing their risk of mortality independent of sepsis or septic shock, a new study found.
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Trial of Remdesivir for Moderate COVID-19 Shows Modest Results, Uncertainties
September 3rd 2020Odds of better clinical status were higher for patients with moderate COVID-19 who received a 5-day course of remdesivir than for those receiving standard care, according to the most recent randomized clinical trial of the antiviral drug.
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Study Suggests Streamlining Fewer Infection-Control Measures to Reduce C Diff
August 26th 2020Hospitals considering interventions to reduce Clostridioides difficile infections may find that less is more, according to a new study that found daily cleaning with sporicidal products to be the most cost-effective single infection control strategy.
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National Academies Recommend Prioritizing Opening Schools for Younger Students
August 13th 2020A committee of experts convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently offered recommendations for local school districts to guide decisions about school reopening during the pandemic.
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Supposed Penicillin-Allergic Patients Twice as Likely to Receive Alernative Antibiotics
July 3rd 2020Hospitalized patients with unverified penicillin allergies may unnecessarily face greater risk of adverse drug events when given broader spectrum alternative antibiotics, according to a new study.
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Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics Are Overused in Treatment of CA-cIAI
July 1st 2020Despite guidelines discouraging use of anti-pseudomonal β-lactams and fluoroquinolones for community-acquired complicated intra-abdominal infection, about 75% of lower-risk patients are receiving such treatments, a new study found.
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