Background: Background: SARS-Cov-2 infection (COVID-19) can lead to severe respiratory illness characterized by diffuse pulmonary inflammation similar to what is seen in ARDS. The case series evaluates the additive anti-inflammatory effects of patients that received Tocilizumab, Convalescent Plasma and corticosteroids within 72 hours of hospital admission for critical COVID-19 disease. Methods: This is a retrospective [...]

Background: The number of survivors of an initial COVID-19 disease hospitalization is growing and further data describing clinical and sociodemographic risk factors for hospital readmissions is needed. The CROSS (COVID-19 Characteristics of Readmissions and Outcomes and Social Determinants of Health Study) Collaborative was developed in July 2020 and is a multidisciplinary, multi-hospital group dedicated to [...]

Background: Data about seroprevalence of COVID-19 infections in US Health Care Workers (HCW) is limited. CDC reported that about 55% of SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive HCWs reported exposure at work, with most of them being minimally symptomatic or asymptomatic(1). This study characterizes the symptomatic/asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 seropositive frontline HCW in our hospital and correlate clinical features with [...]

Background: Research surrounding COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is rapidly increasing, including the study of biomarkers for predicting outcomes. There is little data examining the correlation between serum albumin levels and COVID-19 disease severity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether admission albumin levels reliably predict outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed [...]

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common cause of both community and hospital acquired infections. According to CDC, MRSA is responsible for 70,000 severe infections and 9,000 deaths per year. The MRSA nasal PCR (MRSA PCR) is a screening test for MRSA colonization in the nares. It has a sensitivity of about 67.4% and [...]

Background: Patients with COVID-19 have increased rates of venous thromboembolism, however, there is currently no standardized approach to anticoagulation (AC) therapy particularly with respect to the proper dose of anticoagulation (prophylactic or therapeutic). Many observational studies have shown a mortality benefit in using prophylactic AC for hospitalized patients with COVID-19. A few studies have reported [...]

Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are commonly-used antihypertensives which, despite renoprotective properties, can contribute to acute kidney injury (AKI)(1). Iodinated contrast media may also precipitate AKI, namely contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), which has been associated with adverse patient outcomes(1–3). ACE inhibitors and ARBs are often held in the setting of iodinated [...]

Background: Uncertain language, specifically for the diagnosis of pneumonia in chest radiograph reports has been noted in previous research studies (1, 2, 3). In fact, as many as 1 out of every 4 chest x-rays (CXRs) are not positive or negative for pneumonia but are uncertain (4). Some uncertain reports use language modifiers that precede [...]

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) outbreak is rapidly spreading worldwide and as a result clinical predictors of disease severity are critical for appropriate management and disposition of patients. An early and accurate risk stratification of COVID-19 patients may have a great impact on their prognosis given rapid patient deterioration and continued need for rationing of treatments. [...]

Background: Large volume preparations that are polyethylene glycol based (such as GoLYTELY and MiraLAX) are the mainstay of bowel preparation regimens at many institutions. Studies have shown that patients prefer lower volume preparations compared to the standard 4 Liters of polyethylene glycol electrolyte solutions (PEG- ELS). Although data has been collected on low volume bowel [...]