COVID Focus

Check out these EBM Focus summaries with a focus on COVID.

When randomized trials are all but impossible due to low event rates for rare conditions like MISC, the 'best available evidence' is all we have to go on. We have to do our best to balance our obligation to "First Do No Harm" with the helpless anxiety that drives us to do something, especially when it comes to our most innocent and vulnerable populations. Steroids, anyone? 

We now understand that much of the morbidity that comes with COVID-19 results from the body's immune response to SARS-CoV-2 viral particles in the lungs. The monoclonal antibody tocilizumab has been the target of several recent studies evaluating its effectiveness against COVID-19. Should tocilizumab become standard of care for hospitalized patients? This EBM Focus takes a closer look at the possible benefits of this treatment. 

Considering that most of the efficacy data we have so far for the treatment of COVID-19 has shown minimal to no benefit for therapies such as remdesivir, convalescent plasma, and hydroxychloroquine, seeing a meaningful benefit from the SSRI fluvoxamine hit us with a pretty solid "whoa!". Check out this EBM Focus for details.

Get the latest evidence updates on all things COVID with this summary of 10 things you need to know NOW, a follow-up to one of our first summaries on COVID-19 that came out in April. 

Caveat Emptor- that's Latin for "buyer beware", in case you were going to have to look that up, too. Black market convalescent plasma is a thing, believe it or not. If you find yourself considering purchasing some COVID-infused blood products on the down low, or even more legitimately asking your ICU attending for some, you might want to get the details on the antibody titers first. 

2020 has not been the posterchild for hope. The global pandemic continues to kill thousands by the day, and most studies evaluating treatments to date have demonstrated modest benefits at best. So this prospective meta-analysis on steroids for COVID seemed to offer some hope for a measurable mortality benefit for severely ill patients with COVID. As usual, the EBM focus takes a closer look. 

This EBM Focus might resonate with those of you following President Trump's hospitalization for COVID-19, with reports that he is being treated with remdesivir. Will it help? Read about it here!

Is COVID breaking your heart? See how the secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are linked with increased rates of stress cardiomyopathy.

Does hydroxycholoquine help prevent or treat COVID? Find out here.

Check out this EBM Focus from early in the pandemic with important information about prevention, transmission, and treatment.

Wondering if you should order COVID antibody testing? Get info on here how well this test performs.

Get the details on what studies really show when it comes to Remdesivir for the treatment of COVID.

Seeing headlines about using convalescent plasma to treat COVID? Get the facts about it here.

Learn whether or not ACE-Inhibitors are really linked to higher risk of death from COVID.

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