COVID-19

This review summarizes the clinical and preclinical evidence for the existence of elevated plasmin(ogen) in important comorbid conditions of COVID-19, like hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular illness, COPD, and kidney dysfunction, and highlights the importance of plasmin-induced proteolytic cleavage of the SARS-COV-2 S protein and fibrin in the development of COVID-19. Plasminogen might be a possible common denominator in the understanding of the mechanisms for high morbidity and mortality of patients with important comorbid conditions, could be an independent factor for risk stratification and a possible therapeutic target in COVID-19.

Retrospective study raising awareness for gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Analyzing the largest cohort of patients with GI symptoms to date, this study found novel characteristics of COVID-19, including increased family clustering and liver injury, severe/critical type tendency and higher rate of body temperature >38.5°C, holding important implications for healthcare workers not to overlook on this possible form of presentation in COVID-19.

State of the art review article about COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease

Sommerstein/Gräni from the Inselspital were questioning whether ACE inhibitors upregulate ACE2, the entry receptor for Sars-CoV2 and may worsen the course?

Due to the concern of patients and healthcare providers regarding uncertainties with ACEI/ARBs in Covid-19, a statement was released: ACEI/ARBs should be continued and treatment should not be changed as no evidence is available that they do harm in Covid-19. ACEI/ARBs should be given according to established guidelines.

Anesthesia induction is a precedure with a high risk of aerosolization of SARS-CoV-2. This article discribes how anesthesia induction should be modified in order to minmize this risk. This article is short and reflects the positions of the major societies

Although not a being a scientific paper, this special article provides decision guidance for the allocation of ICU treatment in the face of scarce ressources with a potentially upcoming wave of COVID-19 patients requiring ICU support in Switzerland

Several countries that face a mismatch between existing ventilatory infrastructure and demand for ventilator support of critical COVID-19 patients in ICU start developing custom-made solutions to overcome this problem. Some of these include ventilating two or more patients with the same ventilator. The Anaesthesia Safety Foundation (APSF) has released a statement that discourages these modifications and provides solid arguments against such solutions. This statement has been endorsed by several other major organizations.

Interesting interview with George Gao, head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Analyse von immunologischen Faktoren im peripheren Blut bei 21 Paitenten mit mittelschwerer bis schwerer COVID-Infektion zum Zeitpunkt des Spitaleintritts. Patienten mit schwerem Verlauf (SpO2<93%, Tachypnoe oder beatmungspflichtig) wiesen höhere Werte an IL-2R, IL-6, IL-10 und TNF-a auf, zudem eine absolute Lymphopenie, welche vorwiegend auf eine Reduktion von CD4+ und CD8+ T Zellen zurückgeführt wurde.