Higher blood sugar linked to risk of death from COVID-19; increase in overdose deaths in the United States could have a pandemic link

(Reuters) – The following is a round-up of some of the latest scientific studies on the new coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

High blood sugar linked to risk of COVID-19 in non-diabetics

High blood sugar may portend a difficult course for COVID-19 patients seeking hospital care, even if they are not diabetic, according to a new study of 11,000 COVID-19 patients in Spain. None were seriously ill when they arrived at the hospital. But the researchers found that those who arrived with higher than normal blood sugar had a higher chance of dying there, whether or not they had diabetes. Overall, 20% of patients died while in hospital, including 16% of individuals with blood sugar levels below 140 milligrams per deciliter on admission, 34% of those with 140 to 180 mg / dL and 41% of patients above 180 mg / dL. (A level of 200 mg / dL or more indicates diabetes.) After controlling for age and medical conditions, patients with the highest levels were 50% more likely to die in hospital than patients. with the lowest levels. People with high blood sugar were also at greater risk of requiring intensive care and mechanical breathing assistance. In a report published Tuesday in Annals of Medicine, researchers say that rapid blood sugar control should be mandatory in the management of hospital patients with COVID-19, whether or not they have diabetes.

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The pandemic could lead to an increase in the number of overdose deaths in the United States

The COVID-19 pandemic could lead to an increase in the number of drug overdose deaths in the United States, researchers say. Between March and August, the number of overdose-related cardiac arrests peaked at more than double the average of the previous two years, and remained 48.5% higher at the end of the study period, have they reported Thursday in JAMA Psychiatry. The data comes from the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS), a registry of more than 10,000 EMS agencies in 47 states. The upward trend in cardiac arrests correlates with a sharp decline in people’s mobility, leading researchers to suggest that increased social isolation during the pandemic may have contributed to the deadly overdose conditions. There are strategies that can help alleviate the mortality associated with drug overdoses even during the pandemic, co-author Joseph Friedman of the University of California, Los Angeles told Reuters. “Removing logistical and financial barriers to accessing drugs like methadone and buprenorphine is particularly important,” he said. “Allowing pharmacies to dispense methadone and providing emergency funds to make these drugs affordable could make a big difference.”

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No good answer yet to decontaminate masks for reuse

No single method of decontaminating healthcare workers’ personal protective equipment (PPE) for reuse stands out, and reuse is not recommended though, according to a study published Thursday in the American Journal of Infection Control. it can be avoided. The researchers analyzed 40 studies that tested various methods of sterilizing N95 masks and high-end filters. They included steam, hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet rays, microwaves, and electric stoves, among others. Disinfectants such as bleach, soap, and water and alcohol were also tested. Results differed depending on mask model, manufacturer, and sterilization or disinfection process. In addition, most of the methods appear to result in at least some structural damage or a weakening of the filtration capacity of the masks, according to co-author Vanessa de Brito Poveda of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Along with the disinfection or sterilization processes, healthcare systems that reuse masks must take into account the need for traceability, if the same mask can be shared by different professionals; control the number of reuse of each mask; training of personnel to inspect the integrity and functionality of the mask after routine wear and cleaning methods to remove organic material and dirt (such as residual cosmetics). “The scientific evidence available so far does not support any process this safe,” said de Brito Poveda, although she believes that automated methods are safer than manual methods.

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