Articles Tagged With:
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Patients Hospitalized for Nonsevere COVID-19: No Benefit of CAP Antibiotics
A large population-based, retrospective, cohort study found there was no benefit for antibiotics targeting community-acquired pneumonia in patients hospitalized with nonsevere COVID-19. These results provide evidence against antibiotic use in this population.
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Early Preoperative Antibiotics Before Appendectomy
Pre-incision treatment did not reduce intra-operative perforation, and likewise did not change purulent contamination, peri-appendicular abscess, or histologic gangrene. It did lower 30-day surgical-site infection (SSI) (1.6% vs. 3.2%; P = 0.03) and re-intervention for SSI (0.3% vs. 1.1%), but the effect was marginally significant, giving a number-needed-to-treat of 63 for any SSI and 125 for a re-intervention.
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The RSV Turning Point: Implementing Preventive Tools in Everyday Practice
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant morbidity in infants and older adults. This review outlines new preventive measures, including RSV vaccines for pregnant women and older adults, and monoclonal antibody prophylaxis (nirsevimab) for infants. Clinical guidance addresses patient concerns, administration timing, and indications by age and risk. With these tools, primary care providers can better prevent RSV complications across vulnerable populations.
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Pediatric Abdominal Trauma
Abdominal trauma is a common occurrence, and acute care clinicians must be familiar with the evaluation and management of children with potential abdominal injuries. The authors provide a comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic approach to this population with the goal of optimizing their outcome.
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An Approach to Palliative Care in the Emergency Department
Emergency physicians play a critical role in recognizing the need for and initiating early palliative care interventions, often at the most pivotal moments in a patient’s illness. By addressing symptoms such as dyspnea, pain, nausea, and constipation early and effectively, and by guiding conversations around goals of care, emergency providers can greatly enhance the quality of life for patients with serious or terminal illnesses.
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Homelessness Raises Unique Ethical Concerns on End-of-Life Care
Homelessness complicates end-of-life care because of isolation, surrogate scarcity, and structural barriers. Ethicists should collaborate with interprofessional teams to ensure respectful, context-aware care and advocate for inclusive policies addressing this vulnerable population’s needs.
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Study Investigators Provide Research Ethics Training to Community Members
Tailored ethics training empowers community and youth researchers to engage meaningfully in human subjects research. These programs foster inclusion, mutual respect, and ethical literacy, enabling more equitable, participant-informed research processes and Institutional Review Board engagement.
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IRBs Inconsistently Assess Scientific Merit
Institutional Review Boards inconsistently assess scientific merit, risking participant harm and ethical breaches. Lack of standardization, expertise gaps, and institutional conflicts undermine protections. Ethicists can advocate for rigorous review standards and transparent, participant-centered protocols.
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Psychiatric Patient Capacity Evaluations Likely Highlight Other Ethical Issues
Psychiatric capacity evaluations often involve hidden ethical challenges, such as treatment refusal, surrogate ambiguity, and racial bias. Ethicists assist in contextualizing decisions, preserving autonomy, and supporting providers in ethically fraught scenarios involving complex patient values.
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Ethical Debate Continues Over Access to Investigational Cell- and Gene-Based Interventions
Expanded access to unapproved gene and cell therapies raises ethical concerns around safety, informed consent, fairness, and regulatory compliance. Ethicists help balance compassionate access with clinical oversight, protecting vulnerable populations amid rapidly advancing science.