All Roads Lead to Rome: Results of Non-Invasive Respiratory Therapies Applied in a Tertiary-Care Hospital Without an Intermediate Care Unit During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introducción. Las terapias respiratorias no invasivas (TRNI) fueron ampliamente utilizadas en la primera ola de la pandemia de COVID-19, en escenarios distintos según los medios disponibles. El objetivo fue presentar la supervivencia a 90 días y los factores asociados a esta de los pacientes tratados con TRNI en un centro de tercer nivel sin Unidad de Cuidados Respiratorios Intermedios. Como objetivo secundario comparar los resultados obtenidos de las distintas terapias. Métodos. Estudio observacional de pacientes tratados con TRNI fuera de un ambiente de Cuidados Intensivos o Unidad de Cuidados Respiratorios Intermedios, diagnosticados de COVID-19 y con síndrome de distrés respiratorio agudo por criterios radiológicos y de ratio SpO2/FiO2. Se desarrolló un modelo multivariante de regresión logística para determinar las variables independientemente asociadas, y se compararon los resultados de la terapia de alto flujo con cánula nasal y la presión positiva continua en la vía aérea. Resultados. Se trataron 107 pacientes y sobrevivieron 85 (79,4%) a los 90 días. Antes de iniciar la TRNI el ratio medio de SpO2/FiO2 fue de 119,8±59,4. Un mayor score de SOFA se asoció significativamente a la mortalidad (OR 2,09; IC95% 1,34 – 3,27), mientras que la autopronación fue un factor protector (OR 0,23; IC95% 0,06 – 0,91). La terapia de alto flujo con cánula nasal fue utilizada en 63 sujetos (58,9%), y la presión positiva continua en la vía aérea en 41 (38,3%). No se encontraron diferencias entre ellas. Conclusión. Aproximadamente cuatro de cada cinco pacientes tratados con TRNI sobrevivieron a los 90 días, y no se encontraron diferencias significativas entre la terapia de alto flujo con cánula nasal y la presión positiva continua en la vía aérea.S

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with cystic fibrosis in Spain: Incidence and results of the national CF-COVID19-Spain survey.

Given the high incidence of confirmed infection by SARS-CoV-2 and mortality by COVID-19 in the Spanish population, its impact was analysed among persons with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) as a group at risk of a worse evolution. The possible causes of the incidence observed in them are explained and how CF Units have faced this health challenge is detailed. Retrospective descriptive observational study, for which a Spanish CF Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 Registry is created, requesting information on number of people affected between 8 March-16 May 2020 and their clinical-demographic characteristics from the CF Units participating in the European Cystic Fibrosis Society Patient Registry (ECFSPR). The accumulated incidence is calculated, compared with that of the general population. Additionally, a survey (CF-COVID19-Spain) is carried out on prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection, workings of CF Units and possible reasons for the incidence observed. COVID-19 was diagnosed in eight CF patients, one of whom had received a lung transplant. The accumulated incidence was 32/10000 in CF patients and 49/10000 in the general population. General death rate was 5.85/10000 while no CF patients included in the ECFSPR died. The characteristics of those affected and the results of the survey are described. Despite being considered a disease at high risk of severe COVID-19, the low incidence and mortality in CF patients in Spain contrasts with the figures for the general population. The possible factors that would explain such findings are discussed, with the help of the results of the CF-COVID19-Spain survey

Global variation in postoperative mortality and complications after cancer surgery: a multicentre, prospective cohort study in 82 countries

Background: 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on postoperative mortality. Methods: This was a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for primary breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer requiring a skin incision done under general or neuraxial anaesthesia. The primary outcome was death or major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression determined relationships within three-level nested models of patients within hospitals and countries. Hospital-level infrastructure effects were explored with three-way mediation analyses. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03471494. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, we enrolled 15 958 patients from 428 hospitals in 82 countries (high income 9106 patients, 31 countries; upper-middle income 2721 patients, 23 countries; or lower-middle income 4131 patients, 28 countries). Patients in LMICs presented with more advanced disease compared with patients in high-income countries. 30-day mortality was higher for gastric cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (adjusted odds ratio 3·72, 95% CI 1·70–8·16) and for colorectal cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (4·59, 2·39–8·80) and upper-middle-income countries (2·06, 1·11–3·83). No difference in 30-day mortality was seen in breast cancer. The proportion of patients who died after a major complication was greatest in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (6·15, 3·26–11·59) and upper-middle-income countries (3·89, 2·08–7·29). Postoperative death after complications was partly explained by patient factors (60%) and partly by hospital or country (40%). The absence of consistently available postoperative care facilities was associated with seven to 10 more deaths per 100 major complications in LMICs. Cancer stage alone explained little of the early variation in mortality or postoperative complications. Interpretation: Higher levels of mortality after cancer surgery in LMICs was not fully explained by later presentation of disease. The capacity to rescue patients from surgical complications is a tangible opportunity for meaningful intervention. Early death after cancer surgery might be reduced by policies focusing on strengthening perioperative care systems to detect and intervene in common complications. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit

BJS commission on surgery and perioperative care post-COVID-19

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the WHO on 11 March 2020 and global surgical practice was compromised. This Commission aimed to document and reflect on the changes seen in the surgical environment during the pandemic, by reviewing colleagues experiences and published evidence. Methods: In late 2020, BJS contacted colleagues across the global surgical community and asked them to describe how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) had affected their practice. In addition to this, the Commission undertook a literature review on the impact of COVID-19 on surgery and perioperative care. A thematic analysis was performed to identify the issues most frequently encountered by the correspondents, as well as the solutions and ideas suggested to address them. Results: BJS received communications for this Commission from leading clinicians and academics across a variety of surgical specialties in every inhabited continent. The responses from all over the world provided insights into multiple facets of surgical practice from a governmental level to individual clinical practice and training. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered a variety of problems in healthcare systems, including negative impacts on surgical practice. Global surgical multidisciplinary teams are working collaboratively to address research questions about the future of surgery in the post-COVID-19 era. The COVID-19 pandemic is severely damaging surgical training. The establishment of a multidisciplinary ethics committee should be encouraged at all surgical oncology centres. Innovative leadership and collaboration is vital in the post-COVID-19 era

BJS commission on surgery and perioperative care post-COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the WHO on 11 March 2020 and global surgical practice was compromised. This Commission aimed to document and reflect on the changes seen in the surgical environment during the pandemic, by reviewing colleagues' experiences and published evidence