Dan Horner examines the difficulties of diagnosing and treating venous thromboembolism in COVID-19 in May 2020. The review considers D-dimer, imaging, screening effects and possible immunothrombosis, weighing uncertain treatment benefits against bleeding risks while randomised trial results were still awaited.
Diagnosis and Treatment of VTE in the COVID-19 era Read More
Casey Parker joins the 21 April 2020 COVID-19 journal club, with a recording, podcast and reading list. The papers cover hydroxychloroquine, antibody prevalence, virology, protection in camp settings, myocarditis and chest CT, capturing questions being debated during the pandemic’s first months.
COVID-19: Journal Club #2 – The Webinar Read More
Could selected patients with a spontaneous pneumothorax avoid a chest drain? This 2020 appraisal examines a conservative-management trial, its missing follow-up data, non-inferiority margin and applicability to everyday practice, alongside the trial authors’ challenge to the reviewer’s cautious interpretation.
JC: Conservative management of pneumothoraces. Read More
A review of the January 2020 interim BSPED guidance on diabetic ketoacidosis in children and young people. Chris Gray explains changes to diagnosis, severity assessment, fluids, potassium and insulin, alongside the evidence and practical questions raised by that edition of the guidance.
JC: D-K-hoorAy! New Paeds DKA guidelines Read More
Ashley Liebig’s January 2020 introduction to the novel coronavirus outbreak, written as cases began appearing beyond China. The article records the early questions facing clinicians and the information available at that point, offering a historical snapshot rather than an up-to-date account of COVID-19.
2019 Novel Coronavirus (Wuhan) at St Emlyn’s Read More
Did adding vitamin C and thiamine to hydrocortisone improve outcomes in septic shock? This 2020 VITAMINS appraisal examines a randomised comparison that found no improvement in its primary vasopressor-free-time outcome, while discussing the contrast with earlier observational claims and remaining questions about timing and patient selection.
A 2020 appraisal of PEPTIC, comparing proton pump inhibitors with H2 receptor blockers for stress-ulcer prophylaxis in intensive care. The review examines mortality and gastrointestinal bleeding outcomes, treatment crossover and competing interpretations of a large pragmatic trial whose clinical implications were debated.
JC: The PEPTIC study PPI vs H2RBs on the ICU. St Emlyn's Read More
Day-one highlights from Critical Care Reviews 2020, including TRACT, COACT, SPICE III, HYPERION and ICU-ROX. The report brings together discussions of transfusion, cardiac arrest, sedation and oxygen therapy, alongside questions about trial design and how clinicians interpret research.
JC: Critical care reviews meeting day 1 #CCR20. St Emlyn's Read More
