Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Gustavo C. Paris, Aline A. Azevedo, Adriana L. Ferreira, Yanca M. A. Azevedo, Mateus A. Rainho, Genilza P. Oliveira, Karina R. Silva, Erika A. C. Cortez, Ana C. Stumbo, Simone N. Carvalho, Lais de Carvalho, Alessandra A. Thole
Summary: This article discusses the impact of the novel coronavirus on the lungs, kidneys, heart, vasculature, and central nervous system, as well as the therapeutic mechanisms of MSC in each tissue. Additionally, it explores the therapeutic effects of MSC in high-risk groups for COVID-19, such as obese, diabetic, and hypertensive patients.
Article
Virology
Mario Fernandez-Ruiz, Francisco Lopez-Medrano, Maria Asuncion Perez-Jacoiste Asin, Guillermo Maestro de la Calle, Hector Bueno, Jose Manuel Caro-Teller, Mercedes Catalan, Cristina de la Calle, Rocio Garcia-Garcia, Carlos Gomez, Rocio Laguna-Goya, Manuel Lizasoain, Joaquin Martinez-Lopez, Julia Origuen, Jose Luis Pablos, Mar Ripoll, Rafael San Juan, Hernando Trujillo, Carlos Lumbreras, Jose Maria Aguado
Summary: The study found that the use of tocilizumab in COVID-19 patients could lead to clinical improvement and was safe. Additionally, previous or concomitant use of interferon-beta and high levels of lactate dehydrogenase may negatively impact clinical improvement.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lucrezia Mondini, Francesco Salton, Liliana Trotta, Chiara Bozzi, Riccardo Pozzan, Mariangela Barbieri, Stefano Tavano, Selene Lerda, Michael Hughes, Marco Confalonieri, Paola Confalonieri, Barbara Ruaro
Summary: COVID-19 has become a global health problem since 2020, with varying degrees of manifestation and therapeutic options depending on the severity and molecular mechanism of the disease. This review analyzes the main therapeutic options available to date for severe and critical cases by modulating the host inflammatory response. More research is needed to identify biomarkers that can predict disease progression and guide personalized interventions.
CURRENT ISSUES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Muhammad Z. Mushtaq, Saad B. Z. Mahmood, Aysha Almas, Syed Ather Wasti, Syed Ahsan Ali
Summary: This study examined the response of tocilizumab in COVID-19 patients by analyzing clinical parameters and inflammatory markers. The results showed that tocilizumab can decrease the need for mechanical ventilation and improve inflammatory markers and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. However, it is associated with adverse events including bacterial and fungal infections.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qian-Fang Meng, Rui Tian, Haiyi Long, Xianjia Wu, Jialin Lai, Olga Zharkova, Jiong-Wei Wang, Xiaoyuan Chen, Lang Rao
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has had a significant impact on the global economy and daily life. Some patients develop severe symptoms and complications due to a cytokine storm induced by the virus. While neutralizing antibodies targeting inflammatory cytokines show promise, challenges remain in their application, sparking interest in new biomaterials and nanotechnology for potential therapeutic advancements. Researchers are working towards developing novel treatments to effectively manage COVID-19 and other inflammatory diseases.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Candice Laverne Hendricks, Candice Herd, Marcel Nel, Gregory Tintinger, Michael Sean Pepper
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has infected over 94 million people globally, leading to the need for effective medical treatments and devices like non-invasive ventilation and high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy. Promising drugs like Remdesivir, tocilizumab, and dexamethasone have shown potential but further randomized trials are needed for standardized protocols. The healthcare divide in South Africa between private and public sectors highlights the need for cost-effective drug options to serve the majority of the population.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Aitor Gonzaga, Etelvina Andreu, Luis M. Hernandez-Blasco, Rut Meseguer, Karima Al-Akioui-Sanz, Barbara Soria-Juan, Jose Carlos Sanjuan-Gimenez, Cristina Ferreras, Juan R. Tejedo, Guillermo Lopez-Lluch, Rosa Goterris, Loreto Macia, Jose M. Sempere-Ortells, Abdelkrim Hmadcha, Alberto Borobia, Jose L. Vicario, Ana Bonora, Cristobal Aguilar-Gallardo, Jose L. Poveda, Cristina Arbona, Cristina Alenda, Fabian Tarin, Francisco M. Marco, Esperanza Merino, Francisco Jaime, Jose Ferreres, Juan Carlos Figueira, Carlos Canada-Illana, Sergio Querol, Manuel Guerreiro, Cristina Eguizabal, Alejandro Martin-Quiros, Angel Robles-Marhuenda, Antonio Perez-Martinez, Carlos Solano, Bernat Soria
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented global impact, causing significant social and economic disruptions and a high number of fatalities. In some cases, the virus can cause immune abnormalities and severe respiratory illness, necessitating the development of innovative therapeutic approaches to prevent mortality in high-risk patients.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Eman Zeyad I. Elmekaty, Aya Maklad, Rawan Abouelhassan, Waqar Munir, Mohamed Izham Mohamed Ibrahim, Arun Nair, Rim Alibrahim, Fatima Iqbal, Ahmad Al Bishawi, Alaaeldin Abdelmajid, Mohamed Aboukamar, Hamad Abdel Hadi, Mohammed Abu Khattab, Hussam Al Soub, Muna Al Maslamani
Summary: This study aimed to explore the safety and efficacy of anakinra in severe COVID-19 patients. The addition of anakinra to standard of care treatment was found to be safe but did not significantly improve clinical progression. Further research is needed to identify patient subgroups that may benefit from this treatment.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Alice H. Grant, Armando Estrada III, Yoshira M. Ayala-Marin, America Y. Alvidrez-Camacho, Georgialina Rodriguez, Elisa Robles-Escajeda, Denisse A. Cadena-Medina, Alejandro C. Rodriguez, Robert A. Kirken
Summary: The SARS-CoV-2 virus has caused a global pandemic with devastating health and economic consequences. Immunologically, the effects of SARS-CoV-2 are traced back to a cytokine storm that activates the JAK-STAT pathway. Therapeutic strategies to combat the SARS-CoV-2 mediated storm focus on cell signaling and JAK inhibition.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matthew D. Galbraith, Kohl T. Kinning, Kelly D. Sullivan, Paula Araya, Keith P. Smith, Ross E. Granrath, Jessica R. Shaw, Ryan Baxter, Kimberly R. Jordan, Seth Russell, Monika Dzieciatkowska, Julie A. Reisz, Fabia Gamboni, Francesca Cendali, Tusharkanti Ghosh, Kejun Guo, Cara C. Wilson, Mario L. Santiago, Andrew A. Monte, Tellen D. Bennett, Kirk C. Hansen, Elena W. Y. Hsieh, Angelo D'Alessandro, Joaquin M. Espinosa
Summary: The impacts of IFN signaling on COVID-19 pathology are diverse, with both protective and harmful effects. Different types of IFNs are associated with specific biosignatures and have unique metabolic signatures. They also show differential relationships with clinical markers of prognosis and disease severity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Na Song, Hiroaki Wakimoto, Filippo Rossignoli, Deepak Bhere, Rachele Ciccocioppo, Kok-Siong Chen, Jasneet Kaur Khalsa, Ilenia Mastrolia, Anna Valeria Samarelli, Massimo Dominici, Khalid Shah
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global public health crisis with no safe and effective treatments available yet. Research suggests that MSCs have the potential to attenuate the cytokine storm induced by SARS-CoV-2 and may play a crucial role in treating related pulmonary diseases.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Wael Hafez, Mohamad Azzam Ziade, Arun Arya, Husam Saleh, Sara Ali, Srinivasa Raghu Rao, Osman Fdl Alla, Mohamed Ali, Mouhamad Al Zouhbi, Ahmed Abdelrahman
Summary: This study found that low ADAMTS13 activity is associated with the severity of COVID-19, pneumonia, mechanical ventilation rates, and the use of anticoagulants. However, it is not correlated with mortality. The study also proposes rADAMTS13 as a novel treatment for severe COVID-19.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Fortunato Vesce, Chiara Battisti, Michele Crudo
Summary: Pregnancy is a vascular event controlled by endocrine factors. During pregnancy, the chorionic villi penetrate the uterine spiral arteries to provide nutrients and oxygen for fetal growth. Vascular function is regulated by prostaglandins and thromboxane for vasoconstriction, and prostacyclin for vasodilation. The fetus can alter the maternal immune response to protect itself. Inflammation is a leading cause of pregnancy-related complications. In both COVID-19 pneumonia and gestational inflammation, preventing and counteracting inflammation is crucial.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yaqun Li, Wenjie Zhao, Jinhua Liu, Zichao Chen, Qingtao Lv, Zhen Zhang
Summary: COVID-19 pneumonia, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has disrupted the pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory response, leading to a need to neutralize cytokine storm. Current treatments focus on vaccines for prevention and immunomodulatory therapies to alleviate immune imbalance, with antiviral drugs and respiratory support as clinical options.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Diego Real de Asua, Miguel A. Mayer, Maria del Carmen Ortega, Jose M. Borrel, Teresa de Jesus Bermejo, Domingo Gonzalez-Lamuno, Coral Manso, Fernando Moldenhauer, Maria Carmona-Iragui, Anke Huls, Stephanie L. Sherman, Andre Strydom, Rafael de la Torre, Mara Dierssen
Summary: This study found that individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have a higher in-hospital mortality rate when they have COVID-19 compared to non-COVID-19 pneumonias, especially among adults over 40 and those with specific comorbidities. The rate of admission to an ICU for DS patients with COVID-19 was significantly lower than that reported for the general population with COVID-19.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Editorial Material
Infectious Diseases
Emilia Cercenado, Jesus Rodriguez-Bano, Jose Luis Alfonso, Esther Calbo, Luis Escosa, Aurora Fernandez-Polo, Julio Garcia-Rodriguez, Jose Garnacho, Maria Victoria Gil-Navarro, Santiago Grau, Carlota Gudiol, Juan Pablo Horcajada, Nieves Larrosa, Carmen Martinez, Jose Molina, Xavier Nuvials, Antonio Oliver, Jose Ramon Pano-Pardo, Maria Teresa Perez-Rodriguez, Paula Ramirez, Pedro Rey-Biel, Pablo Vidal, Pilar Retamar-Gentil
Summary: In 2012, consensus recommendations were published by multiple Spanish societies on the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs in acute care hospitals. However, there was a need for further guidance on AMS activities for specific patient populations or circumstances. Therefore, a panel of experts was assembled to review available information and provide guidance recommendations on these topics.
ENFERMEDADES INFECCIOSAS Y MICROBIOLOGIA CLINICA
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Silvia Gomez-Zorrilla, Elena Sendra, Juan P. Horcajada
Summary: This article reviews the current epidemiology, etiology, resistance rates of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), as well as the clinical efficacy and safety of delafloxacin in pneumonia treatment. The expert opinion suggests that delafloxacin has potential value in the treatment of CABP, especially in countries with high rates of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae and patients with pneumonia caused by MRSA.
EXPERT REVIEW OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Maria Milagro Montero, Sandra Domene-Ochoa, Carla Lopez-Causape, Inmaculada Lopez-Montesinos, Sonia Luque, Luisa Sorli, Nuria Campillo, Eduardo Padilla, Nuria Prim, Lorena Ferrer Alapont, Santiago Grau, Antonio Oliver, Juan P. Horcajada
Summary: This study compared the efficacy of intermittent, extended, and continuous infusion of ceftolozane-tazobactam (C/T) and found that continuous infusion achieved the best results in treating infections caused by extensively drug-resistant (XDR) P. aeruginosa isolates. It was the only regimen with bactericidal activity against all tested isolates, indicating the potential of continuous C/T infusion as a treatment option.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Berta Puig-Collderram, Sandra Domene-Ochoa, Maria Salva-Comas, Maria Milagro Montero, Xavier Duran, Juan R. Gonzalez, Santiago Grau, Antonio Oliver, Juan P. Horcajada, Eduardo Padilla, Concepcion Segura, Nuria Prim
Summary: The study validated the use of an ATP assay as an alternative to the conventional colony count method for studying antibiotic combinations. The ATP assay was found to be equivalent to the colony count method in categorizing the effectiveness of antibiotic combinations. This method is less laborious and faster, making it suitable for implementation in clinical laboratory workflow.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Alicia Rodriguez-Alarcon, Jaime Barcelo-Vidal, Daniel Echeverria-Esnal, Luisa Sorli, Roberto Guerri-Fernandez, Sofia Martina Ramis Fernandez, Adela Benitez-Cano, Elena Sendra, Inmaculada Lopez Montesinos, Estela Membrilla-Fernandez, Olivia Ferrandez, Ramon Adalia, Juan Pablo Horcajada, Fernando Escolano, Silvia Gomez-Zorrilla, Santiago Grau
Summary: This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of antibiotic desensitization procedures for patients with antibiotic allergy labels (AAL). A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the antibiotic desensitization protocols carried out in our institution from 2015 to 2022, and a systematic literature review was performed to identify relevant studies.
EXPERT REVIEW OF ANTI-INFECTIVE THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
D. Fresan, S. Luque, A. Benitez-Cano, L. Sorli, M. Milagro Montero, M. De-Antonio, N. Prim, V. Vega, J. P. Horcajada, S. Grau
Summary: Administering ceftazidime/avibactam by continuous infusion can achieve the desired drug concentration and therapeutic target in most patients, even at lower doses. The combination of continuous infusion and therapeutic drug monitoring can be a useful tool for reducing antimicrobial-related adverse effects and treatment costs.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Pilar Retamar-Gentil, Rafael Canton, Vicente Abril Lopez de Medrano, Jose Barberan, Andres Canut Blasco, Carlos Duenas Gutierrez, Carolina Garcia-Vidal, Nieves Larrosa Escartin, Jaime Lora-Tamayo, Francisco Javier Martinez Marcos, Carlos Martin Ruiz, Juan Pasquau Liano, Pedro Rascado, Oscar Sanz Pelaez, Genoveva Yague Girao, Juan P. Horcajada
Summary: This work presents the views of a group of experts on resistance to antimicrobial agents in Gram-negative bacilli, including the current epidemiology, its relation to clinical practice, and new therapies based on evidence. After reviewing the most relevant evidence, data on these aspects were presented to experts in infectious diseases, clinical microbiology, internal medicine, intensive care medicine, anaesthesiology, and hospital pharmacy, leading to conclusions on the matter.
REVISTA ESPANOLA DE QUIMIOTERAPIA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Milagro Montero, Max Hardy-Werbin, Soledad Gonzalez-Gallardo, Erica Torres, Rebeca Rueda, Irene Hannet, James T. Kirk, Thomas D. Yager, Krupa Navalkar, Maria del Mar Arenas, Itziar Arietta-Aldea, Silvia Castaneda, Joan Gomez-Junyent, Silvia Gomez-Zorrilla, Roberto Guerri-Fernandez, Francisca Sanchez-Martinez, Immaculada Lopez-Montesinos, Ivan Pelegrin, Elena Sendra, Luisa Sorli, Judith Villar-Garcia, Beatriz Bellosillo, Juan Pablo Horcajada
Summary: Evaluation of SeptiCyte RAPID as a triaging tool for COVID-19 patients found that it can stratify cases according to clinical severity. The tool showed better discrimination than other biomarkers in predicting the need for ICU admission in COVID-19 patients.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Daniel Echeverria-Esnal, Luisa Sorli, Maria Eugenia Navarrete-Rouco, Nuria Prim, Jaime Barcelo-Vidal, David Conde-Estevez, Maria Milagro Montero, Clara Martin-Ontiyuelo, Juan Pablo Horcajada, Santiago Grau
Summary: This article reviews the relevant aspects of ampicillin-resistant and vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium (EfARSV) bacteremia, including microbiology, gastrointestinal tract colonization and invasion, antibiotic resistance, epidemiology, risk factors, mortality, and treatment. However, the most appropriate treatment for this infection remains uncertain due to limited data.
EXPERT REVIEW OF ANTI-INFECTIVE THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Diana Badenes Bonet, Oswaldo Antonio Caguana Velez, Xavier Duran Jorda, Merce Comas Serrano, Margarita Posso Rivera, Mireia Admetllo, Anna Herranz Blasco, Elisa Cuadrado Godia, Ester Marco Navarro, Gemma Martin Ezquerra, Zenaida Pineiro Aguin, Maria Cinta Cumpli Gargallo, Jose Gregorio Gonzalez Garcia, Eva Balcells Vilarnau, Diego Rodriguez Chiaradia, Xavier Castells, Joaquim Gea, Juan P. Horcajada, Judit Villar-Garcia
Summary: This study aimed to identify risk factors for the presence of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) and describe the profile of persistent symptoms in a multidisciplinary Post-Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) Unit. The results showed that treatment with dexamethasone and remdesivir was associated with shorter duration of symptoms, and female gender, obesity, asthma, and disease severity were identified as risk factors for PASC.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Judit Aranda, Jose Loureiro-Amigo, Anna Murgadella, Nuria Vazquez, Lucia Feria, Miriam Munoz, Ariadna Padulles, Gabriela Abelenda, Carol Garcia-Vidal, Montse Tuset, Marta Albanell, Lucia Boix-Palop, Nuria Sanmarti-Martinez, Silvia Gomez-Zorrilla, Daniel Echeverria-Esnal, Alicia Rodriguez-Alarcon, Beatriz Borjabad, Ana Coloma, Jordi Carratala, Isabel Oriol
Summary: This study analyzed the prescription trends of COVID-19 treatments for hospitalized patients in Barcelona. The use of lopinavir/ritonavir and hydroxychloroquine declined over time and was replaced by remdesivir. Tocilizumab use showed a varying trend, while dexamethasone use increased. Antibiotic use, particularly azithromycin, decreased after the initial months of the pandemic. The findings highlight the importance of adapting treatment strategies based on evolving scientific evidence.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Daniel Echeverria-Esnal, Sergi Hernandez, Anna Murgadella-Sancho, Ramon Garcia-Paricio, Sara Ortonobes, Melisa Barrantes-Gonzalez, Ariadna Padulles, Alexander Almendral, Montse Tuset, Enric Limon, Santiago Grau
Summary: This study investigated the role of clinical pharmacists in antimicrobial stewardship programs in Catalonia. The findings revealed a lack of time and IT support for clinical activities among pharmacists. It is recommended that pharmacists improve their clinical skills and provide clinical advice to prescribers either by phone or face-to-face.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Adela Benitez-Cano, Silvia Bermejo, Sonia Luque, Luisa Sorli, Jesus Carazo, Irene Zaragoza, Isabel Ramos, Jordi Valles, Juan P. Horcajada, Ramon Adalia
Summary: This study evaluated the clinical, microbiological, and treatment characteristics of severe postoperative pneumonia and tracheobronchitis. The findings showed that surgical patients are at high risk for early onset severe pneumonia and tracheobronchitis, with a high proportion of Gram-negative and multi-drug resistant bacteria.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Critical Care Medicine
A. R. Garcia, I. Blanco, Y. Torralba-Garcia, C. Martin Ontiyuelo, L. Piccari, V. Peinado, A. Ramirez, O. Tura-Ceide, J. A. Barbera
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2022)
