Introduction Silent hypoxia is an entity that has been described in patients diagnosed with COVID-19. It is typically described as objective hypoxia in the absence of proportional respiratory distress. The physiological basis for this phenomenon is controversial, and its prognostic value is unclear. We present a case below, of a 66-year-old female presenting with severe hypoxia that was managed without mechanical ventilation. Presentation of case A 66 year old female with multiple comorbidities initially presented with a cough, fever and an oxygen saturation of 70% on room air in the absence of respiratory distress or altered mentation. She subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the intensive care unit; received oxygen via high flow nasal cannula and continuous positive pressure mask. The patient remained in the intensive care unit for 40 days under close observation and exhibited multiple episodes of silent hypoxia on weaning oxygen. She was discharged on room air with an oxygen saturation >90% after 56 days. The patient was not intubated during her stay. Discussion and conclusion Clinicians face a clinical dilemma on whether to intubate a “silently hypoxemic” patient, who displays hypoxia out of proportion to clinical examination. The decision is confounded by a lack of clear evidence on whether the benefits of precautionary intubation outweighs the risks, especially in the current COVID-19 pandemic. A recent paradigm shift that recommends delaying intubation further displays the need for clearer analysis of the situation. Our case demonstrates a favorable outcome of the latter approach, yet emphasizes a case-by-case approach until clearer recommendations are available.
Introduction: There are considerable ethnic variations in the incidence and severity of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). To date, there have been very few studies from Africa and the MENA region and none that have focused on CVD. Ballana Heart Study (BHS) is a prospective cohort study of Egyptian Nubian population who live in the Ballana village (29,000 inhabitants) in the south of Egypt. Aim: Defining the cardiovascular phenotype, genotype and risk factors combined with follow-up visits for 30 years. Methods: Participants ≥18 years old after consenting go through a series of stations. A fasting venous blood sample is collected for diagnostic, genetic, molecular biomarkers testing and biobanking. Followed by a detailed questionnaire on demographic characteristics, anthropometry, vital signs, CVD risk factors and family history. Detailed clinical phenotyping including ECG, and Echocardiography. Follow-up visits and/or phone interviews occur every 1-3 years depending on their severity risk for a period of 30 years. Participants with evidence of CVD are referred to the Aswan Heart Centre for management. Results: A random sample of 1,200 representative households was obtained from official government bills. To date, 549 households were analyzed. The preliminary findings in the first 2000 participants showed a mean age of 46 years (62% females). The rates of consanguinity between spouses and parents were 45% and 39% respectively. Seventy percent were either obese or overweight (BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 .), 65% had LDL ≥ 100 mg/dL and 37% reported a family history of CVD. Investigation showed diabetes (23%), hypertension (20%), ischemic heart diseases (3.5%), only 15 patients (0.8%) had echocardiographic evidence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) as defined by the world heart federation criteria and 7 patients (0.4%) were diagnosed with adult congenital heart disease. Conclusion: Population-based studies and community engagement have become an increasingly prevalent means of improving health. BHS is among the first population studies in Egypt and the MENA region to focus on CVD . BHS provides a phenotypically well-characterized population, the preliminary results has shown a very high incidence of consanguinity, obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Future research integration of OMICs data and other determinants of health is essential to advancements in precision medicine, CVD understanding and prevention. It is anticipated that this ongoing study will yield valuable information for formulating healthcare policy.
Purpose To assess the analgesic efficacy of the circumferential periosteal block (CPB) and compare it with the conventional fracture hematoma block (HB). Methods This study was a prospective single-center randomized controlled trial performed in a national orthopedic hospital. Fifty patients with displaced distal radius (with or without concomitant ulna) fractures requiring reduction were randomized to receive either CPB or HB prior to the reduction. Pain was sequentially measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS) across three stages; before administration of local anesthesia (baseline), during administration (injection) and during manipulation and immobilization (manipulation). Further, the effect of demographic factors on the severity of pain was analyzed in multivariate regression. Finally, complications and end outcomes were compared across both techniques. Results Patients receiving CPB experienced significantly less pain scores during manipulation (VAS = 0.64) compared with HB (VAS = 2.44) (p = < 0.0001). There were no significant differences between groups at baseline (P = 0.55) and injection (P = 0.40) stages. Conclusion The CPB provides a superior analgesic effect over the conventional HB with no documented complications in either technique. Level of evidence Therapeutic Level II.
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