Background & Aims Severe forms of COVID-19 are associated with systemic inflammation and hypercatabolism. We compared the time course of the size and quality of both rectus femoris and diaphragm muscles between critically-ill, COVID-19 survivors and non-survivors, and explored the correlation between the change in muscles size and quality with the amount of nutritional support delivered and the cumulative fluid balance. Methods Prospective observational study in the general ICU of a tertiary care hospital for COVID-19. The right rectus femoris cross-sectional area and the right diaphragm thickness, as well as their echodensities were assessed within 24 hours from ICU admission and on day 7. Anthropometric and biochemical data, respiratory mechanics and gas exchange, daily fluid balance and the amount of calories and proteins administered were recorded. Results 28 patients were analysed (age 65±10 years, 80% males, BMI 30.0±7.8). Rectus femoris and diaphragm sizes were significantly reduced at day 7 (-26.1 [-37.8;-15.2] and -29.2 [-37.8;-19.6]%, respectively) and this reduction was significantly higher in non-survivors. Both rectus femoris and diaphragm echodensity were significantly increased at day 7, with a significantly higher increase in non-survivors. The change in both rectus femoris and diaphragm size at day 7 was related to the cumulative protein deficit (R=0.664, p<0.001 and R=0.640, p<0.001, respectively), while the change in rectus femoris and diaphragm echodensity was related to the cumulative fluid balance (R=0.734, p<0.001 and R=0.646, p<0.001, respectively) Conclusions Early changes in muscle size and quality seem related to the outcome of critically-ill, COVID-19 patients, and be influenced by nutritional and fluid management strategies.

Current neonatal early-onset sepsis (EOS) guidelines lack consensus. Recent studies suggest three different options for EOS risk assessment among infants born ≥35 wks gestational age (GA), leading to different behaviors in the sepsis workup and antibiotic administration. A broad disparity in clinical practice is found in Neonatal Units, with a large number of non-infected newborns evaluated and treated for EOS. Broad spectrum antibiotics in early life may induce different short- and long-term adverse effects, longer hospitalization, and early mother-child separation. In this single-center prospective study, a total of 3002 neonates born in three periods between 2016 and 2020 were studied, and three different workup algorithms were compared: the first one was based on the categorical risk assessment; the second one was based on a Serial Physical Examination (SPE) strategy for infants with EOS risk factors; the third one associated an informatic tool (Neonatal EOS calculator) with a universal extension of the SPE strategy. The main objective of this study was to reduce the number of neonatal sepsis workups and the rate of antibiotic administration and favor rooming-in and mother–infant bonding without increasing the risk of sepsis and mortality. The combined strategy of universal SPE with the EOS Calculator showed a significant reduction of laboratory tests (from 33% to 6.6%; p < 0.01) and antibiotic treatments (from 8.5% to 1.4%; p < 0.01) in term and near-term newborns. EOS and mortality did not change significantly during the study period.

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