The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to evaluate if trained dogs could discriminate between sweat samples from symptomatic COVID-19 positive individuals (SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive) and those from asymptomatic COVID-19 negative individuals. The study was conducted at 2 sites (Paris, France, and Beirut, Lebanon), followed the same training and testing protocols, and involved six detection dogs (three explosive detection dogs, one search and rescue dog, and two colon cancer detection dogs). A total of 177 individuals were recruited for the study (95 symptomatic COVID-19 positive and 82 asymptomatic COVID-19 negative individuals) from five hospitals, and one underarm sweat sample per individual was collected. The dog training sessions lasted between one and three weeks. Once trained, the dog had to mark the COVID-19 positive sample randomly placed behind one of three or four olfactory cones (the other cones contained at least one COVID-19 negative sample and between zero and two mocks). During the testing session, a COVID-19 positive sample could be used up to a maximum of three times for one dog. The dog and its handler were both blinded to the COVID-positive sample location. The success rate per dog (i.e., the number of correct indications divided by the number of trials) ranged from 76% to 100%. The lower bound of the 95% confidence interval of the estimated success rate was most of the time higher than the success rate obtained by chance after removing the number of mocks from calculations. These results provide some evidence that detection dogs may be able to discriminate between sweat samples from symptomatic COVID-19 individuals and those from asymptomatic COVID-19 negative individuals. However, due to the limitations of this proof-of-concept study (including using some COVID-19 samples more than once and potential confounding biases), these results must be confirmed in validation studies.
The aim of this study is to evaluate if the sweat produced by COVID-19 persons (SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive) has a different odour for trained detection dogs than the sweat produced by non COVID-19 persons. The study was conducted on 3 sites, following the same protocol procedures, and involved a total of 18 dogs. A total of 198 armpits sweat samples were obtained from different hospitals. For each involved dog, the acquisition of the specific odour of COVID-19 sweat samples required from one to four hours, with an amount of positive samples sniffing ranging from four to ten. For this proof of concept, we kept 8 dogs of the initial group (explosive detection dogs and colon cancer detection dogs), who performed a total of 368 trials, and will include the other dogs in our future studies as their adaptation to samples scenting takes more time.The percentages of success of the dogs to find the positive sample in a line containing several other negative samples or mocks (2 to 6) were 100p100 for 4 dogs, and respectively 83p100, 84p100, 90p100 and 94p100 for the others, all significantly different from the percentage of success that would be obtained by chance alone.We conclude that there is a very high evidence that the armpits sweat odour of COVID-19+ persons is different, and that dogs can detect a person infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
IntroductionBiochemical markers of myocardial injury are frequently altered after cardiac surgery. So far there is no evidence whether oral beta-blockers may reduce myocardial injury after coronary artery bypass grafting. ObjectiveTo determine if oral administration of prophylactic metoprolol reduces the release of cardiac troponin I in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, not complicated by new Q waves. MethodsA prospective randomized study, including 68 patients, divided in 2 groups: Group A (n=33, control) and B (n=35, beta-blockers). In group B, metoprolol tartrate was administered 200 mg/day. The myocardial injury was assessed by troponin I with 1 hour and 12 hours after coronary artery bypass grafting. ResultsNo significant difference between groups regarding pre-surgical, surgical, complication in intensive care (15% versus 14%, P=0.92) and the total number of hospital events (21% versus 14%, P=0.45) was observed. The median value of troponin I with 12 hours in the study population was 3.3 ng/ml and was lower in group B than in group A (2.5 ng/ml versus 3.7 ng/ml, P<0,05). In the multivariate analysis, the variables that have shown to be independent predictors of troponin I release after 12 hours were: no beta-blockers administration and number of vessels treated. ConclusionThe results of this study in uncomplicated coronary artery bypass grafting, comparing the postoperative release of troponin I at 12 hours between the control group and who used oral prophylactic metoprolol for at least 72 hours, allow to conclude that there was less myocardial injury in the betablocker group, giving some degree of myocardial protection.
RESUMO: Objetivo: Como opção para abordagem cirúrgica do coração temos a miniesternotomia e a mini-incisão, sendo a última caracterizada por uma pequena abertura na pele com secção mediana total do esterno. O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar estas duas opções de abordagem do coração quanto a viabilidade, reprodutividade e efeito estético final.Casuística e Métodos: Foram realizadas miniesternotomias em "H" e em "L" e operações através de miniincisão para tratamento de valvopatias (aórtica e mitral), cardiopatias congênitas (CIV e CIA) e revascularização do miocárdio. Analisamos 35 pacientes, sendo 10 (40%) submetidos a miniesternotomia e 25 (60%) a mini-incisão. A idade média foi de 23,4 anos (variando de 1,3 a 52 anos de idade) com predomínio do sexo feminino (54%).Resultados: As operações realizadas foram: troca de valva aórtica em 9 (25,7%) pacientes (8 próteses biológicas e uma metálica); troca de valva mitral em 6 (17,1%) casos (em todos utilizou-se próteses biológicas) e uma plastia mitral (2,9%); 2 (5,8%) pacientes com troca mitro-aórtica; atrioseptoplastia em 13 (37,1%); ventriculoseptoplastia em 1 (2,9%); e 3 (8,5%) revascularizações do miocárdio sendo uma sem o auxílio de circulação extracorpórea. A abordagem cirúrgica foi feita por miniesternotomia em "H" em 7 (20%) casos em "L" em 3 (8,5%) e nos 25 casos restantes via mini-incisão. O tamanho das incisões variou de 7 a 14 cm, com média de 9,9 cm.Conclusão: Estas duas vias de acesso ao coração na operação cardíaca são perfeitamente viáveis e reprodutíveis, sem alteração no tempo cirúrgico, bem como no tempo de CEC, não acarretando portanto, maiores riscos ao paciente, apresentando efeito estético final melhor do que as esternotomias convencionais.
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