PulmCrit (EMCrit)

Whether or not you have any interest in bamlanivimab, you should read this post as an amusing example of shoddy statistics being published in top journals.  background & general landscape of the two trials The BLAZE-1 trial involved randomizing patients within three days of testing positive for COVID-19 to one of four arms:  placebo, 700 […]

The COVID chapter has been updated, overhauled, and refocused on the management of the sickest COVID patients (those requiring admission to ICU or stepdown units).  The new chapter removes more basic information about COVID that we’re all probably familiar with at this point (but the original, larger chapter is still available here). The goal of […]

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) is like the ARDS of the hematological system.  It’s not really one disorder, but rather a collection of different disorders with some shared features.  The diagnosis and optimal treatment remain elusive. The IBCC chapter is located 👉 here. The podcast & comments are below. Follow us on iTunes  

Passive immunity refers to the infusion of antibodies (either polyclonal antibodies in the form of convalescent plasma, or engineered monoclonal antibodies).  The goal is to neutralize viral particles, reduce viral replication, and thereby improve clinical outcomes.  This is a promising theory, but it requires evidentiary support in the form of randomized controlled trials.  So far, […]

The REMAP-CAP trial recently detected mortality benefit from tocilizumab in patients with COVID-19.  However, several other RCTs have failed to find substantial benefit from tocilizumab.  This begs the question:  Has REMAP-CAP discovered a uniquely beneficial way to use tocilizumab, or is this simply a statistical outlier?   evidence roundup:  RCTs on tocilizumab Let’s review the trials.  […]