COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 extends beyond those who get infected and evokes symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD in their families, according to two studies published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Inpatient antimicrobial use in U.S. hospitals increased both overall and among specific commonly used antibiotics during peak waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers reported.

Novavax said its protein-based vaccine induced neutralizing antibodies against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, becoming the third company to publicize preliminary findings for updated monovalent COVID-19 vaccines expected this fall.

Adults with vitamin D deficiency may have lower COVID-19 vaccination antibody levels 9 months after the final vaccine dose compared with those with normal vitamin D levels, according to a brief report published in Endocrine.

A large study found that long COVID-related conditions may persist among patients for as long as 2 years after recovery from acute disease, with COVID-19-related hospitalization increasing the risk sharply.

A meta-analysis of three trials assessing the use of SGLT2 inhibitors for inpatients with COVID-19 showed the drug class did not reduce risk for death or other outcomes compared with usual care or placebo, but was safe.

Patients with COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome undergoing transplantation had comparable, high survival rates to patients with COVID-19-related pulmonary fibrosis, according to results published in JAMA Surgery.

If given to patients with early and symptomatic COVID-19, treatment with remdesivir can accelerate the rate of viral clearance in oropharyngeal swabs over 1 week, researchers found.

CDC advisors will meet next month to vote on recommendations for the updated COVID-19 vaccines that are expected to be available in the United States this fall, according to a notice published Friday in the Federal Register.

Patients diagnosed with melanoma during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 faced a higher likelihood of having thicker, more advanced and more ulcerated tumors, although the impact on survival is still unknown, according to a study.