Summary Novel coronavirus 2019 is a single‐stranded, ribonucleic acid virus that has led to an international pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019. Clinical data from the Chinese outbreak have been reported, but experiences and recommendations from clinical practice during the Italian outbreak have not. We report the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak on regional and national healthcare infrastructure. We also report on recommendations based on clinical experiences of managing patients throughout Italy. In particular, we describe key elements of clinical management, including: safe oxygen therapy; airway management; personal protective equipment; and non‐technical aspects of caring for patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019. Only through planning, training and team working will clinicians and healthcare systems be best placed to deal with the many complex implications of this new pandemic.

European Society of Anaesthesiology.

Pain prevalence among inpatients is an important indicator of quality care; it may reach over 80% in various clinical settings. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a teaching hospital to depict benchmark data regarding pain prevalence and predictors among the entire inpatient population. Overall 892 patients, 6 years old and hospitalized for at least 24 h in 57 hospital wards were interviewed using an internationally applied questionnaire. Patients self-reported their pain intensity at the time of the interview (T(0)) and worst pain perceived during the previous 24 h (T(-1)), using a numerical rating scale (NRS) and indicated current pain duration. Specific pain predictor data (hospital stay, gender, age and marital status) were obtained from patient medical charts. Pain prevalence at T(0) was 38% and 52% at T(-1). Pain was moderate to severe (NRS4) in approximately 25% of the patients at T(0) and in 40% at T(-1). High pain prevalence was found (at T(0) and T(-1), respectively) in Radiotherapy (63%;77%), Obstetrics (68%;54%), and Surgery (59%;45%) wards. Gender was a prominent determinant as pain was significantly associated with females. Pain prevalence was high among young adults or divorced/separated individuals and low among pediatric patients ( approximately 20%). Protracted hospitalization and prolonged pain duration were associated with major pain severity. Results yield Quality Assurance interventions to ameliorate pain undertreatment. Predictor analysis suggests that attention should be paid to pain management in young adults, socially vulnerable patients and those with protracted hospitalization and pain.

We compliment Scapigliati and colleagues 1 for the aerosol-limiting solution with a supraglottic airway (SAD) during advanced life support for cardiac arrest, but we have concerns.Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges for healthcare providers (HCP): safety before patients' needs. 2,3 CPR and chest compressions is an aerosol-generating procedures (AGP), 4,5 and pose HCP at risk of airborne SARS-CoV2 infection. Currently chest compressions and defibrillation is recomended, 2,3 Rescuers should wear PPE before starting CPR 3 independently on the ventilation interface.Fast tracheal intubation, using videolaryngoscope and bougie, in one attempt is recommended. 4 In case of failure use of second generation SADs has been claimed to lower aerosol spread, 4,6 providing leak-free seal be ensured. 7 Solutions with facial or all-body plastic covers have been suggested to reduce aerosolization during airway management, including modifications of SADs, 7 but these might be dangerous.

Objectives: The purpose of this observational retrospective study was to evaluate, in patients with a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, the association between the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) respiratory illness and the risk of infected patients to develop obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods: Ninety-six patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection were enrolled in the study. The STOP-BANG questionnaire to investigate the risk of the OSA syndrome was filled in by the patients at admission. The enrolled patients were divided into 2 groups according to the respiratory disease: group 1 (72 patients), hospitalized patients undergoing conventional oxygen therapy; group 2 (24 patients), patients requiring enhanced respiratory support. STOP-BANG results of these 2 groups were compared to observe whether patients with high OSA risk more frequently presented a severe form of COVID-19. Results: 41.6% of the patients in group 2 had a STOP-BANG score between 5 and 8 (high risk of having apnea); in contrast, 20.8% of the patients in group 1 had a STOP-BANG score between 5 and 8, with a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups ( P = .05). A complementary trend was observed regarding the proportion of patients in the range 0 to 2, which classifies patients at a low risk of OSA (48.6% vs 20.8% for groups 1 and 2, P = .01). Conclusions: According to our data, the chances of having a severe case of COVID-19 should be considered in patients at high risk of OSA. Current Knowledge/Study Rationale: Emerging research suggests that OSA could represent a potentially important risk factor for the severe forms of COVID-19. The purpose of this observational retrospective study was to evaluate the potential association between OSA and the severity of COVID-19 disease. Study Impact: According to our data, the likelihood of contracting a severe form of COVID-19 disease should be considered in patients at high risk of OSA.