Among patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B who had not previously been treated with a nucleoside analogue, the rates of histologic improvement, virologic response, and normalization of alanine aminotransferase levels were significantly higher at 48 weeks with entecavir than with lamivudine. The safety profile of the two agents was similar, and there was no evidence of viral resistance to entecavir. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00035789.).

Person-centered showering and the towel bath constitute safe, effective methods of reducing agitation, aggression, and discomfort during bathing of persons with dementia.

BACKGROUND As COVID-19 disseminates throughout the US, a better understanding of patient characteristics associated with hospitalization, morbidity and mortality in diverse geographic regions is essential. METHODS Hospital chargemaster data on adult patients with COVID-19 admitted to 245 hospitals across 38 states between February 15 and April 20, 2020 were assessed. Clinical course from admission through hospitalization to discharge or death was analyzed. RESULTS A total of 11,721 patients were included (majority were >60 years of age [59.9%] and male [53.4%]). Comorbidities included hypertension (46.7%), diabetes (27.8%), cardiovascular disease (18.6%), obesity (16.1%), and chronic kidney disease (12.2%). Mechanical ventilation was required by 1,967 patients (16.8%). Mortality among hospitalized patients was 21.4% and increased to 70.5% among those on mechanical ventilation. Male sex, older age, obesity, geographic region, and the presence of chronic kidney disease or preexisting cardiovascular disease were associated with an increased odds of mechanical ventilation. All aforementioned risk factors, with the exception of obesity, were associated with an increased odds of death (all p& 0.001). Many patients received investigational medications for treatment of COVID-19, including 48 patients on remdesivir and 4,232 on hydroxychloroquine. CONCLUSION This large observational cohort describes the clinical course and identifies factors associated with outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across the US. These data can inform strategies to prioritize prevention and treatment for this disease.

Azithromycin provided significant improvement in signs and symptoms of blepharitis after 4 weeks of treatment compared with baseline and persisted in the 4-week follow-up period.