Re: ‘Clinical course and outcomes of critically ill patients with COVID-19 infection: a systematic review’ by Serafim et al.

Abstract

It was with great interest that we read the recent systematic review by Serafim and colleagues [1], in which they describe overall outcomes for patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, across many countries, who required admission to an intensive care unit (ICU). Importantly, they also describe various therapies used in treating COVID-19 patients in the ICU, and some of the associated outcomes. Their important work adds to the growing knowledge of COVID-19 and we congratulate them on this publication.In Figure 2 of their article more than 30 countries that were included in the systematic review are depicted [1]. Included in this figure is Canada, with 200e700 patients apparently represented; however, there does not appear to be an associated reference for the Canadian data.We performed a MEDLINE search from inception to 3 January 2021 using the following keywords: 'COVID-19', 'Intensive Care' and 'Canada', and found three observational studies describing . The studies were published between May and November 2020, describe patients in Canada during the first wave of the Canadian COVID-19 pandemic, and satisfy all of the authors inclusion criteria. Only the study by Mitra et al. (117 patients) was available at the time of the search by Serafim et al., and ideally should have been included in the primary analysis [2].

Healthcare-related infections before and during the Covid-19 pandemic with Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

“…An Italian study demonstrates a cumulative 28-day incidence of 16.4% in 68 COVID-19 patients with coinfections (9.3%) with A. baumannii predominant in 30.7% of Gram-negative isolates, greater than A. baumannii. found in this study (RIPA et al, 2021).…”

Capacidade de formação de biofilmes e perfil de resistência de Acinetobacter baumannii isolados em unidades de terapia intensiva: uma revisão sistemática

“…De fato, A. baumannii e outras bactérias Gram-negativas têm sido responsáveis pelo alto índice de pneumonias em ambientes clínicos, sobretudo durante a pandemia pelo SARS-CoV-2 [46]. Pacientes com Covid-19 grave são comumente submetidos à intubação endotraqueal e ventilação mecânica devido à insuficiência das vias aéreas, o que são considerados fatores de risco para co-infecções bacterianas [21,36]. Sharifipour et al [37] relataram que todos os pacientes internados na UTI por Covid-19 da cidade de Qom (Irã) em 2020 adquiriram co-infecção bacteriana sendo que em 90 % das infecções, A. baumannii foi identificado como o agente etiológico.…”

“…Deve ser ressaltada ainda a habilidade de A. baumannii em formar biofilme em substratos abióticos e bióticos, o que é de grande impacto clínico considerando que o manejo terapêutico dessas infecções é extremamente complexo [20,21]. Biofilmes são comunidades microbianas, em sua maioria compostos por bactérias, envoltas em uma matriz exopolimérica com estrutura tridimensional que conhecidamente contribuem para o aumento da resistência antimicrobiana [22][23][24].…”

SARS‐CoV‐2 Vaccination Rates and Uptake of Tixagevimab‐Cilgavimab Among a Cohort of Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

“…On the other hand, a weakened immune system may prevent effective response to the virus, leading to more severe disease [2,5]. Additionally, immunocompromised individuals have a higher risk of bacterial and fungal co-infections [6]. Vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 have shown to be a highly effective preventive tool for reducing rates of hospitalizations in immunocompromised adult patients, as well as healthy children and adolescents [4,7].…”