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We investigated the risk of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)­ patients transmitting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to emergency medical service (EMS) providers, stratified by aerosol-generating procedures (AGP), in King County, Washington, USA, during February 16–July 31, 2020. We conducted a retrospective cohort investigation using a statewide COVID-19 registry and identified 1,115 encounters, 182 with ≥1 AGP. Overall, COVID-19 incidence among EMS personnel was 0.57 infections/10,000 person-days. Incidence per 10,000 person-days did not differ whether or not infection was attributed to a COVID-19 patient encounter (0.28 vs. 0.59; p>0.05). The 1 case attributed to a COVID-19 patient encounter occurred within an at-risk period and involved an AGP. We observed a very low risk for COVID-19 infection attributable to patient encounters among EMS first responders, supporting clinical strategies that maintain established practices for treating patients in emergency conditions.

This article describes how to perform advance care planning in the outpatient geriatric medicine setting. The article defines advance care planning and discusses components of advance care planning, such as advance directives, do-not-resuscitate orders, and Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment. The article describes how to document advance care planning discussions in the clinic and bill Medicare and ways for clinicians to improve their skill at leading these conversations.

In pediatric populations, is nasal saline irrigation as effective as intranasal corticosteroids at relieving allergic rhinitis symptoms?No. Intranasal steroids are more effective than nasal saline alone to reduce symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR) in children. Combination therapy further improves symptom reduction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE FOR THE ANSWER: B SEARCH TERMS: Allergic Rhinitis, Nasal Saline, Nasal corticosteroids, children younger than age 18. DATE SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED: August and September 2014, October 2015.Meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, cohort studies, nasal spray, hypertonic saline solution, nasal lavage, rhinitis, intranasal administration, nasal saline, human, English language.Antihistamines, Adults, Articles older than 2008.

Objective—To determine the effect of meloxicam and flunixin meglumine on recovery of ischemia-injured equine jejunum. Animals—18 horses. Procedures—Horses received butorphanol tartrate; were treated IV with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (SS; 12 mL; n = 6), flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg; 6), or meloxicam (0.6 mg/kg; 6) 1 hour before ischemia was induced for 2 hours in a portion of jejunum; and were allowed to recover for 18 hours. Flunixin and SS treatments were repeated after 12 hours; all 3 treatments were administered immediately prior to euthanasia. Selected clinical variables, postoperative pain scores, and meloxicam pharmacokinetic data were evaluated. After euthanasia, assessment of epithelial barrier function, histologic evaluation, and western blot analysis of ischemia-injured and control jejunal mucosa samples from the 3 groups were performed. Results—Meloxicam- or flunixin-treated horses had improved postoperative pain scores and clinical variables, compared with SS-treated horses. Recovery of transepithelial barrier function in ischemia-injured jejunum was inhibited by flunixin but permitted similarly by meloxicam and SS treatments. Eighteen hours after cessation of ischemia, numbers of neutrophils in ischemia-injured tissue were higher in horses treated with meloxicam or flu-nixin than SS. Plasma meloxicam concentrations were similar to those reported previously, but clearance was slower. Changes in expression of proteins associated with inflammatory responses to ischemic injury and with different drug treatments occurred, suggesting cy-clooxygenase-independent effects. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Although further assessment is needed, these data have suggested that IV administration of meloxicam may be a useful alternative to flunixin meglumine for postoperative treatment of horses with colic.