Study: Long-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction may become permanent
Editor's Note In this study from Brazil, researchers find that olfactory dysfunction (ie, reduced or distorted ability to smell during sniffing or eating) in patients with long COVID-19 may persist for more than 1 year and may become permanent. Of 219 patients (164 [74.9%] women) with long COVID-19 and neurologic…
FDA: Class I recall of Medtronic Xomed NIM Contact, NIM Standard Reinforced EMG Endotracheal Tubes
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration on September 12 identified the recall by Medtronic Xomed of its NIM Contact Reinforced EMG Endotracheal Tube and NIM Standard Reinforced EMG Endotracheal Tube as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated after Medtronic Xomed received customer complaints about obstruction of…
Impact of exercise frequency on mental distress in women and men during COVID-19
Editor's Note This study from Binghampton University, State University of New York, finds that physical exercise frequency affected the mental health of women and men differently at different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers analyzed survey data from 2,370 men (31.54%) and women (68.46%). Among their findings: During the…
The Joint Commission releases new sentinel event data
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on September 7 released sentinel event data for the first 6 months of 2022. Of 832 events reviewed this year from January 1 to June 30, the top 10 most frequently reported were: Falls—199 Unintended retention of foreign objects—30 Suicides—26 Delays in treatment—25 Wrong surgery—19…
AHA releases report on rural hospital closures
Editor's Note A new report was released by the American Hospital Association (AHA) highlighting numerous causes that resulted in 136 rural hospitals closing from 2010 to 2021, including 19 closures in 2020, AHA September 8 reports. These closures can be attributed to longstanding pressures, including low reimbursement, staffing shortages, low…
Funding for pandemic prevention, preparedness, response established
Editor's Note The Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) Governing Board established the new FIF for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) at its inaugural meeting from September 8-9, World Health Organization (WHO) September 9 reports. The goal is to provide long-term financing to strengthen PPR capabilities in low- and middle-income countries…
COVID-19-associated hospitalizations among vaccinated, unvaccinated adults
Editor's Note This study led by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that COVID-19 vaccines are strongly associated with preventing serious illness. Analyzing data from 192,509 hospitalizations in 250 US hospitals: monthly COVID-19 associated hospitalization rates ranged from 3.5 to 17.7 times higher in unvaccinated…
FDA: Reports of squamous cell carcinomas, lymphomas in breast implant scar tissue
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 8 issued a Safety Communication informing the public about reports of cancers, including squamous cell carcinomas and various lymphomas in the scar tissue that forms around breast implants. The various lymphomas are not the same as the lymphomas reported in…
AHA releases part 3, final workforce guide series
Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) on September 7 released part three of a three-part series of its workforce guide focused on strategies, resources, and case studies from hospitals and other health systems. The AHA Board of Trustees’ Task Force on Workforce provided guidance for the series with input…
Study shows ‘dramatic’ increase in early onset cancers
Editor's Note In this study conducted by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, titled “Is early- onset cancer an emerging global epidemic? Current evidence and future implications” and published by Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, the incidence of early onset cancers (cancer diagnosed before age 50), including breast, colon, esophagus, kidney,…