Clinical characteristics and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have been varied internationally but have not been studied in an Australian cohort.
 
  To describe characteristics and outcomes of approximately the first 200 documented COVID-19 cases during the first outbreak in the Gold Coast.
 
  Retrospective observational cohort study of COVID-19 patients managed by Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service (GCHHS). Demographics, clinical characteristics and outcomes data were collected.
 
  One hundred and ninety-seven patients were included (mean age 45 years); 52.3% were female and 9.1% were healthcare workers. Most were overseas travellers (53.8%), contacts of a local confirmed case (25.4%) or cruise ship passengers (17.3%). The commonest comorbidities were hypertension (14.2%) and asthma (11.2%). The commonest symptoms were cough (74.1%), fever (58.9%), sore throat (48.7%), headache (48.7%) and rhinorrhoea (46.2%). Sixty-three patients were hospitalised and the rest admitted to a 'virtual ward'. Of 63 hospitalised patients, 5 (7.9%) required intensive care unit (ICU) admission and 3 (4.8%) required intubation. No patients died. Due to low numbers of accurate exposure dates, the incubation period could not be reliably calculated for a significant proportion of the cohort. Average duration of symptoms was 14 days, time from first symptom to hospitalisation was 5.3 days and time from first symptom to ICU admission was 11.6 days. The majority (88%) experienced mild disease and achieved complete symptom resolution (97%). Nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction was the main diagnostic method (99%).  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ono-7300243.html  Twenty-four patients received anti-viral pharmacotherapy, with 87.5% getting hydroxychloroquine.
 
  The present study provides characteristics and outcomes of the first 197 patients with COVID-19 in the Gold Coast.
 The present study provides characteristics and outcomes of the first 197 patients with COVID-19 in the Gold Coast.Antidepressant drugs, which are widely used in palliative care patients for both management of psychiatric disorders and non-psychiatric symptoms, may cause a cluster of distressing symptoms on discontinuation. In dying patients, cessation of oral intake may occur either temporarily or permanently for reasons related to disease or its treatment, as well as in the days before death. We examined antidepressant use in palliative care patients by risk of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome (ADDS). Strategies for reducing the risk of ADDS, and for managing it that should occur, are discussed.Ample evidence supports an association between acute oxygen over-administration and harm. Australian and international guidelines consistently recommend lower oxygen saturation aims in populations with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We assessed adherence to acute oxygen use guidelines and outcomes in hospitalised patients with COPD at a large Australian metropolitan hospital network.
  The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged cancer care globally, introducing resource limitations and competing risks into clinical practice.
 
  To describe the COVID-19 impact on medical oncology care provision in an Australian setting.
 
  Calvary Mater Newcastle and Newcastle Private Hospital medical oncology data from 1 February to 31 April 2019 versus 2020 were retrospectively analysed.
 
  Three hundred and sixty-four inpatient admissions occurred in 2020, 21% less than in 2019. Total inpatient days decreased by 22% (2842 vs 2203). April was most impacted (36% and 44% fewer admissions and inpatient days respectively). Mean length of stay remained unchanged (6.4 vs 6.2 days, P = 0.7). In all, 5072 outpatient consultations were conducted, including 417 new-patient consultations (4% and 6% increase on 2019 respectively). Telephone consultations (0 vs 1380) replaced one-quarter of face-to-face consultations (4859 vs 3623, -25%), with minimal telehealth use (6 vs 69). Day Treatment Centre encounters remained stable (erations and growing service volumes.Iron overload is described in Asian patients but presents with a different phenotype and genotype compared to Caucasian patients. We retrospectively identified 64 Asian patients and compared them to 64 matched non-Asian patients with at least one episode of serum ferritin >500 μg/L. Of the Asian patients, one (1.6%) had proven iron overload, while other common causes of hyperferritinaemia included recent blood transfusion (47%), acute infection (11%) and haematological malignancy (8%). A greater proportion of non-Asian patients had hyperferritinaemia secondary to high alcohol intake. Iron overload is rare in Asians and unexplained hyperferritinaemia in Asian patients is more likely to be due to other factors.A strong anti-hepcidin activity has been observed in heparins. Mean hepcidin levels were significantly reduced compared to baseline, following the first day of unfractionated heparin administration in critically patients. Heparin displayed a strong independent negative association with hepcidin. These results may lead to future treatment methods of forms of anaemia characterised by hepcidin excess, common among the critically ill.
  Although 5-year clinical data exist for different zirconia implants, no analysis has yet been performed focusing on how the surface topography of the implant affects clinical parameters.
 
  To analyze the influence of zirconia implant topography on first bone implant contact (fBIC).
 
  In a prospective two-center cohort investigation 63 zirconia implants were evaluated at implant placement, prosthetic delivery, 1, 3, and 5 years. The distance (DIB) between implant shoulder and fBIC was measured at each time point in periapical radiographs at mesial and distal sites. Two-way ANOVA/Bonferroni was used to analyze the effects of time and center (α < 0.05).
 
  Between the centers, the mean DIB varied significantly at implant placement (Freiburg [FR] 1.4 ± 0.6 mm; Zurich [ZH] 0.8 ± 0.5 mm). Thereafter, no statistically significant difference in DIB was observed, neither between centers nor between time points (prosthetic delivery FR 1.9 ± 0.6 mm, ZH 1.7 ± 0.8 mm; 1year FR 1.8 ± 0.6 mm, ZH 1.6 ± 0.8 mm; 3 years FR 1.