Menu Menu
Communique

Weekly Communique #26

08 October, 2020

With our evidence team and panels taking a much-needed break, a smaller edition today with no new recommendations or updates to the guidelines and flowcharts this week. Our next update will be next Thursday, October 15.

WEEK IN REVIEW

Welcome to Allied Health Professions Australia

This week the Taskforce has welcomed its 32nd Member, Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), representing the diversity of allied health professionals across the country. We look forward to working with AHPA and their members in helping to develop recommendations around care, management and recovery of people with COVID-19 from acute settings through to primary care.

 


QUICK STATISTICS

COVID-19 research pipeline

  • 23,238 studies published or registered in Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register, 1052 added this week
  • 1,855 randomised controlled trials registered (data from Covid-nma site), 19 added this week
  • 2,315 systematic reviews registered in PROSPERO, 40 added this week
  • 80 randomised controlled trials published (data from Covid-nma site), added this week

 


LIVING GUIDELINES

While panels did not meet last week, our continuous evidence surveillance continued and panels this week have reviewed new research including:

  • ivermectin
  • Interferon-kappa + TFF2
  • N-acetylcysteine
  • corticosteroids
  • convalescent plasma

 


CLINICAL FLOWCHARTS

Seven clinical flowcharts have been developed by the Taskforce to cover:

  • Assessment for suspected COVID-19
  • Management of adults with mild COVID-19
  • Management of adults with moderate to severe COVID-19
  • Management of adults with severe to critical COVID-19
  • Respiratory support for adults with severe to critical COVID-19
  • Management of people with COVID-19 who are older and living with frailty and/or cognitive impairment
  • Management of people with COVID-19 who are receiving palliative care

* No changes to the flowcharts this week

 


EVIDENCE UNDER REVIEW

We are currently reviewing evidence to develop recommendations and flowcharts to guide practice in areas including:

  • Oestrogen containing therapies NEW
  • Lopinavir/ritonavir UPDATED
  • Colchicine UPDATED
  • Hydroxychloroquine for pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis
  • Care of people recovering from COVID-19/Post-viral syndrome
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS-TS)

 


NEWS & EVENTS

Cochrane
This week Cochrane published several reviews, a podcast and updated its study register relating to the COVID-19 pandemic:

The full list of Cochrane Reviews and related content from the Cochrane Library relating to the COVID-19 pandemic can be found here.

 


NEW TOPICS & QUESTIONS

It is a core mission of the Taskforce to engage with frontline clinicians to rapidly identify and address priority clinical questions.

Each week we collect suggestions for new clinical questions or topics for consideration by the Taskforce. A document that lists all of the suggested questions, topics and new patient groups that we have received to date is available here.

Please encourage your clinical colleagues to provide their insights via the website.

Topics