
March 10, 2021
REBEL Core Cast 51.0 – Conference Pearls

Background: As the COVID pandemic rages on, we continue to search for treatments to help combat the disease. Severely ill patients commonly have low levels of vitamin D and it has been suggested that optimal levels of Hydroxyvitamin D may have some immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties which could benefit patients. Vitamin D supplementation is cheap and has relatively minimal side effects making it an intriguing treatment modality. However, the data is limited.
Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common amongst critically ill patients and there has been ample speculation about a possible role for supplementation (with calcifediol) in the treatment of patients with COVID19. Calcifediol is cheap, readily available and, has minimal side effects making it an ideal therapeutic - if it works. To date, there is limited high-quality evidence on efficacy.
...Read MoreBackground: Science by press release. Not the way any of us would choose to operate but, the COVID pandemic has made this a reality. It’s vital that we understand that while pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to release this information, we as clinicians should not be practicing medicine based on press releases. Of course, these press releases don’t only originate from pharma. On January 22nd, 2021, the Montreal Heart Institute released a statement about the results from the COLCORONA study investigating the use of colchicine in COVID-19. The press release painted a very positive picture but, does the pre-peer reviewed publication stand up?