Israel Medical Association Journal

There is a high prevalence of olfaction changes, especially in the early presentation, in COVID-19 patients. The mechanisms through which the virus leads to anosmia/hyposmia is still not fully understood. However, olfaction changes could be used as an indication for testing or quarantine. Screening for infections and other diseases by recognizing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has been previously conducted. Hence, if the coronavirus infection also results in VOCs excretion, physicians could “smell” the virus by using electronic noses. We conducted a literature review on olfaction changes and the COVID-19. Our results suggest that these changes could be used an indication for early testing, even as an isolated symptom. We propose that the electronic nose be used as a future screening tool, especially in agglomeration spaces such as airports, for screening for the COVID-19 infection

The innovation that has taken place in medicine, combined with state-of-the-art technological developments, provides therapeutic options for patients in conditions that were previously considered incurable. This promotion at the same time presents us with new ethical challenges. In this article, we review the journey through life of an advanced heart failure patient, covering a variety of potential clinical and ethics subjects in the field of heart failure treatment. We review the ethical principles of the Hippocratic Oath against the background of the realities of practicing medicine and of the enormous advances in therapeutics.  

Recurrent pericarditis is a state of repetitive inflammation of the pericardium with intervals of remission. The etiology of recurrent pericarditis is still largely unknown, yet most causes are presumed to be immune mediated. Genetic factors, including human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotypes, can be involved in dysregulation of the immune system and as a predisposition to several autoimmune conditions, including recurrent pericarditis. Several diseases are frequently associated with such manifestations. They include systemic lupus erythematosus, familial Mediterranean fever, and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome. However, idiopathic recurrent pericarditis remains the most frequently observed clinical condition and the conundrum of this disease still needs to be solved.