The news continues to improve today on the number of COVID-19 patients at The University of Kansas Health System. After Tuesday’s record high of 39 patients and 30 yesterday, 24 are being treated for the virus today. Nine patients are in the ICU, down from 10 yesterday. Six of those ICU patients are on ventilators, down from 7 yesterday. Doctors say discharges continue to outnumber admissions for COVID-19.
Sports cardiologist Dr. Tim Beaver teamed up with sports neurologist Dr. Michael Rippee to discuss recent concerns around COVID19 causing brain fog and heart damage. Joining them was Dr. Bruce Toby, chair of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at The University of Kansas Health System.
Dr. Toby said doctors and trainers have a big job, both at the pro and student level, in keeping the athletes safe in the era of COVID-19. He believes it’s hard to implement testing while the team is actively practicing and playing. He says it’s vital to communicate the risks to the athletes and says if he had a son or daughter wanting to play, he would advise them to wait till next season because of all the unknown risks. He says to take stock of what’s important in life and do the right thing.
Dr. Beaver discussed an inflammation of the heart called myocarditis, which many COVID-19 patients develop. As to how safe it is for athletes to resume their sport after contracting the virus, he says it’s too soon to say and that there are ongoing studies of the situation. He says many recovered patients still see symptoms 2-3 months later. He feels trainers, doctors and coaches must be vigilant in monitoring athletes, but says young people are very resilient. He also discussed which sports are more likely to potentially spread the virus than others.
Dr. Rippee has noted some neurocognitive changes in COVID-19 patients like attention and focus, similar to those who have suffered a concussion. He says doctors still don’t know enough about how safe it is for COVID-19-positive athletes to return to their sport and says teams must have a good plan for monitoring for confusion or a foggy brain. He says the trainers who best know the athletes need to have a graded return plan in place, and the cautious approach is best.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of infection prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System, says extensive testing is going on with athletes from The University of Kansas. He also says indoor sports are a lot riskier for spreading the disease than outdoor sports. He believes masks on the sidelines must be the rule but says it’s harder for those on the field to wear one while playing. He also says antibody testing for large groups can be effective if those tests have been proven reliable.
Steve Stites, MD, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System, says we need to take our time recovering from the virus and not rush back to work or sports. He says it’s the nature of medicine that doctors discover problems like myocarditis with COVID-19 as it happens and learn ways to treat it at the same time. He says hold on to hope as there are emerging therapies every day and we don’t believe the pandemic will be long-term. He says “The human body is a magnificent thing with amazing recuperative powers. Sometimes you just have to give it enough chance to fully recuperate. And sometimes, that just takes time.”
Friday, August 14 at 8:00 a.m. is the next daily briefing call. News of another COVID-19 study launching here on campus at KUMC. Researchers are testing a cancer drug to combat the “cytokine storm” that can happen in some patients. Dr. Roy Jensen, director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, will join us. Also on the update, co-principal investigators Dr. Gregory Gan, Radiation Oncology, Translational Physician Scientist, KUMC and Dr. Deepika Polineni, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The University of Kansas Health System.
ATTENTION: media procedure for calling in:
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