Investigating the role of obstructive pulmonary diseases and eosinophil count at admission on all-cause mortality in SARS-CoV-2 patients : A single center registry-based retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

The impact of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the setting of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV‑2) infection is not clearly defined. Blood eosinophil count is a standard diagnostic test which, according to the previously published literature, might have a potential prognostic role on mortality in patients with SARS-CoV‑2 infection.

AIM

To investigate the potential prognostic value of peripheral blood eosinophil count on all-cause mortality of patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV‑2 infection, as well as to assess the impact of asthma or COPD premorbidity on all-cause mortality.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective registry-based cohort study. Survival analysis was performed by employing the Cox proportional hazards regression model at 30 days of follow-up. Prognostic value of eosinophil count on all-cause mortality was assessed using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 5653 participants were included in the study. Our model did not reveal that pre-existing asthma or COPD is a statistically significant covariate for all-cause mortality but, indicated that higher eosinophil count at admission might have a protective effect (hazard ratio, HR 0.13 (95% confidence interval, CI 0.06-0.27), p = 0.0001). ROC curve analysis indicates cut-off value of 20 cells/mm³ (81% specificity; 30.9% sensitivity).

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that eosinophil count at hospital admission might have a potential prognostic role for all-cause mortality at 30 days of follow-up; however this was not demonstrated for pre-existing obstructive lung diseases.

Influence of Personality on Sexual Satisfaction in Patients Suffering from Schizophrenia and Depression

Background:

Although there is no consensus regarding the definition of personality, personality psychology is getting near to understanding that personality traits can be summed up into five basic dimensions. Five factor personality model consists of these five basic dimensions: neuroticism, extraversion/introversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness.

Aim:

Of this research was to establish in what manner certain personality traits of patients suffering from schizophrenia and depression and healthy individuals, influence their sexual satisfaction.

Participants and methods:

This research was conducted on 100 patients suffering from schizophrenia, 100 patients suffering from depression and 100 healthy individuals. Instruments used in this research were: five factor personality questionnaire and sexual experience scale (Arizona).

Results:

Among patients suffering from schizophrenia, sexual drive and easier sexual arousal were linked to higher extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness and to lower neuroticism. among patients suffering from depression, smaller number and less pronounced sexual dysfunctions were linked to higher extraversion, openness to experience and conscientiousness, and also to lower neuroticism. among healthy individuals, higher extraversion is linked to easier sexual arousal and higher neuroticism to lower orgasm satisfaction.

Conclusion:

Personality traits have a significant influence on sexual satisfaction of patients suffering from depression and patients suffering from schizophrenia, but also of healthy individuals.

Tobacco use and cessation among medical students in Croatia--results of the Global Health Professionals Pilot Survey (GHPS) in Croatia, 2005

OBJECTIVES

To collect information from third year medical students attending Croatian medical schools on prevalence of cigarette smoking and other tobacco use, exposure to second-hand smoke, desire to quit using tobacco, attitudes and training concerning counselling patients on tobacco cessation.

METHODS

Global Health Professionals Survey (GHPS) was conducted in 2005 in all four Croatian medical schools with a census of third year medical students (404 out of 409, response rate 98.5%) using an anonymous, confidential and self-reported questionnaire.

RESULTS

More than two thirds (67.4%) of medical students in Croatia have ever smoked cigarettes, and over one third (36.6%) are smoking cigarettes currently. Half of the medical students (50.4%) report exposure to second hand smoke at home. Less than a third of current smokers (30.9%) have received cessation assistance when they tried to quit.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate significant tobacco use among medical students in Croatia. There is an urgent need to reduce this harmful behaviour through more comprehensive public health initiatives, provision of support for cessation among health professionals who smoke and provision of training to health professionals to assist their patients with cessation.

The effects of olanzapine and fluphenazine on plasma cortisol, prolactin and muscle rigidity in schizophrenic patients: a double blind study

Pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia is associated with the stressful side effects. Muscle rigidity causes distress, discomfort and poor compliance. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between plasma hormones (cortisol and prolactin/PRL) and muscle rigidity in female schizophrenic patients treated with olanzapine or fluphenazine. In a randomized, double-blind 22-weeks study, 12 patients were treated with olanzapine (5-20 mg/day) and 10 patients received fluphenazine (6-21 mg/day). Treatment with olanzapine moderately decreased, while treatment with fluphenazine significantly increased plasma cortisol levels and muscle rigidity. The marked and moderate increase in plasma PRL levels were found in patients treated with fluphenazine and olanzapine, respectively. The results suggested that olanzapine induced moderate neuroendocrine effects and a reduction in rigidity as compared to fluphenazine treatment.