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Taylor AD, Connolly J, Pearce C. A rural doctor's telehealth training program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rural Remote Health 2024; 24:8032. [PMID: 38296265 DOI: 10.22605/rrh8032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In Australia, remote consultations have been used as an adjunct to traditional healthcare delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic using telephone and video techniques with an increase in the use of telephone consultations, and to a lesser extent video consultations, for management of patient conditions, assessment, treatment, monitoring and diagnosis. METHODS To establish the needs of rural doctors for training in the provision of remote consultations, an online survey of members of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine was undertaken. Subsequently an online scenario-based training program was designed to improve the competencies of members in providing these consultations. The outcomes of this program were analysed using pre- and post-intervention surveys, and qualitative analysis of session recordings. RESULTS The program improved trainee confidence and competence in providing safe, quality remote consultations, particularly when using video technologies. Competencies in communication, history taking, physical online examination, clinical management and professionalism improved. Trainees adapted their practice because they were then able to manage potential issues, were more aware of the capabilities of telehealth technologies and could assist a health professional, such as a nurse or Aboriginal Health Worker (with the patient) to do an examination. Concerns remained about set-up time, technical quality, privacy, interaction with and examination of patients, and how to assess the severity of conditions. CONCLUSION The outcomes of the program showed significant improvement in the levels of confidence and competencies required for providing remote consultations using telehealth services. A need remains to improve virtual interactions with patients, and to acquire better technology and financial support for remote consultations. In an environment where government is asking whether remote consultations are appropriate and clinically effective, these findings provide guidance from a professional group of experienced rural practitioners.
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Asilian A, Iraji F, Hosseini SM, Mohammadian Dehkordi P. Comparison of Telogen Effluvium Incidence in Hospitalized and Outpatient Settings after Recovery from COVID-19. Iran J Med Sci 2024; 49:134-136. [PMID: 38356487 PMCID: PMC10862107 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2023.98516.3053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Asilian
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Department of Dermatology, Skin and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Fariba Iraji
- Department of Dermatology, Skin and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sayed Mohsen Hosseini
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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Rasekhi A, Bozorgi H, Masoompour SM, Mardani P, Azimi Aval MR. Successful Sealing of Post- COVID-19 Bronchopleural Fistula with Computed Tomography Scan-Guided Percutaneous Cyanoacrylate Glue Injection: A Case Series. Iran J Med Sci 2024; 49:130-133. [PMID: 38356484 PMCID: PMC10862104 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2023.97068.2872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Bronchopleural fistula (BPF), a sinus tract between the bronchial system and the pleural space, is associated with COVID-19 and can lead to pneumothorax, which increases the mortality rate. Due to the analytical status of COVID-19 patients, sealing the BPF necessitates the least minimal invasive treatment. Herein, we demonstrated a technique of sealing post-COVID-19 BPF with direct injection of cyanoacrylate glue under the guidance of a computed tomography scan. Following glue injection, the BPF was completely sealed in all four patients. In conclusion, in COVID-19 patients with small and distal BPF, percutaneous glue injection is recommended for BPF closure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Rasekhi
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Haleh Bozorgi
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Seyed Masoom Masoompour
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Parviz Mardani
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Azimi Aval
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Mottaghi A, Aryan Kya M. Spatial Proximity Distribution of COVID-19 in Iran (Panel: February 2019-February 2023). Iran J Med Sci 2024; 49:62-64. [PMID: 38322158 PMCID: PMC10839143 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2023.98665.3069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Afshin Mottaghi
- Department of Political Geography, School of Geography Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Michael Aryan Kya
- Department of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Queiroz G, Maia J, Gomes F, Chen-Xu J, China J, Carmezim Pereira S, Pita Ferreira P, Ramalho J, Roque J, Teixeira JP, Carvalho C, Oliveira L, Simões D, Gomes J, Lopes C, Correia T. Assessment of the Implementation of the International Health Regulations during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Portugal as a Case Study. ACTA MEDICA PORT 2023; 36:819-825. [PMID: 37819731 DOI: 10.20344/amp.19887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The International Health Regulations (IHR) were developed to prepare countries to deal with public health emergencies. The spread of SARS-CoV-2 underlined the need for international coordination, although few attempts were made to evaluate the integrated implementation of the IHR's core capacities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether IHR shortcomings stem from non-compliance or regulatory issues, using Portugal as a European case study due to its size, organization, and previous discrepancies between self-reporting and peer assessment of the IHR's core capacities. METHODS Fifteen public health medical residents involved in contact tracing in mainland Portugal interpreted the effectiveness of the IHR's core capabilities by reviewing the publicly available evidence and reflecting on their own field experience, then grading each core capability according to the IHR Monitoring Framework. The assessment of IHR enforcement considered efforts made before and after the onset of the pandemic, covering the period up to July 2021. RESULTS Four out of nine core IHR capacities (surveillance; response; risk communication; and human resource capacity) were classified as level 1, the lowest. Only two were graded level 3 (preparedness; and laboratory), the highest. The remaining three) (national legislation, policy & financing; coordination and national focal point communication; and points of entry) were classified as level 2. CONCLUSION Portugal exemplifies the extent to which implementation of the IHR was not fully achieved, which has resulted in the underperformance of several core capacities. There is a need to improve preparedness and international cooperation in order to harmonize and strengthen the global response to public health emergencies, with better political, institutional, and financial support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Queiroz
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde do Baixo Vouga. Administração Regional de Saúde do Centro. Coimbra. Portugal
| | - Joana Maia
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde do Estuário do Tejo. Administração Regional de Saúde de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Lisboa. . Portugal
| | - Filipa Gomes
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde de Loures-Odivelas. Administração Regional de Saúde de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - José Chen-Xu
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde do Baixo Mondego. Administração Regional de Saúde do Centro. Coimbra. Portugal
| | - Joana China
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde Arrábida. Administração Regional de Saúde Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - Sofia Carmezim Pereira
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde Amadora. Administração Regional de Saúde Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - Patrícia Pita Ferreira
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde Oeste Norte. Administração Regional de Saúde Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - José Ramalho
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde Lisboa Ocidental e Oeiras. Administração Regional de Saúde Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - Joana Roque
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde Oeste Sul. Administração Regional de Saúde Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - José Pedro Teixeira
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde Sintra. Administração Regional de Saúde Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - Constança Carvalho
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Unidade Local de Saúde do Litoral Alentejano. Administração Regional de Saúde do Alentejo. Alentejo. Portugal
| | - Luís Oliveira
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde do Baixo Mondego. Administração Regional de Saúde do Centro. Coimbra. Portugal
| | - Diogo Simões
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde Almada - Seixal. Administração Regional de Saúde Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - João Gomes
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde de Pinhal Interior Norte. Administração Regional de Saúde do Centro. Coimbra. Portugal
| | - Carla Lopes
- National School of Public Health. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa; Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde Cascais. Administração Regional de Saúde Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - Tiago Correia
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, LA-REAL. Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. Lisboa. Portugal
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Clingan SE, Cousins SJ, Lin C, Nguyen TE, Hser YI, Mooney LJ. Perceptions of COVID-19 risk during the pandemic: perspectives from people seeking medication for opioid use disorder. Ann Med 2023; 55:480-489. [PMID: 36692029 PMCID: PMC9879168 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2023.2169342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had devastating consequences for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD). Yet, little is known about how people seeking treatment for OUD perceive the risks of COVID-19 and how their perception interplays with their health behaviours. METHODS In-depth interviews were conducted from September 2021 to March 2022 with 32 patients seeking medication treatment for OUD (MOUD) in Southern California. All interviews were conducted virtually and lasted between one and two hours. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Two qualitative researchers independently conducted a content analysis of the transcripts to identify themes. RESULTS Three primary themes were identified: (1) perceptions and beliefs about COVID-19 susceptibility and severity; (2) perceptions of COVID-19 risk compared to substance use behaviours; and (3) vaccine hesitancy. Participants were mixed in their beliefs of susceptibility to contracting COVID-19 and the severity of the disease if contracted. Some participants reported taking precautions to mitigate their chances of acquiring COVID-19, and other participants reported that COVID was not a big concern as substance use took priority. For many of the participants, COVID-19 concerns were overshadowed by the risk of overdosing on substances and other risky substance use behaviour. Most of the participants (n = 23; 72%) had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine by the time of the interview, but over half (n = 19; 59%) expressed vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine hesitancy was driven by concerns about the unknown long-term side effects and potential interactions of the vaccine with MOUD. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides insight into COVID-19 prevention measures as well as vaccination perceptions and hesitancy among people who received treatment for OUD.Key messagesParticipants expressed diverse perceptions of the seriousness of COVID-19, with some taking precautions to mitigate their chances of acquiring COVID-19 and others perceiving that the risk of contracting COVID-19 was less than the risk of overdosing.Substance use, social isolation, vaccine hesitancy and COVID-19 risk behaviours should be studied as co-occurring phenomena that have potentially overlapping relationships that can influence behaviours that impact health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Clingan
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarah J. Cousins
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chunqing Lin
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tram E. Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yih-Ing Hser
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Larissa J. Mooney
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Roldán R, Barriga F, Villamonte R, Romaní F, Tucci M, Gonzales A, Wong P, Zagaceta J, Brochard L. The Use of the Oxygenation Stretch Index to Predict Outcomes in Mechanically Ventilated Patients With COVID-19 ARDS. Respir Care 2023; 68:1683-1692. [PMID: 37402585 PMCID: PMC10676243 DOI: 10.4187/respcare.10903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In ARDS caused by COVID-19 pneumonia, appropriate adjustment of physiologic parameters based on lung stretch or oxygenation may optimize the ventilatory strategy. This study aims to describe the prognostic performance on 60-d mortality of single and composite respiratory variables in subjects with COVID-19 ARDS who are on mechanical ventilation with a lung-protective strategy, including the oxygenation stretch index combining oxygenation and driving pressure (ΔP). METHODS This single-center observational cohort study enrolled 166 subjects on mechanical ventilation and diagnosed with COVID-19 ARDS. We evaluated their clinical and physiologic characteristics. The primary study outcome was 60-d mortality. Prognostic factors were evaluated through receiver operating characteristic analysis, Cox proportional hazards regression model, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. RESULTS Mortality at day 60 was 18.1%, and hospital mortality was 22.9%. Oxygenation, ΔP, and composite variables were tested: oxygenation stretch index ([Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] divided by ΔP) and ΔP × 4 + breathing frequency (f) (ΔP × 4 + f). At both day 1 and day 2 after inclusion, the oxygenation stretch index had the best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (oxygenation stretch index on day 1 0.76 (95% CI 0.67-0.84) and on day 2 0.83 (95% CI 0.76-0.91) to predict 60-d mortality, although without significant difference from other indexes. In multivariable Cox regression, ΔP, [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text], ΔP × 4 + f, and oxygenation stretch index were all associated with 60-d mortality. When dichotomizing the variables, ΔP ≥ 14, [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ≤ 152 mm Hg, ΔP × 4 + f ≥ 80, and oxygenation stretch index < 7.7 showed lower 60-d survival probability. At day 2, after optimization of ventilatory settings, the subjects who persisted with the worse cutoff values for the oxygenation stretch index showed a lower probability of survival at 60 d compared with day 1; this was not the case for other parameters. CONCLUSIONS The oxygenation stretch index, which combines [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] and ΔP, is associated with mortality and may be useful to predict clinical outcomes in COVID-19 ARDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rollin Roldán
- Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad de Piura, Lima, Perú. Drs Roldán, Barriga, and Villamonte are affiliated with the Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Rebagliati, Lima, Perú.
| | - Fernando Barriga
- Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad de Piura, Lima, Perú. Drs Roldán, Barriga, and Villamonte are affiliated with the Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Rebagliati, Lima, Perú
| | - Renán Villamonte
- Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad de Piura, Lima, Perú. Drs Roldán, Barriga, and Villamonte are affiliated with the Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Rebagliati, Lima, Perú
| | - Franco Romaní
- Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad de Piura, Lima, Perú. Drs Roldán, Barriga, and Villamonte are affiliated with the Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Rebagliati, Lima, Perú
| | - Mauro Tucci
- UTI Respiratoria, Divisao de Pneumologia, Instituto do Coracao, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Arturo Gonzales
- Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad de Piura, Lima, Perú. Drs Roldán, Barriga, and Villamonte are affiliated with the Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Rebagliati, Lima, Perú
| | - Paolo Wong
- Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad de Piura, Lima, Perú. Drs Roldán, Barriga, and Villamonte are affiliated with the Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Rebagliati, Lima, Perú
| | - Jorge Zagaceta
- Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad de Piura, Lima, Perú. Drs Roldán, Barriga, and Villamonte are affiliated with the Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Rebagliati, Lima, Perú
| | - Laurent Brochard
- Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Canada. Dr Brochard is affiliated with the Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Wang Q, Duan R, Han F, Huang B, Wang W, Wang Q. The impact of core self-evaluation on school adaptation of high school students after their return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic: the parallel mediation of positive and negative coping styles. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15871. [PMID: 37927795 PMCID: PMC10624169 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background To explore the direct effect of core self-evaluation and the indirect effects of positive and negative coping styles on school adaptation of high school students after their return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The Core Self-Evaluation Scale, Simple Coping Style Scale, and School Adaptation Questionnaire were used for the psychometric analysis of 500 high school students (229 males and 271 females) one month after their return to school. The bootstrap method was applied for mediation analysis. Results A positive correlation was noted between core self-evaluation and school adaptation (r = 0.56), and the predictive effect was significant (β = 0.43). Core self-evaluation positively predicted positive coping styles, which positively predicted school adaptation, while core self-evaluation negatively predicted negative coping styles, which negatively predicted school adaptation. Positive and negative coping styles played a significant mediating role between core self-evaluation and school adaptation. The mediating effect included the indirect effects generated by two pathways: core self-evaluation → positive coping style → school adaptation (95% CI [0.08-0.19]) and core self-evaluation → negative coping style → school adaptation (95% CI [0.03-0.11]). Conclusion There is a positive association between the core self-evaluation and school adaptation of high school students after their return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. It may directly or indirectly affect the school adaptation of high school students after their return to school through positive or negative coping styles. After returning to school, educators should guide students to view themselves positively, cultivate healthy core self-evaluation, and enable them to have good school adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglin Wang
- College of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ruirui Duan
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fulei Han
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Beibei Huang
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qiulin Wang
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Jafarzadeh J, Javidnia J, Jeddi SA, Vakili M, Taghizadeh Armaki M, Tavakoli M. Candida glabrata oropharyngeal infection in a patient with oral squamous cell carcinoma after COVID-19 infection. Curr Med Mycol 2023; 9:50-52. [PMID: 38361958 PMCID: PMC10864745 DOI: 10.22034/cmm.2023.345120.1478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic may be an aggravating risk factor for the delay of the diagnoses of serious illnesses, such as oral squamous cell carcinoma, as well as poor management of patients with underlying morbidities, the onset of oral lesions, and antifungal susceptibility to opportunistic fungal infections. Oral candidiasis is one of the most common oral features of COVID-19. Case Report This study aimed to report an 83-year-old female diagnosed with oral carcinoma who developed oropharyngeal candidiasis after falling ill with COVID-19. In late 2020, this patient was hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia. A fissured tongue with white scars appeared after the COVID-19 recovery that caused pain, dysphasia, and dysarthria. The sequencing result based on the internal transcribed spacer rDNA region confirmed Candida glabrata. Its antifungal susceptibility showed susceptibility to nystatin, fluconazole, and caspofungin, but resistance to the other azoles and amphotericin B. Conclusion Risk of fungal infections, such as Candida seems to be high in patients with severe COVID-19, mainly affecting the oral mucosa. However, whether they are directly attributed to COVID-19 or other surrounding factors is unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalal Jafarzadeh
- Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Javad Javidnia
- Invasive Fungi Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyed Ali Jeddi
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Sciences, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
| | - Mahshid Vakili
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Mojtaba Taghizadeh Armaki
- Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Mahin Tavakoli
- Departments of Medical Mycology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
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Khamees HH, Fahad MA. Impact of ABO Blood Group, Hematological, and Biochemical Abnormalities on Incidence of Patients Infected with COVID-19. Arch Razi Inst 2023; 78:1193-1201. [PMID: 38226380 PMCID: PMC10787934 DOI: 10.32592/ari.2023.78.4.1193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between blood types and COVID-19 susceptibility and explore changes in blood variables, as well as their relationship with the occurrence of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 is a pandemic that has affected people's health and the global financial system. Since the initial confirmed case of COVID-19, people have been influenced worldwide with varying manifestations. Moreover, researchers have illustrated a link between ABO blood types and COVID-19 susceptibility and incidence. Research has also shown that ABO blood groups might play a role in estimating COVID-19 susceptibility and death. Our analysis revealed that blood type O might probably reduce vulnerability to the SARS-CoV-2 illness. On the contrary, people with blood type A are at a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study also evaluated liver biomarkers among COVID-19 patients, revealing significant abnormalities in the levels of alanine amino transferees, aspartate amino transferees, gamma-glutamyl transferees, and total bilirubin.
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Affiliation(s)
- H H Khamees
- Medical Laboratory Techniques Department, Dijlah University College, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - M A Fahad
- Forensic Evidences Department, Al Salam university College, Baghdad, Iraq
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Masoumi SJ, Haghani M, Mokkaram P, Firoozi D, Mortazavi SAR, Moradi Ardekani F, Torabi Ardakani A, Mortazavi SMJ. Family History of Alzheimer's Disease Increases the Risk of COVID-19 Positivity: A SUMS Employees Cohort-based Study. J Biomed Phys Eng 2023; 13:363-366. [PMID: 37609510 PMCID: PMC10440408 DOI: 10.31661/jbpe.v0i0.2104-1318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Background Substantial data indicate that genetic and environmental factors play a key role in determining the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Moreover, it is known that having relatives with AD increases the risk of developing this disease. Objective This study is aimed at investigating whether having a family history of AD, may increase the risk of COVID-19 in a cohort-based study. Material and Methods Participants of this retrospective cohort study were previously enrolled in the SUMS Employees Cohort (SUMSEC). All participants including those whose SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed by positive PCR test and chest CT scan were requested to respond to interviewer-administered questionnaires. Moreover, AD was diagnosed via memory and thinking impairment, concentration problems, confusion with location, and problems in finishing daily tasks. Results The total numbers of female and male participants with a family history of AD were 463 and 222 individuals, respectively. When all types of family history of AD were considered, a 51.3% increase was found in the relative frequency of the participants with both family history of AD and confirmed COVID-19 compared with those only with a family history of AD. Conclusion Despite the limitations of our study, and from a broader perspective, our findings can further support the concept that AD risk haplotypes including APOE are linked to the same morbidities from cardiovascular disease and obesity that increase vulnerability to COVID-19. Given this consideration, millions of APOE ε4 carriers around the globe should be advised to take additional precautions to prevent life-threatening diseases such as COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Jalil Masoumi
- Nutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
- Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Center for Cohort Study of SUMS Employees' Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Masoud Haghani
- Department of Radiology, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Pooneh Mokkaram
- Department of Biochemistry, Autophagy Research Center, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Donya Firoozi
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Fariba Moradi Ardekani
- Center for Cohort Study of SUMS Employees' Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Atefeh Torabi Ardakani
- Center for Cohort Study of SUMS Employees' Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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12
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Sadeghi L, Farzadi L. Investigation of Coronavirus disease 2019 virus in vaginal fluid and menses blood and the effect on menstrual cycle duration and sexual desire: A cross-sectional study. Int J Reprod Biomed 2023; 21:639-646. [PMID: 37885972 PMCID: PMC10598467 DOI: 10.18502/ijrm.v21i8.14019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was detected in the throat, urine, and feces but has little evidence documented of sexual transmission. Objective Here, we aimed to diagnose the presence of COVID-19 in vaginal fluids and menses blood. Menstrual cycle duration and sexual desire were the other aims. Materials and Methods In this cross-sectional study, 300 individuals with clinical approval of COVID-19 infection who were referred to the Alzahra hospital of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran were divided into mild (n = 178, partial pressure of oxygen ≥ 91) and severe (n = 122, partial pressure of oxygen ≤ 91) groups, also based on clinical signs and hospitalization, from January to May 2021. Demographic characteristics, menstruation, and sexual desire of individuals were recorded in the questionnaire blood sampling was done on days 2-4 for menses, and vaginal fluid after menses for polymerase chain reaction by using a Dacron tip swab. Results Participants were studied in the mild (mean age: 43.32 ± 7.41) and severe (mean age: 47.15 ± 6.9) groups. COVID-19 infection resulted in shortening the menstrual cycle duration in the severe group (30.15 ± 2.9 vs. 25.12 ± 2.1 days, p = 0.01). Polymerase chain reaction test for vaginal fluid and menses blood was negative for all cases. Sexual desire declined in both groups, significantly. Conclusion This virus was not present in the menses blood and vaginal fluid of women with COVID-19 infection, which proposed a low risk of virus transmission via vaginal tracts. Severe COVID-19 infection may affect the menstrual duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Sadeghi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alzahra Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Laya Farzadi
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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13
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Ling L, Lai CK, Lui G, Yeung ACM, Chan HC, Cheuk CHS, Cheung AN, Chang L, Chiu LCS, Zhang J, Wong WT, Hui DSC, Wong CK, Chan PKS, Chen Z. Characterization of upper airway microbiome across severity of COVID-19 during hospitalization and treatment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1205401. [PMID: 37469595 PMCID: PMC10352853 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1205401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Longitudinal studies on upper respiratory tract microbiome in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) without potential confounders such as antimicrobial therapy are limited. The objective of this study is to assess for longitudinal changes in the upper respiratory microbiome, its association with disease severity, and potential confounders in adult hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Serial nasopharyngeal and throat swabs (NPSTSs) were taken for 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from adults hospitalized for COVID-19. Alpha and beta diversity was assessed between different groups. Principal coordinate analysis was used to assess beta diversity between groups. Linear discriminant analysis was used to identify discriminative bacterial taxa in NPSTS taken early during hospitalization on need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission. A total of 314 NPSTS samples from 197 subjects (asymptomatic = 14, mild/moderate = 106, and severe/critical = 51 patients with COVID-19; non-COVID-19 mechanically ventilated ICU patients = 11; and healthy volunteers = 15) were sequenced. Among all covariates, antibiotic treatment had the largest effect on upper airway microbiota. When samples taken after antibiotics were excluded, alpha diversity (Shannon, Simpson, richness, and evenness) was similar across severity of COVID-19, whereas beta diversity (weighted GUniFrac and Bray-Curtis distance) remained different. Thirteen bacterial genera from NPSTS taken within the first week of hospitalization were associated with a need for ICU admission (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99). Longitudinal analysis showed that the upper respiratory microbiota alpha and beta diversity was unchanged during hospitalization in the absence of antimicrobial therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lowell Ling
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Christopher K.C. Lai
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Grace Lui
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Apple Chung Man Yeung
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hiu Ching Chan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chung Hon Shawn Cheuk
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Adonia Nicole Cheung
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lok Ching Chang
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lok Ching Sandra Chiu
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jack Zhenhe Zhang
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wai-Tat Wong
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David S. C. Hui
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chun Kwok Wong
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Paul K. S. Chan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zigui Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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14
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Rodrigues A, Dias Domingues T, Nobre Jesus G, Garção A, Rodrigues AR, Jacinto Correia C, Leal Pereira C, Correia D, Beleza Á, Ribeiro JM. COVID-19-associated Coagulopathy Characterization using Rotational Thromboelastometry in a Prospective, Observational Cohort Study: The HemoCoV Study. ACTA MEDICA PORT 2023; 36:496-505. [PMID: 37429589 DOI: 10.20344/amp.19475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION COVID-19-associated coagulopathy includes systemic and endothelial inflammation with coagulation dysregulation related to immunothrombosis. The aim of this study was to characterize this complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19. METHODS An open-label, prospective observational study conducted in patients with COVID-19 moderate to severe acute respiratory failure admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). Coagulation testing, including thromboelastometry, biochemical analysis and clinical variables, were collected at prespecified time points during the 30 days of ICU stay. RESULTS The study included 145 patients, 73.8% male, with a median age of 68 years (interquartile range - IQR 55 - 74). The most prevalent comorbidities were arterial hypertension (63.4%), obesity (44.1%) and diabetes (22.1%). Simplified acute physiology score II (SAPS II) was on average 43.5 (11 - 105) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) at admission was 7.5 (0 - 14). During ICU stay, 66.9% of patients underwent invasive mechanical ventilation and 18.4% extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support; thrombotic and hemorrhagic events occurred in 22.1% and 15.1% of the patients respectively; anticoagulation with heparin was present in 99.2% of patients since early ICU stay. Death occurred in 35% of patients. Longitudinal studies revealed changes in almost all coagulation tests during the ICU stay. SOFA score, lymphocyte counts, some biochemical, inflammatory and coagulation parameters, including hypercoagulability and hypofibrinolysis seen in thromboelastometry, differed significantly (p < 0.05), between ICU admission and discharge. Hypercoagulability and hypofibrinolysis persisted throughout ICU hospitalization, showing higher incidence and severity in non-survivors. CONCLUSION COVID-19-associated coagulopathy is characterized by hypercoagulability and hypofibrinolysis from ICU admission, and persisted throughout the clinical course in severe COVID-19. These changes were more pronounced in patients with higher disease burden and in non-survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabela Rodrigues
- Transfusion Medicine Department. Hospital Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte. Lisbon. Portugal
| | - Tiago Dias Domingues
- Centro de Estatística e Aplicações - CEAUL. Faculdade de Ciências. Universidade de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal
| | - Gustavo Nobre Jesus
- Intensive Medicine Department. Clínica Universitária de Medicina Intensiva. Hospital Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte. Lisbon; Clínica Universitária de Medicina Intensiva. Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal
| | - Ana Garção
- Transfusion Medicine Department. Hospital Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte. Lisbon. Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Rodrigues
- Intensive Medicine Department. Clínica Universitária de Medicina Intensiva. Hospital Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte. Lisbon. Portugal
| | - Catarina Jacinto Correia
- Transfusion Medicine Department. Hospital Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte. Lisbon. Portugal
| | - Carla Leal Pereira
- Transfusion Medicine Department. Hospital Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte. Lisbon. Portugal
| | - Dulce Correia
- Intensive Medicine Department. Clínica Universitária de Medicina Intensiva. Hospital Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte. Lisbon. Portugal
| | - Álvaro Beleza
- Transfusion Medicine Department. Hospital Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte. Lisbon. Portugal
| | - João Miguel Ribeiro
- Intensive Medicine Department. Clínica Universitária de Medicina Intensiva. Hospital Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte. Lisbon. Portugal
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15
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Seo J, Kim HN, Kwon M, Kim TJ. Atypical occurrence of anti-Ma2-associated encephalitis after breast cancer surgery and COVID-19. Encephalitis 2023; 3:97-101. [PMID: 37500102 PMCID: PMC10368525 DOI: 10.47936/encephalitis.2023.00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In this report, we present a rare case of anti-Ma2-associated encephalitis concurrent with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) following breast cancer surgery. The patient exhibited minimal clinical symptoms of COVID-19 infection but developed seizures and altered mental status after surgery, leading to diagnosis of a classic paraneoplastic syndrome. This case highlights the possibility of paraneoplastic neurological syndrome even after cancer surgery and the need for careful consideration of post-acute infection syndromes when neurological symptoms occur following an infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungyun Seo
- Department of Neurology, Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, Korea
| | - Hong Nam Kim
- Department of Neurology, Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, Korea
| | - Minsuk Kwon
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Tae-Joon Kim
- Department of Neurology, Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
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16
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Varghaei A, Heidari M, Daneshyar C, Nouri A, Mikaeilvand A. Side Effects of Sputnik V Vaccine in the Medical Staff of Dedicated COVID-19 Hospital. Iran J Med Sci 2023; 48:430-432. [PMID: 37456210 PMCID: PMC10349163 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.96239.2776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aida Varghaei
- Clinical Research Development Unit, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Mohammad Heidari
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Science, Urmia, Iran
| | - Chiman Daneshyar
- Clinical Research Development Unit, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Armin Nouri
- Clinical Research Development Unit, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Amir Mikaeilvand
- Clinical Research Development Unit, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
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17
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COVID-19 Epidemiology and Surveillance Team. COVID-19 Australia: Epidemiology Report 74 - Reporting period ending 7 May 2023. Commun Dis Intell (2018) 2023; 47. [PMID: 37312589 DOI: 10.33321/cdi.2023.47.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
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18
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Alabdalaali MM, Hadi AM. A Comparative Study of Antiretroviral (Lopinavir/Ritonavir) and Remdesivir Used in the Pandemic in Iraq on the Clinical Outcome in Patients with SARS-CoV-2. Arch Razi Inst 2023; 78:935-941. [PMID: 38028857 PMCID: PMC10657950 DOI: 10.22092/ari.2022.360354.2574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which emerged in December 2019, has infected millions worldwide and caused many deaths. Due to its high mortality rate, several studies assessed the effectiveness of different drugs against COVID-19, mainly in reducing the hospitalization rate among the elderly and compromised patients. Lopinavir-ritonavir combination and remdesivir were among the medications used to treat COVID-19. Due to considerable differences in the effectiveness and clinical outcomes of the two treatments, this study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes between COVID-19 patients treated with antiretrovirals (lopinavir-ritonavir) and remdesivir. A total of 33 patients on lopinavir-ritonavir and 35 on remdesivir were selected for this study. A retrospective comparative analysis was conducted based on demographic characteristics, hospital stay, laboratory parameters of C-reactive protein (CRP) and plasma blood oxygen saturation (SPO2), clinical treatment, and a clinical outcome assessment extracted from hospital archive data. Both treatments improved patient outcomes, yet there was a significant difference between lopinavir-ritonavir and remdesivir groups in platelet count, CRP, SPO2, and monocyte results, with remdesivir showing better clinical outcomes. No significant difference was reported in white blood cells, lymphopenia, and lactate dehydrogenase between the two treatments. It is still necessary to conduct further research to determine how effective the two treatments are in treating severe COVID-19 cases due to the limited number of available studies and the inconsistency in research methods and measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - A M Hadi
- College of Pharmacy, University of Basra, Basra, Iraq
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19
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Bevelacqua JJ, Mortazavi SA, Welsh JS, Mortazavi SMJ. How Reactivation of SARS-CoV-2 in Astronauts with Dysregulated Immune Systems Can Negatively Affect the Odds of Success in Future Space Missions. J Biomed Phys Eng 2023; 13:297-298. [PMID: 37312889 PMCID: PMC10258206 DOI: 10.31661/jbpe.v0i0.2104-1321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We have previously reported that during future space missions the risk of severe COVID-19 infection will be a cardinal issue that needs careful attention. Our studies show that even with the most reliable pre-mission screening and quarantine strategies, astronauts with a latent (hidden, inactive, or dormant) SARS-CoV-2 infection might be sent to space. Given this consideration, an asymptomatic individual with dormant SARS-CoV-2 infection may successfully pass all the pre-launch medical tests. Then during a space mission such as a journey to Mars or beyond, when the immune system of these astronauts starts to weaken, the dormant infection may progress to a severe infection that possibly affects the chance of the mission's success. The effects of microgravity and the elevated space radiation are two key factors that should be evaluated. Furthermore, the limited size of the spacecraft, the proximity of crew members during flight operations, spacecraft atmospheric composition, limited exercise capability, effects of viral response to space radiation, and uncertainty in the likelihood of the virus to mutate and evolve during a space mission merit additional study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James S Welsh
- Department of Radiation Oncology Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital Hines, Illinois, United States
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, United States
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20
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Naghashpour M, Adelipour M, Mobarak S, Piri M, Seyedtabib M, Maghsoudi F, Golabi S. Evaluation of Possible Association between Serum Levels of Aldosterone and Cortisol with Clinical Symptoms Progression in COVID-19 Suspicious Outpatients Tested for SARS-CoV2 RT-PCR: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study. Arch Razi Inst 2023; 78:923-933. [PMID: 38028858 PMCID: PMC10657945 DOI: 10.22092/ari.2021.356094.1774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Aldosterone is a key component of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS). The RAAS could play a substantial role in the pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Moreover, the dynamics of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis may have changed in COVID-19. Cortisol, as an important factor in assessing immune system activity, is an important part of this axis. The present study compared the serum levels of aldosterone and cortisol in COVID-19 outpatients with those of potentially non-infected participants. It was also aimed to assess the possible association between serum levels of aldosterone and cortisol with clinical symptoms progression in COVID-19 outpatients. Demographic characteristics (i.e., gender and age) and clinical data (i.e., oxygen saturation [SPO2], respiratory rate [RR], and heart rate) were collected. Serum cortisol and aldosterone measurements were conducted using the ELISA technique. Clinical symptoms of the positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) group were followed up on for 28 days in weekly intervals. SPO2 was significantly lower in the positive PCR group; however, the RR was significantly higher (P=0.03 and P=0.001, respectively). Significantly higher levels of aldosterone were found in males of the negative PCR group, compared to females (P=0.05). Cortisol (OR=0.937, P=0.033) and aldosterone (OR=1.005, P=0.020) levels had a decreasing and increasing effect on the chances of respiratory symptoms occurring over time, respectively. Furthermore, over time, women were twice as likely as men to develop neurologic symptoms (OR=0.530, P=0.015). According to the findings of this study, cortisol and aldosterone are associated with the chance of respiratory symptoms occurring over time. However, the levels of these two markers do not seem to be related to the progression of clinical symptoms of lower grades of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Naghashpour
- Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
| | - M Adelipour
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - S Mobarak
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
| | - M Piri
- Vice Chancellor for Health, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
| | - M Seyedtabib
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - F Maghsoudi
- Department of Public Health, School of Health, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
| | - S Golabi
- Department of Medical Physiology, School of Medicine, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
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21
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Meagher T. Long Covid - Into the Third Year. J Insur Med 2023:493249. [PMID: 37230958 DOI: 10.17849/insm-50-1-1-5.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
As the COVID-19 pandemic reaches the end of its third year, and as COVID-related mortality in North America wanes, long Covid and its disabling symptoms are attracting more attention. Some individuals report symptoms lasting more than 2 years, and a subset report continuing disability. This article will provide an update on long Covid, with a particular focus on disease prevalence, disability, symptom clustering and risk factors. It will also discuss the longer-term outlook for individuals with long Covid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Meagher
- Meagher- Vice-President and Medical Director, Munich Re, Montréal; Associate Professor of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec
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22
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Tavakoli A, Lotfi F, Lotfi M, Bayati M, Seif M, Salesi M, Emadi M, Keshavarz K, Delavari S. COVID-19 Reinfection Rate and Related Risk Factors in Fars Province, Iran: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Iran J Med Sci 2023; 48:302-312. [PMID: 37791328 PMCID: PMC10542930 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.94615.2598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Background Reinfection with Coronavirus Diseases 2019 (COVID-19) has raised remarkable public health concerns globally. Therefore, the present retrospective cohort study intended to investigate COVID-19 reinfection in registered patients of Fars province in Iran from February 2020 to April 2021. Methods The patients' data, including the COVID-19 infection, symptoms, comorbidities, and demographics, were collected using the Health Information Systems (HISs). The patients were divided into three groups in terms of the duration between the initial infection and reinfection, including 28-44, 45-89, and more than 90 days. Following the univariate analysis, logistic regression was used to investigate the factors effective on COVID-19 reinfection. Results A total of 213768 patients had a positive Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test. The reinfection rate was 0.97% (2079 patients). Of these re-infected individuals, 14.9%, 18.5%, and 66.6% had their second positive test 28-45, 45-89, and ≥90 days later, respectively. The mean duration between the initial infection and reinfection was 130.56 days (29-370 days). The chance of reinfection was significantly higher in the youths (Odds Ratio (OR)=2.055; P<0.001), men (OR=1.283; P<0.001), urban population (OR=1.313; P<0.001), and healthcare providers (OR=4.453; P<0.001). The patients with chronic pulmonary diseases, chronic kidney diseases, and malignancy were 1.421 (P=0.036), 2.239 (P<0.001), and 3.437 (P<0.001) times, respectively, more likely prone to reinfection. Conclusion The results of this study showed that there is a higher risk of reinfection in several vulnerable groups including healthcare providers, young individuals, residents of urban areas, men, and individuals with underlying diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Tavakoli
- Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, Department of Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Farhad Lotfi
- Health Human Resources Research Center, Department of Health Economics, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Emergency Medicine Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mehrzad Lotfi
- Medical Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Bayati
- Health Human Resources Research Center, Department of Health Economics, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mozhgan Seif
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mahmood Salesi
- Chemical Injuries Research Ccenter, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehrnoosh Emadi
- Student Research Committee, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Khosro Keshavarz
- Health Human Resources Research Center, Department of Health Economics, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Emergency Medicine Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sajad Delavari
- Health Human Resources Research Center, Department of Health Economics, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Torabizadeh C, Iloonkashkooli R, Haghshenas H, Fararouei M. Prevalence of Cardiovascular Complications in Coronavirus Disease 2019 adult Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Iran J Med Sci 2023; 48:243-267. [PMID: 37791325 PMCID: PMC10542931 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.93701.2504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Background It has been found that the new coronavirus can affect various parts of the cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular complications caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are often serious and can increase the mortality rate among infected patients. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 adult patients. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies published in English were conducted between December 2019 and February 2021. A complete search was performed in PubMed (PubMed Central and MEDLINE), Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Ovid, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, and WILEY, as well as BioRXiv, MedRXiv, and gray literature. A random effect model was used to examine the prevalence of cardiovascular complications among COVID-19 patients. The I2 test was used to measure heterogeneity across the included studies. Results A total of 74 studies involving 34,379 COVID-19 patients were included for meta-analysis. The mean age of the participants was 61.30±14.75 years. The overall pooled prevalence of cardiovascular complications was 23.45%. The most prevalent complications were acute myocardial injury (AMI) (19.38%, 95% CI=13.62-26.81, test for heterogeneity I2=97.5%, P<0.001), arrhythmia (11.16%, 95% CI=8.23-14.96, test for heterogeneity I2=91.5%, P<0.001), heart failure (HF) (7.56%, 95% CI=4.50-12.45, test for heterogeneity I2=96.3%, P<0.001), and cardiomyopathy (2.78%, 95% CI=0.34-9.68). The highest pooled prevalence of cardiac enzymes was lactate dehydrogenase (61.45%), troponin (23.10%), and creatine kinase-myocardial band or creatine kinase (14.52%). Conclusion The high prevalence of serious cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 patients (AMI, arrhythmia, and HF) necessitates increased awareness by healthcare administrators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camellia Torabizadeh
- Community Based Psychiatric Care Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Hajar Haghshenas
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Fararouei
- HIV/AIDs Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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COVID-19 Epidemiology and Surveillance Team. COVID-19 Australia: Epidemiology Report 72 Reporting period ending 12 March 2023. Commun Dis Intell (2018) 2023; 47. [PMID: 37057365 DOI: 10.33321/cdi.2023.47.19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
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25
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Abdullateef Abdullah Z, Fouad Ali L. Role of Serum Ferritin, D-Dimer, and C-Reactive Protein Parameters in COVID 19 Severity. Arch Razi Inst 2023; 78:737-742. [PMID: 37396735 PMCID: PMC10314272 DOI: 10.22092/ari.2022.359731.2466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Following the epidemics caused by the transmission of the common virus between humans and animals (COVID-19), coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the third and most deadly strain of RNA virus that can cause respiratory, digestive, and nervous system problems, and there are many unknown complications. This study included 170 clinical samples of nasopharyngeal swaps (100 patients and 70 controls for both males and females). RT-PCR was performed, and blood samples were taken for biochemical analyses. They were obtained from Iraqi patients aged 25 to 92 years old. Between November 2021 and March 2022, COVID-19 patients were admitted to Dar al-salam Hospital, Alyarmok Teaching Hospital, and Alshefaa Hospital. AFIAS D-Dimer, AFIAS ferritin, and NycoCard CRP tests were performed on the patients and were classified depending on the severity of their infection (mild or moderate, severe and critical). The results showed a significant increase in ferritin in critically ill patients (545.58 ± 57.71). A significant increase of D-dimer was found with different severity with highly significant in the critical group (3.93 ± 0.79). With varying degrees of severity, a substantial rise in CRP was discovered with highly significant in the critical group (96.27 ± 14.55) between the severity group (p-value <0.001). Also, COVID-19 individuals in the age range (50 - 60) tended to be more severe than younger people, whereas the effect of gender is not significant in any patient group. The biochemical factors, including D-Dimer, ferritin, and CRP, are effective in the disease's occurrence of symptoms and severity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - L Fouad Ali
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
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Thahir AIA, Nasir S, J Holmes A, Li M, Gordon A. Mothers' and Midwives' Experiences of Maternal and Child Health Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Banggai, Indonesia: A Qualitative Study. Int J Community Based Nurs Midwifery 2023; 11:96-109. [PMID: 37114096 PMCID: PMC10126445 DOI: 10.30476/ijcbnm.2023.97114.2187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Background Maternal and child health (MCH) services have been affected by the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in all countries, including Indonesia. Information regarding the impact of COVID-19 on MCH service access and provision is limited, particularly in the context of rural Indonesian communities. This study aimed to explore the experiences of Indonesian mothers and midwives from a rural regency regarding MCH services delivery during the pandemic. Methods This study was a sub-study of a pre-existing cohort study conducted in four sub-districts in Banggai, Indonesia, as the qualitative research. This study was conducted from November 2020 to April 2021, involving 21 mothers and six midwives. We selected the participants using snowball sampling. In-depth interviews were conducted in Bahasa. The study used both deductive and inductive approaches for analysis. Data analysis was performed using NVivo v.12. Results The study identified three themes and eight sub-themes from the analysis incorporating the midwives' and mothers' data. The themes included health service change, perceived barriers to service delivery, and family impact. This study highlights health service changes due to the pandemic, such as relocating the MCH services. Mothers perceived barriers to accessing health services, including distance reasons and fear of COVID-19. Only the shortages of staff affected the midwives in providing optimal services. Conclusion The pandemic triggered health service changes and caused some barriers to service delivery. This study recommends that the local government and stakeholders should pay more attention to the health service changes according to the mothers' experiences and address barriers to optimize access to MCH services during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi Imam Arundhana Thahir
- Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
| | - Sudirman Nasir
- Department of Health Promotion, Faculty of Public Health, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
| | - Andrew J Holmes
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, the University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, the University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mu Li
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, the University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Adrienne Gordon
- Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- RPA Newborn Care, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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27
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Kottarathil M, Thayanidhi P, P S, Jyoti Kindo A. Rise of mucormycosis during the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges faced. Curr Med Mycol 2023; 9:44-55. [PMID: 37867589 PMCID: PMC10590187 DOI: 10.18502/cmm.2023.345032.1400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucormycosis (previously called zygomycosis) is a diverse group of increasingly recognized and frequently fatal mycotic diseases caused by members of the class zygomycetes. Mucormycosis is around 80 times more common in India, compared to other developed countries, with a frequency of 0.14 cases per 1,000 population. The most frequent causative agent of mucormycosis is the following genera from the Order Mucorales Rhizopus, Mucor, Rhizomucor, Absidia, Apophysomyces, Cunninghamella, and Saksenaea. The major risk factors for the development of mucormycosis are diabetic ketoacidosis, deferoxamine treatment, cancer, solid organ or bone marrow transplantations, prolonged steroid use, extreme malnutrition, and neutropenia. The common clinical forms of mucormycosis are rhino-orbital-cerebral, pulmonary, cutaneous, and gastrointestinal. During the second wave of COVID-19, there was a rapid increase in mucormycosis with more severity than before. Amphotericin B is currently found to be an effective drug as it is found to have a broad-spectrum activity and posaconazole is used as a salvage therapy. Newer triazole isavuconazole is also found effective against mucormycosis. This study aimed to review various studies on the laboratory diagnosis and treatment of mucormycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malavika Kottarathil
- Department of Microbiology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | - Premamalini Thayanidhi
- Department of Microbiology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | - Sathyamurthy P
- Department of General Medicine, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | - Anupma Jyoti Kindo
- Department of Microbiology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
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Hooshmandi E, Abolhasani Foroughi A, Poursadeghfard M, KianiAra F, Ostovan VR, Nazeri M. Transverse Myelitis as a Rare Neurological Complication of Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Case Report and Literature Review. Iran J Med Sci 2023; 48:219-226. [PMID: 36895458 PMCID: PMC9989242 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.92813.2419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
The novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is primarily a respiratory virus. However, an increasing number of neurologic complications associated with this virus have been reported, e.g., transverse myelitis (TM). We report a case of a 39-year-old man admitted to Namazi Hospital affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. In December 2020, the patient was infected with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). During hospitalization, the patient suffered from sudden onset of paraplegia, and urinary retention, and had a T6-T7 sensory level. TM was diagnosed and an extensive workup was performed to rule out other etiologies. Eventually, para-infectious TM associated with COVID-19 was concluded. The patient received pulse methylprednisolone therapy of 1 g/day for 10 consecutive days followed by seven sessions of plasma exchange without a favorable response. The patient then underwent regular physical rehabilitation and tapering oral administration of prednisolone 1 mg/Kg. As a result, weakness in the lower extremities improved slightly after six months. Overall, we suspect a correlation between COVID-19 and TM, however, further studies are required to substantiate the association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etrat Hooshmandi
- Clinical Neurology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Maryam Poursadeghfard
- Clinical Neurology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Fatemeh KianiAra
- Clinical Neurology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Vahid Reza Ostovan
- Clinical Neurology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Nazeri
- Clinical Neurology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Joulaei H, Foroozanfar Z, Ziaee A, Hooshyar D, Loolia M, Azadian F, Fatemi M. Delay in Regular Visits of Chronic Disease Patients and Its Associated Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Iran J Med Sci 2023; 48:176-186. [PMID: 36895456 PMCID: PMC9989245 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.93944.2529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Background Chronic patients need regular follow-ups. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these regular visits can be affected. The delay of chronic patients and its contributing factors in their periodic visits during the COVID-19 pandemic are examined here. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between February and June 2021, in Fars, Iran. Two hundred and eighty-six households with at least one chronic patient were recruited. Then, several trained questioners called the studied households and asked about the studied variables. The dependent variable was the number of delays in regular visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results were analyzed through Poisson regression by SPSS Statistics version 22 and GraphPad Prism software version 9. A significance level of 0.05 was considered for this study. Results Out of 286 households 113 (73.4%) fathers, 138 (70.1%) mothers, and 17 (58.6%) children in the households reported delayed referral. In fathers, referring to the health center was significantly associated with a decrease in the number of delays (P=0.033). The higher age of the householder (P=0.005), the higher number of children (P=0.043), and having a family physician (P=0.007) in the mothers' group, also the number of children in households (P=0.001) in the children group were significantly associated with increasing the number of delays. Conclusion COVID-19 pandemic not only creates direct harmful effects but also adversely affects people in danger of chronic diseases. Delays in follow-ups are taken into account as a major challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. This issue is not limited to rural or urban residency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Joulaei
- Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Zohre Foroozanfar
- HIV/AIDS Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Arash Ziaee
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Dariush Hooshyar
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | | | - Fatemeh Azadian
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Maryam Fatemi
- HIV/AIDS Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Raychaudhuri S, Taneja J, Sasidharan J, Pujani M, Singh K, Chatterjee T, Jain M, Chandoke R, Rai A, Abbas Z, Das A. A critical appraisal of mucormycosis in COVID- 19 patients in a tertiary care centre in India. Curr Med Mycol 2023; 9:1-7. [PMID: 37867588 PMCID: PMC10590186 DOI: 10.18502/cmm.2023.150667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose Morbidity and mortality of opportunistic fungal infections in COVID-19 patients are less studied and defined. The patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, broad-spectrum antibiotics, corticosteroids, and invasive and non-invasive ventilation are the high-risk groups. Materials and Methods The demographic profile as well as clinical and radiological findings of all the patients with COVID-19 suspected of Mucormycosis (MM) were recorded. The tissue samples from all the patients were sent for microbiological (KOH mount and culture) and histopathological analysis for confirmation of MM. Results In total, 45 COVID-19 patients suspected of MM were included in the study and MM was confirmed in 42 patients. The mean age of the patients was 50.30±14.17 years with a female: male ratio of 1.1:1. The most common symptom was headache (52.38%) followed by purulent nasal discharge (38.09%) and facial pain in 33.33% of the cases. The ocular symptoms included a diminution of vision (33.33%) and redness of the eye (2.38%). The most common site of involvement was rhino-orbital (42.85%) followed by sinonasal (23.80%) and rhino cerebral (19.04%). Majority (38.09%) of the patients were diagnosed with stage II of Rhino-orbital-cerebral Mucormycosis (ROCM) based on radiology. A history of diabetes mellitus and steroids was present in 97.61% and 85.71% of the cases, respectively. Moreover, KOH was positive for MM in 97.61% of the cases while the culture was positive in only 35.71% of the cases. In addition, on histopathology, MM was confirmed in 64.28 % of the cases. Mixed growth with Aspergillus species and Rhizopus species was observed in 14.28% of the cases in culture and 11.90% of the cases in histopathology test. Furthermore, angioinvasion was found in 23.80% of the cases according to the histopathology test. Conclusion Based on the results, the most common conditions associated with MM in COVID-19 patients were diabetes mellitus and steroid therapy. A high level of clinical suspicion aided with diagnostic tests, including KOH mount, culture, histopathology, and radiology which helped the early detection of opportunistic fungal infection in COVID-19 patients to ensure timely treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juhi Taneja
- Department of Microbiology, ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Faridabad, India
| | - Jaseetha Sasidharan
- Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat, ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Faridabad, India
| | - Mukta Pujani
- Department of Pathology, ESIC Medical College and Hospital Faridabad, India
| | - Kanika Singh
- Department of Pathology, ESIC Medical College and Hospital Faridabad, India
| | | | - Manjula Jain
- Department of Pathology, ESIC Medical College and Hospital Faridabad, India
| | - Rajkumar Chandoke
- Department of Pathology, ESIC Medical College and Hospital Faridabad, India
| | - Anil Rai
- Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat, ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Faridabad, India
| | - Zafar Abbas
- Department of Radio Diagnosis, ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Faridabad, India
| | - Asim Das
- Department of Physiology, ESIC Medical college and Hospital, Faridabad, India
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Khaleghparast S, Bagheri Faradonbeh S, Maleki M, Hasani Z, Kharaghani M, Goudarzi M, Rouhani B, Baniasadi F, Mazloomzadeh S, Ghanbari B. Association of Emotional Response Indicators with the Risk of Recurrence and Hospitalization in Coronavirus Patients. Iran J Med Sci 2023; 48:209-213. [PMID: 36895457 PMCID: PMC9989243 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.94432.2573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety, stress, and fear can adversely affect the mental and physical health of people. The present study aimed to examine the association of these emotional response indicators with outcomes (recurrence, hospitalization, and mortality) in coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) patients. A prospective cohort study was conducted between February 2020 and July 2021 in three hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The included patients (n=350) completed three questionnaires on COVID-19-related anxiety, stress, and fear. Patients with at least one emotional response indicator were assigned to the exposed group (n=157) and those without to the unexposed group (n=193). After one month of follow-up, the medical condition of all participants was determined through phone calls. Data were analyzed with logistic and multivariate regression models using STATA 9 software. The number of patients with COVID-19 recurrence in the exposed and unexposed groups was 71 (45%) and 16 (8%), respectively, and for hospitalization 79 (50%) and 16 (8%), respectively. The relative risk of recurrence and hospitalization due to COVID-19 in the exposed group was 5.62 and 6.25 higher than in the unexposed group, respectively (P<0.001 for both). The results of regression analysis showed that underlying diseases were not significantly associated with recurrence and hospitalization. The total number of deaths was six, all of which were in the exposed group. Given the greater risk of recurrence and hospitalization in COVID-19 patients with anxiety, stress, or fear, there is a need to devise and implement appropriate strategies to prevent and manage mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiva Khaleghparast
- Cardiovascular Nursing Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeed Bagheri Faradonbeh
- Department of Health Services Management, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Majid Maleki
- Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Hasani
- Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maedeh Kharaghani
- Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahshid Goudarzi
- Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Farzad Baniasadi
- Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeideh Mazloomzadeh
- Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behrooz Ghanbari
- Trauma and Injury Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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COVID-19 Australia: Epidemiology Report 70 Reporting period ending 15 January 2023. Commun Dis Intell (2018) 2023; 47. [PMID: 36823024 DOI: 10.33321/cdi.2023.47.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
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- Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
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Lee SI, Kang SB, Lee SY, Choi DS. The effect of regional distribution of isolation rooms in emergency departments on ambulance travel time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clin Exp Emerg Med 2023:ceem.22.355. [PMID: 36787901 DOI: 10.15441/ceem.22.355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective : The number and distribution of isolation rooms in Korea differ by region. The distribution of isolation beds in emergency departments may have affected ambulance travel time and burden on emergency medical service (EMS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods : This retrospective observation study analyzed EMS records in four regions of the Gyeonggi Province, Korea, from January 01, 2019 to December 31, 2020. The main exposure was the number of emergency department isolation rooms in each region. The primary outcome was call-to-return time for the EMS. The interaction effect of the number of regional isolation rooms on the call-to-return time during the COVID-19 pandemic was analyzed using a generalized linear model (GLM) and logistic regression. Results : A total of 781,246 cases was included in the analyses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the call-to-scene time (before 8 minutes vs. after 9 minutes, P<0.05) and call-to-return time (before 46 minutes vs. after 52 minutes, P<0.05) for emergency patients increased significantly compared to before the pandemic. As the number of regional isolation rooms increased, the effect of COVID-19 on the callto- return time decreased significantly in multivariable GLM with an interaction term (with 10.14 isolation rooms per million population: adjusted exponential beta coefficient [exp(β)], 1.33; with 12.24 isolation rooms per million population: adjusted exp(β), 1.18). As the number of regional isolation rooms increased, the effect of COVID-19 on the call-to-scene time decreased significantly in the multivariable GLM with an interaction term (with 10.14 isolation rooms per million population: adjusted exp(β), 1.20; with 12.24 isolation rooms per million population: adjusted exp(β), 1.09). Conclusion : During the pandemic, the increases in call-to-return time and call-to-scene time were smaller in regions with more isolation rooms per population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo In Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Saee Byel Kang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sun Young Lee
- Public Healthcare Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong Sun Choi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
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Nadeem R, Husseini M, Rajendran I, Latif A, Mahmoud M, Mathews M, Alshaikh SayedAhmed Y, Sharma E, Salama Khalil M, Rafeeq A. The effect of caring for critically ill patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome in undesignated intensive care unit wardson mortality and length of hospital stay. Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther 2022; 54:378-86. [PMID: 36734448 DOI: 10.5114/ait.2022.122614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION COVID-19 has caused 4 million deaths as of 24 August 2021. A significant number of patients were admitted to undesignated ICU areas before transfer to a desig-nated ICU owing to the unavailability of ICU beds. We aim to compare the mortality and length of stay of patients in these 2 areas. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively studied all critically ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who were admitted to Dubai hospital between 1 January 2020 and 30 June 2020. Patients who transferred to wards other than designated ICU constitute cases, while those who were admitted directly to designated ICUs constitute controls. The demographics, clinical parameters, and treatment profile of these patients were recorded and compared. Mortality and length of stay were calculated. RESULTS The sample includes 239 subjects (admitted to an undesignated ICU ward [n = 107] and directly admitted to a designated ICU ward [n = 132]). Patients admitted to an undesignated ICU had extra transfers between wards and had more days on MV (median [IQR] 18 (19) vs. 11 (14); P = 0.001), greater length of stay in the ICU (median [IQR]) 21.5 (19) vs. 15 (14); P = 0.001), and greater length of stay in hospital (median [IQR] 32 (28) vs. 21 (26); P = 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that patients treated at an undesignated ICU have better survival (odds of death for patients cared for at an undesignated ICU was 0.347 with CI 0.178-0.676; P = 0.002). Multiple linear regression analysis also showed that patients treated at an undesignated ICU had longer stay - 4.2 days, CI 1.3-7.13, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS Admission to an undesignated ICU impacts mortality and length of ICU and hospital stay.
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Karim Abdul-Husseein H, Akram Al-Akkam K, Karim Abdul-Husseein M, Abdul-Amir Makki Al-Hindy H. Liver Function Abnormalities in COVID-19 Patients and their Association with Age and Sex: a Cross-Sectional Study. Arch Razi Inst 2023; 78:453-458. [PMID: 37312688 PMCID: PMC10258244 DOI: 10.22092/ari.2022.359755.2474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In December 2019, the onset of an unidentified disease known as pneumonia for an unknown reason occurred in Wuhan city, China. Liver dysfunction has occurred in COVID-19-infected patients. The current study investigated liver function abnormalities in COVID-19 infected patients and their relationship with age and sex. A cross-section study was designed and conducted at Al-Hakeem hospital in Al-Najaf city in Iraq. This study comprised 167 patients with SARS-CoV-2 confirmation using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Liver function test results were compared among different age groups and the two genders. The analysis of categorical variables was achieved via the Chi-square test. The differences in the continuous variables between both sexes were detected via Mann-Whitney U test. A statistically significant p-value was determined to be less than 0.05. IBM SPSS software (version 26) was utilized for data analysis. Among 167 patients with COVID-19 infection, 82 (49.1 %) had abnormal liver test and 85 (50.9%) were normal (P=0.816). No significant differences were noted in liver test abnormalities among the various age groups (P=0.784). The percentages of liver function abnormalities in males and females were (68.3 %) and (37.5 %) respectively. Significant differences were detected between males and females (P=0.001). The distribution of AST and ALT between males and females was shown to be significantly different (P=0.012) and (P=0.009), respectively. The ALP (U/L) and total bilirubin (mg/dL) median values between males and females were shown to be statistically insignificant. In our study, we estimated that the risk of liver function abnormalities was not significantly different among all age groups and infected males had a higher incidence of liver dysfunction with significant differences in serum AST and ALT levels between both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Karim Abdul-Husseein
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
| | - K Akram Al-Akkam
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, AlSafwa University College, Babylon, Iraq
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Miri Mizher Al Muhana B, Ali SA, Sabri Jabbar A. Isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Persistent Bacterial Coinfection of a COVID-19 Patients with Molecular Detection of Antibiotics Resistance Genes. Arch Razi Inst 2023; 78:397-403. [PMID: 37312684 PMCID: PMC10258303 DOI: 10.22092/ari.2022.359035.2360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) have a considerable risk to public health in the world, due to its high ability to develop resistance to different classes of antibiotics. It has been discovered as a prevalent coinfection pathogen that causes sickness exacerbation in COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of P. aeruginosa from COVID-19 patients in Al Diwaniyah province, Iraq and to identify its genetic resistance pattern. 70 clinical samples were obtained from severe cases of patients (RT-PCR positive for SARS-COV-2 on a nasopharyngeal swab) who attended Al Diwaniyah Academic Hospital. 50 P. aeruginosa bacterial isolates were detected via microscopic examination, routine cultured and biochemical testing, then validated by the VITEK-2 compact system. VITEK reported 30 positive results, which later confirmed through molecular detection using 16s RNA specific for detection and a phylogenetic tree.20 isolates had positive PCR findings and 5 isolates submitted to GenBank with accession numbers OL314557.1, OL314556.1, OL314555.1, OL314554.1, OL314553.1.For antibiotic resistance genes, the number of the isolates containing blaOXA-1 and blaCTX-M 18 (90 percent) and 16 (80 percent) respectively. To study its adaptation in a SARS-CoV-2 infected environment, genomic sequencing investigations were undertaken with phenotypic validation. In conclusion, we demonstrate that multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa play an important role in in vivo colonization in COVID-19 patients and could be one of the causes of death of these patients which indicates the great challenge to clinicians in the facing of this serious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Miri Mizher Al Muhana
- Veterinary Microbiology Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, Al-Qadisiyah University, Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq
| | - S A Ali
- Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Pharmacology, Al-Qadisiyah University, Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq
| | - A Sabri Jabbar
- Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Pharmacology, Al-Qadisiyah University, Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq
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Rifaat Muhammad H, Obaid Othman G. Molecular Study of ACE2 Gene Polymorphism of COVID-19 Infection among the Kurdish Population in Kurdistan Region- Iraq. Arch Razi Inst 2023; 78:161-166. [PMID: 37312735 PMCID: PMC10258245 DOI: 10.22092/ari.2022.358492.2232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a current pandemic infection of the human respiratory system, which is caused by which caused by Sever Acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The infection was classified by World Health Organization (WHO) as a universal pandemic in February 2020; there have been 494.587.638 confirmed cases and 6.170.283 deaths. The present study investigated the molecular genetics of the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene in correlation to COVID-19 patients in the Kurdish population. Eighty-six individuals were clinically diagnosed with COVID-19 and control groups. After the genomic DNA extraction these participants the target 1, 2 and 8 exons of the ACE2 gene were amplified using the PCR technique, and then the Sanger sequencing technique was performed to analyze genetic variants of the ACE2 gene in 70 DNA samples of COVID-19 hospital patients at Emergency Hospital in Erbil city, Sarchnar Hospital in Sulaymaniyah city, Lalav Hospital in Duhok city and Wafa Hospital in Halabja city from Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The current study was designed into two groups control group and a patient group. The patient group was divided into two subgroups, severe and mild patients of different ages and genders. As a result, there were no mutations at the positions 1, 2 and 8 exons sequences, while single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected and identified three different types of mutation at intron position: twenty-six of c.12405 del T, two of c.12407 T>G, and two of c.12406 G>A in a total 86 participants. This result shows that genetic difference does not impact the COVID-19 infection severity among the Kurdish population regarding ACE2 gene polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Rifaat Muhammad
- Biology Department, College of Education, Salahaddin University, Erbil, Iraq
| | - G Obaid Othman
- Biology Department, College of Education, Salahaddin University, Erbil, Iraq
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COVID-19 Australia: Epidemiology Report 69 Reporting period ending 18 December 2022. Commun Dis Intell (2018) 2023; 47. [PMID: 36775808 DOI: 10.33321/cdi.2023.47.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
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- Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
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Kim C, Lee J, Cho Y, Oh J, Kang H, Lim TH, Ko BS. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on in-hospital mortality in the emergency department. Clin Exp Emerg Med 2023; 10:92-98. [PMID: 36652942 PMCID: PMC10090719 DOI: 10.15441/ceem.22.359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective The COVID-19 pandemic might have adversely affected outcomes of patients in emergency departments (EDs). The aim of study is to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on in-hospital mortality in an ED. Methods This study is a single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study. We compared the prognosis of patients admitted through the ED before the COVID-19 outbreak (November 2018 to June 2019) and after COVID-19 (November 2020 to June 2021). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether COVID-19 was independently associated with patient prognosis. Results The number of patients admitted through the ED before and after COVID-19 was 5,333 and 4,625, respectively. The mean ED length of stay before and after COVID-19 was 401 and 442 minutes, respectively (P<0.001). The number of in-hospital mortalities before and after COVID-19 was 269 (5.0%) and 322 (7.0%), respectively (P<0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the COVID-19 period was significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.67; P=0.002). Conclusion In the COVID-19 period, in-hospital mortality increased compared to that before COVID- 19 among hospitalized ED patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changgyun Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Juncheol Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yongil Cho
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jaehoon Oh
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyunggoo Kang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Tae Ho Lim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Byuk Sung Ko
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Singh B, Pandey P, Wabaidur SM, Avtar R, Kumar P, Rahman S. Substantial changes in Gaseous pollutants and health effects during COVID-19 in Delhi, India. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14489. [PMID: 36643637 PMCID: PMC9835704 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Coronavirus disease has affected the entire population worldwide in terms of physical and environmental consequences. Therefore, the current study demonstrates the changes in the concentration of gaseous pollutants and their health effects during the COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi, the national capital city of India. Methodology In the present study, secondary data on gaseous pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3), and ozone (O3) were collected from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on a daily basis. Data were collected from January 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020, to determine the relative changes (%) in gaseous pollutants for pre-lockdown, lockdown, and unlockdown stages of COVID-19. Results The current findings for gaseous pollutants reveal that concentration declined in the range of 51%-83% (NO), 40%-69% (NOx), 31%-60% (NO2), and 25%-40% (NH3) during the lockdown compared to pre-lockdown period, respectively. The drastic decrease in gaseous pollutants was observed due to restricted measures during lockdown periods. The level of ozone was observed to be higher during the lockdown periods as compared to the pre-lockdown period. These gaseous pollutants are linked between the health risk assessment and hazard identification for non-carcinogenic. However, in infants (0-1 yr), Health Quotient (HQ) for daily and annual groups was found to be higher than the rest of the exposed group (toddlers, children, and adults) in all the periods. Conclusion The air quality values for pre-lockdown were calculated to be "poor category to "very poor" category in all zones of Delhi, whereas, during the lockdown period, the air quality levels for all zones were calculated as "satisfactory," except for Northeast Delhi, which displayed the "moderate" category. The computed HQ for daily chronic exposure for each pollutant across the child and adult groups was more than 1 (HQ > 1), which indicated a high probability to induce adverse health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhupendra Singh
- Delhi School of Climate Change and Sustainability (Institute of Eminence), University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India,Deshbandhu College, Department of Environmental Science, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Puneeta Pandey
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Technology, Central University of Punjab Bathinda, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | | | - Ram Avtar
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Pramod Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Sri Aurobindo College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Shakilur Rahman
- Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
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Salehzadeh F, Pourfarzi F, Molatefi R, Davarnia B, Shahbazfar E, Ahmadabadi F. Immunogenic Potential of the Mediterranean Fever Gene in Patients with Coronavirus Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study. Iran J Med Sci 2023; 48:43-48. [PMID: 36688196 PMCID: PMC9843464 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.92802.2408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Background In December 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) became a pandemic and caused a global health crisis. This study evaluates the immunogenic potential of the Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene in patients with COVID-19. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2020 in various COVID-19 referral centers in Ardabil, Iran. Blood samples of 50 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 were evaluated for MEFV gene mutation using the amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) and Sanger sequencing. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 22.0. Results Mutations of the MEFV gene were found in 6 (12%) of the patients. All mutations were heterozygous, and no homozygous or compound heterozygous forms were detected. The total mutant allele frequency was 6% and the carrier rate was 12%. The most common allele of the MEFV variant was E148Q, detected in 3 (6%) patients. No mutant variant of the MEFV gene was detected in deceased patients. None of the mutation carriers had familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) symptoms or a family history of FMF. Conclusion MEFV gene mutations may have immunogenic potential in patients with COVID-19. A preprint version of this article has already been published at https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-69373/latest.pdf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhad Salehzadeh
- Department of Pediatric, Bouali Children’s Hospital, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Farhad Pourfarzi
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Rasool Molatefi
- Department of Pediatric, Bouali Children’s Hospital, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Behzad Davarnia
- Department of Genetic, School of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Ehsan Shahbazfar
- Department of Pediatric, Bouali Children’s Hospital, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Farzad Ahmadabadi
- Department of Pediatric, Bouali Children’s Hospital, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
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Feizi M, R. Isen D, Tavakoli M. Neuro-ophthalmic Manifestations of Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Its Vaccination: A Narrative Review. J Ophthalmic Vis Res 2023; 18:113-122. [PMID: 36937195 PMCID: PMC10020789 DOI: 10.18502/jovr.v18i1.12731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a current pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 that has vastly affected the whole world. Although respiratory disease is the most common manifestation of COVID-19, the virus can affect multiple organs. Neurotropic aspects of the virus are increasingly unfolding, in so far as some respiratory failures are attributed to brainstem involvement. The neuro-ophthalmic manifestations of COVID-19 and the neuro-ophthalmic side effects of vaccination were reviewed. The major findings are that the SARS-CoV-2 infection commonly causes headaches and ocular pain. It can affect the afferent and efferent visual pathways by ischemic or inflammatory mechanisms. Optic nerve may be the origin of transient or permanent visual loss from papillophlebitis, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, or optic neuritis. Cerebrovascular strokes are not uncommon and may lead to cortical visual impairment or optic nerve infarction. SARS-CoV-2 may affect the pupillomotor pathways, resulting in tonic pupil (Adie's syndrome) or Horner's syndrome. Cranial neuropathies including third, fourth, sixth, and seventh nerve palsies have all been reported. Rhino-orbital mucormycosis superinfections in COVID-19 patients receiving steroids or other immunosuppressive therapies may result in unilateral or bilateral visual loss and ophthalmoplegia. Autoimmune conditions such as Guillain-Barré, Miller-Fisher syndrome, and ocular myasthenia have been reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohadeseh Feizi
- Ophthalmic Research Center, Research Institute for Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Danielle R. Isen
- University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Mehdi Tavakoli
- University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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Chen W, Lin F, Zhao W, Yang B, Jia W. The influence of COVID-19 on the treatment of patients with acute ischemic stroke: a retrospective observational study. Folia Neuropathol 2023; 61:163-167. [PMID: 37587891 DOI: 10.5114/fn.2023.124565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Since December 2019, coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread to become a global pandemic, exerting a great pressure on medical staff worldwide. This study aimed to observe whether COVID-19 influenced the diagnosis and treatment of ischemic stroke (IS). MATERIAL AND METHODS This study retrospectively analysed the clinical data (number of emergencies, time from onset to treatment, and door-to-needle time [DNT]) of patients with acute IS (AIS) treated in our hospital within six months of the first case of COVID-19 reported in the city; the derived data were then compared with the situation of patients during the same period in 2019. RESULTS The results showed that the number of medical visits during the period of COVID-19 decreased by 44.3%, and the median time from the onset of IS to emergency treatment was 35 min longer than that during the same period in 2019. The median time from entering the emergency department to the completion of cranial computerized tomography was 8 min shorter than during the same period in 2019, and the median time of DNT was relatively shorter than that during the same period in 2019. CONCLUSIONS The pandemic situation of COVID-19 significantly reduced the number of patients with AIS and prolonged the travel time to the hospital whereas most of the stroke treatment services were maintained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Chen
- Department of Neurology, Shijingshan Teaching Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Shijingshan Hospital, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Fangju Lin
- Department of Neurology, Shijingshan Teaching Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Shijingshan Hospital, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Shijingshan Teaching Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Shijingshan Hospital, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Baoling Yang
- Department of Neurology, Shijingshan Teaching Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Shijingshan Hospital, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Weihua Jia
- Department of Neurology, Shijingshan Teaching Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Shijingshan Hospital, Beijing 100043, China
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Adzic Zecevic A, Vukovic D, Djurovic M, Lutovac Z, Zecevic K. Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome Associated with Coronavirus Infection: A Case Report. Iran J Med Sci 2023; 48:98-101. [PMID: 36688189 PMCID: PMC9843462 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.95007.2632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes ocular manifestations in approximately 11% of patients. Most patients typically develop ocular symptoms within 30 days of the onset of the first COVID-19 symptoms. The most common ocular manifestation is conjunctivitis, which affects nearly 89% of patients with eye problems. Other much less common anterior segment abnormalities caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are scleritis, episcleritis, and acute anterior uveitis. Posterior segment abnormalities caused by SARS-CoV-2 are mainly vascular, such as hemorrhages, cotton wool spots, dilated veins, and vasculitis. Herein, we report a rare manifestation of COVID-19 and multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) of the retina. In April 2021, a 40-year-old female patient was admitted to the Eye Clinic of Clinical Center of Montenegro (Podgorica, Montenegro). The patient's main complaint was sudden vision impairment, which occurred 14 days after a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result for SARS-CoV-2 infection. A complete eye examination was performed, followed by fundoscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography (FA) tests. The results showed retinal changes associated with MEWDS. The patient underwent additional examinations to rule out common causes of multifocal retinitis, all of which were unremarkable. Therefore, it was concluded that retinitis was a complication of COVID-19. Given its non-invasive nature, fundus examination should be used as a standard screening method for retinal changes in patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoaneta Adzic Zecevic
- Eye Clinic, Clinical Center of Montenegro and Medical Faculty, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro
| | | | - Maja Djurovic
- Eye Clinic, Clinical Center of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro
| | | | - Ksenija Zecevic
- School of Medicine, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro
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Sysiak-Sławecka J, Wichowska O, Piwowarczyk P, Borys M. The impact of bacterial superinfections on the outcome of critically ill patients with COVID-19 associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) - a single-centre, observational cohort study. Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther 2023; 55:163-167. [PMID: 37728443 PMCID: PMC10496093 DOI: 10.5114/ait.2023.130833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bacterial superinfections are common in severely ill COVID-19 patients and could be associated with a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. MATERIAL AND METHODS We assessed 29 critically ill patients treated in a university hospital's intensive care unit (ICU). Each patient required mechanical ventilation due to COVID-19-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Fifteen patients who required venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) support (ECMO group) were compared to a control group (CON group) of 14 individuals without ECMO. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of superinfection in both studied groups. Moreover, we evaluated mortality, length of stay in the ICU, positive culture results, antibiotics used during treatment, and the impact of immunomodulatory drugs on secondary infections. RESULTS We did not find a difference in the number of superinfections between the ECMO and CON groups (11 vs. 10, P = 1.0). The mortality rate was 67% in the ECMO group and 64% in the CON group ( P = 1.0). The patients in both groups had similar numbers of positive culture results and days in the ICU prior to the detection of a positive culture. Antibiotics were administered to ten patients in the ECMO and eight patients in the CON group. The mortality rate was 81% in patients with superinfection versus 25% in those without co-infection ( P = 0.009). We found a negative impact of urea concentration on mortality in our cohort, with an odds ratio of 0.942 (0.891-0.996, P = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that bacterial superinfection in COVID-19 patients negatively impacted survival in the ICU. VV-ECMO support in COVID-19 patients does not seem to improve the outcomes of patients with severe ARDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Sysiak-Sławecka
- II Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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Sanz-Muñoz I, López-Mongil R, Sánchez-Martínez J, Sánchez-de Prada L, González MDG, Pérez-SanJose D, Rojo-Rello S, Hernán-García C, Fernández-Espinilla V, de Lejarazu-Leonardo RO, Castrodeza-Sanz J, Eiros JM. Evolution of antibody profiles against SARS-CoV-2 in experienced and naïve vaccinated elderly people. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1128302. [PMID: 36911673 PMCID: PMC9992205 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1128302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is especially necessary in people over 65 years of age due to their lower immune response. Methods We designed a multicentre, prospective observational study including 98 people ≤65 years old who lived in two nursing homes in Valladolid, Spain. One of the groups had previous experience with SARS-CoV-2 (n=68;69.4%) and the other was naïve (n=30;30.6%). We evaluated the response to the three doses of the Comirnaty vaccine and the dynamics of antibodies during 5 consecutive serum samplings: 2 after the first two doses of vaccination, one three months after the first dose, another at 6 months and the last one month after the third dose. IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 S1, RBD and N antigens were analysed. Results Both groups increased the level of Abs against S1 and RBD, but the experienced group showed a 130-fold higher humoral response due to hybrid immunisation (infection+vaccination). The response to vaccination with Comirnaty against COVID-19 was higher in those ≤65 years with previous experience than those who were naïve. However, the amount of antibodies against S1 and RBD equalised at 6 months. After the third dose, both groups raised the amount of antibodies to a similar level. The reinfections suggested by the analysis of antibodies against N were frequent in both groups. Discussion The third dose showed a clear benefit for elderly people, with the reinforcement of the antibody levels after the decline suffered after six months of the first two doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Sanz-Muñoz
- National Influenza Centre, Edificio Rondilla, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Instituto de Estudios de Ciencias de la Salud de Castilla y León, (ICSCYL), Soria, Spain
| | | | - Javier Sánchez-Martínez
- National Influenza Centre, Edificio Rondilla, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Instituto de Estudios de Ciencias de la Salud de Castilla y León, (ICSCYL), Soria, Spain
| | - Laura Sánchez-de Prada
- National Influenza Centre, Edificio Rondilla, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Marta Domínguez-Gil González
- National Influenza Centre, Edificio Rondilla, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Microbiology Unit, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Diana Pérez-SanJose
- National Influenza Centre, Edificio Rondilla, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Silvia Rojo-Rello
- National Influenza Centre, Edificio Rondilla, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Microbiology Unit, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Cristina Hernán-García
- National Influenza Centre, Edificio Rondilla, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Preventive Medicine and Public Health Unit, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Virginia Fernández-Espinilla
- National Influenza Centre, Edificio Rondilla, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Preventive Medicine and Public Health Unit, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | | | - Javier Castrodeza-Sanz
- National Influenza Centre, Edificio Rondilla, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Preventive Medicine and Public Health Unit, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - José María Eiros
- National Influenza Centre, Edificio Rondilla, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Microbiology Unit, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Microbiology Unit, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
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47
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Damirchi M, Aghaie M, Sedighi S, Tavassoli S, Roshandel G, Hassani M, Abdolahi N. The Role of Immunosuppression in the Development of COVID-19 in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients: A Brief Report. Iran J Med Sci 2023; 48:91-97. [PMID: 36688192 PMCID: PMC9843453 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.94402.2565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Recently, due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, much concern has been raised about patients with chronic diseases who may become more susceptible to the disease. The present cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the clinical course of COVID-19 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In addition, a possible correlation between the immunosuppression state and the incidence of COVID-19 is investigated. In May 2020, 500 SLE patients registered in the database of Golestan Rheumatology Research Center (Golestan province, Iran) were selected for this cross-sectional study. Using a questionnaire, patients were contacted by telephone to collect data including demographic characteristics, disease status, drug use, and new clinical symptoms. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24.0. Of the 500 selected patients, 355 responded to the phone calls and subsequently enrolled in the study. Among the enrolled patients, 25 were classified as COVID-19 positive, including eight hospitalized patients, of which two required intensive care and subsequently died. COVID-19 incidence was significantly lower in the immunosuppressed patients (2.2% vs. 10%, P=0.01). There was no significant correlation between hydroxychloroquine consumption and the incidence of COVID-19 in SLE patients. Fever, fatigue, dyspnea, and dry cough were the most common clinical symptoms. Our results showed that COVID-19 incidence was lower in immunosuppressed than the non-immunosuppressed SLE patients. Further studies are required to substantiate the role of immunosuppression in the development of COVID-19. A preprint version of this study was published at https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-78704/v1 with doi: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-78704/v1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadrafi Damirchi
- Golestan Rheumatology Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Aghaie
- Golestan Rheumatology Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Sima Sedighi
- Golestan Rheumatology Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Samaneh Tavassoli
- Golestan Rheumatology Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Roshandel
- Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Mohammadjavad Hassani
- Golestan Rheumatology Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Nafiseh Abdolahi
- Golestan Rheumatology Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
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48
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Mahdavi Anari SR, Kheirkhah B, Amini K, Roozafzai F. Expression of MicroRNA-155 in Patients with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Coronavirus Disease 2019, or Both: A Cross-Sectional Study. Iran J Med Sci 2023; 48:26-34. [PMID: 36688191 PMCID: PMC9843467 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.91669.2282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Background Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is the eleventh leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of NHL. Up to winter 2021-2022, the death toll caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has exceeded 5.6 million worldwide. Possible molecular mechanisms involved in the systemic inflammation, and cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients are still not fully understood. MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) plays a role in the post-transcriptional gene regulation of hematopoiesis, oncogenesis, and inflammation. The present study aimed to evaluate the expression of miR-155 in patients with DLBCL and/or COVID-19. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to December 2020 in Tehran (Iran) to evaluate the expression of miR-155 in adult patients diagnosed with DLBCL and/or COVID-19. The real-time polymerase chain reaction technique was used to evaluate the expression of miR-155 in the sera of 92 adults who were either healthy or suffering from DLBCL and/or COVID-19. Relative quantification of gene expression was calculated in terms of cycle threshold (Ct) value. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The expression of miR-155 was not associated with the sex or age of the participants. In comparison with healthy individuals (-ΔCt -1.92±0.25), the expression of miR-155 increased in patients with COVID-19 (1.95±0.14), DLBCL (2.25±0.16), or both (4.33±0.65). Conclusion The expression of miR-155 increased in patients with DLBCL and/or COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Babak Kheirkhah
- Department of Biology, Sirjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sirjan, Iran,
Department of Microbiology, Kerman Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran
| | - Kumarss Amini
- Department of Microbiology, Saveh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, Iran
| | - Farzin Roozafzai
- Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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49
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Banaei M, Kariman N, Sharif Nia H, Mokhtarian-Gilani T. The role of the Coronavirus pandemic on childbearing intentions in Iranian women based on path analysis: A cross-sectional study. Int J Reprod Biomed 2023; 21:43-52. [PMID: 36875500 PMCID: PMC9982325 DOI: 10.18502/ijrm.v21i1.12665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) may lead to couples not being physically and mentally ready to assume a parenting role. Objective Given the changes in reproductive behaviors and the lack of accurate information about childbearing factors during the Coronavirus pandemic, this study was conducted to investigate the role of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iranian couples' childbearing intentions based on the theory of planned behavior model. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 married Iranian women from July to October 2020 using official online popular social networks. Data were collected using a demographic checklist and the researcher-made questionnaire, which was designed based on the main constructs of the planned behavior model. Results Testing the indirect relationships of the mediation model effect showed a positive relationship between knowledge (β = 0.226, p < 0.001) and subjective norms (β = 0.155, p = 0.001) about COVID-19. Anxiety about COVID-19 mediated the relationship of knowledge (β = 0.105, p = 0.009), attitude (β = -0.125, p = 0.002), subjective norms (β = 0.238, p < 0.001), and perceived behavioral control (β = 0.513, p < 0.001) about COVID-19 with childbearing intentions. Conclusion The results showed that COVID-19-induced anxiety can affect the relationship between the components of the theory of planned behavior model and childbearing intentions. Therefore, it is suggested that by designing appropriate interventions through anxiety-reducing and relaxation techniques, a fundamental step can be taken in increasing childbearing desires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojdeh Banaei
- Mother and Child Welfare Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Nourossadat Kariman
- Midwifery and Reproductive Health Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Sharif Nia
- Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Center, Addiction Institute, Amol Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Tahereh Mokhtarian-Gilani
- Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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50
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Saracoglu A, Saracoglu KT, Sorbello M, Çakmak G, Greif R. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on videolaryngoscopy: a cross-sectional before-and-after survey. Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther 2023; 55:93-102. [PMID: 37587879 PMCID: PMC10415602 DOI: 10.5114/ait.2023.129278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Guidelines and consensus statements recommend the use of videola-ryngoscopes (VLs) in airway management of patients with COVID-19. However, there is a lack of knowledge about which types of videolaryngoscopes are used, differences of use between countries, and how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their use. The primary aim of this before-and-after cross-sectional survey study was to assess the frequency of the use of videolaryngoscopy in the operation theatres in different countries. Also, the preferred characteristics of videolaryngoscopes were assessed. METHODS With Ethics Committee approval, a questionnaire was distributed among anaes-thesiologists through the European Airway Management Society's network in 2019 before and in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses to the questions were analysed and presented as descriptive statistics. RESULTS We reached out to 791 anaesthesiologists; 155 (19.5%) returned the first questionnaire, and 91 (11.5%) returned the second survey. Videolaryngoscopes were used in 24.1% of cases before COVID-19 and in 43.1% after the pandemic ( P < 0.001). We revealed that the availability of videolaryngoscopes increased to 100% in all centres during the pandemic. Routine use of videolaryngoscopes in all cases increased from 12.5% to 38.9%. The type of videolaryngoscope and the blade preference did not change during this period ( P = 1.000). CONCLUSIONS This survey reflects that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the availability and use of videolaryngoscopes in operating theatres, and that more anaesthesiologists now use them routinely in all cases. The preferred type of VL or blade did not change during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayten Saracoglu
- Department of Anaesthesiology, ICU & Perioperative Medicine, Aisha Bint Hamad Al Attiyah Hospital, HMC, Doha, Qatar
- School of Medicine, Qatar University Doha, Qatar
| | - Kemal Tolga Saracoglu
- School of Medicine, Qatar University Doha, Qatar
- Department of Anaesthesiology, ICU & Perioperative Medicine, Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital HMC, Doha, Qatar
| | - Massimiliano Sorbello
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, AOU Policlinico San Marco Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Gül Çakmak
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Robert Greif
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
- School of Medicine, Sigmund Freud University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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