Epidemiology and organ specific sequelae of post-acute COVID19: A narrative review

How Are Brain Fog Symptoms Related to Diet, Sleep, Mood and Gastrointestinal Health? A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objectives: Brain fog, characterized by cognitive difficulties such as memory impairment, lack of focus, and mental fatigue, is a common symptom reported during recovery from COVID-19, particularly in long COVID cases. This study explores potential triggers such as sleep quality, mood, and gastrointestinal health and examines the link between adherence to the MIND diet and brain fog severity. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 1 July and 15 December 2022. The questionnaire assessed brain fog symptoms, dietary habits, sleep quality, mood, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Linear regression analysis examined the relationships between brain fog symptoms, demographic factors, sleep quality, MIND diet adherence, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Results: Brain Fog Scale (BFS) scores were significantly higher in individuals who had COVID-19 (p < 0.05) and even higher in those with reinfection. Women had higher BFS and Brain Fog Severity Score (BFSS), MIND Diet, The Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), Brief Mood Introspection Scale (BMIS) Pleasant-Unpleasant scores (p < 0.05). BFS and BFSS were positively correlated with GSRS (p < 0.05), while no correlation was found with MIND diet adherence. A negative correlation was observed between BFS and Sleep Quality Scale (SQS) (p < 0.05), but this was not significant in regression (p = 0.367). GSRS, Pleasant-Unpleasant Dimension, and Arousal-Calm Dimension were significant predictors of BFS (R = 0.599, R2 = 0.358, p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study identifies being female as a risk factor for brain fog symptoms, with women reporting higher BFS and BFSS scores. While sleep quality showed a negative correlation with brain fog symptoms, this relationship was not significant in the regression model, suggesting that other factors, such as mood and gastrointestinal symptoms, may play a more dominant role. However, adherence to the MIND diet showed no significant relationship with brain fog symptoms. These findings suggest that addressing mood and gastrointestinal health may be key to managing brain fog in long COVID.

Prevalent symptoms and characteristics of the Long COVID-19 population: a scoping review

to map the scientific literature on the clinical and demographic characteristics of Long COVID-19.

this is a scoping review based on the principles recommended by the JBI and the PRISMA guidelines for data extraction, carried out on four databases. The PCC strategy was used for data collection, and the results were described and diagrammed. The studies were selected after removing duplicates, individual and peer review.

an analysis of the 13 articles selected showed that Long COVID affects all age groups and people of both sexes, presenting a multiplicity of symptoms, such as fatigue (61.5%), dyspnea (46.1%), changes in smell and/or taste (38.6%), anxiety (15.3%) and cognitive impairment (30.7%). Females were found to be at increased risk of developing Long COVID.

identifying the symptoms prevalent in Long COVID contributes to public health strategies for diagnosing and assisting people affected by the disease. Future studies are recommended on the approach to the persistence of symptoms in Long COVID and the relationship between adherence to the vaccination schedule against COVID-19, gender, race/ethnicity, degree of susceptibility in the different age groups, level of education and income, as well as the most recurrent comorbidities in the population.

BACKGROUND

(1) It was found that Long COVID affects all age groups of both sexes. (2) Most common symptoms: fatigue, dyspnea and altered sense of smell and/or taste. (3) Risk factors: female gender, COVID-19 severity and comorbidities.

COVID-19 pulmonary phenotypes and longitudinal patterns in the first wave of the pandemic

BACKGROUND

The long-term evolution of COVID-19 in patients hospitalized during the pandemic's first wave remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to identify COVID-19 pulmonary phenotypes and their longitudinal patterns over a 12-month follow-up.

METHODS

COVID-19 patients discharged from Pisa University Hospital (Italy) between March-September 2020, were evaluated at T3, T12, and T24 months post-discharge. Assessments included spirometry, lung volumes, DLCO, and chest CT for those with persistent pneumonia signs (PS). Latent transition analysis (LTA) identified COVID-19 phenotypes and longitudinal patterns based on PS and lung function (PFTs). Risk factors for these patterns were evaluated using multinomial logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of 307 discharged patients, 175, 136, and 33 were followed-up at T3, T12, and T24, respectively. At T12, 21.6 % had impaired DLCO, 4.4 % a restrictive ventilatory pattern, and 31,6 % still had PS, persisting until T24. LTA identified three cross-sectional phenotypes at both T3 and T12 (no PS with normal PFTs; PS with normal PFTs; PS with impaired PFTs), and four longitudinal patterns from T3 to T12: persistence of no PS with normal PFTs (47.9 %); resolution of both PS and PFTs (15.4 %); persistent PS (36.7 %), either with (11 %) or without (25.7 %) impaired PFTs. The last two patterns correlated significantly with longer hospitalization, more comorbidities, and severe COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

In our cohort of COVID-19 patients hospitalized during the pandemic's first wave, we observed distinct pulmonary phenotypes and longitudinal recovery patterns. More comorbidities and severe acute disease correlated with worse progression up to 24 months, suggesting long-term monitoring for such patients.

State of Knowledge About Thyroid Cancers in the Era of COVID-19-A Narrative Review

Thyroid cancer (TC), due to its heterogeneous nature, remains a clinical challenge. Many factors can initiate the carcinogenesis process of various types of TC, which complicates diagnosis and treatment. The presented review gathers current information on specific types of TC, taking into account the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is likely that COVID-19 has influenced and continues to influence the function of the thyroid gland. A high percentage of patients with COVID-19 showing simultaneous pathological changes in the thyroid suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may disrupt the function of this gland and initiate pro-oxidative mechanisms, inflammatory states, and autoimmune diseases, thereby promoting the formation of neoplastic changes. Furthermore, changes in the expression of the ACE2, TMPRSS2, CLEC4M and DPP4 genes, observed in TC, also occur in COVID-19. Therefore, it is probable that the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with thyroid cell receptors may initiate carcinogenesis in this gland. Additionally, some drugs used in TC therapy (e.g., levothyroxine) may increase the affinity of SARS-CoV-2 for cells, which could contribute to a more severe course of COVID-19 and the emergence of long-term symptoms (post-COVID-19). Moreover, the consequences of sanitary restrictions (limited access to medical services, reduction in endocrinological and oncological procedures) that took place in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic may lead in the future to an increased number of missed diagnoses and the emergence of aggressive cancers.

Long-term Health Implications of Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Prospective Study on Post-coronavirus Disease 2019 Symptoms

CONTEXT

Patients recovering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection continue to have some persistent symptoms or develop new symptoms, resulting in impairment of everyday activities beyond the initial acute period. The current study was undertaken to understand the long term health implications of covid 19 and to analyse the correlation of post covid symptoms with the severity of infection and inflammatory markers at the time of hospitalisation.

AIMS

(1) To estimate the prevalence of post covid symptoms at the end of 1 month,3 months and 12 months after discharge, (2) To correlate post covid symptoms with the severity of infection and inflammatory markers at the time of hospitalisation.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

The study design was a cross-sectional study.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A prospective observational study was done on 150 COVID-19 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-positive patients aged 18 years and above recovering from acute infection discharged from Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre. All the patients were followed up for 1 year, during which telephonic interviews were conducted, and a systematic enquiry was made regarding post-COVID-19 symptoms.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED

Data were entered in MS Excel and analyzed in SPSS V25. Descriptive statistics are represented with percentages, mean with standard deviation, or median with interquartile range depending on the nature of the data. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied to find normality. The Chi-square test, Independent t-test, or Mann-Whitney U-test were calculated depending on normality; P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 150 COVID-19-positive patients discharged from the hospital were included in the study. Sixty-seven percent of patients had symptoms at 1 month, 39% at 3 months, and 31% of patients persisted to have symptoms at 1 year. The most common symptoms at 1 year were fatigue (5%), breathlessness (5%), and insomnia (5%). No statistically significant correlation was found with the severity of infection, inflammatory markers, and other variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately one-third of patients who recover from acute COVID-19 infection may continue to have post-COVID-19 symptoms at 1 year after infection. Fatigue is the most common post-COVID-19 symptom. Post-COVID-19 symptoms can affect COVID-19 survivors regardless of the severity of the infection.

Follow-Up of Cardiopulmonary Responses Using Submaximal Exercise Test in Older Adults with Post-COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Data on cardiopulmonary fitness in older adults in the longer term after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are of interest as the time required for the full recovery of physical fitness after COVID-19 remains unclear. Some studies have reported that patients do not recover physical fitness for up to 6 or 12 months after COVID-19, whereas other studies have observed full recovery after 12-months. Therefore, this study evaluated and compared the cardiopulmonary responses induced by the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and 1-minute sit-to-stand-test (1-min-STST) results at 3, 6, and 12 months in older adults with and without COVID-19.

METHODS

This study included 59 older adults aged ≥60 with and without a history of COVID-19. The cardiopulmonary response parameters including heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse oxygen saturation (O2 sat), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and leg fatigue were evaluated in the participants after 6MWT and 1-min-STST assessments.

RESULTS

Post-COVID-19, older adults showed statistically significant differences in HR, SBP, DBP, O2 sat, RPE, leg fatigue, 6MWT time, and 1-min-STST step numbers at 3, 6, and 12 months (p<0.001). Moreover, older adults showed statistically significant differences in HR, SBP, DBP, RPE, leg fatigue, O2 sat, and 6MWT distance at 3 months post-COVID-19 compared with those in older adults without COVID-19 (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

While older adults showed recovery of cardiopulmonary response parameters according to 6MWT and 1-min-STST findings at the 12-month follow-up post-COVID-19, these results of these measurements did not return to the values observed in older adults without COVID-19.

Rasmussen’s aneurysm: A rare fatal complication in a patient of post-COVID-19 pneumonia with invasive aspergillosis

Post-COVID-19 infections present with diverse manifestations, and cavitary lesions, including Rasmussen’s aneurysm, can occur, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. We present a case study of a 62-year-old post-COVID-19 patient with cavitary consolidation and Rasmussen’s aneurysm due to invasive Aspergillus infection. Despite antifungal treatment, the patient experienced massive hemoptysis, leading to circulatory collapse and an unfortunate outcome. Pulmonary manifestations post-COVID-19 are varied, including lung fibrosis, vascular diseases, and secondary infections. Cavitary lesions, although infrequent, can lead to complications such as Rasmussen’s aneurysm, emphasizing the need for early diagnosis and prophylactic management to prevent life-threatening episodes of hemoptysis. This case highlights the importance of recognizing cavitary and cystic air spaces in post-COVID-19 pneumonia and the potential catastrophic consequences of delayed diagnosis.

Magnetic resonance imaging screening for osteonecrosis of the femoral head after coronavirus disease 2019

OBJECTIVES

Systemic steroid administration has been suggested for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the occurrence of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) was one of the concerns for this treatment. This study aimed to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess the incidence of ONFH after the treatment for COVID-19.

METHODS

The study included 41 patients who were hospitalized and treated for pneumonia or other COVID-19-induced diseases. We conducted interviews with these patients regarding hip pain and performed MRI screenings for ONFH. The incidence and timing of ONFH after COVID-19 treatment were investigated.

RESULTS

Of the 41 patients, one died of pneumonia and the remaining patients did not complain of hip pain. MRI screening was performed for 26 patients, and asymptomatic ONFH was detected in one patient (3.8%) whose ONFH appeared 1 month after the COVID-19 infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Our MRI screening of ONFH in post-COVID-19 patients revealed asymptomatic ONFH, which would not have been identified without active screening. Physicians should be aware that ONFH may occur in patients after treating COVID-19.

The concentration of phthalates in drinking water in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PAE and PC polymers, such as BPA, are utilized to make water bottles. Due to the lack of polymer-chemical interaction, PAE can enter drinking bottles during production, wrapping, and keeping. Phthalates can transfer from the bottle to the water depending on keeping conditions (temperature, time, sunlight intensity), pH, and bottle capacity. Since there haven't been previous studies published on the subject, the aim of this meta-analysis and systematic review research is to determine the level of phthalates in drinking water consumed in Iranian cities. Web of Science, Science of Direct, Scopus, and PubMed, databases have been used in this study. Eight studies were selected from 556 initial publications after screening for duplication and irrelevant information. Articles from January 1, 2000, to February 10, 2024, were found in the mentioned databases. Among the types of phthalates, the concentration of DEHP was reported higher than the others Because its concentration has been reported in seven out of eight studies. The highest concentration of DEHP was reported by Mehraie(2.22 µg/l), Zare Jeddi (0.8 µg/l), Yousefi (0.77 µg/l), Abtahi (0.76 µg/l), Zare Jeddi (0.42 µg/l), Abdolahnejad(0.15 µg/l), and Pourzamani (0.08 µg/l). The highest concentration of DEP, DBP, BBP, and PA was reported by Abtahi (0.77 µg/l) and Esteki (2.25 µg/l), Mehraie(0.93 µg/l), and Pourzamani (0.83 µg/l). The results of this study showed that the most important phthalates measured in drinking water include DEP, DEHP, DBP, BBP, and PA. According to the results of the present studies, the most important factor in the increase of phthalates is the storage conditions of drinking water (temperature, sunlight, and the type of pipe or bottle).

Investigating the fluctuating nature of post-COVID pain symptoms in previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: the LONG-COVID-EXP multicenter study

Objective

This cohort study used Sankey plots and exponential bar plots for visualizing the fluctuating nature and trajectory of post-COVID pain in previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors.

Methods

A cohort of 1266 subjects hospitalised because of COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic were scheduled for a telephone interview at 8.4 (T1), 13.2 (T2), and 18.3 (T3) months in average after hospitalization for collecting data about post-COVID pain. Patients were asked for about pain symptomatology that was attributed to the infection. Hospitalization and clinical data were collected from medical records.

Results

The prevalence of myalgia as COVID-19-associated symptom was 29.82% (n = 389) at hospitalization (T0). The prevalence of post-COVID pain was 41.07% (n = 520) at T1, 34.29% (n = 434) at T2, and 28.47% (n = 360) at T3. The recovery exponential curve revealed a decrease trend visualizing that post-COVID pain improved over the time span investigated. Pain in the lower extremity and widespread pain were the most prevalent locations. Female sex (OR 1.507, 95% CI 1.047-2.169), pre-existing pain symptoms (OR 1.724, 95% CI 1.237-2.403), headache as onset-symptom (OR 2.374, 95% CI 1.550-3.639), days at hospital (OR 1.012, 95% CI 1.000-1.025), and presence of post-COVID pain at T1 (OR 13.243, 95% CI 9.428-18.601) were associated with post-COVID pain at T2. Only the presence of post-COVID pain at T1 (OR 5.383, 95% CI 3.896-7.439) was associated with post-COVID pain at T3.

Conclusion

Current results show a fluctuating evolution with a decreasing tendency of post-COVID pain during the first years after hospitalization. The development of post-COVID pain soon after SARS-CoV-2 infection predispose for long-lasting chronic pain.

Comparison of cardiorespiratory parameters between 6-minute walk test and 1-minute sit to stand test in young adults with post-COVID-19: follow-up 3 months

Background

The investigation of cardiorespiratory fitness in young adults post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is interesting because this information may help in understanding cardiorespiratory function in these populations. Moreover, it helps to know that these impairments possibly interfere with study, learning, and the activities of daily life in young adults post-COVID-19. This study aims to investigate and compare the cardiorespiratory parameters between 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and 1-minute sit-to-stand test (1-min-STST) in healthy young adults and post-COVID-19 and at a 3-month follow-up.

Methods

Forty-six young adults were recruited and divided into two groups including healthy young adults in one group (n=23) and post-COVID-19 patients in the other group (n=23). The young adults were assessed for cardiorespiratory parameters including heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and leg fatigue before and after performing a 6MWT and a 1-min STST at baseline and the 3-month follow-up. Test sequences were randomly assigned using the website randomizer.org.

Results

Post-COVID-19 had significantly decreased post-HR, post-SBP, post-SpO2, post-RPE, post-leg fatigue, and increased the distance of 6MWT, and number of steps of 1-min-STST when compared with the baseline (P<0.05). However, all parameters of cardiorespiratory could recover and return to the values of healthy young adults by the follow-up at 3 months.

Conclusions

Post-COVID-19 who recovered from mild-COVID-19 for about 6 months recovered their cardiorespiratory parameters to the values of healthy young adults.

From Detection to Protection: Antibodies and Their Crucial Role in Diagnosing and Combatting SARS-CoV-2

Understanding the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is crucial to comprehending disease progression and the significance of vaccine and therapeutic development. The emergence of highly contagious variants poses a significant challenge to humoral immunity, underscoring the necessity of grasping the intricacies of specific antibodies. This review emphasizes the pivotal role of antibodies in shaping immune responses and their implications for diagnosing, preventing, and treating SARS-CoV-2 infection. It delves into the kinetics and characteristics of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 and explores current antibody-based diagnostics, discussing their strengths, clinical utility, and limitations. Furthermore, we underscore the therapeutic potential of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, discussing various antibody-based therapies such as monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, anti-cytokines, convalescent plasma, and hyperimmunoglobulin-based therapies. Moreover, we offer insights into antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, emphasizing the significance of neutralizing antibodies in order to confer immunity to SARS-CoV-2, along with emerging variants of concern (VOCs) and circulating Omicron subvariants. We also highlight challenges in the field, such as the risks of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and shed light on the challenges associated with the original antigenic sin (OAS) effect and long COVID. Overall, this review intends to provide valuable insights, which are crucial to advancing sensitive diagnostic tools, identifying efficient antibody-based therapeutics, and developing effective vaccines to combat the evolving threat of SARS-CoV-2 variants on a global scale.

Precision Phenotyping for Curating Research Cohorts of Patients with Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) as a Diagnosis of Exclusion

Scalable identification of patients with the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) is challenging due to a lack of reproducible precision phenotyping algorithms and the suboptimal accuracy, demographic biases, and underestimation of the PASC diagnosis code (ICD-10 U09.9). In a retrospective case-control study, we developed a precision phenotyping algorithm for identifying research cohorts of PASC patients, defined as a diagnosis of exclusion. We used longitudinal electronic health records (EHR) data from over 295 thousand patients from 14 hospitals and 20 community health centers in Massachusetts. The algorithm employs an attention mechanism to exclude sequelae that prior conditions can explain. We performed independent chart reviews to tune and validate our precision phenotyping algorithm. Our PASC phenotyping algorithm improves precision and prevalence estimation and reduces bias in identifying Long COVID patients compared to the U09.9 diagnosis code. Our algorithm identified a PASC research cohort of over 24 thousand patients (compared to about 6 thousand when using the U09.9 diagnosis code), with a 79.9 percent precision (compared to 77.8 percent from the U09.9 diagnosis code). Our estimated prevalence of PASC was 22.8 percent, which is close to the national estimates for the region. We also provide an in-depth analysis outlining the clinical attributes, encompassing identified lingering effects by organ, comorbidity profiles, and temporal differences in the risk of PASC. The PASC phenotyping method presented in this study boasts superior precision, accurately gauges the prevalence of PASC without underestimating it, and exhibits less bias in pinpointing Long COVID patients. The PASC cohort derived from our algorithm will serve as a springboard for delving into Long COVID's genetic, metabolomic, and clinical intricacies, surmounting the constraints of recent PASC cohort studies, which were hampered by their limited size and available outcome data.

Research progress of post-acute sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 infection

SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly worldwide and infected hundreds of millions of people worldwide. With the increasing number of COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals, the emergence of its associated complications, sequelae, has become a new global health crisis secondary to acute infection. For the time being, such complications and sequelae are collectively called "Post-acute sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC)", also referred to as "long COVID" syndrome. Similar to the acute infection period of COVID-19, there is also heterogeneity in PASC. This article reviews the various long-term complications and sequelae observed in multiple organ systems caused by COVID-19, pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment of PASC, aiming to raise awareness of PASC and optimize management strategies.

Ophthalmic Manifestations of COVID-19: A Retrospective Study on Prevalence, Characteristics, and Clinical Implications

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has had far-reaching implications beyond the respiratory system. Mounting evidence suggests that COVID-19 can impact various organ systems, including the eyes. This study aimed to elucidate the prevalence, characteristics, and clinical implications of ophthalmic manifestations in patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed data from electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, at a large tertiary academic medical center. Ophthalmic manifestations, including conjunctivitis, dry eye symptoms, ocular pain, epiphora, ocular redness, and visual disturbances, were identified and examined for their prevalence, onset, duration, and associations with COVID-19 severity and systemic symptoms.

RESULTS

Among 342 patients included in the study, 106 (31.0%) experienced at least one ophthalmic manifestation during their COVID-19 illness. Conjunctivitis was the most common manifestation in 62 patients (18.1%), followed by dry eye symptoms in 38 patients (11.1%), ocular pain/discomfort in 27 patients (7.9%), epiphora in 19 patients (5.6%), ocular redness in 14 patients (4.1%), and visual disturbances in nine patients (2.6%). Ophthalmic manifestations were significantly associated with severe COVID-19 illness (42.9% vs. 26.7%, p = 0.003) and the presence of systemic symptoms such as fever, cough, and dyspnea. The median time of onset was six days, and the median duration was 10 days.

CONCLUSIONS

Ophthalmic manifestations are prevalent in COVID-19 patients, particularly in those with severe illness and systemic symptoms. The study highlights the importance of recognizing and managing ocular symptoms in affected individuals and underscores the multifaceted nature of COVID-19, necessitating interdisciplinary collaboration for comprehensive patient care.

Advances in researches on long coronavirus disease in children: a narrative review

Background and Objective

In the context of the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), more than 700 million infections and millions of deaths have occurred in countries around the world. Currently, two main sequelae of this disease are considered to occur in children, namely, multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children and long COVID. Among these two, the incidence of long COVID is higher and its impact on the population is more extensive, which is the focus of us. However, due to the lack of relevant studies and the limitations of most studies, the studies on sequelae of COVID-19 infection lag behind those of adults, but they have begun to attract the attention of some clinicians and researchers. We aim to summarize the current knowledge of long COVID in children, helping pediatricians and researchers to better understand this disease and providing guidance on research and clinical treatment of it.

Methods

We reviewed all the studies on "long COVID", pediatric, children, adolescent, post-COVID syndrome in PubMed published after 2019.

Key Content and Findings

This review summarizes the latest researches on epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, prevention and treatment of long COVID in children. Based on the existing research data, we summarized and analyzed the characteristics of long COVID in children, discovering the means to decipher the diagnosis of COVID-19 in children and some potential therapeutic treatments.

Conclusions

We aim to summarize existing research on long COVID in children and help pediatricians and government agencies quickly understand the disease so that it can be used for clinical diagnosis, treatment and prevention in the population. In addition, providing a research basis for further researches on the cellular and even molecular level to explain the occurrence and development of diseases, and has a guiding role for future research direction.

Low handgrip strength is associated with worse functional outcomes in long COVID

The diagnosis of long COVID is troublesome, even when functional limitations are present. Dynapenia is the loss of muscle strength and power production that is not caused by neurologic or muscular diseases, being mostly associated with changes in neurologic function and/or the intrinsic force-generating properties of skeletal muscle, which altogether, may partially explain the limitations seen in long COVID. This study aimed to identify the distribution and possible associations of dynapenia with functional assessments in patients with long COVID. A total of 113 patients with COVID-19 were evaluated by functional assessment 120 days post-acute severe disease. Body composition, respiratory muscle strength, spirometry, six-minute walk test (6MWT, meters), and hand-grip strength (HGS, Kilogram-force) were assessed. Dynapenia was defined as HGS < 30 Kgf (men), and < 20 Kgf (women). Twenty-five (22%) participants were dynapenic, presenting lower muscle mass (p < 0.001), worse forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) (p = 0.0001), lower forced vital capacity (p < 0.001), and inspiratory (p = 0.007) and expiratory (p = 0.002) peek pressures, as well as worse 6MWT performance (p < 0.001). Dynapenia, independently of age, was associated with worse FEV1, maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and 6MWT, (p < 0.001) outcomes. Patients with dynapenia had higher intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates (p = 0.01) and need for invasive mechanical ventilation (p = 0.007) during hospitalization. The HGS is a simple, reliable, and low-cost measurement that can be performed in outpatient clinics in low- and middle-income countries. Thus, HGS may be used as a proxy indicator of functional impairment in this population.

Psychometric properties of the COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale: Post-Covid-19 syndrome in Iranian elderly population

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to assess the construct validity and reliability of the Iranian version of the COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale (C19-YRS) among the elderly population.

METHOD

A cohort of 230 elderly individuals who tested positive for Covid-19 via PCR were administered a health and demographic information questionnaire along with the C19-YRS. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted, and Cronbach's alpha was calculated.

RESULTS

Findings from the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the C19-YRS revealed alterations compared to the original version, resulting in an adapted version with three factors achieved by redistributing the questions. These factors accounted for 57.46% of the total variance. Despite a relatively lower factor loading in the 6th question, it was retained due to its significance among the elderly. The Cronbach's alpha for the C19-YRS subscales ranged from 0.730 to 0.890, indicating acceptable reliability.

CONCLUSION

The validation results indicated a well-adjusted factor structure and internal consistency, affirming the utility of this tool among the elderly population. Consequently, the C19-YRS in Iran can serve as a valuable resource in healthcare settings, aiding in the assessment of chronic complications arising from Covid-19 in the elderly. It can be utilized as an initial screening or triage test and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

Post-Viral Pain, Fatigue, and Sleep Disturbance Syndromes: Current Knowledge and Future Directions

Background

Post-viral pain syndrome, also known as post-viral syndrome, is a complex condition characterized by persistent pain, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, neuropathic pain, neurocognitive difficulties, and sleep disturbances that can occur after an individual has recovered from a viral infection.

Aims

This narrative review provides a summary of the sequelae of post-viral syndromes, viral agents that cause it, and the pathophysiology, treatment, and future considerations for research and targeted therapies.

Methods

Medline, PubMed, and Embase databases were used to search for studies on viruses associated with post-viral syndrome.

Conclusion

Much remains unknown regarding the pathophysiology of post-viral syndromes, and few studies have provided a comprehensive summary of the condition, agents that cause it, and successful treatment modalities. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to affect millions of people worldwide, the need for an understanding of the etiology of post-viral illness and how to help individuals cope with the sequalae is paramount.

A comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 review, Part 2: host extracellular to systemic effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection

COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, has caused significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The betacoronavirus continues to evolve with global health implications as we race to learn more to curb its transmission, evolution, and sequelae. The focus of this review, the second of a three-part series, is on the biological effects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on post-acute disease in the context of tissue and organ adaptations and damage. We highlight the current knowledge and describe how virological, animal, and clinical studies have shed light on the mechanisms driving the varied clinical diagnoses and observations of COVID-19 patients. Moreover, we describe how investigations into SARS-CoV-2 effects have informed the understanding of viral pathogenesis and provide innovative pathways for future research on the mechanisms of viral diseases.

Consistency of inconsistency in long-COVID-19 pain symptoms persistency: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Individuals recovering from acute COVID-19 episodes may continue to suffer from various ongoing symptoms, collectively referred to as Long-COVID. Long-term pain symptoms are amongst the most common and clinically significant symptoms to be reported for this post-COVID-19 syndrome.

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the proportions of persisting pain symptoms experienced by individuals past the acute phase of COVID-19 and to identify their associated functional consequences and inflammatory correlates.

METHODS

Two online databases were systematically searched from their inception until 31 March 2022. We searched primary research articles in English, which evaluated individuals after laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 acute phase resolution and specifically reported on pain symptoms and their inflammatory and/or functional outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 611 identified articles, 26 were included, used for data extraction, and assessed for their methodological quality and risk of bias by two independent reviewers. Pain symptoms were grouped under one of six major pain domains, serving as our primary co-outcomes. Proportional meta-analyses of pooled logit-transformed values of single proportions were performed using the random-effects-restricted maximum-likelihood model. An estimated 8%, 6%, 18%, 18%, 17%, and 12% of individuals continued to report the persistence of chest, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal joint, musculoskeletal muscle, general body, and nervous system-related pain symptoms, respectively, for up to one year after acute phase resolution of COVID-19. Considerable levels of heterogeneity were demonstrated across all results. Functional and quality-of-life impairments and some inflammatory biomarker elevations were associated with the persistence of long-COVID pain symptoms.

CONCLUSION

This study's findings suggest that although not well characterized, long-COVID pain symptoms are being experienced by non-negligible proportions of those recovering from acute COVID-19 episodes, thus highlighting the importance of future research efforts to focus on this aspect.

Blood microbial analyses reveal long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on patients who recovered from COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

Few symptoms persist for a long time after patients recover from COVID-19, called "long COVID". We explored the potential microbial risk factors for COVID-19 for a deeper understanding and assistance in the follow-up treatment of these sequelae.

METHODS

Microbiome re-annotation was performed using whole blood RNA-Seq data collected from recovered COVID-19 patients and healthy controls at multiple time points. Subsequently, a series of downstream analyses were conducted to reveal the microbial characteristics of patients who recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

RESULTS

The blood microbiome at 12 weeks post-infection was most evidently disturbed, including an increasing ratio of Bacillota/Bacteroidota and a higher microbial alpha diversity. In addition, a group of pathogenic microbes at 12 weeks post-infection were identified, including Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which were positively associated with host genes involved in immune regulatory and olfactory transduction pathways. Several microbes, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae were associated with infiltrating immune cells, such as M2 macrophages.

CONCLUSION

This study provides insights into the relationship between the blood microbiome and COVID-19 sequelae. Several pathogenic microbes were enriched in recovered COVID-19 patients and thus affected host genes participating in the immune and olfactory transduction pathways, which play critical roles in COVID-19 sequelae.

Long COVID and rehabilitation

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused tremendous morbidity and mortality worldwide. The large number of post-COVID survivors has drawn attention to the management of post-COVID condition, known as long COVID. This review examines current knowledge of long COVID, regarding its epidemiology, mechanism, and clinical presentations in both adults and children. We also review the rehabilitation principles, modules, and effects, and share Taiwan's efforts to provide a top-down, nationwide care framework for long COVID patients. Dyspnea, chronic cough, and fatigue are the most commonly reported symptoms in the first 6 months after infection, but cognitive impairment and psychological symptoms may persist beyond this time. Several possible mechanisms behind these symptoms were proposed, but remained unconfirmed. These symptoms negatively impact individuals' function, activities, participation and quality of life. Rehabilitation is a key element of management to achieve functional improvement. Early management should start with comprehensive evaluation and identification of red flags. Exercise-based therapy, an essential part of management of long COVID, can be conducted with different modules, including telerehabilitation. Post-exertional symptom exacerbation and orthostatic hypotension should be carefully monitored during exercise. Randomized control trials with a large sample size are needed to determine the optimal timing, dosage, and modules.

High level of psychological stress in COVID-19 recovered individuals: role of copeptin as a potential biomarker

Background

Study aimed to assess stress in COVID-19 recovered individuals using a validated questionnaire PSS-10 score and stress biomarkers - salivary cortisol and serum copeptin.

Methods

A total of 83 subjects of which 54 subjects (66.3%) who were hospitalized were recruited 8-20 weeks following recovery from COVID-19. Stress was assessed by PSS-10 stress-scale after a mean duration of 14.5 weeks after recovery. Sixty-eight subjects (81.9%) had new or persistent symptoms after recovery. Subjects were divided into two groups on the basis of PSS score; mild stress (PSS:0-13) and moderate to severe stress (PSS:>14) and levels of biomarkers (serum copeptin, DHEAS and salivary cortisol) were compared in the two groups.

Results

Forty-four subjects (53%) had moderate to severe stress and 39 subjects (47%) had mild stress. Subjects with post COVID symptoms had significantly higher stress levels as compared to subjects who were asymptomatic [15 vs. 9; p = 0.003]. Serum copeptin levels were significantly higher among subjects with moderate to severe stress as compared to those with mild stress [0.41 vs. 0.67 ng/mL; p = 0.031]. Subjects with moderate to severe stress had higher median salivary cortisol compared to subjects with mild stress [1.03 vs. 1.44 nmol/L; p = 0.448].

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated moderate to severe stress in over half and some level of stress in nearly all COVID recovered individuals even after 3 months. Serum copeptin was found to be a useful biomarker to objectively measure stress in these subjects.

Long COVID or Post-COVID-19 Condition: Past, Present and Future Research Directions

The presence of symptoms after an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection (long-COVID) has become a worldwide healthcare emergency but remains underestimated and undertreated due to a lack of recognition of the condition and knowledge of the underlying mechanisms. In fact, the prevalence of post-COVID symptoms ranges from 50% during the first months after the infection up to 20% two-years after. This perspective review aimed to map the existing literature on post-COVID symptoms and to identify gaps in the literature to guide the global effort toward an improved understanding of long-COVID and suggest future research directions. There is a plethora of symptomatology that can be due to COVID-19; however, today, there is no clear classification and definition of this condition, termed long-COVID or post-COVID-19 condition. The heterogeneity in the symptomatology has led to the presence of groups/clusters of patients, which could exhibit different risk factors and different mechanisms. Viral persistence, long-lasting inflammation, immune dysregulation, autoimmune reactions, reactivation of latent infections, endothelial dysfunction and alteration in gut microbiota have been proposed as potential mechanisms explaining the complexity of long-COVID. In such an equation, viral biology (e.g., re-infections, SARS-CoV-2 variants), host biology (e.g., genetics, epigenetics) and external factors (e.g., vaccination) should be also considered. These various factors will be discussed in the current perspective review and future directions suggested.

Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in solid organ transplant recipients

BACKGROUND

Post-acute sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (PASC), defined as prolonged symptoms following an episode of COVID-19, is not well-characterized in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR). In this study, we aimed to assess the prevalence of PASC in SOTR, its descriptive characteristics, and associated risk factors.

METHODS

We retrospectively identified SOTRs with acute COVID-19 between June 1, 2020 and April 15, 2022, and abstracted demographic and medical history, characteristics of acute COVID-19 illness, and COVID-19 vaccination status. We defined PASC as ongoing/new symptoms present at 6 weeks or longer following acute COVID-19 diagnosis.

RESULTS

Among 208 SOTRs with acute COVID-19, 72 (35%) developed PASC. Common symptoms were respiratory symptoms (67%), headache (40%), and difficulty concentrating (10%). Severe acute COVID-19 disease and presence of respiratory symptoms were associated with higher odds of PASC in multivariable analyses, while receipt of at least one COVID-19 vaccination prior to transplantation was protective.

CONCLUSION

We found that PASC occurs in about a third of SOTRs with acute COVID-19 and has similar symptoms as described previously in immunocompetent hosts. Pre-transplant vaccination may be protective. Further prospective multicenter studies are needed.

Mechanisms of long COVID: An updated review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been ongoing for more than 3 years, with an enormous impact on global health and economies. In some patients, symptoms and signs may remain after recovery from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, which cannot be explained by an alternate diagnosis; this condition has been defined as long COVID. Long COVID may exist in patients with both mild and severe disease and is prevalent after infection with different SARS-CoV-2 variants. The most common symptoms include fatigue, dyspnea, and other symptoms involving multiple organs. Vaccination results in lower rates of long COVID. To date, the mechanisms of long COVID remain unclear. In this narrative review, we summarized the clinical presentations and current evidence regarding the pathogenesis of long COVID.

Trajectory of post-COVID brain fog, memory loss, and concentration loss in previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: the LONG-COVID-EXP multicenter study

Objective

This study aimed to apply Sankey plots and exponential bar plots for visualizing the trajectory of post-COVID brain fog, memory loss, and concentration loss in a cohort of previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors.

Methods

A sample of 1,266 previously hospitalized patients due to COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic were assessed at 8.4 (T1), 13.2 (T2), and 18.3 (T3) months after hospital discharge. They were asked about the presence of the following self-reported cognitive symptoms: brain fog (defined as self-perception of sluggish or fuzzy thinking), memory loss (defined as self-perception of unusual forgetfulness), and concentration loss (defined as self-perception of not being able to maintain attention). We asked about symptoms that individuals had not experienced previously, and they attributed them to the acute infection. Clinical and hospitalization data were collected from hospital medical records.

Results

The Sankey plots revealed that the prevalence of post-COVID brain fog was 8.37% (n = 106) at T1, 4.7% (n = 60) at T2, and 5.1% (n = 65) at T3, whereas the prevalence of post-COVID memory loss was 14.9% (n = 189) at T1, 11.4% (n = 145) at T2, and 12.12% (n = 154) at T3. Finally, the prevalence of post-COVID concentration loss decreased from 6.86% (n = 87) at T1, to 4.78% (n = 60) at T2, and to 2.63% (n = 33) at T3. The recovery exponential curves show a decreasing trend, indicating that these post-COVID cognitive symptoms recovered in the following years after discharge. The regression models did not reveal any medical record data associated with post-COVID brain fog, memory loss, or concentration loss in the long term.

Conclusion

The use of Sankey plots shows a fluctuating evolution of post-COVID brain fog, memory loss, or concentration loss during the first years after the infection. In addition, exponential bar plots revealed a decrease in the prevalence of these symptoms during the first years after hospital discharge. No risk factors were identified in this cohort.

The long-term health outcomes, pathophysiological mechanisms and multidisciplinary management of long COVID

There have been hundreds of millions of cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). With the growing population of recovered patients, it is crucial to understand the long-term consequences of the disease and management strategies. Although COVID-19 was initially considered an acute respiratory illness, recent evidence suggests that manifestations including but not limited to those of the cardiovascular, respiratory, neuropsychiatric, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and musculoskeletal systems may persist long after the acute phase. These persistent manifestations, also referred to as long COVID, could impact all patients with COVID-19 across the full spectrum of illness severity. Herein, we comprehensively review the current literature on long COVID, highlighting its epidemiological understanding, the impact of vaccinations, organ-specific sequelae, pathophysiological mechanisms, and multidisciplinary management strategies. In addition, the impact of psychological and psychosomatic factors is also underscored. Despite these crucial findings on long COVID, the current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies based on previous experience and pilot studies remain inadequate, and well-designed clinical trials should be prioritized to validate existing hypotheses. Thus, we propose the primary challenges concerning biological knowledge gaps and efficient remedies as well as discuss the corresponding recommendations.

The incidence of adhesive capsulitis and COVID-19 pandemic effect

Background

There are multiple pieces of evidence in the literature that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a pronounced effect on physiological health. There is little existing literature that has studied the pandemic's impact on adhesive capsulitis (AC) incidence. This study aimed to compare the incidence of primary AC before and during the pandemic.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was done to establish the incidence of primary AC during the COVID-19 pandemic, from March 2020 to March 2021, the pandemic period, and from March 2019 to March 2020, the control period. During these periods, all patients diagnosed with primary AC were included. Patients were also categorized into three different treatment groups according to corticosteroid injection status (none, 1 injection, and 2 injections). The waiting time for the appointment was calculated as a possible confounding factor. Statistical analysis used the chi-square for categorical variables and the Student t test for continuous variables.

Results

There were 69 patients diagnosed with primary AC out of 704 new referrals during the pandemic. One year earlier, a total of 73 patients were diagnosed with primary AC out of 1148 new referrals. Representing a relative increase of 3.5% (P = .086) in the incidence of primary AC. No significant differences were found between the control and the pandemic groups in regard to the distribution of patients per treatment group (P = .13), age (P = .49), sex (P = .21), laterality (P = .54), diabetic disease (P = .45), and thyroid disease (P = .62).

Conclusion

There was a nonstatistically significant increase in the incidence of primary AC during the COVID-19 pandemic. No other significant differences were found. Further research is still needed to evaluate the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and AC.

Post-COVID-19 syndrome management: Utilizing the potential of dietary polysaccharides

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant global impact, resulting in long-term health effects for many individuals. As more patients recover, there is a growing need to identify effective management strategies for ongoing health concerns, such as post-COVID-19 syndrome, characterized by persistent symptoms or complications beyond several weeks or months from the onset of symptoms. In this review, we explore the potential of dietary polysaccharides as a promising approach to managing post-COVID-19 syndrome. We summarize the immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and prebiotic activities of dietary polysaccharides for the management of post-COVID-19 syndrome. Furthermore, the review investigates the role of polysaccharides in enhancing immune response, regulating immune function, improving oxidative stress, inhibiting virus binding to ACE2, balancing gut microbiota, and increasing functional metabolites. These properties of dietary polysaccharides may help alleviate COVID-19 symptoms, providing a promising avenue for effective treatment strategies.

Psychophysical therapy and underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms for the rehabilitation of long COVID-19

With the global epidemic and prevention of the COVID-19, long COVID-19 sequelae and its comprehensive prevention have attracted widespread attention. Long COVID-19 sequelae refer to that three months after acute COVID-19, the test of SARS-CoV-2 is negative, but some symptoms still exist, such as cough, prolonged dyspnea and fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitations and insomnia. Its pathological mechanism is related to direct viral damage, immunopathological response, endocrine and metabolism disorders. Although there are more effective methods for treating COVID-19, the treatment options available for patients with long COVID-19 remain quite limited. Psychophysical therapies, such as exercise, oxygen therapy, photobiomodulation, and meditation, have been attempted as treatment modalities for long COVID-19, which have the potential to promote recovery through immune regulation, antioxidant effects, and neuroendocrine regulation. Neuroendocrine regulation plays a significant role in repairing damage after viral infection, regulating immune homeostasis, and improving metabolic activity in patients with long COVID-19. This review uses oxytocin as an example to examine the neuroendocrine mechanisms involved in the psychophysical therapies of long COVID-19 syndrome and proposes a psychophysical strategy for the treatment of long COVID-19.

Long COVID and Wavering Incidence of Pulmonary Embolism: A Systematic Review

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a serious medical condition that can occur as a result of venous thromboembolism (VTE). COVID-19, also known as Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), can potentially lead to PE due to the formation of blood clots in the lungs. This study aims to collate and report trends of PE in patients with long COVID (4-12 weeks since infection) and post-COVID-19 syndrome (>12 weeks since infection). The study adhered to PRISMA Statement 2020 guidelines, and a systematic search was conducted in four databases. In total, nine observational studies were included with a total patient count of 45,825,187. The incidence of PE with long COVID/post-COVID-19 syndrome was seen among 31,885 individuals out of 44,967,887 participants. The incidence rate of PE was observed as 0.07%, given that the studies included matched controls. While we cannot state with certainty that COVID-19 infection in itself leads to higher risks of PE at a later time, this study emphasizes the need for optimized care and longitudinal studies during the COVID-19 era to account for deviations from the norm.

Interpretable machine-learning model for Predicting the Convalescent COVID-19 patients with pulmonary diffusing capacity impairment

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 patients in the convalescent stage noticeably have pulmonary diffusing capacity impairment (PDCI). The pulmonary diffusing capacity is a frequently-used indicator of the COVID-19 survivors' prognosis of pulmonary function, but the current studies focusing on prediction of the pulmonary diffusing capacity of these people are limited. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model for predicting PDCI in the COVID-19 patients using routinely available clinical data, thus assisting the clinical diagnosis.

METHODS

Collected from a follow-up study from August to September 2021 of 221 hospitalized survivors of COVID-19 18 months after discharge from Wuhan, including the demographic characteristics and clinical examination, the data in this study were randomly separated into a training (80%) data set and a validation (20%) data set. Six popular machine learning models were developed to predict the pulmonary diffusing capacity of patients infected with COVID-19 in the recovery stage. The performance indicators of the model included area under the curve (AUC), Accuracy, Recall, Precision, Positive Predictive Value(PPV), Negative Predictive Value (NPV) and F1. The model with the optimum performance was defined as the optimal model, which was further employed in the interpretability analysis. The MAHAKIL method was utilized to balance the data and optimize the balance of sample distribution, while the RFECV method for feature selection was utilized to select combined features more favorable to machine learning.

RESULTS

A total of 221 COVID-19 survivors were recruited in this study after discharge from hospitals in Wuhan. Of these participants, 117 (52.94%) were female, with a median age of 58.2 years (standard deviation (SD) = 12). After feature selection, 31 of the 37 clinical factors were finally selected for use in constructing the model. Among the six tested ML models, the best performance was accomplished in the XGBoost model, with an AUC of 0.755 and an accuracy of 78.01% after experimental verification. The SHAPELY Additive explanations (SHAP) summary analysis exhibited that hemoglobin (Hb), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), severity of illness, platelet (PLT), Uric Acid (UA) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were the top six most important factors affecting the XGBoost model decision-making.

CONCLUSION

The XGBoost model reported here showed a good prognostic prediction ability for PDCI of COVID-19 survivors during the recovery period. Among the interpretation methods based on the importance of SHAP values, Hb and MVV contributed the most to the prediction of PDCI outcomes of COVID-19 survivors in the recovery period.

Efficacy and Safety of Vaccinations in Geriatric Patients: A Literature Review

With the progressive lengthening of the average age of the population, especially in some countries such as Italy, vaccination of the elderly is a fixed point on which most of the public health efforts are concentrating as epidemic infectious diseases, especially those of the winter, have a major impact on the progression of severe disease, hospitalization, and death. The protection of the elderly against acute infectious diseases should not only limit mortality but also have a positive impact on the fragility of these people in terms of less disability and fewer care needs. However, vaccination of the elderly population differs in efficacy and safety compared to that of other population categories since aging and the consequent loss of efficiency of the immune system lead to a reduction in the immunogenicity of vaccines without achieving a lasting antibody coverage. There are various strategies to avoid the failure of immunization by vaccines such as resorting to supplementary doses with adjuvant vaccines, increasing the dosage of the antigen used, or choosing to inoculate the serum relying on various routes of administration of the vaccine. Vaccination in the elderly is also an important factor in light of growing antibiotic resistance because it can indirectly contribute to combating antibiotic resistance, reducing theoretically the use of those agents. Furthermore, vaccination in old age reduces mortality from infectious diseases preventable with vaccines and reduces the same rate of resistance to antibiotics. Given the importance and complexity of the topic, in this review, we will deal with the main aspects of vaccination in the elderly and how it can influence mortality and healthcare costs, especially in those countries where population aging is more evident. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed to identify all types of studies published up to 31 May 2023 that examined the association between vaccination and the elderly. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted by two reviewers (PC and TC) who independently extracted the following data and assessed the quality of each study.

[S1 guidelines for the management of postviral conditions using the example of post-COVID-19]

These S1 guidelines are an updated and expanded version of the S1 guidelines on long COVID differential diagnostic and management strategies. They summarize the state of knowledge on postviral conditions like long/post COVID at the time of writing. Due to the dynamic nature of knowledge development, they are intended to be "living guidelines". The focus is on practical applicability at the level of primary care, which is understood to be the appropriate place for initial access and for primary care and treatment. The guidelines provide recommendations on the course of treatment, differential diagnostics of the most common symptoms that can result from infections like with SARS-CoV-2, treatment options, patient management and care, reintegration and rehabilitation. The guidelines have been developed through an interdisciplinary and interprofessional process and provide recommendations on interfaces and possibilities for collaboration.

The landscape of abnormal pathway activation confers COVID-19 patients' molecular sequelae earlier than clinical phenotype

Rationale: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic poses a significant threat to human health. After SARS-CoV-2 infection, major clinical concerns are organ damage and possible sequelae. Methods: In this study, we analyzed serum multi-omics data based on population-level, including healthy cohort, non-COVID-19 and COVID-19 covered different severity cohorts. We applied the pseudo-SpatioTemporal Consistency Alignment (pST-CA) strategy to correct for individualized disease course differences, and developed pseudo-deterioration timeline model and pseudo-recovery timeline model based on the "severe index" and "course index". Further, we comprehensively analyzed and discussed the dynamic damage signaling in COVID-19 deterioration and/or recovery, as well as the potential risk of sequelae. Results: The deterioration and course models based on the pST-CA strategy can effectively map the activation of blood molecular signals on cellular, pathway, functional and disease phenotypes in COVID-19 deterioration and throughout the disease course. The models revealed the neurological, cardiovascular, and hepatic toxicity present in SARS-CoV-2. The abundance of differentially expressed proteins and the activity of upstream regulators were comprehensively analyzed and evaluated to predict possible target drugs for SARS-CoV-2. On molecular docking simulation analysis, it was further demonstrated that blocking CEACAM1 is a potential therapeutic target for SARS-CoV-2. Conclusions: Clinically, the risk of organ failure and death in COVID-19 patients rises with increasing number of infections. Individualized sequelae prediction for patients and assessment of individualized intervenable targets and available drugs in combination with the upstream regulator analysis results are of great clinical value.

Ophthalmic Presentations and Manifestations of COVID-19: A Systematic Review of Global Observations

As the presentations and complications of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continue to surface, the ocular manifestations have emerged as an area of interest. Research and reports conveyed the presence of several ophthalmic conditions observed in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. These publications documented a range of presentations varying from asymptomatic to serious impairments. The aim of this study is to characterize the ophthalmic pathologies and their frequencies observed due to COVID-19 in patients across different regions of the world. The goal is that the paper assists primary care physicians and healthcare providers. A systematic review of 31 articles published between January 1, 2021 to January 13, 2022, explored the presenting ocular symptoms of COVID-19, diagnosis, duration of ophthalmic complications, as well as pre-existing comorbidities. A total of 816 patients, 427 (52.3%) males and 389 (47.7%) females, from various regions of the world were investigated. Studies focusing on patients with a history of ocular pathologies, non-COVID-19 infections, complications associated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and pediatric patients were excluded from this study. Ocular complications were most commonly reported one to two weeks following the initial COVID-19 diagnosis. Analysis suggests that the "red" eye is the most prevalent presenting ophthalmologic symptom, followed by temporary vision loss. Conjunctivitis was also the most common clinical diagnosis reported, followed by neuro-retinal affection in the form of cotton wool spots (n=127 and n=9, respectively). This study summarizes ocular manifestations in COVID-19 patients and serves to help healthcare providers recognize common symptoms and their severity. This may lead to early diagnosis, treatment, and intervention of these manifestations.

Post -acute sequalae of COVID-19 and cardiac outcomes in U. S. military members

Post -acute sequalae of COVID-19 (PASC) among U.S. military members remains unexplored. A cohort study of U. S. military members who had a COVID-19 test result, with the specimen collected between March 1, 2020 and November 30, 2021 was conducted. Demographic, inpatient and outpatient data including cardiac event diagnoses were extracted from electronic medical records and compared COVID-19 test-positive and COVID-19 test-negative service members. We used univariate and multivariable logistic regression methods to determine the effect PASC on select cardiac events. Among 997,785 service members, 15,779 (1.6%) were diagnosed with a cardiac event. In fully adjusted models, PASC was significantly associated with increased odds of any cardiac event [OR =1.64 (95% CI: 1.57, 1.71]. PASC was associated with increased odds of myocarditis [OR = 5.86 (95% CI: 4.22, 8.15)], pericarditis [OR =3.08 (95% CI: 2.31, 4.11)], syncope [OR =1.52 (95% CI: 1.41, 1.63)], tachycardia [OR =1.72 (95% CI: 1.56, 1.89)], heart failure [OR =2.15 (95% CI: 1.76, 2.63)], bradycardia [OR =1.71 (95% CI: 1.50, 1.96)], and atrial fibrillation [OR =1.33(95% CI: 1.02, 1.74)] in fully adjusted models. In a sensitivity analysis of military members with no history of cardiac events, PASC was still significantly associated with increased odds of any cardiac event [OR =1.75 (95% CI: 1.67, 1.84)]. In conclusion, we observed a significant association between PASC and cardiac outcomes including; myocarditis, pericarditis, and heart failure. These associations were observed in a relatively young and healthy population and among those without pre-existing cardiac diagnoses.

Cardiorespiratory Response to Six-Minute Step Test in Post COVID-19 Patients-A Cross Sectional Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

New coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause persistent symptoms and physical weakness that can lead to a limitation in activities of daily living (ADL). There is a lack of evidence about the performance in the six-minute step test (6MST) of post-COVID-19 patients and healthy subjects. The aim of this study is to investigate the cardiorespiratory response induced by the 6MST in post-COVID-19 patients and compare it with the response of the six-minute walk test (6MWT).

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 34 post-COVID-19 patients and 33 healthy subjects. The assessment was performed at one month from a non-severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Both groups were assessed by using the 6MST, 6MWT, and the pulmonary function test (PFT). Post COVID functional status (PCFS) scale was used for the post-COVID-19 group to assess functional status. Physiological responses; heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), oxygen saturation (SpO₂), blood pressure (BP), and Borg scale for fatigue and dyspnea were recorded before and after the 6MST and 6MWT.

RESULTS

the performance of the post-COVID-19 group was worse than the healthy group in both tests. In 6MWT, the distance walked by the post-COVID-19 group (423 ± 7) was 94 m less than the healthy group, and the number of climbed steps in the 6MST (121 ± 4) was 34 steps less than the healthy group. Both results were statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was a moderate positive correlation between the 6MST and 6MWT in walked distance versus steps number (r = 0.5, p < 0.001). In addition, there was a moderate correlation between the two tests in the post (HR, RR, SpO₂, systolic blood pressure SBP, diastolic blood pressure DBP, dyspnea, and fatigue) with p < 0.001.

CONCLUSIONS

Six-minute step tests produced similar cardiorespiratory responses when compared to a 6MWT. The 6MST can be used as an assessment tool for COVID-19 patients to evaluate their functional capacity and ADL.

Management of patients with multiple myeloma and COVID-19 in the post pandemic era: a consensus paper from the European Myeloma Network (EMN)

In the post-pandemic COVID-19 period, human activities have returned to normal and COVID-19 cases are usually mild. However, patients with multiple myeloma (MM) present an increased risk for breakthrough infections and severe COVID-19 outcomes, including hospitalization and death. The European Myeloma Network has provided an expert consensus to guide patient management in this era. Vaccination with variant-specific booster vaccines, such as the bivalent vaccine for the ancestral Wuhan strain and the Omicron BA.4/5 strains, is essential as novel strains emerge and become dominant in the community. Boosters should be administered every 6-12 months after the last vaccine shot or documented COVID-19 infection (hybrid immunity). Booster shots seem to overcome the negative effect of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies on humoral responses; however, anti-BCMA treatment remains an adverse predictive factor for humoral immune response. Evaluation of the immune response after vaccination may identify a particularly vulnerable subset of patients who may need additional boosters, prophylactic therapies and prevention measures. Pre-exposure prophylaxis with tixagevimab/cilgavimab is not effective against the new dominant variants and thus is no longer recommended. Oral antivirals (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and molnupiravir) and remdesivir are effective against Omicron subvariants BA.2.12.1, BA.4, BA.5, BQ.1.1 and/or XBB.1.5 and should be administered in MM patients at the time of a positive COVID-19 test or within 5 days post symptoms onset. Convalescent plasma seems to have low value in the post-pandemic era. Prevention measures during SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, including mask wearing and avoiding crowded places, seem prudent to continue for MM patients.

[Outpatient rehabilitative care for patients with Long-COVID - a guideline-based clinical practice guideline]

BACKGROUND

Even after weeks and months, persisting and also newly occurring symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection are common and lead in many cases to a broad spectrum of impairments and participation restrictions in all areas of daily life. Scientific evidence on therapeutic options still is limited. The aim of this work is therefore to provide pragmatic treatment recommendations analogous to the current therapeutic appliances guideline.

METHOD

In addition to a search in six electronic databases, the experiences from the treatment of more than hundred affected persons from the post-COVID outpatient rehabilitation service were used. Additionally, experiences with patients with similar symptoms from other diseases were included. All authors worked together to develop the pragmatic recommendations for the treatment of the main symptoms within the framework of outpatient therapy measures. A list of recommended diagnostics and functional assessments prior to therapy was also developed.

RESULTS

For the main symptoms fatigue, dyspnoea and cognitive impairment, the catalog of therapeutic products offers a wide range of therapeutic options under the diagnosis U09.9. The therapy packages should be composed individually and adapted to the patient's performance level that regularly should be (re-)assessed. Informing the patient about possible relapses and deteriorations and how to deal with them should be also part of the treatment regimen.

DISCUSSION

Physical modalities and rehabilitation interventions should be used in out-patient rehabilitation setting for the treatment of Long-COVID. In this regard, it is also important to take into account and treat serious complications after the disease, such as post-intensive care syndrome. Due to the rapid evolution of the knowledge a frequent review of scientific papers and recommendations should be conducted. High-quality intervention studies are necessary to achieve greater evidence in this field.

Fatigue outcomes following COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Fatigue is a pervasive clinical symptom in coronaviruses and may continue beyond the acute phase, lasting for several months or years. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to incorporate the current evidence for postinfection fatigue among survivors of SARS-CoV-2 and investigate associated factors.

METHODS

Embase, PsyINFO, Medline, CINAHL, CDSR, Open Grey, BioRxiv and MedRxiv were systematically searched from January 2019 to December 2021. Eligible records included all study designs in English. Outcomes were fatigue or vitality in adults with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 measured at >30 days post infection. Non-confirmed cases were excluded. JBI risk of bias was assessed by three reviewers. Random effects model was used for the pooled proportion with 95% CIs. A mixed effects meta-regression of 35 prospective articles calculated change in fatigue overtime. Subgroup analyses explored specific group characteristics of study methodology. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q and I2 statistic. Egger's tests for publication bias.

RESULTS

Database searches returned 14 262 records. Following deduplication and screening, 178 records were identified. 147 (n=48 466 participants) were included for the meta-analyses. Pooled prevalence was 41% (95% CI: 37% to 45%, k=147, I2=98%). Fatigue significantly reduced over time (-0.057, 95% CI: -107 to -0.008, k=35, I2=99.3%, p=0.05). A higher proportion of fatigue was found in studies using a valid scale (51%, 95% CI: 43% to 58%, k=36, I2=96.2%, p=0.004). No significant difference was found for fatigue by study design (p=0.272). Egger's test indicated publication bias for all analyses except valid scales. Quality assessments indicated 4% at low risk of bias, 78% at moderate risk and 18% at high risk. Frequently reported associations were female gender, age, physical functioning, breathlessness and psychological distress.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that a significant proportion of survivors experienced fatigue following SARS-CoV-2 and their fatigue reduced overtime. Non-modifiable factors and psychological morbidity may contribute to ongoing fatigue and impede recovery.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020201247.

Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 is characterized by diminished peripheral CD8+β7 integrin+ T cells and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA response

Several millions of individuals are estimated to develop post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 condition (PASC) that persists for months after infection. Here we evaluate the immune response in convalescent individuals with PASC compared to convalescent asymptomatic and uninfected participants, six months following their COVID-19 diagnosis. Both convalescent asymptomatic and PASC cases are characterised by higher CD8⁺ T cell percentages, however, the proportion of blood CD8⁺ T cells expressing the mucosal homing receptor β7 is low in PASC patients. CD8 T cells show increased expression of PD-1, perforin and granzyme B in PASC, and the plasma levels of type I and type III (mucosal) interferons are elevated. The humoral response is characterized by higher levels of IgA against the N and S viral proteins, particularly in those individuals who had severe acute disease. Our results also show that consistently elevated levels of IL-6, IL-8/CXCL8 and IP-10/CXCL10 during acute disease increase the risk to develop PASC. In summary, our study indicates that PASC is defined by persisting immunological dysfunction as late as six months following SARS-CoV-2 infection, including alterations in mucosal immune parameters, redistribution of mucosal CD8⁺β7Integrin⁺ T cells and IgA, indicative of potential viral persistence and mucosal involvement in the etiopathology of PASC.

Review of therapeutic mechanisms and applications based on SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies

COVID-19 pandemic is a global public health emergency. Despite extensive research, there are still few effective treatment options available today. Neutralizing-antibody-based treatments offer a broad range of applications, including the prevention and treatment of acute infectious diseases. Hundreds of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody studies are currently underway around the world, with some already in clinical applications. The development of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody opens up a new therapeutic option for COVID-19. We intend to review our current knowledge about antibodies targeting various regions (i.e., RBD regions, non-RBD regions, host cell targets, and cross-neutralizing antibodies), as well as the current scientific evidence for neutralizing-antibody-based treatments based on convalescent plasma therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin, monoclonal antibodies, and recombinant drugs. The functional evaluation of antibodies (i.e., in vitro or in vivo assays) is also discussed. Finally, some current issues in the field of neutralizing-antibody-based therapies are highlighted.

Financial impact of cost of capital on tourism-based SMEs in COVID-19: implications for tourism disruption mitigation

Opportunities for funding Tourism SMEs are emerging globally due to the expansion of tourism sector. However, it is still being determined how these financial arrangements will be controlled at more significant sizes equitably. In the contemporary period, E7 economy is deficient in producing the financial resources to ensure the availability of funds for the acquisition of funds for tourism-based SMEs. However, this research tested the empirical position of cost of debt in E-7 economies during COVID-19 crises. Study findings have shown significant outcomes between the constructs. The variation of conditions, structural uncertainty, transection systems, and variation in support by the financial institution for tourism-based SMEs are the main reasons that lessen borrowing and lending system of funds, from banks to SMEs. However, theorists must revisit the transaction system of debt financing for SMEs. Policymakers are suggested to develop viable and SME system-friendly policies to finance through debt capital from the banks in the time of structural imposed crises, like COVID-19.

Acute pericarditis as a major clinical manifestation of long COVID-19 syndrome

BACKGROUND

The long COVID-19 syndrome has been recently described and some reports have suggested that acute pericarditis represents important manifestation of long COVID-19 syndrome. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence and clinical characteristics of patients with long COVID-19, presenting with acute pericarditis.

METHODS

We retrospectively included 180 patients (median age 47 years, 62% female) previously diagnosed with COVID-19, exhibiting persistence or new-onset symptoms ≥12 weeks from a negative naso-pharyngeal SARS CoV2 swamp test. The original diagnosis of COVID-19 infection was determined by a positive swab. All patients had undergone a thorough physical examination. Patients with suspected heart involvement were referred to a complete cardiovascular evaluation. Echocardiography was performed based on clinical need and diagnosis of acute pericarditis was achieved according to current guidelines.

RESULTS

Among the study population, shortness of breath/fatigue was reported in 52%, chest pain/discomfort in 34% and heart palpitations/arrhythmias in 37%. Diagnosis of acute pericarditis was made in 39 patients (22%). Mild-to-moderate pericardial effusion was reported in 12, while thickened and bright pericardial layers with small effusions (< 5 mm) with or without comet tails arising from the pericardium (pericardial B-lines) in 27. Heart palpitations/arrhythmias (OR:3.748, p = 0.0030), and autoimmune disease and allergic disorders (OR:4.147, p = 0.0073) were independently related to the diagnosis of acute pericarditis, with a borderline contribution of less likelihood of hospitalization during COVID-19 (OR: 0.100, p = 0.0512).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest a high prevalence of acute pericarditis in patients with long COVID-19 syndrome. Autoimmune and allergic disorders, and palpitations/arrhythmias were frequently associated with pericardial disease.

Predictors and characteristics of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome in healthcare workers

BACKGROUND

Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) is a multisystem disorder degrading the quality of life. The study determined characteristics and predictors of PCS in unvaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) suffering from PCS based on a comparison with their fully recovered counterparts.

METHODS

305 HCWs were examined at least 12 weeks post COVID-19 symptom onset to obtain data about their acute phase of COVID-19 and current health status and tested for complete blood count, C-reactive protein (CRP), electrophoresis of plasma proteins and SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G and M.

RESULTS

181 (59.3%) HCWs reported persisting symptoms attributable to PCS during the examination and 124 (40.7%) HCWs stated no symptoms. In the entire sample, the mean CRP level slightly exceeded the normal range (6.63 mg/L, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.96-7.3) while all other laboratory results were within the normal range. No statistically significant differences in laboratory results were revealed between both subgroups except for the mean Ig levels, which were higher in HCWs with PCS. The average number of symptoms of PCS was 1.9 (median 2). The most frequent symptoms of PCS were fatigue that interfered with daily life (47.5%), shortness of breath (38.1%), muscle or joint aches (16%), loss of smell (14.9%), headache (14.9%) and sleep disorders (11%). The only statistically significant predictors of PCS were female sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.48, 95% CI 1.059-2.067, p = .022) and increasing age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07, p = .008).

CONCLUSIONS

PCS appears to be a prevalent condition determined by female sex and increasing age.