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Is the "Family Glass Cabin" Useful to Safely Allow Inpatient-Caregiver Interaction in the COVID-19 Era? A Pilot Study on Severe Acquired Brain Injury. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11061623. [PMID: 35329947 PMCID: PMC8950736 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11061623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is a life-changing event that can have a devastating impact on all aspects of a person’s functioning. Patients with ABI present several behavioral problems that have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed at investigating the role of a “Family Glass Cabin” (FGC) both in improving cognitive function and communicative abilities of people with ABI and in potentiating the mental health of their caregivers. Fifteen subjects affected by ABI and their caregivers were enrolled in this experimental study. Training was performed through the FGC and was based on either psychoeducational sessions for the caregivers or cognitive stimulations for the patients. The participants attended biweekly meetings for 12 consecutive weeks. Each participant was assessed by means of a complete psychometric and clinical battery, before (T0) and after (T1) the training. We found significant changes in all patients’ outcomes, including global cognitive function and communication abilities (p < 0.01), as well as an improvement in caregivers’ well-being. Our data suggest that the physical presence of the caregiver in the rehabilitation setting, using a safe setting such as the FGC, can be a valuable means to increase ABI patients’ functional recovery and reduce caregivers’ anxiety and emotional burden.
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Saresella M, Trabattoni D, Marventano I, Piancone F, La Rosa F, Caronni A, Lax A, Bianchi L, Banfi P, Navarro J, Bolognesi E, Zanzottera M, Guerini FR, Clerici M. NK Cell Subpopulations and Receptor Expression in Recovering SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:6111-6120. [PMID: 34453271 PMCID: PMC8397607 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02517-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Whereas in most cases COVID-19 is asymptomatic or pauci-symptomatic, extremely severe clinical forms are observed. In this case, complex immune dysregulations and an excessive inflammatory response are reported and are the main cause of morbidity and mortality. Natural killer cells are key players in the control of viral infection, and their activity is regulated by a tight balance between activating and inhibitory receptors; an alteration of NK activity was suggested to be associated with the development of severe forms of COVID-19. In this study, we analyzed peripheral NK cell subpopulations and the expression of activating and inhibitory receptors in 30 patients suffering from neurological conditions who recovered from mild, moderate, or severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, comparing the results to those of 10 SARS-CoV-2-uninfected patients. Results showed that an expansion of NK subset with lower cytolytic activity and an augmented expression of the 2DL1 inhibitory receptor, particularly when in association with the C2 ligand (KIR2DL1-C2), characterized the immunological scenario of severe COVID-19 infection. An increase of NK expressing the ILT2 inhibitory receptor was instead seen in patients recovering from mild or moderate infection compared to controls. Results herein suggest that the KIR2DL1-C2 NK inhibitory complex is a risk factor toward the development of severe form of COVID-19. Our results confirm that a complex alteration of NK activity is present in COVID-19 infection and offer a molecular explanation for this observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Saresella
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy.
| | - Daria Trabattoni
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "L. Sacco,", University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Ivana Marventano
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Piancone
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca La Rosa
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Caronni
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Agata Lax
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Bianchi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Banfi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Jorge Navarro
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Bolognesi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Milena Zanzottera
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Franca Rosa Guerini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Clerici
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via Capecelatro, 66, 20148, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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