Occupational hand dermatitis web survey in a university hospital during COVID-19 pandemic: the SHIELD study

Review on Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Research Advancements on the Use of Medical Gloves Concerning Hand Dermatitis Among Health Care Workers

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant surge in glove usage, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Despite efforts to ensure the quality and safety of gloves, glove-associated skin diseases such as hand dermatitis have become ubiquitous, particularly among health care workers. This review discusses the prevalence, causes, and risk factors of hand dermatitis, as well as research efforts in medical gloves in the past decade to overcome glove-related hand dermatitis. Research papers from 2013 to 2022 were reviewed, selecting only 49 relevant papers from the Ovid, PubMed, and Scopus databases. The average prevalence of hand dermatitis among health care workers increased from 21.08% to 37.24% upon the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cases are likely due to allergies to latex proteins, rubber additives, and accelerators commonly found in gloves. Using alternatives to latex gloves, such as accelerator-free and latex-free glove options, can help reduce allergy-induced hand dermatitis. Strict hand hygiene practices, such as frequent hand washing and the use of sanitizers, are also contributing factors in contracting hand dermatitis. Over the past decade, glove research advancements have focused mainly on reducing or immobilizing latex proteins. These include the use of biodegradable dialdehyde, sodium alginate, arctigenin, bromelain, papain, UV-LED, prototype photoreactors, and structure-modified nanosilica with silane A174. Two effective hand dermatitis preventive measures, i.e. an additional layer of glove liners and the use of gentle alcohol-based hand sanitizer, were recommended. These advancements represent promising steps towards mitigating hand dermatitis risks associated with glove usage.

Incidence of skin diseases in healthcare workers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic at Trieste Hospitals (northeastern Italy)

BACKGROUND

Occupational skin diseases (OSDs) are common in healthcare workers (HCWs).

OBJECTIVES

To investigate and compare the incidence and clinical features of OSDs amongst HCWs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIALS & METHODS

Incident cases of OSDs were investigated in the cohort of HCWs at Trieste Hospitals from July 1, 2018 (3340 workers) to October 31, 2021 (137,532 person-months).

RESULTS

The monthly incidence was ranging from 0 to 11.90 cases per 10,000 person-months in pre-COVID-19 period (cumulative incidence 4.22; 95%CI 2.9-6.0) and from 0 to 13.61 cases per 10,000 person-months in COVID-19 period (cumulative incidence 5.06; 95%CI 3.6-6.9). The incidence rate ratio (IRR) between COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 period was 1.22 (95% CI 0.73-1.98). The incidence of OSDs in the COVID-19 period was 6.1 (4.2-8.6) and 2.7 (95%CI 1.1-5.6) cases * 10,000 person-months for women and men, respectively with an IRR of 2.25 (95%CI 0.98-5.9). Incidence in nurses in the COVID-19 period was 6.7 (95%CI 4.2-10.2) cases * 10,000 person-months.

CONCLUSIONS

Incidence of OSDs was a little bit higher during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the previous period but fluctuation of numbers were mainly related to calendar period, with higher incidence in winter and spring. Incidence data were higher than that observed in 2004-2013 in the same cohort. Face dermatitis cases doubled after the start of COVID-19 pandemic. Overall data demonstrated a non-significant increase of OSDs in HCWs during the pandemic, probably due to the preventive strategies set up in our cohort over the years. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Utilization of a Mobile Multifunctional Workstation for Coronavirus Nasopharyngeal/Oropharyngeal Specimen Collection

Objectives

This study aimed to explore the utilization of a mobile multifunctional workstation for COVID-19 sample collection.

Methods

Twenty-four nurses and 150 individuals who took nucleic acid tests using mobile multifunctional workstations in Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from September to November 2020, were enrolled in the study as the observation group. As the control group, we included 36 nurses and 150 individuals who did not use the workstations from June to September 2020. We compared the two groups on (1) comfort of working environment, self-perceived security, the convenience of information system, operational process flexibility, pharyngeal acquisition visibility, and effectiveness of communication among nurses; and (2) self-perceived safety, waiting time, and overall satisfaction among individuals who took nucleic acid tests.

Results

The satisfaction score of nurses in the observation group of nurses were significantly higher than those of the control group (OR = 17.297 95% CI:4.294, 69.673), as well as the convenience of the information system (OR = 6.250 95% CI: 1.775, 22.008), and communication effectiveness (OR = 5.588 95% CI: 1.590, 19.646). Among individuals who took nucleic acid tests, the overall satisfaction (P < 0.05) and self-perceived security (P < 0.05) had statistical differences between the observation group and the control group.

Conclusions

The mobile multifunctional workstation for specimen collection could improve the comfort of the working environment, the convenience of information systems, and the effectiveness of communication among nurses.It can improve satisfaction and self-perceived security among people who took nucleic acid tests.

Clinical and quality of life assessment in patients with latex allergy during COVID-19 pandemic: Possible protective role of continuous latex immunotherapy

Introduction: During COVID-19 pandemic, the massive use of Personal Protective Equipment could provoke severe adverse reactions in latex allergy patients and could negatively affect their quality of life. Methods: Trough a survey the study aimed: (a) to evaluate the incidence of allergic reactions in patients with latex allergy during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic; (b) to evaluate the protective role of continuous latex sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) during this period; and (c) to evaluate quality of life of natural rubber latex allergy (NRLA) patients during the pandemic. Results: 67 patients (9 males and 58 females, mean age of 45.9 ± 11.4 years) suffering from latex allergy were included in the present study. We recorded among our patients 13 cases (34.2%) of urticarial/angioedema (U/A), 9 cases (23.6%) of respiratory symptoms (dyspnoea, shortness of breath and wheezing) and 7 cases (18.4%) of anaphylaxis. In patients who underwent continuous SLIT, we observed less cases of U/A (p < 0.001), respiratory symptoms (p < 0.001), anaphylaxis (p = 0.003), hospitalizations (p = 0.014) and a lower therapy administration. We compared the results of SF-36 questionnaire in patients who underwent continuous and not-continuous SLIT with a significance differences score between these two groups. Conclusions: Our study is the first that investigated the clinical and quality of life effects of COVID-19 pandemic in NRLA patients.