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Budrys D, Gegieckienė R, Lebetkevičius V, Sudikienė R, Tarutis V, Jonas K. Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the congenital heart surgery service in Lithuania. Cardiol Young 2024:1-7. [PMID: 38163958 DOI: 10.1017/s1047951123004420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION CHD is a unique group of medical pathologies. Literature worldwide reports significant decrements in the case volume of patients with these conditions due to the recent global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019. The only centre providing congenital cardiac care for Lithuanian population is in a hospital which was the main medical institution for the sickest coronavirus disease 2019 patients. Hence, this centre had to maintain its service alongside the mobilisation of resources to tackle the crisis. AIM OF STUDY To evaluate the effect of the pandemic on the service of congenital heart surgery in Lithuania. METHODS The activity of a single centre providing congenital heart care working in a main coronavirus 2019 pandemic hospital during the pandemic was analysed and compared to a matched period of pre-pandemic activity. RESULTS The number of admitted patients was similar during both pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. During the pandemic period, younger patients were more often operated as urgent cases. Their postoperative length of stay was longer. However, there were no differences in early postoperative mortality between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS It was possible to maintain an accessible and high-quality specialised congenital cardiac care for various age patients during global pandemic events, while working in the main pandemic hospital.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rūta Gegieckienė
- Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Cardiothoracic Surgery Center, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Virgilijus Lebetkevičius
- Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Cardiothoracic Surgery Center, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Rita Sudikienė
- Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Cardiothoracic Surgery Center, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Virgilijus Tarutis
- Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Cardiothoracic Surgery Center, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Karolis Jonas
- Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Cardiothoracic Surgery Center, Vilnius, Lithuania
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Jaime MP, Gerk A, Stegmann J. Effectiveness of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test in people with Prader-Willi syndrome. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH : JIDR 2024; 68:45-52. [PMID: 37732721 DOI: 10.1111/jir.13090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evaluating intelligence using conventional tools is very complex in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), as it is time consuming and requires levels of care that are difficult to sustain for this population. Therefore, we explore the ability of a brief test to assess intelligence in these patients. METHODS This study included individuals with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of PWS, with regular attendance at transdisciplinary treatment in an institution dedicated to the care of rare diseases in Argentina. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV), the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III) and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT) were used. RESULTS Correlation was obtained between the scales in paediatric and adult populations. Within the paediatric population, no significant differences were identified between the WISC-IV scale (Wechsler for paediatrics) and the K-BIT (56.4 ± 8.6, vs. 53.4 ± 10.1, P = 0.28), with a good agreement between the methods {intraclass correlation 0.79 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15-0.95]}. Regarding the adult population, the discrimination of the WAIS-III scale (Wechsler for adults) and the K-BIT of adults (16 years and over) presented an acceptable concordance [0.77 (95% CI -0.09; 0.93)], although also underestimating the results (58.3 ± 7.2 vs. 51.1 ± 11.2, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS We observed the feasibility and potential usefulness of a brief intelligence test (K-BIT) in patients with PWS with an acceptable agreement with conventional tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- M P Jaime
- Department of Psycho-Physical Rehabilitation, SPINE Foundation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - A Gerk
- Department of Clinical Research, SPINE Foundation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Nutrition, SPINE Foundation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - J Stegmann
- Department of Clinical Research, SPINE Foundation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Nutrition, SPINE Foundation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Zybarth D, Brandt M, Mundlos C, Inhestern L. [Consequences of a pandemic for people living with rare diseases and recommendations for maintaining healthcare and participation]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2024; 67:57-65. [PMID: 38019314 PMCID: PMC10776713 DOI: 10.1007/s00103-023-03810-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rare diseases are often characterized by complex symptoms and usually require coordination of multiprofessional treatment during the diagnostic and healthcare processes. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare situation and daily life of people with rare diseases and the caregivers of children with rare diseases changed drastically. The aim of the research project RESILIENT-SE-PAN was to assess the situation of people with rare diseases and caregivers during COVID-19 and to develop recommendations based on the findings. METHODS We conducted a mixed methods study including the perspective of people with rare diseases, caregivers and representatives from patient organizations and conducted a concluding workshop. RESULTS The findings indicate an impact on healthcare and daily life of participants. Moreover, mental burden, supportive needs, COVID-19-specific aspects but also positive aspects were mentioned. Based on the findings from our mixed methods study, we developed 21 recommendations referring to the following topics: medical diagnostics and healthcare of the rare diseases, additional therapies and aids, access to COVID-19 information and vaccination, psychosocial support, participation and activities, patient organisations and others. DISCUSSION The recommendations can provide an orientation for the organisation of healthcare in future crises or pandemics in order to adequately take the situations of people with rare diseases into account and consider the needs of this patient group.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Zybarth
- Institut und Poliklinik für Medizinische Psychologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Deutschland
| | - Maja Brandt
- Institut und Poliklinik für Medizinische Psychologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Deutschland
| | - Christine Mundlos
- Allianz Chronischer Seltener Erkrankungen (ACHSE) e. V., Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Laura Inhestern
- Institut und Poliklinik für Medizinische Psychologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Deutschland.
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Faccio E, Bottecchia M, Rocelli M. Caring for People with Rare Diseases: A Systematic Review of the Challenges of, and Strategies for Dealing with, COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6863. [PMID: 37835133 PMCID: PMC10573057 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20196863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on everyone's lives, and patients with rare diseases (RDs) had to pay an even higher price. In this systematic review, we explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with RDs from a psychological perspective. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we retrieved articles from the Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed databases focusing on 'COVID-19,' 'psychology,' and 'rare diseases.' Seventeen primary articles were identified (mainly from continental Europe). The results revealed the psychological effects of the pandemic on rare disease patients, including increased anxiety, stress, and depressive moods. This review also highlighted the increased vulnerability and reduced quality of life of rare disease patients during the pandemic, as well as the importance of telecare and psychological support as critical interventions for improving their well-being. There is an urgent need for multidisciplinary research and stronger healthcare systems to meet the unique challenges of rare disease patients, who represent 3.5-5.9% of the global population.
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Zybarth D, Brandt M, Mundlos C, Inhestern L. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care and daily life of patients with rare diseases from the perspective of patient organizations - a qualitative interview study. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:154. [PMID: 37344904 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02771-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic people affected by rare diseases (RD) or caregiver of affected children have faced additional challenges. The pandemic has affected physical and mental health, social life and has led to financial consequences. Our objectives were to identify the impact of COVID-19 (1) on health care and (2) on daily life and participation of patients with RDs or caregivers from the perspective of representatives of patient organizations. Moreover, we explored their perspective on experiences of pandemic stress and resources during the pandemic. RESULTS We conducted 18 semi-structured interviews with representatives of patient organizations (e.g. chairperson, members of the steering committee), who were asked about the experiences of their members. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the framework approach. We contextualized our findings on the basis of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model and adapted it according to identified subthemes. Patients and caregivers were confronted with aspects of pandemic stress such as lack of information, access and information regarding vaccination and being a risk group for COVID-19 infection. Physical and mental functioning was reported to be negatively impacted. Lock downs and contact restrictions led, e.g., to increasing lack of nursing services or lack of necessary informal support. Participation e.g. in social life and work was reduced. Health care services including medical care and supportive care as well as additional therapies were disrupted and greater effort was necessary to organize care. According to participants, central resources were informal support networks, digitalization, patient organizations and individual characteristics. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the situation of people affected by RDs and caregivers. Contextualization of the results into the biopsychosocial model reinforces the impact of the pandemic on health care as well as daily life and participation. Major challenges and difficulties were experienced during lockdowns and contact restrictions. Depending on the risk of an infection with COVID-19, certain patient groups were still isolated and reduced social contacts or still followed strict hygienic measures (e.g., wearing medical masks). Future pandemic control measures, e.g. on lockdowns and closing facilities, should consider the challenges of people with RDs and caregivers of affected children.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Zybarth
- Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maja Brandt
- Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christine Mundlos
- Allianz Chronischer Seltener Erkrankungen (ACHSE) e.V, Berlin, Germany
| | - Laura Inhestern
- Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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García I, Martínez O, López-Paz JF, Salgueiro M, Rodríguez AA, Zorita J, García-Sanchoyerto M, Amayra I. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with myasthenia gravis. Intractable Rare Dis Res 2023; 12:88-96. [PMID: 37287657 PMCID: PMC10242395 DOI: 10.5582/irdr.2023.01003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the pandemic on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), anxious-depressive symptoms, feelings of loneliness, and fear of COVID-19 between people with myasthenia gravis (MG) and healthy controls. We also wanted to know in which group the variable fear of COVID-19 interfered the most with the results. This cross-sectional study involved 60 people with MG and 60 healthy controls. Participants using an online platform completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Fear of COVID19 Scale (FCV- 19S). The MG group reported worse levels in HRQoL indicators (p = 0.043- <.001), more severe anxiety-depressive symptoms (p = 0.002), and greater fear of COVID-19 (p < 0.001), but there were no differences in feelings of loneliness (p = 0.002). Furthermore, after controlling for the effect of the fear of COVID-19 variable, the differences remained for physical health indicators, but not for the most of psychosocial indicators (Social Functioning p = 0.102, η2p = 0.023; Role Emotional p = 0.250, η2p = 0.011; and HADS Total p = 0.161, η2p = 0.017). The harmful effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was greater in the MG group, and the perceived fear of COVID-19 had also a greater impact among this group, which has increased its negative effect on their psychosocial health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irune García
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Deusto, Spain
| | - Oscar Martínez
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Deusto, Spain
| | | | - Monika Salgueiro
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology and Research Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/ EHU. Spain
| | | | - Janire Zorita
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Deusto, Spain
| | | | - Imanol Amayra
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Deusto, Spain
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Mund M, Uhlenbusch N, Rillig F, Weiler-Normann C, Herget T, Kubisch C, Löwe B, Schramm C. Psychological distress of adult patients consulting a center for rare and undiagnosed diseases: a cross-sectional study. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:82. [PMID: 37060005 PMCID: PMC10103043 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02669-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Centers for rare diseases serve as contact points for patients with complex, often undiagnosed complaints and persistent somatic symptoms of heterogeneous origin. Little is known about psychological distress of patients consulting these centers. OBJECTIVES To better understand psychological distress of adult patients presenting at a center for rare diseases by determining the proportion of patients screening positive for depressive, anxiety, and somatic symptom disorders (SSD) and to identify factors associated with increased psychopathology. METHODS Cross-sectional data from the routine care registry of the Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases (MZCSE) at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany was retrieved and analyzed. We included all adult patients presenting between October 01,2020 and September 30,2021, who gave written informed consent. MEASURES Sociodemographic variables, medical history and healthcare utilization, as well as validated measures to screen for a depressive disorder (PHQ-8), an anxiety disorder (GAD-7), and SSD (PHQ-15, SSD-12). RESULTS N = 167 patients were included (age 44.5 ± 14.3 years, 64.7% female). A total of 40.7% of the patients screened positive for a depressive disorder (PHQ-8 ≥ 10), 27.5% for an anxiety disorder (GAD-7 ≥ 10) and 45.0% screened positive for SSD (PHQ-15 ≥ 9 & SSD-12 ≥ 23). Factors associated with increased psychopathology included the number of symptoms, the number of different specialties consulted before and past psychotherapy. CONCLUSIONS Patients presenting at centers for rare diseases are likely to experience high rates of psychological distress. Systematically screening patients with rare and undiagnosed diseases for mental disorders can help to detect those at risk at an early stage and initiate adequate psychological care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Mund
- Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Natalie Uhlenbusch
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Franziska Rillig
- Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christina Weiler-Normann
- Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- 1st Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Theresia Herget
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Kubisch
- Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bernd Löwe
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Christoph Schramm
- Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- 1st Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Yazdani A, Bigdeli SK, Zahmatkeshan M. Investigating the performance of machine learning algorithms in predicting the survival of COVID-19 patients: A cross section study of Iran. Health Sci Rep 2023; 6:e1212. [PMID: 37064314 PMCID: PMC10099201 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims Like early diagnosis, predicting the survival of patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is of great importance. Survival prediction models help doctors be more cautious to treat the patients who are at high risk of dying because of medical conditions. This study aims to predict the survival of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 by comparing the accuracy of machine learning (ML) models. Methods It is a cross-sectional study which was performed in 2022 in Fasa city in Iran country. The research data set was extracted from the period February 18, 2020 to February 10, 2021, and contains 2442 hospitalized patients' records with 84 features. A comparison was made between the efficiency of five ML algorithms to predict survival, includes Naive Bayes (NB), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), and multilayer perceptron (MLP). Modeling steps were done with Python language in the Anaconda Navigator 3 environment. Results Our findings show that NB algorithm had better performance than others with accuracy, precision, recall, F-score, and area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 97%, 96%, 96%, 96%, and 97%, respectively. Based on the analysis of factors affecting survival, heart disease, pulmonary diseases and blood related disease were the most important disease related to death. Conclusion The development of software systems based on NB will be effective to predict the survival of COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azita Yazdani
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Health Management and Information SciencesShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
- Clinical Education Research CenterShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
- Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Health Management and Information SciencesShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| | - Somayeh Kianian Bigdeli
- Health Information Management Department, School of Allied Medical SciencesTehran University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Maryam Zahmatkeshan
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research CenterFasa University of Medical SciencesFasaIran
- School of Allied Medical SciencesFasa University of Medical SciencesFasaIran
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Calle Rubio M, López-Campos JL, Miravitlles M, Michel de la Rosa FJ, Hernández Pérez JM, Montero Martínez C, Montoro Ronsano JB, Casas Maldonado F, Rodríguez Hermosa JL, Tabernero Huguet EM, Martínez Sesmero JM, Martínez Rivera C, Callejas González FJ, Torres Durán M. COVID-19's impact on care practice for alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency patients. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:98. [PMID: 36717880 PMCID: PMC9885054 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09094-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), commonly categorized as a rare disease, have been affected by the changes in healthcare management brought about by COVID-19. This study's aim was to identify the changes that have taken place in AATD patient care as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain and to propose experts' recommendations aimed at ensuring humanized and quality care for people with AATD in the post-pandemic situation. METHODS A qualitative descriptive case study with a holistic single-case design was conducted, using focus groups with experts in AATD clinical management, including 15 health professionals with ties to the Spanish health system (12 pneumologists and 2 hospital pharmacists from 11 different hospitals in Spain) and 1 patient representative. RESULTS COVID-19 has had a major impact on numerous aspects of AATD clinical patient management in Spain, including diagnostic, treatment, and follow-up phases. The experts concluded that there is a need to strengthen coordination between Primary Care and Hospital Care and improve the coordination processes across all the organizations and actors involved in the healthcare system. Regarding telemedicine and telecare, experts have concluded that it is necessary to promote this methodology and to develop protocols and training programs. Experts have recommended developing personalized and precision medicine, and patient participation in decision-making, promoting self-care and patient autonomy to optimize their healthcare and improve their quality of life. The possibility of monitoring and treating AATD patients from home has also been proposed by experts. Another result of the study was the recommendation of the need to ensure that plasma donations are made on a regular basis by a sufficient number of healthy individuals. CONCLUSION The study advances knowledge by highlighting the challenges faced by health professionals and changes in AATD patient management in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also proposes experts' recommendations aimed at ensuring humanized and quality care for people with AATD in the post-pandemic situation. This work could serve as a reference study for physicians on their daily clinical practice with AATD patients and may also provide guidance on the changes to be put in place for the post-pandemic situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Calle Rubio
- grid.414780.ePulmonology Department, Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), San Carlos Clinical Hospital, Madrid, Spain ,grid.4795.f0000 0001 2157 7667Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis López-Campos
- grid.411109.c0000 0000 9542 1158Medical-Surgical Unit for Respiratory Diseases, Biomedicine Institute of Sevilla (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Seville, Spain
| | - Marc Miravitlles
- grid.411083.f0000 0001 0675 8654Pulmonology Department, Research Institute of Vall d’Hebron (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.413448.e0000 0000 9314 1427Network of Centers for Biomedical Research On Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - José María Hernández Pérez
- grid.413448.e0000 0000 9314 1427Network of Centers for Biomedical Research On Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain ,Pulmonology Department, Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Carmen Montero Martínez
- grid.411066.40000 0004 1771 0279Pulmonology Department, A Coruña University Hospital, A Coruña, Spain
| | - José Bruno Montoro Ronsano
- grid.411083.f0000 0001 0675 8654Department of Pharmacy, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisco Casas Maldonado
- grid.411380.f0000 0000 8771 3783Pulmonology Department, San Cecilio Clinical University Hospital, Granada, Spain ,grid.4489.10000000121678994School of Health Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Juan Luis Rodríguez Hermosa
- grid.414780.ePulmonology Department, Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), San Carlos Clinical Hospital, Madrid, Spain ,grid.4795.f0000 0001 2157 7667Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Carlos Martínez Rivera
- grid.413448.e0000 0000 9314 1427Network of Centers for Biomedical Research On Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain ,grid.411438.b0000 0004 1767 6330Pulmonology Department, Research Institute of Germans Trias I Pujol (IGTiP), Germans Trias I Pujol University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - María Torres Durán
- Pulmonology Department, Health Research Institute of Galicia Sur (IISGS), Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital, Estrada Clara Campoamor, 342. 36312 Vigo, Spain
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Chung CCY, Chu ATW, Chung BHY. Rare disease emerging as a global public health priority. Front Public Health 2022; 10:1028545. [PMID: 36339196 PMCID: PMC9632971 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1028545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The genomics revolution over the past three decades has led to great strides in rare disease (RD) research, which presents a major shift in global policy landscape. While RDs are individually rare, there are common challenges and unmet medical and social needs experienced by the RD population globally. The various disabilities arising from RDs as well as diagnostic and treatment uncertainty were demonstrated to have detrimental influence on the health, psychosocial, and economic aspects of RD families. Despite the collective large number of patients and families affected by RDs internationally, the general lack of public awareness and expertise constraints have neglected and marginalized the RD population in health systems and in health- and social-care policies. The current Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed the long-standing and fundamental challenges of the RD population, and has reminded us of the critical need of addressing the systemic inequalities and widespread disparities across populations and jurisdictions. Owing to the commonality in goals between RD movements and universal health coverage targets, the United Nations (UN) has highlighted the importance of recognizing RDs in policies, and has recently adopted the UN Resolution to promote greater integration of RDs in the UN agenda, advancing UN's commitment in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of "leav[ing] no one behind." Governments have also started to launch Genome Projects in their respective jurisdictions, aiming to integrate genomic medicine into mainstream healthcare. In this paper, we review the challenges experienced by the RD population, the establishment and adoption of RD policies, and the state of evidence in addressing these challenges from a global perspective. The Hong Kong Genome Project was illustrated as a case study to highlight the role of Genome Projects in enhancing clinical application of genomic medicine for personalized medicine and in improving equity of access and return in global genomics. Through reviewing what has been achieved to date, this paper will provide future directions as RD emerges as a global public health priority, in hopes of moving a step toward a more equitable and inclusive community for the RD population in times of pandemics and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Brian Hon Yin Chung
- Hong Kong Genome Institute, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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11
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Mazzucato M, Minichiello C, Vianello A, Visonà dalla Pozza L, Toto E, Facchin P. Real-world use of orphan medicinal products (OMPs) in rare disease (RD) patients: A population-based registry study. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:940010. [PMID: 36249759 PMCID: PMC9563616 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.940010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Despite calls for the use of real-world data, the rare diseases (RD) treatment landscape suffers from a scarcity of data referred to orphan medicinal products (OMP) use at the population level. Objectives: We aim to describe the characteristics and patterns of utilization of OMP in a sizable group of RD patients globally monitored by an area-based rare diseases registry located in the Veneto region, Italy, during a 3-year period (1 January 2019 to 31 December 2021). Methods: A list of OMP (n = 60) was assembled for study purposes, according to extensive criteria with regard to the status of orphan designation and of national reimbursement decisions. Results: OMP prescriptions involved 1,010 patients, corresponding to the 2.3% of all the patients monitored by the RD registry. Nearly one out of five (22.8%) was a pediatric patient at the time of the first prescription. OMP use interested a limited proportion (17.5%) of diseases approaching the rarity threshold, having a prevalence of less than five per 10,000, while individuals affected by these more common rare conditions represented 49% of all the patients receiving an OMP prescription. A clustering effect of OMP use was observed in selected groups of diseases, mainly, neurological, hematological, and hereditary metabolic ones. Medication plans including an OMP show in the 45.9% of the cases a high level of complexity, both in terms of nature and number of co-prescribed treatments. Off-label use interested 15.3% (n = 155) of all the RD patients with at least an OMP prescription during the study period. Conclusion: Data collected in a real-world setting through population-based registries globally monitoring RD patients, including related medication plans, have the potential to identify which diseases, and thus patients, have less benefit from the advent of OMP so far. Furthermore, in the rapidly evolving RD therapeutic landscape, they can help understand which therapeutic areas are most in need of investment to address existing unmet care needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Mazzucato
- Veneto region Rare Diseases Coordinating Centre-Registry, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
- *Correspondence: Monica Mazzucato,
| | - Cinzia Minichiello
- Veneto region Rare Diseases Coordinating Centre-Registry, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Andrea Vianello
- Epidemiology and Community Medicine Unit, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Laura Visonà dalla Pozza
- Veneto region Rare Diseases Coordinating Centre-Registry, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Ema Toto
- Veneto region Rare Diseases Coordinating Centre-Registry, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Paola Facchin
- Veneto region Rare Diseases Coordinating Centre-Registry, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
- Epidemiology and Community Medicine Unit, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
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12
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Furlepa K, Śliwczyński A, Kamecka K, Kozłowski R, Gołębiak I, Cichońska-Rzeźnicka D, Marczak M, Glinkowski WM. The COVID-19 Pandemic as an Impulse for the Development of Telemedicine in Primary Care in Poland. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12071165. [PMID: 35887661 PMCID: PMC9318246 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12071165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Telemedicine gives a safe and effective way of providing healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was possible to offer teleconsultations in primary care (Primary Care Teleconsultation-PCT). The study aimed to present an analysis of the PCTs served in the years 2020–2021 in the field of primary care in Poland to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the development of telemedicine in primary care in Poland. The database, containing a list of medical services provided remotely obtained from the National Health Fund, was analyzed. Economic and tax indicators obtained from the Ministry of Finance were also analyzed. Personal Income Tax (PIT) value was used as an indicator of household wealth, and the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) was used as an indicator of economic activity in individual counties for 2019. Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, patients as healthcare beneficiaries can take advantage of previously unserved telemedicine services as part of primary care. The data analysis showed that, along with the introduced recommendations and restrictions in connection with the pandemic, the number of teleconsultations in 2021 increased compared to 2020. In response to the pandemic, an educational campaign targeted older patients. These indicate the most significant percentage of PCTs among patients aged 70 and older. The study shows that the awareness barrier in implementing services for the elderly population decreased significantly. There was a clear correlation between the increase in PCTs and patient age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Furlepa
- Satellite Campus in Warsaw, University of Humanities and Economics in Lodz, 90-212 Lodz, Poland
- Correspondence: (K.F.); (A.Ś.)
| | - Andrzej Śliwczyński
- Satellite Campus in Warsaw, University of Humanities and Economics in Lodz, 90-212 Lodz, Poland
- Correspondence: (K.F.); (A.Ś.)
| | - Karolina Kamecka
- Department of Management and Logistics in Healthcare, Medical University of Lodz, 90-131 Lodz, Poland; (K.K.); (M.M.)
| | - Remigiusz Kozłowski
- Center of Security Technologies in Logistics, Faculty of Management, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland;
| | | | | | - Michał Marczak
- Department of Management and Logistics in Healthcare, Medical University of Lodz, 90-131 Lodz, Poland; (K.K.); (M.M.)
| | - Wojciech Michał Glinkowski
- Center of Excellence “TeleOrto” for Telediagnostics and Treatment of Disorders and Injuries of the Locomotor System, Department of Medical Informatics and Telemedicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 00-581 Warsaw, Poland;
- Polish Telemedicine and eHealth Society, 03-728 Warsaw, Poland
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13
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Global Regulatory and Public Health Initiatives to Advance Pediatric Drug Development for Rare Diseases. Ther Innov Regul Sci 2022; 56:964-975. [PMID: 35471559 PMCID: PMC9040360 DOI: 10.1007/s43441-022-00409-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The literature thoroughly describes the challenges of pediatric drug development for rare diseases. This includes (1) generating interest from sponsors, (2) small numbers of children affected by a particular disease, (3) difficulties with study design, (4) lack of definitive outcome measures and assessment tools, (5) the need for additional safeguards for children as a vulnerable population, and (6) logistical hurdles to completing trials, especially with the need for longer term follow-up to establish safety and efficacy. There has also been an increasing awareness of the need to engage patients and their families in drug development processes and to address inequities in access to pediatric clinical trials. The year 2020 ushered in yet another challenge—the COVID-19 pandemic. The pediatric drug development ecosystem continues to evolve to meet these challenges. This article will focus on several key factors including recent regulatory approaches and public health policies to facilitate pediatric rare disease drug development, emerging trends in product development (biologics, molecularly targeted therapies), innovations in trial design/endpoints and data collection, and current efforts to increase patient engagement and promote equity. Finally, lessons learned from COVID-19 about building adaptable pediatric rare disease drug development processes will be discussed.
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14
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Severin E, Dan D. Lack of Information on the Effects of COVID-19 on Rare Pathologies Has Further Hampered Access to Healthcare Services. Front Public Health 2022; 10:852880. [PMID: 35433577 PMCID: PMC9005992 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.852880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Severin
- Genetics Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Dorica Dan
- Romanian Prader Willi Association, Romanian National Alliance for Rare Diseases RONARD, Zalau, Romania
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15
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Ardizzone A, Capra AP, Campolo M, Filippone A, Esposito E, Briuglia S. Neurofibromatosis: New Clinical Challenges in the Era of COVID-19. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10050940. [PMID: 35625677 PMCID: PMC9138859 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10050940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Rare diseases constitute a wide range of disorders thus defined for their low prevalence. However, taken together, rare diseases impact a considerable percentage of the world population, thus representing a public healthcare problem. In particular, neurofibromatoses are autosomal-dominant genetic disorders that include type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF1), type 2 neurofibromatosis (NF2) and schwannomatosis. Each of the three types is a genetically distinct disease with an unpredictable clinical course and for which there is still no resolutive cure. Therefore, a personalized therapeutic approach directed at improving the symptomatology as well as the search for new pharmacological strategies for the management of neurofibromatosis represents a priority for positive outcomes for affected patients. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has severely affected health systems around the world, impacting the provision of medical care and modifying clinical surveillance along with scientific research procedures. COVID-19 significantly worsened exchanges between healthcare personnel and neurofibromatosis patients, precluding continuous clinical monitoring in specialized clinic centers. In this new scenario, our article presents, for the first time, a comprehensive literature review on the clinical challenges for neurofibromatosis clinical care and research during the COVID-19 pandemic health emergency. The review was performed through PubMed (Medline) and Google Scholar databases until December 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Ardizzone
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.A.); (A.P.C.); (M.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Anna Paola Capra
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.A.); (A.P.C.); (M.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Michela Campolo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.A.); (A.P.C.); (M.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Alessia Filippone
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.A.); (A.P.C.); (M.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Emanuela Esposito
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.A.); (A.P.C.); (M.C.); (A.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-090-676-5208
| | - Silvana Briuglia
- Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125 Messina, Italy;
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16
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Chenbhanich J, Slavotinek A, Tam A. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical genetics and genomics training: Perspective from clinical trainees. Am J Med Genet A 2022; 188:1997-2004. [PMID: 35338572 PMCID: PMC9082060 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
We sought to understand how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has affected the well‐being, clinical training, and medical education for clinical trainees in medical genetics and genomics residency and fellowship programs. All clinical genetics trainees in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)‐accredited training programs were invited to complete a survey. 31 out of 174 trainees completed the survey. With regards to well‐being, 18 trainees reported increased anxiety, 10 had increased depression, 3 increased financial strain, 13 worsening work‐life balance, and 13 worsening physical health. There was increased telehealth utilization in both outpatient (3% before the pandemic vs. 67% during the pandemic) and inpatient clinical encounters (0% vs. 29%). The most commonly reported challenges in telehealth use were inadequate physical examination and technical problems during visits. Twenty trainees believed that the pandemic has negatively impacted overall clinical training while none reported a positive impact. We concluded that the COVID‐19 pandemic has negatively impacted most clinical genetics trainees in ACGME‐accredited training programs. Telehealth has been increasingly used with some challenges. Further studies are needed on how to optimally integrate what we have learned into the training of medical genetics and genomics in the post‐pandemic era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jirat Chenbhanich
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Anne Slavotinek
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Allison Tam
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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17
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Carandang K, Poole J, Connolly D. Fatigue and activity management education for individuals with systemic sclerosis: Adaptation and feasibility study of an intervention for a rare disease. Musculoskeletal Care 2022; 20:593-604. [PMID: 35124888 PMCID: PMC9544914 DOI: 10.1002/msc.1617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Fatigue is an overlooked symptom for musculoskeletal diseases, including rare conditions like systemic sclerosis (SSc). The purpose of this study were the following: (1) to adapt the content and delivery method of an existing fatigue intervention, and (2) to determine the feasibility of Fatigue and Activity Management Education in Systemic Sclerosis (FAME‐iSS). Methods In Phase 1 adaptations were recorded using the Framework for Modification and Adaptations. In Phase 2, participants completed the 6‐week FAME‐iSS intervention and baseline, post‐intervention, and 3‐month follow‐up assessments measuring fatigue levels, fatigue impact, mental health, self‐efficacy, and use of energy conservation strategies. Qualitative data included a post‐intervention focus group and 3‐month follow‐up interviews. Results Three main changes were made to the original intervention: (1) the content was adapted from management of Lupus‐related fatigue to management of SSc‐related fatigue, (2) context for delivery from Ireland to United States, and (3) in‐person to online format. Participants (n = 4) were 51.8 ± 12.1 years old, had been diagnosed with SSc for 12.0 ± 8.0 years, were receiving disability support, and had college degrees. All participants had 100% attendance and completed all study activities. Participants had positive comments about the programme format, content, and implementation. Post‐intervention, improvements were observed in most measures. Moderate effect sizes were noted in fatigue and self‐efficacy scores. Conclusion Participants' positive responses supported the need for FAME‐iSS for people with SSc. Even with the small sample, FAME‐iSS led to improvements in fatigue and use of energy conservation strategies. The online format allowed for participation and sharing of ideas, especially during the global pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Carandang
- Child and Adolescent Services Research Center, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Janet Poole
- Occupational Therapy Graduate Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Deirdre Connolly
- Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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18
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López-Sánchez M, Loucera C, Peña-Chilet M, Dopazo J. Discovering potential interactions between rare diseases and COVID-19 by combining mechanistic models of viral infection with statistical modeling. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:2078-2089. [PMID: 35022696 PMCID: PMC9239744 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated a relevant role of the host genetics in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prognosis. Most of the 7000 rare diseases described to date have a genetic component, typically highly penetrant. However, this vast spectrum of genetic variability remains yet unexplored with respect to possible interactions with COVID-19. Here, a mathematical mechanistic model of the COVID-19 molecular disease mechanism has been used to detect potential interactions between rare disease genes and the COVID-19 infection process and downstream consequences. Out of the 2518 disease genes analyzed, causative of 3854 rare diseases, a total of 254 genes have a direct effect on the COVID-19 molecular disease mechanism and 207 have an indirect effect revealed by a significant strong correlation. This remarkable potential of interaction occurs for >300 rare diseases. Mechanistic modeling of COVID-19 disease map has allowed a holistic systematic analysis of the potential interactions between the loss of function in known rare disease genes and the pathological consequences of COVID-19 infection. The results identify links between disease genes and COVID-19 hallmarks and demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed approach for future preventive measures in some rare diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macarena López-Sánchez
- Clinical Bioinformatics Area. Fundación Progreso y Salud (FPS). CDCA, Hospital Virgen del Rocio. 41013. Sevilla. Spain.,Computational Systems Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Hospital Virgen del Rocio. 41013. Sevilla. Spain
| | - Carlos Loucera
- Clinical Bioinformatics Area. Fundación Progreso y Salud (FPS). CDCA, Hospital Virgen del Rocio. 41013. Sevilla. Spain.,Computational Systems Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Hospital Virgen del Rocio. 41013. Sevilla. Spain
| | - María Peña-Chilet
- Clinical Bioinformatics Area. Fundación Progreso y Salud (FPS). CDCA, Hospital Virgen del Rocio. 41013. Sevilla. Spain.,Computational Systems Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Hospital Virgen del Rocio. 41013. Sevilla. Spain.,Bioinformatics in Rare Diseases (BiER). Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), FPS, Hospital Virgen del Rocío. 41013. Sevilla, Spain
| | - Joaquín Dopazo
- Clinical Bioinformatics Area. Fundación Progreso y Salud (FPS). CDCA, Hospital Virgen del Rocio. 41013. Sevilla. Spain.,Computational Systems Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Hospital Virgen del Rocio. 41013. Sevilla. Spain.,Bioinformatics in Rare Diseases (BiER). Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), FPS, Hospital Virgen del Rocío. 41013. Sevilla, Spain.,FPS/ELIXIR-es, Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, 42013, Spain
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19
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Gutierrez G, Girma H, Kuhnell P, Macaluso M, Kaminski HJ. Impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on a US sample of patients with myasthenia gravis. THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES IN RARE DISEASE 2022; 3:26330040221082673. [PMID: 37125217 PMCID: PMC10032427 DOI: 10.1177/26330040221082673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Introduction The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated the world and demonstrated the inadequacy of health care in the United States. To assess its impact, the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network conducted a survey to assess the pandemic on the rare disease community of patients, including those with myasthenia gravis (MG). Methods A cross-sectional survey was designed to target people or their care givers who live in the United States, have a rare disease, and are under 90 years of age. Respondents logged onto a dedicated web page and completed the survey online, which requested demographic, disease-specific, drug treatment, and symptom information as well as assessment of Covid-19 impact on them. The survey was open from May 2020 to December 2020. Results Five hundred ninety-four with self-reported myasthenia gravis completed the survey, which was the largest number of respondents. Sixty percent of respondents were women with a mean age of 60 years. Eighty-nine percent identified as White. Respondents did not appreciate a worsening of symptoms after the pandemic. Only 7 respondents reported the diagnosis of Covid-19 but 11% indicated they had difficulty accessing care at the time of the survey. Discussion and Conclusion Patients with MG complained of worse access to medical care during the early months of the pandemic, including challenges in diagnosis of suspected Covid-19 infection. A major limitation of the survey is its inability to access minority populations. Nevertheless, the results of the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network (RCDRN) survey of patients with MG provide clear evidence that the pandemic has demonstrated the deficiencies in US healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pierce Kuhnell
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Maurizio Macaluso
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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20
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Kaiafa G, Pilalas D, Koletsa T, Daios S, Arsos G, Hatzidakis A, Protopapas A, Stamatopoulos K, Savopoulos C. Diagnosing a Patient with Erdheim-Chester Disease during the COVID-19 Pandemic. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 57:medicina57101001. [PMID: 34684037 PMCID: PMC8540257 DOI: 10.3390/medicina57101001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare hematopoietic neoplasm of histiocytic origin characterized by an insidious course. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has put an enormous strain on healthcare systems worldwide both directly and indirectly, resulting in the disruption of healthcare services to prevent, diagnose and manage non-COVID-19 disease. Case Presentation: We describe the case of a 58-year-old male patient with sporadic episodes of self-resolving mild fever and anemia of chronic disease with onset two years before the current presentation. Positron emission/computed tomography scan revealed the presence of moderately hypermetabolic perirenal tissue masses. In order to achieve diagnosis, repeated perirenal tissue biopsies were performed, and the diagnostic evaluation was complicated by the strain put on the healthcare system by the COVID-19 pandemic. The patient contracted SARS-CoV-2 and required hospitalization, but recovered fully. No further ECD target organ involvement was documented. Treatment options were presented, but the patient chose to defer treatment for ECD. Conclusion: A high index of suspicion and multidisciplinary team collaboration is paramount to achieve diagnosis in rare conditions such as ECD. Disruptions in healthcare services in the pandemic milieu may disproportionately affect people with rare diseases and further study and effort is required to better meet their needs in the pandemic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Kaiafa
- First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (D.P.); (S.D.); (A.P.); (C.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-231-099-4779
| | - Dimitrios Pilalas
- First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (D.P.); (S.D.); (A.P.); (C.S.)
| | - Triantafyllia Koletsa
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Stylianos Daios
- First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (D.P.); (S.D.); (A.P.); (C.S.)
| | - Georgios Arsos
- 3rd Department of Nuclear Medicine, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Adam Hatzidakis
- Radiology Department, AHEPA University Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Adonis Protopapas
- First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (D.P.); (S.D.); (A.P.); (C.S.)
| | - Kostas Stamatopoulos
- Institute of Applied Biosciences, Center for Research and Technology Hellas, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Christos Savopoulos
- First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (D.P.); (S.D.); (A.P.); (C.S.)
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21
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Alshukairi AN, Doar H, Al-Sagheir A, Bahasan MA, Sultan AA, Al Hroub MK, Itani D, Khalid I, Saeedi MF, Bakhamis S, Layqah L, Almutairi AA, Saifullah M, Hefni L, Al-Omari A, Alraddadi BM, Baharoon SA. Outcome of COVID19 in Patients With Osteogenesis Imperfecta: A Retrospective Multicenter Study in Saudi Arabia. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:800376. [PMID: 35095767 PMCID: PMC8792853 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.800376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although genetic diseases are rare, children with such conditions who get infected with COVID-19 tend to have a severe illness requiring hospitalization. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disorder of collagen resulting in fractures and skeletal deformities. Kyphoscoliosis, restrictive lung disease, and pneumonia worsen the prognosis of patients with OI. The use of bisphosphonate improves bone mineral density (BMD) and reduces fractures in OI. There is no literature describing the impact of COVID-19 in patients with OI. METHODOLOGY A retrospective multi-center study was performed in three hospitals in Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from March 1st, 2020, until August 31st, 2021, aiming to evaluate the outcome of COVID-19 in patients with OI. Demographics, vaccination status, underlying kyphoscoliosis, functional status, use of bisphosphonate, BMD, and COVID-19 severity, and course were recorded for all patients. RESULTS Twelve cases of confirmed COVID-19 were identified among 146 patients with OI. 9 (75%) of patients were less than 18 years, 6 (50%) were male, 5 (41%) had kyphoscoliosis, and 5 (41%) were wheelchair-bound. 6 (50%) received bisphosphonate, and 7(58%) had normal BMD. All patients had mild disease and did not require hospitalization. None of OI the patients with COVID-19 were fully vaccinated before the infection, and some were ineligible for vaccination. CONCLUSION Patients with OI and COVID-19 in our study recovered without complications, unlike patients with other genetic diseases. Young age and mild illness contributed to the favorable outcome. Half of the patients received bisphosphonate and had normal BMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeer N. Alshukairi
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, AlFaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- *Correspondence: Abeer N. Alshukairi,
| | - Hazem Doar
- Department of Surgery, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Afaf Al-Sagheir
- Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mona A. Bahasan
- Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anas A. Sultan
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad K. Al Hroub
- Department of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dina Itani
- Department of Family Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Imran Khalid
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, AlFaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed F. Saeedi
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah Bakhamis
- Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Laila Layqah
- Research Office, King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Afnan A. Almutairi
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mona Saifullah
- Department of Family Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lama Hefni
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Awad Al-Omari
- College of Medicine, AlFaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Critical Care, Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Basem M. Alraddadi
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, AlFaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salim A. Baharoon
- Department of Critical Care, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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