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Öner U, Cengiz Z. The effects of aromatherapy with thyme oil on disease symptoms, vital findings, and hemodynamic parameters in COVID-19 patients. Explore (NY) 2024; 20:544-553. [PMID: 38129231 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2023.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of aromatherapy with thyme oil on disease symptoms, vital signs, and hemodynamic parameters in COVID-19 patients. METHODS We conducted the randomized controlled trial with 140 (experimental group=70, control group=70) COVID-19 patients. Patients admitted to the COVID-19 service of the Batman Training and Research Hospital were included in the sample between 31.01 - 31.08 2022. Patients in the experimental group inhaled thyme oil 3 times a day during 5 days. At the end of day 5, symptoms and hemodynamic parameters were measured as posttest. Vital signs were measured 3 times a day during 5 days. The control group only received routine treatment. RESULTS Thyme oil was found to be effective in relieving symptoms of shortness of breath, dizziness, secretion, diarrhea, weakness, loss of appetite, cough, headache and muscle joint pain. Although there was improvement in the symptoms of nausea-vomiting, runny nose and loss of taste-smell, the effect was not statistically significant. Thyme oil significantly decreased body temperature, pulse rate and respiratory rate (p<0.05), increased SPO 2 (p<0.05), and did not affect systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p>0.05). It had a significant effect on the regulation of pH, decreased CO2 and increased O2 significantly (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Thyme oil aromatherapy was effective in reducing symptoms, regulating vital signs and hemodynamic parameters. Accordingly, thyme oil is recommended as non-pharmacological treatment method in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uğur Öner
- Department of Fundamentals of Nursing, Batman University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Main Campus 72060, Batman, Turkey
| | - Zeliha Cengiz
- Department of Fundamentals of Nursing, Inonu University, Nursing Faculty, Malatya, Turkey.
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Ahmed MA, Obaid ZM, Hashem O, Elrifai AW, Elsaie ML. Prevalence of new onset erectile dysfunction among Damietta governorate men after contracting COVID-19. Ir J Med Sci 2024; 193:1581-1587. [PMID: 38245885 PMCID: PMC11128385 DOI: 10.1007/s11845-024-03610-y] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several reports showed that sexual function was affected during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. AIMS The objective of the study was to demonstrate whether a realistic association exists between the COVID-19 pandemic and erectile dysfunction (ED) among a sampled Egyptian population in Damietta governorate. METHODS This cross-sectional study consisted of 330 adult males diagnosed with COVID-19 infection. They were categorized in three age groups (18-29, 30-39, and 40-50 years, respectively). COVID-19-confirmed cases were assessed by the Arabic version of the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire (IIEF) scores. RESULTS The prevalence of ED according to the IIEF was 55.1%. The ED was categorized into mild ED which represents 25.8% of the patients, mild to moderate which represents 22.4% of the patients, moderate which represents 7% of the patients, and severe which represents 0% of the patients. We found a significant negative correlation between the age of the patients and the IIEF score. Also, we found an association between the severity of COVID-19 infection and the IIEF score. CONCLUSION An association of new-onset ED in men who suffered COVID-19 infection was established. This may be due to virus-induced endothelial cell dysfunction; however, an underlying mechanism and causation have not yet been clearly elucidated. While it appears that COVID-19 infection may be a risk factor for ED, additional research is needed to establish causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa A Ahmed
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Damietta Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt
| | - Zakaria M Obaid
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Damietta Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt
| | - Osama Hashem
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Damietta Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt
| | - Atef W Elrifai
- Department of Pulmonology, Damietta, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt
| | - Mohamed L Elsaie
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
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Cosmo E, Frizziero L, Schiavon S, Cattelan AM, Leoni D, Capizzi A, Torresin T, Midena G, Armato Smaniotto Dai Roveri E, Parrozzani R, Midena E. The neurovascular retinal involvement in a large population of patients recovered from COVID-19: an OCT and OCT angiography study. Eye (Lond) 2024; 38:1674-1680. [PMID: 38402287 PMCID: PMC11156865 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-024-02991-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to assess the neuronal and microvascular retinal and choroidal involvement in COVID-19 recovered patients using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA). METHODS This observational cross-sectional study recruited patients recovered from COVID-19 and a group of healthy controls for comparisons. OCT (peripapillary scan and macular map) and OCTA (macular map) were performed to obtain: the central subfield thickness (CST), the macular volume (MV), the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) thickness, the vessel area density (VAD), vessel length fraction (VLF), vessel diameter index (VDI) and fractal dimension (FD) of the superficial vascular plexus (SVP), intermediate capillary plexus (ICP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), and the vessel density (VD), stromal density (SD) and vascular/stromal (V/S) ratio of the choriocapillaris (CC) and choroid (Ch). Data regarding disease severity, administered therapy and prior comorbidities were collected. RESULTS We recruited 676 eyes from 338 patients and 98 eyes from 49 healthy controls. VAD of all the three retinal plexuses, VLF and VDI of ICP and DCP and VD of CC were significantly reduced in patients versus controls. No differences were found in CST, MV and pRNFL. A multivariate analysis showed that oxygen therapy, previous cardio/cerebrovascular events and hypertension negatively influenced vascular parameters. CONCLUSION A microvascular retinal and choriocapillaris damage may be identified secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection, even after recovery. OCTA may represent a reproducible and non-invasive tool to assess microangiopathy in these patients, with particular regard to those with previous cardio/cerebrovascular events, hypertension and those who received oxygen therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Cosmo
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - Luisa Frizziero
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - Stefano Schiavon
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Cattelan
- Unit of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Padova, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - Davide Leoni
- Unit of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Padova, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - Alfio Capizzi
- Department of Directional Hospital Management, University of Padova, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - Tommaso Torresin
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | | | | | - Raffaele Parrozzani
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - Edoardo Midena
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, 35128, Padova, Italy.
- IRCCS-Fondazione Bietti, 00198, Rome, Italy.
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4
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Bloomquist R, Mondal AK, Vashisht A, Sahajpal N, Jones K, Vashisht V, Singh H, Farmaha J, Kolhe R. Gene Regulatory Network Analysis of Post-Mortem Lungs Unveils Novel Insights into COVID-19 Pathogenesis. Viruses 2024; 16:853. [PMID: 38932146 PMCID: PMC11209433 DOI: 10.3390/v16060853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has emerged as one of the most significant global health crises in recent history. The clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients have revealed the possibility of immune activity changes contributing to disease severity. Nevertheless, limited information is available regarding the immune response in human lung tissue, which is the primary site of infection. In this study, we conducted an extensive analysis of lung tissue to screen for differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs in five individuals who died due to COVID-19 and underwent a rapid autopsy, as well as seven control individuals who died of other causes unrelated to COVID-19. To analyze the host response gene expression, miRNA microarray and Nanostring's nCounter XT gene expression assay were performed. Our study identified 37 downregulated and 77 upregulated miRNAs in COVID-19 lung biopsy samples compared to the controls. A total of 653 mRNA transcripts were differentially expressed between the two sample types, with most transcripts (472) being downregulated in COVID-19-positive specimens. Hierarchical and PCA K-means clustering analysis showed distinct clustering between COVID-19 and control samples. Enrichment and network analyses revealed differentially expressed genes important for innate immunity and inflammatory response in COVID-19 lung biopsies. The interferon-signaling pathway was highly upregulated in COVID-19 specimens while genes involved in interleukin-17 signaling were downregulated. These findings shed light on the mechanisms of host cellular responses to COVID-19 infection in lung tissues and could help identify new targets for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Bloomquist
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30909, USA; (R.B.); (A.K.M.); (A.V.); (K.J.); (V.V.); (H.S.); (J.F.)
- School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29209, USA
| | - Ashis K. Mondal
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30909, USA; (R.B.); (A.K.M.); (A.V.); (K.J.); (V.V.); (H.S.); (J.F.)
| | - Ashutosh Vashisht
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30909, USA; (R.B.); (A.K.M.); (A.V.); (K.J.); (V.V.); (H.S.); (J.F.)
| | | | - Kimya Jones
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30909, USA; (R.B.); (A.K.M.); (A.V.); (K.J.); (V.V.); (H.S.); (J.F.)
| | - Vishakha Vashisht
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30909, USA; (R.B.); (A.K.M.); (A.V.); (K.J.); (V.V.); (H.S.); (J.F.)
| | - Harmanpreet Singh
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30909, USA; (R.B.); (A.K.M.); (A.V.); (K.J.); (V.V.); (H.S.); (J.F.)
| | - Jaspreet Farmaha
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30909, USA; (R.B.); (A.K.M.); (A.V.); (K.J.); (V.V.); (H.S.); (J.F.)
| | - Ravindra Kolhe
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30909, USA; (R.B.); (A.K.M.); (A.V.); (K.J.); (V.V.); (H.S.); (J.F.)
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5
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Stawowski AR, Konopińska J, Stawowski SS, Adamczuk J, Groth M, Moniuszko-Malinowska A, Czupryna P. The Review of Ophthalmic Symptoms in COVID-19. Clin Ophthalmol 2024; 18:1417-1432. [PMID: 38803556 PMCID: PMC11129748 DOI: 10.2147/opth.s460224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 had a significant impact on the health of the global human population, affecting almost every human organ, including the organ of vision. Research focus on understanding the pathophysiology, identifying symptoms and complications of the disease. Eye-related pathologies are important foci of research due to the potential for direct impact of the virus. Ophthalmologists around the world are reporting various symptoms of eye infections and ocular pathologies associated with SARS-CoV-2. The review of ophthalmic symptoms was conducted to help physicians of various specialties recognize possible ophthalmic manifestations of this viral disease. A literature review was conducted from January 2020 to July 2023 in the PubMed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus, Scielo and Google Scholar databases. The review of the literature showed that conjunctivitis is the most common ophthalmic symptom observed during the course of COVID-19 and can occur at any stage of the disease. Changes in the eye may result from the direct effect of the virus, immune response, prothrombotic states, comorbidities, and medications used. Symptoms related to the organ of vision can be divided into: changes affecting the protective apparatus of the eye, the anterior eye segment, the posterior eye segment, neuro-ophthalmic, and orbital changes. Ocular symptoms may suggest COVID-19 infection or appear several weeks after recovery. Following COVID-19 vaccinations, a diverse range of ophthalmic symptoms was observed in various locations and at different times, mirroring the ocular symptoms experienced throughout the course of the COVID-19 illness. It is important for physicians of all specialties to be aware of possible potential connections between eye diseases and SARS-CoV-2, in order to effectively diagnose and treat patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joanna Konopińska
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | | | - Justyna Adamczuk
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfectious, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Monika Groth
- Department of Allergology and Internal Diseases, University Clinical Hospital in Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Anna Moniuszko-Malinowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfectious, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Piotr Czupryna
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfectious, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
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Shin HJ, Lee W, Ku KB, Yoon GY, Moon HW, Kim C, Kim MH, Yi YS, Jun S, Kim BT, Oh JW, Siddiqui A, Kim SJ. SARS-CoV-2 aberrantly elevates mitochondrial bioenergetics to induce robust virus propagation. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:125. [PMID: 38734691 PMCID: PMC11088672 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01836-x] [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: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a 'highly transmissible respiratory pathogen, leading to severe multi-organ damage. However, knowledge regarding SARS-CoV-2-induced cellular alterations is limited. In this study, we report that SARS-CoV-2 aberrantly elevates mitochondrial bioenergetics and activates the EGFR-mediated cell survival signal cascade during the early stage of viral infection. SARS-CoV-2 causes an increase in mitochondrial transmembrane potential via the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-nucleocapsid cluster, thereby abnormally promoting mitochondrial elongation and the OXPHOS process, followed by enhancing ATP production. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 activates the EGFR signal cascade and subsequently induces mitochondrial EGFR trafficking, contributing to abnormal OXPHOS process and viral propagation. Approved EGFR inhibitors remarkably reduce SARS-CoV-2 propagation, among which vandetanib exhibits the highest antiviral efficacy. Treatment of SARS-CoV-2-infected cells with vandetanib decreases SARS-CoV-2-induced EGFR trafficking to the mitochondria and restores SARS-CoV-2-induced aberrant elevation in OXPHOS process and ATP generation, thereby resulting in the reduction of SARS-CoV-2 propagation. Furthermore, oral administration of vandetanib to SARS-CoV-2-infected hACE2 transgenic mice reduces SARS-CoV-2 propagation in lung tissue and mitigates SARS-CoV-2-induced lung inflammation. Vandetanib also exhibits potent antiviral activity against various SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including alpha, beta, delta and omicron, in in vitro cell culture experiments. Taken together, our findings provide novel insight into SARS-CoV-2-induced alterations in mitochondrial dynamics and EGFR trafficking during the early stage of viral infection and their roles in robust SARS-CoV-2 propagation, suggesting that EGFR is an attractive host target for combating COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Jin Shin
- Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
- Department of Microbiology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Wooseong Lee
- Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun Bon Ku
- Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Gun Young Yoon
- Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Woo Moon
- Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Chonsaeng Kim
- Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi-Hwa Kim
- Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
- Gyeongnam Biohealth Research Center, Gyeongnam Branch Institute, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Jinju, 52834, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon-Sun Yi
- Center for Research Equipment, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangmi Jun
- Center for Research Equipment, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Bum-Tae Kim
- Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Won Oh
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Aleem Siddiqui
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Seong-Jun Kim
- Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea.
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Kasuga I, Yokoe Y, Gamo S, Sugiyama T, Tokura M, Noguchi M, Okayama M, Nagakura R, Ohmori N, Tsuchiya T, Sofuni A, Itoi T, Ohtsubo O. Which is a real valuable screening tool for lung cancer and measure thoracic diseases, chest radiography or low-dose computed tomography?: A review on the current status of Japan and other countries. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e38161. [PMID: 38728453 PMCID: PMC11081589 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000038161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chest radiography (CR) has been used as a screening tool for lung cancer and the use of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is not recommended in Japan. We need to reconsider whether CR really contributes to the early detection of lung cancer. In addition, we have not well discussed about other major thoracic disease detection by CR and LDCT compared with lung cancer despite of its high frequency. We review the usefulness of CR and LDCT as veridical screening tools for lung cancer and other thoracic diseases. In the case of lung cancer, many studies showed that LDCT has capability of early detection and improving outcomes compared with CR. Recent large randomized trial also supports former results. In the case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), LDCT contributes to early detection and leads to the implementation of smoking cessation treatments. In the case of pulmonary infections, LDCT can reveal tiny inflammatory changes that are not observed on CR, though many of these cases improve spontaneously. Therefore, LDCT screening for pulmonary infections may be less useful. CR screening is more suitable for the detection of pulmonary infections. In the case of cardiovascular disease (CVD), CR may be a better screening tool for detecting cardiomegaly, whereas LDCT may be a more useful tool for detecting vascular changes. Therefore, the current status of thoracic disease screening is that LDCT may be a better screening tool for detecting lung cancer, COPD, and vascular changes. CR may be a suitable screening tool for pulmonary infections and cardiomegaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikuma Kasuga
- Department of Medicine, Healthcare Center, Shinjuku Oiwake Clinic and Ladies Branch, Seikokai, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human Care, Tohto University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Yokoe
- Department of Medicine, Healthcare Center, Shinjuku Oiwake Clinic and Ladies Branch, Seikokai, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sanae Gamo
- Department of Medicine, Healthcare Center, Shinjuku Oiwake Clinic and Ladies Branch, Seikokai, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Sugiyama
- Department of Medicine, Healthcare Center, Shinjuku Oiwake Clinic and Ladies Branch, Seikokai, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michiyo Tokura
- Department of Medicine, Healthcare Center, Shinjuku Oiwake Clinic and Ladies Branch, Seikokai, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Maiko Noguchi
- Department of Medicine, Healthcare Center, Shinjuku Oiwake Clinic and Ladies Branch, Seikokai, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mayumi Okayama
- Department of Medicine, Healthcare Center, Shinjuku Oiwake Clinic and Ladies Branch, Seikokai, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rei Nagakura
- Department of Medicine, Healthcare Center, Shinjuku Oiwake Clinic and Ladies Branch, Seikokai, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nariko Ohmori
- Department of Medicine, Healthcare Center, Shinjuku Oiwake Clinic and Ladies Branch, Seikokai, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Tsuchiya
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sofuni
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo Japan
| | - Takao Itoi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Osamu Ohtsubo
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human Care, Tohto University, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Medicine, Kenkoigaku Association, Tokyo Japan
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8
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Masood M, Kiani J, Iftikhar S, Faisal A. The Psychological Impact and Behavioral Changes Among the Medical Students of Islamabad and Rawalpindi Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cureus 2024; 16:e59860. [PMID: 38854319 PMCID: PMC11157357 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift in global lifestyles as individuals sought to safeguard themselves and their loved ones from the virus. This adaptation involved embracing a distinct way of life marked by social distancing, reduced outdoor engagements, and home confinement. Consequently, this period of quarantine led to diminished social interactions, challenges in accessing essential resources such as food, heightened unemployment rates, and increased burden on healthcare systems. Understandably, these circumstances gave rise to heightened emotions including fear, depression, and anxiety. In response to these dynamics, our research aimed to explore the psychological and behavioral shifts among medical students residing in Islamabad and Rawalpindi (the twin cities of Pakistan) during the year 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A structured, self-administered questionnaire was constructed, based on previously conducted surveys, assessing the psychological impact and behavioral changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire was made available online through Google Forms and was provided to students of the various medical colleges of the twin cities of Pakistan. The results were further stratified based on gender. Results Categorical data were collected from 400 medical students studying in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The negative psychological impact was shown by increased stress, 260 (65%), feeling of less energy, 211 (52.8%), and increased anxiety with upper respiratory symptoms, 202 (50.5%). Behavioral changes were also a reflection of the psychological changes depicted by an increased use of disinfectants, 256 (64%), increased desire to clean surfaces, 262 (65.6%), increased use of soaps and detergents, 300 (75%), reduced number of times one left their house 281, (70.3%), and decreased consumption of food products from outside, 226 (56.5%). When compared between the two genders, females had significantly increased stress levels (p=0.034), decreased food consumption from outside (p=0.026), and increased avoidance of people not wearing masks (p=0.001). Conclusion Through our study, we identified the various psychological and behavioral changes among our population due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study not only highlights these changes but also discusses the various ways to address them. This study would help relevant organizations to understand the broader aspect of how this pandemic has affected individual lives and will also give them ideas regarding how to cater to these changes in a positive way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Masood
- Medicine, Shifa International Hospital Islamabad, Islamabad, PAK
| | - Jaweria Kiani
- Medicine, Shifa International Hospital Islamabad, Islamabad, PAK
| | - Seemal Iftikhar
- Medicine, Shifa International Hospital Islamabad, Islamabad, PAK
| | - Aamna Faisal
- Medicine, Shifa International Hospital Islamabad, Islamabad, PAK
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9
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Pérez-Jacoiste Asín MA, De Castro M, De Dios B, Pérez-Ayala A, Lalueza A, García-Reyne A, Losada I, Herrero-Martínez JM, Jiménez PH, Lumbreras C, Lizasoain M, López Medrano F. Enhancing screening adherence for strongyloides infection in latinx inpatients with COVID-19: a local protocol implementation study. Pathog Glob Health 2024; 118:232-240. [PMID: 37525476 PMCID: PMC11221480 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2023.2240088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection syndrome has been observed in immunosuppressed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Detecting and treating asymptomatic Strongyloides infection in individuals from endemic areas can effectively prevent hyperinfection. Unfortunately, many clinicians are unaware of this neglected infection. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether including Strongyloides screening in COVID-19 management protocols would encourage this practice. To accomplish this, we conducted a retrospective single-center study at 'Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre' in Madrid, Spain, comparing two consecutive cohorts. The first cohort comprised all Latinx patients over 18 years old who were admitted for COVID-19 between March 1st and April 30th, 2020. The second cohort consisted of Latinx patients admitted between July 1st and December 31st, 2020, following an amendment to the COVID-19 management protocol that recommended screening for strongyloidiasis in at-risk patients. We identified 559 and 795 patients in the first and second periods, respectively. The percentage of individuals screened increased significantly from 8.8% to 51.6% after the screening recommendation was included in the protocol (odds ratio [OR] 11.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.01-15.33). In both periods, the screening rate was significantly higher among those receiving immunosuppression than those who did not receive steroids and/or tocilizumab. No other factors influenced the screening rate. In conclusion, including strongyloidiasis screening recommendations in COVID-19 management protocols led to its increased implementation. However, the overall screening rate remained low, emphasizing the need for further efforts to enhance screening practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Asunción Pérez-Jacoiste Asín
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
- School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta De Castro
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Begoña De Dios
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Pérez-Ayala
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Lalueza
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
- School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC; CB21/13/00009), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana García-Reyne
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Losada
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health, ISGlobal-Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan María Herrero-Martínez
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
- School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Carlos Lumbreras
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
- School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Lizasoain
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco López Medrano
- School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC; CB21/13/00009), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
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10
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Ikiz F, Ak A. Investigation of the relationship between coagulation parameters and mortality in COVID-19 infection. BLOOD SCIENCE 2024; 6:e00191. [PMID: 38694496 PMCID: PMC11062700 DOI: 10.1097/bs9.0000000000000191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
This study, which included patients over the age of 18 who were diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the emergency clinic, aims to determine the relationship between coagulation parameters and mortality. Epidemiologic data such as age, gender, medical history, vital parameters at emergency department admission, clinical findings, coagulation parameters such as d-dimer, prothrombin time (PT), active partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), international normalized ration (INR), fibrinogen, and platelet were evaluated. Patients with positive computerized tomography (CT) findings and positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) together were included in the study. It was revealed that d-dimer, fibrinogen, INR, and PT values were higher in the elderly group. It was shown that there was a significant relationship between hospitalization days (ward or intensive care unit) and d-dimer levels. It was observed that d-dimer, fibrinogen elevation was significantly associated with prognosis by increasing mortality, and that platelet and aPTT values were also associated with prognosis and were lower in the mortality group. On the other hand, in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the sensitivity and specificity data were 80.3%/80.0% for d-dimer, 70.5%/72.2% for fibrinogen, 58.2%/59.4% for aPTT, and 59.7%/59.2% for platelet, respectively. The overall classification success was 88.6% and mortality prediction success was 37.7% in the regression model of some coagulation parameters (d-dimer, fibrinogen, aPTT, and platelet) which were effective on prognosis. In conclusion, it was determined that d-dimer, fibrinogen, aPTT, and platelet parameters were directly associated with mortality and when these coagulation parameters were used together with the clinical, vital, and demographic data of the patients, the success of mortality prediction increased significantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatih Ikiz
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Beyhekim Training and Research Hospital, Selcuklu, Konya, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Ak
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Selcuklu, Konya, Turkey
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11
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Zhu W, Wei T, Xu Y, Jin Q, Chao Y, Lu J, Xu J, Zhu J, Yan X, Chen M, Chen Q, Liu Z. Non-invasive transdermal delivery of biomacromolecules with fluorocarbon-modified chitosan for melanoma immunotherapy and viral vaccines. Nat Commun 2024; 15:820. [PMID: 38280876 PMCID: PMC10821906 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45158-6] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Transdermal drug delivery has been regarded as an alternative to oral delivery and subcutaneous injection. However, needleless transdermal delivery of biomacromolecules remains a challenge. Herein, a transdermal delivery platform based on biocompatible fluorocarbon modified chitosan (FCS) is developed to achieve highly efficient non-invasive delivery of biomacromolecules including antibodies and antigens. The formed nanocomplexes exhibits effective transdermal penetration ability via both intercellular and transappendageal routes. Non-invasive transdermal delivery of immune checkpoint blockade antibodies induces stronger immune responses for melanoma in female mice and reduces systemic toxicity compared to intravenous injection. Moreover, transdermal delivery of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in female mice results in comparable humoral immunity as well as improved cellular immunity and immune memory compared to that achieved with subcutaneous vaccine injection. Additionally, FCS-based protein delivery systems demonstrate transdermal ability for rabbit and porcine skins. Thus, FCS-based transdermal delivery systems may provide a compelling opportunity to overcome the skin barrier for efficient transdermal delivery of bio-therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Zhu
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Ting Wei
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Suzhou InnoBM Pharmaceutics Co. Ltd., Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215213, China
| | - Yuchun Xu
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Qiutong Jin
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Suzhou InnoBM Pharmaceutics Co. Ltd., Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215213, China
| | - Yu Chao
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Jiaqi Lu
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- Suzhou InnoBM Pharmaceutics Co. Ltd., Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215213, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Jiafei Zhu
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Xiaoying Yan
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Muchao Chen
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
| | - Zhuang Liu
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
- Suzhou InnoBM Pharmaceutics Co. Ltd., Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215213, China.
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12
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Wei C, Yin W, Hu T, Zhang J, Dan H, Wu B. Agranulocytosis and secondary infection related to JAK inhibitors and IL-6 receptor blockers: a disproportionality analysis using the US Food and drug administration adverse event reporting system. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1323240. [PMID: 38264533 PMCID: PMC10803638 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1323240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Given that the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not over, we aimed to explore the occurrence of agranulocytosis and infectious complications in patients with and without COVID-19 following immunoregulatory therapy based on real-world data. Methods: This was a retrospective disproportionality analysis based on the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). All cases reported between the first quarter of 2004 and the fourth quarter of 2022 about Janus kinase inhibitors (baricitinib, tofacitinib, ruxolitinib) and interleukin-6 receptor blockers (tocilizumab, sarilumab) were collected. Disproportionality analyses were conducted by reporting odds ratio (ROR) and information component (IC). Results: A total of 211,363 cases were recognized from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database. Data analysis showed that tocilizumab (reporting odds ratio: 3.18, 95% CI: 3.18-3.29; information component: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.31-1.42), sarilumab (ROR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.55-1.73; IC: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.43-0.79), baricitinib (ROR: 3.42, 95% CI: 3.19-3.67; IC: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.21-1.65), tofacitinib (ROR: 2.53, 95% CI: 2.49-2.57; IC: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.05-1.16), and ruxolitinib (ROR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.83-1.91; IC: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.70-0.84) were all associated with secondary infection. The association in the combination group was higher than that in the monotherapy group (ROR: 4.69, 95% CI: 4.53-4.86; IC: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.62-1.84). As for agranulocytosis, tocilizumab (ROR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.53-1.69; IC: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.50-0.84) and ruxolitinib (ROR: 2.32, 95% CI: 2.21-2.43; IC: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02-1.33) showed the significant signals. The association was higher in the combination group than in the monotherapy group (ROR: 2.36, 95% CI: 2.15-2.58; IC: 1.20, 95% CI: 0.90-1.51). Secondary infection after treatment with tofacitinib (ROR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.02-1.84), tocilizumab (ROR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.01-2.09), and sarilumab (ROR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.10-5.50) was reported more frequently in COVID-19 than in non-COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: Both Janus kinase inhibitors and interleukin-6 receptor blockers are significantly associated with secondary infection and agranulocytosis, and the combined treatment further increases the association. The correlation with secondary infection in patients treated with tofacitinib, tocilizumab, and sarilumab is higher in COVID-19 than in non-COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wanhong Yin
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- West China School of Clinical Medical College, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tingting Hu
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jingyi Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huifang Dan
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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13
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He CQ, Sun BH, Yu WT, An SY, Qiao BJ, Wu W. Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on hepatitis B and forecasting the epidemiological trend in mainland China: a causal analysis. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:47. [PMID: 38166922 PMCID: PMC10763123 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17587-3] [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: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is uncertain how COVID-19 outbreak influences the hepatitis B epidemics. This study aims to evaluate the effects on hepatitis B owing to the COVID-19 outbreak and forecast the hepatitis B epidemiological trend in mainland China to speed up the course of the "End viral hepatitis Strategy". METHODS We estimated the causal impacts and created a forecast through adopting monthly notifications of hepatitis B each year from 2005 to 2020 in mainland China using the Bayesian structural time series (BSTS) method. RESULTS The hepatitis B epidemics fluctuates irregularly during the period 2005-2007(APC = 8.7, P = 0.246) and 2015-2020(APC = 1.7, P = 0.290), and there is a downturn (APC=-3.2, 95% CI -5.2 to -1.2, P = 0.006) from 2007 to 2015 in mainland China. The COVID-19 outbreak was found to have a monthly average reduction on the hepatitis B epidemics of 26% (95% CI 18-35%) within the first three months in 2020,17% (95% CI 7.7-26%) within the first six months in 2020, and 10% (95% CI19-22%) all year as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, (probability of causal effect = 96.591%, P = 0.034) and the forecasts showed an upward trend from 2021 to 2025 (annual percentage change = 4.18, 95% CI 4.0 to 4.3, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The COVID-19 has a positive effect on the decline of hepatitis B cases. And the potential of BSTS model to forecast the epidemiological trend of the hepatitis B can be applied in automatic public health policymaking in mainland China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Qun He
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Bai-Hong Sun
- Liaoning Provincial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Wang-Tao Yu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Shu-Yi An
- Liaoning Provincial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Bao-Jun Qiao
- Liaoning Provincial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
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14
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Nyachoti DO, Fwelo P, Springer AE, Kelder SH. Association between Gross National Income per capita and COVID-19 vaccination coverage: a global ecological study. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2415. [PMID: 38049821 PMCID: PMC10696801 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17241-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed over six million lives and infected more than 650 million people globally. Public health agencies have deployed several strategies, including rolling out vaccination campaigns to curb the pandemic, yet a significant proportion of the global population has not received the COVID-19 vaccine. We assessed differences in COVID-19 vaccination coverage by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of WHO members (i.e., countries, areas, and territories, n = 192) and by WHO member regions (n = 6). METHODS Using an ecological study design, we analyzed publicly available data from the WHO website merged with the World Bank's GNI per capita data. We included a total of 192 WHO members and six WHO regions in the analysis. We utilized negative binomial regression to assess the associations between the GNI per capita and COVID-19 vaccination coverage (cumulative number of persons fully vaccinated and/or received at least one dose of the vaccine per 100 population), and ANOVA test to assess the differences in vaccination coverage per WHO regions. RESULTS Low GNI per capita WHO members had significantly lower full vaccination coverage (aRR 0.30, 95% CI 0.22-0.40) compared to high GNI per capita WHO members. These members were also 66% less likely to receive at least one dose of the vaccine (aRR 0.34, 0.26-0.44) relative to high GNI per capita WHO members. Africa region had a significantly lower fully vaccination coverage (aRR 0.71, 95% CI 0.36-0.54) and received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (aRR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62-0.99) than Europe region. Conversely, the Western Pacific region had significantly higher fully vaccination coverage (aRR 1.40 95% CI 1.12-1.74) and received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines (aRR 1.40 95% CI 1.14-1.73) relative to European region. CONCLUSION WHO members with low GNI per capita and the African region reported significantly lower COVID-19 vaccination coverage than those with high GNI per capita or other regions. Efforts to strengthen and promote COVID-19 vaccination in low-income WHO countries and African region should be scaled up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Ogeto Nyachoti
- Texas Department of State Health Services, Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Austin, TX, USA.
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, El Paso, TX, USA.
| | - Pierre Fwelo
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics & Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andrew E Springer
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Steven H Kelder
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics & Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, Austin, TX, USA
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North A, Cloete A, Ramlagan S, Manyaapelo T, Ngobeni A, Vondo N, Sekgala D. " … [I] f I can [be] infected now that means I am going to die … ": an explorative study focusing on vulnerable, immunocompromised groups and caregivers experiences and perceptions of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa. SAHARA J 2023; 20:2187446. [PMID: 36942771 PMCID: PMC10035956 DOI: 10.1080/17290376.2023.2187446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACTIn this paper, we explored how vulnerable, immunocompromised groups and caregivers of the elderly experienced and perceived the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted remotely between the 5th andthe 18th of April 2020 in the three South African provinces hardest hit by Covid-19, namely Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. In total, 60 qualitative key informant interviews and one focus group discussion were conducted. Study participants expressed concerns for elderly people and people with underlying health conditions because of their increased vulnerability to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). People living with HIV expressed an increased fear of infection following the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa. The sidelining of healthcare services and stock-outs of medication proved to be an added concern in particular for vulnerable and immunocompromised groups. Overall, the data suggest that the fear of infection is ubiquitous for people who live in unstable environments such as overcrowded townships and informal settlements. Given the increased fears of infection brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, the mental health of vulnerable communities and those caring for them becomes an added burden for people living in unstable environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia North
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Registry of Older Australians (ROSA), South Australia
| | | | | | | | - Amukelani Ngobeni
- HSC Division, HSRC, Pretoria, South Africa
- University of the North West, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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Varghese R, Digholkar G, Karsiya J, Salvi S, Shah J, Kumar D, Sharma R. PDE5 inhibitors: breaking new grounds in the treatment of COVID-19. Drug Metab Pers Ther 2023; 38:295-307. [PMID: 38167268 DOI: 10.1515/dmpt-2023-0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the ever-increasing occurrences of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases around the world, very few medications have been validated in the clinical trials to combat COVID-19. Although several vaccines have been developed in the past quarter, the time elapsed between deployment and administration remains a major impediment. CONTENT Repurposing of pre-approved drugs, such as phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, could be a game-changer while lessening the burden on the current healthcare system. Repurposing and developing phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors could extrapolate their utility to combat the SARS-CoV-2 infection, and potentially aid in the management of the symptoms associated with its newer variants such as BF.7, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB.1.5, and XBB.1.16. SUMMARY Administration of PDE5 inhibitors via the oral and intravenous route demonstrates other potential off-label benefits, including anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects, by intercepting several pathways. These effects can not only be of clinical importance in mild-to-moderate, but also moderate-to-severe SARS-CoV-2 infections. This article explores the various mechanisms by which PDE5 inhibitors alleviates the symptoms associated with COVID-19 as well as well as highlights recent studies and findings. OUTLOOK These benefits of PDE5 inhibitors make it a potential drug in the physicians' armamentarium in alleviating symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, adequate clinical studies must be instituted to eliminate any untoward adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Varghese
- Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be) University, Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research, and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Gargi Digholkar
- Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be) University, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Jainam Karsiya
- River Route Creative Group LLP, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sahil Salvi
- Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be) University, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Jeenam Shah
- Department of Pulmonology, Saifee Hospital, Girgaon, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Dileep Kumar
- Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be) University, Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Rohit Sharma
- Department of Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Eriten B, Eriten S. Reporting of biochemical blood values in COVID-19 patients: A retrospective study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e35833. [PMID: 37933044 PMCID: PMC10627609 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000035833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the impact of biochemical blood parameters on the progression of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This retrospective study analyzed the clinical characteristics and biochemical test parameters of 352 COVID-19 patients treated at Malatya Training and Research Hospital in Turkey between March 3, 2021, and February 28, 2022. METHODS The methodological approach of our study included specific analyses and examinations to assess the effect of biochemical blood values on disease progression in COVID-19 patients. To achieve this aim, blood samples were collected from patients and various biochemical tests were performed. The data obtained were evaluated using statistical analyses to examine the relationship between these specific biochemical blood values and the severity of COVID-19. RESULTS High glucose, urea, alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase levels and low albumin and potassium levels were associated with a more severe disease course. The results showed a significant link between certain biochemical blood values and the severity of COVID-19. These findings suggest that these markers may serve as valuable clinical indicators for predicting the disease progression and severity. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the importance of monitoring and analyzing biochemical blood values as essential tools for assessing the severity and progression of COVID-19. The identified markers provide valuable information regarding the prognosis of the disease and may help healthcare professionals make informed decisions regarding patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berna Eriten
- Şehit Prof. Dr. İlhan Varank Sancaktepe Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pathology, Emek, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Semih Eriten
- Sultanbeyli State Hospital, Department of Emergency, Battalgazi, Sultanbeyli, İstanbul, Turkey
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18
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Nyachoti DO, Ranjit N, Ramphul R, Whigham LD, Springer AE. Association of Social Vulnerability and COVID-19 Mortality Rates in Texas between 15 March 2020, and 21 July 2022: An Ecological Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6985. [PMID: 37947543 PMCID: PMC10647229 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20216985] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the key role of social vulnerability such as economic disadvantage in health outcomes, research is limited on the impact of social vulnerabilities on COVID-19-related deaths, especially at the state and county level in the USA. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional ecologic analysis of COVID-19 mortality by the county-level Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (MH SVI) and each of its components in Texas. Negative binomial regression (NBR) analyses were used to estimate the association between the composite MH SVI (and its components) and COVID-19 mortality. RESULTS A 0.1-unit increase in the overall MH SVI (IRR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.04-1.55; p = 0.017) was associated with a 27% increase in the COVID-19 mortality rate. Among the MH SVI component measures, only low socioeconomic status (IRR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.28-1.89; p = 0.001) and higher household composition (e.g., proportion of older population per county) and disability scores (IRR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.29-1.68; p < 0.001) were positively associated with COVID-19 mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS This study provides further evidence of disparities in COVID-19 mortality by social vulnerability and can inform decisions on the allocation of social resources and services as a strategy for reducing COVID-19 mortality rates and similar pandemics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Ogeto Nyachoti
- Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Texas Department of State Health Services, 201 W Howard Ln, Austin, TX 78753, USA
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Community Health Impact, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 5130 Gateway Boulevard East MCA 110, El Paso, TX 79905, USA;
| | - Nalini Ranjit
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 1616 Guadalupe, Austin, TX 78701, USA;
| | - Ryan Ramphul
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics & Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Leah D. Whigham
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Community Health Impact, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 5130 Gateway Boulevard East MCA 110, El Paso, TX 79905, USA;
| | - Andrew E. Springer
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 1616 Guadalupe, Austin, TX 78701, USA;
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Li Y, Liu X, Li X, Xue C, Zhang B, Wang Y. Interruption time series analysis using autoregressive integrated moving average model: evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on the epidemic trend of gonorrhea in China. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2073. [PMID: 37872621 PMCID: PMC10594778 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16953-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interrupted time series (ITS) analysis is a growing method for assessing intervention impacts on diseases. However, it remains unstudied how the COVID-19 outbreak impacts gonorrhea. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on gonorrhea and predict gonorrhea epidemics using the ITS-autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model. METHODS The number of gonorrhea cases reported in China from January 2005 to September 2022 was collected. Statistical descriptions were applied to indicate the overall epidemiological characteristics of the data, and then the ITS-ARIMA was established. Additionally, we compared the forecasting abilities of ITS-ARIMA with Bayesian structural time series (BSTS), and discussed the model selection process, transfer function, check model fitting, and interpretation of results. RESULT During 2005-2022, the total cases of gonorrhea were 2,165,048, with an annual average incidence rate of 8.99 per 100,000 people. The highest incidence rate was 14.2 per 100,000 people in 2005 and the lowest was 6.9 per 100,000 people in 2012. The optimal model was ARIMA (0,1, (1,3)) (0,1,1)12 (Akaike's information criterion = 3293.93). When predicting the gonorrhea incidence, the mean absolute percentage error under the ARIMA (16.45%) was smaller than that under the BSTS (22.48%). The study found a 62.4% reduction in gonorrhea during the first-level response, a 46.47% reduction during the second-level response, and an increase of 3.6% during the third-level response. The final model estimated a step change of - 2171 (95% confidence interval [CI] - 3698 to - 644) cases and an impulse change of - 1359 (95% CI - 2381 to - 338) cases. Using the ITS-ARIMA to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on gonorrhea, the gonorrhea incidence showed a temporary decline before rebounding to pre-COVID-19 levels in China. CONCLUSION ITS analysis is a valuable tool for gauging intervention effectiveness, providing flexibility in modelling various impacts. The ITS-ARIMA model can adeptly explain potential trends, autocorrelation, and seasonality. Gonorrhea, marked by periodicity and seasonality, exhibited a downward trend under the influence of COVID-19 intervention. The ITS-ARIMA outperformed the BSTS, offering superior predictive capabilities for the gonorrhea incidence trend in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingyan Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinxiao Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenlu Xue
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingjie Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongbin Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.
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20
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Jahankhani K, Ahangari F, Adcock IM, Mortaz E. Possible cancer-causing capacity of COVID-19: Is SARS-CoV-2 an oncogenic agent? Biochimie 2023; 213:130-138. [PMID: 37230238 PMCID: PMC10202899 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has shown diverse life-threatening effects, most of which are considered short-term. In addition to its short-term effects, which has claimed many millions of lives since 2019, the long-term complications of this virus are still under investigation. Similar to many oncogenic viruses, it has been hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 employs various strategies to cause cancer in different organs. These include leveraging the renin angiotensin system, altering tumor suppressing pathways by means of its nonstructural proteins, and triggering inflammatory cascades by enhancing cytokine production in the form of a "cytokine storm" paving the way for the emergence of cancer stem cells in target organs. Since infection with SARS-CoV-2 occurs in several organs either directly or indirectly, it is expected that cancer stem cells may develop in multiple organs. Thus, we have reviewed the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the vulnerability and susceptibility of specific organs to cancer development. It is important to note that the cancer-related effects of SARS-CoV-2 proposed in this article are based on the ability of the virus and its proteins to cause cancer but that the long-term consequences of this infection will only be illustrated in the long run.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasra Jahankhani
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Ahangari
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ian M Adcock
- Airways Disease, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Immune Health Program at Hunter Medical Research Institute and the College of Health and Medicine at the University of Newcastle, Australia
| | - Esmaeil Mortaz
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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21
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M. Jaber H, Abusamak M, N.Obeid S, Heissat N, Qashou R, AB Shtaiyat M, Alasad I, Aldaghlise D. Prevalence of Persisting and New Symptoms Following Recovery from COVID-19 in the Jordanian Population. Med J Islam Repub Iran 2023; 37:105. [PMID: 38021384 PMCID: PMC10657256 DOI: 10.47176/mjiri.37.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Many patients do not have a clear idea about the recovery from COVID-19 infection. This study focuses on the prevalence of persistent symptoms of COVID-19 infection as well as new symptoms that appear after recovery, and it aids in determining the relationships between these symptoms and a variety of variables. Methods An online observational study was conducted between April and June 2022. It consisted of a self-administered web-based questionnaire conducted using social media platforms. Inclusion criteria were residency in Jordan, being 18 years of age or older, having recovered from COVID-19 for at least 90 days, and giving consent to participate. Participants whose infection was not confirmed by a positive PCR were excluded. Results The most common persistent symptoms were loss of smell (34.7%), fatigue (34.6%), loss of taste (29.5%), myalgia (26.3%), and headache (25.9%), while the most common newly appearing symptoms after recovery were smell hallucinations (15.8%), fatigue (15.5%), taste hallucinations (14.9%), and focus impairment (12.9%) and smell impairment (12.8%). The symptoms persisted more in females, non-smokers, and those who needed medical care sor oxygesnation and with increased infection duration. Conclusion The study about persistent and new symptoms after COVID-19 among Jordanians found a greater prevalence of symptoms related to the sense of smell. There is no association between persistent and new symptoms after COVID-19 recovery with comorbidities or oxygen therapy during illness. We recommend studying the effect of COVID-19 mutants and vaccination on the persistence of symptoms after recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hatim M. Jaber
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Al-Balqa Applied
University, As-Salt, Jordan
| | - Mohammad Abusamak
- Department of General and Special Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, Faculty of
Medicine, Al Balqa Applied University, Salt, Jordan
| | | | - Nizar Heissat
- Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Islamic Hospital, Amman, Jordan
| | - Razan Qashou
- Faculty of Medicine, Al-Balqa Applied University, Jordan
| | | | - Ibrahim Alasad
- Faculty of Medicine, Al-Balqa Applied University, Jordan
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22
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Boudabbous M, Charfi N, Gdoura H, Chtourou L, Moalla M, Mnif L, Amouri A, Maalej M, Tahri N. A survey to explore the psychological and professional impact of change imposed by COVID-19. Future Sci OA 2023; 9:FSO879. [PMID: 37621849 PMCID: PMC10445553 DOI: 10.2144/fsoa-2023-0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim Staff of a department underwent a change following the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to assess the psychological and professional impact of this change. Materials & methods This is cross-sectional study, including all department staff conducted from 15 July 2021 to 15 August 2021. Results All the staff concerned (n = 36) participated. Only 9.37% declared that they understood the change. The main problem encountered by participants was poor communication (86.2%). More than 75% among participants had a demotivation and 54.5% had resisted. The main cause of resistance was quality of organization (42.4%). Conclusion Our study illustrates the difficulties encountered by actors involved in organizational change and the high risk of their resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Boudabbous
- Gastroenterology Departement, Hédi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Medecin B Departement, Medecin Sfax University, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Nada Charfi
- Psychiatry C Departement, Hédi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Medecin B Departement, Medecin Sfax University, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Héla Gdoura
- Gastroenterology Departement, Hédi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Medecin B Departement, Medecin Sfax University, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Lassad Chtourou
- Gastroenterology Departement, Hédi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Medecin B Departement, Medecin Sfax University, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Manel Moalla
- Gastroenterology Departement, Hédi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Medecin B Departement, Medecin Sfax University, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Leila Mnif
- Gastroenterology Departement, Hédi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Medecin B Departement, Medecin Sfax University, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Ali Amouri
- Gastroenterology Departement, Hédi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Medecin B Departement, Medecin Sfax University, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Maalej
- Psychiatry C Departement, Hédi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Medecin B Departement, Medecin Sfax University, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Nabil Tahri
- Gastroenterology Departement, Hédi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Medecin B Departement, Medecin Sfax University, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
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23
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Varghese R, Digholkar G, Karsiya J, Salvi S, Shah J, Kumar D, Sharma R. PDE5 inhibitors: breaking new grounds in the treatment of COVID-19. Drug Metab Pers Ther 2023; 0:dmdi-2023-0011. [PMID: 37608528 DOI: 10.1515/dmdi-2023-0011] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the ever-increasing occurrences of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases around the world, very few medications have been validated in the clinical trials to combat COVID-19. Although several vaccines have been developed in the past quarter, the time elapsed between deployment and administration remains a major impediment. CONTENT Repurposing of pre-approved drugs, such as phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, could be a game-changer while lessening the burden on the current healthcare system. Repurposing and developing phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors could extrapolate their utility to combat the SARS-CoV-2 infection, and potentially aid in the management of the symptoms associated with its newer variants such as BF.7, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB.1.5, and XBB.1.16. SUMMARY Administration of PDE5 inhibitors via the oral and intravenous route demonstrates other potential off-label benefits, including anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects, by intercepting several pathways. These effects can not only be of clinical importance in mild-to-moderate, but also moderate-to-severe SARS-CoV-2 infections. This article explores the various mechanisms by which PDE5 inhibitors alleviates the symptoms associated with COVID-19 as well as well as highlights recent studies and findings. OUTLOOK These benefits of PDE5 inhibitors make it a potential drug in the physicians' armamentarium in alleviating symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, adequate clinical studies must be instituted to eliminate any untoward adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Varghese
- Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be) University, Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research, and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Gargi Digholkar
- Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be) University, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Jainam Karsiya
- River Route Creative Group LLP, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sahil Salvi
- Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be) University, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Jeenam Shah
- Department of Pulmonology, Saifee Hospital, Girgaon, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Dileep Kumar
- Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be) University, Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Rohit Sharma
- Department of Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
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24
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Lemos M, Maia RL, Teixeira P. Access to Information, and Concerns, Myths and Truths about Food Safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Overview of the Portuguese Population. Foods 2023; 12:2802. [PMID: 37509894 PMCID: PMC10380000 DOI: 10.3390/foods12142802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic raised questions and concerns about the possibility of the virus being transmitted through food, as the virus was found in sewage, shrimps and packages of frozen food. During the first wave of COVID-19, concerns about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through food arose. As the number of cases began to increase rapidly, so did the availability of information regarding the virus and ways to prevent infection. A significant portion of this information was disseminated by the media and the general public. Identifying and understanding the main doubts and concerns about food hygiene and safety raised by the Portuguese population during the first wave of COVID-19 is important in order to understand whether these issues have influenced their practices and what lessons can be learnt for food safety and hygiene education. The aims of this work were (1) to understand the doubts and concerns of the Portuguese population regarding food safety and hygiene during the first wave of COVID-19, and how these issues were clarified, (2) to analyze the population's opinion on food/hygiene myths and truths related to the transmission and prevention of the infection, and (3) to understand how the first wave of COVID-19 may have influenced the population's practices linked to food handling and consumption. The main doubts of the respondents were related to food handling (41.6%) and the possibility of transmission of COVID-19 through food (17%). Television was the main source of information used to clarify these doubts (32.9%), followed by a guideline issued by the Directorate-General of Health (30.7%). However, most respondents (50.9%) said that they had only found answers to some of their questions. Most respondents reported washing and disinfecting hands before (85% and 63.4%, respectively) and after (73.8% and 57.3%, respectively) the handling and organization of food purchases. Most respondents did not believe the myths about COVID-19 and food safety, but this depended on their level of education. Some practices may have changed as a result of the pandemic, particularly with regard to washing and disinfecting hands and food, as well as kitchen hygiene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Lemos
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF-Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina-Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui Leandro Maia
- CITCEM-Centro de Investigação Transdisciplinar «Cultura, Espaço e Memória», Faculdade de Letras do Porto, Universidade do Porto, 4150-564 Porto, Portugal
- FP I3ID-Institute for Research, Innovation and Development Fernando Pessoa Foundation, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Teixeira
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF-Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina-Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal
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25
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Vasei M, Jafari E, Falah Azad V, Safavi M, Sotoudeh M. Molecular Diagnosis of COVID-19; Biosafety and Pre-analytical Recommendations. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2023; 18:244-256. [PMID: 37942195 PMCID: PMC10628373 DOI: 10.30699/ijp.2023.1988405.3061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
From the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic, clinical laboratories around the world have been involved with tests for detection of SARS-CoV-2. At present, RT-PCR (real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay) is seen as the gold standard for identifying the virus. Many factors are involved in achieving the highest accuracy in this test, including parameters related to the pre-analysis stage. Having instructions on the type of sample, how to take the sample, and its storage and transportation help control the interfering factors at this stage. Studies have shown that pre-analytical factors might be the cause of the high SARS-CoV-2 test false-negative rates. Also, the safety of personnel in molecular laboratories is of utmost importance, and it requires strict guidelines to ensure the safety of exposed individuals and prevent the virus from spreading. Since the onset of the outbreak, various instructions and guidelines have been developed in this field by the institutions and the Ministry of Health of each country; these guidelines are seriously in need of integration and operation. In this study, we try to collect all the information and research done from the beginning of this pandemic in December 2019 - August 2022 concerning biosafety and protective measures, sample types, sampling methods, container, and storage solutions, sampling equipment, and sample storage and transportation for molecular testing of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Vasei
- Molecular Pathology and Cytogenetics Division, Pathology Department, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Cell-BasedTherapies Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Shari'ati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Jafari
- Molecular Pathology and Cytogenetics Division, Pathology Department, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Pathology and Stem Cells Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Vahid Falah Azad
- Molecular Pathology and Cytogenetics Division, Pathology Department, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Moeinadin Safavi
- Molecular Pathology and Cytogenetics Division, Pathology Department, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Sotoudeh
- Molecular Pathology and Cytogenetics Division, Pathology Department, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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26
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Hu L, Sun J, Wang Y, Tan D, Cao Z, Gao L, Guan Y, Jia X, Mao J. A Review of Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine Development in China: Focusing on Safety and Efficacy in Special Populations. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1045. [PMID: 37376434 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11061045] [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: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been widespread globally, and vaccination is critical for preventing further spread or resurgence of the outbreak. Inactivated vaccines made from whole inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus particles generated in Vero cells are currently the most widely used COVID-19 vaccines, with China being the largest producer of inactivated vaccines. As a result, the focus of this review is on inactivated vaccines, with a multidimensional analysis of the development process, platforms, safety, and efficacy in special populations. Overall, inactivated vaccines are a safe option, and we hope that the review will serve as a foundation for further development of COVID-19 vaccines, thus strengthening the defense against the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidan Hu
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Jingmiao Sun
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Danny Tan
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Zhongkai Cao
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Langping Gao
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Yuelin Guan
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Xiuwei Jia
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Jianhua Mao
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310030, China
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Wu M, Zhang Y, Markley M, Cassidy C, Newman N, Porter A. COVID-19 knowledge deconstruction and retrieval: an intelligent bibliometric solution. Scientometrics 2023:1-31. [PMID: 37360228 PMCID: PMC10230150 DOI: 10.1007/s11192-023-04747-w] [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] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has been an unprecedented challenge that disruptively reshaped societies and brought a massive amount of novel knowledge to the scientific community. However, as this knowledge flood continues surging, researchers have been disadvantaged by not having access to a platform that can quickly synthesize emerging information and link the new knowledge to the latent knowledge foundation. Aiming to fill this gap, we propose a research framework and develop a dashboard that can assist scientists in identifying, retrieving, and understanding COVID-19 knowledge from the ocean of scholarly articles. Incorporating principal component decomposition (PCD), a knowledge mode-based search approach, and hierarchical topic tree (HTT) analysis, the proposed framework profiles the COVID-19 research landscape, retrieves topic-specific latent knowledge foundation, and visualizes knowledge structures. The regularly updated dashboard presents our research results. Addressing 127,971 COVID-19 research papers from PubMed, the PCD topic analysis identifies 35 research hotspots, along with their inner correlations and fluctuating trends. The HTT result segments the global knowledge landscape of COVID-19 into clinical and public health branches and reveals the deeper exploration of those studies. To supplement this analysis, we additionally built a knowledge model from research papers on the topic of vaccination and fetched 92,286 pre-Covid publications as the latent knowledge foundation for reference. The HTT analysis results on the retrieved papers show multiple relevant biomedical disciplines and four future research topics: monoclonal antibody treatments, vaccinations in diabetic patients, vaccine immunity effectiveness and durability, and vaccination-related allergic sensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjia Wu
- Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Yi Zhang
- Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Alan Porter
- Search Technology, Inc., Norcross, USA
- Science, Technology & Innovation Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA
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28
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Kim S. Relationship between lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and depression: Nationwide population-based research using Community Health Survey data in South Korea. Prim Care Diabetes 2023:S1751-9918(23)00100-6. [PMID: 37270401 PMCID: PMC10213297 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcd.2023.05.006] [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: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
AIMS This study evaluated the association between depression and lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluated this association in patients with chronic diseases. METHODS Data were obtained from the 2020 Community Health Survey in South Korea. This study included 212,806 participants and perceived changes in life patterns (sleep, food, and exercise) after the COVID-19 outbreak were measured. People with hypertension or diabetes were categorized as patients with chronic diseases and depression was defined as a score of ≥10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. RESULTS Compared with before the COVID-19 pandemic, increased or decreased sleep, the consumption of instant food, and decreased physical activity were associated with increased depression. Compared with the general population, patients with chronic diseases showed increased depression, with or without medication. Additionally, among patients with chronic diseases not taking medication, increased physical activity was associated with reduced depression, whereas reduced physical activity was associated with increased depression in both younger and older groups. CONCLUSIONS This study found that unhealthy lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with increased depression. Maintaining a certain lifestyle is important for mental health. Chronic disease patients need appropriate disease management, including physical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungju Kim
- Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea, 222, Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, the Republic of Korea.
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29
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Soysal GG, Kimyon S, Mete A, Güngör K. Evaluation of the retina with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. J Fr Ophtalmol 2023:S0181-5512(23)00228-0. [PMID: 37088627 PMCID: PMC10106811 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfo.2023.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The goal of this study is to compare the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) findings in Coronavirus (COVID-19) positive adult and pediatric patients with those of healthy volunteers with the same demographic characteristics. METHODS The right eye of 157 adults infected with covid, 168 healthy adult volunteers, 40 children (6-18 years of age) infected with covid, and 44 healthy children (6-18 years of age) were included in this prospective study. All participants underwent ophthalmological examination and OCTA. The OCTA findings were evaluated. RESULTS Deep nasal density (DND), deep inferior density (DID), and deep parafoveal density (DPD) were significantly lower in the pediatric covid-affected group (PCAG) than in the pediatric healthy control group (PHCG) (P=0.034, P=0.029, P=0.022 respectively). On the other hand, radial peripapillary capillary vessel density (RPCVD) intra-disc measurements were significantly higher in the PCAG compared to the PHCG (P=0.025). There was no significant difference between the OCTA measurements of the adult covid-affected group (ACAG) and the adult healthy control group (AHCG). CONCLUSION In our study, significant differences were found in OCTA measurements between the covid group and the healthy control group in children. Retinal microvascular changes may occur in patients with covid infection, and these patients might be followed for long-term retinal changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- G G Soysal
- Ersin-Arslan Education and Research Hospital Ophthalmology Department, 27000 Gaziantep, Turkey.
| | - S Kimyon
- Gaziantep University Hospital Ophthalmology Department, Gaziantep, Turkey
| | - A Mete
- Gaziantep University Hospital Ophthalmology Department, Gaziantep, Turkey
| | - K Güngör
- Gaziantep University Hospital Ophthalmology Department, Gaziantep, Turkey
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Wu Y, Pan Y, Su K, Zhang Y, Jia Z, Yi J, Lv H, Zhang L, Xue M, Cao D, Jiang J. Elder and booster vaccination associates with decreased risk of serious clinical outcomes in comparison of Omicron and Delta variant: A meta-analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1051104. [PMID: 37125157 PMCID: PMC10140352 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1051104] [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: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic brings great pressure to the public health systems. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the clinical outcomes among different virus variants, to clarify their impact on medical resources and to provide evidence for the formulation of epidemic prevention policies. Methods A systematic literature search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases using the key words "Omicron" and "Delta." The adjusted Risk ratios (RRs), Odds ratios (ORs) and Hazard ratios (HRs) were extracted, and RRs and Rate difference % (RD%) were used to interpret the risk estimates of the outcomes ultimately. Results Forty-three studies were included, with 3,812,681 and 14,926,841 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variant, respectively. The relative risks of hospitalization, death, ICU admission, and mechanical ventilation use after infection with the Omicron variant were all significantly reduced compared those after infection with the Delta variant (RRhospitalization = 0.45, 95%CI: 0.40-0.52; RRdeath = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.30-0.45; RRICU = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.29-0.42; RRmechanical ventilation = 0.33, 95%CI: 0.25-0.44). The change of both absolute and relative risks for hospitalization was more evident (RR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.42-0.53;RD% =10.61, 95%CI: 8.64-12.59) and a significant increase was observed for the absolute differences in death in the elderly (RD% = 5.60, 95CI%: 4.65-6.55); the change of the absolute differences in the risk of hospitalization and death were most markedly observed in the patients with booster vaccination (RD%hospitalization = 8.60, 95CI%: 5.95-11.24; RD%death = 3.70, 95CI%: 0.34-7.06). Conclusion The ability of the Omicron variant to cause severe clinical events has decreased significantly, as compared with the Delta variant, but vulnerable populations still need to be vigilant. There was no interaction between the vaccination doses and different variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhua Wu
- Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuchen Pan
- Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Kaisheng Su
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yangyu Zhang
- Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhifang Jia
- Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiaxin Yi
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Haiyong Lv
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Lihuan Zhang
- The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Mingyang Xue
- School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Donghui Cao
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jing Jiang
- Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Graça A, Rufino I, Martins AM, Raposo S, Ribeiro HM, Marto J. Prevention of skin lesions caused by the use of protective face masks by an innovative gelatin-based hydrogel patch: design and in vitro studies. Int J Pharm 2023; 638:122941. [PMID: 37044229 PMCID: PMC10084707 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.122941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The recent Covid-19 pandemics led to the increased use of facial masks, which can cause skin lesions due to continuous pressure, tension and friction forces on the skin. A preventive approach is the inclusion of dressings between the face and the mask. However, there are still uncertainties about the protective effect of dressings and whether their use compromises the efficiency of masks. The current study aimed to develop and test the efficacy of a gelatin-based hydrogel patch to be placed between the mask and the facial area. Design of Experiment with a Quality by Design approach tools were used in the patch development and in vitro characterization was performed through rheological evaluation, ATR-FTIR and molecular docking studies. Furthermore, tribology studies were performed to test the patch performance. The results showed that the addition of excipients enhanced gelation temperature, elasticity and adhesiveness parameters. The interactions between excipients were confirmed by ATR-FTIR and molecular docking. The tribology assay revealed similar friction values at room and physiological temperature, and when testing different skin types. In conclusion, the physical properties and the performance evaluation reported in this study indicate that this innovative film-forming system can be used to prevent skin lesions caused by the continuous use of protective masks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Graça
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ismael Rufino
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana M Martins
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Raposo
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Helena M Ribeiro
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Marto
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Mahjoub M, Gallas M, Chelly S, Mezgar Z, Khrouf M. Facteurs de risque de la sévérité de la COVID-19 chez des patients
tunisiens aux Urgences de Sousse, Tunisie. LA TUNISIE MEDICALE 2023; 101:426-432. [PMID: 38372540 PMCID: PMC11217966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the spread of COVID-19 in Tunisia and its impact on people, health and economy, few studies have investigated the profile of COVID-19 Tunisian patients. AIM Determine the epidemiological, clinical, para-clinical and therapeutic characteristics patients and identify the associated factors of severity. METHODS This is a retrospective study, conducted among confirmed COVID-19 patients consulting the hospital emergency department. We collected Data using from the patients' computerized files. We performed Data entry and analysis using SPSS 22. RESULTS We included 375 patients. The average age was 66.7±11.43 years with a sex ratio of 1.6. The most frequent comorbidities were diabetes (100%), hypertension (64.5%), and chronic heart disease (25.9%). The most frequent clinical signs were dyspnea (75.2%), asthenia (66.9%), cough (66.7%) and fever (60.3%). The most frequent biological abnormalities were biological inflammatory syndrome (96%) and elevation of troponin (69.3%). CT scans revealed lung damage in 34.1% of patients. As for treatments, 91.7% received antibiotics, 89% received corticosteroids, 89.3% received anticoagulants, and 85.1% received ventilation (42.6% non-invasive ventilation and 1.9% were intubated). Risk factors of severity were age, chronic heart disease and hypertension. CONCLUSION Knowing the particularities of Tunisian patients will help to install recommendations to improve the process of care and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Mahjoub
- Care Quality and Safety Department- Farhat Hached Hospital- Sousse- Tunisia/ University of Sousse- Tunisia
| | - Meriem Gallas
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, Department of Master of Research in Health Sciences, Sousse, Tunisia/ University of Sousse- Tunisia
| | - Souhir Chelly
- Care Quality and Safety Department- Farhat Hached Hospital- Sousse- Tunisia/ University of Sousse- Tunisia
| | - Zied Mezgar
- Emergency and Intensive Care Department-Farhat Hached Hospital Sousse, Tunisia/ University of Sousse- Tunisia
| | - Meriem Khrouf
- Emergency and Intensive Care Department-Farhat Hached Hospital Sousse, Tunisia/ University of Sousse- Tunisia
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Neves JMM, Belo VS, Catita CMS, de Oliveira BFA, Horta MAP. Modeling the Climatic Suitability of COVID-19 Cases in Brazil. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:tropicalmed8040198. [PMID: 37104323 PMCID: PMC10142792 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8040198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies have shown that climate may affect the distribution of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its incidence and fatality rates. Here, we applied an ensemble niche modeling approach to project the climatic suitability of COVID-19 cases in Brazil. We estimated the cumulative incidence, mortality rate, and fatality rate of COVID-19 between 2020 and 2021. Seven statistical algorithms (MAXENT, MARS, RF, FDA, CTA, GAM, and GLM) were selected to model the climate suitability for COVID-19 cases from diverse climate data, including temperature, precipitation, and humidity. The annual temperature range and precipitation seasonality showed a relatively high contribution to the models, partially explaining the distribution of COVID-19 cases in Brazil based on the climatic suitability of the territory. We observed a high probability of climatic suitability for high incidence in the North and South regions and a high probability of mortality and fatality rates in the Midwest and Southeast regions. Despite the social, viral, and human aspects regulating COVID-19 cases and death distribution, we suggest that climate may play an important role as a co-factor in the spread of cases. In Brazil, there are regions with a high probability that climatic suitability will contribute to the high incidence and fatality rates of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021.
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Talukder P, Saha A, Roy S, Ghosh G, Roy DD, Barua S. Drugs for COVID-19 Treatment: A New Challenge. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2023; 195:3653-3670. [PMID: 36961509 PMCID: PMC10037400 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-023-04439-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 infection is a new disease and our knowledge is limited; day in and day out more and more interesting yet diverse observations are reported by the different research groups from different corners of the world. So, there is an urgent requirement of the invention of some effective and efficient drugs that can carry out the end of the deadly viral infection. Throughout the world, there have been many efforts carried out in different labs to invent such a drug and also identifying any pre-existing drugs which can carry out the killing of the virus. In this review, an effort has been made to understand the potential drugs which can be used against the SARS-CoV-2 viral infection. Again, the strategies on the current and the future drug discovery mechanisms against the SARS-CoV-2 are also mentioned. The different drugs made and the drugs re-used and also the drugs which are in the making process in different research laboratories across the world are also mentioned. To combat this unexpected crisis, we still need some more efforts from the different scientific communities around the world for finding a cure against this viral infection and this is needed to be done for the prevention of more loss of human life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratik Talukder
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Engineering and Management, Kolkata University Area, Plot, Street Number 03, Action Area III, B/5, Newtown, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700156, India.
| | - Arunima Saha
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Engineering and Management, Kolkata University Area, Plot, Street Number 03, Action Area III, B/5, Newtown, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700156, India
| | - Sohini Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Engineering and Management, Kolkata University Area, Plot, Street Number 03, Action Area III, B/5, Newtown, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700156, India
| | - Gargi Ghosh
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Engineering and Management, Kolkata University Area, Plot, Street Number 03, Action Area III, B/5, Newtown, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700156, India
| | - Debshikha Dutta Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Engineering and Management, Kolkata University Area, Plot, Street Number 03, Action Area III, B/5, Newtown, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700156, India
| | - Snejuti Barua
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Engineering and Management, Kolkata University Area, Plot, Street Number 03, Action Area III, B/5, Newtown, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700156, India
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Paciaroni A, Libera V, Ripanti F, Orecchini A, Petrillo C, Francisci D, Schiaroli E, Sabbatini S, Gidari A, Bianconi E, Macchiarulo A, Hussain R, Silvestrini L, Moretti P, Belhaj N, Vercelli M, Roque Y, Mariani P, Comez L, Spinozzi F. Stabilization of the Dimeric State of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease by GC376 and Nirmatrelvir. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076062. [PMID: 37047038 PMCID: PMC10093836 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro or 3CLpro) is an enzyme that is evolutionarily conserved among different genera of coronaviruses. As it is essential for processing and maturing viral polyproteins, Mpro has been identified as a promising target for the development of broad-spectrum drugs against coronaviruses. Like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, the mature and active form of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro is a dimer composed of identical subunits, each with a single active site. Individual monomers, however, have very low or no catalytic activity. As such, inhibition of Mpro can be achieved by molecules that target the substrate binding pocket to block catalytic activity or target the dimerization process. In this study, we investigated GC376, a transition-state analog inhibitor of the main protease of feline infectious peritonitis coronavirus, and Nirmatrelvir (NMV), an oral, bioavailable SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitor with pan-human coronavirus antiviral activity. Our results show that both GC376 and NMV are capable of strongly binding to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and altering the monomer-dimer equilibrium by stabilizing the dimeric state. This behavior is proposed to be related to a structured hydrogen-bond network established at the Mpro active site, where hydrogen bonds between Ser1' and Glu166/Phe140 are formed in addition to those achieved by the latter residues with GC376 or NMV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Paciaroni
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Valeria Libera
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123 Perugia, Italy
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali-IOM, National Research Council-CNR, Via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Francesca Ripanti
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Andrea Orecchini
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Caterina Petrillo
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Daniela Francisci
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Schiaroli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Samuele Sabbatini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Medical Microbiology Section, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Anna Gidari
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Elisa Bianconi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Antonio Macchiarulo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Rohanah Hussain
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Lucia Silvestrini
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 12, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Paolo Moretti
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 12, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Norhan Belhaj
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 12, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Matteo Vercelli
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 12, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Yessica Roque
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 12, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Paolo Mariani
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 12, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Lucia Comez
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali-IOM, National Research Council-CNR, Via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Francesco Spinozzi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 12, 60131 Ancona, Italy
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Xu J, Li D, Kang L, Liu T, Huang J, Li J, Lv J, Wang J, Gao S, Li Y, Yuan B, Zhao B, Wang J, Xin W. Systematic evaluation of membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles in neutralizing Clostridium perfringens ε-toxin. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:95. [PMID: 36932366 PMCID: PMC10021051 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-01852-z] [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: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens ε-toxin (ETX) is the main toxin leading to enterotoxemia of sheep and goats and is classified as a potential biological weapon. In addition, no effective treatment drug is currently available in clinical practice for this toxin. We developed membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles (MNPs) with different membrane origins to neutralize ETX and protect the host from fatal ETX intoxication. We evaluated the safety and therapeutic efficacy of these MNPs in vitro and in vivo. Compared with membranes from karyocytes, such as Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells and mouse neuroblastoma N2a cells (N2a cells), membrane from erythrocytes, which do not induce any immune response, are superior in safety. The protective ability of MNPs was evaluated by intravenous injection and lung delivery. We demonstrate that nebulized inhalation is as safe as intravenous injection and that both modalities can effectively protect mice against ETX. In particular, pulmonary delivery of nanoparticles more effectively treated the challenge of inhaled toxins than intravenously injected nanoparticles. Moreover, MNPs can alter the biological distribution of ETX among different organs in the body, and ETX was captured, neutralized and slowly delivered to the liver and spleen, where nanoparticles with ETX could be phagocytized and metabolized. This demonstrates how MNPs treat toxin infections in vivo. Finally, we injected the MNPs into mice in advance to find out whether MNPs can provide preventive protection, and the results showed that the long-cycle MNPs could provide at least a 3-day protection in mice. These findings demonstrate that MNPs provide safe and effective protection against ETX intoxication, provide new insights into membrane choices and delivery routes of nanoparticles, and new evidence of the ability of nanoparticles to provide preventive protection against infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinglin Xu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Dongxue Li
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Lin Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Jiaxin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Jing Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Shan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Yanwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Bing Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Baohua Zhao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China.
| | - Jinglin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China.
| | - Wenwen Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China.
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Hussein M, Andrade dos Ramos Z, Vink MA, Kroon P, Yu Z, Enjuanes L, Zuñiga S, Berkhout B, Herrera-Carrillo E. Efficient CRISPR-Cas13d-Based Antiviral Strategy to Combat SARS-CoV-2. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030686. [PMID: 36992394 PMCID: PMC10051389 DOI: 10.3390/v15030686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic forms a major global health burden. Although protective vaccines are available, concerns remain as new virus variants continue to appear. CRISPR-based gene-editing approaches offer an attractive therapeutic strategy as the CRISPR-RNA (crRNA) can be adjusted rapidly to accommodate a new viral genome sequence. This study aimed at using the RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13d system to attack highly conserved sequences in the viral RNA genome, thereby preparing for future zoonotic outbreaks of other coronaviruses. We designed 29 crRNAs targeting highly conserved sequences along the complete SARS-CoV-2 genome. Several crRNAs demonstrated efficient silencing of a reporter with the matching viral target sequence and efficient inhibition of a SARS-CoV-2 replicon. The crRNAs that suppress SARS-CoV-2 were also able to suppress SARS-CoV, thus demonstrating the breadth of this antiviral strategy. Strikingly, we observed that only crRNAs directed against the plus-genomic RNA demonstrated antiviral activity in the replicon assay, in contrast to those that bind the minus-genomic RNA, the replication intermediate. These results point to a major difference in the vulnerability and biology of the +RNA versus −RNA strands of the SARS-CoV-2 genome and provide important insights for the design of RNA-targeting antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mouraya Hussein
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Zaria Andrade dos Ramos
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Monique A. Vink
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pascal Kroon
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Zhenghao Yu
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Luis Enjuanes
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Campus Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Zuñiga
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Campus Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ben Berkhout
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elena Herrera-Carrillo
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
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Gómez Duque M, Medina R, Enciso C, Beltran E, Hernandez K, Molano Franco D, Masclans JR. Usefulness of Inhaled Sedation in Patients With Severe ARDS Due to COVID-19. Respir Care 2023; 68:293-299. [PMID: 36414277 PMCID: PMC10027142 DOI: 10.4187/respcare.10371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sedation in intensive care is fundamental for optimizing clinical outcomes. For many years the world has been facing high rates of opioid use, and to combat the increasing opioid addiction plans at both national and international level have been implemented.1 The COVID-19 pandemic posed a major challenge for health systems and also increased the use of sedatives and opioid analgesia for prolonged periods of time, and at high doses, in a significant proportion of patients. In our institutions, the shortage of many drugs for intravenous (IV) analgosedation forces us to alternatives to replace out-of-stock drugs or to seek sedation goals, which are difficult to obtain with traditional drugs at high doses.2 METHODS: This was an analytical retrospective cohort study evaluating the follow-up of subjects with inclusion criteria from ICU admission to discharge (alive or dead). Five end points were measured: need for high-dose opioids (≥ 200 µg/h), comparison of inhaled versus IV sedation of opioid analgesic doses, midazolam dose, need for muscle relaxant, and risk of delirium. RESULTS A total of 283 subjects were included in the study, of whom 230 were administered IV sedation and 53 inhaled sedation. In the inhaled sedation group, the relative risks (RRs) were 0.5 (95% CI 0.4-0.8, P = .045) for need of high-dose fentanyl, 0.3 (95% CI 0.20-0.45, P < .001) for need of muscle relaxant, and 0.8 (95% CI 0.61-1.15, P = .25) for risk of delirium. The median difference of fentanyl dose between the inhaled sedation and IV sedation groups was 61 µg/h or 1,200 µg/d (2.2 ampules/d, P < .001), and that of midazolam dose was 5.7 mg/h. CONCLUSIONS Inhaled sedation was associated with lower doses of opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants compared to IV sedation. This therapy should be considered as an alternative in critically ill patients requiring prolonged ventilatory support and where IV sedation is not possible, always under adequate supervision of ICU staff.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gómez Duque
- Service of Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital de San José, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Research Group CIMCA, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Ronald Medina
- Service of Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital de San José, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Research Group CIMCA, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Cesar Enciso
- Service of Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital de San José, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Research Group CIMCA, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Edgar Beltran
- Service of Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital de San José, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Research Group CIMCA, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Kevin Hernandez
- Service of Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital de San José, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Research Group CIMCA, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Daniel Molano Franco
- Service of Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital de San José, Los Cobos Medical Center, Research Group GRIBOS, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Joan R Masclans
- Service of Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital del Mar de Barcelona, IMIM (GREPAC), Department of Medicine (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
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Niu Y, Liu Y, Ren S. Investigation on anxiety and depression of different populations in the area with low incidence of New Coronavirus pneumonia and analysis of related factors. Pak J Med Sci 2023; 39:380-384. [PMID: 36950408 PMCID: PMC10025738 DOI: 10.12669/pjms.39.2.7136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the anxiety and depression status and related factors of different populations in the area with low incidence of New Coronavirus pneumonia. Methods The anxiety and depression of 106 residents of different ages, different places of residence and different epidemic situations in Xingtai City, Hebei Province, China were assessed from February 18, 2020 to February 20, 2020. The psychological status of different groups was evaluated by self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the questionnaire data were analyzed retrospectively. The general data of all residents were collected, and the factors affecting the mental health status of different populations were studied by multiple linear regression with the scores of depression and anxiety as dependent variables. Result The SAS and SDS scores of anxiety and depression were (51.79±12.11) and (57.01±11.40) respectively. The positive rates of anxiety and depression were 38.68% and 47.17%, respectively. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that marital status, close attention to the daily epidemic progress, and having infected and sick relatives and friends were independent risk factors affecting residents' SAS score (P<0.05). Additionally, marital status, health self-assessment and close attention to the daily epidemic progress every day were independent risk factors affecting residents' SDS score (P<0.05). Conclusion Residents in low-incidence areas are prone to anxiety and depression. Marital status, health self-assessment, paying attention to the progress of the epidemic every day and monitoring the disease progress in relatives and friends are independent risk factors contributing to the anxiety and depression of the residents. Corresponding protective measures should be taken to improve the local epidemic prevention and control level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Niu
- Yuan Niu, Xingtai People’s Hospital Office, Hebei Province, P.R. China, 054001
| | - Yincai Liu
- Yincai Liu, Department of Rheumatology, Xingtai People’s Hospital, Hebei Province, P.R. China, 054001
| | - Songna Ren
- Songna Ren, Xingtai Third Hospital, Hebei Province, P.R. China, 054000
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Weber ADAP, Bulegon JS, de Souza MD, Vendrame SA, Venturini L, Mombaque dos Santos W, Gonçalves TDL. Clinical, demographic and oxidative profile of patients with COVID-19 and disease severity. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2023; 105:115886. [PMID: 36657361 PMCID: PMC9801695 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2022.115886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to profile the clinical progression, demographics, and oxidative status of COVID-19 patients, correlating with disease severity. The study included 143 participants: 93 patients with COVID-19 (28 outpatients, 65 inpatients), and 50 control participants. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) was used as an oxidative damage marker. Antioxidant activity was assessed via quantification of Vitamin C, sulfhydryl groups, ferric reduction ability of plasma (FRAP), Uric acid (UA), and evaluation of delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (δ-ALA-D) enzymatic activity. Geriatric patients, especially men, with comorbidities such as obesity and/or chronic diseases were more likely to develop the most severe form of COVID-19. The activity of the δ-ALA-D was lower in inpatients, and there was no significant difference with the outpatient. Antioxidants decreased in COVID-19 groups, while lipid peroxidation increased. FRAP and Vitamin C decreased with evolution of the disease. Oxidative stress could be used as a predictor of worsening clinical condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andressa de Azambuja Pias Weber
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Center of Healthy Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil,Corresponding author. Tel.: +55 55 32208749; fax: +55 55 3220 8018
| | - Jovana Simonetti Bulegon
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Center of Healthy Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Manoela Dias de Souza
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Center of Healthy Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Silmara Ana Vendrame
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Center of Healthy Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil
| | | | | | - Thissiane de Lima Gonçalves
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Center of Healthy Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil
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Kirkham AM, Bailey AJM, Shorr R, Lalu MM, Fergusson DA, Allan DS. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of mesenchymal stromal cells to treat coronavirus disease 2019: is it too late? Cytotherapy 2023; 25:341-352. [PMID: 36333234 PMCID: PMC9556962 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Evidence regarding the extent that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) may improve clinical outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been limited by marked inter-study heterogeneity, inconsistent product characterization and appreciable risk of bias (RoB). Given the evolution of treatment options and trajectory of the pandemic, an updated analysis of high-quality evidence from randomized controlled trials is needed for a timely and conclusive understanding of the effectiveness of MSCs. METHODS A systematic literature search through March 30, 2022, identified all English language, full-text randomized controlled trials examining the use of MSCs in the treatment of COVID-19. RESULTS Eight studies were identified (316 patients, 165 administered MSCs and 151 controls). Controls evolved significantly over time with a broad range of comparison treatments. All studies reported mortality at study endpoint. Random effects meta-analysis revealed that MSCs decreased relative risk of death (risk ratio, 0.63, 95% confidence interval, 0.42-0.94, P = 0.02, I2 = 14%) with no significant difference in absolute risk of death. MSCs decreased length of hospital stay and C-reactive protein levels and increased odds of clinical improvement at study endpoint compared with controls. Rates of adverse events and severe adverse events were similar between MSC and control groups. Only two (25%) studies reported all four International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy criteria for MSC characterization. Included studies had low (n = 7) or some (n = 1) concerns regarding RoB. CONCLUSIONS MSCs may reduce risk of death in patients with severe or critical COVID-19 and improve secondary clinical outcomes. Variable outcome reporting, inconsistent product characterization and variable control group treatments remain barriers to higher-quality evidence and may constrain clinical usage. A master protocol is proposed and appears necessary for accelerated translation of higher-quality evidence for future applications of MSC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan M Kirkham
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Adrian J M Bailey
- Clinical Epidemiology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Risa Shorr
- Medical Information and Learning Services, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Manoj M Lalu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada; Regenerative Medicine, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada; Department of Anesthesia, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Dean A Fergusson
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada; Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
| | - David S Allan
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada; Regenerative Medicine, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada; Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada.
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Câmara AB, Bonfante J, da Penha MG, Cassini STA, de Pinho Keller R. Detecting SARS-CoV-2 in sludge samples: A systematic review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160012. [PMID: 36368397 PMCID: PMC9643039 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
AIMS This paper aims to review the main sludge concentration methods used for SARS-CoV-2 detection in sewage sludge samples, discussing the main methods and sample volume related to increased viral load. In addition, we aim to evaluate the countries associated with increased positivity rates for SARS-CoV-2 in sludge samples. METHODS This systematic methodology was registered in PROSPERO and followed the PRISMA guidelines. The search was carried out in the SciELO, PubMed/MEDLINE, Lilacs, and Google Scholar databases in January-March 2022. Quantitative studies with conclusive results were included in this review. Concentration methods (polyethylene glycol (PEG), PEG + NaCl, gravity thickening, skimmed milk flocculation, ultrafiltration, filtration using charged filters, primary sedimentation, and anaerobic digestion), as well as detection methods (RTqPCR and reverse transcription droplet digital PCR assay) were evaluated in this review. The SPSS v23 software program was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS PEG (with or without NaCl addition) and gravity thickening were the most used sludge concentration methods to detect SARS-CoV-2. The main method associated with increased viral load (>2,02 × 10^4 copies/mL) was PEG + NaCl (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). The average positivity rate for SARS-CoV-2 in sludge samples was 61 %, and a correlation was found between the sludge volume and the viral load (ro 0.559, p = 0.03, Spearman correlation). CONCLUSION The sludge volume may influence the SARS-CoV-2 load since the virus can adhere to solid particles in these samples. Other factors may be associated with SARS-CoV-2 load, including the methods used; especially PEG + NaCl may result in a high viral load detected in sludge, and may provide a suitable pH for SARS-CoV-2 recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Barros Câmara
- Sanitation Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Ave. Fernando Ferrari, 515, Goiabeiras, 29075051 Vitória, ES, Brazil.
| | - Júlia Bonfante
- Sanitation Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Ave. Fernando Ferrari, 515, Goiabeiras, 29075051 Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Marília Gueler da Penha
- Sanitation Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Ave. Fernando Ferrari, 515, Goiabeiras, 29075051 Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Sérvio Túlio Alves Cassini
- Sanitation Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Ave. Fernando Ferrari, 515, Goiabeiras, 29075051 Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Regina de Pinho Keller
- Sanitation Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Ave. Fernando Ferrari, 515, Goiabeiras, 29075051 Vitória, ES, Brazil
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Gerhards C, Kittel M, Ast V, Bugert P, Froelich MF, Hetjens M, Haselmann V, Neumaier M, Thiaucourt M. Humoral SARS-CoV-2 Immune Response in COVID-19 Recovered Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Individuals Related to Post-COVID-Syndrome. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020454. [PMID: 36851668 PMCID: PMC9966735 DOI: 10.3390/v15020454] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The duration of anti-SARS-CoV-2-antibody detectability up to 12 months was examined in individuals after either single convalescence or convalescence and vaccination. Moreover, variables that might influence an anti-RBD/S1 antibody decline and the existence of a post-COVID-syndrome (PCS) were addressed. METHODS Forty-nine SARS-CoV-2-qRT-PCR-confirmed participants completed a 12-month examination of anti-SARS-CoV-2-antibody levels and PCS-associated long-term sequelae. Overall, 324 samples were collected. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was isolated and quantified from EDTA-plasma. As cfDNA is released into the bloodstream from dying cells, it might provide information on organ damage in the late recovery of COIVD-19. Therefore, we evaluated cfDNA concentrations as a biomarker for a PCS. In the context of antibody dynamics, a random forest-based logistic regression with antibody decline as the target was performed and internally validated. RESULTS The mean percentage dynamic related to the maximum measured value was 96 (±38)% for anti-RBD/S1 antibodies and 30 (±26)% for anti-N antibodies. Anti-RBD/S1 antibodies decreased in 37%, whereas anti-SARS-CoV-2-anti-N antibodies decreased in 86% of the subjects. Clinical anti-RBD/S1 antibody decline prediction models, including vascular and other diseases, were cross-validated (highest AUC 0.74). Long-term follow-up revealed no significant reduction in PCS prevalence but an increase in cognitive impairment, with no indication for cfDNA as a marker for a PCS. CONCLUSION Long-term anti-RBD/S1-antibody positivity was confirmed, and clinical parameters associated with declining titers were presented. A fulminant decrease in anti-SARS-CoV-2-anti-N antibodies was observed (mean change to maximum value 30 (±26)%). Anti-RBD/S1 antibody titers of SARS-CoV-2 recovered subjects boosted with a vaccine exceeded the maximum values measured after single infection by 235 ± 382-fold, with no influence on preexisting PCS. PCS long-term prevalence was 38.6%, with an increase in cognitive impairment compromising the quality of life. Quantified cfDNA measured in the early post-COVID-19 phase might not be an effective marker for PCS identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catharina Gerhards
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Maximilian Kittel
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Volker Ast
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Bugert
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Matthias F. Froelich
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Michael Hetjens
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Verena Haselmann
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Michael Neumaier
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Margot Thiaucourt
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
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Vasheghani M, Rekabi M, Sadr M. Protective role of vitamin D status against COVID-19: a mini-review. Endocrine 2023; 79:235-242. [PMID: 36258153 PMCID: PMC9579655 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-022-03203-8] [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: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
An outbreak of pneumonia caused by a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is called COVID-19 and has led to a pandemic worldwide. It is reasonable to investigate and control factors affecting disease severity and mortality. The relation between vitamin D and viral pneumonia has been previously reported. Vitamin D deficiency is common and may increase hospital admission and mortality rate in patients with COVID-19. This mini-review examines the pathways that show the association between vitamin D and COVID-19. On the other hand, it deals with the available evidence related to the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the prevalence, severity, and mortality of COVID-19. Also, we described the pathophysiology of the organs' involvement in COVID-19 and the effect of vitamin D on these outcomes. Vitamin D strengthens the innate and adaptive immune system, modulates immune responses, prevents lung and cardiovascular system damage, and reduces thrombotic events. Vitamin D exerts these effects in several pathways. Vitamin D prevents virus entry and replication by maintaining the integrity of the body's physical barrier. Vitamin D reduces the damage to vital organs and thrombotic events by increasing the level of Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), nitric oxide, and antioxidants or by reducing inflammatory cytokines and free radicals. Sufficient vitamin D may be reduced morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19. However, this issue should be investigated and confirmed by further research in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Vasheghani
- Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center (CRDRC), National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Rekabi
- Pediatric Respiratory Disease Research Center (PRDRC), National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Makan Sadr
- Virology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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The impact of confinement on orthopaedic and trauma surgical activity. Orthop Traumatol Surg Res 2023; 109:103113. [PMID: 34653645 DOI: 10.1016/j.otsr.2021.103113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION On the 16th of March 2020, in the face of a health emergency declared in France, the government imposed containment measures whose impact on orthopaedic and trauma surgery remains to be demonstrated. The hypothesis of this study was that confinement reduced orthopaedic and trauma surgical activity. The main objective was to assess orthopaedic and trauma surgical activity during confinement and to compare it to the activity outside confinement. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a retrospective, monocentric, observational and comparative study of a continuous cohort of patients included during the confinement period of March 16th to May 11th, 2020. This cohort was retrospectively compared to a group of patients over the same non-confinement period in the previous year, from March 16th to May 11th, 2019. The primary outcome measured was the incidence rate of surgical activity in 2020 versus 2019 over an identical period. The secondary outcome was the analysis of the trauma identified. RESULTS The number of patients operated on was significantly reduced during confinement: 194 patients were included in 2020, i.e. an incidence of 57 per 100,000 inhabitants against 772 patients included in 2019, i.e. an incidence of 227 per 100,000 inhabitants; p<0.001. Planned orthopaedic surgery decreased from an incidence rate of 147 in 2019 to 5 in 2020 per 100,000 inhabitants (p<0.001). Trauma surgery decreased from an incidence rate of 80 in 2019 to 50 in 2020 per 100,000 inhabitants (p: NS). We found a significant increase in patients over 65years of age during confinement, 70% compared to 61% in 2019; p=0.04. The rate of femoral neck fractures was significantly increased during confinement, 48.5% compared to 39.3% in 2019; p=0.03. Degenerative surgery was significantly reduced during confinement (p<0.001). DISCUSSION This study shows that the surgical activity of orthopaedics and trauma was significantly reduced by confinement, with a difference in incidence of 170 per 100,000 inhabitants, thus confirming the hypothesis of the authors. This decrease is due to both the cessation of planned orthopaedics and the 40% decrease in the number of trauma patients. During confinement, the percentage of patients over the age of 65 with a fracture increased significantly. CONCLUSION Confinement had a significant impact on orthopaedic and trauma surgical activity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III; comparative and retrospective.
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Zhu N, Zhang Z, Xie J, Ou Y, Tan J, Gao H. The relationship between the sources of confidence in overcoming COVID-19 and the improvement of medical students' professional identity: mediation by medical students' attention to COVID-19. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2023; 23:27. [PMID: 36639709 PMCID: PMC9839443 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03994-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of COVID-19 highlights the shortage of human medical resources, and improving medical students' professional identity is crucial to improving this situation. The sources of confidence in overcoming COVID-19 and medical students' attention to COVID-19 were significant factors affecting their professional identity. However, no study has investigated the mediating role of medical students' attention to COVID-19 in their relationship. This study investigates the relationship between these three factors in three medical university students in Hunan Province. METHODS A cross-sectional survey study that used convenience sampling method was conducted on 2775 medical students from three universities in the Hunan Province of China from March 15 to April 19, 2020. An intermediary model was established to evaluate the role of medical students' attention to COVID-19 in the sources of confidence in overcoming COVID-19 and the improvement of medical students' professional identity. RESULTS The sources of confidence in overcoming COVID-19, medical students' attention to national crisis events, and the improvement of medical students' professional identity was positively associated with each other (β = 0.328 ~ 0.464, P < 0.001). The mediating effect accounted for 23.3% of the total effect and 30.4% of the direct effect. Medical students' attention to COVID-19 partially mediates the relationship between the sources of confidence to overcome COVID-19 and the improvement of medical students' professional identity. CONCLUSIONS This study found that the sources of confidence in overcoming COVID-19 and medical students' attention to national crisis events have a significant predictive effect on the improvement of medical students' professional identity. Medical students' attention to COVID-19 mediated the relationship between the sources of confidence to overcome COVID-19 and the improvement of medical students' professional identity. The findings have emphasized the theoretical and practical significance of professional identity education for medical students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhu
- School of Nursing, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhang
- Emergency Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Jun Xie
- Department of Student Affairs, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Yangli Ou
- School of Nursing, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Jia Tan
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Hong Gao
- Department of Nursing, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
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da Costa e Silva GR, Moura WÉA, dos Santos KC, Gomes DO, Bandeira GN, Guimarães RA, Rosso CFW, Bazilio GS, Leite VRMC, Caetano KAA, Carneiro MADS, Teles SA. Long-Term Symptoms after Mild Coronavirus Disease in Healthy Healthcare Professionals: A 12-Month Prospective Cohort Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1483. [PMID: 36674238 PMCID: PMC9865648 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the course of human history and killed millions of people worldwide. Its long-term consequences remain uncertain. This study aimed to describe the short- and long-term symptoms of COVID-19 among individuals in Goiás, central Brazil, who experienced acute mild or non-symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first wave of the pandemic. This prospective cohort study included 110 healthcare workers, 18 safety workers, and 19 administrative support workers, who were followed up for 12 months after the onset of COVID-19. Most participants were healthy adult female healthcare professionals. At the onset of infection, the major symptoms were headache, myalgia, nasal congestion, cough, coryza, anosmia, ageusia, sore throat, fatigue, diarrhea, and dyspnea. Furthermore, 20.3% of the participants had three or more COVID-19 symptoms that persisted for at least 12 months. These included coryza, congestion, hair loss, sore throat, headache, myalgia, cough, memory loss, anosmia, and fatigue. This study revealed a high prevalence of persistent symptoms of COVID-19 in healthy individuals from central Brazil, which may present an additional burden on healthcare services. Further studies are required to investigate the sequelae of COVID-19 over periods greater than 12 months.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Davi Oliveira Gomes
- Faculty of Nursing, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-080, GO, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sheila Araújo Teles
- Faculty of Nursing, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-080, GO, Brazil
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Lingani M, Cissé A, Tialla D, Ilboudo AK, Savadogo M, Sawadogo C, Gampini S, Tarnagda G, Tao M, Diagbouga S, Bamba S, Tarnagda Z. Coinfections with SARS-CoV-2 variants and influenza virus during the 2019 Coronavirus disease pandemic in Burkina Faso: A surveillance study. Health Sci Rep 2023; 6:e1041. [PMID: 36620510 PMCID: PMC9811340 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) particularly the variants of concern coinfections with influenza is a public health concern in Africa. We aimed to characterize the SARS-CoV-2 variants and determine the rate of coinfections with influenza in Burkina Faso. Methods COVID-19 surveillance study was conducted between August 2021 and January 2022 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Positive specimens were further screened for SARS-CoV-2 variants using the multiple variants real-time PCR kits. In addition, influenza virus strains were detected by RT-PCR in SARS-CoV-2 positive specimens using the CDC primers, probes, and protocols. Results Of 324 specimens assessed, the Omicron and Delta variants of SARS-CoV-2 were the most prevalent with 27.2% [95% confident interval (CI): 22.5-32.4] and 22.2% [95% CI: 17.9-27.2], respectively. The Beta and Gamma variants were detected in 4.3% [95% CI: 2.4-7.1] and 0.3% [95% CI: 0.0-1.7], respectively. Coinfections of Omicron and Beta variants were reported in 21.3% [95% CI: 17.0-26.2], Omicron and Delta variants in 1.2% [95% CI: 0.3-3.1] of specimens, and the Omicron-Gamma variants' coinfections in 0.6% [95% CI: 0.1-2.2]. One COVID-19 specimen with an undetected SARS-CoV-2 variant was also tested positive for the seasonal influenza A (H3N2) virus. No cases of pandemic influenza A (H1N1)pdm09, seasonal A/H1N1, and influenza B were detected. Conclusions The current World Health Organization SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern were prevalent and their coinfections with influenza were uncommon. Continuous surveillance of both pathogens is, however, needed because of their public health implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moussa Lingani
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso,Unité de Recherche Clinique de Nanoro, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS)NanoroBurkina Faso
| | - Assana Cissé
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso
| | - Dieudonné Tialla
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso
| | - Abdoul Kader Ilboudo
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso
| | - Madi Savadogo
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso
| | - Catherine Sawadogo
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso
| | - Sandrine Gampini
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso
| | - Grissoum Tarnagda
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso
| | - Maria Tao
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso
| | - Serge Diagbouga
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso
| | - Sanata Bamba
- Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Santé, Université Nazi BONI, Bobo‐DioulassoBurkina Faso
| | - Zekiba Tarnagda
- National Influenza Reference LaboratoryUnité des Maladies à Potentiel Epidémique, Maladies Emergentes et Zoonoses, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéNanoroBurkina Faso
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Marwah H, Pant J, Yadav J, Shah K, Dewangan HK. Biosensor Detection of COVID-19 in Lung Cancer: Hedgehog and Mucin Signaling Insights. Curr Pharm Des 2023; 29:3442-3457. [PMID: 38270161 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128276948231204111531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 is a global pandemic, particularly affecting individuals with pre-existing lung conditions and potentially leading to pulmonary fibrosis. Age and healthcare system limitations further amplify susceptibility to both diseases, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The intricate relationship between Coronavirus disease 2019 and lung cancer highlights their clinical implications and the potential for early detection through biosensor techniques involving hedgehog and mucin signaling. This study highlights the connection between Coronavirus disease 2019 and lung cancer, focusing on the mucosa, angiotensin- altering enzyme 2 receptors, and their impact on the immune system. It details the inflammatory mechanisms triggered by Coronavirus disease 2019, which can result in pulmonary fibrosis and influence the cancer microenvironment. Various cytokines like Interleukins-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha are examined for their roles in both diseases. Moreover, the review delves into the Hedgehog signaling pathways and their significance in lung cancer, particularly their influence on embryonic cell proliferation and tissue integrity. Mucin signaling is another vital aspect, highlighting the diverse mucin expression patterns in respiratory epithelial tissues and their potential as biomarkers. The review concludes with insights into diagnostic imaging techniques like chest computed tomography, Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging for early lung cancer detection, emphasizing the crucial role of biosensors in identifying specific biomarkers for early disease detection. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical impact of Coronavirus disease 2019 on lung cancer patients and the potential for biosensors utilizing hedgehog and mucin signaling for early detection. It underscores the ongoing need for research and innovation to address these critical healthcare challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harneet Marwah
- University Institute of Pharma Sciences (UIPS), Chandigarh University, NH-95 Chandigarh Ludhiana Highway, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Janmejay Pant
- University Institute of Pharma Sciences (UIPS), Chandigarh University, NH-95 Chandigarh Ludhiana Highway, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Jiten Yadav
- University Institute of Pharma Sciences (UIPS), Chandigarh University, NH-95 Chandigarh Ludhiana Highway, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Kamal Shah
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Research (IPR), GLA University Mathura, NH-2 Delhi Mathura Road, Po-CHaumuhan, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Hitesh Kumar Dewangan
- University Institute of Pharma Sciences (UIPS), Chandigarh University, NH-95 Chandigarh Ludhiana Highway, Mohali, Punjab, India
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50
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Montazeri M, Galavi Z, Ahmadian L. The role of mobile health in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and self-care of COVID-19 from the healthcare professionals' perspectives. Digit Health 2023; 9:20552076231171969. [PMID: 37152239 PMCID: PMC10159248 DOI: 10.1177/20552076231171969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background To facilitate disease management, understanding the attitude of healthcare professionals regarding the use of this tool can help mobile health (mHealth) program developers develop appropriate interventions. Aims To assess the perspective of healthcare professionals regarding the contribution of mobile-based interventions in the prevention, diagnosis, self-care, and treatment (PDST) of COVID-19. Methods This is a survey study conducted in 2020 in Iran with 81 questions. In this study mHealth functionalities were categorized into four dimensions including innovative, monitoring and screening, remote services, and education and decision-making. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and the Kruskal-Wallis test to compare the attitudes of the different job groups. Results In total, 123 providers participated, and 87.4% of them reported that mHealth technology is moderate to most helpful for the management of COVID-19. Healthcare professionals believed that mHealth technology could be most helpful in self-care and least helpful in the diagnosis of COVID-19. Regarding the functionalities of the mobile application, the results showed that the use of patient decision aids can be most helpful in self-care and the use of computer games can be least helpful in treatment. The participants believed that mHealth is more effective in monitoring and screening dimensions and less effective in providing remote services. Conclusions This study showed that healthcare professionals believed that mHealth technology could have a better contribution to self-care for patients with COVID-19. Therefore, it is better to plan and invest more in the field of self-care to help patients to combat COVID-19. The results of this study revealed which mhealth functionalities work better in four domains of prevention, treatment, self-care, and diagnosis of COVID-19. This can help healthcare authorities to implement appropriate IT-based interventions to combat COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdieh Montazeri
- Department of Health Information Sciences, Faculty
of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Kerman University of Medical
Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Zahra Galavi
- Department of Health Information Sciences, Faculty
of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Kerman University of Medical
Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Leila Ahmadian
- Department of Health Information Sciences, Faculty
of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Kerman University of Medical
Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Leila Ahmadian, Department of Health
Information Sciences, Faculty of Management and Medical Information Sciences,
Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Haft-bagh Highway, PO Box 7616911320,
Kerman, Iran. Emails: ,
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