The Impact of Different Types of Diet on the Prevention of Diseases among Polish Inhabitants, Including COVID-19 Disease

Proper nutrition may help in preventing deaths or at least alleviating the symptoms of many chronic diseases. While the COVID-19 disease was still taking its toll, the world had to adjust to new life conditions, which could change nutritional habits. In this observational, cross-sectional study, we aimed to identify the potential correlations between sociodemographic factors and diet and the presence of common chronic diseases among Polish inhabitants. Furthermore, we tried to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in nutritional habits. Therefore, based on the online study (the National Test for Poles' Health (NTPH), we collected data from 376,102 and 200,000 respondents in two different time frames (before the COVID-19 pandemic: 2019-2020 and during the COVID-19 pandemic: 2021-2022, respectively). Despite the rapid global rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, among our study group, hypertension was still the most commonly occurring disease in both time frames (32.33% in 2019-2020 and 34.95% in 2021-2022, p < 0.001). Furthermore, more chronic diseases were reported during the COVID-19 pandemic than in 2019-2020. Regarding sociodemographic factors, male respondents were more likely to develop hypertension and diabetes (OR = 1.35 CI 95% (1.28-1.43), p < 0.001; and OR = 1.20 CI 95% (1.11-1.30), p < 0.001). Vegetarian diet decreases the likelihood of hypertension, neurological disease, and diabetes (OR = 0.69, CI 95% (0.60-0.81), p < 0.001; OR = 0.72, CI 95% (0.59-0.88), p = 0.001; and OR = 0.73, CI 95% (0.55-0.96), p = 0.026). In line with this, consuming meat meals increases the risk of hypertension (OR = 1.09, CI 95% (1.02-1.17), p = 0.009). Interestingly, a reduced-sodium diet has an association with decreased morbidity of COVID-19 disease (OR = 0.72, CI 95% (0.63-0.82), p < 0.001). This result brings new light to more research to be done to allow efficient prevention of this disease. In conclusion, our study shows the beneficial role of a balanced diet in reducing the incidence rate of common chronic diseases. Our findings may be educational for those who would like to change their nutritional habits and/or for public health professionals to suggest the implementation of proper diets to their patients.

Identification of Factors Affecting the Increased Percentage of CGA Recommendations among Patients on Geriatric Ward

In Poland, the elderly population is noticeably increasing every year. Therefore, the current healthcare system has to rise to the challenge of treatment and prevention strategies targeting elderly persons. Based on the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES-13 scale), consisting of international and validated scales, we put effort into identifying the factors affecting the increased percentage of CGA (Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment) recommendations by healthcare system physicians. The study group involved 78 patients from the Department of Geriatrics, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland, aged 60-91 (median Me = 81 years old). Of the studied patients, 51 were recommended for CGA (51/78; 64.6%). A statistically significant association was observed between CGA recommendation and age (p < 0.001); the likelihood of a CGA recommendation increased with age. Furthermore, the increased CGA recommendation was observed among geriatric patients with: (a) frailty syndrome (OR = 11.2, CI95% 2.88-43.5, p < 0.001), (b) high risk of malnutrition or malnutrition (OR = 3.87; CI95%, 1.00-14.9, p = 0.04), (c) low mental status (OR = 3.32, CI95% 1.22-9.09, p = 0.029), (d) low ability to perform basic daily duties (according to ADL scale-OR = 12.6, CI95% 1.57-101, p = 0.004 and IADL scale-OR = 4.71, CI95% 1.72-12.9, p = 0.003), and (e) fall risk (OR = 15.0, CI95% 4.67-48.3, p < 0.001). Moreover, homocysteine levels increased with age (p = 0.003) and decreased with sleep duration (p = 0.043). Taken together, all these factors seem to be important when implementing treatment programs adjusted to the individual geriatric patient.

The Usefulness of the COVID-GRAM Score in Predicting the Outcomes of Study Population with COVID-19

BACKGROUND

The COVID-GRAM is a clinical risk rating score for predicting the prognosis of hospitalized COVID-19 infected patients.

AIM

Our study aimed to evaluate the use of the COVID-GRAM score in patients with COVID-19 based on the data from the COronavirus in the LOwer Silesia (COLOS) registry.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study group (834 patients of Caucasian patients) was retrospectively divided into three arms according to the risk achieved on the COVID-GRAM score calculated at the time of hospital admission (between February 2020 and July 2021): low, medium, and high risk. The Omnibus chi-square test, Fisher test, and Welch ANOVA were used in the statistical analysis. Post-hoc analysis for continuous variables was performed using Tukey's correction with the Games-Howell test. Additionally, the ROC analysis was performed over time using inverse probability of censorship (IPCW) estimation. The GRAM-COVID score was estimated from the time-dependent area under the curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Most patients (65%) had a low risk of complications on the COVID-GRAM scale. There were 113 patients in the high-risk group (13%). In the medium- and high-risk groups, comorbidities occurred statistically significantly more often, e.g., hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation and flutter, heart failure, valvular disease, chronic kidney disease, and obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), compared to low-risk tier subjects. These individuals were also patients with a higher incidence of neurological and cardiac complications in the past. Low saturation of oxygen values on admission, changes in C-reactive protein, leukocytosis, hyperglycemia, and procalcitonin level were associated with an increased risk of death during hospitalization. The troponin level was an independent mortality factor. A change from low to medium category reduced the overall survival probability by more than 8 times and from low to high by 25 times. The factor with the strongest impact on survival was the absence of other diseases. The medium-risk patient group was more likely to require dialysis during hospitalization. The need for antibiotics was more significant in the high-risk group on the GRAM score.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-GRAM score corresponds well with total mortality. The factor with the strongest impact on survival was the absence of other diseases. The worst prognosis was for patients who were unconscious during admission. Patients with higher COVID-GRAM score were significantly less likely to return to full health during follow-up. There is a continuing need to develop reliable, easy-to-adopt tools for stratifying the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Drugs Dosing in Geriatric Patients Depending on Kidney Function Estimated by MDRD and Cockroft-Gault Formulas

Introduction

According to the current data, regardless of the method used to estimate GFR, the differences between the obtained results should be insignificant and do not imply therapeutic decisions. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the eGFR results with the estimated creatinine clearance score calculated according to the Cockroft-Gault equation, and to assess the significance of the difference between these two results.

Sample and Methods

A study group was constituted of 115 patients, of whom 76 were women and 39 men at the age range of 55–93 years, with a median of 79 years. The study analyzed differences in the assessment of kidney function by comparing the results of eGFR assessed by MDRD method obtained from the laboratory with the calculated values of creatinine clearance using the Cockroft-Gault formula, and examining the correlation between the difference D = eGFR -eClCr and BMI and body surface.

Results

In the entire group of patients (N = 115), the significant statistical difference was found between eGFR and eClCr. In the subgroup of patients (N = 45) with the lower baseline eGFR <60, there was no significant difference between eGFR and eClCr, while in the subgroup of patients with baseline eGFR ≥60 (N = 75), there was a significant difference between eGFR and eClCr. The study showed that based on the estimated GFR using both methods (C-G and MDRD), 29.2% and 32.4% of patients, respectively, were incorrectly assigned to given stage of chronic kidney disease.

Conclusion

Proper assessment of kidney function is very important in order to properly drugs dosing, especially to adjust the doses of drugs metabolized by the kidneys in order to avoid or minimize their nephrotoxic effects.