Emotional functioning in long COVID: Comparison to post-concussion syndrome using the Personality Assessment Inventory

Objective: Recent studies on Long COVID found that patients report prominent emotional distress and significant correlations between distress and cognitive performance have been identified, raising the question of how to manage or treat these issues. To understand psychological functioning in Long COVID further, this study examined personality responses on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) to compare psychological functioning in a Long COVID group with a post-concussion syndrome (PCS) group, a syndrome with a significant psychological component. Participants and methods: Participants included 201 consecutive Long COVID outpatients (Mean age = 48.87 years, mean education = 14.82, 71.6% Female, 82.6% White) and a comparison group of 102 consecutively referred PCS outpatients (Mean age = 46.08, mean education = 14.17, 63.7% Female, 88.2% White). Effect sizes and t-tests were calculated using the PAI validity, clinical, interpersonal, and treatment consideration scales as well as clinical subscales. Results: The results replicated earlier findings on the PAI in Long COVID by demonstrating that both Long COVID and PCS groups had the highest mean elevations on SOM and DEP scales but no statistically significant between group differences in mean scale elevations. Results support similarities in psychological functioning between Long COVID and PCS patients emphasizing the importance of evaluating psychological functioning in neuropsychological evaluations for these populations. Further, results suggest that psychological treatment strategies for PCS patients may be helpful for Long COVID patients, but more research is needed.

Predictors of discharge disposition and mortality following hospitalization with SARS-CoV-2 infection

IMPORTANCE

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has overwhelmed hospital capacity, prioritizing the need to understand factors associated with type of discharge disposition.

OBJECTIVE

Characterization of disposition associated factors following SARS-CoV-2.

DESIGN

Retrospective study of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients from March 7th, 2020, to May 4th, 2022, requiring hospitalization.

SETTING

Midwest academic health-system.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients above the age 18 years admitted with PCR + SARS-CoV-2.

INTERVENTION

None.

MAIN OUTCOMES

Discharge to home versus PAC (inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF), skilled-nursing facility (SNF), long-term acute care (LTACH)), or died/hospice while hospitalized (DH).

RESULTS

We identified 62,279 SARS-CoV-2 PCR+ patients; 6,248 required hospitalizations, of whom 4611(73.8%) were discharged home, 985 (15.8%) to PAC and 652 (10.4%) died in hospital (DH). Patients discharged to PAC had a higher median age (75.7 years, IQR: 65.6-85.1) compared to those discharged home (57.0 years, IQR: 38.2-69.9), and had longer mean length of stay (LOS) 14.7 days, SD: 14.0) compared to discharge home (5.8 days, SD: 5.9). Older age (RRR:1.04, 95% CI:1.041-1.055), and higher Elixhauser comorbidity index [EI] (RRR:1.19, 95% CI:1.168-1.218) were associated with higher rate of discharge to PAC versus home. Older age (RRR:1.069, 95% CI:1.060-1.077) and higher EI (RRR:1.09, 95% CI:1.071-1.126) were associated with more frequent DH versus home. Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics were less likely to be discharged to PAC (RRR, 0.64 CI 0.47-0.88), (RRR 0.48 CI 0.34-0.67) and (RRR 0.586 CI 0.352-0.975). Having alpha variant was associated with less frequent PAC discharge versus home (RRR 0.589 CI 0.444-780). The relative risks for DH were lower with a higher platelet count 0.998 (CI 0.99-0.99) and albumin levels 0.342 (CI 0.26-0.45), and higher with increased CRP (RRR 1.006 CI 1.004-1.007) and D-Dimer (RRR 1.070 CI 1.039-1.101). Increased albumin had lower risk to PAC discharge (RRR 0.630 CI 0.497-0.798. An increase in D-Dimer (RRR1.033 CI 1.002-1.064) and CRP (RRR1.002 CI1.001-1.004) was associated with higher risk of PAC discharge. A breakthrough (BT) infection was associated with lower likelihood of DH and PAC.

CONCLUSION

Older age, higher EI, CRP and D-Dimer are associated with PAC and DH discharges following hospitalization with COVID-19 infection. BT infection reduces the likelihood of being discharged to PAC and DH.

Semi-automated Clinical Content Curation of COVID-19 Chatbot Remote Patient Monitoring Solution

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) programs are being increasingly utilized in the care of patients to manage acute and chronic disease including with acute COVID-19. The goal of this study is to explore the topics and patterns of patients' messages to the care team in an RPM program in patients with presumed COVID-19. We conducted a topic analysis to 6,262 comments from 3,248 patients enrolled in the COVID-19 RMP at M Health Fairview. Evaluation of comments was performed using LDA and CorEx topic modeling. Subject matter experts evaluated topic models, including identification of and defining topics and categories. Topics plotted over time to identify trends in topic weights over the enrollment period. The overall accuracy of comments assignment to topics by LDA and CorEx models were 72.8% and 88.2%. Most identified topics focused on signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Topics related to COVID-19 diagnosis demonstrated a correlation with announcements of availability of viral and antibody testing in national and local media.

Management of hypertension in pregnancy: a descriptive report of two clinic practices

Objective: To describe the current clinical practice in the treatment of hypertension in pregnancy.Methods: Retrospective chart review described hypertension treatment of pregnant women in two urban clinics in Minnesota USA, over 27 months. Data elements collected: blood pressure (BP) readings with gestational age, goal BP documented, and pharmacological treatments utilized.Results: Sixty patients had multiple elevated BP readings in prenatal care encounters. Of 60 included patients, 18 were treated with antihypertensives and 11 had documented BP goals. Documented goal BPs varied in numeric goal and some only listed systolic or diastolic goal.Conclusion: Inconsistencies exist in current treatment and documentation of hypertension in pregnancy.

Psychosocial interventions for erectile dysfunction

BACKGROUND

Normal sexual function is a biopsychosocial process and relies on the coordination of psychological, endocrine, vascular, and neurological factors. Recent data show that psychological factors are involved in a substantial number of cases of erectile dysfunction (ED) alone or in combination with organic causes. However, in contrast to the advances in somatic research of erectile dysfunction, scientific literature shows contradictory reports on the results of psychotherapy for the treatment of ED.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for the treatment of ED compared to oral drugs, local injection, vacuum devices and other psychosocial interventions, that may include any psycho-educative methods and psychotherapy, or both, of any kind.

SEARCH STRATEGY

The following databases were searched to identify randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials: MEDLINE (1966 to 2007), EMBASE (1980 to 2007), psycINFO (1974 to 2007), LILACS (1980 to 2007), DISSERTATION ABSTRACTS (2007) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2007). Besides this electronic search cross checking the references of all identified trials, contact with the first author of all included trials was performed in order to obtain data on other published or unpublished trials. Handsearch of the International Journal of Impotence Research and Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy since its first issue and contact with scientific societies for ED completed the search strategy.

SELECTION CRITERIA

All relevant randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials evaluating psychosocial interventions for ED.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Authors of the review independently selected trials found with the search strategy, extracted data, assessed trial quality, and analysed results. For categorical outcomes the pooled relative risks (RR) were calculated, and for continuous outcomes mean differences between interventions were calculated as well. Statistical heterogeneity was addressed.

MAIN RESULTS

Nine randomised (Banner 2000; Baum 2000; Goldman 1990; Kilmann 1987; Kockott 1975; Melnik 2005; Munjack 1984; Price 1981; Wylie 2003) and two quasi-randomised trials (Ansari 1976; Van Der Windt 2002), involving 398 men with ED (141 in psychotherapy group, 109 received medication, 68 psychotherapy plus medication, 20 vacuum devices and 59 control group) met the inclusion criteria. In data pooled from five randomised trials (Kockott 1975; Ansari 1976; Price 1981; Munjack 1984; Kilmann 1987), group psychotherapy was more likely than the control group (waiting list - a group of participants who did not receive any active intervention) to reduce the number of men with "persistence of erectile dysfunction" at post-treatment (RR 0.40, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.98, N = 100; NNT 1.61, 95% CI 0.97 to 4.76). At six months follow up there was continued maintenance of reduction of men with "persistence of ED" in favour of group psychotherapy (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.72, N = 37; NNT 1.58, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.43). In data pooled from two randomised trials (Price 1981; Kilmann 1987), sex-group psychotherapy reduced the number of men with "persistence of erectile dysfunction" in post-treatment (RR 0.13, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.43, N = 37), with a 95% response rate for sex therapy and 0% for the control group (waiting list - no treatment) (NNT 1.07, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.44). Treatment response appeared to vary between patient subgroups, although there was no significant difference in improvement in erectile function according to mean group age, type of relationship, and severity of ED. In two trials (Melnik 2005; Banner 2000) that compared group therapy plus sildenafil citrate versus sildenafil, men randomised to receive group therapy plus sildenafil showed significant reduction of "persistence of ED" (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.88; NNT 3.57, 95% CI 2 to 16.7, N = 71), and were less likely than those receiving only sildenafil to drop out (RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.93). One small trial (Melnik 2005) directly compared group therapy and sildenafil citrate. It found a significant difference favouring group therapy versus sildenafil in the mean difference of the IIEF (WMD -12.40, 95% CI -20.81 to -3.99, N = 20). No differences in effectiveness were found between psychosocial interventions versus local injection and vacuum devices.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There was evidence that group psychotherapy may improve erectile function. Treatment response varied between patient subgroups, but focused sex-group therapy showed greater efficacy than control group (no treatment). In a meta-analysis that compared group therapy plus sildenafil citrate versus sildenafil, men randomised to receive group therapy plus sildenafil showed significant improvement of successful intercourse, and were less likely than those receiving only sildenafil to drop out. Group psychotherapy also significantly improved ED compared to sildenafil citrate alone. Regarding the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for the treatment of ED compared to local injection, vacuum devices and other psychosocial techniques, no differences were found.