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White E, Fazio N, Tourmouzis K, Ryu S, Finger PT, Sassoon J, Keresztes R, Chou T, Kaplowitz K, Honkanen R. Unilateral conjunctival Classic Kaposi Sarcoma following a COVID 19 booster. Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep 2024; 34:101986. [PMID: 38601193 PMCID: PMC11004082 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajoc.2023.101986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose We describe a case of Classic Kaposi's sarcoma in a functionally monocular patient following a COVID19 vaccine booster and provide compelling evidence that suggests the booster was a relevant co-factor in the initiation of the disease process. Observations The patient presented with red, irritated conjunctival area described as "bubbling" in her right eye. While her past medical history includes hypercholesterolemia and hypertension, she had no history of a compromised immune system. Her ophthalmologic history is more complex including treatment for glaucoma. The patient has 20/20 uncorrected vision OD and LP OS. Due to her ocular co-morbidities, the patient initially received interferon alpha 2-B qid for 6 weeks. However, topical therapy failed to decrease the size of the conjunctival lesions. After referral to Radiation Oncology, the right eye/orbit was treated with electron beam therapy for 1 month which caused a marked decrease in the size and vascularity of the conjunctival lesions. A slow improvement continued during followup. Conclusion and importance In that the vaccine booster preceded the cancer, it appears etiologic to the appearance of Kaposi's sarcoma. The patient's monocular vision and glaucoma complicated her treatment. This case expands on current concepts of cofactors needed for the development of Kaposi's sarcoma in that vaccine booster administration was relevant to tumor progression and both clinical and mechanistic evidence is presented to support this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily White
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, USA
| | - Nicholas Fazio
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, USA
| | - Konstantinos Tourmouzis
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stony Brook University Hospital, USA
| | - Samuel Ryu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stony Brook University Hospital, USA
| | - Paul T. Finger
- The Department of Ocular Tumor, Orbital Disease, And Ophthalmic Radiation Therapy, The New York Eye Cancer Center, USA
| | - Jodi Sassoon
- Department of Anatomic & Clinical Pathology, New York Eye, Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, USA
| | - Roger Keresztes
- Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital, USA
| | - Timothy Chou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stony Brook University Hospital, USA
| | - Kevin Kaplowitz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Loma Linda Veterans Affairs Medical Center, USA
| | - Robert Honkanen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stony Brook University Hospital, USA
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Vergori A, Lepri AC, Chiuchiarelli M, Mazzotta V, Metafuni E, Matusali G, Siciliano V, Paulicelli J, Alma E, Siniscalchi A, Sica S, Abruzzese E, Fantoni M, Antinori A, Cingolani A. Risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with hematologic diseases receiving tixagevimab/cilgavimab as pre-exposure prophylaxis in most recent Omicron sublineages era. Int J Infect Dis 2024:107042. [PMID: 38614231 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Whether pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with tixagevimab/cilgavimab 150mg/150 mg (T/C) in individuals with hematological diseases (HD) may lead to a reduced risk of Breakthrough SARS CoV2 infection/hospitalization or death in the Omicron era remains to be established. METHODS Observational study including participants with HD who received PrEP. breakthrough infections were defined as a SARS-CoV-2 positivity by RT-PCR. The incidence of breakthrough infections (95%CI) and of breakthrough infections /hospitalization/death was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and as the number of breakthrough infections per 100-PYFU according to the circulating variant (VoC). A Poisson regression model was used to evaluate the association between the rate of incidence and circulating VoCs after controlling for demographics and clinical factors. RESULTS We included 550 HD patients: 71% initiated T/C PrEP when BA.5 was the most prevalent, followed by XBB/EG, BA.2 and BA.1 (19%, 7% and 3%, respectively). Overall, the 1-year incidence estimate of breakthrough infections/hospitalization/death was 24% (18.7-29.4%). A greater risk of incident infections was observed when BA.5 and XBB/EG sub-lineages circulated [aRR 5.05 (2.17, 11.77); p<.001 and 3.82 (1.50, 9.72); p=0.005, compared to BA.1, respectively]. CONCLUSIONS The one-year incidence of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections/hospitalization/death was 24% which is in line with what observed in other similar studies. The risk appeared to be higher when more recent Omicron sub-lineages were circulating suggesting a reduction of in vitro neutralization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Vergori
- Viral Immunodeficiency Unit, Clinical and Research Infectious Diseases Department, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Spallanzani, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Cozzi Lepri
- Centre for Clinical Research, Epidemiology, Modelling and Evaluation (CREME), Institute for Global Health, UCL, London, UK.
| | - Marta Chiuchiarelli
- UOC Malattie Infettive, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Valentina Mazzotta
- Viral Immunodeficiency Unit, Clinical and Research Infectious Diseases Department, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Spallanzani, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Metafuni
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Spallanzani, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giulia Matusali
- UOC Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Valentina Siciliano
- UOC Malattie Infettive, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Jessica Paulicelli
- Viral Immunodeficiency Unit, Clinical and Research Infectious Diseases Department, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Spallanzani, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Alma
- UOSD Ematologia ASL Roma 1, San Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Simona Sica
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Spallanzani, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Abruzzese
- Clinical and Research Infectious Diseases Department National Institute for Infectious Diseases L. Spallanzani, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Massimo Fantoni
- UOC Malattie Infettive, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Andrea Antinori
- Viral Immunodeficiency Unit, Clinical and Research Infectious Diseases Department, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Spallanzani, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Antonella Cingolani
- UOC Malattie Infettive, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
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Cuevas Fernández FJ, Delgado Estévez JL, Hernández Lorenzo M, Segovia Martínez CM, Cabrera León A, Aguirre-Jaime A. [Diabetes control and visits to the family doctor during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multicenter study in primary care]. Aten Primaria 2024; 56:102815. [PMID: 38043174 PMCID: PMC10703598 DOI: 10.1016/j.aprim.2023.102815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine whether in patients with type 2 diabetes (DM2) the changes in their relationship with family doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person (iPC) and telematic (TC) consultations, were associated with control of their disease. DESIGN Multicentric study of retrospective follow-up. SETTING Seven health centers in Tenerife, Spain. PARTICIPANTS 3543 patients with DM2. MAIN MEASUREMENTS Sex, age, iPC, TC and DM2 control using glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c) during the period 2019-2021. Logistic regression models were fitted with DM2 control as an effect, and with the other measurements as independent variables. RESULTS 50% were women. 38% were less than 65 years old. A1c was measured in 84% of patients in 2019, 68% in 2020, and 77% in 2021. 58.4% had good control in 2019, 46.1% in 2020, and 50.3% in 2021. Median iPC were 7 in 2019, 4 in 2020 and 5 in 2021 (p<0.001). The OR(95%CI) of good control in 2019 were 1.04(1.04-1.05) per year of age and 1.03(1.01-1.04) for each iPC; In 2020 they were 1.04 (1.03-1.05) per year of age, 1.05 (1.04-1.07) for each iPC and 1.04 (1.02-1.07) for each TC; in 2021 they were 1.04 (1.04-1.05) per year of age, 1.05 (1.03-1.06) for each iPC and 1.02 (1.00-1.04) for each TC. CONCLUSIONS The control of patients with DM2 during the period 2019-2021 had a direct relationship with the change in the frequency of consultations at the health center, with differences depending on the type of consultation and the age of the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Cuevas Fernández
- Gerencia de Atención primaria de Tenerife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España; Área de Medina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España
| | - Juan Luis Delgado Estévez
- Gerencia de Atención primaria de Tenerife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España; Área de Medina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España
| | | | - Cristóbal Manuel Segovia Martínez
- Gerencia de Atención primaria de Tenerife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España; Área de Medina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España
| | - Antonio Cabrera León
- Área de Medina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España; Unidad de Investigación de la Gerencia de Atención Primaria y del Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España.
| | - Armando Aguirre-Jaime
- Servicio de Apoyo a la Investigación en Cuidados del Colegio de Enfermer@s de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España
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Bruyneel A, Bouckaert N, Pirson M, Sermeus W, Van den Heede K. Unfinished nursing care in intensive care units and the mediating role of the association between nurse working environment, and quality of care and nurses' wellbeing. Intensive Crit Care Nurs 2024; 81:103596. [PMID: 38043435 DOI: 10.1016/j.iccn.2023.103596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Unfinished care refers to the situation in which nurses are forced to delay or omit necessary nursing care. The objectives was: 1) to measure the prevalence of unfinished nursing care in intensive care units during the COVID-19 pandemic; 2) to examine whether unfinished nursing care has a mediating role in the relationship between nurse working environment and nurse-perceived quality of care and risk of burnout among nurses. DESIGN A national cross-sectional survey. SETTING Seventy-five intensive care units in Belgium (December 2021 to February 2022). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index was used to measure the work environment. The perception of quality and safety of care was evaluated via a Likert-type scale. The risk of burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory scale. RESULTS A total of 2,183 nurse responses were included (response rate of 47.8%). Seventy-six percent of nurses reported at least one unfinished nursing care activity during their last shift. The staffing and resource adequacy subdimension of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index had the strongest correlation with unfinished nursing care. An increase in unfinished nursing care led to significantly lower perceived quality and safety of care and an increase in high risk of burnout. Unfinished nursing care appears to be a mediating factor for the association between staffing and resource adequacy and the quality and safety of care perceived by nurses and risk of burnout. CONCLUSIONS Unfinished nursing care, which is highly related to staffing and resource adequacy, is associated with increased odds of nurses being at risk of burnout and reporting a lower level of perceived quality of care. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE The monitoring of unfinished nursing care in the intensive care unit is an important early indicator of problems related to adequate staffing levels, the well-being of nurses, and the perceived quality of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Bruyneel
- Health Economics, Hospital Management and Nursing Research Dept, School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
| | | | - Magali Pirson
- Health Economics, Hospital Management and Nursing Research Dept, School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Walter Sermeus
- KU Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Van den Heede
- Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE), Brussels, Belgium; KU Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy, Leuven, Belgium
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Williams C, Shang D. Telehealth for Chronic Disease Management Among Vulnerable Populations. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2024; 11:1089-1096. [PMID: 37052797 PMCID: PMC10100602 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01588-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Chronic diseases disproportionately affect patients in low-income minority groups who traditionally use in-person healthcare services. COVID-19 disrupted their routines and limited options for people to receive care; this could exacerbate health inequities. The study examined telehealth chronic disease management among low-income minority groups. We used Florida Medicaid claims data from March to December 2020 and the American Consumer Survey to examine the study objectives. Data were analyzed using Linear and Logistic Regression. We retrieved claim records of 52,904 unique patients; 31,999 were female and 49% of the sample had at least one telehealth visit. Medicaid patients were 8% less likely to use telehealth and 21% more likely to have audio visits when compared to Medicare patients. The analyses suggest that Non-Hispanic Black patients and individuals with a lack of education experience significant health inequities. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (5%) and heart failure (14%) were less likely to use telehealth than patients with diabetes. Telehealth will continue to be a health delivery option; thus we recommend that strategies are enacted to educate, and resources are provided to promote equity among Non-Hispanic Black patients. Without priority attention to people among low-income minority populations, health inequities will continue to plague this community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Williams
- School of Global Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32801, USA.
| | - Di Shang
- Coggin College of Business, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
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Frajerman A, Deflesselle E, Colle R, Corruble E, Costemale-Lacoste JF. [Burnout, anxiety, insomnia and depressive symptoms among French outpatient physicians in the second wave of COVID-19: Comparison between general practitioners and specialists]. Encephale 2024; 50:192-199. [PMID: 37121809 PMCID: PMC10076503 DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2023.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a public health crisis worldwide. Concerns have been expressed about the rapid deterioration of mental health among primary care physicians among whom burnout already had a high prevalence prior to the pandemic. However, there is little data on private doctors during the pandemic. France experienced a second wave with a second lockdown. We aimed to assess and compare physicians' burnout, anxiety and depression symptoms and insomnia between general practitioners (GP) and all other private specialists during the second Covid-19 wave. METHODS We conducted an online survey of private practitioners registered on Doctolib® (n=32,655), the interface software most used by private practitioners for booking medical appointments in France. Doctors were invited by email to complete an online survey in November 2020. Inclusions were closed on 1st December. The 2nd lockdown lasted from 30th October to 15th December 2020. We used the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) to assess burnout syndrome. A mean score of>50 in at least one subscale defined burnout. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale assessed anxiety and depression symptoms. We used two cut-offs, 8 (>7) and 11 (>10), as both are validated in the ability to find cases. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) measures sleep-related complaints among physicians (cut-off >7). To link variations in the psychological scales to the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the items asked explicitly whether participants considered that "the COVID-19 epidemic we are currently experiencing is a source of excess stress, psychological suffering or burnout". Approval for this study was obtained from the local institutional review board of the University of Paris-Saclay, France. The questionnaires were collected anonymously. Statistical significance was tested using the chi-square test and student's t-test to compare the prevalence between GPs and other specialities. Subsequently, logistic regression models were run for statistically significant associations. RESULTS 1992 physicians replied, a response rate of 12.8% of those who received the invitation email. Among them, 79.4% suffered from psychological distress (symptoms of anxiety or depression or burnout), of which 71.3% suffered from burnout, 26.7% from depressive symptoms, 58.9% from anxiety symptoms and 45.8% from insomnia. There was no difference in gender between GPs and specialists, but there was an age difference (P<0.001). GPs had a higher prevalence of burnout (OR=1.33 CI95 [1.09;1.63]) and took more psychotropic drugs (1.38 CI95 [1.05;1.81]). They were also more likely to perceive their stress as work-related (OR=1.50 CI95 [1.23;1.81]) or COVID-19-related (OR=1.43 CI95 [1.16;1.77]). CONCLUSION Our study is the first to assess the mental health of private practitioners in the second wave in association with COVID-19 stress. Firstly, GPs who provide primary care have a significantly higher burnout rate than other doctors. Secondly, COVID-19 stress is associated with more significant psychological distress. Thirdly, almost 80% of the private doctors surveyed suffer from psychological pain, and 71% suffer from burnout. This study has strengths and limitations. Firstly, this study assesses mental health and stress related to its COVID-19 association. Second, this is the largest population of private physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The low response rate is the main limit of this study. The alarming rates of psychological distress among private doctors and, in particular, GPs should lead to intervention to help doctors reduce stress, burnout and other mental disorders. This study gives a picture of the situation during the second wave and the lock-in, and we need to be cautious with the next waves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Frajerman
- MOODS Team, Inserm, CESP, université Paris-Saclay, faculté de médecine Paris-Saclay, 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; Service hospitalo-universitaire de psychiatrie de Bicêtre, Mood Center Paris Saclay, hôpital de Bicêtre, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, hôpitaux universitaires Paris-Saclay, 94275 Paris, France; Inserm U1266-GDR 3557, institut de psychiatrie et neurosciences de Paris, institut de Psychiatrie, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.
| | - Eric Deflesselle
- MOODS Team, Inserm, CESP, université Paris-Saclay, faculté de médecine Paris-Saclay, 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; Département de médecine générale, université Paris-Saclay, faculté de médecine Paris-Saclay, 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Romain Colle
- MOODS Team, Inserm, CESP, université Paris-Saclay, faculté de médecine Paris-Saclay, 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; Service hospitalo-universitaire de psychiatrie de Bicêtre, Mood Center Paris Saclay, hôpital de Bicêtre, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, hôpitaux universitaires Paris-Saclay, 94275 Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Corruble
- MOODS Team, Inserm, CESP, université Paris-Saclay, faculté de médecine Paris-Saclay, 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; Service hospitalo-universitaire de psychiatrie de Bicêtre, Mood Center Paris Saclay, hôpital de Bicêtre, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, hôpitaux universitaires Paris-Saclay, 94275 Paris, France
| | - Jean-François Costemale-Lacoste
- MOODS Team, Inserm, CESP, université Paris-Saclay, faculté de médecine Paris-Saclay, 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; Centre hospitalier le Vinatier, Bron, France; Union régionale des professionnels de santé libéraux, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, France
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Aghajafari F, Wall L, Weightman AM, Ness A, Lake D, Anupindi K, Moorthi G, Kuk B, Santana M, Coakley A. An exploration of COVID-19 vaccination models for newcomer refugees and immigrants in Calgary, Canada. Arch Public Health 2024; 82:33. [PMID: 38468290 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-024-01255-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization stresses the need for tailored COVID-19 models of vaccination to meet the needs of diverse populations and ultimately reach high rates of vaccination. However, little evidence exists on how COVID-19 models of vaccination operated in the novel context of the pandemic, how vulnerable populations, such as refugees, experience COVID-19 vaccination systems in high-income countries, and what lessons may be learned from vaccination efforts with vulnerable populations. To address this gap, this study explored COVID-19 vaccine delivery models available to newcomer refugees and immigrants, and refugee experiences across different COVID-19 vaccine delivery models in Calgary, Canada, and surrounding area in 2021 and 2022, to understand the barriers, strengths, and strategies of models to support access to COVID-19 vaccination for newcomer refugees and immigrants. METHODS Researchers conducted structured interviews with Government Assisted Refugees (n = 39), and semi-structured interviews with Privately Sponsored Refugees (n = 6), private refugee sponsors (n = 3), and stakeholders involved in vaccination systems (n = 13) in 2022. Thematic analysis was conducted to draw out themes related to barriers, strengths, and strategies of vaccine delivery models and the intersections with patient experiences. RESULTS Newcomer refugee and immigrant focused vaccination models and strategies were explored. They demonstrated how partnerships between organizations, multi-pronged approaches, and culturally responsive services were crucial to navigate ongoing and emergent factors, such as vaccine hesitancy, mandates, and other determinants of under-vaccination. Many vaccination models presented through interviews were not specific to refugees and included immigrants, temporary residents, ethnocultural community members, and other vulnerable populations in their design. CONCLUSIONS Increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake for newcomer refugees and immigrants, is complex and requires trust, ongoing information provision, and local partnerships to address ongoing and emerging factors. Three key policy implications were drawn. First, findings demonstrated the need for flexible funding to offer outreach, translation, cultural interpretation, and to meet the basic needs of patients prior to engaging in vaccinations. Second, the research showed that embedding culturally responsive strategies within services ensures community needs are met. Finally, collaborating with partners that reflect the diverse needs of communities is crucial for the success of any health efforts serving newcomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariba Aghajafari
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
| | | | | | - Alyssa Ness
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Deidre Lake
- Alberta International Medical Graduates Association, Calgary, Canada
| | - Krishna Anupindi
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | | | - Bryan Kuk
- Habitus Consulting Collective, Calgary, Canada
| | - Maria Santana
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Annalee Coakley
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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Wijeweera C, Muhfaza U, Lord RV, Petocz P, Chen J, Preda V. Socioeconomic status and the effect of prolonged pandemic confinement on anthropometric and glycaemic outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Prim Care Diabetes 2024:S1751-9918(24)00036-6. [PMID: 38448261 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcd.2024.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
AIM This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the impact of COVID19 lockdown on the anthropometric and glycaemic outcomes of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and assess whether socioeconomic status (SES) was relevant to these changes. METHODS A search of three databases was conducted. Meta-analyses using random effects models were undertaken to combine anthropometric and glycaemic measures pre- and post-confinement. Subgroup analyses according to SES were also conducted. RESULTS This systematic review of 19 articles demonstrated that prolonged pandemic-related confinement is associated with a deterioration in both anthropometric and glycaemic outcomes among adults with T2DM. Furthermore, SES was found to be relevant to these changes. Specifically, BMI (kg/m2) showed an increase in mean difference of 0.72 (95% CI; 0.13, 1.31; p<0.05) between pre and post lockdown cohorts. High income countries displayed a greater increase in BMI compared to their lower middle-income counterparts. Regarding, fasting blood glucose (FBG), a statistically significant difference was observed in the upper middle-income group (mean difference: 5.10; 95% CI: 2.92, 7.27), and high-income group (mean difference: 6.03; 95% CI: 0.04, 12.02). There were no significant changes to weight, waist circumference, or HbA1C over the lockdown period. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest adults with T2DM may have received less effective care over the lockdown period, particularly in high income countries. Clinics and care providers may need to adopt more intensive contact and treatment plans in the post lockdown period to prevent lasting impacts on disease progression and metabolic sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandana Wijeweera
- Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Australia.
| | - Ummul Muhfaza
- Healthy Weight Clinic, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Park, Australia
| | - Reginald V Lord
- Department of Surgery, University of Notre Dame School of Medicine, Sydney Australia
| | - Peter Petocz
- Macquarie University, Department of Statistics, Macquarie Park, Australia
| | - Juliana Chen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Veronica Preda
- Healthy Weight Clinic, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Park, Australia
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García-Donas J, de Velasco G, Madurga R, Chamorro J, Rosero D, Etxaniz O, Pérez-Gracia JL, Pinto Á, Cacho D, Barba M, Borrega P, Lázaro M, Rodriguez L, Villalobos L, García L, Cuellar A, Solís-Hernández MP, González A, Pernaut C, Rodríguez-Moreno JF. Case-control study assessing the impact of COVID19 in advanced kidney cancer patients treated with antiangiogenics or immunotherapy: the COVID-REN study. Clin Transl Oncol 2024; 26:732-738. [PMID: 37556096 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03295-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer is a risk factor for developing severe COVID19. Additionally, SARS-CoV2 has a special tropism for renal cells and complications like thrombosis or cytokine storm could be enhanced by standard treatments in kidney cancer (i.e., antiangiogenics or immunotherapy). Thus, understanding the impact of COVID19 in patients with this tumor is key for their correct management. METHODS We designed a retrospective case-control study comparing the outcome of three groups of advanced kidney cancer patients on systemic treatment: cohort A (developed COVID19 while on antiangiogenics), cohort B (developed COVID19 while on immunotherapy) and cohort C (non-infected). Matching factors were age, gender, and treatment. RESULTS 95 patients were recruited in 16 centers in Spain from September 2020 to May 2021. Finally, 85 were deemed as eligible (23 cohort A, 21 cohort B, 41 cohort C). Patients with COVID required more dose interruptions (25 vs. six) and hospitalizations (10 vs. none) than those without COVID (both p = 0.001). No difference between cohorts A and B was observed regarding hospitalization or length of stay. No ICU admission was registered and one patient in cohort B died due to COVID19. Regarding cancer evolution, three patients in cohort A presented progressive disease after COVID19 compared to two in cohort B. One case in cohort B, initially deemed as stable disease, achieved a partial response after COVID19. CONCLUSIONS Kidney cancer patients who developed COVID19 while on systemic therapy required more treatment interruptions and hospitalizations than those non-infected. However, no significant impact on cancer outcome was observed. Also, no difference was seen between cases on antiangiogenics or immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rodrigo Madurga
- Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Diana Rosero
- Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Diego Cacho
- Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain
| | - María Barba
- HM Hospitales-Centro Integral Oncológico Clara Campal, Madrid, Spain
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10
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Gilardi E, Grandi T, Giannuzzi R, Valletta F, Fugger S, Mazzaroppi S, Petrucci M, Piano A, Piccioni A, WoldeSellasie K, Sambuco F, Travaglino F. Long peripheral cannula in COVID-19 patients: 769 catheter days experience from a semi-intensive respiratory COVID unit. J Vasc Access 2024; 25:498-503. [PMID: 36065094 PMCID: PMC9445629 DOI: 10.1177/11297298221115002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the daily management of peripheral venous access, the health emergency linked to the COVID-19 pandemic led to re-examining the criteria for choosing, positioning and maintaining the different types of peripheral venous access. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to observe the dwell time of long peripheral cannula (LPC, also known as mini-midline) in patients affected by COVID 19 related pneumonia. The secondary objective is to study any complications due to mini-midline insertion. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a prospective observational study on COVID19 patients who arrived at our Semi-Intensive Respiratory Unit from territorial ED between January and April 2021, to whom were positioned an LPC at the time of admission following the SIPUA protocol (Safe Insertion of Peripheral Ultrasound-guided Access). We used Vygon™ Leader-Cath© 18G in polyethylene and 8 cm long catheter. RESULTS We enrolled 53 consecutive patients, reaching 769 catheter days. The procedure was performed without immediate complications in 37 patients out of 53 (69.8%). In 14 patients (26.4%), we observed a local hematoma (no one led to a failure or early removal of the device) and in two patients (3.7%) was not possible to draw blood. The average catheter dwell time was 14.5 days, from 3 to 41 days. In 42 patients (79.2%), the device was removed at the end of use. In 11 patients out of 53 (20.8%), the device was removed early due to complications: seven accidental removals, one obstruction, two vein thrombosis, and one superficial thrombophlebitis. CONCLUSIONS The ultrasound-guided implantation of an 18G LPC in COVID19 patients, regardless of the state of their venous heritage, would seem to be an excellent strategy for these patients, reducing the number of venipunctures and CVC implantation, as well as allowing multiple and high pressure (contrast) infusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Gilardi
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Semi-Intensive Respiratory Covid Unit - Campus Covid Center, Policlinico
Universitario Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Tommaso Grandi
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Semi-Intensive Respiratory Covid Unit - Campus Covid Center, Policlinico
Universitario Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Fabio Valletta
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Semi-Intensive Respiratory Covid Unit - Campus Covid Center, Policlinico
Universitario Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Solange Fugger
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Semi-Intensive Respiratory Covid Unit - Campus Covid Center, Policlinico
Universitario Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Mazzaroppi
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Semi-Intensive Respiratory Covid Unit - Campus Covid Center, Policlinico
Universitario Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Petrucci
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” - IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alfonso Piano
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” - IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Piccioni
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” - IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Kidane WoldeSellasie
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” - IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Sambuco
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Semi-Intensive Respiratory Covid Unit - Campus Covid Center, Policlinico
Universitario Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Travaglino
- Emergency Medicine Department,
Semi-Intensive Respiratory Covid Unit - Campus Covid Center, Policlinico
Universitario Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
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11
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Amodio E, Pizzo S, Vella G, De Francisci V, Distefano SA, Giambelluca E, Graceffa D, Verso MG, Piro E, Giuffrè M, Giammanco GM, Calamusa G. Increase of multidrug-resistant bacteria after the COVID-19 pandemic in a major teaching Hospital in Sicily (2018-2021). Int J Antimicrob Agents 2024:107123. [PMID: 38408493 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2024.107123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the continuing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to global health and economic development. In the last two decades, AMR has raised increasing concern with an estimated 4.95 million deaths globally due to bacterial AMR in 2019 alone. This study aims to analyze the impact of the pandemic on the spread of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) using data from the Hospital «P. Giaccone» in Palermo, comparing pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. METHODS This observational study involved adult patients discharged from the hospital between 01/01/2018-31/12/2021. Hospital Discharge Cards were linked with microbiological laboratory reports to assess MDRO isolations. SARS-CoV-2 positivity during hospitalization was evaluated using the National Institute of Health's surveillance system. RESULTS This study evaluated 58,427 hospitalizations, where half of the patients were over 65 years old (N=26,984) and most admissions were in the medical area (N=31,716). During the hospitalization period, the isolated MDRO were 2,681(5%), whereas there were 946 subjects (2%) positive for SARS-CoV-2. In the multivariable analyses, during 2020 and 2021 there was a significant increased risk of isolation of Staphylococcus aureus,Acinetobacter baumannii,and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Age, weight of the Diagnosis Related Group (DRG), wards with higher intensity of care, and length-of-stay were associated to a higher risk of MDRO isolation. CONCLUSION Our study provides new insights into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MDRO isolation and has important implications for infection control and prevention efforts in healthcare facilities. Age, DRG-weight, and longer hospital stays further increase the risk of MDRO isolation. Thus, it is imperative to improve and follow hospital protocols to prevent healthcare-associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Amodio
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stefano Pizzo
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Vella
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Valerio De Francisci
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Salvatore Antonino Distefano
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Eliana Giambelluca
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Domenico Graceffa
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Gabriella Verso
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Ettore Piro
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Mario Giuffrè
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Maurizio Giammanco
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Calamusa
- University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties «G. D'Alessandro», Via del Vespro 133, 90127, Palermo, Italy.
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12
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Gimbach S, Vogel D, Fried R, Faraone SV, Banaschewski T, Buitelaar J, Döpfner M, Ammer R. ADHD medicine consumption in Europe after COVID-19: catch-up or trend change? BMC Psychiatry 2024; 24:112. [PMID: 38336744 PMCID: PMC10854136 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05505-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications have been associated with mental health services utilization and medication consumption, there is no longitudinal study on the long-term impact on ADHD medication use trends. METHODS This study examines the European ADHD medication consumption in 2020 to 2022 compared to the predicted consumption assuming the persistence of pre-pandemic trends. Predictions are calculated using Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) models. RESULTS While European ADHD medication sales recorded a drop in 2020, they returned to the predicted level in 2021, even slightly exceeding it. In 2022, we found a clear exceedance of the predicted level by 16.4% on average at country level. Furthermore, the increase in consumption growth in the post-pandemic period (2021-2022) compared to the pre-pandemic period (2014-2019) was significant in 26 of the 28 European countries under consideration. CONCLUSION There is strong evidence of a trend change in the ADHD medicine consumption growth throughout Europe after the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Gimbach
- Data Science Hub, MEDICE Arzneimittel Pütter GmbH & Co. KG, 58638, Iserlohn, Germany.
- Department of Statistics, TU Dortmund University, 44221, Dortmund, Germany.
| | - Daniel Vogel
- Data Science Hub, MEDICE Arzneimittel Pütter GmbH & Co. KG, 58638, Iserlohn, Germany
| | - Roland Fried
- Department of Statistics, TU Dortmund University, 44221, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Stephen V Faraone
- Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jan Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6500 HB, The Netherlands
- Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Manfred Döpfner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, 50969, Cologne, Germany
| | - Richard Ammer
- Data Science Hub, MEDICE Arzneimittel Pütter GmbH & Co. KG, 58638, Iserlohn, Germany
- Poliklinik und Innere Medizin, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
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13
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Lax Y, Keller K, Silver M, Safadi BM, Hwang EK, Avner JR. The Use of Telemedicine for Screening and Addressing Social Needs in a Primary Care Pediatric Population in Brooklyn, New York. J Community Health 2024; 49:46-51. [PMID: 37405613 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-023-01254-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyze temporal changes in social needs (SN), comparing those who received routine annual in-person care to those receiving SN screenings through a combination of tele-social care and in-person care biannually. Our prospective cohort study used a convenience sample of patients from primary care practices. Baseline data were collected from April 2019 to March 2020. The intervention group (n = 336) received SN screening and referral telephone outreach from June 2020 to August 2021. The control group (n = 2890) was screened, in person, during routine visits at baseline and summer 2021. We used a repeated-measures logistic regression with general estimating equations to assess incremental change in individual SN for the intervention group. Food, housing, legal and benefit needs increased and peaked at the beginning of the pandemic and decreased after interventions (P < 0.001). There was a 32% decrease in the odds of food insecurity for those in the intervention group compared to the control group (adjusted OR 0.668, 95% confidence interval 0.444-1.004, P = 0.052), and a 75% decrease in the odds of housing insecurity (adjusted OR 0.247, 95% confidence interval 0.150-0.505, P < 0.001). During COVID-19, there was an increase in SN followed by a decrease after interventions were offered. Those who completed tele-social care showed greater improvements in social needs than those in routine care, with the greatest improvements in food and housing needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonit Lax
- Department of Pediatrics, Maimonides Medical Center, 1301 57th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11219, USA.
- SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Brooklyn, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA.
| | - Kim Keller
- Department of Pediatrics, Maimonides Medical Center, 1301 57th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11219, USA
| | - Michael Silver
- Biostatistics, Maimonides Medical Center, 1301 57th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11219, USA
| | - Bryant Muniz Safadi
- SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Brooklyn, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA
| | - Eun Kyeong Hwang
- SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Brooklyn, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Avner
- Department of Pediatrics, Maimonides Medical Center, 1301 57th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11219, USA
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14
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Golec de Zavala A, Keenan O, Ziegler M, Ciesielski P, Wahl JE, Mazurkiewicz M. App-based mindfulness training supported eudaimonic wellbeing during the COVID19 pandemic. Appl Psychol Health Well Being 2024; 16:42-59. [PMID: 37432062 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
A randomized-controlled-trial study (N = 219) tested two pre-registered hypotheses that mobile-phone app-based mindfulness training improves wellbeing and increases self-transcendent emotions: gratitude, self-compassion, and awe. Latent change score modeling with a robust maximum likelihood estimator was used to test how those changes are associated in the training versus the waiting-list group. The training increased wellbeing and all self-transcendent emotions regardless of interindividual variance in the changes across time. Changes in all self-transcendent emotions were positively associated with changes in wellbeing. The strength of those associations was comparable in the waiting-list group and the training group. More studies are needed to test whether the effects of mindfulness practice on wellbeing are driven by increases in self-transcendent emotions. The study was conducted over 6 weeks during the COVID19 pandemic. The results indicate that the mindfulness training can be an easily accessible effective intervention supporting eudaimonic wellbeing in face of adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Julia E Wahl
- SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznań, Poland
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15
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Garcia-Cirera S, Calvet J, Delgado de la Poza JF, Berenguer-Llergo A, Orellana C, Rusiñol M, Llop M, Arévalo M, Garcia-Pinilla A, Costa E, Aymerich C, Gómez R, Carreras A, Gratacós J. Biological and glucocorticoids treatment impair the medium-term immunogenicity to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Eur J Med Res 2024; 29:28. [PMID: 38183092 PMCID: PMC10768211 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01620-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aims to assess the sustained immunological response to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRD) undergoing different treatment regimens. METHODS We conducted a prospective observational study involving 157 AIRD patients without prior COVID-19 infection. Treatment regimens included non-treatment or glucocorticoid-only (not-treated/GCs), non-biological drugs, biological therapy, and JAK inhibitors. All participants completed the two-dose vaccine schedule, and 110 of them received an additional booster dose. Serum samples were collected approximately 3-6 months after the second and third vaccine doses to measure antibodies against the Spike protein (antiS-AB) and neutralizing antibodies (nAB) targeting six SARS-CoV-2 variants. RESULTS Following the third dose, all patients exhibited a significant increase in antiS-AB (FC = 15, p < 0.0001). Patients under biological therapy had lower titres compared to the non-biological (66% decrease, p = 0.038) and the not-treated/GCs group (62% decrease, p = 0.0132), with the latter persisting after the booster dose (86% decrease, p = 0.0027). GC use was associated with lower antiS-AB levels in the biological group (87% decrease, p = 0.0124), although not statistically significant after confounders adjustment. nABs showed the highest positivity rates for the wild-type strain before (50%) and after the booster dose (93%), while the Omicron variant exhibited the lowest rates (11% and 55%, respectively). All variants demonstrated similar positivity patterns and good concordance with antiS-AB (AUCs from 0.896 to 0.997). CONCLUSIONS The SARS-CoV-2 vaccine booster strategy effectively elicited a sustained antibody immune response in AIRD patients. However, patients under biological therapies exhibited a reduced response to the booster dose, particularly when combined with GCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Garcia-Cirera
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
- Departament de Medicina, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Calvet
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain.
- Departament de Medicina, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Juan Francisco Delgado de la Poza
- Immunology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Antoni Berenguer-Llergo
- Rheumatology Department, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), 08028, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Cristóbal Orellana
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Menna Rusiñol
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Maria Llop
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Marta Arévalo
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Alba Garcia-Pinilla
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Ester Costa
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Cristina Aymerich
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Rafael Gómez
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Anna Carreras
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Jordi Gratacós
- Rheumatology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació I Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), c/Parc Taulí S/N, Edifici VII Centenari, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
- Departament de Medicina, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08003, Barcelona, Spain
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16
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Essaidi-Laziosi M, Pérez-Rodríguez FJ, Alvarez C, Sattonnet-Roche P, Torriani G, Bekliz M, Adea K, Lenk M, Suliman T, Preiser W, Müller MA, Drosten C, Kaiser L, Eckerle I. Distinct phenotype of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 in human primary cells but no increased host range in cell lines of putative mammalian reservoir species. Virus Res 2024; 339:199255. [PMID: 38389324 PMCID: PMC10652112 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2's genetic plasticity has led to several variants of concern (VOCs). Here we studied replicative capacity for seven SARS-CoV-2 isolates (B.1, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Zeta, and Omicron BA.1) in primary reconstituted airway epithelia (HAE) and lung-derived cell lines. Furthermore, to investigate the host range of Delta and Omicron compared to ancestral SARS-CoV-2, we assessed replication in 17 cell lines from 11 non-primate mammalian species, including bats, rodents, insectivores and carnivores. Only Omicron's phenotype differed in vitro, with rapid but short replication and efficient production of infectious virus in nasal HAEs, in contrast to other VOCs, but not in lung cell lines. No increased infection efficiency for other species was observed, but Delta and Omicron infection efficiency was increased in A549 cells. Notably replication in A549 and Calu3 cells was lower than in nasal HAE. Our results suggest better adaptation of VOCs towards humans, without an extended host range, and may be relevant to the search for the putative intermediate host and reservoirs prior to the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manel Essaidi-Laziosi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, University Hospitals Geneva, and University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Francisco J Pérez-Rodríguez
- Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, University Hospitals Geneva, and University of Geneva, Switzerland; Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Catia Alvarez
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, University Hospitals Geneva, and University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pascale Sattonnet-Roche
- Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, University Hospitals Geneva, and University of Geneva, Switzerland; Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Torriani
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Meriem Bekliz
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, University Hospitals Geneva, and University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kenneth Adea
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, University Hospitals Geneva, and University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Lenk
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Tasnim Suliman
- Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Wolfgang Preiser
- Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; Division of Medical Virology, Tygerberg Hospital, National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marcel A Müller
- Institute of Virology Charité, - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Drosten
- Institute of Virology Charité, - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Laurent Kaiser
- Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, University Hospitals Geneva, and University of Geneva, Switzerland; Laboratory of Virology, Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva & Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Isabella Eckerle
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, University Hospitals Geneva, and University of Geneva, Switzerland; Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
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17
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Mir S, Mir M. The mRNA vaccine, a swift warhead against a moving infectious disease target. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:336-348. [PMID: 38369742 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2024.2320327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The rapid development of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 has revolutionized vaccinology, offering hope for swift responses to emerging infectious diseases. Initially met with skepticism, mRNA vaccines have proven effective and safe, reducing vaccine hesitancy amid the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the time required to modify mRNA vaccines to counter new mutant strains is significantly shorter than the time it takes for pathogens to mutate and generate new variants that can thrive in vaccinated populations. This highlights the notion that mRNA vaccine technology appears to be outpacing viruses in the ongoing evolutionary race. AREAS COVERED This review article offers valuable insights into several crucial aspects of mRNA vaccine development and deployment, including the fundamentals of mRNA vaccine design and synthesis, the utilization of delivery systems, considerations regarding vaccine safety, the longevity of the immune response, strategies for modifying the original mRNA vaccine to address emerging mutant strains, as well as addressing vaccine hesitancy and potential approaches to mitigate reluctance. EXPERT OPINION Challenges such as stability, storage, manufacturing complexities, production capacity, allergic reactions, long-term effects, accessibility, and misinformation must be addressed. Despite these hurdles, mRNA vaccine technology holds promise for revolutionizing future vaccination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheema Mir
- College of Veterinary Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Mohammad Mir
- College of Veterinary Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
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18
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Polo N, Lã FMB. Self-Perceived Voice Handicap During COVID19 Compulsory Facemask Use: A Comparative Study Between Portuguese and Spanish Speakers. J Voice 2024; 38:105-111. [PMID: 34465480 PMCID: PMC8403057 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study investigates self-perceptions of voice-related handicap as a function of facemask use in the general working population during the COVID19 outbreak, using the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Each VHI item was answered twice in a row; the first answer referred to the condition of not wearing a facemask (henceforth, the Without condition) and the second to the condition of using a facemask (henceforth, the With condition). VHI scores were collected via Google Forms (Google, Mountain View, California), targeting 2 groups of speakers of different nationalities, Portuguese (n = 261) and Spanish (n = 297). A Wilcoxon test was carried out to compare VHI scores between With and Without conditions for each group of speakers; a Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare groups within each condition. Results suggested that VHI overall scores and scores for all dimensions were higher for the With condition, for both Portuguese and Spanish speakers. When comparing groups of speakers, Spanish speakers presented higher scores for functional and emotional dimensions, for both With and Without conditions. In addition, the overall score for the Without condition was higher for Spanish speakers. No differences between groups were found for the total VHI score for the With condition. When comparing overall VHIdiff between speakers, that is, the difference in the VHI total score between With and Without conditions, no significant differences could be found. Thus, a multiple regression analysis was carried out between the VHIdiff and the independent variables of interest: age, sex, smoking habits, professional occupation, nationality, facemask type and its hours of use. The resulting model providing the highest association suggested that 2.5% of the variation in overall VHIdiff total score could be associated with sex, smoking habits, and professional level. Female smokers who use their voices during prolonged hours at work (e.g., teachers, lawyers, sales people) presented a higher VHI total score when wearing a mask. Future voice-related health interventions should address preventive strategies towards speaking behaviors leading to vocal fatigue and vocal effort as a consequence of compulsory facemask use, especially with respect to female professional voice users who smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Polo
- Department of Spanish Language and General Linguistics, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Filipa M B Lã
- Department of Didactics, School Organization and Special Didactics, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
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19
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Echternach M, Ava Hermann L, Gantner S, Tur B, Peters G, Westphalen C, Benthaus T, Köberlein M, Kuranova L, Döllinger M, Kniesburges S. The Effect of Singers' Masks on the Impulse Dispersion of Aerosols During Singing. J Voice 2024; 38:247.e1-247.e10. [PMID: 34610881 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the Covid-19 pandemic, singing activities were restricted due to several super-spreading events that have been observed during rehearsals and vocal performances. However, it has not been clarified how the aerosol dispersion, which has been assumed to be the leading transmission factor, could be reduced by masks which are specially designed for singers. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twelve professional singers (10 of the Bavarian Radio-Chorus and two freelancers, seven females and five males) were asked to sing the melody of the ode of joy of Beethoven's 9th symphony "Freude schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elisium" in D-major without masks and afterwards with five different singers' masks, all distinctive in their material and proportions. Every task was conducted after inhaling the basic liquid from an e-cigarette. The aerosol dispersion was recorded by three high-definition video cameras during and after the task. The cloud was segmented and the dispersion was analyzed for all three spatial dimensions. Further, the subjects were asked to rate the practicability of wearing the tested masks during singing activities using a questionnaire. RESULTS Concerning the median distances of dispersion, all masks were able to decrease the impulse dispersion of the aerosols to the front. In contrast, the dispersion to the sides and to the top was increased. The evaluation revealed that most of the subjects would reject performing a concert with any of the masks. CONCLUSION Although, the results exhibit that the tested masks could be able to reduce the radius of aerosol expulsion for virus-laden aerosol particles, there are more improvements necessary to enable the practical implementations for professional singing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Echternach
- Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Laila Ava Hermann
- Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Sophia Gantner
- Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Bogac Tur
- Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gregor Peters
- Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Caroline Westphalen
- Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Benthaus
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Marie Köberlein
- Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Liudmila Kuranova
- Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Döllinger
- Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Kniesburges
- Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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20
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Wang H, Rizvi SRA, Dong D, Lou J, Wang Q, Sopipong W, Su Y, Najar F, Agarwal PK, Kozielski F, Haider S. Emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 NSP10 highlight strong functional conservation of its binding to two non-structural proteins, NSP14 and NSP16. eLife 2023; 12:RP87884. [PMID: 38127066 PMCID: PMC10735223 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 protects its RNA from being recognized by host immune responses by methylation of its 5' end, also known as capping. This process is carried out by two enzymes, non-structural protein 16 (NSP16) containing 2'-O-methyltransferase and NSP14 through its N7 methyltransferase activity, which are essential for the replication of the viral genome as well as evading the host's innate immunity. NSP10 acts as a crucial cofactor and stimulator of NSP14 and NSP16. To further understand the role of NSP10, we carried out a comprehensive analysis of >13 million globally collected whole-genome sequences (WGS) of SARS-CoV-2 obtained from the Global Initiative Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) and compared it with the reference genome Wuhan/WIV04/2019 to identify all currently known variants in NSP10. T12I, T102I, and A104V in NSP10 have been identified as the three most frequent variants and characterized using X-ray crystallography, biophysical assays, and enhanced sampling simulations. In contrast to other proteins such as spike and NSP6, NSP10 is significantly less prone to mutation due to its crucial role in replication. The functional effects of the variants were examined for their impact on the binding affinity and stability of both NSP14-NSP10 and NSP16-NSP10 complexes. These results highlight the limited changes induced by variant evolution in NSP10 and reflect on the critical roles NSP10 plays during the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle. These results also indicate that there is limited capacity for the virus to overcome inhibitors targeting NSP10 via the generation of variants in inhibitor binding pockets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Syed RA Rizvi
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Danni Dong
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Jiaqi Lou
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Watanyoo Sopipong
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Yufeng Su
- College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University LondonUxbridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Fares Najar
- High-Performance Computing Center, Oklahoma State UniversityStillwaterUnited States
| | - Pratul K Agarwal
- High-Performance Computing Center, Oklahoma State UniversityStillwaterUnited States
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Oklahoma State UniversityStillwaterUnited States
| | - Frank Kozielski
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Shozeb Haider
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- UCL Centre for Advanced Research Computing, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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21
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McClelland RD, Lin YCJ, Culp TN, Noyce R, Evans D, Hobman TC, Meier-Stephenson V, Marchant DJ. The domestication of SARS-CoV-2 into a seasonal infection by viral variants. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1289387. [PMID: 38188566 PMCID: PMC10769486 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1289387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by the zoonotic betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 variants have emerged due to adaptation in humans, shifting SARS-CoV-2 towards an endemic seasonal virus. We have termed this process 'virus domestication'. Methods We analyzed aggregate COVID-19 data from a publicly funded healthcare system in Canada from March 7, 2020 to November 21, 2022. We graphed surrogate calculations of COVID-19 disease severity and SARS-CoV-2 variant plaque sizes in tissue culture. Results and Discussion Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 adapt the virus to better infect humans and evade the host immune response, resulting in the emergence of variants with altered pathogenicity. We observed a decrease in COVID-19 disease severity surrogates after the arrival of the Delta variant, coinciding with significantly smaller plaque sizes. Overall, we suggest that SARS-CoV-2 has become more infectious and less virulent through viral domestication. Our findings highlight the importance of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and help inform public policy on the highest probability outcomes during viral pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryley D. McClelland
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Yi-Chan James Lin
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Tyce N. Culp
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Ryan Noyce
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - David Evans
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Tom C. Hobman
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Vanessa Meier-Stephenson
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - David J. Marchant
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Marchand GJ, Masoud A. Response to Dr. Somovilla del Saz's letter to the editor regarding "Risk of all-cause and cardiac-related mortality after vaccination against COVID-19: A meta-analysis of self-controlled case series studies". Hum Vaccin Immunother 2023; 19:2264599. [PMID: 37806668 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2264599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This is a response to Dr. Somovilla del Saz's letter to the editor regarding Marchand et al.'s article, "Risk of all-cause and cardiac-related mortality after vaccination against COVID-19: A meta-analysis of self-controlled case series studies." The response is on behalf of all authors clarifying misconceptions about the work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg J Marchand
- Marchand Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Mesa, AZ, USA
| | - Ahmed Masoud
- Marchand Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Mesa, AZ, USA
- Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
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23
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Ghaleb Alrubaiee G, Alsabri M, Abdulrahman Al-Qadasi F, Ali Hussein Al-Qalah T, Cole J, Abdullah Ghaleb Alburiahy Y. Psychosocial Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on Yemeni healthcare workers: A Web-based, Cross-sectional Survey. Libyan J Med 2023; 18:2174291. [PMID: 36840952 PMCID: PMC9970220 DOI: 10.1080/19932820.2023.2174291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Yemeni healthcare workers (HCWs) experience high levels of psychosocial stress. The current study provides a psychosocial assessment of Yemeni HCWs during the COVID19 pandemic and the factors that influence this. Between 6 November 2020, and 3 April 2021, 1220 HCWs inside Yemen self-reported levels of stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression and quality of life using a web-based, cross-sectional survey. According to the findings, 73.0%, 57.3%, 49.8%, 53.2%, and 85.2% of all HCWs reported moderate or severe stress, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and a lower quality of life, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between stress and anxiety, insomnia, and depression scores, as well as anxiety and insomnia and depression, and insomnia and depression (p < 0.001). There was also a significant inverse relationship between wellbeing scores and stress, anxiety, insomnia, and depression scores (p < 0.001). A high percentage of respondents (85.8%) were 40 years old or younger and 72.7% had fewer than 10 years' experience, suggesting that experienced medics leave Yemen for safer and more secure jobs elsewhere. Psychosocial support to assist in building resilience to the prevailing conditions may need to be embedded in medical school training and continuing professional development to help support HCWs within Yemen and prevent even more from leaving the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gamil Ghaleb Alrubaiee
- Department of Community Health, College of Nursing, Ha’il University, Hail, KSA,Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Al-Razi University, Sana’a City, Yemen
| | - Mohammed Alsabri
- Emergency Department, Al-Thawra Modern General Teaching Hospital, Sana’a City, Yemen,CONTACT Mohammed Alsabri Department of Medical Surgical, College of Nursing, Ha’il University, Hail, KSA
| | | | | | - Jennifer Cole
- Department of Health Studies, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
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24
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Memon BA, Aslam F, Asadova S, Ferreira P. Are clean energy markets efficient? A multifractal scaling and herding behavior analysis of clean and renewable energy markets before and during the COVID19 pandemic. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22694. [PMID: 38213596 PMCID: PMC10782163 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The literature lacks thorough and adequate evidence of the efficiency and herding behavior of clean and renewable energy markets. Therefore, the key objective of this paper is to explore the multifractality and efficiency of six clean energy markets by applying a robust method of Multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) on daily data over a lengthy period. In addition, to examine the inner dynamics of clean energy markets around the global pandemic (COVID19), the data are further divided into two sub-periods of before and during COVID19. Our sampled clean energy markets exhibit multifractal behavior with a significant impact on the efficiency and intensified presence of multifractality during the COVID19 period. Overall, TXCT and BSEGRNX were the most efficient clean energy markets, but the ranking of TXCT deteriorated significantly in the sub-periods. The presence of multifractality and herding behavior symmetry intensified during the crisis period, which gives a potential for advancing portfolio management techniques. Moreover, our study provides practical implications and new insights for various market participants for better management and understanding of risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal Ahmed Memon
- School of Business and Economics, Westminster International University in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | - Faheem Aslam
- Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Shakhnoza Asadova
- School of Business and Economics, Westminster International University in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | - Paulo Ferreira
- VALORIZA—Research Center for Endogenous Resource Valorization, 7300-555 Portalegre, Portugal
- Department of Economic Sciences and Organizations, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-555 Portalegre, Portugal
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25
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Le Pape S, Savart S, Arrivé F, Frat JP, Ragot S, Coudroy R, Thille AW. High-flow nasal cannula oxygen versus conventional oxygen therapy for acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intensive Care 2023; 13:114. [PMID: 37994981 PMCID: PMC10667189 DOI: 10.1186/s13613-023-01208-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The effectiveness of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC) in patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19 remains uncertain. We aimed at assessing whether HFNC is associated with reduced risk of intubation or mortality in patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19 compared with conventional oxygen therapy (COT). METHODS In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and CENTRAL databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies comparing HFNC vs. COT in patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19, published in English from inception to December 2022. Pediatric studies, studies that compared HFNC with a noninvasive respiratory support other than COT and those in which intubation or mortality were not reported were excluded. Two authors independently screened and selected articles for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. Fixed-effects or random-effects meta-analysis were performed according to statistical heterogeneity. Primary outcomes were risk of intubation and mortality across RCTs. Effect estimates were calculated as risk ratios and 95% confidence interval (RR; 95% CI). Observational studies were used for sensitivity analyses. RESULTS Twenty studies were analyzed, accounting for 8383 patients, including 6 RCTs (2509 patients) and 14 observational studies (5874 patients). By pooling the 6 RCTs, HFNC compared with COT significantly reduced the risk of intubation (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.98; p = 0.02) and reduced length of stay in hospital. HFNC did not significantly reduce the risk of mortality (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.11; p = 0.40). CONCLUSIONS In patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19, HFNC reduced the need for intubation and shortened length of stay in hospital without significant decreased risk of mortality. Trial registration The study was registered on the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ with the trial registration number CRD42022340035 (06/20/2022).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Le Pape
- Médecine Intensive Réanimation, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, 2 rue la Milétrie, 86021, Poitiers Cedex, France.
- INSERM CIC 1402, IS-ALIVE Research group, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France.
| | - Sigourney Savart
- Médecine Intensive Réanimation, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, 2 rue la Milétrie, 86021, Poitiers Cedex, France
| | - François Arrivé
- Médecine Intensive Réanimation, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, 2 rue la Milétrie, 86021, Poitiers Cedex, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Frat
- Médecine Intensive Réanimation, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, 2 rue la Milétrie, 86021, Poitiers Cedex, France
- INSERM CIC 1402, IS-ALIVE Research group, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Stéphanie Ragot
- INSERM CIC 1402, IS-ALIVE Research group, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Rémi Coudroy
- Médecine Intensive Réanimation, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, 2 rue la Milétrie, 86021, Poitiers Cedex, France
- INSERM CIC 1402, IS-ALIVE Research group, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Arnaud W Thille
- Médecine Intensive Réanimation, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, 2 rue la Milétrie, 86021, Poitiers Cedex, France
- INSERM CIC 1402, IS-ALIVE Research group, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
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26
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Plotti F, Silvagni A, Montera R, De Cicco Nardone C, Luvero D, Ficarola F, Cundari GB, Branda F, Angioli R, Terranova C. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Management of Endometrial Cancer: A Monocentric Retrospective Comparative Study. J Clin Med 2023; 12:7016. [PMID: 38002630 PMCID: PMC10671930 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12227016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer represents an ideal target to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 being the most frequent gynecological malignancy in Italy, generally detected at early stages and correlated with favorable oncological outcomes. The present comparative retrospective study carried out at Campus Bio-medico University Foundation in Rome aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation, diagnosis and treatment of EC. All women with a histological diagnosis of non-endometrioid and endometrioid endometrial cancer between 1 March 2018 and 31 October 2022 were included. The number of cases was higher in period 2 (95 vs. 64 cases). Time to diagnosis did not show statistically significant differences but in period 2, 92.06% of the diagnoses were made following abnormal uterine bleeding, while in period 1, only 67.02% were. The waiting time for the intervention was significantly shorter in period 2. Definitive histology, FIGO staging, surgical technique and adjuvant therapy did not show significant differences between the two periods. The study demonstrates that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic did not have a direct effect on the diagnostic delay, tumor staging and type of therapy but rather on the presentation pattern of endometrial cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Plotti
- Unit of Gynecology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Adele Silvagni
- Unit of Gynecology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Montera
- Unit of Gynecology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo De Cicco Nardone
- Unit of Gynecology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Luvero
- Unit of Gynecology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Fernando Ficarola
- Unit of Gynecology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Gianna Barbara Cundari
- Unit of Gynecology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Branda
- Unit of Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Angioli
- Unit of Gynecology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Corrado Terranova
- Unit of Gynecology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
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Drake KA, Talantov D, Tong GJ, Lin JT, Verheijden S, Katz S, Leung JM, Yuen B, Krishna V, Wu MJ, Sutherland AM, Short SA, Kheradpour P, Mumbach MR, Franz KM, Trifonov V, Lucas MV, Merson J, Kim CC. Multi-omic profiling reveals early immunological indicators for identifying COVID-19 Progressors. Clin Immunol 2023; 256:109808. [PMID: 37852344 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
We sought to better understand the immune response during the immediate post-diagnosis phase of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by identifying molecular associations with longitudinal disease outcomes. Multi-omic analyses identified differences in immune cell composition, cytokine levels, and cell subset-specific transcriptomic and epigenomic signatures between individuals on a more serious disease trajectory (Progressors) as compared to those on a milder course (Non-progressors). Higher levels of multiple cytokines were observed in Progressors, with IL-6 showing the largest difference. Blood monocyte cell subsets were also skewed, showing a comparative decrease in non-classical CD14-CD16+ and intermediate CD14+CD16+ monocytes. In lymphocytes, the CD8+ T effector memory cells displayed a gene expression signature consistent with stronger T cell activation in Progressors. These early stage observations could serve as the basis for the development of prognostic biomarkers of disease risk and interventional strategies to improve the management of severe COVID-19. BACKGROUND: Much of the literature on immune response post-SARS-CoV-2 infection has been in the acute and post-acute phases of infection. TRANSLATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE: We found differences at early time points of infection in approximately 160 participants. We compared multi-omic signatures in immune cells between individuals progressing to needing more significant medical intervention and non-progressors. We observed widespread evidence of a state of increased inflammation associated with progression, supported by a range of epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic signatures. The signatures we identified support other findings at later time points and serve as the basis for prognostic biomarker development or to inform interventional strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A Drake
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Dimitri Talantov
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Gary J Tong
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Jack T Lin
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Samuel Katz
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Benjamin Yuen
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Vinod Krishna
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Michelle J Wu
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Sarah A Short
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Pouya Kheradpour
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Maxwell R Mumbach
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Kate M Franz
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Vladimir Trifonov
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Molly V Lucas
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, NJ, United States of America
| | - James Merson
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Charles C Kim
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America.
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Nahiduzzaman M, Goni MOF, Hassan R, Islam MR, Syfullah MK, Shahriar SM, Anower MS, Ahsan M, Haider J, Kowalski M. Parallel CNN-ELM: A multiclass classification of chest X-ray images to identify seventeen lung diseases including COVID-19. Expert Syst Appl 2023; 229:120528. [PMID: 37274610 PMCID: PMC10223636 DOI: 10.1016/j.eswa.2023.120528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Numerous epidemic lung diseases such as COVID-19, tuberculosis (TB), and pneumonia have spread over the world, killing millions of people. Medical specialists have experienced challenges in correctly identifying these diseases due to their subtle differences in Chest X-ray images (CXR). To assist the medical experts, this study proposed a computer-aided lung illness identification method based on the CXR images. For the first time, 17 different forms of lung disorders were considered and the study was divided into six trials with each containing two, two, three, four, fourteen, and seventeen different forms of lung disorders. The proposed framework combined robust feature extraction capabilities of a lightweight parallel convolutional neural network (CNN) with the classification abilities of the extreme learning machine algorithm named CNN-ELM. An optimistic accuracy of 90.92% and an area under the curve (AUC) of 96.93% was achieved when 17 classes were classified side by side. It also accurately identified COVID-19 and TB with 99.37% and 99.98% accuracy, respectively, in 0.996 microseconds for a single image. Additionally, the current results also demonstrated that the framework could outperform the existing state-of-the-art (SOTA) models. On top of that, a secondary conclusion drawn from this study was that the prospective framework retained its effectiveness over a range of real-world environments, including balanced-unbalanced or large-small datasets, large multiclass or simple binary class, and high- or low-resolution images. A prototype Android App was also developed to establish the potential of the framework in real-life implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Nahiduzzaman
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh
| | - Md Omaer Faruq Goni
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh
| | - Rakibul Hassan
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh
| | - Md Robiul Islam
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh
| | - Md Khalid Syfullah
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh
| | - Saleh Mohammed Shahriar
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh
| | - Md Shamim Anower
- Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh
| | - Mominul Ahsan
- Department of Computer Science, University of York, Deramore Lane, Heslington, York YO10 5GH, UK
| | - Julfikar Haider
- Department of Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester St, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
| | - Marcin Kowalski
- Institute of Optoelectronics, Military University of Technology, Gen. S. Kaliskiego 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland
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Kahramanoğlu Ö, Akalin M, Bilir E, Ocal A, Dizdaroğulları GE, Eyisoy G, Demirci O. Assessment of fetal myocardial performance index in pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection: A prospective cohort study. J Clin Ultrasound 2023; 51:1475-1482. [PMID: 37883099 DOI: 10.1002/jcu.23564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Our aim was to investigate the effects of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on fetal myocardial performance in women who had it during their pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS In our prospective cohort study including healthy pregnant women and pregnant with SARS-CoV-2 infection, we collected patients' data between June 2021 and April 2022. Maternal characteristics, gestational age at SARS-CoV-2 infection and ultrasound examination, and body mass index were noted. Fetal biometry, fetal anatomy scanning, placenta, amniotic fluid index (AFI), and Doppler parameters were routinely examined in all patients. Left ventricular myocardial performance index (MPI) was measured during fetal echocardiography examination. Doppler parameters, AFI, and MPI values were compared between two groups. RESULTS Compared with the control group (n = 80), MPI values were found within normal limits in fetuses of pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 80) (MPI: 0.38 ± 0.06 in the control groups vs. 0.39 ± 0.05 in the SARS-COV-2 positive group, p = 0.79). There was no relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and changes in AFI and umbilical artery pulsatility index (PI) values. Uterine artery PI values were significantly higher in pregnant women with (SARS-CoV-2) infection (0.81 in the control group vs. 0.97 in the SARS-CoV-2 group, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Fetal cardiac functions were not affected in pregnant women with previous (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Further metaanalyses are warranted to confirm the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özge Kahramanoğlu
- Department of Perinatology, Zeynep Kamil Women and Children's Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Health Science University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Munip Akalin
- Department of Perinatology, Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Esra Bilir
- Department of Global Health, Koc University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Aydin Ocal
- Department of Perinatology, Istanbul Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Gokhan Eyisoy
- Department of Perinatology, Zeynep Kamil Women and Children's Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Health Science University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Oya Demirci
- Department of Perinatology, Zeynep Kamil Women and Children's Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Health Science University, Istanbul, Turkey
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30
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Tremolada M, Taverna L, Vietina F, Incardona RM, Pierobon M, Bonichini S, Biffi A, Bisogno G. Adolescents and young adults with oncohematological disease: use of social networks, impact of SARS-COV-2, and psychosocial well-being. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1239131. [PMID: 38025461 PMCID: PMC10646548 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1239131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with oncohematological diseases could have important psychosocial difficulties that could be worsened by the effects of the COVID19 pandemic. At this developmental stage, it is also important to assess the use of social networks (SNs). This study aims to investigate the type of social network use and the consequences of the COVID19 period. These patients are compared with matched healthy peers. Methods After the informant consent signature, the adolescents completed a series of self-report questionnaires on the use of SNs, on communication preferences, on social anxiety and on Covid19 impact through the online platform of LimeSurvey. Most of the adolescents belonged to the 18-20 age group (42.5%), were female (62%) and mainly off therapy (72%). Results Adolescents spent more than 2 h/day on Instagram and 1 h and half on Whatsapp, while Tik Tok use was on average 1 h/day, especially used by younger patients (r = -0.33, p = 0.023). Males used Twitch (t45 = -2.06, p = 0.05) and Youtube (t45 = -2.18, p = 0.03) for longer than females. AYA in therapy used more Tik Tok (U = 137.50; p = 0.03), Ask/Tellonym (U = 172.50; p = 0.05) and Twitch (U = 144; p = 0.017) than those off therapy. Healthy AYA showed lower levels of exposure (Z = -4.17; p = 0.00001) and impact (Z = -5.12; p = 0.00001) to Covid19, while the level of social anxiety is comparable and is in the normal range in both groups. Discussion Some clinical considerations and suggestions could be given based on these empirical results to health professionals in the care of AYA cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Tremolada
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, School of Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Center, Department of Woman’s and Child’s Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Livia Taverna
- Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Francesco Vietina
- Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Center, Department of Woman’s and Child’s Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Roberta Maria Incardona
- Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Center, Department of Woman’s and Child’s Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Marta Pierobon
- Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Center, Department of Woman’s and Child’s Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Sabrina Bonichini
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, School of Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Alessandra Biffi
- Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Center, Department of Woman’s and Child’s Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Gianni Bisogno
- Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Center, Department of Woman’s and Child’s Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Kazibwe A, Oryokot B, Kyazze AP, Ssekamatte P, Akabwai GP, Seremba E, Mukunya D, Kagimu M, Andia-Biraro I, Kalyesubula R. The Effect of COVID-19 Restrictions on General and HIV Positive Inpatient Admissions and Treatment Outcomes: An Uncontrolled Before-and-after Study at a Ugandan Tertiary Hospital. AIDS Behav 2023; 27:3745-3754. [PMID: 37231190 PMCID: PMC10211272 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-04092-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Measures to contain the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic curtailed access to prevention and treatment services for endemic infectious diseases like HIV. We used an uncontrolled before-and-after study design to compare general and HIV positive (HIV+) inpatient outcomes at a tertiary hospital in Uganda, using electronic records of medical inpatients. Data was downloaded, cleaned in Microsoft Excel, and exported to STATA for analysis. We determined the difference in number of admissions and median length of hospital stay using Mann-Whitney U test; and difference in median survival and incidence rates of mortality using Kaplan - Meier statistics, between the pre- and peri-COVID-19 groups. Of 7506 patients admitted to Kiruddu NRH, 50.8% (3812) were female and 18.7% (1,401) were aged 31-40 years, and 18.8% (1,411) were HIV+. Overall, 24.6% (1849) died. Total admissions were lower (2192 vs. 5314 patients), overall mortality rate higher (41.8% vs. 17.6%, p < 0.01), median length of hospital stay longer (6 vs. 4 days, p < 0.01) and median survival shorter (11 vs. 20 days, Chi-square = 252.05, p < 0.01) in the peri- than in pre-COVID-19 period. The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of death was 2.08 (95% CI: 1.85-2.23, p < 0.01) in the peri- compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. These differences were more pronounced in HIV + patients. Compared to pre-COVID-19, the peri-COVID-19 period registered lower inpatient admissions but poorer treatment outcomes for general and HIV + inpatients. Emerging epidemic responses should minimize disruption to inpatient care, especially for HIV + individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Kazibwe
- College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
- The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO), Programs Directorate, P. O. Box 10443, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Bonniface Oryokot
- The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO), Programs Directorate, P. O. Box 10443, Kampala, Uganda
- University of Suffolk, Ipswich, UK
| | - Andrew Peter Kyazze
- Tuberculosis and Comorbidities (TAC) Research Group, P. O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Philip Ssekamatte
- Tuberculosis and Comorbidities (TAC) Research Group, P. O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
- College of Health Sciences, School of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
| | - George Patrick Akabwai
- Center of Excellence, Baylor College of Medicine, P. O. Box 72025, Kampala, Uganda
- Kiruddu National Referral Hospital, P. O. Box 6558, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Emmanuel Seremba
- Kiruddu National Referral Hospital, P. O. Box 6558, Kampala, Uganda
| | - David Mukunya
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Busitema University, P. O. Box 236, Tororo, Uganda
| | - Magid Kagimu
- College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Irene Andia-Biraro
- College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
- Tuberculosis and Comorbidities (TAC) Research Group, P. O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
- Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Robert Kalyesubula
- College of Health Sciences, School of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Physiology, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
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Zaiem A, Salem Mahjoubi Y, Aouinti I, Lakhoua G, Kaabi W, Kastalli S, Rebii Debbiche S, Charfi O, El Aidli S. Chronic spontaneous urticaria following vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. Therapie 2023; 78:757-759. [PMID: 36841654 PMCID: PMC9737516 DOI: 10.1016/j.therap.2022.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Zaiem
- National Center of Pharmacovigilance, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia; Research unit: UR17ES12, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, La Rabta, 1007 Tunis, Tunisia.
| | | | - Imen Aouinti
- National Center of Pharmacovigilance, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia; Research unit: UR17ES12, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, La Rabta, 1007 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ghozlane Lakhoua
- National Center of Pharmacovigilance, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia; Research unit: UR17ES12, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, La Rabta, 1007 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Widd Kaabi
- National Center of Pharmacovigilance, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia; Research unit: UR17ES12, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, La Rabta, 1007 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Sarrah Kastalli
- National Center of Pharmacovigilance, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia; Research unit: UR17ES12, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, La Rabta, 1007 Tunis, Tunisia
| | | | - Ons Charfi
- National Center of Pharmacovigilance, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia; Research unit: UR17ES12, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, La Rabta, 1007 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Sihem El Aidli
- National Center of Pharmacovigilance, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia; Research unit: UR17ES12, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, La Rabta, 1007 Tunis, Tunisia
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Hassen S, Adane M. COVID-19 knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices among government and private bank workers in Ethiopia. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1251701. [PMID: 38026278 PMCID: PMC10643604 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1251701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Bank workers are among the many service-sector employees who are at risk of COVID-19 infection. Individual's adherence to control measures is affected by their COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). Since KAP is an important cognitive key in public health prevention and promotion, this study aimed to identify COVID-19 KAP-related gaps among bank workers in Dessie City, Ethiopia and to guide banks and health authorities in taking corrective actions. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1st to 30th, 2021 among 413 bank workers. A binary logistic regression was applied to determine association of independent variables with outcome variables using three different models. Variables at 95% confidence interval (CI) with a p < 0.25 from bivariate analysis were transported to three different multivariable logistic regression models and then variables with a p-value of 0.05 from the multivariable analysis of each model were declared as significantly associated with the outcome variables. Results The results of this study show that 84.7% [95% CI: 81.1-88.1] of bank workers had good knowledge, 50.4% positive attitude, and 50.6% [95% CI: 45.8-55.0] good practice towards prevention of COVID-19. The only variable significantly associated with knowledge in this study was positive attitude (AOR = 8.89; 95%CI: 3.34-23.64). Being ≥35 years old (AOR = 2.46; 95%CI: 1.25-4.84) and getting information on COVID-19 (AOR = 3.81; 95%CI: 1.84-7.91) were among factors significantly associated with attitude towards COVID-19 prevention, whereas being female and ≥ 35 years old (AOR = 2.56; 95%CI: 1.29-5.06) and (AOR = 2.73; 95% CI: 1.15-6.51), respectively were factors associated with good preventive practice towards COVID-19. Conclusion and recommendation Considering those significant factors responsible for determining COVID-19 KAP level of respondents, health education program and information dissemination are recommended, including appropriate strategies by policy makers and bank managers to develop effective interventions for COVID-19 transmission in banks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seada Hassen
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Metadel Adane
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
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Esmaeili B, Khoshnevis H, Alirezaee A, Shakoori A, Pourpak Z, Chegini H, Ahmadinejad Z. Cycle Threshold Values Predict COVID-19 Severity and Mortality but Are not Correlated with Laboratory Markers. Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol 2023; 22:468-481. [PMID: 38085148 DOI: 10.18502/ijaai.v22i5.13996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have evaluated the possible utility of cycle threshold (Ct) values as a predictor of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity and patient outcome. Given the inconsistent results, we aimed to evaluate the association between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Ct values and disease severity, inflammatory markers, and outcomes in Iranian patients with COVID-19. A retrospective study of 528 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized from September 2020 to October 2021 was conducted. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data of patients were retrieved from electronic medical records. Ct values were analyzed as a continuous variable after subcategorizing into 3 groups: low (Ct values<20), medium (Ct values 20 to 30), and high (Ct values>30). Of the 528 patients (45.1% female) aged 13 to 97 years, 109 patients had low Ct values, 312 patients had medium, and 107 patients had high Ct values. Patients with low Ct values were more likely to present with critical COVID-19, require invasive mechanical ventilation and develop complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and pneumonia. Furthermore, patients with low or medium Ct values were more likely to die compared to patients with high Ct values. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with low or medium Ct values were more likely to have severe COVID-19 compared with patients with high Ct values. The multivariate analysis also showed a higher risk of mortality in patients with low Ct values compared to patients with high Ct values, although this was not statistically significant. Our findings revealed that Ct values were an independent predictor of COVID-19 severity. The risk of mortality was higher in patients with low Ct values. However, further investigation is needed to address the correlation between Ct values and inflammatory factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behnaz Esmaeili
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran.
| | - Hoda Khoshnevis
- Medical Genetic Ward, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex (IKHC), School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Atefe Alirezaee
- Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute (IAARI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Abbas Shakoori
- Medical Genetic ward, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex (IKHC), School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Zahra Pourpak
- Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute (IAARI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Hamid Chegini
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Zahra Ahmadinejad
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liver Transplant Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Furie N, Mandelboim M, Zuckerman N, Belkin A, Seluk L, Shafran I, Mass R, Levy L, Chatterji S, Baltaxe E, Peled M, Shulimzon T, Avigdor A, Amit S, Onn A, Marom EM, Rahav G, Segel MJ. Persistent Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pneumonia in Patients Treated With Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibodies. Open Forum Infect Dis 2023; 10:ofad464. [PMID: 37808896 PMCID: PMC10551847 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We report 8 cases of persistent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia in patients previously treated with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. Polymerase chain reaction of nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 was negative in most cases; viral cell cultures confirmed that viable SARS-Co-2 virus was present. Four patients were treated with anti-SARS-CoV-2 hyperimmune globulins with rapid resolution of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadav Furie
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michal Mandelboim
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Central Virology Laboratory, Public Health Services, Ministry of Health and Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - Neta Zuckerman
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Central Virology Laboratory, Public Health Services, Ministry of Health and Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - Ana Belkin
- Internal Medicine D, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Lior Seluk
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Inbal Shafran
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ronen Mass
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Liran Levy
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sumit Chatterji
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Erik Baltaxe
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michael Peled
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tiberiu Shulimzon
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Abraham Avigdor
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Division of Hematology and Bone-Marrow Transplantation, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Sharon Amit
- Microbiology Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Amir Onn
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Edith M Marom
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Galia Rahav
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Michael J Segel
- Institute of Pulmonology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Unal S, Uzundal H, Soydas T, Kutluhan MA, Ozayar A, Okulu E, Kayigil O. A possible mechanism of erectile dysfunction in coronavirus disease-19: Cavernosal smooth muscle damage: A pilot study. Rev Int Androl 2023; 21:100366. [PMID: 37413939 PMCID: PMC10261716 DOI: 10.1016/j.androl.2023.100366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Studies have reported that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may cause erectile dysfunction (ED), however, its role in the pathophysiology of ED has not yet been fully elucidated. We aimed to elucidate COVID-19's effects on cavernosal smooth muscle, which has a pretty important role in erection physiology, by corpus cavernosum electromyography (cc-EMG). MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-nine male patients aged 20-50 years who applied to the urology outpatient clinic due to ED were included in the study. Nine patients that had COVID-19 and were treated as outpatients were classified as group 1, 10 patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 were classified as group 2, and 10 patients who did not have COVID-19 were classified as the control group (group 3). Patients underwent diagnostic evaluation including International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 form, penile color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS), cc-EMG, and fasting serum levels of reproductive hormones (07-11am). RESULTS According to penile CDUS and hormonal values results, there was no significant difference between the groups. According to cc-EMG results, amplitudes and relaxation capacities of the cavernosal smooth muscle of patients in group 3 were significantly higher than those in the other groups. CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 can cause ED not only by psychogenic and hormonal factors but also with cavernosal smooth muscle damage. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04980508.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selman Unal
- Department of Urology, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Halil Uzundal
- Department of Urology, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Turker Soydas
- Department of Urology, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Musab A Kutluhan
- Department of Urology, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Asim Ozayar
- Department of Urology, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Emrah Okulu
- Department of Urology, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Onder Kayigil
- Department of Urology, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
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Poydenot F, Lebreton A, Haiech J, Andreotti B. At the crossroads of epidemiology and biology: Bridging the gap between SARS-CoV-2 viral strain properties and epidemic wave characteristics. Biochimie 2023; 213:54-65. [PMID: 36931337 PMCID: PMC10017177 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to numerous articles from different scientific fields (epidemiology, virology, immunology, airflow physics …) without any effort to link these different insights. In this review, we aim to establish relationships between epidemiological data and the characteristics of the virus strain responsible for the epidemic wave concerned. We have carried out this study on the Wuhan, Alpha, Delta and Omicron strains allowing us to illustrate the evolution of the relationships we have highlighted according to these different viral strains. We addressed the following questions. 1) How can the mean infectious dose (one quantum, by definition in epidemiology) be measured and expressed as an amount of viral RNA molecules (in genome units, GU) or as a number of replicative viral particles (in plaque-forming units, PFU)? 2) How many infectious quanta are exhaled by an infected person per unit of time? 3) How many infectious quanta are exhaled, on average, integrated over the whole contagious period? 4) How do these quantities relate to the epidemic reproduction rate R as measured in epidemiology, and to the viral load, as measured by molecular biological methods? 5) How has the infectious dose evolved with the different strains of SARS-CoV-2? We make use of state-of-the-art modelling, reviewed and explained in the appendix of the article (Supplemental Information, SI), to answer these questions using data from the literature in both epidemiology and virology. We have considered the modification of these relationships according to the vaccination status of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Poydenot
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (LPENS), CNRS UMR 8023, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, and Université de Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Alice Lebreton
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005, Paris, France; INRAE, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Jacques Haiech
- CNRS UMR7242 BSC ESBS, 300 Bd Sébastien Brant, CS 10413, 67412, Illkirch cedex, France.
| | - Bruno Andreotti
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (LPENS), CNRS UMR 8023, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, and Université de Paris, 75005, Paris, France
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Cooper S, Bicaba F, Tiendrebeogo CO, Bila A, Bicaba A, Druetz T. Vaccination coverage in rural Burkina Faso under the effects of COVID-19: evidence from a panel study in eight districts. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:1016. [PMID: 37735414 PMCID: PMC10512531 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-10029-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Improving infant immunization completion and promoting equitable vaccination coverage are crucial to reducing global under-5 childhood mortality. Although there have been hypotheses that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic would decrease the delivery of health services and immunization campaigns in low- and middle-income countries, the available evidence is still inconclusive. We conducted a study in rural Burkina Faso to assess changes in vaccination coverage during the pandemic. A secondary objective was to examine long-term trends in vaccination coverage throughout 2010-2021. METHODS Using a quasi-experimental approach, we conducted three rounds of surveys (2019, 2020, 2021) in rural Burkina Faso that we pooled with two previous rounds of demographic and household surveys (2010, 2015) to assess trends in vaccination coverage. The study population comprised infants aged 0-13 months from a sample of 325 households randomly selected in eight districts (n = 736). We assessed vaccination coverage by directly observing the infants' vaccination booklet. Effects of the pandemic on infant vaccination completion were analyzed using multi-level logistic regression models with random intercepts at the household and district levels. RESULTS A total of 736 child-year observations were included in the analysis. The proportion of children with age-appropriate complete vaccination was 69.76% in 2010, 55.38% in 2015, 50.47% in 2019-2020, and 64.75% in 2021. Analyses assessing changes in age-appropriate full-vaccination coverage before and during the pandemic show a significant increase (OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.14-2.85). Our models also confirmed the presence of heterogeneity in full vaccination between health administrative districts. The pandemic could have increased inequities in infant vaccination completion between these districts. The analyses suggest no disruption in age-appropriate full vaccination due to COVID-19. Our findings from our sensitivity analyses to examine trends since 2010 did not show any steady trends. CONCLUSION Our findings in Burkina Faso do not support the predicted detrimental effects of COVID-19 on the immunization schedule for infants in low- and middle-income countries. Analyses comparing 2019 and 2021 show an improvement in age-appropriate full vaccination. Regardless of achieving and sustaining vaccination coverage levels in Burkina Faso, this should remain a priority for health systems and political agendas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Cooper
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Frank Bicaba
- Société d'Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- Sciences de la Vie et de la Santé, University Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Cheick Oumar Tiendrebeogo
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alice Bila
- Société d'Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Abel Bicaba
- Société d'Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Thomas Druetz
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
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Khoury NM, Cogswell A, Arthur M, Ryan M, MacMaster E, Kaye D. Towards practice change: a qualitative study examining the impact of a Child Psychiatric Access Program (Project TEACH) on Primary Care Provider practices in New York State during pandemic times. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:985. [PMID: 37704980 PMCID: PMC10500716 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09999-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aims to explore the perceived impact of Project TEACH (Training and Education for the Advancement of Children's Health), a New York State Office of Mental Health funded Child Psychiatric Access Program (CPAP), on pediatric Primary Care Providers (PCPs) and their practice. Practice change over time was assessed in the context of rising mental health needs and in the context of COVID19 pandemic. METHODS Focus groups utilizing a semi-structured format were conducted with pediatric PCPs who have been high utilizers of Project TEACH over the past 5-10 years and PCPs in similar regions who have been low or non-utilizers of the program. The semi-structured interview focused on practice change, asking about pediatric mental health, practice setting and flow, professional development, and changes over time in the context of COVID-19 pandemic and Project TEACH. RESULTS Themes identified include increasing confidence of PCPs, particularly those who are high utilizers of the phone consultation line, increased routine use of screening and comfort bridging pediatric patients with mental health needs. Challenges include rising mental health needs, inadequate mental health services, difficulties with family follow through and high emotional burden on PCPs caring for these patients. In this context, participants noted that collaboration with Project TEACH provided needed emotional support. CONCLUSIONS Integrated care and CPAPs such as Project TEACH are vital to helping PCPs handle rising mental health needs particularly in current crisis times. Ongoing systemic challenges accessing care remain and contribute to emotional burden placed on pediatric PCPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayla M Khoury
- Norton College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
| | - Alex Cogswell
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo SUNY, Buffalo, USA
| | - Melissa Arthur
- Family Medicine Residency Program, St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, Trinity Health, Syracuse, USA
| | - Maureen Ryan
- Norton College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Eric MacMaster
- Norton College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - David Kaye
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo SUNY, Buffalo, USA
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Kahlenberg H, Williams D, van Tilburg MAL, Jiroutek MR. Vaccine hesitancy for COVID19: what is the role of statistical literacy? Front Public Health 2023; 11:1230030. [PMID: 37744510 PMCID: PMC10513463 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1230030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Vaccination is an important measure used to control the spread of COVID19. The estimation of risk versus benefit of vaccination is based on the understanding of information about the vaccine. Statistics are frequently part of communications about COVID19. Individuals that do not have an adequate foundation of statistical knowledge may not be able to properly assess associated risks and benefits. This study aims to assess the association between statistical literacy and hesitation to receive the COVID19 vaccine. Methods A nationally representative sample of 2,138 adults, recruited through CINT United States, Inc., (Lawrenceville, NJ; http://www.cint.com), completed an internet survey in the summer of 2021. This survey collected demographic measures and information about COVID19 vaccination status. The competency of respondents on various basic statistical concepts was assessed along with the corresponding confidence of respondents in their answers. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to assess the relationship between vaccine hesitancy and statistical literacy while controlling for covariates of interest. Results Statistical literacy was found to have a negligible association with COVID19 vaccine hesitancy (OR 1.01; 95% CI 1.00-1.02). In addition, differences in the proportion receiving the COVID19 vaccine between political affiliations, income levels, race groups, and ethnicities were observed. Discussion The statistical knowledge of the general American public is not commensurate with the need to be literate in basic statistical concepts in the data-driven world in which we live. An effective way to stem vaccine hesitancy may rely on increased statistical knowledge to not be biased by preconceived beliefs shaped by misinformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halle Kahlenberg
- Department of Pharmaceutical & Clinical Sciences, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, United States
| | - Delaney Williams
- Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, United States
| | - Miranda A. L. van Tilburg
- Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, United States
- Cape Fear Valley Health, Fayetteville, NC, United States
- Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Michael R. Jiroutek
- Department of Pharmaceutical & Clinical Sciences, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, United States
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Baglivo F, Magrì M, De Angelis L, Aprile V, Minelli M, Stifini R, Lopalco P, Rizzo C, Fedele A. Performance comparison between heterologous and homologous COVID19 vaccine schedules on Omicron variant incidence: A real-world retrospective cohort study in Southern Italy. Vaccine 2023; 41:5687-5695. [PMID: 37567798 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.07.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
As the COVID19 pandemic progresses, there is an increasing need to evaluate the performance of vaccine strategies. This study investigated the vaccine schedule performance of heterologous vaccination compared to homologous vaccination in preventing Omicron SARS-CoV2 infection in the adult population. This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the Infections Regional Information System and the Apulia Regional Vaccine Registry to identify individuals who received a booster dose of one of 14 different COVID19 vaccination schedules between September 2021 and August 2022 in the province of Lecce, Southern Italy. The standardized cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV2 infection after the booster dose was assessed and the risk of infection between subgroups of heterologous and homologous vaccination schedules was compared using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test. A total of 469,069 subjects were included in the study. The standardized incidence of SARS-CoV2 infection varied greatly among different vaccine schedules, with the highest and lowest being AZ-AZ-BNT (34.7 %) and MOD-MOD-BNT (18.9 %), respectively, and some heterologous schedules performing better than homologous ones. The risk of SARS-CoV2 infection was significantly lower in individuals who received specific heterologous vaccination schedules compared to homologous vaccination schedules, the best performing being MOD-MOD-BNT with a common odd ratio of 0.661 (IC. 95 % [0.620-0.704]). This study provides evidence that heterologous vaccination schedules may be more effective in preventing Omicron SARS-CoV2 infection compared to homologous vaccination schedules, highlighting how the vaccine product, rather than the platform, is involved in the different protection provided by heterologous vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Baglivo
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56123, Italy.
| | - Mariano Magrì
- Prevention Department, Hygiene and Public Health Service, Local Health Unit, Lecce, Italy
| | - Luigi De Angelis
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56123, Italy
| | - Valerio Aprile
- Prevention Department, Hygiene and Public Health Service, Local Health Unit, Lecce, Italy
| | - Martina Minelli
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Raffaele Stifini
- Prevention Department, Hygiene and Public Health Service, Local Health Unit, Lecce, Italy
| | | | - Caterina Rizzo
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56123, Italy
| | - Alberto Fedele
- Prevention Department, Hygiene and Public Health Service, Local Health Unit, Lecce, Italy
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Albitar L, Aboualchamat G. Assessment of attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 pandemic: a survey on a cohort of educated Syrian population. J Egypt Public Health Assoc 2023; 98:17. [PMID: 37661215 PMCID: PMC10475446 DOI: 10.1186/s42506-023-00142-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused the death of millions of people and affected the lives of hundreds of millions worldwide. The WHO recommendations aimed mainly to reduce transmission, minimize infection, and get people vaccinated. Nevertheless, opinions and attitudes about the disease varied. In this study, we evaluated personal attitudes and practices of a cohort of an educated Syrian population, after several waves of infection with COVID-19 and the release of different types of vaccines. METHODS A cross-sectional internet-based survey was launched in January 2022.The survey queried the participants' personal experience, attitudes, practices towards COVID-19, and vaccination. RESULTS The study included 408 individuals. The respondents were mainly females (72.6%), 20-29 years old (39.2%), and college graduates (59.3%). A large proportion (89.7%) reported having been infected at least once during the pandemic; a significant association was found with age (p = 0.001). Nearly half of the respondents got vaccinated; the majority were > 40 years old. Opinions differed regarding the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines; only a small percentage of the participants (17.4%) thought all vaccines were effective and safe. Remarkably, the level of education did not significantly dominate the participants' attitudes or practices towards the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately half of the respondents (44.9%) stated their lives were affected by the pandemic and over the third were worried (38%). A significant association was detected with gender in favour of females. Most of the participants have taken at least one precautionary measure to limit the infection. CONCLUSION The level of education did not significantly dominate the participants' attitudes or practices towards the COVID-19 pandemic. Female respondents were more cautious, concerned and committed to taking precautionary measures regardless of their education level. However, their unwillingness to receive the vaccine raises significant concerns. Efforts should be made to emphasize the importance of immunization, the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, and encourage vaccination among individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Albitar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Arab International University, Damascus, Syria
| | - Ghalia Aboualchamat
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.
- Centre for Epidemiological and Biological Studies, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.
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Berglund AM, Raugh IM, Macdonald KI, James SH, Bartolomeo LA, Knippenberg AR, Strauss GP. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on hallucinations and delusions in youth at clinical high-risk for psychosis and outpatients with schizophrenia. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2023; 273:1329-1338. [PMID: 36680609 PMCID: PMC9862234 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-023-01551-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has had detrimental effects on mental health in the general population, the impact on those with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders has received relatively little attention. Assessing pandemic-related changes in positive symptoms is particularly critical to inform treatment protocols and determine whether fluctuations in hallucinations and delusions are related to telehealth utilization and treatment adherence. In the current longitudinal study, we evaluated changes in the frequency of hallucinations and delusions and distress resulting from them across three-time points. Participants included: (1) outpatients with chronic schizophrenia (SZ: n = 32) and healthy controls (CN: n = 31); (2) individuals at clinically high risk for psychosis (CHR: n = 25) and CN (n = 30). A series of questionnaires were administered to assess hallucination and delusion severity, medication adherence, telehealth utilization, and protective factors during the pandemic. While there were no significant increases in the frequency of hallucinations and delusions in SZ and CHR, distress increased from pre-pandemic to early pandemic in both groups and then decreased at the third time point. Additionally, changes in positive symptom severity in SZ were related to psychiatric medication adherence. Findings suggest that positive symptoms are a critical treatment target during the pandemic and that ongoing medication services will be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alysia M Berglund
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Ian M Raugh
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Kelsey I Macdonald
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Sydney H James
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Lisa A Bartolomeo
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Anna R Knippenberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Gregory P Strauss
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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Khan ZA, Hussain T, Ullah A, Ullah W, Del Ser J, Muhammad K, Sajjad M, Baik SW. Modelling Electricity Consumption During the COVID19 Pandemic: Datasets, Models, Results and a Research Agenda. Energy Build 2023; 294:113204. [PMID: 37342253 PMCID: PMC10226901 DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2023.113204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
The COVID19 pandemic has impacted the global economy, social activities, and Electricity Consumption (EC), affecting the performance of historical data-based Electricity Load Forecasting (ELF) algorithms. This study thoroughly analyses the pandemic's impact on these models and develop a hybrid model with better prediction accuracy using COVID19 data. Existing datasets are reviewed, and their limited generalization potential for the COVID19 period is highlighted. A dataset of 96 residential customers, comprising 36 and six months before and after the pandemic, is collected, posing significant challenges for current models. The proposed model employs convolutional layers for feature extraction, gated recurrent nets for temporal feature learning, and a self-attention module for feature selection, leading to better generalization for predicting EC patterns. Our proposed model outperforms existing models, as demonstrated by a detailed ablation study using our dataset. For instance, it achieves an average reduction of 0.56% & 3.46% in MSE, 1.5% & 5.07% in RMSE, and 11.81% & 13.19% in MAPE over the pre- and post-pandemic data, respectively. However, further research is required to address the varied nature of the data. These findings have significant implications for improving ELF algorithms during pandemics and other significant events that disrupt historical data patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tanveer Hussain
- Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT Leeds, UK
| | - Amin Ullah
- CoRIS Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331, OR, USA
| | - Waseem Ullah
- Sejong University, Seoul 143-747, Republic of Korea
| | - Javier Del Ser
- TECNALIA (Basque Research & Technology Alliance - BRTA), P. Tecnologico, Ed. 700, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
- University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48013 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Khan Muhammad
- Visual Analytics for Knowledge Laboratory (VIS2KNOW Lab), Department of Applied Artificial Intelligence, College of Computing and Informatics, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 03063, South Korea
| | - Muhammad Sajjad
- Digital Image Processing Laboratory, Department of Computer Science, Islamia College Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
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Almdallaleh SA, Alsuwaida AO, Altalhi AM, ALJayar DM, Massad EE, Hamid MM, Jaganathan PP, Al-Hababi FH. Renin-angiotensin-system blockers and IgG antibodies in end-stage renal disease hemodialysis-receiving patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection. Saudi Med J 2023; 44:875-881. [PMID: 37717960 PMCID: PMC10505288 DOI: 10.15537/smj.2023.44.9.20230129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections among patients receiving in-center hemodialysis (ICHD), the relationship between the IgG antibody levels against the virus and SARS-CoV-2-associated symptoms, hemodialysis adequacy, and the antihypertensives used in order to control blood pressure. METHODS A prospective observational study was carried out at a tertiary care center, King Fahad Kidney Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, between November 2020 and January 2021. A total of 214 ICHD patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were included, and the levels of their anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were assessed after obtaining their informed consent. RESULTS Our tests indicated that 15% of the patients in the study's population had detectable SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, with more than half of them (53%) being asymptomatic. We also found that ESRD patients on angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEIs/ARBs) had higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies than patients not receiving this group of medications. CONCLUSION More studies are required to assess whether patients with a SARS-CoV-2 infection that do not have an indication for being prescribed ACEIs/ARBs would benefit from receiving these medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sultan A. Almdallaleh
- From the Department of Nephrology (Almdallaleh, Altalhi, Massad, Hamid); from the Department of Medicine (ALJayar); from the Department of Research Support (Jaganathan), Research and Innovation Center, King Saud Medical City, from the Department of Medicine (Alsuwaida), King Saud University, and from the Department of Virology Laboratory (Al-Hababi), Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulkareem O. Alsuwaida
- From the Department of Nephrology (Almdallaleh, Altalhi, Massad, Hamid); from the Department of Medicine (ALJayar); from the Department of Research Support (Jaganathan), Research and Innovation Center, King Saud Medical City, from the Department of Medicine (Alsuwaida), King Saud University, and from the Department of Virology Laboratory (Al-Hababi), Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulhadi M. Altalhi
- From the Department of Nephrology (Almdallaleh, Altalhi, Massad, Hamid); from the Department of Medicine (ALJayar); from the Department of Research Support (Jaganathan), Research and Innovation Center, King Saud Medical City, from the Department of Medicine (Alsuwaida), King Saud University, and from the Department of Virology Laboratory (Al-Hababi), Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Dina M. ALJayar
- From the Department of Nephrology (Almdallaleh, Altalhi, Massad, Hamid); from the Department of Medicine (ALJayar); from the Department of Research Support (Jaganathan), Research and Innovation Center, King Saud Medical City, from the Department of Medicine (Alsuwaida), King Saud University, and from the Department of Virology Laboratory (Al-Hababi), Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Elzibair E. Massad
- From the Department of Nephrology (Almdallaleh, Altalhi, Massad, Hamid); from the Department of Medicine (ALJayar); from the Department of Research Support (Jaganathan), Research and Innovation Center, King Saud Medical City, from the Department of Medicine (Alsuwaida), King Saud University, and from the Department of Virology Laboratory (Al-Hababi), Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Mazaher M. Hamid
- From the Department of Nephrology (Almdallaleh, Altalhi, Massad, Hamid); from the Department of Medicine (ALJayar); from the Department of Research Support (Jaganathan), Research and Innovation Center, King Saud Medical City, from the Department of Medicine (Alsuwaida), King Saud University, and from the Department of Virology Laboratory (Al-Hababi), Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Parameaswari P. Jaganathan
- From the Department of Nephrology (Almdallaleh, Altalhi, Massad, Hamid); from the Department of Medicine (ALJayar); from the Department of Research Support (Jaganathan), Research and Innovation Center, King Saud Medical City, from the Department of Medicine (Alsuwaida), King Saud University, and from the Department of Virology Laboratory (Al-Hababi), Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Fadel H. Al-Hababi
- From the Department of Nephrology (Almdallaleh, Altalhi, Massad, Hamid); from the Department of Medicine (ALJayar); from the Department of Research Support (Jaganathan), Research and Innovation Center, King Saud Medical City, from the Department of Medicine (Alsuwaida), King Saud University, and from the Department of Virology Laboratory (Al-Hababi), Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Ziarelli G, Dede' L, Parolini N, Verani M, Quarteroni A. Optimized numerical solutions of SIRDVW multiage model controlling SARS-CoV-2 vaccine roll out: An application to the Italian scenario. Infect Dis Model 2023; 8:672-703. [PMID: 37346476 PMCID: PMC10240908 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2023.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In the context of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, mathematical modelling has played a fundamental role for making forecasts, simulating scenarios and evaluating the impact of preventive political, social and pharmaceutical measures. Optimal control theory represents a useful mathematical tool to plan the vaccination campaign aimed at eradicating the pandemic as fast as possible. The aim of this work is to explore the optimal prioritisation order for planning vaccination campaigns able to achieve specific goals, as the reduction of the amount of infected, deceased and hospitalized in a given time frame, among age classes. For this purpose, we introduce an age stratified SIR-like epidemic compartmental model settled in an abstract framework for modelling two-doses vaccination campaigns and conceived with the description of COVID19 disease. Compared to other recent works, our model incorporates all stages of the COVID-19 disease, including death or recovery, without accounting for additional specific compartments that would increase computational complexity and that are not relevant for our purposes. Moreover, we introduce an optimal control framework where the model is the state problem while the vaccine doses administered are the control variables. An extensive campaign of numerical tests, featured in the Italian scenario and calibrated on available data from Dipartimento di Protezione Civile Italiana, proves that the presented framework can be a valuable tool to support the planning of vaccination campaigns. Indeed, in each considered scenario, our optimization framework guarantees noticeable improvements in terms of reducing deceased, infected or hospitalized individuals with respect to the baseline vaccination policy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luca Dede'
- MOX, Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Parolini
- MOX, Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Verani
- MOX, Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alfio Quarteroni
- MOX, Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Institute of Mathematics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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Mandal N, Rath SL. Identification of inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern using virtual screening and metadynamics-based enhanced sampling. Chem Phys 2023; 573:111995. [PMID: 37342284 PMCID: PMC10265933 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2023.111995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Among the variants of SARS-CoV-2, some are more infectious than the Wild-type. Interestingly, these mutations enable the virus to evade the therapeutic efforts. Hence, there is a need for candidate drug molecules that can potently bind with all the variants. We have adopted a strategy combining virtual screening, molecular docking followed by rigorous sampling by metadynamics simulations to find candidate molecules. From our results we found four highly potent drug candidates that can bind to the Spike-RBD of all the variants of the virus. Additionally, we also found that certain signature residues on the RBM region commonly bind to each of these inhibitors. Thus, our study not only gives information on the chemical compounds, but also residues on the proteins which could be targeted for future drug and vaccine development studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabanita Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Telangana, India
| | - Soumya Lipsa Rath
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Telangana, India
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Chen HF, Wang WJ, Chen CY, Chang WC, Hsueh PR, Peng SL, Wu CS, Chen Y, Huang HY, Shen WJ, Wang SC, Hung MC. The natural tannins oligomeric proanthocyanidins and punicalagin are potent inhibitors of infection by SARS-CoV-2. eLife 2023; 12:e84899. [PMID: 37642993 PMCID: PMC10465125 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to infect people worldwide. While the vaccinated population has been increasing, the rising breakthrough infection persists in the vaccinated population. For living with the virus, the dietary guidelines to prevent virus infection are worthy of and timely to develop further. Tannic acid has been demonstrated to be an effective inhibitor of coronavirus and is under clinical trial. Here we found that two other members of the tannins family, oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) and punicalagin, are also potent inhibitors against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with different mechanisms. OPCs and punicalagin showed inhibitory activity against omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The water extractant of the grape seed was rich in OPCs and also exhibited the strongest inhibitory activities for viral entry of wild-type and other variants in vitro. Moreover, we evaluated the inhibitory activity of grape seed extractants (GSE) supplementation against SARS-CoV-2 viral entry in vivo and observed that serum samples from the healthy human subjects had suppressive activity against different variants of SARS-CoV-2 Vpp infection after taking GSE capsules. Our results suggest that natural tannins acted as potent inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 infection, and GSE supplementation could serve as healthy food for infection prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Fan Chen
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Wei-Jan Wang
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Chung-Yu Chen
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Wei-Chao Chang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Po-Ren Hsueh
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine and Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, School of Medicine, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Shin-Lei Peng
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Neuroscience and Brain Disease Center, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Chen-Shiou Wu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Yeh Chen
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Institute of New Drug Development, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Hsin-Yu Huang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Wan-Jou Shen
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Shao-Chun Wang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Department of Biotechnology, Asia UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Mien-Chie Hung
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Department of Biotechnology, Asia UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
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Díaz-Dinamarca DA, Díaz P, Barra G, Puentes R, Arata L, Grossolli J, Riveros-Rodriguez B, Ardiles L, Santelises J, Vasquez-Saez V, Escobar DF, Soto D, Canales C, Díaz J, Lamperti L, Castillo D, Urra M, Zuñiga F, Ormazabal V, Nova-Lamperti E, Benítez R, Rivera A, Cortes CP, Valenzuela MT, García-Escorza HE, Vasquez AE. Humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 evoked by heterologous vaccination groups using the CoronaVac (Sinovac) and BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) vaccines in Chile. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1229045. [PMID: 37693706 PMCID: PMC10483147 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1229045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused over million deaths worldwide, with more than 61,000 deaths in Chile. The Chilean government has implemented a vaccination program against SARS-CoV-2, with over 17.7 million people receiving a complete vaccination scheme. The final target is 18 million individuals. The most common vaccines used in Chile are CoronaVac (Sinovac) and BNT162b2 (Pfizer-Biotech). Given the global need for vaccine boosters to combat the impact of emerging virus variants, studying the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 is crucial. In this study, we characterize the humoral immune response in inoculated volunteers from Chile who received vaccination schemes consisting of two doses of CoronaVac [CoronaVac (2x)], two doses of CoronaVac plus one dose of BNT162b2 [CoronaVac (2x) + BNT162b2 (1x)], and three doses of BNT162b2 [BNT162b2 (3x)]. Methods We recruited 469 participants from Clínica Dávila in Santiago and the Health Center Víctor Manuel Fernández in the city of Concepción, Chile. Additionally, we included participants who had recovered from COVID-19 but were not vaccinated (RCN). We analyzed antibodies, including anti-N, anti-S1-RBD, and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Results We found that antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein were significantly higher in the CoronaVac (2x) and RCN groups compared to the CoronaVac (2x) + BNT162b2 (1x) or BNT162b2 (3x) groups. However, the CoronaVac (2x) + BNT162b2 (1x) and BNT162b2 (3x) groups exhibited a higher concentration of S1-RBD antibodies than the CoronaVac (2x) group and RCN group. There were no significant differences in S1-RBD antibody titers between the CoronaVac (2x) + BNT162b2 (1x) and BNT162b2 (3x) groups. Finally, the group immunized with BNT162b2 (3x) had higher levels of neutralizing antibodies compared to the RCN group, as well as the CoronaVac (2x) and CoronaVac (2x) + BNT162b2 (1x) groups. Discussion These findings suggest that vaccination induces the secretion of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, and a booster dose of BNT162b2 is necessary to generate a protective immune response. In the current state of the pandemic, these data support the Ministry of Health of the Government of Chile's decision to promote heterologous vaccination as they indicate that a significant portion of the Chilean population has neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A. Díaz-Dinamarca
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Díaz
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gisselle Barra
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Puentes
- Sección gestión de la información, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Loredana Arata
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jonnathan Grossolli
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Boris Riveros-Rodriguez
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis Ardiles
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Julio Santelises
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Tecnología Medica, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valeria Vasquez-Saez
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel F. Escobar
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel Soto
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cecilia Canales
- Sección gestión de la información, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Janepsy Díaz
- Sección gestión de la información, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Liliana Lamperti
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Daniela Castillo
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Mychel Urra
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Felipe Zuñiga
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Valeska Ormazabal
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Estefanía Nova-Lamperti
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Rosana Benítez
- Unidad de investigación Clínica, Clínica Dávila, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alejandra Rivera
- Unidad de investigación Clínica, Clínica Dávila, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudia P. Cortes
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Clínica Santa María, Santiago, Chile
| | | | | | - Abel E. Vasquez
- Sección de Biotecnología, Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Tecnología Medica, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Investigación, Postgrado y Educación Continua (DIPEC), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Alba, Santiago, Chile
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Feldberg L, Zvi A, Yahalom-Ronen Y, Schuster O. Discriminative Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Variants Based on Mass-Spectrometry Analysis. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2373. [PMID: 37760814 PMCID: PMC10525290 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) is of great importance since genetic changes may increase transmissibility, disease severity and reduce vaccine effectiveness. Moreover, these changes may lead to failure of diagnostic measures. Therefore, variant-specific diagnostic methods are essential. To date, genetic sequencing is the gold-standard method to discriminate between variants. However, it is time-consuming (taking several days) and expensive. Therefore, the development of rapid diagnostic methods for SARS-CoV-2 in accordance with its genetic modification is of great importance. In this study we introduce a Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based methodology for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 in propagated in cell-culture. This methodology enables the universal identification of SARS-CoV-2, as well as variant-specific discrimination. The universal identification of SARS-CoV-2 is based on conserved markers shared by all variants, while the identification of specific variants relies on variant-specific markers. Determining a specific set of peptides for a given variant consists of a multistep procedure, starting with an in-silico search for variant-specific tryptic peptides, followed by a tryptic digest of a cell-cultured SARS-CoV-2 variant, and identification of these markers by HR-LC-MS/MS analysis. As a proof of concept, this approach was demonstrated for four representative VOCs compared to the wild-type Wuhan reference strain. For each variant, at least two unique markers, derived mainly from the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) viral proteins, were identified. This methodology is specific, rapid, easy to perform and inexpensive. Therefore, it can be applied as a diagnostic tool for pathogenic variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liron Feldberg
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR), Ness Ziona 74100, Israel
| | - Anat Zvi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR), Ness Ziona 74100, Israel;
| | - Yfat Yahalom-Ronen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR), Ness Ziona 74100, Israel;
| | - Ofir Schuster
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR), Ness Ziona 74100, Israel;
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