Anxiety of pregnant women in time of catastrophic events, including COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

In March 2020, daily life was disrupted by the new virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. Pandemic-related prenatal anxiety could lead to depression, a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes and abnormal neonatal development. This study aimed to investigate the impact of anxiety on the mental health of pregnant women exposed to catastrophic events as compared to those without such exposure.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and EMBASE were searched for relevant studies. This study compared the prevalence of anxiety among pregnant women during a catastrophic event.

RESULTS

Fifteen full texts were assessed for inclusion, with 3 included, 10 excluded for not meeting criteria, and 2 excluded for other reasons. The included studies were published before the current COVID-19 pandemic but included the SARS 2003 outbreak. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, 10 further studies were conducted, but they failed to meet the inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis of two studies using STAI revealed that women exposed to a catastrophic event had a higher mean STAI score of 1.82 points (95% CI: 0.47-3.18 points).

CONCLUSION

Women with complications during pregnancy should be assessed for anxiety independently from catastrophic events. During financial crises, environmental or other disasters, special attention should be given to women with low risk, normal pregnancies.

In Vitro Evaluation of Polihexanide, Octenidine and NaClO/HClO-Based Antiseptics against Biofilm Formed by Wound Pathogens

Chronic wounds complicated with biofilm formed by pathogens remain one of the most significant challenges of contemporary medicine. The application of topical antiseptic solutions against wound biofilm has been gaining increasing interest among clinical practitioners and scientific researchers. This paper compares the activity of polyhexanide-, octenidine- and hypochlorite/hypochlorous acid-based antiseptics against biofilm formed by clinical strains of Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The analyses included both standard techniques utilizing polystyrene plates and self-designed biocellulose-based models in which a biofilm formed by pathogens was formed on an elastic, fibrinous surface covered with a fibroblast layer. The obtained results show high antibiofilm activity of polihexanide- and octenidine-based antiseptics and lack or weak antibiofilm activity of hypochlorite-based antiseptic of total chlorine content equal to 80 parts per million. The data presented in this paper indicate that polihexanide- or octenidine-based antiseptics are highly useful in the treatment of biofilm, while hypochlorite-based antiseptics with low chlorine content may be applied for wound rinsing but not when specific antibiofilm activity is required.

The effect of chest compression frequency on the quality of resuscitation by lifeguards. A prospective randomized crossover multicenter simulation trial

BACKGROUND

The ability to perform high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation is one of the basic skills for lifeguards. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of chest compression frequency on the quality of the parameters of chest compressions performed by lifeguards.

METHODS

This prospective observational, randomized, crossover simulation study was performed with 40 lifeguards working in Warsaw, Wroclaw, and Poznan, Poland. The subjects then participated in a target study, in which they were asked to perform 2-min cycles of metronome-guided chest compressions at different rates: 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, and 150 compressions per minute (CPM).

RESULTS

The study involved 40 lifeguards. Optimal chest compression score calculated by manikin software was achieved for 110-120 CPM. Chest compression depth achieved 53 (interquartile range [IQR] 52-54) mm, 56 (IQR 54-57) mm, 52.5 (IQR 50-54) mm, 53 (IQR 52-53) mm, 50 (IQR 49-51) mm, 47 (IQR 44-51) mm, 41 (IQR 40-42) mm, 38 (IQR 38-43) mm for 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150 CPM, respectively. The percentage of chest compressions with the correct depth was lower for rates exceeding 120 CPM.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of 100-120 CPM, as recommended by international guidelines, is the optimal chest compression rate for cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed by lifeguards. A rate above 120 CPM was associated with a dramatic decrease in chest compression depth and overall chest compression quality. The role of full chest recoil should be emphasized in basic life support training.

Observation and Clinical Pattern in Patients with White Dot Syndromes: The Role of Color Photography in Monitoring Ocular Changes in Long-Term Observation

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical course and distinctive features of different white dot syndromes (WDS) in patients attending the Ophthalmology Department, Medical University of Warsaw in the years 1995–2015.

Material/Methods

Sixty-two (62) patients (43 females and 19 males), aged 18 to 77 years, referred with a WDS were included in this prospective study, with observation period ranging from 5 months to 16 years. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination and multimodal imaging studies.

Results

In this cohort of 62 patients, the following WDS entities were identified: multifocal choroiditis with panuveitis (MFCPU), multifocal choroiditis (MFC), punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC), birdshot, acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE), subretinal fibrosis and uveitis, multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS), serpiginous choroiditis, and single cases of acute annular outer retinopathy (AAOR).

Conclusions

The study was performed at a Polish referral center and may to some extent reflect the varied geographical distribution of white dot syndromes, as none of the subjects was found to suffer from acute zonal occult outer retinopathy (AZOOR), acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN), or diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis (DUSN). Long-term follow-up is warranted by the evolution of lesions in the eye fundus, while management depends on correct diagnosis of WDS. When the posterior pole is involved in some cases of the WDS an immunosuppressive treatment, the use of the PDT or anti-VEGF injections were necessary.