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1.
Social Media Behaviors and Lifestyle Changes in Young Adults (Ages 18-28 years) During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis From an International Cross-Sectional Study.
Wiciak, MT, Shazley, O, Santhosh, D
Journal of primary care & community health. 2024;:21501319241228117
Abstract
BACKGROUND Screen time (ST), mainly social media (SM), has increased during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, impacting mental and physical health. This study aims to analyze SM use in young adults ages 18 to 28 years and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 to provide a baseline on pandemic habits in the younger population. METHODS An international cross-sectional observational study was conducted from September 2020 to January 2021. Participants responded about their SM behavior, and activities they noticed they did less and more during COVID-19. A total of 183 responses were analyzed. RESULTS The top reason respondents increased SM was for entertainment. Many respondents increased ST, physical activity (PA), and sleeping habits during COVID-19, while many decreased socialization, PA, and going outdoors. PA had mixed results among participants, indicating some increased PA and some decreased. Evidence suggests that timing of quarantining during the pandemic significantly influenced variables, like ST (P = .004) and socialization (P = .037). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Respondents generally noticed increased SM use for various reasons, including socialization, potentially explaining why respondents feel they socialize less. ST use increased; some people reported increased PA while others reported a decrease. Altogether, this provides vital context on young adults' SM and lifestyle habits, highlighting potential areas for further research.
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2.
Longitudinal Associations of Food Security with Health and Dietary Factors among Food FARMacy Participants during COVID-19 in New York City.
Woo Baidal, J, Finkel, MA, Kelman, E, Duong, N, Bien-Aime, C, Goldsmith, J, Albrecht, SS, Hulse, E, Rosenthal, A, Reiss, J, et al
Nutrients. 2024;(3)
Abstract
In cross-sectional studies, food insecurity is associated with adverse health and dietary outcomes. Whether self-reported health and dietary outcomes change in response to improvements in food security has not been examined. We sought to examine how increases in food security are related to changes in health and dietary factors. In this longitudinal, observational study, we included adult participants in a clinical-community emergency food assistance program in New York City from July 2020 to November 2021. Program staff measured food security with a validated six-item measure at program enrollment and six-month re-enrollment. Participants self-reported health and dietary factors (vegetable, fruit, juice, and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption frequency). We used multivariable regression to examine associations between change in food security with change in health and dietary factors over six months. Among 310 participants, the mean food security score improved by 1.7 ± 2.3 points over six months. In unadjusted models, each point improvement in food security was associated with increased vegetable (β = 0.10 times; 95% CI: 0.05-0.15); fruit (β = 0.08 times; 95% CI: 0.03-0.14); and juice (β = 0.10 times; 95% CI: 0.05-0.15) consumption. In adjusted models, results remained significant for vegetable and fruit consumption, but not juice. Change in food security was not associated with change in health or SSB outcomes. In this cohort during COVID-19, improved food security was associated with improved vegetable and fruit consumption. Randomized trials that examine the effectiveness of clinical-community partnerships focused on improving food security and nutrition are warranted.
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3.
Anti-spike antibody durability after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in adolescent solid organ transplant recipients.
McAteer, J, Kalluri, DD, Abedon, RR, Qin, CX, Auerbach, SR, Charnaya, O, Danziger-Isakov, LA, Ebel, NH, Feldman, AG, Hsu, EK, et al
Pediatric transplantation. 2024;(1):e14671
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescent solid organ transplant recipients (aSOTRs) who received three doses of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine experience high seroconversion rates and antibody persistence for up to 3 months. Long-term antibody durability beyond this timeframe following three doses of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine remains unknown. We describe antibody responses 6 months following the third vaccine dose (D3) of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination among aSOTRs. METHODS Participants in a multi-center, observational cohort who received the third dose of the vaccine were analyzed for antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain (Roche Elecsys anti-SARS-CoV-2-S positive: ≥0.8, maximum: >2500 U/mL). Samples were collected at 1-, 3-, and 6-months post-D3. Participants were surveyed at each timepoint and at 12-months post-D3. RESULTS All 34 participants had positive anti-RBD antibody titers 6 months post-D3. Variations in titers occurred between 3 and 6 months post-D3, with 8/28 (29%) having decreased antibody levels at 6 months compared to 3 months and 2/28 (7%) reporting increased titers at 6 months. The remaining 18/28 (64%) had unchanged antibody titers compared to 3-month post-D3 levels. A total of 4/34 (12%) reported breakthrough infection within 6 months and 3/32 (9%) reported infection after 6-12 months following the third dose of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that antibody durability persists up to 6 months following three doses of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA in aSOTRs. Demography and transplant characteristics did not differ for those who experienced antibody weaning. Breakthrough infections did occur, reflecting immune-evasive nature of novel variants such as Omicron.
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4.
Portable color retinography findings in COVID-19 patients admitted to the ward.
Cunha Filho, AAA, Pugliese Neto, PM, Pereira, GH, de Lima Filho, NG, Sakakisbara, LA, Estofolete, CF, Nogueira, ML, de Mattos, LC, Brandão, CC
Photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapy. 2024;:103965
Abstract
Retinal lesions, including cotton-wool exudates, microbleeds, vascular occlusions and vasculitis, occur in a minority of Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) patients. Retinal assessments using retinography can help document these lesions. The objective of this work was to identify retinal changes in patients admitted to the ward with a positive Real Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) exam for COVID-19. A cross-sectional, observational study was carried out of patients with mild and moderate symptoms admitted to the Hospital de Base in São José do Rio Preto. The Eyer® portable retinal camera (Phelcom® Technologies) was used to evaluate 30 male and 21 female patients. The ages ranged from 21 to 83 years (mean: 47 years). Systemic arterial hypertension was identified in 21 (41.2 %) and diabetes mellitus in 12 (23.5 %) patients. Six (11.7 %) reported worsening visual acuity, however, none of these patients had ocular findings to justify this complaint. Ten patients (19.6 %) had intraretinal hemorrhages; one (1.9 %) had cotton-wool exudates and seven (13.7 %) had dilations of veins. Thirteen patients (25.4 %) had vascular tortuosity and six (11.7 %) had pathological arteriovenous crossings. Portable retinography is useful to evaluate patients admitted to isolation wards due to COVID-19. It is important to remember that some of the patients investigated had comorbidities like diabetic maculopathy and systemic arterial hypertension. Hence, some care should be taken in attributing these observations uniquely to COVID-19 infection.
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5.
Enteral nutrition practice in the prone position in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: An international one-day point prevalence analysis.
Kitayama, M, Unoki, T, Liu, K, Nakamura, K
Clinical nutrition ESPEN. 2024;:257-263
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Enteral nutrition (EN) in the prone position for severe respiratory failure is considered possible with care. However, the extent to which it is feasible, especially its association with the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between the duration of prone position therapy and adequacy of EN delivery and explored factors associated with this relationship in an observational study of critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who were actively treated in the prone position. METHODS This study was a secondary analysis of a worldwide one-day prevalence study in the COVID-19 era. We investigated the care and nutritional therapy provided to critically ill patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICU, along with ICU-related information. We targeted patients who received only tube feeding and analyzed the relationship between the duration of prone position, length of ICU stays, and nutrition delivery via EN. In addition, a multivariate analysis was performed to examine factors affecting the achievement of EN delivery of 20 kcal/kg/day or more in patients who were placed in the prone position for at least 6 h. RESULTS A total of 399 patients who received only EN, excluding parenteral nutrition and oral intake, were included, of whom 58 % received EN energy delivery of ≥20 kcal/kg/day; this rate increased with the length of ICU stay, regardless of the duration of prone position. In a multivariate analysis of 121 patients who were in the prone position for at least 6 h, the presence of dedicated dietitians in the ICU (OR = 6.91, 95 % CI = 1.98 to 24.1, p < 0.01) was associated with a higher energy delivery. Conversely, the use of muscle relaxants (OR = 0.32, 95 % CI = 0.11 to 0.98, p = 0.04) and presence of nutrition protocols (OR = 0.24, 95 % CI = 0.07 to 0.77, p = 0.02) was associated with a lower energy delivery. CONCLUSIONS Patients with COVID-19 received adequate nutrition by EN even during prone position. Target EN delivery would be achieved with the introduction of prone position.
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6.
Physical condition and perceived fatigue in post-covid patients: An observational descriptive study.
Iturriaga, T, Salazar-Pérez, F, Casallo-Cerezo, M, García-Pérez-de-Sevilla, G, Sosa-Pedreschi, A, Diez-Vega, I, Supervia, M, Arroyo, O, Pérez-Ruiz, M
Sao Paulo medical journal = Revista paulista de medicina. 2024;(4):e2023167
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) often require hospital admission and experience sequelae such as chronic fatigue or low muscle mass. OBJECTIVE To analyze the functional capacity of a cohort of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 who required hospitalization. DESIGN AND SETTING An observational descriptive study was conducted on post-COVID-19 patients referred to the Rehabilitation Department of Gregorio Marañón Hospital (Madrid, SPAIN). METHODS Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, body composition, and perception of fatigue and dyspnea were analyzed. Furthermore, the existing correlations between clinical variables and physical conditions were analyzed. RESULTS Forty-two patients who required hospital admission (80 ± 22.45 days) or intensive care unit (ICU) admission (58 ± 10.52 days) were analyzed. They presented with decreased strength, respiratory capacity, and moderate-to-severe perceived fatigue. Additionally, an inverse correlation was found between right-handgrip strength and days in the ICU, as well as the 6-minute walk test for women. Similarly, strength and fitness were negatively associated with perceived fatigue. CONCLUSIONS Post-COVID-19 patients showed low muscle function and low levels of physical fitness associated with high perceived fatigue.
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7.
Impact of chronic oral glucocorticoid treatment on mortality in patients with COVID-19: analysis of a population-based cohort.
Einarsdottir, MJ, Kibiwott Kirui, B, Li, H, Olsson, D, Johannsson, G, Nyberg, F, Ragnarsson, O
BMJ open. 2024;(3):e080640
Abstract
OBJECTIVES While glucocorticoid (GC) treatment initiated for COVID-19 reduces mortality, it is unclear whether GC treatment prior to COVID-19 affects mortality. Long-term GC use raises infection and thromboembolic risks. We investigated if patients with oral GC use prior to COVID-19 had increased mortality overall and by selected causes. DESIGN Population-based observational cohort study. SETTINGS Population-based register data in Sweden. PARTICIPANTS All patients infected with COVID-19 in Sweden from January 2020 to November 2021 (n=1 200 153). OUTCOME MEASURES Any prior oral GC use was defined as ≥1 GC prescription during 12 months before index. High exposure was defined as ≥2 GC prescriptions with a cumulative prednisolone dose ≥750 mg or equivalent during 6 months before index. GC users were compared with COVID-19 patients who had not received GCs within 12 months before index. We used Cox proportional hazard models and 1:2 propensity score matching to estimate HRs and 95% CIs, controlling for the same confounders in all analyses. RESULTS 3378 deaths occurred in subjects with any prior GC exposure (n=48 806; 6.9%) and 14 850 among non-exposed (n=1 151 347; 1.3%). Both high (HR 1.98, 95% CI 1.87 to 2.09) and any exposure (1.58, 1.52 to 1.65) to GCs were associated with overall death. Deaths from pulmonary embolism, sepsis and COVID-19 were associated with high GC exposure and, similarly but weaker, with any exposure. High exposure to GCs was associated with increased deaths caused by stroke and myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION Patients on oral GC treatment prior to COVID-19 have increased mortality, particularly from pulmonary embolism, sepsis and COVID-19.
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8.
Fatigue and symptom-based clusters in post COVID-19 patients: a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study.
Cornelissen, MEB, Bloemsma, LD, Vaes, AW, Baalbaki, N, Deng, Q, Beijers, RJHCG, Noij, LCE, Houweling, L, Bazdar, S, Spruit, MA, et al
Journal of translational medicine. 2024;(1):191
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the Netherlands, the prevalence of post COVID-19 condition is estimated at 12.7% at 90-150 days after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of fatigue and other symptoms, to assess how many patients meet the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) criteria, to identify symptom-based clusters within the P4O2 COVID-19 cohort and to compare these clusters with clusters in a ME/CFS cohort. METHODS In this multicentre, prospective, observational cohort in the Netherlands, 95 post COVID-19 patients aged 40-65 years were included. Data collection at 3-6 months after infection included demographics, medical history, questionnaires, and a medical examination. Follow-up assessments occurred 9-12 months later, where the same data were collected. Fatigue was determined with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), a score of ≥ 4 means moderate to high fatigue. The frequency and severity of other symptoms and the percentage of patients that meet the ME/CFS criteria were assessed using the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire-2 (DSQ-2). A self-organizing map was used to visualize the clustering of patients based on severity and frequency of 79 symptoms. In a previous study, 337 Dutch ME/CFS patients were clustered based on their symptom scores. The symptom scores of post COVID-19 patients were applied to these clusters to examine whether the same or different clusters were found. RESULTS According to the FSS, fatigue was reported by 75.9% of the patients at 3-6 months after infection and by 57.1% of the patients 9-12 months later. Post-exertional malaise, sleep disturbances, pain, and neurocognitive symptoms were also frequently reported, according to the DSQ-2. Over half of the patients (52.7%) met the Fukuda criteria for ME/CFS, while fewer patients met other ME/CFS definitions. Clustering revealed specific symptom patterns and showed that post COVID-19 patients occurred in 11 of the clusters that have been observed in the ME/CFS cohort, where 2 clusters had > 10 patients. CONCLUSIONS This study shows persistent fatigue and diverse symptomatology in post COVID-19 patients, up to 12-18 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Clustering showed that post COVID-19 patients occurred in 11 of the clusters that have been observed in the ME/CFS cohort.
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9.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with zinc deficiency: analysis of a nationwide Japanese medical claims database.
Yokokawa, H, Morita, Y, Hamada, I, Ohta, Y, Fukui, N, Makino, N, Ohata, E, Naito, T
Scientific reports. 2024;(1):2791
Abstract
Zinc deficiency, affecting more than 2 billion people globally, poses a significant public health burden due to its numerous unfavorable effects, such as impaired immune function, taste and smell disorders, pneumonia, growth retardation, visual impairment, and skin disorders. Despite its critical role, extensive large-scale studies investigating the correlation between patient characteristics and zinc deficiency still need to be completed. We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional observational study using a nationwide Japanese claims database from January 2019 to December 2021. The study population included 13,100 patients with available serum zinc concentration data, excluding individuals under 20 and those assessed for zinc concentrations after being prescribed zinc-containing medication. Significant associations with zinc deficiency were noted among older adults, males, and inpatients. Multivariate analysis, adjusting for age and sex, indicated significant associations with comorbidities, including pneumonitis due to solids and liquids with an adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) of 2.959; decubitus ulcer and pressure area (aOR 2.403), sarcopenia (aOR 2.217), COVID-19 (aOR 1.889), and chronic kidney disease (aOR 1.835). Significant association with medications, including spironolactone (aOR 2.523), systemic antibacterials (aOR 2.419), furosemide (aOR 2.138), antianemic preparations (aOR 2.027), and thyroid hormones (aOR 1.864) were also found. These results may aid clinicians in identifying patients at risk of zinc deficiency, potentially improving care outcomes.
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10.
Psychological profile of Chinese peritoneal dialysis patients during the Omicron pandemic in 2022.
Qiu, J, Zhang, C, Xie, J, Lin, S, Ren, H, Huang, X, Xu, T
BMC psychology. 2024;(1):109
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the psychological status of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients who were blocked during the 2022 Omic Pandemic in Shanghai. METHODS This was an observational and cross-sectional study. We selected 172 PD patients from the peritoneal dialysis center of Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, during the quarantine of the Omicron pandemic in Shanghai from April to May 2022. General data and biochemical indices were collected. The Kidney Disease Quality of Life (SF-36) questionnaire was used to evaluate the psychological state of the patients during the quarantine. RESULTS According to the assessment of the SF-36 scale, the physiological and psychological health status of PD patients was better than that before quarantine (P < 0.05). According to the comparison of biochemical indices, the high-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol and body mass index (BMI) levels were lower in patients after quarantine than before quarantine, while the blood phosphorus, blood calcium and haemoglobin levels were greater after quarantine (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that health changes were positively correlated with age of penetration (years) (OR = 1.031, 95% CI = 1.005-1.058); however, physiological function was negatively correlated with sex (OR = 0.198, 95% CI = 0.044-0.899). Energy was significantly positively correlated with closed-loop time (OR = 1.063, 95% CI = 1.001-1.128) (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in biochemical indices or quality of life between APD patients and non-APD patients (P > 0.05). According to the results of the abstract independent sample T test, when comparing the various dimensions of the SF-36 scale, for the dimensions of physiological function, pain and energy, the PD patients were better than the HD patients were (P < 0.05). Similarly, for the dimension of physiological function, the HD patients were better than the PD patients were (P < 0.05). During the quarantine period from April to May in Shanghai, the infection rate of PD patients was lower than usual (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS During the Omicron pandemic in Shanghai in 2022, PD patients exhibited relatively stable psychological and physiological states and a low infection rate. Compared with HD patients, PD patients had better adaptability. Especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, peritoneal dialysis has more advantages.