Biomarcadores de laboratorio y afección clínica en pacientes positivos a COVID-19 / Laboratory biomarkers and clinical condition in patients positive for COVID-19

El nuevo coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, causante de la enfermedad denominada COVID-19, fue identificado por primera vez en Wuhan (China) en noviembre del 2019. Como en otros escenarios clínicos, el laboratorio desempeña un papel esencial, más allá del diagnóstico etiológico y la enfermedad, para definir el pronóstico y seguimiento, así como, ayudar a monitorear su tratamiento. Los datos concernientes al diagnóstico clínico y de laboratorio de la enfermedad por COVID-19, en la población adulta, son insuficientes para comprender la evolución de la misma hacia los casos graves y críticos sin comorbilidades; para ello, este estudio pretende describir los exámenes de laboratorio en los pacientes atendidos en cuerpo de guardia del Hospital Universitario Clínico-Quirúrgico «Arnaldo Milián Castro» con el diagnóstico de COVID-19, con el propósito de contar con una herramienta que diagnostique oportunamente una complicación grave y poder realizar el seguimiento del tratamiento al paciente.

The new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus causing the disease called COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan (China) in November 2019. The laboratory, as in other clinical scenarios, plays an essential role beyond the etiological diagnosis and the disease in order to define the prognosis and follow-up, as well as to help monitoring its treatment. Data concerning clinical and laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 disease in the adult population are insufficient to understand its evolution towards severe and critical cases without comorbidities, that is why this study aims to describe the laboratory tests in patients treated in the emergency room at "Arnaldo Milián Castro" Clinical and Surgical University Hospital with the diagnosis of COVID-19, with the purpose of having a tool that timely diagnoses a serious complication and to be able to monitor patient treatment.

Perioperative costs of local or regional anesthesia versus general anesthesia in the outpatient setting: a systematic review of recent literature

Abstract Background and objectives: In this systematic review, we carried out an assessment of perioperative costs of local or regional anesthesia versus general anesthesia in the ambulatory setting. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted to find relevant data on costs and cost-effectiveness analyses of anesthesia regimens in outpatients, regardless of the medical procedure they underwent. The hypothesis was that local or regional anesthesia has a lower economic impact on hospital costs in the outpatient setting. The primary outcome was the average total cost of anesthesia calculated on perioperative costs (drugs, staff, resources used). Results: One-thousand-six-hundred-ninety-eight records were retrieved, and 28 articles including 27,581 patients were selected after reviewing the articles. Data on the average total costs of anesthesia and other secondary outcomes (anesthesia time, recovery time, time to home readiness, hospital stay time, complications) were retrieved. Taken together, these findings indicated that local or regional anesthesia is associated with lower average total hospital costs than general anesthesia when performed in the ambulatory setting. Reductions in operating room time and postanesthesia recovery time and a lower hospital stay time may account for this result. Conclusions: Despite the limitations of this systematic review, mainly the heterogeneity of the studies and the lack of cost-effectiveness analysis, the economic impact of the anesthesia regimes on healthcare costs appears to be relevant and should be further evaluated.

Factors influencing medication adherence and quality of life in outpatients attending Department of Psychiatry in a tertiary health care centre

Background: Nearly one third of people who suffer major psychiatric disorders end up with a long- term disability and dependency. They are most likely to be non-adherent to medication due to various reasons including lack of knowledge or insight about their illness and treatment which in turn leads to exacerbation of their illness, reduce treatment effectiveness, or make them less responsive to subsequent treatment, multiple hospitalizations and poor quality of life. Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in outpatients attending the Psychiatry OPD using the consecutive sampling technique. Subjects meeting the ICD-10 Diagnostic criteria for psychiatric disorders, age 18 year and above, subjects willing to participate in the study were included. A structured proforma, the Drug attitude inventory and the WHO-QOL-BREF questionnaires were used for assessment. Results: Mean age of subjects = 38.07 + 11.07 years. Mean medication cost = Rs. 917.82 + 397.89. 87 subjects participated in the study and of them 48% were adherent to medication and 52% were non-adherent. 56% of males and 43% females were adherent to medication. There was significant association between the occupation and the type of family of the subjects and medication adherence (p<0.05). Majority of patients with medication non-adherence were seen in schizophrenia, delusional disorder, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and substance related disorder. Majority (44.5%) of them reported fear of side effects, followed by stopping the medication when feeling better (35.5%) as the reasons for non-adherence followed by cost, embarrassment, etc. There was significant association between the psychological and social quality of life and medication adherence (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study implicates the importance of psycho education about the diagnosis, prognosis, need for medication and the expected adverse effects which should be clearly explained to the patient. The therapeutic alliance is the most effective component in helping the patient maintain medication adherence and subsequently better quality of life.

Epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from inpatient and outpatient samples, Ecuador, 2018 / Características epidemiológicas de la resistencia antimicrobiana en cepas bacterianas aisladas en pacientes de servicios hospitalarios y ambulatorios de Ecuador, 2018 / Epidemiologia da resistência aos antimicrobianos em bactérias isoladas de amostras hospitalares e ambulatoriais no Equador, 2018

ABSTRACT Objective. To compare the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from inpatient and outpatient samples in Ecuador. Methods. A secondary analysis was done of data on bacteria isolated from inpatient and outpatient samples. Data were taken from the 2018 national antimicrobial resistance surveillance database of the National Reference Center for Antimicrobial Resistance. The variables included were: age, sex, inpatient versus outpatient setting, type of specimen, bacterial species identified, pattern of resistance to antibiotics, and geographic area. Results. Data from 57 305 bacterial isolates were included in the study: 48.8% were from hospitalized patients, 55.7% were from women, and 60.1% were from patients older than 45 years. Urine (42.9%) and blood (12.4%) were the most common clinical samples. Overall, 77.1% of bacterial isolates were gram-negative (83% and 71% in outpatients and inpatients, respectively). The most common gram-positive and gram-negative species were Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively. Antimicrobial resistance levels were high (up to 80% for some antimicrobial drugs), and were higher in hospitalized patients compared with outpatients. A variety of carbapenemases were found to confer resistance to carbapenems (antibiotics of last resort) in gram-negative bacteria. Conclusions. The study findings provide an important baseline on antimicrobial resistance in Ecuador. This will allow the strengthening of guidelines of the surveillance system, the creation of public policies for standardization of laboratory methodologies, the proper handling of information, and the development of empirical therapy guidelines based on local epidemiology.

RESUMEN Objetivo. Comparar las características epidemiológicas de la resistencia a los antimicrobianos en cepas bacterianas aisladas de muestras de pacientes de servicios hospitalarios y ambulatorios en Ecuador. Métodos. Se realizó un análisis secundario de los datos sobre cepas bacterianas aisladas en muestras de pacientes de servicios hospitalarios y ambulatorios. Se recogieron los datos de la base de datos nacional del 2018 para la vigilancia de la resistencia a los antimicrobianos del Centro de Referencia Nacional para la Resistencia a los Antimicrobianos. Las variables incluidas fueron: edad, sexo, entorno hospitalario frente a entorno ambulatorio, tipo de muestra, especies bacterianas detectadas, patrón de resistencia a los antibióticos y zona geográfica. Resultados. En el estudio se incluyeron datos de 57 305 cepas aislamientos bacterianos: 48,8% fueron de pacientes hospitalizados, 55,7% fueron de mujeres y 60,1% fueron de pacientes mayores de 45 años. La orina (42,9%) y la sangre (12,4%) fueron las muestras clínicas más comunes. En general, 77,1% de las cepas bacterianas aisladas fueron gramnegativas (83% y 71% en pacientes de servicios ambulatorios y hospitalarios, respectivamente). Las especies grampositivas y gramnegativas más comunes fueron Staphylococcus aureus y Escherichia coli, respectivamente. Los niveles de resistencia a los antimicrobianos fueron elevados (hasta 80% en el caso de algunos fármacos antimicrobianos) y fueron más elevados en los pacientes de servicios hospitalarios en comparación con los pacientes de servicios ambulatorios. Se encontró que una variedad de carbapenemasas confiere resistencia a los carbapenémicos (antibióticos de último recurso) en bacterias gramnegativas. Conclusiones. Los resultados del estudio proporcionan una línea de base importante sobre la resistencia a los antimicrobianos en Ecuador, que permitirá el fortalecimiento de las directrices del sistema de vigilancia, la creación de políticas públicas para la estandarización de los métodos de laboratorio, una adecuada gestión de la información y la elaboración de orientaciones de tratamiento empírico basadas en las características epidemiológicas locales.

RESUMO Objetivo. Comparar a epidemiologia da resistência aos antimicrobianos em bactérias isoladas de amostras hospitalares e ambulatoriais no Equador. Métodos. Foi feita uma análise secundária de dados sobre bactérias isoladas de amostras hospitalares e ambulatoriais. Os dados foram obtidos do banco de dados nacional de vigilância da resistência aos antimicrobianos de 2018 do Centro Nacional de Referência para a Resistência aos Antimicrobianos. As variáveis incluídas foram: idade, sexo, ambiente hospitalar versus ambiente ambulatorial, tipo de espécime, espécies bacterianas identificadas, padrão de resistência a antibióticos e área geográfica. Resultados. Foram incluídos no estudo os dados de 57 305 isolados bacterianos: 48,8% eram de pacientes hospitalizados, 55,7% eram de mulheres e 60,1% eram de pacientes com mais de 45 anos. As amostras clínicas mais comuns foram urina (42,9%) e sangue (12,4%). No total, 77,1% dos isolados bacterianos eram gram-negativos (83% e 71% em pacientes ambulatoriais e pacientes internados, respectivamente). As espécies gram-positivas e gram-negativas mais comuns foram Staphylococcus aureus e Escherichia coli, respectivamente. Os níveis de resistência aos antimicrobianos foram elevados (até 80% para alguns antimicrobianos) e foram mais elevados em pacientes hospitalizados em comparação com pacientes ambulatoriais. Foram encontradas várias carbapenemases que conferem resistência aos carbapenêmicos (antibióticos de último recurso) em bactérias gram-negativas. Conclusões. Os resultados do estudo fornecem uma importante linha de base sobre a resistência aos antimicrobianos no Equador. Isto permitirá o fortalecimento das diretrizes do sistema de vigilância, a criação de políticas públicas para padronização de metodologias laboratoriais, o manejo adequado de informações e o desenvolvimento de diretrizes para a antibioticoterapia empírica com base na epidemiologia local.

Adherence to guidelines on the use of amoxicillin for treatment of ambulatory pneumonia in children younger than 5 years, Colombia, 2017-2019 / Adherencia a las directrices sobre el uso de amoxicilina para el tratamiento ambulatorio de la neumonía en menores de 5 años, Colombia, 2017-2019 / Adesão às diretrizes sobre uso de amoxicilina para tratamento de pneumonia ambulatorial em crianças menores de 5 anos, Colômbia, 2017-2019

ABSTRACT Objectives. To determine the level of adherence to clinical guidelines in prescribing amoxicillin to children younger than 5 years with pneumonia in outpatient settings in Colombia from 2017 to 2019, and assess the factors associated with adherence Methods. This was a cross-sectional study of secondary data from the Colombian Integrated Social Protection Information System database. Adherence was defined as prescription of oral amoxicillin for bacterial and unspecified pneumonia and non-prescription for viral pneumonia. Variables examined included: age (< 1 year, 1-4 years) of child; sex; cause of pneumonia (bacterial, viral, unspecified); region (Andean, Amazonian, Pacific, Caribbean, Insular, Orinoquian); and payment mechanism (without prior authorization, capitation, direct payment, pay per case, pay for event). Results. Of 215 925 cases of community-acquired pneumonia reported during 2017-2019, 64.8% were from the Andean region, 73.9% were bacterial pneumonia and 1.8% were viral pneumonia. Adherence to guidelines was observed in 5.8% of cases: this was highest for children diagnosed with viral (86.0%) compared with bacterial (2.0%) pneumonia. For children diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia, 9.4% were prescribed any antibiotic. A greater proportion of children covered by capitated payments (22.3%) were given treatment consistent with the guidelines compared with payment for event (1.3%). Conclusion. In this first study from Colombia, adherence to guidelines for outpatient treatment of children with bacterial pneumonia was low and was better for viral pneumonia. Further qualitative studies are needed to explore the reasons for this lack of adherence and why bacterial pneumonia was the most commonly reported etiology.

RESUMEN Objetivos. Determinar el nivel de adherencia a las directrices clínicas al momento de prescribir amoxicilina a menores de 5 años con neumonía en entornos de atención ambulatoria en Colombia entre el 2017 y el 2019, así como evaluar los factores asociados con la adherencia. Métodos. Este fue un estudio transversal de datos secundarios de la base de datos del Sistema Integral de Información de la Protección Social de Colombia. La adherencia se definió como la prescripción de amoxicilina por vía oral para las neumonías bacterianas y no especificadas, y la ausencia de prescripción para las neumonías virales. Las variables examinadas incluyeron: edad (< 1 año, 1 a 4 años); sexo; causa de la neumonía (bacteriana, viral, no especificada); región (andina, amazónica, Pacífico, Caribe, insular, Orinoco); y mecanismo de pago (sin autorización previa, capitación, pago directo, pago por caso, pago por evento). Resultados. De 215 925 casos de neumonía adquirida en la comunidad notificados durante el período 2017-2019, el 64,8% correspondieron a la región andina, el 73,9% a neumonía bacteriana y el 1,8% a neumonía viral. Se observó la adherencia a las directrices en el 5,8% de los casos: esta cifra fue más alta para la población infantil diagnosticada con neumonía viral (86,0%) que para la diagnosticada con neumonía bacteriana (2,0%). En el caso de la población infantil diagnosticada con neumonía bacteriana, al 9,4% se le recetó algún antibiótico. La proporción de población infantil cubierta por pagos capitados (22,3%) que recibió un tratamiento en consonancia con las directrices fue mayor que la de la población cubierta por pagos por evento (1,3%). Conclusión. En este primer estudio de Colombia, la adherencia a las directrices sobre el tratamiento ambulatorio de la población infantil con neumonía bacteriana fue bajo, en tanto que resultó superior en el caso de la neumonía viral. Se necesitan más estudios cualitativos para indagar sobre los motivos de esta falta de adherencia y las razones por las cuales la neumonía bacteriana fue la etiología notificada con mayor frecuencia.

RESUMO Objetivos. Determinar o nível de adesão às diretrizes clínicas para prescrição de amoxicilina em regime ambulatorial para crianças menores de 5 anos com pneumonia na Colômbia, de 2017 a 2019, e avaliar os fatores associados à adesão. Métodos. Estudo transversal de dados secundários do banco de dados do Sistema Integrado de Informação sobre Proteção Social da Colômbia. Definiu-se adesão como prescrição de amoxicilina oral para pneumonia bacteriana e não especificada, e não prescrição para pneumonia viral. As variáveis examinadas incluíram: idade da criança (< 1 ano, 1-4 anos), sexo, etiologia da pneumonia (bacteriana, viral, não especificada), região (Andina, Amazônica, Pacífica, Caribenha, Insular, Orinoco) e mecanismo de pagamento (sem autorização prévia, capitação, pagamento direto, pay-per-case, pay-for-event). Resultados. Dos 215.925 casos de pneumonia adquirida na comunidade notificados nos anos 2017-2019, 64,8% ocorreram na região Andina, 73,9% foram pneumonia bacteriana e 1,8% foram pneumonia viral. A adesão às diretrizes foi observada em 5,8% dos casos. Foi maior para crianças com diagnóstico de pneumonia viral (86,0%) em comparação com pneumonia bacteriana (2,0%). Para as crianças com diagnóstico de pneumonia bacteriana, 9,4% receberam algum antibiótico. Uma proporção maior de crianças cobertas por pagamentos capitados (22,3%) recebeu tratamento compatível com as diretrizes, contra apenas 1,3% no esquema de pay-for-event. Conclusão. Neste primeiro estudo da Colômbia, a adesão às diretrizes para tratamento ambulatorial de crianças com pneumonia bacteriana foi baixa, sendo melhor para pneumonia viral. Mais estudos qualitativos são necessários para explorar as razões dessa falta de adesão e por qual motivo a pneumonia bacteriana foi a etiologia mais comumente notificada.

Change point analysis of normal distribution based on the likelihood ratio principle and its application in the number of outpatients analysis / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:The authors introduced the change point analysis of normal distribution based on the likelihood ratio principle, analyzed the number of outpatients in a hospital of Luohu District, Shenzhen, to provide scientific basis for rational allocation of health resources.Methods:The authors collected totally 636 number of outpatients' data from 8: 00 to 12: 00 a.m. at 48 time windows at 5 minutes intervals in a hospital of Luohu District, Shenzhen, and analyzed it with single change point analysis of simultaneous change of mean and variance, and discussed when the change point occurred.Results:The average number of outpatient was 13.250 0 for every time window, the change point occurred at 8: 50, the probability was 0.000 025, the average number of outpatient per 5 minutes from 8: 00 to 8: 50 was 7.000 0, the average number of outpatient per 5 minutes from 8: 50 to 12: 00 was 14.897 4, and the ratio of number of outpatients before and after the change point occurred was 1∶2.Conclusion:In the case of no need to determine the base period or compare the data, the change point analysis of normal distribution based on the principle of likelihood ratio provides a new way of statistical analysis and statistical monitoring for the rational allocation of health resources based on the number of patients.

Positive Orientation and Psychological Distress: An Examination with Psychiatric Outpatients

@#Introduction: This research was conducted to extend the theoretical construct of positive orientation (PO) to psychiatric outpatients. This research also examined the effect of PO on alleviating stress, anxiety, and depression among psychiatric outpatients. Methods: This cross-sectional survey recruited 301 psychiatric outpatients online. As these respondents have a short attention span, short measures were used to measure PO-related variables (life satisfaction, optimism, self-esteem) and indicators of psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress). These outpatients are at the legal age to provide consent for themselves (M = 30.12, SD= 8.11). The majority of them have been identified as male (80.07%). Similarly, the ethnic distribution was unequal, with the majority of these outpatients identified as Malay (85.05%), followed by those who were identified as Chinese (7.31%), Indian (4.32%), and from other ethnic groups (3.32%). Results: Generalized structured component analysis (GSCA) supported that satisfaction with life, optimism, and self-esteem reflect the construct of PO. Furthermore, PO predicted depression, anxiety, and depression negatively. Conclusion: It is possible to replicate the construct of PO with psychiatric outpatients using single item measures for life satisfaction, optimism, and self-esteem. PO is beneficial to psychiatric outpatients as it reduces the severity of depression, anxiety, and stress.

The prevalence and analysis of related factors of anxiety, depression, and quality of life of out-patients in the Cancer Institute of a COVID-19 referral tertiary hospital: One year into the pandemic

Objective@#This study aimed to determine the prevalence, analyze, and compare the risk factors of anxiety, depression, and quality of life of cancer patients in the out-patient cancer clinic of the Cancer Institute one year into the pandemic. These were compared to the prevalence of anxiety and depression before the pandemic.@*Methods@#A cross-sectional analytic study described the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and quality of life and analysis of its related factors among patients with cancer seen in the outpatient cancer clinic of the Cancer Institute of the Philippine General Hospital from November 1 to 20, 2021, using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale – Pilipino and EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) QLQ-C30 (Quality of Life questionnaire) tools.@*Results@#A total of 408 cancer patients were enrolled in the study. The prevalence of anxiety and depression was 58.33% and 24.51%, respectively. Before the pandemic, the prevalence of anxiety and depression was 9.45% and 4.72%, respectively. Two hundred seventy participants (66.18%) had a positive quality of life. The comparison between the prevalence of anxiety and depression between this study (one year into the pandemic) and the pre-pandemic study revealed a statistically significant difference in the majority of both, with more anxious and depressed cancer patients in this study. The participants agreed that the pandemic had affected their daily activities.@*Conclusion@#The study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased anxiety and depression among cancer patients. The quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients in this study has not been distinctly affected by the pandemic, but for those who have, they still require the attention and support of not just the physicians but the community as a whole. Our findings highlight the need to integrate better psychosocial support and the important role of carers in the evolving pandemic response measures.

Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Inpatients in a Tertiary Hospital in Guangzhou During the Covid-19 Pandemic / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveAt the end of November 2022， Guangzhou implemented the latest Covid-19 epidemic prevention policy and began to gradually lift the lockdown. However， under the new epidemic prevention situation， the situation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients in China is still unclear. Accordingly， this paper aims to study the SARS-CoV-2 infection of hospitalized patients in Guangzhou under the new epidemic prevention and control situation. MethodsThe results of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid tests in our hospital from the end of November 2022 to the beginning of February 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid tests in outpatients and inpatients under the new epidemic prevention situation， and the nosocomial infection of SARS-CoV-2 in inpatients were statistically analyzed. ResultsThis study retrospectively analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test results of 13 959 patients， including 6 966 outpatients and 6 993 inpatients. On November 30， 2022， the SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test results of outpatients began to be positive， indicating that the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 infection had begun. On December 7， one case of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test results of hospitalized patients was positive， and nosocomial infections began to break out. On December 15， the positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test among patients exceeded 40 %， and the epidemic entered its peak period. After the end of December， the test positive rate gradually decreased， but the positive rate of inpatients was always higher than that of outpatients. Compared with December 2022， the positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test of patients in many departments in January 2023 decreased， but the positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test of inpatients in the oncology department increased significantly （P < 0.001）. Further analysis found that the nosocomial infection rate of SARS-CoV-2 in inpatients was 86.57 % （329/380）. However， the nosocomial infection rate in lymphoma patients ［58.33 % （14/24）］ was significantly lower than that of the hospitalized patients with other disease types （P < 0.001）. ConclusionThe positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing among patients reached its peak in mid-December 2022. In January 2023， the positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing gradually decreased， while the number or positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing positive patients in some departments increased. The nosocomial infection rate among hospitalized patients is as high as 90 %. There are differences in the nosocomial infection rate of SARS-CoV-2 among inpatients with different disease types. In summary， this study provides preliminary data on the epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection among hospitalized patients in Guangzhou， as well as the protection against infection among hospitalized patients and cross-infection between medical staffs and patients.

Association between obesity and hospitalization in mild COVID-19 adult outpatients in Brazil: a prospective cohort study

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the association between obesity and hospitalization in mild COVID-19 adult outpatients in Brazil. Subjects and methods: Adults with signs and symptoms suggestive of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection who sought treatment in two hospital (public and private) emergency departments were prospectively enrolled. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 at inclusion were followed by phone calls at days D7, D14 and D28. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to explore the association between obesity and other potential predictors for hospitalization. Results: A total of 1,050 participants were screened, and 297 completed the 28-day follow-up and were diagnosed with COVID-19 by RT-PCR. The median age was 37.2 (IQR 29.7-44.6) years, and 179 (60.0%) were female. The duration of symptoms was 3.0 (IQR 2.0-5.0) days, and 10.0 (IQR 8.0-12.0) was the median number of symptoms at inclusion. Ninety-five (32.0%) individuals had obesity, and 233 (78.5%) had no previous medical conditions. Twenty-three participants (7.7%) required hospitalization during the follow-up period. After adjusting, obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) (OR = 2.69, 95% CI 1.63-4.83, P < 0.001) and older age (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.09, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with higher risks of hospitalization. Conclusion: Obesity, followed by aging, was the main factor associated with hospital admission for COVID-19 in a young population in a low-middle income country. Our findings highlighted the need to promote additional protection for individuals with obesity, such as vaccination, and to encourage lifestyle changes.

Infección por COVID-19 en pacientes oncológicos y asociación con el tratamiento recibido / COVID-19 infection in cancer patients and association with the antineoplastic treatment

Resumen La evidencia que relaciona la terapia oncológica con la incidencia por COVID-19 varía según el tipo de terapia administrada. La incidencia informada en pacientes que reciben tratamiento oncológico varía entre 1 y 4%. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar la incidencia por COVID-19 en pacientes oncológicos en tratamiento activo y evaluar si existe asociación con el esquema recibido. Se utilizó una cohorte retrospectiva que incluyó de forma consecutiva a los pacientes adultos que realizaron tratamiento ambulatorio desde marzo/2020 hasta abril/2021 en un Hospital Público de referencia. El evento principal fue el diagnóstico confirmado de COVID-19. La asociación con los tratamientos oncológicos fue evaluada mediante regresión logís tica multivariada ajustando por edad, sexo, localización del tumor, cobertura de salud y localidad de residencia. Se incluyeron 463 pacientes, mediana de edad 58 años (RIC = 47-66), 73.3% (n = 337) mujeres. La incidencia de COVID-19 fue 5.6% (n = 26) con una tasa de mortalidad del 12% (n = 3). El riesgo de infección fue mayor en los que estaban realizando tratamiento únicamente con anticuerpos monoclonales, 14.3% vs. 4.9% (OR-ajustado = 3.3, p = 0.03) y aquellos en tratamiento con inhibidores de puntos de control inmunológicos, 23.1% vs. 5.1% (OR-ajustado = 5.8, p = 0.03). La quimioterapia citotóxica, sola o en combinación con anticuerpos mo noclonales, no presentó mayor riesgo de infección. La edad, sexo, sitio tumoral, cobertura de salud y localidad de residencia no se asoció con la incidencia de COVID-19. En base a nuestros resultados, el tratamiento con anticuerpos monoclonales o inhibidores de puntos de control inmunológicos se asoció con mayor incidencia de infección por COVID-19.

Abstract Evidence linking anticancer therapy with the incidence of COVID-19 varies according to the type of therapy administered. The reported COVID-19 incidence in patients receiving antineoplastic treatment varies between 1 and 4%. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of COVID-19 in cancer patients under active treatment and to assess whether there is an association with the received anticancer therapy. It was a retrospective cohort that consecutively included adult outpatients who underwent treatment in a referral center from March 2020 to April 2021. The primary endpoint was the confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. The association with anticancer treatments was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, tumor site, health coverage status, and place of residence. The sample included 463 patients, the median age was 58 years (IQR = 47-66), 73.3% (n = 337) were women. The incidence of COVID-19 was 5.6% (n = 26) with a mortality rate of 12% (n = 3). The risk of infection was higher in patients undergoing treatment only with monoclonal antibod ies, 14.3% vs. 4.9% (adjusted OR = 3.3, p = 0.03) and those in treatment with immunotherapy, 23.1% vs. 5.1% (adjusted OR = 5.8, p = 0.03). Cytotoxic chemotherapy, alone or in combination with monoclonal antibodies, did not present an increased risk of infection. Age, sex, tumor site, health coverage, and place of residence did not show association with the incidence of COVID-19. Based on our results, treatment with monoclonal antibodies or immunotherapy was associated with a higher rate of COVID-19 infection while chemotherapy did not modify the incidence of COVID-19.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward mucormycosis among patients presenting to six tertiary eye care hospitals in South India – A multicentric online questionnaire-based survey

Purpose: To study the awareness on mucormycosis among outpatients who visited six tertiary eye care hospitals at Madurai, Pondicherry, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Chennai, and Tirupati. Methods: This was a telephone?based survey conducted using questionnaires consisting of 38 questions in five sections from July 5 to 25, 2021. Patients visiting the eye hospitals for an examination were contacted over their phones and responses were directly entered onto the Google forms platform. Results: A total of 4573 participants were included in the study. Among all participants, a cumulative 83% of participants had some knowledge of mucormycosis. More than 80% of them reported that their prime source of information was through mass communication like television or radio. Around 34.8% of the respondents were aware that it can occur after treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID?19) infection, only half of them (54.3%) knew that systemic steroids were the main risk factor. The knowledge scores were higher for participants who were diabetics (n = 1235) or had been affected by COVID?19 earlier (n = 456) or whose friends had mucormycosis earlier (n = 312). Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) scores of nonprofessional health?care workers (n = 103) were much better compared to patients. Conclusion: Such KAP studies give us an idea of the impact of the measures taken for educating the public. In this study, a cumulative 83% of participants had some knowledge of mucormycosis and 86% knew that this was an emergency. More than 50% of the participants were not aware that diabetes is a risk factor for mucormycosis.

Laparoscopic peritoneal dialysis catheter placement with rectus sheath tunneling: a one-port simplified technique / Implante laparoscópico de cateter de diálise peritoneal com tunelização na bainha do músculo reto abdominal: técnica simplificada com portal único

ABSTRACT - BACKGROUND: The success of peritoneal dialysis depends on the proper placement and functional longevity of the dialysis catheter. Laparoscopic implantation of a catheter through a rectus sheath tunneling can minimize the risks of catheter failure. AIMS: This study aims to describe one-port simplified technique for laparoscopic placement of a peritoneal dialysis catheter with rectus sheath tunneling. METHODS: The simplified laparoscopic insertion of a Tenckhoff catheter with rectus sheath tunneling was performed in 16 patients with chronic renal failure. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, no major complications occurred. Three patients were excluded. One was referred to the renal transplant some weeks after implantation, and one died for other reasons during the follow-up. Another patient needed adhesiolysis due to previous surgery, so an additional port was necessary. The other 13 catheters worked properly, and no postoperative hemorrhage, early leaks, hernia, or catheter migration occurred. One patient had a tunnel infection 11 months after the implant. No peritonitis was observed during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The technique is simple, reproducible, and safe, with good results in catheter function, few complications, and a high catheter survival rate. It does not require a special device or trocar and avoids excessive port sites.

RESUMO - RACIONAL: O sucesso da diálise peritoneal depende da implantação adequada e da longevidade funcional do cateter. O implante laparoscópico através da tunelização na bainha do reto abdominal minimiza os riscos de disfunção do cateter. OBJETIVOS: Descrever técnica simplificada com portal único para o implante laparoscópico de cateter de diálise peritoneal com tunelização na bainha do reto abdominal. MÉTODOS: Utilizou-se inserção laparoscópica de cateter de Tenckhoff com tunelização da bainha do reto em 16 pacientes com insuficiência renal crônica. RESULTADOS: Durante o período de acompanhamento não ocorreram complicações relacionadas ao procedimento. Três pacientes foram excluídos: um foi encaminhado para transplante renal algumas semanas após o implante e outro faleceu por outro motivo durante o acompanhamento. Um terceiro necessitou de lise de aderências devido à operação anterior, portanto foi necessário um portal adicional. Os outros 13 pacientes apresentaram bom funcionamento do cateter. Não houve hemorragia pós-operatória, vazamentos, hérnia ou migração do cateter. Um paciente teve infecção no túnel subcutâneo 11 meses após o implante. Não foi observada peritonite durante o período de acompanhamento. CONCLUSÕES: A técnica é simples, reprodutível, segura, com bons resultados de funcionalidade, poucas complicações e alta taxa de sobrevida do cateter. Ela não requer trocarte especial e evita o uso excessivo de portais.

Patterns of skin diseases among outpatients attending Hospital of Dermatology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in 2019 / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To clarify patterns of skin diseases among outpatients at first and return visits to Hospital of Dermatology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in 2019.Methods:Data were collected from the outpatient electronic medical record information system in Hospital of Dermatology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 1st to December 31st, 2019, and patterns of skin diseases among outpatients at first and return visits were analyzed retrospectively.Results:The total number of outpatient consultations was 1 440 580 in 2019, including 941 755 (65.37%) first visits and 498 825 (34.63%) return visits, and the daily average number of outpatient consultations was 4 332. The top 10 most prevalent skin diseases were eczema, acne, urticaria, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, vitiligo, neurodermatitis, pigmented nevus, tinea pedis and onychomycosis among outpatients at the first visits, with the number of outpatient visits being 739 175 and accounting for 78.49% of the total first visits; the top 10 most prevalent skin diseases among outpatients at the return visits were eczema, acne, psoriasis, urticaria, vitiligo, seborrheic dermatitis, neurodermatitis, pigmented nevus, keloid and rosacea, with the number of outpatient visits being 399 594 and accounting for 80.11% of the total return visits.Conclusion:In 2019, skin diseases predominated by common diseases, such as eczema and acne, among outpatients at Hospital of Dermatology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Effect of individual case management of COPD patients in respiratory nursing outpatient department / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To explore the effect of case management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the nurse-led clinics.Methods:A total of 50 patients with COPD who met the selection criteria in the outpatient department of the respiratory department of Shantou Central Hospital were enrolled from March 2019 to March 2020. Case management was carried out by specialist nurses in the outpatient department. Body Mass Index (BMI), the forced expiratory volume in one second/predicted value ratio (FEV 1%pred), modified British medical research council (mMRC), 6-min walking distance (6MWD), COPD assessment test (CAT), and St.George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), basic activities of daily living (BADL) were compared before and after 6 months′ case management. The difference of medication compliance after case management was also analyzed. Results:There were statistically significant differences in the mMRC[(1.9±1.2) vs (1.4±1.1) points], 6MWD[(238.1±84.9) vs (284.1±113.8) m] and CAT scores [(19.7±6.6) vs (17.1±5.9) points], which suggested the improvement of dyspnea, self-conscious symptoms and exercise performance in these patients (all P<0.05). The BADL scores [(87.8±5.4) vs (90.00±7.5) points] and the total score of SGRQ [(48.0±7.3) vs (45.0±6.9) points] were significantly different (both P<0.01). These indicators were improved after the implementation of case management. Patients were followed up for 1 month, 3 months and 6 months, and the improvement of medication compliance score was statistically significant [(7.1±0.8) vs (7.4±0.8) vs (7.7±0.5) points] ( P<0.01). Conclusion:The implementation of respiratory nursing clinic can effectively manage COPD patients, improve medication compliance of patients, so as to improve the degree of dyspnea, self-conscious symptoms, self-care ability and exercise endurance of patients.

Analysis of the spectrum of orbital diseases and diagnosis and treatment experiences in large general hospital outpatient service / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To observe the changes of disease spectrum and characteristics of orbital disease distribution in orbital outpatients, introduce the procedures and methods of diagnosis and treatment of orbital diseases in our hospital and define the work focus and social needs in orbital disease. METHODS: Prospective observational study. A registration form was designed to record the gender, age and diagnosis of orbital outpatients in our treatment group. The orbital diseases were divided into seven categories for statistical analysis. The composition ratio, male to female ratio, age of onset, subtypes of dominant diseases and the top three common diseases were analyzed. This paper introduces the diagnosis and treatment process of the orbital disease specialty clinic of our hospital.RESULTS: A total of 1 059 patients with orbital diseases were registered from April 1 to December 31, 2021. The most common orbital diseases were thyroid-related ophthalmopathy(TAO)in 325 cases(30.7%), followed by orbital tumors in 282 cases(26.6%), orbital trauma in 213 cases(20.1%), orbital inflammation in 205 cases(19.4%). Orbital vascular malformation, congenital and genetic venereal diseases and other orbital diseases were 34 cases(3.2%). Pathological diagnosis: orbital tumors in 150 cases(72.8%)were benign, the first three benign tumors were hemolymphangioma, orbital cyst and neurogenic tumor. Orbital tumors in 56 cases were malignant(27.2%), the first three malignant tumors were orbital lymphoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland and rhabdomyosarcoma. The most common orbital injury was orbital blowout fracture, followed by optic nerve injury and orbital soft tissue injury. Orbital non-infectious inflammation accounted for 89.8% and 10.2% with infectious inflammation.CONCLUSION: The spectrum of orbital diseases has changed, and the most common and dominant diseases are TAO, orbital tumor, orbital trauma and orbital inflammation, accounting for 96.8% of the total, which are the main work content in orbital profession. Medical resources of orbital diseases should be rationally allocated according to the changes of disease spectrum to meet the needs of social development.

Construction and application of intelligent outpatient pre-admission medical history collection system / 中华医院管理杂志

Digital and intelligent technology is an important driving force to promote the transformation and innovation of medical service mode and improve service quality. In February 2020, Peking Union Medical College Hospital established an intelligent outpatient pre-admission medical history collection system in order to improve the intelligent level of clinical application business system and the medical experience of outpatients.The system consisted of artificial intelligence capability layer, application service layer, capability resource layer and user application layer and hardware technology architecture. By docking with the hospital information system and using mobile terminal App, patients could submit pre-admission medical history information by themselves, and generate structured patient history for the visiting doctors to call. By November 2021, the pre-admission medical history collection system had covered 80% of the departments of the hospital, serving 1.68 million people in total, and the patient filling rate had reached 60%. The duration of patient′s medical history collection and the duration of doctor′s outpatient electronic medical record writing had been continuously shortened, greatly improving the efficiency of outpatient medical services.

An Empirical Study on Factors Affecting Medication Adherence in Outpatients with Depression: From the Perspective of Medication Support for Patients Using Pharmacies / 医薬品情報学

Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the factors that affect medication adherence in outpatients with depression using multivariate analysis.Methods: A web-based survey on medication adherence, medication attitude (Drug Attitude Inventory-10; DAI-10), medication self-management, and satisfaction with the prescribing physician/pharmacy for outpatients with depression was conducted in January 2018. T-tests and path analysis were performed to evaluate comparisons of responses based on gender, high/low importance of medication guidance, high/low intention to consult, and high/low frequency of consultations.Results: For mean scores, no significant difference was observed between males and females according to a t-test. In terms of the importance of medication guidance, the high importance group had significantly higher prescribing physician/pharmacy satisfaction and better self-management. In terms of intention to consult, respondents with high intention to consult had significantly higher scores on the DAI-10, better self-management, and higher prescribing physician/pharmacy satisfaction. In terms of frequency of consultations, only pharmacy satisfaction was significantly higher in the high-frequency group. Path analysis revealed that, in general, adherence was influenced by medication attitude and self-management, and prescribing physician/pharmacy satisfaction and self-management were influenced by medication attitude. In the intergroup comparison, pharmacy satisfaction did not affect medication adherence in males or the group with low importance of medication guidance. In addition, medication attitude did not affect adherence only in the non-consultation group.Discussion: These results suggest that it is necessary to improve the medication support measures at pharmacies for outpatients with depression. Furthermore, in order for the measures to improve medication attitudes and adherence to be effective, it is necessary for patients to understand the benefits and importance of using pharmacists effectively, including medication support and consultation, and to be actively involved in the maintenance and promotion of patients' health.

Short-term effects and seasonal variation of ozone on daily hospital outpatient visits for childhood asthma in Lanzhou / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the effects of ozone (O3) concentrations measured with different approaches across different seasons on the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits, as well as the differentiation of such effects across different groups of patients.@*METHODS@#The outpatient data of three grade A tertiary hospitals in Lanzhou City spanning from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2017, as well as air pollution and meteorological data during the same period were collected. Considering the nonlinear relationship between O3 concentrations and the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits and meteorological factors, a generalized additive temporal sequence model was employed to analyze the short-term association between changes in O3 concentrations and the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits. Taking into account of the variations in O3 concentrations within 1 day, this study adopted different measurement approaches to address the three types of O3 exposures, namely, the maximum 1 h daily concentration (O3max1h), the maximum 8 h daily concentration (O38h) and the mean 24 h daily concentration (O324h) as the short term exposure indicators to O3, followed by a model-based analysis.@*RESULTS@#The increase in short-term exposure levels to O3 in summer had a significant effect on the increase in the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits. With lag0 for the current day, every 10 μg/m3 increase in atmospheric concentration of O3max1h was associated with an increase in the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits by 3.351% (95%CI: 1.231%-5.516%); for every 10 μg/m3 increase in O38h concentration, the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits increased by 3.320% (95%CI: 0.197%-3.829%); for every 10 μg/m3increase in O324h concentration, the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits in summer increased by 6.600% (95%CI: 0.914%-12.607%); moreover, an increase in exposure to O3max1h also led to a significant rise in the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits among the males.@*CONCLUSION@#The increase in short-term exposure levels to O3 in summer in Lanzhou City has a significant effect on the increase in the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits; O3max1h is more closely correlated with the increase in the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits.

Alteration of the disease composition in general practice clinic of a community health service center in Shanghai before and after COVID-19 pandemic / 中华全科医师杂志

Objective:To investigate the changes of disease constitution in general practice outpatients before and after COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:Rank-sum ratio (RSR)method and Pareto method were used to comprehensively analyze the disease composition of patients in general practice outpatients in Huacao Community Health Service Center of Shanghai from January 2019 to December 2021.Results:The number of visits to general practice clinic decreased from 2019 to 2021. The top five diseases in RSR were circulatory system, endocrine, nutrition and metabolism, respiratory system, digestive system, and nervous system(RSR=1.000,0.917,0.896,0.813 and 0.750), all of which were classified as Class A factors, with a cumulative composition ratio of 80.45%. Taking the above 5 categories as the main diseases, and consistency analysis was performed for the annual changes. The coefficient of concordance of the top five diseases was poor, and not statistically significant ( WR=0.956, χ 2=11.47, P>0.01), suggesting that the disease spectrum was changed. The visits of patients with respiratory diseases dropped from the 2nd place to the 3rd after COVID-19 pandemic, with an average annual change rate of-14.31%, the lowest among all diseases. Among the top five diseases, nervous system disease had the highest annual change rate (7.68%). Among the factors affecting health status and contact with health care institutions, eye and appendage diseases ranked the first with the annual change rate of 12.97% and 10.35%,respectively. Conclusions:After the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the disease spectrum in general practice clinics has changed. Measures must be taken in time to meet the needs for medical care.