Evaluation of a revised care plan for babies with retinopathy of prematurity during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in India

Purpose: To analyze the impact of a revised care plan for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) during SARS?CoV?2 pandemic in a tertiary eye care facility in eastern India. Methods: In a retrospective study, we analyzed the medical records of babies managed for ROP during the peak of the SARS?CoV?2 pandemic, with particular reference to the challenges, and the revised strategies addressing travel restrictions for five months, from April to August 2020. The strategy included selective referral (babies with higher treatment probability), longer follow?up intervals (babies with non?alarming findings), use of locally available workforce, and teleconsultation whenever feasible. Results: In the given period, 222 babies were examined versus 624 in the preceding year (P = 0.001). The average gestational age, birth weight, and postmenstrual age at presentation were 30.4 weeks, 1.31 kg, and 37.7 weeks, respectively. The first examination was on time in 40.1% of babies but was delayed by a median of 23 days in the remaining babies. In the cohort, 56.7% of babies had any ROP, and 27.9% required treatment (versus 8.8% in the previous year; P < 0.001). The intravitreal anti–vascular growth factor (anti?VEGF) injection was more often used than in the previous year (n = 72 vs 36; P < 0.0001). The treatment outcome was comparable before and after the SARS?CoV?2 lockdown period. There was no report of health issues among the care providers attributable to ROP care. Conclusion: The revised strategy resulted in a smaller pool of babies screened but a larger proportion of babies treated for ROP. This strategy could be used more profitably in future ROP care.

El continuo de salud mental durante la pandemia por COVID-19 en población general de adultos argentinos / The Mental Health Continuum During the Covid-19 Pandemic in a General Population of Argentine Adults

Resumen El análisis de la salud mental de las personas en contexto de pandemia por SARS-Cov-2 constituye un reto de gran relevancia para la psicología actual. La presente investigación se propuso dos objetivos. En primer lugar, analizar las asociaciones entre el continuo de salud mental y los síntomas de ansiedad, depresión e intolerancia a la incertidumbre en adultos argentinos en pandemia por COVID-19 y, en segundo lugar, comparar los niveles de bienestar emocional, psicológico y social según asistencia psicológica en contexto de pandemia por COVID-19. El tipo de estudio fue descriptivo, correlacional y de diferencia de grupos bajo un diseño no experimental de corte transversal. Se utilizó una muestra de 1120 adultos de entre 18 y 84 años (MEdad 37.32, DE = 14.81), 60.1% mujeres y 39.9% varones. Los resultados informaron que las asociaciones entre los niveles de bienestar emocional, psicológico, social y total y los síntomas de depresión e intolerancia a la incertidumbre fueron negativas y significativas. Sin embargo, las correlaciones con los síntomas de ansiedad fueron positivas y significativas. Se hallaron diferencias significativas en los niveles de bienestar emocional, psicológico, social y total según asistencia a tratamiento psicoterapéutico. En todos los casos, las personas que asistieron a tratamiento psicoterapéutico demostraron mayores niveles de bienestar en comparación a quienes no lo realizaron. Se concluye que las personas que se encontraban en la categoría de salud mental floreciente y realizaban tratamiento psicoterapéutico presentaron menores indicadores de depresión e intolerancia a la incertidumbre.

Abstract: The people's mental health analysis in SARS-Cov-2 pandemic context constitutes a highly relevant challenge for current psychology. The present research had two goals, firstly to analyze the associations between the mental health continuum and symptoms of anxiety, depression and intolerance to uncertainty in Argentine adults in the COVID-19 pandemic, and secondly to compare the levels of emotional, psychological and social well-being according to psychological assistance in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included a sample of 1120 adults between 18 and 84 years of age (Mage 37.32, SD = 14.81), 60.1% women and 39.9% men. The results reported that the associations between levels of emotional, psychological, social and total well-being and symptoms of depression and intolerance of uncertainty were negative and significant. However, the correlations with anxiety symptoms were positive and significant. Significant differences were found in the levels of emotional, psychological, social and total well-being according to attendance to psychotherapeutic treatment. In all cases, people who attended psychotherapeutic treatment showed higher levels of well-being compared to those who did not. It is concluded that people who were in the flourishing mental health category and underwent psychotherapeutic treatment showed lower indicators of depression and intolerance to uncertainty.

Resumo: A análise da saúde mental das pessoas no contexto de uma pandemia de SARS-Cov-2 é um desafio altamente relevante para a psicologia actual. A presente investigação tinha dois objectivos, primeiro para analisar as associações entre a continuidade da saúde mental e os sintomas de ansiedade, depressão e intolerância à incerteza em adultos argentinos numa pandemia COVID-19, e segundo para comparar os níveis de bem-estar emocional, psicológico e social de acordo com a assistência psicológica no contexto de uma pandemia COVID-19. O tipo de estudo foi descritivo, correlacional e de diferença de grupo, sob um desenho transversal não experimental. Foi utilizada uma amostra de 1120 adultos de 18-84 anos (Midade 37.32, DP = 14.81), 60.1% feminino e 39.9% masculino. Os resultados relataram que as associações entre os níveis de bem-estar emocional, psicológico, social e total e os sintomas de depressão e de intolerância à incerteza eram negativas e significativas. No entanto, as correlações com sintomas de ansiedade foram positivas e significativas. Foram encontradas diferenças significativas nos níveis de bem-estar emocional, psicológico, social e total de acordo com a assistência ao tratamento psicoterapêutico. Em todos os casos, as pessoas que assistiram ao tratamento psicoterapêutico mostraram níveis mais elevados de bem-estar em comparação com as que não o fizeram. Concluise que as pessoas que se encontravam na próspera categoria de saúde mental e foram submetidas a tratamento psicoterapêutico mostraram indicadores mais baixos de depressão e intolerância à incerteza.

Optimization of red blood cell unit storage during SARS-COV-2 Pandemic: adopting new strategies to ensure supply in a decentralized blood bank in Brazil

ABSTRACT Introduction: As coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) spread worldwide and social restrictions were intensified, difficulties in blood supply were expected to result in a shortage of blood donors, logistic issues and a change in blood consumption. Consequences could be detrimental to the meeting of the blood supply demand, especially in a decentralized blood bank in the State of São Paulo responsible for providing blood to more than 100 hospitals, mostly of the public health system. Aiming to minimize negative effects and focusing on maintenance of the blood supply, a different approach was discussed and adopted. Materials and methods: Briefly, strategies were related to monitoring and promoting measures to achieve a positive RBC unit balance. Thus, the number of donors, transfusions, RBC unit inventory, RBC unit loss and RBC units within up to 5 days from the expiration date were evaluated. Results: Several strategies were adopted to ensure sufficient availability of RBC units: blood donation was improved with social media and extra blood collections, a restrictive transfusion protocol was implemented, a new logistic process to use RBC units closer to the expiration date was established and non-isogroup transfusions were avoided. Conclusion: Altogether, described strategies were crucial to optimize blood storage during the pandemic. Investing in monitoring and logistics contributed to a positive RBC unit balance and conserving these strategies could be useful.

Guidelines for therapy of patients with chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms during the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2 pandemic

ABSTRACT The novel coronavirus has swept across the world in 2020 and ushered a new era. In the current scenario, it is not clear how patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (including chronic myelogenous leukemia) should be managed, considering the risk of therapy, the need for social distancing and the risk of untimely therapy discontinuation of delay. This guideline aims to give providers a sense of direction in order to better take care of patients and prioritize care.