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Never in recent history has mankind been so severely and diversely affected by any disease like the COVID-19 infection. Many post-COVID complications have been mentioned in the literature and other platforms, of which post-COVID Dysphagia is a very distressing complaint. The severity of dysphagia may range from mild discomfort in swallowing to life-threatening aspiration. This paper aims to study post-COVID dysphagia, its various presentations, possible causative factors and diagnosis. Like any other new disease on the block, continuous study and research is the need of the hour, for us to be able to mitigate the damage already inflicted by this pandemic.
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Background: There is a dearth of longitudinal research that measures the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of resident doctors. Aim: This study aimed to estimate depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, and sleep disturbances (insomnia and nightmares) among resident doctors after COVID-19 duty. The study was a prospective longitudinal study among resident doctors posted in COVID-19 wards in a tertiary hospital in North India. Methods: The participants were assessed at two points of time, two months apart, on a semistructured questionnaire and self-rated scales for depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, sleep quality, nightmare experience, and burnout. Results: A significant proportion of resident doctors working in a COVID hospital had symptoms of depression (29.6%), anxiety (28.6%), stress (18.1%), insomnia (22%), and burnout (32.4%), even after two months of being off COVID duty. It was seen that these psychological outcomes had a strong positive correlation with each other. Compromised sleep quality and burnout significantly predicted depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Conclusion: The current study has added to the psychiatric aspects of COVID-19 among resident doctors and the changes in these symptoms with time and highlights the need for targeted interventions to decrease these adverse outcomes.
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Aim: The study investigate the severity of perceived stress and wide domains of psychiatric symptoms reported on initial screening in hospitalized patients of COVID-19 with a second aim to determine the role of sociodemographic factors and coping styles in the hospitalized patients of COVID-19. Method: Total 224 patients of COVID-19 infection, hospitalized in various isolation facilities were assessed via web-based self-reported questionnaires on perceived stress scale, brief cope inventory, and DSM-5 crosscutting level-1 questionnaire. Results: Majority of the patients reported moderate level of stress followed by mild and severe. Depression and Anxiety symptoms were most common psychopathologies though the patients have reported greater severity in various domains of psychiatric symptoms. Coping styles explains most of variance (64.8%) of the perceived stress. Similarly total PSS scores, coping styles, COVID-19 status and sociodemographic factors contributed significantly to the variance of all psychiatric symptoms. Conclusion: Factors like female gender, being married, belonging to nuclear families, service class and urban domicile are the significant factors determining higher risk of stress and developing more psychopathologies. Furthermore, coping styles used by the patients have a greater moderating effect on mental health symptoms and their perceived stress which can be a major area for interventions to reduce the mental health morbidities.
ABSTRACT
The Corona Virus Disease (COVID)-19 pandemic led to the death of countless lives worldwide, which forced most countries and cities to impose a shutdown, bringing a halt to major human activities. While this shutdown caused a significant economic crisis, resulting in loss of livelihood to many people, it caused relief to the environment. Delhi in India is among the highest air-contaminated cities worldwide, and the COVID-19 shutdown helped improve air quality. This paper studied the variation in air quality for Wazirpur, Delhi, during shutdown in 2020 and a similar time-period in 2019. The data was acquired from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) open-access portal for six air contaminants viz. Carbon-monoxide (CO), Nitrogen-dioxide (NO2), Ozone (O3), Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), and Sulphur-dioxide (SO2). Inferential statistical analysis was done to determine the trend in air quality variation during the shutdown compared to the previous year. Mean, standard deviation, percentage difference, linear regression and correlation analysis were made, and variable reduction in most air contaminants was noted. It was noted that for most of our observed time, the concentration of NO2, O3, PM10, PM2.5 and SO2 in 2020 is lower than in 2019, while the concentration of CO is greater in 2020 than the corresponding time in 2019. The maximum decline was observed for PM10 (70.5%) during phase-1, while the maximum increase was observed in CO (32.3%) during phase-1. As the shutdown restrictions were eased out, an increase in the air contaminants was also noted.
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Objective To assess the effect of nationwide lockdown and its associated repercussion on the self-care management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D). Methods Response from 1406 diabetic patients was collected against a 16 item questionnaire. Data was collected on diabetic self-management practices, behavioral aspects, psychological implications, drug availability and awareness towards the pandemic. Emphasis was on choices made by patients in the absence of guidance from physicians and impact of stress and blood sugar levels on other variables. The data was analyzed using Chi-square tests at P < 0.05. Results About 27% were under stress, 14.7% and 30.8% reported a change in dietary and sleep pattern. About 83% could not consult a doctor and as a result 13% stopped taking medications. Patients with stress slept less, observed a change in dietary patterns and had uncontrolled blood sugar levels (P = 0.0001). On the contrary those without stress spent time with family and were occupied with a hobby (P = 0.0001). Those with controlled blood sugar levels exercised more and had normal sleep patterns. Fluctuation with doses was observed among those with uncontrolled blood sugar levels in the absence of physicians consultation (P = 0.001). Conclusion Even though majority of study participants were not able to consult their physicians yet nearly 2/3rd were practicing Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose (SMBG), more than half were exercising regularly, more than 2/3rds continued taking their medications and majority were following appropriate diet pattern. Stress management is a key factor during these times due to its association with other variables.
ABSTRACT
Otorhinolaryngologists, particularly dealing with airway cases, are subjected to highest risk of COVID 19 aerosolisation, self infection and transmission. Moreover, airway cases, which mostly present as emergency, cannot be deferred. Being a tertiary airway centre and having received a number of airway cases, most of them requiring prompt surgical intervention, our airway surgery and anaesthesiology team had to work in conjunction to adapt and readapt the practice over the past few months, striving to achieve effective airway surgery protocols, to minimize exposure and prevent transmission of COVID 19. To enlist the encountered airway cases during COVID 19 pandemic and to highlight the important inclusions and adaptations in executing the airway surgeries. A retrospective observational study of 7 months duration was carried out. This is a single institutional study, where the sample included the primary as well the referred airway cases. Apart from Tracheotomy, Foreign body bronchus removal, Dilatation of Laryngotracheal Stenosis (LTS) and excision of Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP), we also have had the experience to deal with congenital Laryngo-tracheo-oesophageal Cleft (LTOC) Type III b, Thyroid surgery to relieve tracheal compression and Bilateral Choanal Atresia repair during the last 7 months. Routine 2 weeks follow up of the patients have been favourable, as there has not been any report or clinical features of transmission of COVID 19. As the airway surgeries could be executed with the incorporation of certain change in practice and as the follow up revealed no evidence of transmission, we attempt to contribute to airway best practice guideline for maintaining the safety of patients and health professionals.