Telemedicine implementation for management of COVID19 patients at hospital admission: a single center experience

Introduction: Telemedicine has already been used for the patients with respiratory diseases especially at follow up of long term mechanically ventilated patients and tele-pulmonary rehabilitation. Aim(s): To assess the efficacy of telemedicine consultation system in the management of COVID-19 suspected patients at hospital admission. Method(s): To reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 contamination among health-care workers, the COVID-19 pandemic control committee of our centre established a tele-medicine consultation group including pulmonologists, radiologists, emergency medicine and infectious disease specialists. Suspected COVID-19 patients were examined in the pandemic outpatient clinic or emergency department at their first admission by a physician. The physician consulted to the tele-consultation group with a structured medical story and test results after the first examination. Result(s): 469 patients were evaluated through teleconsultation, of 58.2 % were pre-diagnosed with COVID-19. SARS-COV-2 PCR resulted positive in 76.3 % of 273 patients with COVID-19 pre-diagnosis. 288 patients were hospitalized, and 0.9 % of discharged patients were re-admitted to the hospital due to deterioration. Main diagnoses were as follows: COVID-19 (n:289, 62 %), Cardiogenic pulmonary edema (n:40, 8.6 %), non-COVID-19 pneumonia (n:44, 9.4 %), COPD exacerbation (n:8, 1.7 %). Consistency rates between pre- and main diagnosis were 87,2 % for COVID-19 and 63,5 % for non-COVID-19 diseases. Discussion(s): The teleconsultation could be considered an effective method for the management of COVID-19 during the admission to hospital with a reduced risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among health-care workers.

Clinical course of Covid-19 cases vaccinated or unvaccinated

The novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to spread rapidly all over the world and cause deaths. There are vaccines developed for the ongoing pandemic. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of vaccines on the severity and course of the disease in patients diagnosed with Covid-19 and followed up in the hospital. Forty-nine patients with a diagnosis of Covid-19 pneumonia, who were hospitalized and followed up, were evaluated. Patients whose vaccine doses were incomplete were excluded from the study. The mean age of the patients included in the study was 67.85+/-13.14. 27 (55.1%) patients were male. 22 patients (55.1%) had received the Covid-19 vaccine. 15 (30.6%) people were vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech, 7 (14.2) people with Sinovac (CoronaVac). When the length of hospitalization, need for intensive care and mortality rates of the vaccinated and unvaccinated patients were compared, the number of days of hospitalization, the need for intensive care and death were significantly less in the vaccinated group. (respectively;p:0.048, p:0.042, p:0.034) Since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues despite all the individual and national measures taken, the most important method of combating the disease is currently seen as vaccination. In our study, we showed that vaccination reduces the mortality of the disease, the need for intensive care, and the length of hospital stay. With these findings, we can predict that the pandemic will be brought under control with the increase in vaccination rates.

Effect of the novel type coronavirus on the mental health of patients

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged in China in 2019 and significantly affected the entire world. The pandemic and the restrictions led to an increase in the frequency of mental health disorders (i.e., depression and anxiety) and insomnia. The aim of the study was to evaluate mental health disorders in patients who were hospitalized because of COVID-19. The patients were evaluated 6 months after hospital discharge. METHODS: A total of 114 patients who were hospitalized at Ufuk University Hospital with the diagnosis of COVID-19 were consented to participate in the posttreatment questionnaire about demographics and a Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was also given to the patients to answer. RESULTS: In our study, anxiety symptoms were detected in 34 (29.8%) individuals, stress symptoms in 9 (7.9%) individuals, and depressive symptoms in 17 (14.9%). When gender, education level, age, and marital status were evaluated, there was no significant relationship observed between depression, anxiety and stress, and sleep disorders. Only those with a history of psychiatric illness had significantly higher levels of anxiety, stress, and depression (p=0.040, p=0.047, and p=0.009, respectively). Sleep quality was poor in 88 (77.2%) patients and good (normal) in 26 (22.8%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the sleep quality of the patients deteriorated and the symptoms of stress and anxiety increased during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Patients with a previous history of psychiatric illness were more affected.