ABSTRACT
Background: While more than a year has passed since the COVID-19 outbreak, it is still a growing health concern. Moreover, ample consensus exists for the presence of not only a physical but also a psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those reported as hardest hit were individuals who had been infected with COVID-19. Survivors have exhibited a higher prevalence of psychological morbidity i.e., PTSD, depression, and anxiety-as compared with the general population and health workers. Additionally, COVID-19 patients and survivors have been psychologically impacted by a staggering number of disease-related stressors. Objective(s): The study was aimed at analyzing COVID-19's impact on the psychological state of Argentinian disease survivors. Method(s): Two hundred and ninety-six COVID-19 survivors (67.2% female;Mage = 44.81;SDage = 12.16) from a major Buenos Aires hospital completed a questionnaire and a set of psychological measures-COVID-19 emotional impact, psychological sequelae, disease-related stressors, PTSD, and psychological distress. Result(s): The most impactful psychological sequelae and disease stressors revolved around having the disease awaiting test results, fear of infecting loved ones, being apart from family and friends during the disease, fear of physical sequelae and symptoms, and returning to isolation. PTSD prevalence rates were 33.8%. Survivor's psychological distress levels were moderately higher than pre-COVID-era general population levels, yet not significantly different from preCOVID-era clinical inpatients. Female gender, age, and hospital admission emerged as significant predictors of increased adverse psychological outcomes. Conclusion(s): Intervention for COVID-19 survivors is urgently needed, with particular attention to the alarming PTSD prevalence rates, as discussed in the study.Copyright © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.
ABSTRACT
Background and Aims: Hypolipidaemia is a known consequence of sepsis, predominantly from HDL-C (HDL-cholesterol) lowering. The dynamic of lipoprotein responses is in COVID-19 is not yet elucidated. We aim to describe a lipoprotein response pattern in patients with severe COVID-19 admitted to Intensive Care Department (ICU) at TUH during the first wave of the pandemic in Ireland. Methods: A multidisciplinary team extracted the clinical data and laboratory results of all patients diagnosed with COVID-19 by RT-PCR and admitted to the ICU department in March and April 2020. Data are presented as means, apart from laboratory data where patients had more than one set of results in 24 hours, when median results were calculated for each 24-h period. Results: Twenty-five patients were admitted to ICU (table 1). Presenting comorbidities included hypertension in 10, cardiovascular disease in 5 and diabetes mellitus in 8 patients. Lipoprotein median concentrations demonstrated initial reduction at admission to ICU, followed by rise in concentration during ICU stay (table 1 and figure 1). A significant negative correlation was observed between ICU outcome and HDL-C area under the curve (AUC) (R=-0.506, p=0.004) and LDL-AUC (R=-0.575, p=0.003). Delta LDL-AUC had the strongest correlation with ICU length of stay (LOS) (R=0.455, p=0.02), hospital LOS (R=0.484, p=0.02) and ICU outcomes (R=-0.454, p=0.02). Individual lipoprotein parameters did not demonstrate significant correlation. [Formula presented] [Formula presented] Conclusions: Lipoprotein concentrations (HDL-C and LDL-C) upon ICU admission are low in severe COVID-19 pneumonia patients and subsequent changes in concentrations may be associated with patient outcomes.