ABSTRACT
Background: A cytokine storm and an aggressive immune response against the virus play a crucial role in enhancing the severity and fatality of sickness, according to recent studies. The YKL-40 and P2 Microglobulin biomarkers are involved in the development of severe COVID-19 and may be used as early indicators of severity Aims: The aim of this study is to compare asymptomatic, moderate, severe, and critical COVID-19 patients' serum levels of certain laboratory biomarkers (YKL-40, P2 Microglobulin) to those of healthy controls. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients with positive RT-PCR COVID-19 results and a control group of 46 healthy participants with negative RT-PCR results. Patients were categorized as a four groups, critical, severe, moderate, or asymptomatic according to WHO standards. Enzyme-Linked Immune Sorbent Assay (ELISA) was used by (CV Human Reader HS REF 16670) to measure (YKL_40, P2 Microglobulin). Results: The mean levels of YKL-40 (550.9758), P2 microglobulin (18.8349) among patients more than control (123.57) (9.88) groups, while the mean levels of YKL-40 and P2 microglobulin respectively were higher among both critical (1266.89) (28.06) and sever (651.35) (20.13) of COVID-19 patients other than moderate (162.3) (16.49), asymptomatic (123.34)(10.64). Conclusions: The current study's findings revealed a significant difference in the level of (YKL-40, β2 microglobulin) between patient groups (critical, severe, moderate, and asymptomatic) and the control group. We also discovered a strong correlation between the disease severity and high concentrations of biomarkers, aging, and chronic illnesses. © 2023, ResearchTrentz Academy Publishing Education Services. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: The socio-clinical characteristics have been considered an important variable associated with COVID-19 and a predictor of morbidity and mortality. Convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) was one of the modalities used worldwide for COVID-19 treatment. In Iraq, there is a paucity of studies evaluating the socio-clinical variables of patients with severe COVID-19 treated with CPT. Objective(s): This study aims to describe the socio-clinical characteristics of patients with severe COVID-19 treated with and without CPT in one of the main COVID-19 treatment centers in Iraq. Material(s) and Method(s): A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between May 15 and August 14, 2020, at the main COVID-19 treatment center in Anbar Governorate, west of Iraq. Out of 529 hospitalized patients, a total of 438 with severe disease were enrolled in the study. Result(s): The participants' mean age was 49.9+/-13.8 years. The majority of the subjects were males, aged >=40 years, residing in urban areas. 65.2% of the patients had at least one comorbidity, and 6.4% were smokers. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus represented the two commonest comorbid conditions. All patients have required oxygen therapy;41.1% were performed with continuous positive airway pressure. Male patients aged >=60, and patients with comorbidities received CPT at a higher frequency. Conclusion(s): This study corroborates the findings from other studies that certain socio-clinical characteristics had an association with hospitalization related to severe COVID-19. Convalescent plasma was administered in more than one-fifth of the COVID-19 hospitalized patients in Anbar during the early pandemic phase.
ABSTRACT
Objective/Background: While there is no universal agreement on the benefits of convalescent plasma (CP) in the treatment of COVID-19 infection, very little is known about whether CP affects the association between chronic diseases and mortality. It is known that chronic diseases are associated with worse outcomes, but it is not clear whether the transfusion of CP impacts this association. This study aims to evaluate this impact considering that few studies have discussed the treatment of COVID-19 patients with CP. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among COVID-19 patients treated with CP at the main hospital for treatment and isolation of COVID-19 in Anbar/Iraq during the period of May to August 2020. A questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, smoking, and contact with COVID-19 was conducted. The presence of comorbidity, especially hypertension, heart failure, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic pulmonary diseases, asthma, and the hospital outcome (discharged home alive or cure/death) were included. The Chi-square test (or Fisher's exact test) was used to measure the association between comorbidity with the outcome. Logistic regression was used to assess the main predictors for cure (discharged home alive) and death outcome. Results: The mean age of the subjects was (53.05
ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV2 infection emerged in Iraq in February 2020. In this study, we describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of the initial SARS-CoV2 patients. A total of 529 patients were included in this study from April to August 2020 in Anbar province. Patients were confirmed to be infected in nasal swabs by real-time RT-PCR or chest CT scan findings. The gathered data included the demographic variables (age, sex, residency), presence of comorbidity (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, respiratory illness, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, obesity), and history of contact with a known case of SARS-CoV2. The results showed that 64% of the patients were males and 36% were female, 48% of the patients lied in the age category 40-59 years, 74% had exposure history, 95% did not have a history of smoking, 46% were overweight, 60% had no comorbidity, 78% presented with mild/moderate disease, 70% had typical chest CT scan finding (CO-RAD 5), and 76% of patients showed positive PCR. The fatality rate is 16%. Most of the patients had a history of exposure to a confirmed case of SARS-CoV2 before the illness. The severity and outcome were correlated with risk factors and comorbidity. Combining chest computed tomography images with the qPCR analysis of nasal swab samples can improve the accuracy of SARS-CoV2 diagnosis. © 2021 Revista Bionatura. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: The rapid spread of COVID-19 disease in Iraq has been a daunting challenge. Given the overwhelmed Iraqi healthcare system, healthcare directors struggled to manage this unprecedented crisis. The role of telemedicine during the coronavirus pandemic has evolved to allow for social distancing while providing appropriate health care to the community at large. Telemedicine emerged as a reasonable solution to deliver appropriate care to COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: This study explores the role of telemedicine using the “WhatsApp” application between doctors and patients at home in the “Al-Anbar” province west of Iraq. Patients and Methods: All patients diagnosed with COVID-19 disease who were managed by a group of physicians willing to offer telemedicine service in many cities of the”Al-Anbar” province west of Iraq were included in this study. Patients’ demographics included age, gender, disease severity, and mortality rate. All patients were followed until they were declared cured of the disease or otherwise. The telemedicine service was provided using the “WhatsApp” platform. The data were entered into a digital database for final analysis. Results: from April through July 2020, at the beginning of the disease in Iraq, 716 patients were managed inclusive of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up using telemedicine services. Of these, 414 (57.8%) were male, and 302 (42.2%) were female. Of the males, 12 patients succumbed to the disease, resulting in a survival rate of 97.10%, whereas of the females, nine patients succumbed to the disease, resulting in a survival rate of 97.02%. Most COVID-19 patients contracted mild-to-moderate disease with a reported mortality rate of 1.2%. Those with severe disease had a higher mortality rate of 17.5%. There was a statistically significant association between the mortality rate and increasing age and COVID-19 disease severity. Conclusions: We believe that our experience using telemedicine in its most basic form proved effective in managing COVID-19 patients in areas where resources are scarce. It provided essential health care while minimizing the risk of disease spread among healthcare workers, patients, and their families.
ABSTRACT
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a massive impact worldwide. Clinical symptoms vary in different countries. In addition, a wide range of symptoms involve most of the body systems including the respiratory system. However, COVID-19 has no classical presenting signs. Objective: This study aimed to describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of hospitalized and nonhospitalized COVID-19 patients in Anbar Governorate, Iraq. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in Anbar Governorate, Iraq. The study covered the period from May 1 to June 30, 2020. All cases were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Data concerning the age, gender, residence, occupation, clinical symptoms, smoking, history of systemic diseases, and disease fate were collected from patients' records. Results: Of 481 patients, 259 (53.8%) were male. The patient age ranged from 12 to 104 years with a mean age of 45.7
ABSTRACT
Background: No other similar study was done on the role of vitamin A in the treatment of COVID-19. Objective: To find the effect of vitamin A on patients with COVID-19 and its protective effect on contacts. Patient and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on two groups. The first group of 100 diagnosed mild to moderate patients with COVID-19, 50 patients received two doses of vitamin A (200,000 I.U.) for two days, another 50 patients received a placebo. Data about clinical features, SPO2, and the mean duration of symptoms collected after 24 and 48 hours from the administration, in addition to the number of patients who deteriorate their SPO2. A second group was contacted to patients diagnosed with COVID-19, part of them received two doses (200,000 I.U.) of vitamin A and others received a placebo. The comparison was between the percentage of getting the infection and the duration of symptoms among those who got the infection. Results: A significant improvement in symptoms, shorter duration of illness, with a lower number of patients who deteriorate their SPO2 among patients given vitamin A compared to control. A lower incidence of infection among contacts who received vitamin A in comparison to contacts received placebo with shorter duration of symptoms among those who got the infection. Conclusions;A great benefit of the use of vitamin A in patients with COVID-19 and to contacts. Adding vitamin, A to the protocol management of COVID-19 is recommended.