ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a highly efficacious, tissue sparing method of skin cancer removal. Nevertheless, in the months to years after MMS, psychosocial distress has been described. The present study addressed the immediate period after MMS and assessed the frequency and risk factors for development of depressive symptoms. METHODS: Subjects undergoing MMS at two physician practices (JL, FS) were included in this prospective cohort study. Preoperatively, a standardized depression screening, the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8), was administered. After MMS, the PHQ-8 was readministered at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 12. Average PHQ-8 score by week and change from baseline PHQ-8 score were the primary outcomes. RESULTS: Sixty-three subjects were included of which 49 (78%) had a facial site. Twenty-two subjects (35%) had some increase in score during the 12-week follow-up period, of which 18 had a facial site. The oldest subjects (83-99 years, n = 14) had significantly higher PHQ-8 scores at week 4 (p < 0.01) and week 6 (p = 0.02) than all other age groups. There were no differences in scores between location groups. CONCLUSIONS: One-third of subjects had some increase in score during the follow-up period. Those in the oldest age cohort were at highest risk of increased score. In contrast to prior literature, those with facial sites were not at higher risk. This difference may be explained by increased masking during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, consideration of patients' psychologic status in the immediate postoperative period after MMS, particularly in the elderly population, may enhance perceived patient outcomes.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study sought to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus on surfaces that trainees and faculty of an academic eye clinic came into contact with during daily life at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis involved collection of at least two samples by teams on four different days (November 9, 2020 - December 18, 2020) using sterile swabs (Puritan HydraFlock, Garden Grove, CA). Collection sites were grouped into four zones depending on proximity and amount of time personnel spent there. Samples were transported to the laboratory in transport medium and RNA was extracted using the QIAamp DSP Viral RNA Mini Kit (Qiagen, Germantown, MD). Presence of viral RNA was investigated using the Luna Universal Probe One-step RT-qPCR kit (New England Biolabs, Ipwsich, MA). RESULTS: 834 samples were submitted. Two were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The first was a sample from a patient bathroom sink handle in the main emergency department. The second was a nasal swab sample from a staff member who had been assigned to collect samples. Prior to this positive result, this asymptomatic staff member had tested positive for COVID-19, had quarantined for two weeks, and had received a negative test. CONCLUSION: Though COVID-19 is currently widespread in the United States, this study shows that health care personnel working in New York City at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center have a low chance of encountering viral RNA on surfaces they are in close contact with during daily life.