ABSTRACT
Introduction: The aim of the research was to define the reasons for the hospitalization of patients after the completion of outpatient/inpatient treatment of Covid-19 infection. Material(s) and Method(s): the study was conducted as a prospective cohort study and included 248 patients who met the criteria over a period of one year. Result(s): There were 156 men. The average age of the patients was 62 (SD=12.5). Most were unvaccinated (72%/178 patients). The most common comorbidities were arterial hypertension (60% / 148 patients), followed by other cardiovascular diseases (25%/ 61 patients), diabetes (23% / 56 patients). The average length of hospitalization was 11 days (SD=7.77). Vaccinated had a statistically significantly lower number of hospital days compared to unvaccinated (p<0,0001). The first diagnosis on discharge was pneumonia (36% / 89 patients), then newly diagnosed malignant lung tumors (18% / 45), pulmonary thromboembolism-PTE (17% / 43), pneumothorax (8% / 19), exacerbation of COPD/asthma (7% / 18), benign chest tumors (5% / 12), lung fibrosis (3% / 8). Respiratory failure was verified in 34% (84) patients. In 1% (25) of patients died. In 95% (235/248) of patients, elevated values of D dimer were registered. There is a statistically significant correlation between the number of days of hospitalization and the time elapsed since infection (p<0,0001). Conclusion(s): Most post-Covid hospitalizations occurred in the first 3 months after Covid-19 infection, due to pneumonia, PTE, or lung tumors. Vaccinated had fewer hospitalizations and fewer hospital days. D-dimer could be a prognostic marker of recovery.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The Covid-19 pandemic has cast a shadow over many other diseases, including tuberculosis (TB). Once again, an infectious disease that was once quite active will most likely knock on our door. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any differences in TB clinical characteristics in patients treated before and after the pandemic. Method(s): In this retrospective observational study, we looked at patients treated for TB at the Institute for Pulmonary Diseases in Vojvodina, Serbia, two years before the pandemic (2018/2019) and two pandemic years (2020/2021). Result(s): We examined 280 patients (159 in pre-pandemic years and 121 in pandemic years). The percentage of patients who had symptoms for more than 3 months before TB diagnosis in prepandemic years was 37.11%, while in pandemic years that percentage rose up to 48.76% (p=0.034). Direct microscopy was the most common method of diagnosis before and throughout the pandemic (p=0.638). Before the pandemic, it took 28.03 days to convert sputum;during the pandemic, it took 34.39 days (p=0.043). In these two groups, there was no deterioration in radiological presentation (p=0.676). Conclusion(s): The pandemic resulted in a fall in the number of diagnosed TB patients, and patients went to the doctor later despite TB symptomatology, potentially increasing the risk of TB transmission in the general population. Our experience shows that after periods of war, migrations, and epidemics of other infectious diseases, the incidence of TB increases. Taking all of this into account, we must intensify and systemise the approach to these patients in terms of early screening, particularly in vulnerable groups.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The COVID19 pandemic has changed the way of life all over the world, many diseases have started to reactivate and reappear. Tuberculosis (TB) can be among them despite the existence of effective measures and programs to control it. The aim of study was to establish patients' knowledge of TB at the time of the COVID19 pandemic. Method(s): The prospective study included patients with respiratory diseases who were interviewed (questionnaire with 27 questions) at the Institute of Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina (Serbia) in the period September-December 2021. Result(s): A total of 600 patients in two groups were surveyed (300 outpatient-AMB;300 in-hospital-HOS). Almost all patients in both groups knew that TB was a contagious disease (562, 93.6%, p=0.735);a curable disease (521, AMB-240, 80.0%, HOS-281, 93.7%, p=0.052). Less than 50% said bacteria was the causative agent (273 patients, AMB-149 patients, 49%, HOS-124, 41.3%, p=0.041). The 3/4 patients in both groups (521 patients, p=0.590) responded that cough was a way of transmission. Nearly 30% of all patients are unaware of the existence of TB vaccine (BCG), while 1/3 of patients believe that the vaccine cannot helps (204 patients, AMB-141, 47%, HOS-63, 21%, p=0.014). Conclusion(s): Patients showed mediocre knowledge of TB, especially with reference to TB immunization measures. The probable reason lies in the various informations in the media about immunization against COVID19 and the consequent rejection of the success of immunization against TB. It is necessary to intensify the education of the population about the positive effects of all types of immunization in order to prevent the disease.
ABSTRACT
The new reality imposed by the COVID-19 pandemics in 2020 affected the human society in innumerous ways. One of the issues that has gone through radical changes is surely the higher education system, with the teaching process migrating from classrooms into the virtual reality of online courses and classrooms. The topic of the paper is the teaching of Technical English in online environment, in terms of the course and process planning, organization, design, implementation, and gained experiences and results. The courses created for the subjects English Language 1, 2, 3, and 4 at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of East Sarajevo, as well as the entire online ESP teaching process based on these courses, will be used as a basis for the paper. Within that, the role of tools used for the course creation and implementation, both specific (Moodle, Jitsi Meet) and general (email, social networks, Word, PowerPoint, YouTube, Google Drive, and VSDC Free Screen Recorder) will be presented as well. At the end of the paper, conclusions will be made on the basis of the practical experiences and results achieved during and after the implementation of the courses. © 2021 IEEE.