Less Social Support for Patients With COVID-19: Comparison With the Experience of Nurses.

Context: Since December 2019, more than 80,000 patients have been diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China. Social support status of COVID-19 patients, especially the impact of social support on their psychological status and quality of life, needs to be addressed with increasing concern. Objectives: In this study, we used social support rating scale (SSRS) to investigate the social support in COVID-19 patients and nurses. Methods: The present study included 186 COVID-19 patients at a Wuhan mobile cabin hospital and 234 nurses at a Wuhan COVID-19 control center. Responses to a mobile phone app-based questionnaire about social support, anxiety, depression, and quality of life were recorded and evaluated. Results: COVID-19 patients scored significantly lower than nurses did on the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Among these patients, 33.9% had anxiety symptoms, while 23.7% had depression symptoms. Overall SSRS, subjective social support scores and objective support scores of patients with anxiety were lower than those of patients without anxiety. This result was also found in depression. In addition, all dimensions of social support were positively correlated with quality of life. Interestingly, in all dimensions of social support, subjective support was found to be an independent predictive factor for anxiety, depression, and quality of life, whereas objective support was a predictive factor for quality of life, but not for anxiety and depression via regression analysis. Conclusion: Medical staffs should pay attention to the subjective feelings of patients and make COVID-19 patients feel respected, supported, and understood from the perspective of subjective support, which may greatly benefit patients, alleviate their anxiety and depression, and improve their quality of life.

Role of cytokine storm in coronavirus infections: culprit or accomplice?

At present, there are seven known types of human coronaviruses (HCoVs), which can be further divided into two categories: low pathogenic and highly pathogenic. The low pathogenic HCoVs infect the upper respiratory tract, mainly causing mild, cold-like respiratory diseases. By contrast, highly pathogenic HCoVs mainly infect the lower respiratory tract and cause fatal types of pneumonia, which include severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), as well as the recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Highly pathogenic HCoV infection has a high morbidity and mortality, which is usually related to the strong immune response induced by highly proinflammatory cytokines, which is also known as "cytokine storm". Therefore, it is particularly important to explore the role of cytokine storm in the process of highly pathogenic HCoV infection. We review the epidemiological and clinical manifestations of highly pathogenic HCoV infection, and reveal the pathology of cytokine storm and its role in the process of highly pathogenic HCoV infection.

Nervous system involvement after infection with COVID-19 and other coronaviruses.

Viral infections have detrimental impacts on neurological functions, and even to cause severe neurological damage. Very recently, coronaviruses (CoV), especially severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV 2 (SARS-CoV-2), exhibit neurotropic properties and may also cause neurological diseases. It is reported that CoV can be found in the brain or cerebrospinal fluid. The pathobiology of these neuroinvasive viruses is still incompletely known, and it is therefore important to explore the impact of CoV infections on the nervous system. Here, we review the research into neurological complications in CoV infections and the possible mechanisms of damage to the nervous system.

The Role of the Gastrointestinal System in Neuroinvasion by SARS-CoV-2.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is one of the most devastating pandemics in history. SARS-CoV-2 has infected more than 100 million people worldwide, leading to more than 3.5 million deaths. Initially, the clinical symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection were thought to be restricted to the respiratory system. However, further studies have revealed that SARS-CoV-2 can also afflict multiple other organs, including the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system. The number of gastrointestinal and neurological manifestations after SARS-CoV-2 infection has been rapidly increasing. Most importantly, patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 often exhibit comorbid symptoms in the gastrointestinal and neurological systems. This review aims to explore the pathophysiological mechanisms of neuroinvasion by SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 may affect the nervous system by invading the gastrointestinal system. We hope that this review can provide novel ideas for the clinical treatment of the neurological symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and references for developing prevention and treatment strategies.

Is SARS-CoV-2 vaccination safe and effective for elderly individuals with neurodegenerative diseases?

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a substantial threat to the lives of the elderly, especially those with neurodegenerative diseases, and vaccination against viral infections is recognized as an effective measure to reduce mortality. However, elderly patients with neurodegenerative diseases often suffer from abnormal immune function and take multiple medications, which may complicate the role of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines. Currently, there is no expert consensus on whether SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are suitable for patients with neurodegenerative diseases. AREAS COVERED: We searched Pubmed to conduct a systematic review of published studies, case reports, reviews, meta-analyses, and expert guidelines on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on neurodegenerative diseases and the latest developments in COVID-19 vaccines. We also summarized the interaction between vaccines and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. The compatibility of future SARS-CoV-2 vaccines with neurodegenerative diseases is discussed. EXPERT OPINION: Vaccines enable the body to produce immunity by activating the body's immune response. The pathogenesis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases is complex, and these diseases often involve abnormal immune function, which can substantially affect the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. In short, this article provides recommendations for the use of vaccine candidates in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in neurodegenerative diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) uses the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor for infecting and spreading in humans. Studies have shown that the widespread expression of ACE2 in human tissues may be associated with organ function damage (e.g., lung, kidney, and stomach) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, in neurodegenerative diseases, whose pathogenesis is closely related to advanced age, ACE2 plays a neurotrophic and protective role by activating the ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/Mas axis, thus inhibiting cognitive impairment. Early reports have revealed that the elderly are more susceptible to COVID-19 and that elderly patients with COVID-19 have faster disease progression and higher mortality. Therefore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to understand the role of ACE2 in neurodegenerative diseases. In this paper, we review the relationship between COVID-19, neurodegenerative diseases, and ACE2, as well as provide recommendations for the protection of elderly patients with neurodegenerative diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deleterious effects of viral pneumonia on cardiovascular system.

Viral pneumonia has a significant effect on the cardiovascular system through various mechanisms; even though it is traditionally regarded as a pulmonary disease characterized by dyspnoea and hypoxaemia. Recent research works have shown that cardiovascular events outweigh all other causes of death in various influenza pandemics. Therefore, the exploration of the effects of viral pneumonia on cardiovascular system becomes increasingly essential. The objective of this review is three-fold: first, to summarize the knowledge about the epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifestations of viral infections that are the recent causes of global pandemics; second, to explore the cardiovascular response to these infections; and third, to attempt in identifying the possible coping strategies of the Wuhan epidemic and the future viral infection pandemics.

Vicarious traumatization in the general public, members, and non-members of medical teams aiding in COVID-19 control.

Since December 2019, more than 79,000 people have been diagnosed with infection of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). A large number of medical staff was sent to Wuhan city and Hubei province to aid COVID-19 control. Psychological stress, especially vicarious traumatization caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, should not be ignored. To address this concern, the study employed a total of 214 general public and 526 nurses (i.e., 234 front-line nurses and 292 non-front-line nurses) to evaluate vicarious traumatization scores via a mobile app-based questionnaire. Front-line nurses are engaged in the process of providing care for patients with COVID-19. The results showed that the vicarious traumatization scores for front-line nurses including scores for physiological and psychological responses, were significantly lower than those of non-front-line nurses (P < 0.001). Interestingly, the vicarious traumatization scores of the general public were significantly higher than those of the front-line nurses (P < 0.001); however, no statistical difference was observed compared to the scores of non-front-line nurses (P > 0.05). Therefore, increased attention should be paid to the psychological problems of the medical staff, especially non-front-line nurses, and general public under the situation of the spread and control of COVID-19. Early strategies that aim to prevent and treat vicarious traumatization in medical staff and general public are extremely necessary.