ABSTRACT
Currently, a new type of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is rampant in the world. In this process, the medical doctor who performs the PCR test is also at risk of being infected with COVID-19. Therefore, we are developing a swab manipulation robot to mechanize this process. This robot can prevent infection of laboratory doctors and technicians by remotely controlling the dangerous virus collection process, and increase the number of tests performed per day to detect COVID-19 at an early stage and perform mass testing. In this study, we created a model of the nasopharynx, which is the area to be wiped in the PCR test for the medical staff to improve their skills of sampling operation.
ABSTRACT
Background: Early approval of COVID-19 vaccine has significant benefits for cancer patients treated under the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. However, there has been limited reports that investigated the safety and efficacy of vaccination in cancer patients and the optimal timing of vaccination during chemotherapy. We therefore investigated the effects of vaccination on treatment in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Methods: Our retrospective observational study included 52 patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer receiving chemotherapy at the medical hospital of Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Tokyo who had two doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) between May 2021 and September 2021. All patients had no history of COVID-19 infection. Treatment- and vaccination-related adverse events were recorded by outpatient interviews and self-reports. All adverse events were evaluated using CTCAE v5.0. Results: Characteristics of patients were as follows (N = 52): median age, 70y (range, 49-89);male/female, 30/22;ECOG PS 0, 75%;local/metastatic, 12/40;mean BMI, 23.4±4.1;comorbidities in 36 (cardiovascular in 24, diabetes in 8, kidney disease in 8, liver disease in 6, lung disease in 1);treatment (cytotoxic in 45, biologics in 23, immune checkpoint inhibitor in 4). Of the 52 patients, 45 received chemotherapy prior to vaccination;days from last dose to first vaccination, median 11 (range, 1-70);days from first to second vaccinations, median 21 (range, 21-41);days from first vaccination to chemotherapy, median 10 (range, 2-34). 11 patients (24.4%) changed treatment schedule: 3 for safety reasons, 4 for myelosuppression and 4 for convenience. 4 patients stopped treatment due to disease progression. Following the first vaccination, 37 patients (82.2%) had adverse events (AEs): injection site pain (n = 35), fatigue (n = 6), fever (n = 3), headache (n = 2), gastrointestinal symptoms (n = 2), redness (n = 1), insomnia (n = 1). There was no treatment- and vaccine-related deaths. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that vaccine-related AEs in GI cancer patients receiving chemotherapy are tolerable, and treatment schedule changes could be minimized. Although careful monitoring is required, COVID-19 vaccination is also recommended for cancer patients toward the convergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Aim: We present the study protocol of a multicenter, retrospective observational study that aims to investigate the efficacy of the actual treatment (the efficacy of conventional and Kampo medicines) of patients with mild to moderate or suspected coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Methods: This study is designed as a multicenter, retrospective observational study. Outpatients and inpatients will be recruited from Japanese hospitals. The inclusion criteria are as follows: having or suspected to have COVID-19, mild to moderate COVID-19, symptomatic, ≥20 years of age, male or female, able to communicate in Japanese, and treated with conventional and Kampo medicine. The exclusion criteria are: unable to provide informed consent due to dementia, psychosis, or psychiatric symptoms, severe COVID-19, or determined unsuitable for this study. The sample size is set at 1000, as this number of people can be treated at the collaborating medical institutions during the study period. Results: The main outcome is the number of days without fever, with a body temperature of less than 37°C. The secondary outcome is set at common cold-like symptoms other than fever (fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, sputum, diarrhea) and severity of illness and hospitalization up to 14 days after the visit. Trial registration: The trial was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network (Reservation No. UMIN000041301) on August 4, 2020. Conclusion: Our study will explore the contribution of conventional and Kampo medicine in the treatment of patients with mild and moderate COVID-19.