Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with COPD from the United States, South Korea, and Europe

Background: Characterization studies of COVID-19 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are limited in size and scope. The aim of the study is to provide a large-scale characterization of COVID-19 patients with COPD. Methods: We included thirteen databases contributing data from January-June 2020 from North America (US), Europe and Asia. We defined two cohorts of patients with COVID-19 namely a ‘diagnosed' and ‘hospitalized' cohort. We followed patients from COVID-19 index date to 30 days or death. We performed descriptive analysis and reported the frequency of characteristics and outcomes among COPD patients with COVID-19. Results: The study included 934,778 patients in the diagnosed COVID-19 cohort and 177,201 in the hospitalized COVID-19 cohort. Observed COPD prevalence in the diagnosed cohort ranged from 3.8% (95%CI 3.5-4.1%) in French data to 22.7% (95%CI 22.4-23.0) in US data, and from 1.9% (95%CI 1.6-2.2) in South Korean to 44.0% (95%CI 43.1-45.0) in US data, in the hospitalized cohorts. COPD patients in the hospitalized cohort had greater comorbidity than those in the diagnosed cohort, including hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Mortality was higher in COPD patients in the hospitalized cohort and ranged from 7.6% (95%CI 6.9-8.4) to 32.2% (95%CI 28.0-36.7) across databases. ARDS, acute renal failure, cardiac arrhythmia and sepsis were the most common outcomes among hospitalized COPD patients. Conclusion: COPD patients with COVID-19 have high levels of COVID-19-associated comorbidities and poor COVID-19 outcomes. Further research is required to identify patients with COPD at high risk of worse outcomes. Copyright: © 2023 Moreno-Martos D et al.

Teaching and learning to conduct research in the virtual environment: evidence of consumption in the "Research Methodology" classroom

In recent decades, reflections on the teaching of social research methodology at universities have become more relevant not only in the classroom but also in numerous academic fields. These reflections have acquired greater importance due to the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to virtual environments at all levels of education. In university education, 2020 and 2021 were clearly dominated by the use of various online platforms. Research practice and the processes involved in the teaching and learning of research methodology involve considering how the theories at hand, the instruments, and even our ideas of perception, observation and interpretation of the world are influenced by the processes and approaches of a particular era. In the context of social structuring methods based on immediate enjoyment through consumption (Seribano, 2004), in this paper we review how the teaching and learning of social research methodology are not excluded from this view. As teachers of this subject at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, we pose several questions based on our experience teaching online courses in 2020. Has consumption, as a means of social relationship, entered the classroom? What is the relationship between consumption and the teaching and learning process? How did the online environment affect this relationship? How close to or distant from those of the market are the interactions between teachers and students? To conclude our paper we underline the ways in which the academic experience is imbued with sensitivities that are linked to immediate enjoyment through consumption and how this may be an obstacle to the teaching and learning of research methodology.

The lung ultrasound in the prognosis of COVID-19 patients

Introduction: Bedside lung ultrasound (LUS) is a useful and noninvasive tool for rapid evaluation of many chest conditions. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of LUS has become common practice for evaluating lung involvement and for monitoring changes in COVID-19 patients.The prognostic role of LUS in COVID-19 patients has not yet been established. Methods: We retrospectively analysed records from 448 patients (mean age 66,08) with confirmed COVID-19 by nasopharyngeal swab, admitted to our ward of COVID Medicine Unit at Ospedale del Mare in the town of Napoli between March 2020 and May 2021. We performed LUS on all patients with COVID-19 using a 14-zone method (Soldati score from 0 to 42 points) at the admission in COVID Medicine Unit within 3 days from the onset of symptoms.We evaluated the difference in LUS score between the death and survival groups. Results: The mean LUS scores were 30,93±5.01 and 21,53±7.85 in the death group compared with the survival group (weighted mean difference (WMD)=9.51,95% CI=8.20-10.82, P value <0.0001). Conclusions: The LUS score in our COVID- 19 population was associated with mortality. LUS score is important for the risk stratification in COVID-19 patients.

Pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax in CoViD-19 patients: A case series

Background: Pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax are not rarely observed during the CoViD-19 pandemic especially among mechanically ventilated patients. We present a case series of six patients with pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum in CoViD- 19 pneumonia. Presentation of the case series: All patients were males with a mean age of 59.63 years. Two patients had spontaneous pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax.One of them denied tobacco or respiratory disease, while the other patient had an history of spontaneous pneumothorax.Four of the six patients received noninvasive ventilation and the average number of days between ventilation and subsequent barotrauma was 8,5 days. Positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) was started at 10 cmH2 and then reduced to 8 cmH2.Three of patients had not significant comorbidities, while two of them had a medical history significant for hypertension, type 2 diabetes and ischemic heart disease. Five of six patients had a extensive bilateral interstitial pneumonia and no evidence of pulmonary embolism, three of them also had secondary bacterial pneumonia. Pneumomediastinum was treated conservatively in all patients. One patient with extensive pneumothorax required drainage. The probability of pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax increase with the combination of parenchymal injury from CoViD-19 infection and inflammatory response with additional positive pressure ventilation and likely super imposed bacterial infection. Conclusions: Pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax are important CPAP/NIV therapy complications in CoViD-19 and they should be considered if patients begin to deteriorate.

The practice of wearing masks in community setting according to the gross national income during the COVID-19 pandemic: A rapid review and meta-analysis

Several countries have eased public and social restrictions due to declining of positive COVID-19 new cases. This review aimed to quantitatively assess the practice of wearing masks in community settings. Identification and selection of studies in MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases were performed according to PRISMA guidelines. A meta-analysis was performed, and subgroup analysis was based on the country’s gross national income classification. From the twenty-eight studies, the overall estimate of respondents who responded “yes” to whether they wore masks outside the house or in the public area was 64% (95%CI: 48-78). Subgroup analysis showed 28% (95%CI: 5-74), 74% (95%CI: 55-87), 76% (95%CI: 48-92) and 38% (95%CI: 3-93) in High-Income Countries (HIC), Upper-Middle Income Countries (UMIC), Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), and Low-Income Countries (LIC), respectively. We found that the practice of wearing masks in public varies worldwide. Such differences can help future research to identify variations in the natural history of COVID-19 transmission in different regions of the world. © 2021 UPM Press. All rights reserved.

Pandemic, Social Policies and Emotions in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires

The Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires is one of the poorest areas of Argentina. In this area is located La Matanza, the largest geographic municipality with the largest population and greatest vulnerability, as indicated by data from a pre-pandemic investigation. In March 2020, in Argentina the "social, preventive and mandatory isolation" was declared in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant an increase in poverty and social assistance. In this context, an online survey study was carried out (in four waves: April, May, June and September/October) in order to ascertain the changes in the poverty situation of the population of La Matanza among the people receiving a social benefit, and related emotions around the pandemic and their own situation of vulnerability. For this, the exposition of the article will be: a) a review of the social and economic situation of the territory in question pre-pandemic;b) development of the theoretical perspective regarding social policies to address poverty in connection with emotions, considering social interventions that construct meanings, elaborate perceptions, and are located in the performativity of the aforementioned policies;c) development of the methodological aspects of research and analysis of quantitative information, taking into account the population that receives a social program and the emotions that emerge in relation to the pandemic. In this way, this chapter aims to make a substantial contribution to understanding the impact on the sensitivities of the recipients of the social interventions implemented in the context of a pandemic. © 2021 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on smoking cessation treatment

Introduction: The new Coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on health systems worldwide. Smokers were directly affected by these changes. Objective: To measure the new Coronavirus pandemic impact on smoking cessation from the analysis of data from the Pernambuco State Tobacco Control Program. Method: Descriptive cross-sectional study, using data from the monitoring strategy of the State Tobacco Control Program of the State Health Secretariat of Pernambuco (SES-PE) as the unit of analysis, comparing services in the second quarter of 2019 and 2020. Results: Between May and August 2019, 3.282 smoking patients sought treatment for smoking cessation in SUS, in Pernambuco. In a similar period, between the months of May and August of the year 2020, treatment for smoking cessation was sought by 680 smoking users, representing a drop of 79,28%. In addition, the number of municipalities offering treatment for smoking cessation in SUS dropped from 97 to 36 (62,89%) and the number of primary health care units providing treatment for smoking cessation in SUS went from 277 to 80 (71,11%). Conclusions: The decrease in the offer of treatment by the State Program to Combat Smoking is worrying. Although its relation with COVID-19 has not been fully elucidated, the cessation of tobacco use has already established benefits. Thus, it is necessary to encourage the adoption of new strategies and technologies, using the window of opportunity that the fear of COVID-19/smoking association created.