Implementation of Psychosocial Screening into Diabetes Clinics: Experience from the Type 1 Diabetes Exchange Quality Improvement Network.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Although advances in diabetes technology and pharmacology have significantly and positively impacted diabetes management and health outcomes for some, diabetes care remains burdensome and can be challenging to balance with other life priorities. The purpose of this article is to review the rationale for assessment of psychosocial domains in diabetes care settings and strategies for the implementation of psychosocial screening into routine practice. Survey data from the Type 1 Diabetes Exchange Quality Improvement Network is highlighted. RECENT FINDINGS: Implementation of psychosocial screening requires identifying the population; selecting validated tools to assess target domains; determining frequency of screening and mode of survey delivery; and scoring, interpreting, documenting, and facilitating referrals such that these processes are part of clinical workflows. Recognizing the influence of psychosocial factors for people with diabetes (PWD), professional society guidelines for comprehensive diabetes care recommend the integration of psychosocial screening into routine care.

Patient Experiences With Ambulatory Telehealth in Neurology: Results of a Mixed-Methods Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess patient experiences with rapid implementation of ambulatory telehealth during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: A mixed-methods study was performed to characterize the patients' experience with neurology telehealth visits during the first 8 weeks of the COVID-19 response. Consecutive patients who completed a telehealth visit were contacted by telephone. Assenting patients completed a survey quantifying satisfaction with the visit followed by a semistructured telephone interview. Qualitative data were analyzed using the principles of thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2,280 telehealth visits were performed, and 753 patients (33%) were reached for postvisit feedback. Of these, 47% of visits were by video and 53% by telephone. Satisfaction was high, with 77% of patients reporting that all needs were met, although only 51% would consider telehealth in the future. Qualitative themes were constructed, suggesting that positive patient experiences were associated not only with the elimination of commute time and associated costs but also with a positive physician interaction. Negative patient experiences were associated with the inability to complete the neurologic examination. Overall, patients tended to view telehealth as a tool that should augment, and not replace, in-person visits. CONCLUSION: In ambulatory telehealth, patients valued convenience, safety, and physician relationship. Barriers were observed but can be addressed.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening of asymptomatic healthcare workers in a low-prevalence setting: A single-center UK cohort study

In this cohort study of UK healthcare workers, we evaluated the use of fortnightly polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening to facilitate the safe resumption of elective surgery in a low-prevalence setting. We found that adherence to serial testing was poor, and the resource required to identify 1 asymptomatic case was substantial.

Humoral and Cellular Immune Response to Covid-19 Vaccination in Patients with Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease on Immunosuppression.

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) and its management with immunosuppressive therapies increase the susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, as well as progression to severe Coronavirus 19 disease (COVID-19). Vaccination against COVID-19 is strongly recommended, but efficacy data are limited in this patient population. In this study, responses to COVID-19 vaccination were measured at 3 time points-after the initial vaccine series, before the third dose, and after the third dose-in adults with cGVHD receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Humoral response was measured by quantitative anti-spike antibody and neutralizing antibody levels. Anti-nucleocapsid antibody levels were measured to detect natural infection. T cell response was evaluated by a novel immunosequencing technique combined with immune repertoire profiling from cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples. Present or absent T cell responses were determined by the relative proportion of unique SARS-CoV-2-associated T cell receptor sequences ("breadth") plus clonal expansion of the response ("depth") compared with those in a reference population. Based on both neutralizing antibody and T cell responses, patients were categorized as vaccine responders (both detected), nonresponders (neither detected), or mixed (one but not both detected). Thirty-two patients were enrolled for the initial series, including 17 (53%) positive responders, 7 (22%) mixed responders, and 8 (25%) nonresponders. All but one patient categorized as mixed responders had humoral responses while lacking T cell responses. No statistical differences were observed in patient characteristics among the 3 groups of patients categorized by immune response, although sample sizes were limited. Significant positive correlations were observed between the robustness of cellular and humoral responses after the initial series. Among the 20 patients with paired samples (pre- and post-third dose), a third vaccination resulted in increased neutralizing antibody titers. cGVHD worsened in 10 patients (26%; 6 after the initial series and 4 after the third dose), necessitating escalation of immunosuppressive doses in 5 patients, although 4 had been tapering immunosuppression and 5 had already worsening cGVHD at the time of vaccination, and a clear association between COVID-19 vaccination and cGVHD could not be drawn. Among the patients with cGVHD on immunosuppressive therapy, 72% demonstrated a neutralizing antibody response after a 2-dose primary COVID-19 vaccination, two-thirds of whom also developed a T cell response; 25% had neither a humoral nor a T cell response. A third dose further amplified the antibody response.

Freedom through constraint: Young women's embodiment, space and wellbeing during lockdown.

Following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown restrictions in March 2020, young people were suddenly faced with a reduction and reconfiguration of the spaces in which they could 'be'. This paper explores how in this lockdown context, young women (aged 10-20) experienced their bodies and wellbeing, where traditional social connections (particularly school and physical connections) were not possible. Based on qualitative responses (n = 511) from an online, open-ended survey on wellbeing, physical activity, body image and social media usage, we explore how a reduction and reconfiguration of space, understood relationally, contributes to an individual's wellbeing. Using abductive reasoning and taking a phenomenological approach, we concentrate on the embodied experience of wellbeing and how this links to the spaces in which the body is lived. We suggest that the removal of spaces during lockdown, which on the one hand can be seen as problematic for maintaining wellbeing, also enabled many young women to experience new connections - with their bodies, family, and the environment and nature, that supplemented previous connections and fostered positive relationships and wellbeing. The removal of specific performative modes of judgement associated with the school environment was a positive influence on many young women's relationships with their own bodies and their wider construction of wellbeing, but increased use of social media spaces were found to reconstitute these performative experiences. The benefits of the specific and newly delimited freedoms associated with the forced lockdown have implications for an understanding of embodied wellbeing that is not individual, instead embedded inextricably in relations of connectedness with others in space and the nature of these intersubjective experiences.

Living with a vestibular disorder during the Covid-19 pandemic: An online survey study.

BACKGROUND: People with vestibular disorders experience symptoms which put them at risk of reduced wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on vestibular symptoms, access to healthcare and daily activities amongst people living with a vestibular disorder. METHODS: An online survey was completed by 124 people in the UK with a vestibular disorder. The survey incorporated the Vertigo Symptom Scale-Short Form and questions regarding health status, healthcare received, daily activities and employment during Covid-19. RESULTS: The Covid-19 pandemic affected perceptions of wellbeing. 54.1% rated their health as worse now than before the pandemic. Vertigo, unsteadiness, dizziness, tinnitus, loss of concentration/memory, and headaches were the most exacerbated symptoms. Respondents reported changes to their daily activities including reduced social contact (83%) and exercise (54.3%). Some experienced healthcare delays or received a remote appointment. Remote care was perceived as convenient, but barriers included difficulty communicating, trouble concentrating and perceived unsuitability for initial appointments. Unintended benefits of the pandemic included less social pressure, avoiding busy environments, and engaging in self-care. CONCLUSION: The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are diverse. Clinical services should be mindful that Covid-19 can exacerbate vestibular and allied neuropsychiatric symptoms that require acute, multi-disciplinary intervention, but not lose sight of the potential benefit and cost saving associated with promoting self-management and delivering remote care, especially post-diagnosis.

Animal bite wounds and their management in tropical Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To define the microbiologic characteristics of animal bites in tropical Australia and the appropriateness of current Australian antimicrobial guidelines for their management. METHODS: This retrospective audit examined hospitalizations in tropical Australia after an animal bite or animal-associated penetrating injury between 2013 and 2020. The primary outcome was a composite of death, intensive care unit admission, amputation, quaternary center transfer, or unplanned rehospitalization. RESULTS: A wide variety of animals were implicated, but snakes (734/1745, 42%), dogs (508/1745, 29%), and cats (153/1745, 9%) were the most common. Hospital presentation after 24 hours (odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 68.67 (42.10-112.01)) and a cat-related injury (OR (95% CI): 22.20 (11.18-44.08)) were independently associated with an increased risk of infection. A pathogen not covered by the relevant antimicrobial regimen recommended in Australian guidelines was identified in only 12/1745 (0.7%) cases. The primary outcome occurred in 107/1745 (6%) and was independently associated with tissue trauma (OR (95% CI): 9.29 (6.05-14.25), p<0.001), established deep infection at presentation (OR (95% CI): 2.95 (1.31-6.61), p=0.009) and hospital presentation after 24 hours (OR (95% CI): 1.77 (1.12-2.79), p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A wide variety of animals bite humans in tropical Australia, but empiric antimicrobial regimens recommended in current national guidelines cover almost all the microbiologic isolates from the resulting wounds.

Rethinking the group: Group processes in the digital age: GPIR

This special issue of Group Processes & Intergroup Relations (GPIR) on group processes in the digital age began life in the middle of 2019, when the world was a rather different place. As we write this editorial in the middle of 2020, the world has become all too familiar with the transformations brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and is experiencing the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement after the murder of George Floyd. All the papers in this special issue were written before those seismic events forced their way into our consciousness. And yet, the papers are all remarkably prescient.

Inpatient COVID-19 mortality has reduced over time: Results from an observational cohort.

BACKGROUND: The Covid-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom has seen two waves; the first starting in March 2020 and the second in late October 2020. It is not known whether outcomes for those admitted with severe Covid were different in the first and second waves. METHODS: The study population comprised all patients admitted to a 1,500-bed London Hospital Trust between March 2020 and March 2021, who tested positive for Covid-19 by PCR within 3-days of admissions. Primary outcome was death within 28-days of admission. Socio-demographics (age, sex, ethnicity), hypertension, diabetes, obesity, baseline physiological observations, CRP, neutrophil, chest x-ray abnormality, remdesivir and dexamethasone were incorporated as co-variates. Proportional subhazards models compared mortality risk between wave 1 and wave 2. Cox-proportional hazard model with propensity score adjustment were used to compare mortality in patients prescribed remdesivir and dexamethasone. RESULTS: There were 3,949 COVID-19 admissions, 3,195 hospital discharges and 733 deaths. There were notable differences in age, ethnicity, comorbidities, and admission disease severity between wave 1 and wave 2. Twenty-eight-day mortality was higher during wave 1 (26.1% versus 13.1%). Mortality risk adjusted for co-variates was significantly lower in wave 2 compared to wave 1 [adjSHR 0.49 (0.37, 0.65) p<0.001]. Analysis of treatment impact did not show statistically different effects of remdesivir [HR 0.84 (95%CI 0.65, 1.08), p = 0.17] or dexamethasone [HR 0.97 (95%CI 0.70, 1.35) p = 0.87]. CONCLUSION: There has been substantial improvements in COVID-19 mortality in the second wave, even accounting for demographics, comorbidity, and disease severity. Neither dexamethasone nor remdesivir appeared to be key explanatory factors, although there may be unmeasured confounding present.

Improving communication on medical ward rounds with patients who speak limited English with implementation of medical communication charts.

AIM: To improve communication on the medical ward round with patients with limited English through implementation of a medical communication chart. LOCAL PROBLEM: King's College Hospital (KCH), London, is situated in Southwark in which 11% of households have no members that speak English as a first language, 4.1% of London's population report they do not speak English well. Language barriers impair healthcare delivery including during daily ward rounds. This has been exacerbated by the need for PPE during the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. Effective communication between healthcare teams and patients is essential for high quality, patient-centred care. Communication tools commonly used include online, telephone and face-to-face translation services but these have limitations. METHODS: Face-to-face patient questionnaires were conducted in the pre-QIP (baseline) group to assess communication on medical ward rounds. Medical communication charts were designed by adapting pre-existing aids commonly used by speech and language therapy. Charts were translated into commonly spoken languages among KCH inpatients. Patients with limited English were selected from both COVID-19 and non-Covid wards. Preintervention and postintervention questionnaires were completed in three Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. RESULTS: At baseline, patients agreed or strongly agreed that the ward round addressed physical symptoms (8/8), concerns or anxieties (7/8), ongoing needs (7/8). Only two of eight doctors felt they could communicate effectively with patients. In PDSA 1, four of five patients reported high satisfaction in communicating physical symptoms, anxieties or concerns preintervention with five of five postchart implementation. Five of five patients reported high satisfaction in communicating ongoing needs preintervention but only three of five postintervention. In PDSA 2, two of five patients reported increased satisfaction in communicating physical symptoms, concerns or anxieties with four of four doctors reporting improved satisfaction in communication in PDSA 2 and two of three doctors reporting higher satisfaction in communication in PDSA 3. CONCLUSION: Using communication charts in patients with limited English can improve bidirectional communication on medical ward rounds.

A Treatment to Eliminate SARS-CoV-2 Replication in Human Airway Epithelial Cells Is Safe for Inhalation as an Aerosol in Healthy Human Subjects.

BACKGROUND: Low airway surface pH is associated with many airway diseases, impairs antimicrobial host defense, and worsens airway inflammation. Inhaled Optate is designed to safely raise airway surface pH and is well tolerated in humans. Raising intracellular pH partially prevents activation of SARS-CoV-2 in primary normal human airway epithelial (NHAE) cells, decreasing viral replication by several mechanisms. METHODS: We grew primary NHAE cells from healthy subjects, infected them with SARS-CoV-2 (isolate USA-WA1/2020), and used clinical Optate at concentrations used in humans in vivo to determine whether Optate would prevent viral infection and replication. Cells were pretreated with Optate or placebo prior to infection (multiplicity of infection = 1), and viral replication was determined with plaque assay and nucleocapsid (N) protein levels. Healthy human subjects also inhaled Optate as part of a Phase 2a safety trial. RESULTS: Optate almost completely prevented viral replication at each time point between 24 h and 120 h, relative to placebo, on both plaque assay and N protein expression (P < .001). Mechanistically, Optate inhibited expression of major endosomal trafficking genes and raised NHAE intracellular pH. Optate had no effect on NHAE cell viability at any time point. Inhaled Optate was well tolerated in 10 normal subjects, with no change in lung function, vital signs, or oxygenation. CONCLUSIONS: Inhaled Optate may be well suited for a clinical trial in patients with pulmonary SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, it is vitally important for patient safety that formulations designed for inhalation with regard to pH, isotonicity, and osmolality be used. An inhalational treatment that safely prevents SARS-CoV-2 viral replication could be helpful for treating patients with pulmonary SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Chest radiography is a poor predictor of respiratory symptoms and functional impairment in survivors of severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: A standardised approach to assessing COVID-19 survivors has not been established, largely due to the paucity of data on medium- and long-term sequelae. Interval chest radiography is recommended following community-acquired pneumonia; however, its utility in monitoring recovery from COVID-19 pneumonia remains unclear. METHODS: This was a prospective single-centre observational cohort study. Patients hospitalised with severe COVID-19 pneumonia (admission duration ≥48 h and oxygen requirement ≥40% or critical care admission) underwent face-to-face assessment at 4-6 weeks post-discharge. The primary outcome was radiological resolution of COVID-19 pneumonitis (Radiographic Assessment of Lung Oedema score <5). Secondary outcomes included clinical outcomes, symptom questionnaires, mental health screening (Trauma Screening Questionnaire, seven-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder assessment and nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire) and physiological testing (4-m gait speed (4MGS) and 1-min Sit-to-Stand (STS) tests). RESULTS: 119 patients were assessed between June 3, 2020 and July 2, 2020 at median (interquartile range (IQR)) 61 (51-67) days post-discharge: mean±sd age 58.7±14.4 years, median (IQR) body mass index 30.0 (25.9-35.2) kg·m-2, 62% male and 70% ethnic minority. Despite radiographic resolution of pulmonary infiltrates in 87%, modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea (breathlessness) scale grades were above pre-COVID-19 baseline in 44%, and patients reported persistent fatigue (68%), sleep disturbance (57%) and breathlessness (32%). Screening thresholds were breached for post-traumatic stress disorder (25%), anxiety (22%) and depression (18%). 4MGS was slow (<0.8 m·s-1) in 38% and 35% desaturated by ≥4% during the STS test. Of 56 thoracic computed tomography scans performed, 75% demonstrated COVID-19-related interstitial and/or airways disease. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent symptoms, adverse mental health outcomes and physiological impairment are common 2 months after severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Follow-up chest radiography is a poor marker of recovery; therefore, holistic face-to-face assessment is recommended to facilitate early recognition and management of post-COVID-19 sequelae.

Household Energy Insecurity and COVID-19 Have Independent and Synergistic Health Effects on Vulnerable Populations.

Household energy insecurity (HEINS) is detrimental to the health of the poor and most vulnerable in resource-poor settings. However, this effect amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the uneven implementation of restrictions can create a synergistic burden of diseases and health risks for the most vulnerable in low- and middle-income countries, exacerbating the health equity gap. Based on existing literature, this paper develops three key arguments: (1) COVID-19 increases the health risks of energy insecurity; (2) HEINS increases the risk of spreading COVID-19; and (3) the co-occurrence of COVID-19 and HEINS will have compounding health effects. These arguments make context-specific interventions, rather than a generic global health approach without recourse to existing vulnerabilities critical in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and mitigating the effects of energy insecurity. Targeted international efforts aimed at financing and supporting resource security, effective testing, contact tracing, and the equitable distribution of vaccines and personal protective equipment have the potential to ameliorate the synergistic effects of HEINS and COVID-19 in resource-poor countries.

Blood and marrow transplantation during the emerging COVID-19 pandemic: the Seattle approach.

On January 20, 2020, the first patient with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States of America was diagnosed in Washington state, which subsequently experienced rapidly increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. This placed the Seattle Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Fred Hutch) in the national epicenter of this pandemic. Here, we summarize the experience gained during our rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our efforts were aimed at safely performing urgent and potentially life-saving stem cell transplants in the setting of pandemic-related stresses on healthcare resources and shelter-in-place public health measures. We describe the unique circumstances and challenges encountered, the current state of the program amidst evolving COVID-19 cases in our community, and the guiding principles for recovery. We also estimate the collateral impact of directing clinical resources toward COVID-19-related care on cancer patients in need of stem cell transplantation. Although our experience was influenced by specific regional and institutional factors, it may help inform how transplant programs respond to COVID-19 and future pandemics.

Clozapine prescribing in COVID-19 positive medical inpatients: a case series.

There is both uncertainty regarding the safety of clozapine in COVID-19 patients owing to limited published data and a lack of consensus on continuing clozapine in patients with severe respiratory infections. COVID-19 is known to induce an acute immune response which can affect haematological parameters associated with clozapine monitoring, and systemic infection may reduce clozapine clearance. Clozapine, which has been associated with worse outcomes in some pneumonias, may in theory worsen outcomes in COVID-19. Despite these concerns, there are some data to indicate it is safe to continue clozapine in COVID-19 infection. In this retrospective case series, we describe our experiences of clozapine prescribing and disease progression of eight SARS-CoV-2 positive patients on medical wards in a major London teaching hospital. In four cases clozapine was stopped during the hospital admission. A COVID-19 pneumonia developed in four patients: three of these required intensive care unit admission for an average of 34 days. At the time of writing, three patients had died (two directly from COVID-19 pneumonia), two remained in general hospital wards, two were recovering in the community and one had been transferred to an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Follow-up length varied but in each case was not more than 104 days. Delirium was the most common adverse neuropsychiatric event, and in one case a relapse of psychosis occurred after cessation of clozapine. This retrospective case series illustrates the safe use of clozapine during COVID-19 infection. Our experiences suggest that consideration should be made to continuing clozapine even in those most unwell with COVID-19. We also identify areas which require larger scale hypothesis-testing research.