Evaluation of Lactobacillus Coryniformis K8 Consumption by Health Care Workers Exposed to COVID-19 (LactoCor2 Project): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Lactobacillus coryniformis K8 CECT5711 has immune-modulating properties, enhances the immune response to viral antigens leading to the production of specific antibodies, and has anti-inflammatory activity, which may help to prevent uncontrolled inflammatory processes leading to respiratory and other organ failures. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of the consumption of a probiotic strain on the incidence and severity of COVID-19 in health personnel who carry out their professional work among patients with infection or suspected infection by SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: This is a double-blind randomized clinical trial in which the experimental group will receive a capsule of L coryniformis K8 per day (3×109 colony former units/day), and the control group will receive a daily placebo capsule consisting of maltodextrin. A sample size of 314 volunteers was calculated. Volunteers must meet the following inclusion criteria: older than 20 years and active health personnel caring for patients with COVID-19, including all professionals such as medical doctors, nurses, and caretakers at the 2 referral hospitals that treat patients with COVID-19. The main outcome of the clinical trial will be the incidence of symptomatic infection by SARS-CoV-2 in personnel who care for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. RESULTS: The study had to be extended to the 2 referral hospitals that treat patients with COVID-19 in the province of Granada (Andalusia, Spain); Hospital San Cecilio and Hospital Virgen de las Nieves. A total of 255 individuals met the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to one of the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this randomized controlled trial will provide valuable information regarding the administration of L coryniformis K8 against COVID-19, including whether there are fewer infectious processes due to this virus or, in case of occurrence, whether the disease is milder in participants taking the probiotic strain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04366180; http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04366180. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR1-10.2196/37857.

Evaluation of the Impact of a Tourniquet Training Program: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Among the main preventable causes of death in the area of operations is external exsanguinating hemorrhage in the extremities, hence the importance of the tourniquet as a therapeutic tool in this type of injury and, therefore, of the training of personnel participating in international missions. The main objective of this study is to determine the impact of training in the application of this device. This is a quasi-experimental, prospective, cross-sectional study, carried out with 97 healthy volunteers, military personnel who perform their work in the Royal Guard barracks of El Pardo. The study was conducted between June 2019 and July 2021. The correct determination of the device placement site and the times of correct device placement were evaluated by determining whether there was blood flow using Doppler ultrasound measurements. Statistically significant results were obtained for application time (76.68 s to 58.06 s; p < 0.001), correct device placement (p < 0.001), and achievement of complete ischemia in the upper extremity (23.7% pretest vs. 24.7% post-test; p < 0.001). In the lower extremity, after training, longer application duration (43.33 s to 47.30 s) and lower ischemia achievement (59.8% pretest vs. 37.8% post-test) were obtained. Standardized and regulated training improves device application. More intensive training is necessary to obtain better results.

Evolution of the COVID-19 Pandemic after the Introduction of School Referral Nurses in the Province of Granada-A Descriptive Study.

The aim of this research is to describe the evolution of the pandemic in a school context, following the introduction of school nurses into the educational setting. BACKGROUND: The first wave of COVID-19 in Spain prevented social interaction by imposing lockdowns on the population. All non-essential activities, including face-to-face education, were interrupted, affecting the school-aged population during the second and third trimester of the 2019/2020 school year. Schools are places where prevention, identification and case management measures should be rapidly implemented. METHODS: This is a prospective and descriptive study using a quantitative method to study the school population of Granada and its province during the school year 2020/2021, from September 2020 to May 2021. The study participants were all schools under the jurisdiction of the Territorial Delegation of Education of Granada, whether public, private, state-subsidised or charter schools, including all educational stages. RESULTS: The confirmation rate in Granada city (11.2%), in contrast to the Andalusian average (6.9%), places Granada as the province with the highest incidence rate. The infection rates among teachers show the same confirmation rate as the general population of Granada (9%); however, among students this rate is lower (7%). There is a higher incidence of outbreaks taking place outside school and a lower incidence of outbreaks occurring within the school environment. Both partial and total outbreaks are more frequent in early childhood education. CONCLUSION: The early identification and management of reported suspected cases of COVID-19 in schools is proving effective in preventing infection in the school population, achieving good pandemic control in schools, and reducing the number of outbreaks and people affected. Schools have been confirmed to be safe. Establishing screening for asymptomatic schoolchildren could be a tool to improve control in schools.

COVID-19 in Pregnant Women, Maternal-Fetal Involvement, and Vertical Mother-to-Child Transmission: A Systematic Review.

Pregnant women are included in the COVID-19 risk groups even if they do not have any pathology. This requires an analysis of research focused on pregnant women to understand the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on their condition. There is also a need to know whether there is vertical mother-to-child transmission, as well as other consequences in case the pregnant woman is infected and COVID-19 positive. A systematic review was carried out to analyze the existing information on the complications of a pregnant woman infected with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and the possibility of vertical transmission from mother to child, registered in the PROSPERO website and searched in the PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases. Finally, 22 articles were included in the review. The review suggests that vertical transmission from mother to child could be exceptionally possible at the time of delivery or breastfeeding, but not through the placenta. It is interesting to point out the good acceptance of vaccination by pregnant women, which may be the reason for the low infectivity. Further research on pregnant women should be carried out to provide evidence on vertical mother-to-child transmission and the role of breast milk in relation to SARS-CoV-2.

Evaluation of the effect of Loigolactobacillus coryniformis K8 CECT 5711 consumption in health care workers exposed to COVID-19

Following the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, an unprecedented burden has been placed on health care systems, with health care workers (HCWs) being most at risk of COVID-19 infection. The effect of the probiotic Loigolactobacillus coryniformis K8 CECT 5711 on frontline HCWs exposed to the virus was studied in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. Parameters related to the incidence and severity of COVID-19 as well as the immune response and the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine were evaluated. For 2 months, a group of 250 front-line HCWs over the age of 20 was randomly allocated to receive either L. coryniformis K8 or a placebo daily. SARS-CoV-2 infection incidence was verified via PCR or antigen test. In those volunteers who were vaccinated during the intervention, serum levels of specific IgG were analyzed at the end of the study. The incidence of COVID-19 infection was very low [IR (SD) = 0.016 (0.011)], and no significant difference was found between the groups [IRR (95% CI): 1.008 (0.140–7.268), p = 0.994]. For immune response analysis, the total sample was divided according to the days between the first dose and the antibody analysis (cutoff points were set at ≤ 56, 57–80 and ≥ 81 days). The specific IgG level decreased over time (p > 0.001). However, in the subgroup of subjects for whom more than 81 days had passed since they received the first dose, the specific IgG levels were significantly higher in the those that took the L. coryniformis K8 [7.12 (0.21)] than in the control group [6.48 (0.19)] (P = 0.040). Interestingly, the subjects who started probiotic consumption before the first dose reported significantly fewer side effects (of any kind) at the 1st dose of the vaccine (OR: 0.524, p = 0.043), specifically less arm pain (OR: 0.467, p = 0.017). In conclusion, the administration of L. coryniformis K8 CECT 5711 to HCWs helps to extend the immune protection generated by the COVID-19 vaccine over time.

Depression and Anxiety in Patients with Rare Diseases during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Scientific knowledge on depression and anxiety in patients with rare diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic is scarce; however, it is essential to perform comprehensive management of these patients. The aim of this study was to research how the situation caused by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has influenced the lives of patients with rare diseases regarding depression and anxiety. This Spanish study considered a heterogeneous population sample of 86 patients with confirmed diagnosis of different rare diseases. Participants took part in a cross-sectional online study by completing specific questionnaires on the study topic. Depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the General Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) was used for evaluating anxiety. Data collection through an online questionnaire allowed for a greater population scope and therefore the inclusion patients of other nationalities in the study sample. Finally, as a general result, this study found that, in the face of the pandemic, anxiety and depression remained at a higher level in this group than in the general population, making these patients a vulnerable population group.