ABSTRACT
Introduction: Since its emergence in December 2019, COVID-19 has caused severe morbidity and mortality. Access to healthcare services for individuals with chronic diseases including people living with HIV was disrupted due to many factors such as the density in hospitals and social closure strategies to stop the spread of the pandemic. The aim of this study was to determine whether HIV status and social and medical problems faced by people living with HIV caused anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Between October 2021 and February 2022, the Beck anxiety scale and a 16-item questionnaire including questions on demographic information was completed by 100 people living with HIV who visited our Cukurova University Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology outpatient clinic and gave consent to be included in the study. Results: Overall, 93 (93%) participants were male and seven (7%) were female, with a mean age of 36 +/- 10 years. Among all participants, 44% reported a decrease in their general quality of life, 42.4% reported an increase in the level of anxiety, 33% reported a decrease in access to resources such as money and food, and 13% reported that they had difficulty in paying the rent of their own house. During the pandemic, 11.3% of the participants lost their jobs and 9.1% lost their health insurance;8.1% reported that they became homeless and moved to live with someone else. Access to antiretroviral treatment decreased in 7.2% of the participants, the number of hospital visits were reduced in 33.3%, and 26% reported a reduction in monitoring tests such as HIV RNA. The mean Beck anxiety score, which was used to evaluate the patients' anxiety level, was 12.32 +/- 12.35 (min-max= 0-54) and suggested mild anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: The difficulties and problems in the daily lives of individuals living with HIV have deepened with the COVID-19 pandemic. The data we obtained in our study helps us understand the difficulties and anxiety levels of people living with HIV in receiving healthcare.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Since its emergence in December 2019, COVID-19 has caused severe morbidity and mortality. Access to healthcare services for individuals with chronic diseases including people living with HIV was disrupted due to many factors such as the density in hospitals and social closure strategies to stop the spread of the pandemic. The aim of this study was to determine whether HIV status and social and medical problems faced by people living with HIV caused anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material(s) and Method(s): Between October 2021 and February 2022, the Beck anxiety scale and a 16-item questionnaire including questions on demographic information was completed by 100 people living with HIV who visited our Cukurova University Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology outpatient clinic and gave consent to be included in the study. Result(s): Overall, 93 (93%) participants were male and seven (7%) were female, with a mean age of 36 +/- 10 years. Among all participants, 44% reported a decrease in their general quality of life, 42.4% reported an increase in the level of anxiety, 33% reported a decrease in access to resources such as money and food, and 13% reported that they had difficulty in paying the rent of their own house. During the pandemic, 11.3% of the participants lost their jobs and 9.1% lost their health insurance;8.1% reported that they became homeless and moved to live with someone else. Access to antiretroviral treatment decreased in 7.2% of the participants, the number of hospital visits were reduced in 33.3%, and 26% reported a reduction in monitoring tests such as HIV RNA. The mean Beck anxiety score, which was used to evaluate the patients' anxiety level, was 12.32 +/- 12.35 (min-max= 0-54) and suggested mild anxiety symptoms. Conclusion(s): The difficulties and problems in the daily lives of individuals living with HIV have deepened with the COVID-19 pandemic. The data we obtained in our study helps us understand the difficulties and anxiety levels of people living with HIV in receiving healthcare.Copyright © 2022 Bilimsel Tip Yayinevi. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Since its emergence in December 2019, COVID-19 has caused severe morbidity and mortality. Access to healthcare services for individuals with chronic diseases including people living with HIV was disrupted due to many factors such as the density in hospitals and social closure strategies to stop the spread of the pandemic. The aim of this study was to determine whether HIV status and social and medical problems faced by people living with HIV caused anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Between October 2021 and February 2022, the Beck anxiety scale and a 16-item questionnaire including questions on demographic information was completed by 100 people living with HIV who visited our Çukurova University Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology outpatient clinic and gave consent to be included in the study. Results: Overall, 93 (93%) participants were male and seven (7%) were female, with a mean age of 36 ± 10 years. Among all participants, 44% reported a decrease in their general quality of life, 42.4% reported an increase in the level of anxiety, 33% reported a decrease in access to resources such as money and food, and 13% reported that they had difficulty in paying the rent of their own house. During the pandemic, 11.3% of the participants lost their jobs and 9.1% lost their health insurance;8.1% reported that they became homeless and moved to live with someone else. Access to antiretroviral treatment decreased in 7.2% of the participants, the number of hospital visits were reduced in 33.3%, and 26% reported a reduction in monitoring tests such as HIV RNA. The mean Beck anxiety score, which was used to evaluate the patients' anxiety level, was 12.32 ± 12.35 (min-max= 0-54) and suggested mild anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: The difficulties and problems in the daily lives of individuals living with HIV have deepened with the COVID-19 pandemic. The data we obtained in our study helps us understand the difficulties and anxiety levels of people living with HIV in receiving healthcare.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 has been recognized to become a worldwide health concern at an alarming rate over time and to be more progressive and fatal in specific risk populations. This study aims to determine the clinical features of COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients (KTRxs) and contribute to the regulation of these patients' immunosuppressive treatments and COVID-19 treatment protocols. The trial comprised eleven KTRxs with COVID-19. Immunosuppressive treatments such as antimetabolite cessation, calcineurin inhibitor dosage adjustments based on blood levels, and low-dose corticosteroids were all controlled. All patients received antiviral medication and low-molecular-weight-heparin (LMWH) as part of initial treatment. The steroid dose was then raised, and anti-cytokine therapies were provided in the setting of clinical worsening. The mean age of the patients was 50.3 +/- 11.2 years and 8 (73%) of them were male. The average time since transplantion was 6.82 +/- 3.34 years. Due to COVID-19 progression, the steroid dosage was raised in eight patients, anakinra and tocilizumab was added in five and one of the patients respectively. In five (%45) patients, the need for critical care arose and plasmapheresis was used in three of them. At the end of the follow-up, nine of our patients had made a complete recovery, whereas two (18.2%) had perished. Consistent with the literature, the data in presented study may also support the severe and fatal course of COVID-19 in KTRxs. It may be proposed that KTRxs with COVID-19 should be admitted to the hospital and constantly monitored, and certain effective management techniques should be initiated early depending on clinical circumstances.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Although there is limited data on the frequency of nosocomial infections in patients followed up in the intensive care unit due to COVID-19, the rate of empirical antibiotic use in these patients is quite high. In our study, it was planned to determine the frequency of nosocomial infections in patients hospitalized in intensive care units due to COVID-19, the pathogens isolated in nosocomial infections, and to investigate the characteristics of these infections. Materials and Methods: Our study is a retrospective study in which the records of 590 adult patients hospitalized in the COVID-19 intensive care unit and followed prospectively between April 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 were examined. Results: In our study, nosocomial infection developed in 7.28% of patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit due to COVID-19, and mortality was 93% in patients who developed nosocomial infections. Of these infections, 67.44% were lower respiratory tract infections, 25.58% were bloodstream infections, and 6.97% were urinary tract infections. While the median number of toatl hospital stay was 20 days, the median time since admission to infection was 12 days. Infections often developed with a single microorganism, and the most frequently isolated microorganisms are A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae. Conclusion: Nosocomial infections that develop in patients followed in the intensive care unit due to COVID-19, are seen in approximately 7% of patients, but are mortal. In this patient group, regular microbiological follow-up and implementation of strict infection control measures especially for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia;It is recommended to review the antibiotics frequently used in the follow-up and treatment of COVID-19 and to be selective in the decision to start empirical antibiotics in order to prevent the development of antimicrobial resistance.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: We investigated the effects of hypokalemia on clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with Covid-19 pneumonia. Materials and Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, we recorded characteristics of hospitalized covid-19 pneumonia patients and laboratory test results on the first hospital day. Duration of hospitalization, requiring intensive care including mechanical ventilation and survival, were determined. Results: Our study included 185 patients and of them 111 male (60% male) patients with mean age of 64 +/- 14.5 (2390). Patients were grouped as hypokalemic (16.8%) and normokalemic patients (83.2%). The number of diabetic patients was higher in the normokalemic group. Serum total protein and albumin levels were lower in hypokalemic group, while alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, blood pH and bicarbonate level were higher. In multiple logistic regression analyses, alkalosis increased risk of hypokalemia 5.73 times. Duration of hospitalization, requirement of intensive care and hospital mortality were similar in hypokalemia and normokalemia patients. Conclusion: In patients with Covid-19 pneumonia, hypokalemia has been found to be quite common as high as 16.8% at the first presentation. Hypokalemia was related to metabolic alkalosis but unrelated to the duration of hospitalization, requirement of intensive care including mechanical ventilation and hospital mortality.