ABSTRACT
Introduction: The SARS-CoV 2 pandemic has brought a high burden of disease. Its long-term repercussions are still under investigation. The objective of this report was to evaluate the occupational, clinical, and functional respiratory recovery at 3 months of patients hospitalized for COVID-19, related to the ventilatory therapy received. Material(s) and Method(s): Prospective cohort of 116 patients from the Hospital Naval Almirante Nef de Vina del Mar, Chile, with clinical and functional respiratory follow-up at 3 months. Result(s): Median follow-up 100 days. 75 men, Median age 60 years, 50% obese, 34.5% smokers and 13.8% with respiratory comorbidity. 16% had undergo rehabilitation. Dyspnea in 73.7% and fatigue in 50%. Only 54.8% returned to work. 65% who used oxygen therapy (O2) returned to work compared to 44% who used HFNC and 33.3% IMV. Return to normal life achieved was greater in the O2 group compared with HFNC group and IMV group (71.4% versus 17.5% and 11.1%). Pulmonary function tests were normal in 39 patients (33.6%). Normal DLCO and normal distance walked in 6 minutes were higher in the group that return to work. The HNFC group had an OR of 5.9 of DLCO alterations, while VMI group had an OR of 3.6 in relation to the group that received O2. Discussion(s): This cohort repeats risk factors and persistence of symptoms described in literature. DLCO alteration was the most frequently founding and to a greater extent than other reports. Conclusion(s): At 3 months of follow-up, work absenteeism, persistence of symptoms and respiratory functional alteration were frequently evidenced, especially in those who received ventilatory support.
ABSTRACT
Background and objective: COVID-19 as an unknown disease could have been able to increase the anxiety of the patients. The objective of this study is to analyze if the anxiety of patients with severe COVID-19 in the first wave of COVID-19 was higher than in the second wave. Method(s): We collected data from patients with severe COVID-19 who required intensive care and were later reviewed in a COVID-19 monographic consultation. They were classified according to the time of illness in the first wave (03/01/2020-07/31/2020) and second wave (08/01/2020-11/30/2020). The HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) questionnaire was analyzed. It is considered depression if the value of HADS-D is 7 or higher and anxiety if the value of HADS-A is 8 or higher. Result(s): 53 patients were included, 37 from the first wave of COVID-19 and 16 from the second;38 men and 15 women, mean age of 60.83+/-10 years and global mean BMI 30+/-5.56 kg/m . The HADS for anxiety in the first wave was 3.41+/-3.25 and in the second wave 6.38+/-4.73 (p<0.05). On the first wave, 18,9% of patients had anxiety (HADS-A>=8), while on the second wave 50% of the patients had anxiety, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). The HADS of depression in the first wave was 4.30+/-3.56 and in the 2 second wave 6.75+/-3.46 (p<0.05). On the first wave, 18.9% of patients had depression (HADS-D>=7), while on the second wave 50% of the patients had depression, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion(s): Anxiety and depression were higher in patients of the second wave, so uncertainty does not appear to play a role. The study would have to be expanded to confirm that the finding holds on larger groups.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to compare and correlate lifestyles and self-esteem between calisthenics practitioners with other disciplines and/or urban sports and their differences by sex in adults during the COVID 19 pandemic in Chile. The sample was made up of 157 participants (men: 107 and women: 50), who self-reported lifestyle through the “Fantastic questionnaire” and self-esteem through the “Rosenberg scale” in the initial phase of deconfinement in Chile. The results of the scores for lifestyle were (88.06 ± 12.42) and self-esteem (30.95 ± 5.35) for the total sample. Positive correlations (p= < 0.05) were obtained between the dimensions and scores of the “Fantastic” questionnaire and the “Rosenberg” scale in practitioners of calisthenics and other disciplines and/or urban sports and in their analysis by sex, with no significant differences between them. A better lifestyle is related to higher levels of self-esteem in practitioners of calisthenics and other disciplines and/or urban sports, this relationship is more noticeable in women than in men, and the practice of these alternative disciplines is suggested for the promotion of styles of healthy life and reinforce self-esteem in adults. © 2022 Didactic Asociation Andalucia. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
This work introduces a 3D deep learning methodology to stratify patients according to the severity of lung infection caused by COVID-19 disease on computerized tomography images (CT). A set of volumetric attention maps were also obtained to explain the results and support the diagnostic tasks. The validation of the approach was carried out on a dataset composed of 350 patients, diagnosed by the RT-PCR assay either as negative (control - 175) or positive (COVID-19 - 175). Additionally, the patients were graded (0-25) by two expert radiologists according to the extent of lobar involvement. These gradings were used to define 5 COVID-19 severity categories. The model yields an average 60% accuracy for the multi-severity classification task. Additionally, a set of Mann Whitney U significance tests were conducted to compare the severity groups. Results show that patients in different severity groups have significantly different severity scores (p < 0.01) for all the compared severity groups.
ABSTRACT
The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has generated worry in citizens due to the administration that Latin American States have been carrying out, especially in relation to political measures adopted to counteract its health, economic and social repercussions. These official actions have elicited diverse responses in people to deal with the impact of the pandemic, which may vary in high concern and sense of vulnerability, diverse forms of emotional expression, solidarity actions or political participation. The aim of the study is to explore the role of individual concern experienced in the face of COVID-19 and its impact on political participation through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. The empirical study was based on a non-probabilistic survey of 920 people residing in Quito Ecuador, applied prior to the general elections held in February 2021. The results show, at a general level, a significant indirect effect of concern about the impact of the pandemic on digital political participation, mediated by political concern. Thus, the politicization of concern about COVID-19 operates as a mechanism that enables the mobilization of political actions through virtual media, which are more intense on Twitter and Facebook, while this mobilizing effect is weakened in the case of WhatsApp. The implications of these findings, regarding the forms of citizen political action that take place in a social context marked by the impact of the health crisis and an ongoing electoral process, are discussed.
ABSTRACT
The Spanish Society of Pneumonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) has elaborated this document of recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination in patients with respiratory diseases aimed to help healthcare personnel make decisions about how to act in case of COVID-19 vaccination in these patients. The recommendations have been developed by a group of experts in this field after reviewing the materials published up to March 7, 2021, the information provided by different scientific societies, drug agencies and the strategies of the governmental bodies up to this date. We can conclude that COVID-19 vaccines are not only safe and effective, but also prior in vulnerable patients with chronic respiratory diseases. In addition, an active involvement of healthcare professionals, who manage these diseases, in the vaccination strategy is the key to achieve good adherence and high vaccination coverage.
ABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause a range of respiratory sequelae, especially in patients who have had severe Covid-19 pneumonia. Given the high number of patients who have developed this infection over a short period of time, numerous post-Covid-19 follow-up visits are being carried out, but no clinical follow-up protocol has been established to advise on the complementary tests to be performed and the frequency of these procedures. This consensus document was drawn up by professionals from different areas of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) in order to assist the clinician in identifying possible respiratory complications that may occur during the months following the acute disease, and to protocolize their follow-up and additional tests to be performed. It recommends examinations and interventions to be carried out at various stages in the post-Covid-19 period, and details the specific objectives of these procedures. Primarily, we aim to ensure that patients receive timely clinical follow-up, following a pre-established schedule that takes into account the severity of the disease and the likelihood of long-term sequelae. Another objective is to avoid overloading the health system by eschewing examinations and/or consultations that are, in many cases, unnecessary. Finally, we define criteria for referring patients with specific established sequelae (interstitial lung disease, pulmonary vascular disease, bronchiectasis) to the corresponding specialized units.