Telemetric Assessment of Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP) Effectiveness and Adherence in Obstructive Sleep Apnea during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder. In the pandemic times of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy of obstructive sleep apnea became even more challenging. After the pandemic outbreak in March 2020, most CPAP treatment recommendations changed because of rising concerns about CPAP usage safety for patients and their families. Therefore, we examined the effectiveness of CPAP and adherence to the therapy of 149 adults with obstructive sleep apnea in the period of two years from 4 March 2019 to 3 March 2021 (before pandemic breakout and during the first year of pandemic). Data on CPAP parameters and adherence to therapy were obtained via a telemetric system. Together, our results demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic had no significant impact on CPAP therapy parameters and adherence in whole study group. However, detailed analysis acknowledged that some demographic and clinical features influenced CPAP therapy. The results showed that across subgroups of patients differentiated on the basis of age, gender, co-existing diabetes mellitus, or hypertension, the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to affect CPAP effectiveness. Our results provide a good starting point for discussion on CPAP therapy recommendations during pandemic times.

Sleepless in Solitude-Insomnia Symptoms Severity and Psychopathological Symptoms among University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland.

Since 25 March 2020, all schools, colleges, and universities in Poland have indefinitely closed and, where possible, have activated distance learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering that the undergraduate years are usually characterized by a high prevalence of emotional disorders and sleep problems, it can be expected that the current situation may have a remarkable impact on the student population. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of sleep problems among Polish university students as well as the relationship of insomnia symptoms severity with psychopathological symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and behavioral factors, such as substance use, changes in the amount of sleep, and the level of physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 1111 Polish university students via an online survey conducted between IV and VI 2020. The survey included demographic variables, the level of psychopathological symptoms (General Health Questionnaire, GHQ-28), insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index, ISI), and symptoms of posttraumatic stress (Impact of Events Scale-Revised, IES-R). The results showed that over half of the studied group of students had some form of sleep disturbances during the period of data collection, with moderate-to-severe insomnia symptoms noted in 21.6%. At the same time, the majority of the sample declared they slept more during the pandemic. A significant positive correlation was observed between the severity of insomnia symptoms and PTSD symptoms, as well as GHQ scores, increased substance use, and decreased physical activity. An additional association between the presence of dreams related to the event and insomnia symptoms as well as GHQ scores has been found. The results suggest that sleep problems may be prevalent among university students during the pandemic. Moreover, although the symptoms of insomnia, as well as the severity of sleep disturbance, significantly correlated with all the investigated variables, the direction of those associations remains to be established.

Public Concerns during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Multicultural Cross-Sectional Study among Internet Survey Respondents in Three Countries.

(1) Background: this study aimed to evaluate the worries, anxiety, and depression in the public during the initial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown in three culturally different groups of internet survey respondents: Middle Eastern (Israel), European (Poland), and North American (Canada). (2) Methods: a cross-sectional online survey was conducted in the mentioned countries during the lockdown periods. The survey included a demographic questionnaire, a questionnaire on personal concerns, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). A total of 2207 people successfully completed the survey. (3) Results: Polish respondents were the most concerned about being infected. Canadian respondents worried the most about their finances, relations with relatives and friends, and both physical and mental health. Polish respondents worried the least about their physical health, and Israeli respondents worried the least about their mental health and relations with relatives and friends. Canadian respondents obtained the highest score in the PHQ-4, while the scores of Israeli respondents were the lowest. (4) Conclusions: various factors should be considered while formulating appropriate solutions in emergency circumstances such as a pandemic. Understanding these factors will aid in the development of strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of stress, social isolation, and uncertainty on the well-being and mental health of culturally different societies.

Identification of risk groups for mental disorders, headache and oral behaviors in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The dramatically changing situation during COVID-19 pandemic, is anticipated to provoke psycho-emotional disturbances and somatization arising from the current epidemiological situation that will become a significant problem for global and regional healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to identify the predictors, risk factors and factors associated with mental disorders, headache and potentially stress-modulated parafunctional oral behaviors among the adult residents of North America and Europe as indirect health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This may help limit the long-term effects of this and future global pandemic crises. The data were collected from 1642 respondents using an online survey. The results demonstrated increased levels of anxiety, depression, headache and parafunctional oral behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in both North American and European residents. The results of this study facilitated the definition of the group most predicted to experience the aforementioned secondary effects of the pandemic. This group included females younger than 28.5 years old, especially those who were single, less well educated and living in Europe. In case of this and other global crises this will allow faster defining the most vulnerable groups and providing rapid and more targeted intervention.

Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and genetic risk factors associated with COVID-19 severity in adults: A narrative review.

Since the first report on it in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread throughout the world. Due to the lack of effective therapy available for COVID-19 patients, the identification of risk factors for the severe course of the disease is a matter of urgency. Therefore, the aim of this review was to report on evidence-based risk factors affecting the severity and prognosis of COVID-19. We searched the PubMed database for current literature to identify relevant publications concerning risk factors for COVID-19 severity. Demographic and social factors (age, gender, race, in-center communities/nursing homes), clinical factors (smoking, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, chronic lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases - CVD, chronic kidney disease - CKD, malignancies, dementia, cardiomyopathies, immunocompromised state), laboratory markers (C-reactive protein - CRP, leukocytosis, ferritin, interleukin (IL)-6, D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase - LDH, aspartate aminotransferase - AST, procalcitonin, creatinine, lymphopenia, IL-2, IL-7, IL-10, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor - G-CSF, also known as colony-stimulating factor 3 - CSF 3, interferon gamma-inducible protein-10 - IP-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 - MCP-1, macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha - MIP1A, tumor necrosis factor alpha - TNF-α), and genetic factors related to both the virus and the host were discussed. The identification of the potential risk factors affecting the severity and prognosis of COVID-19 may provide a chance for earlier and more effective management of COVID-19.

Temporomandibular Disorders and Bruxism Outbreak as a Possible Factor of Orofacial Pain Worsening during the COVID-19 Pandemic-Concomitant Research in Two Countries.

BACKGROUND: In late December 2019, a new pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infection began to spread around the world. The new situation gave rise to severe health threats, economic uncertainty, and social isolation, causing potential deleterious effects on people's physical and mental health. These effects are capable of influencing oral and maxillofacial conditions, such as temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and bruxism, which could further aggravate the orofacial pain. Two concomitant studies aimed to evaluate the effect of the current pandemic on the possible prevalence and worsening of TMD and bruxism symptoms among subjects selected from two culturally different countries: Israel and Poland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies were conducted as cross-sectional online surveys using similar anonymous questionnaires during the lockdown practiced in both countries. The authors obtained 700 complete responses from Israel and 1092 from Poland. In the first step, data concerning TMDs and bruxism were compared between the two countries. In the second step, univariate analyses (Chi2) were performed to investigate the effects of anxiety, depression, and personal concerns of the Coronavirus pandemic, on the symptoms of TMD, and bruxism symptoms and their possible aggravation. Finally, multivariate analyses (logistic regression models) were carried out to identify the study variables that had a predictive value on TMD, bruxism, and symptom aggravation in the two countries. RESULTS: The results showed that the Coronavirus pandemic has caused significant adverse effects on the psychoemotional status of both Israeli and Polish populations, resulting in the intensification of their bruxism and TMD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The aggravation of the psychoemotional status caused by the Coronavirus pandemic can result in bruxism and TMD symptoms intensification and thus lead to increased orofacial pain.