ABSTRACT
Objective: This is the first prospective cohort study in Singapore to investigate the COVID-19 vaccine-associated myocarditis to understand its pathophysiology. Introduction: Acute myocarditis and other cardiovascular symptoms have been observed to be associated with the two mRNA-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines-namely Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 and Moderna mRNA-1273)-currently in-use in Singapore. The mechanisms through which myocarditis occurs are unknown, hence our study aims to understand the pathophysiology of myocarditis associated with COVID-19 vaccines. Method(s): Patients with onset of cardiac manifestations were recruited from multiple hospital outpatient clinics between November 2021 and September 2022. Clinical history and physical examination data was collected with blood sample collection, echocardiography, 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), coronary angiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at recruitment and 6-month follow-up. Analysis of biomarkers, genetic, serological and MRI data was conducted. Result(s): As of 6 September 2022, a total of 5 patients have been enrolled (4 males, 1 female). The most commonly reported symptoms across all patients were chest pain/discomfort (80%), followed by palpitations (40%). MRI evidence of myocarditis has been detected in 2 (50%) of the male patients, of which both reported two or more symptoms occurring 1-2 days post-vaccination. Both patients have each received at least two doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine or Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine. Their MRI findings were consistent with myocarditis. On late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging, epicardial enhancement at the basal inferolateral segment and mid-wall enhancement at the apical anterior, lateral and inferior walls were observed in one patient. Patchy, mid-wall LGE in the basal inferior/inferolateral wall was observed in the other patient. No MRI evidence of myocarditis was available for the sole female patient. Conclusion(s): While more data is needed to definitively prove the association of the two mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 and Moderna mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccines with post-vaccination myocarditis, we believe our findings may support further investigations to enable risk stratification for vaccine-associated myocarditis and identify potential preventative strategies accordingly.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020. A definitive diagnosis of COVID-19 is made after a positive result is obtained on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay. In Singapore, rigorous contact tracing was practised to contain the spread of the virus. Nasal swabs and chest radiographs (CXR) were also taken from individuals who were suspected to be infected by COVID-19 upon their arrival at a centralised screening centre. From our experience, about 40% of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 had initial CXR that appeared "normal". In this case series, we described the temporal evolution of COVID-19 in patients with an initial "normal" CXR. Since CXR has limited sensitivity and specificity in COVID-19, it is not suitable as a first-line diagnostic tool. However, when CXR changes become unequivocally abnormal, close monitoring is recommended to manage potentially severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Copyright © 2020 Annals, Academy of Medicine, Singapore.
ABSTRACT
The Construction of small and medium size enterprises (CoSMEs) are the backbone of the UK economy, Covid-19 have affected many of this sectors. This has not only affected the construction industry negatively, but has caused many health and safety concerns on construction sites, resulting in increased unemployment, cash flow problems, and insolvencies. The research analyses the implications of coronavirus COVID-19 for UK Construction small and medium size enterprises (CoSMEs) in terms of their resilience using secondary data and information from articles and public data. Findings from the research reveal that small and medium size construction firms in the UK were adversely affected by the pandemic with many going into liquidation. The impact of government interventional measures varied across the various subsectors, overall, the measures were deemed inadequate and implemented rather late to stop many CoSMEs from insolvency. Additionally, most CoSMEs that operate largely on self-employed basis could not immediately take advantage of these measures. Mostly, it was the large construction firms that took advantage of government schemes and survived. The government concentrated on the huge and indivisible capital projects which offered a soft landing for many big construction firms, benefitting the upper end CoSMEs. The research concludes that understanding the effects of external shocks on CoSMEs will help in formulating robust strategies and policies that will enhance their resilience, and by extension, the UK economy given the pivotal role the construction industry plays in the UK economy. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
ABSTRACT
This article analyses the impact of the coronavirus pandemic among Construction Small-Medium Enterprises (CoSMEs) in the UK. A global and UK effect context-analysis is given and contrasted using a multivariate scrutiny of factors determining success or failure and the extent of covariance among contributory factors leading to closure as well as survival of the CoSMEs. Firstly, it reveals that within the UK, government interventional measures had a mixed effect. In most cases, the measures were deemed to be inadequate and too late in stopping the failure of most CoSMEs, though a substantial number survived due to government interventional measures such as the furlough schemes. Secondly, an inventory of the specific and multidimensional measures, attributed to mitigate total failure of CoSMEs is drawn including a review of the perceived benefits such as minimizing extent of total closure or declared volume of bankruptcies. Thirdly, it is observed that government decisive decisions contributed to the slowdown of the economy, and in particular construction activities. However, ranked among the interventional measures is the ‘bouncebackability’ driven measures which offered a soft landing for many CoSMEs. The study concludes that crisis-mitigating policy measures (CMPM), are necessary for the short and long-term recovery and performance of the UK economy. Understanding the composition of these measures and their rank order is critical to UK economic recovery. © IEOM Society International.
ABSTRACT
Vascular dysfunction and inflammation are precursors to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Notably, young adults who were symptomatic from COVID-19 during the acute phase of illness (within 4 weeks from diagnosis) have shown to exhibit peripheral vascular dysfunction. Importantly, many young adults report persistent symptoms from COVID-19 for several months, including cognitive difficulties. However, it remains unknown whether vascular dysfunction persists beyond the acute phase of COVID-19 in symptomatic young adults. We tested the hypothesis that peripheral and cerebral vascular function would be blunted in symptomatic (SYM) young adults who are beyond 4 weeks from a COVID-19 diagnosis, compared to asymptomatic adults (ASYM). Since COVID-19 causes inflammation that may negatively impact vascular function, we also hypothesized that serum hsCRP would be elevated in SYM compared to ASYM. We studied 15 otherwise healthy adults (age = 23 ± 1 years;mean ± SE) with a positive lab diagnosis of COVID-19. Eight were SYM (14 ± 1 weeks from diagnosis) while seven were ASYM (13 ± 2 weeks from diagnosis) at time of testing. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD;duplex Doppler ultrasound) was performed, and macroand microvascular function were quantified as FMD% and peak blood velocity after cuff release, respectively. Cerebral vasomotor reactivity (CVMR) was quantified as percent increase in middle cerebral artery blood velocity (transcranial Doppler ultrasound) to rebreathing induced hypercapnia. Serum hsCRP level was measured. FMD was lower in SYM (3.81 ± 0.60%) compared to ASYM (7.10 ± 0.94%, P = 0.010). Likewise, peak blood velocity after cuff release was lower in SYM (47 ± 3 cm/s vs. ASYM: 65 ± 8 cm/s, P = 0.037). However, CVMR was not different between the two groups (P = 0.91). Serum hsCRP was higher in SYM (3.4 ± 1.0 mg/L vs. ASYM: 0.7 ± 0.1 mg/L, P = 0.036). These preliminary results indicate that peripheral macro-and microvascular function remain blunted beyond the acute phase in young adults with persistent symptoms from COVID-19, whereas cerebral vascular function appears unaffected. The extent to which this sustained vascular impairment and elevated hsCRP contributes to increased CVD risk in these otherwise healthy young adults remains to be determined.
ABSTRACT
Background : Critically-ill COVID-19 patients demonstrate a hypercoagulable state, hence necessitating thromboprophylaxis. However, in non-critically ill COVID-19 patients, the haemostatic profile is unknown. Aims : A prospective, observational study was performed to evaluate coagulation parameters, and thrombotic outcomes in critically and non-critically ill COVID-19 patients. Methods : Informed consent was obtained from 10 critically ill (oxygen dependent, PaO2/FiO2 ratio<300) PCR positive COVID-19 patients matched for age and gender with 10 non-critically ill patients (nonoxygen dependent). On recruitment, laboratory (FBC/LDH/CRP/ procalcitonin) and coagulation tests (PT/APTT/D-Dimer/Fibrinogen/ TCT/Factors II,V,VII,VIII,IX,X,XI/vWF/anti-thrombinIII/ProteinC/ ProteinS/antiphospholipid antibodies), Thromboelastography(TEG), Clot Waveform Analysis(CWA) were performed, with repeat TEG/ CWA every 3 days, till 21 days of admission or discharge. This study was DSRB approved and supported by an NHG-NCID grant. Results : The median age was 60 years(49.5, 64.5) with 16 males and 4 females. Median Padua score of critically ill patients was 5 with PaO2/FiO2 ratio 194.5 (174, 241). Hypercoagulability was present in critically ill patients with elevated median levels of Fibrinogen 5.6 g/L(4.9, 6.6), D-dimer 1.0 μg/ml(0.6, 1.4), Factor VIII 206%(171, 230), von Willebrand Factor 265%(206, 321) as compared with lower levels in non-critically ill patients. Hypercoagulability was shown in TEG with increased CRT Angle 78.9°(78.3, 80.0), CFF MA 34.6 mm(27.4, 38.6) and CFF A10 30.9 s (25.5, 34.0);and CWA had increased clot velocity, aPTT Min1 7.7%/s(6.4, 8.3). CK K, CK Angle, CK MA, CRT MA were higher in critically ill patients (Table 1). In noncritically ill patients, D-dimer levels were normal, 0.3 μg/mL(0.3, 0.4) while Factor VIII levels of 176%(157, 192) and vWF levels of 225%(158, 237) were mildly elevated, with TEG and CWA demonstrating no hypercoagulability. 2 critically-ill patients developed thromboembolism(stroke, DVT) while no non-critically ill patients (not on thromboprophylaxis) had thrombosis. Conclusions : Critically ill COVID-19 patients demonstrate a hypercoagulable state with raised fibrinogen and Factor VIII levels correlating with raised CK, CRT, CFF maximal amplitude and increased CWA clot velocity(min1), while non-critical patients showed an absence of hypercoagulability in global tests of haemostasis.
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spread globally in the beginning of 2020. At present, predictors of severe disease and the efficacy of different treatments are not well understood. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of all published studies up to 15 March 2020, which reported COVID-19 clinical features and/or treatment outcomes. Forty-five studies reporting 4203 patients were included. Pooled rates of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mortality, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were 10.9%, 4.3%, and 18.4%, respectively. On meta-regression, ICU admission was predicted by increased leukocyte count (P < .0001), alanine aminotransferase (P=.024), and aspartate transaminase (P=.0040);elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (P < .0001);and increased procalcitonin (P < .0001). ARDS was predicted by elevated LDH (P < .0001), while mortality was predicted by increased leukocyte count (P=.0005) and elevated LDH (P < .0001). Treatment with lopinavir-ritonavir showed no significant benefit in mortality and ARDS rates. Corticosteroids were associated with a higher rate of ARDS (P=.0003).