ABSTRACT
Objectives: Health care workers (HCWs) fighting COVID-19 are at high risk of transmission. This risk and the increased workload place a heavy burden on HCWs. We aimed to determine anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders in HCWs who form mobile health units (MHUs) assigned to take samples for COVID-19 screening in Rize, Turkey. Materials and Methods: A single-center, a web-based questionnaire was conducted between 20 July - 25 August 2020, in which MHUs on duty with a nasopharyngeal swab sampling were included. Demographic characteristics and information about the MHUs mission and related to the COVID-19 pandemic were collected, and anxiety, depression, and sleep quality were evaluated by Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). One hundred thirty participants were included in the study. Results: HCWs' median BAI, BDI and PSQI scores were 6, 10 and 5.5, respectively. The frequencies of anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms and sleep disturbances were 45.38%, 53.08% and 50%, respectively. Both the severity and frequency of anxiety and sleep disorders increased as the number of people sampled by healthcare professionals increased and prolonged the working time in the MHUs. Those who suspect they have had COVID-19 at any time and were concerned about transmitting COVID-19 to their family or friends had higher anxiety and sleep quality scores. Conclusion: In this study, high rates of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances were observed in HCWs. Special interventions to protect mental health will be beneficial for HCWs at risk of transmission. © 2022 Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University. All Rights Reserved.
ABSTRACT
Aim: In Turkey, family physicians and family health nurses are among the groups fighting COVID-19 on the frontline. This study was aimed to determine depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders and related factor during the COVID-19 pandemic in FPs and FHNs working in Rize. Methods: Single-centered, a cross-sectional web-based survey study was conducted between July 21-31, 2020 in Rize, Turkey. Demographic characteristics and information related to the COVID-19 pandemic were collected from primary health care workers and depression, anxiety, and sleep quality were evaluated by Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively. A total of 109 primary health care workers were included in the study. Results: While 48 (44%) of the primary health care workers had at least mild depressive symptoms, 46 (42.2%) had the least mild anxiety symptoms. Sleep disturbance was also found in 48 (44%) of them. The frequency of psychological symptoms was higher in women, nurses, and those who thought that their protective equipment was insufficient. Sleep disturbances were more common in primary health care workers with psychiatric illness and who suspect they have had COVID-19 at any time. Conclusion: Primary health care workers had a high rate of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. It would be beneficial to make special interventions to promote mental health for primary health care workers, who are among the frontline groups in the fight against COVID-19. © 2021, Eurasian Society of Family Medicine. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Dornase alfa, the recombinant form of the human DNase I enzyme, breaks down neutrophil extracellular traps (NET) that include a vast amount of DNA fragments, histones, microbicidal proteins and oxidant enzymes released from necrotic neutrophils in the highly viscous mucus of cystic fibrosis patients. Dornase alfa has been used for decades in patients with cystic fibrosis to reduce the viscoelasticity of respiratory tract secretions, to decrease the severity of respiratory tract infections, and to improve lung function. Previous studies have linked abnormal NET formations to lung diseases, especially to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It is well known that novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia progresses to ARDS and even multiple organ failure. High blood neutrophil levels are an early indicator of COVID-19 and predict severe respiratory diseases. Also it is reported that mucus structure in COVID-19 is very similar to that in cystic fibrosis due to the accumulation of excessive NET in the lungs. In this study, we showed the recovery of three individuals with COVID-19 after including dornase alfa in their treatment. We followed clinical improvement in the radiological analysis (two of three cases), oxygen saturation (Spo2), respiratory rate, disappearance of dyspnoea, coughing and a decrease in NET formation and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load after the treatment. Also here, we share our preliminary results suggesting that dornase alfa has an anti-viral effect against SARS-CoV-2 infection in a green monkey kidney cell line, Vero, and a bovine kidney cell line, MDBK, without determined cytotoxicity on healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells.