ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Studies in the literature suggest the severity of COVID-19 may impact on post-COVID sequelae. We retrospectively compared the different patterns of symptoms in relation to the severity of acute COVID-19 in patients visited at our post-COVID rehabilitation unit. METHODS: We compared respiratory, muscular, cognitive, emotional, and health-related-quality-of-life (HRQoL) measures in three groups of post-COVID patients: those who had not required hospitalization for the acute disease, those who had been admitted to a general hospital ward, and those who had been admitted to the ICU. The main inclusion criteria were persistent dyspnoea (mMRC ≥2) and/or clinical frailty (scale value ≥3). RESULTS: We analyzed data from 178 post-COVID patients (91 admitted to the ICU, 60 to the ward, and 27 who had not required admission) at first visit to our post-COVID rehabilitation unit. Most patients (85.4%) had at least one comorbidity. There were more males in all groups (58.1%). ICU patients were older (p<0.001). The most frequent symptoms in all groups were fatigue (78.2%) and dyspnea (75.4%). Muscle strength and effort capacity were lower in the ICU group (p<0.001). The SF36 mental component and level of anxiety were worse in patients not admitted to the ICU (p<0.001). No differences were found between groups regarding respiratory pressure but 30 of 57 patients with a decrease in maximum inspiratory pressure had not required mechanical ventilation. CONCLUSION: Clinical profiles of post-COVID syndrome differed between groups. Muscle parameters were lower in the ICU group but patients who had not needed ICU admission had worse anxiety and HRQoL scores. Many patients who had not required mechanical ventilation had respiratory muscle weakness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04852718.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Intensive Care Units , Acute Disease , COVID-19/complications , Dyspnea , Hospitalization , Humans , Male , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
In this fifth phase of development, the contents of the Spanish Asthma Management Guidelines (GEMA), which include versions 5.0 and 5.1, have undergone a thorough review. The aim here is to set the main changes in context. These could be summarized as follows: DIAGNOSIS: new FENO cut-off and severity classification based on treatment needed to maintain control; INTERMITTENT ASTHMA: a more restrictive concept and treatment extended to include a glucocorticoid/adrenergic combination as needed; MILD ASTHMA: glucocorticoid/adrenergic therapy as needed as an alternative in case of low therapeutic adherence to conventional fixed-dose steroids; SEVERE ASTHMA: readjustment of phenotypes, incorporation of triple therapy in a single inhaler, and criteria for selection of a biologic in severe uncontrolled asthma; OTHERS: specific scoring in childhood asthma, incorporation of certain organizational aspects (care circuits, asthma units, telemedicine), new sections on COVID-19 and nasal polyposis.
Subject(s)
Asthma , COVID-19 , Adrenergic Agents/therapeutic use , Asthma/drug therapy , Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use , HumansABSTRACT
In this fifth phase of development, the contents of the Spanish Asthma Management Guidelines (GEMA), which include versions 5.0 and 5.1, have undergone a thorough review. The aim here is to set the main changes in context. These could be summarized as follows: DIAGNOSIS: new FENO cut-off and severity classification based on treatment needed to maintain control; INTERMITTENT ASTHMA: a more restrictive concept and treatment extended to include a glucocorticoid/adrenergic combination as needed; MILD ASTHMA: glucocorticoid/adrenergic therapy as needed as an alternative in case of low therapeutic adherence to conventional fixed-dose steroids; SEVERE ASTHMA: readjustment of phenotypes, incorporation of triple therapy in a single inhaler, and criteria for selection of a biologic in severe uncontrolled asthma; OTHERS: specific scoring in childhood asthma, incorporation of certain organizational aspects (care circuits, asthma units, telemedicine), new sections on COVID-19 and nasal polyposis.
ABSTRACT
Sputum induction (SI) is the gold standard approach to the non-invasive study of airway inflammation. The differential count of inflammatory cells for SI allows patients with asthma to be classified according to inflammatory phenotypes and predicted therapeutic responses. Since SI involves the generation of aerosols, there is a need to establish a protocol to ensure biosafety in clinical practice during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The multidisciplinary consensus on SI described in this article was developed by 22 experts in SI from different Spanish hospitals who drew on available scientific evidence in achieving consensuated opinions, compiled by means of an electronic survey. We hope that these unified criteria and recommendations will guide health professionals in implementing SI sampling and processing procedures as safely as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.