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The aim of the current study was to assess the influence of the first wave of COVID-19 (March- June 2020) on individuals with depression and anxiety, evaluating the impact of different groups of factors in a complex (holistic) manner. Material(s) and Method(s): The study is cross-sectional, including outpatients with depressive and anxiety disorders in remission (n = 60), outpatients in relapse (n = 65), a group of healthy controls (n = 30), and a control group with relatives of the patients with depression and anxiety (n = 30) for the period July-October 2020. Socio-demographic factors, the presence of somatic comorbidity and risk factors related to it, and the need for medical care during the first COVID wave were analyzed. Result(s): Patients with deteriorated anxiety disorders have a significantly lower educational status (p < 0.001) in comparison to the other groups. Individuals with deteriorated major depressive disorder and controls-relatives have significantly more somatic comorbidity compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05). Individuals with anxiety disorders do not differ from healthy controls on this measure. Visits to medical specialists in those with worsening depression increased during the analyzed period but were comparable to the control groups. In persons with anxiety - worsened or in remission, there is a significant increase in this indicator compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05). Conclusion(s): In the conditions of the first COVIDwave, individuals with worsened depression, as well as relatives of anxious and depressed patients have significantly more somatic problems compared to healthy controls. However, individuals with anxiety but not depression seek significantly more healthcare consultations, despite the isolation. The holistic approach implies a complex assessment of somatic and mental comorbidity and the need for additional knowledge and resources in the service of persons with anxiety and depression, although there is relatively easy access to consultation care in our country.Copyright © 2023, Central Medical Library Medical University - Sofia. All rights reserved.
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There is a description of two clinical cases of a new coronavirus infection COVID-19 in patients with a history of heart transplantation. Patients who receive immunosuppressants for life are at risk of developing infectious diseases. This requires the vigilance of doctors, especially in the face of a pandemic of a new coronavirus infection. Adequate and timely started therapy increases the effectiveness of treatment and reduces the risk of complications. The complex participation of different specialists is necessary to determine the tactics of treatment, correct pathogenetic and suppressive therapy.Copyright © 2021 Sovero Press Publishing House. All rights reserved.
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Infectious diseases, due to their epidemic potential, are capable of global spread, they are unpredictable, and their effective control is possible only on a planetary scale. In no other field of medicine, such radical and often unpredictable changes occur in a short time in the form of the elimination of individual diseases, the identification of a large number of previously unknown and the return of already forgotten diseases, a significant change in the pathogenesis and clinical symptoms of a significant number of them. Under these conditions, these changes often create problems for the health authorities and the public, ahead of their ability to recognize and respond in a timely manner to the emergence of epidemics and the transformation of pathological manifestations. Significant recent scientific progress has only slightly clarified our knowledge of the biological and genetic diversity of pathogens. Until now, the entire spectrum of infectious pathology remains unclear, and its numerous manifestations often take even experienced specialists by surprise. Evidence of our limited knowledge and ability to control the situation is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic for three years now, the increasingly frequent detection of "new" infections, the return of infections declared defeated, evidence of the role of infectious factors in the etiology of many other human diseases.Copyright © 2023 Izdatel'stvo Meditsina. All rights reserved.
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Objectives: Reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) based on the SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA demonstration is the gold standard in diagnosis. Data files obtained from PCR devices should be analysed by a specialist physician and results should be transferred to Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). CAtenA Smart PCR (Ventura, Ankara, Turkiye) program is a local bioinformatics software that assess PCR data files with artificial intelligence, submits to expert approval and transfers the approved results to LIMS. The aim of this study is to investigate its accuracy and matching success rate with expert analysis. Method(s): A total of 9400 RT-qPCR test results studied in Ankara Provincial Health Directorate Public Health Molecular Diagnosis Laboratory were compared with respect to expert evaluation and CAtenA results. Result(s): It was determined that the preliminary evaluation results of the CAtenA matched 86% of the negative and 90% of the positive results provided by expert analysis. 987 tests which CAtenA determined as inconclusive and suggested repeating PCR were found either negative or positive by expert analysis. A significant difference between positive and negative matching success rates and artificial intelligence (AI) based software overall accuracy was found and associated with the missed tests of the AI. Conclusion(s): As a result, it was suggested there is a low risk of confirming false positive results without expert analysis and test repetitions would cause losing time along with extra test costs. It was agreed that the PCR analysis used in CAtenA should be improved particularly in terms of test repetitions.Copyright © 2023 by Prusa Medical Publishing.
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affects all aspects of life all over the world;general surgeons are highly affected along with other healthcare personnel. A gloomy course of the disease makes it hazardous till now;its impact and ways of protection should be of concern for us so that we can keep on our works. Method(s): A survey was carried out at our hospital among general surgeons and surgeons of other specialties of the course with junior doctors and residents. A questionnaire was answered by them concerning their work with the impact of the virus, collecting data from the statistical unit electronically. Iraq has started lockdown for a period of 24 months from March 2020 to March 2022. Result(s): This study is a cross-sectional study using Google Forms and spread over surgical teams of different specialties at the Imemein Kadhumein Medical City Center. From about 248 responses, 118 responses were taken from the survey. Out of the 50 surgeons, 40 (80%) were infected and out of the 68 residents 62 (91.1%) were infected in our hospital (open and laparoscopic). About 20% of the doctors completely stopped attending outpatient clinics, until vaccination started on March 2021, an overall decrease of 60%. A drop of >75% of income was noticed by 45% of them;and 25% of them feel <75% of the income was received. But others have no change or increase in income as patients shift toward private hospitals because the government ones become loaded with COVID patients. Information about the illness and its sequelae was found through the net to be about 81% and through television to be 16%, whereas others were through national and institutional announcements. Conclusion(s): Standardized measures in detection, treatment, and/or vaccination should be taken into consideration based on the solid scientific facts to have a road map for surgeries during this or subsequent pandemics, getting the best outcome for doctors and patients.Copyright © 2022 Nile, Hamdawi, Khiro, licensee HBKU Press
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On December 1, 2021, a meeting of the Council of experts on the treatment of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and chronic heart failure during the COVID-19 pandemic was held remotely to adjust and adapt current approaches to outpatient treatment of the above pathologies under the current epidemiological situation. The meeting was attended by leading Russian specialists from federal medical research centers of cardiology and therapy.Copyright © 2022 All-Russian Public Organization Antihypertensive League. All rights reserved.
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Ever since late December 2019, corona virus disease 2019 (COVID -19) has been reported in China. It presents a general trend of a global pandemic. By consulting the relevant Chinese government regulations and the latest publications of COVID -19, more than 20 pediatric surgical specialists from China formulated the Expert Consensus of COVID -19 Prevention and Control Protocol. Suitable for clinical practices, it provides recommendations for children's hospitals and pediatric surgical institutions at domestic and abroad.Copyright © 2020 by the Chinese Medical Association.
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BACKGROUND: The currently disseminating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and limited capacities in outpatient rheumatological care, pose questions about possible alternatives to clinical visits, also in view of the digital revolution. It is unclear whether and to what extent patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases are willing and in a position to deal with the new media, such as video consultation. METHODS: In the middle of the pandemic in May 2020 outpatients were surveyed using a standardized questionnaire in order to document their possibilities and willingness to participate in a video consultation. The treating physicians were asked whether carrying out a video consultation was considered to be a possible and meaningful option. RESULTS: Overall, 232 patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases were surveyed (64.7% female, average age 54.0⯱ 15.2 years), seropositive (nâ¯= 58) and seronegative (nâ¯= 51) rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA, nâ¯= 77) including axial SpA (axSpA) and psoriatic arthropathy (PsA) as well as collagenosis and vasculitis (CoV, nâ¯= 46). The mean duration of disease was 5.5⯱ 8.2 years, whereby in 75 patients (32.3%) it was the first diagnosis. The mean disease activity (0-10, subjective patient self-estimation) was 4.7⯱ 2.5. Overall, 176 patients were basically aware of the possibility to carry out video consultations (75.9%) and 166 considered that they were technically capable to participate (71.6%) but only 131 were principally willing to participate (56.5%). Logistic regression analyses showed that the willingness to participate in video consultations decreased with increasing age (ßâ¯= 0.28, pâ¯= 0.01). According to the medical estimation video consultations were thought to be principally possible for 161 patients for technical reasons (69.4%) and for 127 for medical reasons (54.7%); however, a video consultation within the framework of treatment was only considered to be meaningful by the physician for 76 patients (32.8%). CONCLUSION: Not all patients can or want to participate in video consultations and the willingness declines with increasing age. The estimation of the meaningfulness of video consultations by physicians was also limited to approximately one third of the patients surveyed. This must be taken into consideration for the future planning of video consultations.
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Objectives: On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a global epidemic. This study aims to assess anesthesiology and reanimation physicians' knowledge of the anesthesiology practices published by the Turkish Republic Ministry of Health during pandemic period, their awareness in Turkey. Method(s): This descriptive cross-sectional study included 2834 anesthesiologist physicians who are members of Turkish Society of Anesthesiology and Reanimation. Data were collected online over 8 weeks using a questionnaire form by SurveyMonkey (San Mateo, CA) website after national and local ethics committee approval. Result(s): The study included 332 physicians (research associates and specialist physicians). Eighteen participants were excluded from the study since they merely gave their consent and did not respond to the questions. It was determined that participants' level of awareness about the possibilities of protection during the pandemic period was high, a low level of awareness about preparation for the operating room and case management, and a high level of understanding about the normalization period. Conclusion(s): Anesthesiology and reanimation physicians had a moderate understanding and awareness of COVID-19 perioperative management. Physicians were observed to have inadequate knowledge of algorithms for personal protective equipment, equipment disinfection protocol, and general anesthesia. In this era of easier access to the current information, it is critical to maintaining the highest level of knowledge and awareness among anesthesiology and reanimation physicians who manage the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure the continuity of training to transfer them to team members, and to carry out procedures following the recommendations.Copyright © 2022 Turkish Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Society. All rights reserved.
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Objectives. Determining the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among physicians and mapping of the perceived sources of social support. Design. Secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional survey. Methods. From a repeated survey of health care workers in Flanders (Belgium) (n = 8,350), practicing physicians were retained (n = 873). The survey, conducted between April and June 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic in Belgium, questioned respondents about the perceived occurrence of 11 personal and 8 professional reactions during the last week and in normal circumstances. Using odds ratios, the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the occurrence of these reactions was examined. Furthermore, the perceived sources of social support were listed and are descriptively presented. Results. For the 11 perceived personal reactions and 2 negative and 1 positive professional reaction, there is a significant association with the COVID-19 pandemic, namely a more frequent occurrence. Through the pandemic, significant differences have emerged between general practitioners and medical specialists with a more frequent occurrence of negative reactions in the general practitioner population. Respondents indicate that mental support is mainly found in their immediate environment and in colleagues outside their organization. Conclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on the mental well-being of physicians. While the impact on general practitioners remains high throughout the crisis, some normalization among medical specialists is seen towards the end of the first wave. Long-term follow-up and initiatives regarding mental support for physicians are necessary. Copyright © 2022 Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde en Gezondheidszorg. All rights reserved.
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought signifcant changes to the work of healthcare professionals around the world. Technologies of tele-medicine counseling and education of patients have become widespread. The largest platforms for informing patients are social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Objectives: to study the possibilities and impact of the social network as a digital medical tool on the education and management of rheumatological patients Methods: The study was conducted in the form of a survey in the social network Instagram in the blog @revmatologg-sarapulova, dedicated to the rheumatological diseases, and was dedicated to the level of information. At the time of the survey, the number of subscribers to the blog was 4895 people, 223 people answered the questions submitted. The survey was conducted in a Google form and was anonymous. Results: 86% of respondents lived in Russian Federation, 17.5%-in the survey region, 14% of patients were from other countries. 72% indicated the presence of rheumatic disease as the reason for reading the blog, 7%-disease in relatives, 14% are guided by the desire to know more about rheumatological diseases. 68.5% of the respondents rated the information presented in the blog as very interesting (10 points on a scale from 0 to 10), 13.3%-9 points and 9.1%-8 points. It should be noted that none of the participants in the study gave less than 5 points. The most interesting in the blog, the majority calls information posts (88.8%) and answers the questions (77.6%). 2 out of 3 patients (64.5%) after getting acquainted with the information provided began to know more about their disease, 14% began to lead a healthier lifestyle, 9.8% realized the need to visit a doctor. 83.3% of participants rated the information on the blog as more detailed than what they get at their doctor's appointment, and 81% would seek advice from a blogger. When answering the question 'Do you share the information you get from the blog with your healthcare provider?' 47.2% noted that they prefer not to report, 28%-report, while 44.9% of respondents indicated that the doctor is neutral about the information received, 22.9%-positively, 7.6%-negatively. In general, 86% agreed that social networks are an important source of medical information, and as other sources they noted self-search for information in the Internet and visiting a doctor. 65.7% of the respondents asked the question to the author of the blog and received a response that was helpful in 90.6% of cases. 36.8% previously applied for telemedicine counseling through any messengers/systems, and 20.1% plan to do so. In 57.8% of cases, the opinion of the attending physician coincided with the result of a telemedicine counseling, in 12.8% it did not, and 17.8% of patients consulted only online. Conclusion: social networks are an important source of information for patients and a means of choosing a medical specialist. However, it is alarming that in about half of the cases, patients do not share the information received with the attending physician, which can be explained both by lack of time and the lack of an adequate level of trust.
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Background: Two million people in Switzerland suffer from rheumatic diseases. The Swiss League against Rheumatism is committed to helping those affected. It provides them and their relatives with professional, neutral information on the subject of rheumatism. The Swiss League against Rheumatism has been publishing the podcast series 'Rheumatism in person' since 2021. In it, affected people discuss relevant and current topics about living with rheumatism with experts. Another aim is to devote time to the personal experiences of sufferers. The pool of experts includes medical specialists, nutritionists, social counsellors and psychologists. Objectives: The Swiss League against Rheumatism, as the national umbrella organisation, is expanding its communication services via the podcast in order to reach even more people with rheumatism in Switzerland. This makes it is possible to increasingly address a younger, digital-savvy target group and to expand the service proposed for this target group. The podcasts are primarily aimed at people with chronic forms of rheumatism between the ages of 25 and 50 and their relatives in German-speaking Switzerland. A further aim is to bring the opinions of those affected to the attention of the public, as well as to provide information from specialists, thereby creating greater awareness of the disease. Methods: Each podcast episode is about 30 minutes long. According to experience, this length is the most popular with most listeners, whilst also allowing complex topics to be explored in depth. The podcasts are issued monthly. This enables listeners to be prepared for a fxed release date. The episodes are produced in cooperation with a podcast agency. The advantage of an agency lies in its expertise and experience, especially in the technical feld. Funding for the podcast episodes can be secured from sponsors. 'When things get complicated-social counselling for rheumatism', 'Sport and rheumatism-anything but a contradiction' or 'Rare forms of rheumatism-lupus, EDS & co.' are popular episode titles, to name but a few. The podcasts are available on various international podcast platforms. The episodes are distributed via blog posts, existing newsletters and social media (Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn). External distribution channels are used in the form of the interviewees' networks, the 'Junge mit Rheuma' (young people with rheumatism) group, national patient organisations, cantonal/regional rheumatism leagues, the Swiss Society of Rheumatology and any media coverage attracted. Results: So far, the eleven episodes and accompanying trailer have been downloaded or streamed over 8,200 times by 5,300 unique listeners. All eleven topics were of great interest. The episode on 'Anti-infammatory nutrition' generated the most downloads (1,550), closely followed by the episode on 'The coronavirus pandemic with rheumatism', which reached just under 1,300 downloads (as of 21 January 2022). On 15 March 2021, the podcast series also made it onto the podium of a well-known podcast chart in the feld of medicine. This clearly shows that there is a need among rheumatism sufferers and their relatives to obtain information via podcasts. The large quantity of positive feedback from patients, rheumatologists and other health professionals is particularly noteworthy. 'From the frst second: very interesting topics, well produced and a great voice,' shared a listener. Conclusion: The podcast series has proved successful and will therefore be continued as a complementary communication tool for the Swiss League against Rheumatism. In addition to the episodes already released, another ten episodes are planned in German. The Swiss League against Rheumatism is keen to extend the podcast series to the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The idea is therefore to include French episodes in 2022. There are specifc plans to record three episodes, which will be broadcast in the second half of the year. The aim is to add more episodes to the French podcast series in the long term.