A Single Session of Virtual Reality Improved Tiredness, Shortness of Breath, Anxiety, Depression and Well-Being in Hospitalized Individuals with COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, the world was surprised by the spread and mass contamination of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19). COVID-19 produces symptoms ranging from a common cold to severe symptoms that can lead to death. Several strategies have been implemented to improve the well-being of patients during their hospitalization, and virtual reality (VR) has been used. However, whether patients hospitalized for COVID-19 can benefit from this intervention remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether VR contributes to the control of pain symptoms, the sensation of dyspnea, perception of well-being, anxiety, and depression in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was designed. Patients underwent a single session of VR and usual care. The experimental group (n = 22) received VR content to promote relaxation, distraction, and stress relief, whereas the control group (n = 22) received non-specific VR content. RESULTS: The experimental group reported a significant decrease in tiredness, shortness of breath, anxiety, and an increase in the feeling of well-being, whereas the control group showed improvement only in the tiredness and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: VR is a resource that may improve the symptoms of tiredness, shortness of breath, anxiety, and depression in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Future studies should investigate the effect of multiple VR sessions on individuals with COVID-19.

Hemodynamic effects of COVID-19 vaccination in hospitalized patients awaiting heart transplantation.

Background: The hemodynamic effects of pre-transplant vaccination against COVID-19 among heart transplant candidates hospitalized for advanced heart failure remains unknown. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted at a high-volume transplant center from January through December 2021. 22 COVID-19 vaccination events occurred among patients hospitalized for decompensated heart failure while awaiting transplantation. Primary outcomes included inotrope and vasopressor dosages. Secondary outcomes included vital signs, pulmonary artery catheter measurements, diuretic dosages, and renal function. Data were extracted 24 h before through 72 h after vaccination. Results: One of 22 vaccination events was associated with hemodynamic changes requiring increased inotropic and vasopressor support post-vaccination. In all other cases, transient hemodynamic changes occurred without need for escalated therapy. Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccination can be administered safely to most critically ill patients with advanced heart failure including those awaiting transplantation. All patients should be monitored closely as some may be susceptible to significant hemodynamic changes.

Impact of the COVID pandemic on emergency department CT utilization: where do we go from here?

PURPOSE: To analyze the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic on emergency department (ED) computed tomography (CT) utilization. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted assessing seven hospitals' ED imaging volumes between Jan. 6, 2019, and Feb. 27, 2021. Weekly CT utilization is reported as CTs ordered per 100 ED visits. Utilization was ascertained in aggregate and by body area. Interrupted time series analysis was performed to assess significance of utilization change. Prespecified sensitivity analysis was performed for influenza-like or COVID-like illness (ILI/CLI). RESULTS: Weekly ED CT utilization increased from 35.9 CTs per 100 visits (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 35.8-36.1) to 41.8 per 100 visits (95% CI 41.7-42.0) in pre- and post-pandemic periods. Weekly ED CT chest utilization increased immediately following the pandemic declaration (+ 0.52 chest CTs per 100 ED visits, 95% CI 0.01-1.03, p < 0.05) and compared to pre-pandemic period (+ 0.02 per 100 ED visits, 95% CI 0.02-0.05, p < 0.02). For both CT abdomen/pelvis and CT head, there was neither an immediate effect (+ 0.34 CT-AP per 100 ED visits, 95% CI - 0.74 to 1.44, p = 0.89; - 0.42 CT-H per 100 ED visits, 95% CI - 1.53 to 0.70, p = 0.46) nor a change in weekly CT utilization (+ 0.03 CT-AP per 100 ED visits, 95% CI - 0.01 to 0.05, p = 0.09; + 0.03 CT-H per 100 ED visits, 95% CI - 0.01 to 0.06, p = 0.10).  CONCLUSION: These data may help formulate future strategies for resource utilization and imaging operations as we envision a future with COVID and other federal mandates affecting imaging utilization and appropriateness.

Factors associated with knowledge and perceptions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic among future health science professionals: A logistic model analysis

Aim: This study aimed to determine the factors associated with knowledge and perceptions regarding the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among undergraduate students in different health science fields. Materials and Methods: An analytical, cross-sectional, prospective study was conducted. Data were collected between January and March 2021, from health science undergraduate students attending Federico Villarreal National University in Peru. To calculate the sample size, a formula to estimate a proportion was applied using Stata 15 software (n = 527). The examined factors were faculty, year of study, gender, region, residence, living with parents, and having family members infected with COVID-19, which were analyzed using a logit model to identify the impact of the intervening variables with a significance of P < 0.05. Results: None of the variables studied were found to affect knowledge and perceptions regarding COVID-19 preventive measures among Peruvian health science students, with the following odds ratios (OR) obtained: faculty (OR = 0.96;95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83–1.12), year of study (OR = 0.98;CI: 0.77–1.25), gender (OR = 1.12;CI: 0.54–2.28), region (OR = 1.32;CI: 0.35–4.78), residence (OR = 0.97;CI: 0.48–1.95), living with parents (OR = 1.5;CI: 0.52–4.39), and having infected family members (OR = 1.5;CI: 0.64–3.49). Conclusion: The results of this study show that students at a Peruvian public university have adequate knowledge and perceptions regarding preventive strategies to avoid contracting and spreading COVID-19. In addition, none of the examined factors were significant in this relationship.

Effectiveness and Safety of Ustekinumab in Ulcerative Colitis: Real-world Evidence from the ENEIDA Registry.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The development programm UNIFI has shown promising results of ustekinumab in ulcerative colitis [UC] treatment which should be confirmed in clinical practice. We aimed to evaluate the durability, effectiveness, and safety of ustekinumab in UC in real life. METHODS: Patients included in the prospectively maintained ENEIDA registry, who received at least one intravenous dose of ustekinumab due to active UC [Partial Mayo Score [PMS]>2], were included. Clinical activity and effectiveness were defined based on PMS. Short-term response was assessed at Week 16. RESULTS: A total of 95 patients were included. At Week 16, 53% of patients had response [including 35% of patients in remission]. In the multivariate analysis, elevated serum C-reactive protein was the only variable significantly associated with lower likelihood of achieving remission. Remission was achieved in 39% and 33% of patients at Weeks 24 and 52, respectively; 36% of patients discontinued the treatment with ustekinumab during a median follow-up of 31 weeks. The probability of maintaining ustekinumab treatment was 87% at Week 16, 63% at Week 56, and 59% at Week 72; primary failure was the main reason for ustekinumab discontinuation. No variable was associated with risk of discontinuation. Three patients reported adverse events; one of them had a fatal severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS: Ustekinumab is effective in both the short and the long term in real life, even in a highly refractory cohort. Higher inflammatory burden at baseline correlated with lower probability of achieving remission. Safety was consistent with the known profile of ustekinumab.

Opioid-related Emergency Department Visits During COVID-19 in a Large Health System.

OBJECTIVE: Multiple states have reported increases in opioid overdose deaths during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, however little is known about opioid-related presentations to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: This was a time series analysis of visits to 7 EDs in greater Chicago, Illinois from October 20, 2019 to July 25, 2020. We compared the number of ED visits for opioid-related diagnoses in the time period preceding the World Health Organization pandemic declaration (prepandemic period, October 20, 2019-July 3, 2020) to the time period following the World Health Organization declaration (pandemic period, March 8, 2020 to July 25, 2020) using a single-group interrupted time series analysis with Newey-West standard errors. We also present data on alcohol-related ED visits for comparison. RESULTS: We evaluated a total of 177,405 visits across the 7 EDs during the study period. The mean number of weekly ED visits in the prepandemic and pandemic periods was 4841 and 4029 weekly visits, respectively. In the interrupted time series analysis, there was no significant immediate effect of the pandemic start on opioid-related ED visits (-0.44 visits per 1000 ED visits, 95% CI -2.47 to 1.58, P = 0.66), however, there was a significant immediate effect of the pandemic start on alcohol-related ED visits (-4.1, 95% CI: -8.25 to -0.01, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite reductions in overall ED visit volumes and alcohol-related visits during COVID-19, the number of opioid-related visits was not significantly reduced during the early pandemic. These data reinforce the need to provide comprehensive treatment services for opioid use disorder during the co-occurring COVID-19 and opioid crises.

Heart transplantation in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: A single-center case series.

The infectious disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. The impact of COVID-19 on solid organ transplantations, including heart transplantation, is currently unclear. Many transplant programs have been forced to swiftly re-evaluate and adapt their practices, leading to a marked decrease in transplants performed. This trend has been due to various factors, including increased donor COVID-19 screening scrutiny and recipient waiting list management in anticipation of COVID-19 critical care surge capacity planning. In the face of these unknown variables, determining when and how to proceed with transplantation in our population of patients with end-stage cardiomyopathies is challenging. Here, we describe our center's experience with orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) in one of the country's pandemic epicenters, where we performed eight OHTs in the first 2 months after community spread began in late February 2020.

COVID-19 in a high-risk dual heart and kidney transplant recipient.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is rapidly infecting people worldwide, resulting in the infectious disease coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) that has been declared a pandemic. Much remains unknown about COVID-19, including its effects on solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Given their immunosuppressed state, SOT recipients are presumed to be at high risk of complications with viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2. Limited case reports in single SOT recipients, however, have not suggested a particularly severe course in this population. In this report, we present a dual-organ (heart/kidney) transplant recipient who was found to have COVID-19 and, despite the presence of a number of risk factors for poor outcomes, had a relatively mild clinical course.

Occupational therapy in times of pandemic: social security and guaranties of possible everyday life for all

Social security only becomes real in social programs and policies where these three policies (health, social insurance and social care) are present and their actions and services should be available to all citizens. [...]it is fundamental to highlight the relationship with "Education", (regulated by the Article 205 of the Brazilian Constitution). Education is connected with other social rights and sectors, and it is possible that through this integration, Education promotes other rights, because rights integration improves the well-being of humanity. [...]occupational therapists need also to approach the role of professionals in the Social Care System, in the National Social Insurance, in the Prison System or Judiciary systems, in schools, in different sectors of community and communitarian and territorial work, in non-governmental organizations of public interest. First of all, we have to advocate for a quality of everyday life. [...]we affirm that the work of occupational therapy in the everyday life of all people only happens if we advocate for a possible quality of life for all, considering differences and power, which bring meaning and to life.