RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, preventive measures mandated by government policies have included the closure of exercise facilities and movement restriction, which can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. We investigated the effect of these preventive measures on metabolic parameters in individuals with cardiometabolic disorders. METHODS: In this retrospective, observational study of patients who visited the hospital at least twice a year for the past 4 years, changes in cardiometabolic factors during the COVID-19 pandemic (2019-2020) were compared with changes in the same cohort at the same annual time points during the previous seasons of 2016-2019. RESULTS: A total of 1,485 individuals with a mean age of 61.8±11.7 years were included in the analyses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of patients whose metabolic syndrome worsened increased significantly by 21% compared with the 2018-2019 season. Body mass index increased by 0.09±1.16 kg/m2 in the 2019-2020 pandemic period, whereas it decreased by -0.39±3.03 kg/m2 in 2018-2019 and by -0.34±2.18 kg/m2 in 2017-2018 (both P<0.05). Systolic blood pressure increased by 2.6±18.2 mmHg in the COVID-19 pandemic period, while it decreased in the three antecedent seasons (all P<0.05). Lipid profiles worsened in the pandemic period compared with the previous years. Framingham coronary heart disease risk score also increased significantly. CONCLUSION: Nationwide strategies to maintain cardiometabolic health are necessary during contagious disease pandemics like COVID-19 to mitigate the adverse health effects of pandemic-preventative strategies.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Current evidence supports lung ultrasound as a point-ofcare alternative diagnostic tool for various respiratory diseases. We sought to determine the utility of lung ultrasound for early detection of pneumonia and for assessment of respiratory failure among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: Six patients with confirmed COVID-19 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were enrolled. All had undergone chest X-ray and chest computed tomography (CT) on the day of admission and underwent multiple point-of-care lung ultrasound scans over the course of their hospitalization. RESULTS: Lung ultrasound detected early abnormal findings of representative B-lines in a patient with a normal chest X-ray, corresponding to ground-glass opacities on the chest CT scan. The ultrasound findings improved as her clinical condition improved and her viral load decreased. In another minimally symptomatic patient without significant chest X-ray findings, the ultrasound showed B-lines, an early sign of pneumonia before abnormalities were detected on the chest CT scan. In two critically ill patients, ultrasound was performed to assess for evaluation of disease severity. In both patients, the clinicians conducted emergency rapid sequence intubation based on the ultrasound findings without awaiting the laboratory results and radiological reports. In two children, ultrasound was used to assess the improvement in their pneumonia, thus avoiding further imaging tests such as chest CT. CONCLUSION: Lung ultrasound is feasible and useful as a rapid, sensitive, and affordable point-of-care screening tool to detect pneumonia and assess the severity of respiratory failure in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.