Stratification of Risks of Tuberculosis Relapses during the Pandemic of the Novel Coronavirus Infection

The objective: to assess risk factors for tuberculosis relapse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results. During the retrospective study, medical documents of patients treated for tuberculosis in 2020-2022 were analyzed. 140 patients above 18 years old with confirmed tuberculosis were included: newly diagnosed tuberculosis – 50 patients, early relapses – 50 patients, and late relapses – 40 patients. At the first stage, significant factors for relapse development were identified (ANOVA): diabetes (F=19402,8;p=0,000000), substances abuse (F=547,6;p=0,000000), alcohol abuse (F=149,7;p=0,000000), MDR MTB (F=107,8;p=0,000000), HIV infection (F=72,4;p=0,000000), imprisonment (F=49,5;p=0,000000), chronic respiratory diseases (F=47,1;p=0,000000), smoking (F=29,0;p=0,000000), and social status (F=28,9;p= 0,000000). At the second stage (cluster analysis), factors implementing the risks of development of early or late relapses were identified. As well as before the COVID-19 pandemic, social, medical and biological risk factors play a significant role in the development of tuberculosis relapses;history of COVID-19 was not one of the risk factors;and stratification of the risk factors made it possible to identify factors that contribute to development of both early and late relapses and to determine preventive measures. © 2023 New Terra Publishing House. All rights reserved.

The Wuhan Lockdown

The book's middle chapters examine the various bold and careful acts of Wuhan residents during the lockdown. A scrupulous student of China's internet, Yang devotes most of his attention to analyzing China's fast-changing internet culture through the lens of the Wuhan lockdown. After the Wuhan lockdown in early 2020, China imposed lockdown in every city where there was an outbreak, until it lifted the zero COVID policy in December 2022. [Extracted from the article] Copyright of Journal of Asian Studies is the property of Duke University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Experience of Using Remdesivir in Patients with Novel Coronavirus Infection.

Timely, effective, and safe antiviral therapy in COVID-19 patients reduces complications, disability and mortality rates. The greatest concern with remdesivir is the risk of drug-induced liver injury, including in patients whose liver function is compromised by COVID-19. The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of remdesivir in patients with confirmed SARSCoV-2 infection who had been admitted to an infectious diseases hospital in the Volgograd region in March 2022. Material(s) and Method(s): the authors carried out an open, non-randomised, single-arm study using medical records of 234 patients who had been diagnosed with "U07.1 COVID-19, virus identified" and prescribed remdesivir upon admission. The effectiveness of therapy was evaluated using two criteria: the need for oxygen supplementation or ventilatory support, or mortality. The authors conducted the evaluation on days 7, 14, and 28 using the six-point ordinal severity scale by Y. Wang et al. The safety of therapy was assessed on the basis of complaints and changes in laboratory findings. Result(s): for the patients prescribed remdesivir at admission, the 7-day mortality rate was 3.0%, the 14-day mortality rate was 5.6%, and the 28-day mortality rate was 7.3%. With the exception of a patient with myocardial infarction, all the patients who had been hospitalised with mild COVID-19 and prescribed remdesivir did not require oxygen therapy and/or transfer to intensive care and were discharged following recovery. The patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 had the 14-day mortality rate of 6.4% and the 28-day mortality rate of 8.6%. 17 patients (7.2%) discontinued remdesivir prematurely for various reasons, including adverse drug reactions. Remdesivir therapy of 5-10 days was associated with an increase in ALT activity by 2.7 +/- 0.8 times in 15.9% of patients with mild COVID-19, by 3.8 +/- 1.8 times in 20.4% of patients with moderately severe COVID-19, and by 4.8 +/- 2.7 times in 24% (12/50) of patients with severe COVID-19. In two patients (0.9%), the increase exceeded 10-fold the upper limit of normal. Conclusion(s): the obtained results support recommending remdesivir to patients with mild, moderate and severe COVID-19, including those with moderately elevated baseline activity of hepatic transaminases.Copyright © NEICON ISP LLC. All rights reserved.

Clinical features of epilepsy course during COVID-19.

Background. Currently, a great body of data regarding the link between epilepsy and novel coronavirus infection (NCI) has been accumulated. Numerous studies have paid a great attention to rise in frequency and severity of epileptic seizures as well as failure of remission in individuals suffering from epilepsy. Objective(s): to study clinical and mental changes during NCI in patients with epilepsy. Material and methods. Fifty patients with epilepsy were examined, who were divided into two groups depending on the NCI history: Group 1 (main) - 25 patients undergone COVID-19 in the period from 2020 to 2022;Group 2 (control) - 25 patients not undergone COVID-19 during the same period. Slinical-anamnestic and psychometric methods were used as well as the following scales and questionnaires: National Hospital Seizure Severity Scale (NHS-3), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale (MOS-SS), Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20). Results. In patients with epilepsy who had undergone COVID-19, there was a tendency for more frequent epileptic seizures and increased severity of seizure course. Among such patients, mild depression and more severe asthenia, cognitive impairment, moderate sleep disturbances were more common than in the control group. Conclusion. The NCI pandemic has had a pronounced negative impact on the severity of epilepsy (the underlying disease).Copyright © 2023 IRBIS LLC. All Rights Reserved.

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Against Virus: Mission Accomplished!?

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has started to optimize itself. After crossing the species barrier between bats and humans, it has developed mutations in the viral spike protein, in particular at positions 69/70, 452, 501, 614, and 681, that enhance binding to the ACE-2 receptor and entry into host cells, thereby promoting viral transmissibility and pathogenesis. Mutations at positions 417 and 484 have begun to undermine the effectiveness of convalescent plasma, monoclonal antibodies, and currently available vaccines. The targeted and convergent evolution of SARS-CoV-2, which occurred despite the proofreading activity of the exonuclease, has resulted so far in five variants of concern, which have replaced previous strains. This calls for a worldwide surveillance of viral evolution including animal transmission and the development of vaccines responding to escape variants and inducing mucosal immunity. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Clinical features of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Delta variant infection and abnormal liver function in Guangdong Province, China. TT -? ? ? ? ? ?.

Objective To investigate the clinical features of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta variant infection and abnormal liver function in Guangdong Province, China. Methods The patients with SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infection who belonged to the same chain of transmission in Guangdong Province (Guangzhou and Foshan) and were admitted to Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University from May 21 to June 18, 2021 were enrolled in this study, and the judgment criteria for liver function were alanine aminotransferase (male/female) > 50/40 U/L, aspartate aminotransferase > 40 U/L, total bilirubin > 26 mumol/L, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase > 60 U/L, and alkaline phosphatase (ALK) > 125 U/L. Abnormality in any one item of the above criteria was defined as abnormal liver function, and such patients were included in analysis (the patients, aged < 18 years, who had a mild or moderate increase in ALP alone were not included in analysis). Clinical data were compared between the patients with normal liver function and those with abnormal liver function, and the etiology and prognosis of abnormal liver function were analyzed. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups;the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Results Among the 166 patients with SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infection, 32 (19.3%) had abnormal liver function with mild-to-moderate increases in liver function parameters, and compared with the normal liver function group, the abnormal liver function group had a significantly higher proportion of critical patients (chi2=38.689, P < 0.001) and significantly higher age and inflammatory cytokines [C-reactive protein type, serum amyloid A, and interleukin-6 (IL-6)](all P < 0.05). Among the 32 patients with abnormal liver function, 13 patients had abnormal liver function on admission (defined as primary group), while 19 patients had normal liver function on admission but were found to have abnormal liver function by reexamination after treatment (defined as secondary group). For the primary group, the evidence of abnormal liver function was not found for 3 patients (3/13, 23.1%), and the possibility of toxic liver injury directly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection was considered. Among the 19 patients in the secondary group, 9 (47.4%) had mild/common type and 10 (52.6%) had critical type, and all critical patients had the evidence of liver injury indirectly caused by the significant increases in C-reactive protein type, serum amyloid A, and IL-6 and hypoxemia;the evidence of abnormal liver function was not found for only 1 patient (1/19, 5.3%), and the possibility of toxic liver injury directly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection was considered. All 32 patients with abnormal liver function had [JP2]significant reductions in liver function parameters after treatment including liver protection. Conclusion As for the patients with SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infection who belong to the same chain of transmission in Guangdong Province, the critical patients show a significantly higher proportion of patients with abnormal liver function than the patients with other clinical types, and other factors except SARS-CoV-2 infection and indirect injury caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection are the main cause of liver injury.Copyright © 2022 Editorial Board of Jilin University. All rights reserved.

Efficiency of Levilimab in patients with moderate and severe COVID-19.

Objective: evaluation of the clinical and economic efficiency of using Levilimab in the treatment of moderate and severe COVID-19 based on real world data (RWD). Material and methods. A single-center observational retrospective case-control study was performed. According to the matching algorithm, 834 pairs of patients with moderate and 347 pairs with severe infection were selected, similar in gender, age, vaccination status, severity of the disease and the level of C-reactive protein. Results. The clinical efficiency of Levilimab with respect to in-hospital mortality was demonstrated both for the moderate course (6% in the Levilimab group and 10% in the standard therapy group;odds ratio (OR) 1.71;95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-2.47;p<0.01) and for the severe course of COVID-19 (63% and 82%, respectively;OR 2.70;95% CI 1.90-3.82;p<0.01). The costs per 1 treated patient were also higher in the Levilimab therapy groups: the difference in costs compared to the standard therapy group for patients with moderate disease was 54 665.30 rubles, with severe disease - 91 285.85 rubles. The estimated cost of the additional effectiveness of Levilimab for the moderate course of the disease was 13, 666.32 rubles, for the severe course - 4, 804.51 rubles. Conclusion. The use of Levilimab for the treatment of moderate and severe COVID-19 is feasible both from a clinical and economic points of view. Conducting RWD trials is an important tool to understand the effectiveness of medical technologies in real clinical practice.Copyright © 2023 IRBIS LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Remdesivir in the Treatment of COVID-19 Outpatients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: The outbreak of acute respiratory syndrome with novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, caused a worldwide outbreak of the disease. To treat the disease, some drugs were identified and introduced that did not show a significant effect on the recovery of the disease. Due to the need to manage inpatient beds, this study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Remdesivir in the treatment of outpatients with moderate to severe COVID-19. Method(s): The present study was a retrospective cohort with a convenience sampling method. It was conducted by referring to the records of COVID-19 patients who were referred to the respiratory clinic of Shahid Beheshti Hospital as outpatients in the period from April to August 2021. Result(s): This study was conducted on 263 COVID-19 patients with a mean age of 51.16+/-14.39 years from 19 and 90 years old. Data were collected through a researcher-made checklist and analyzed using SPSS 20. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, paired t-test, and Mc Nemar's test were used to evaluate the data. The significance level was considered at the level of 0.05. Conclusion(s): Findings revealed that no clear correlation was found between hospitalization and death rate compared to other patients. In our study, the risk factors for severe COVID-19 did not affect the rate of hospitalization or death of patients.Copyright © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.

PROTOCOLS FOR RESTARTING TOURISM IN COVID-19 CONDITIONS AND DEVELOPING PANDEMIC IMMUNITY.

The purpose of the study is to provide a better understanding of the protocols for restarting tourism considered as an international prior action plan, and to present an academic output supporting the development of pandemic immunity. In this direction, the global guidelines of United Nations World Tourism Organization dated 28 May 2020 and new-normal protocols of World Travel and Tourism Council dated 29 May 2020 were translated into Turkish and subjected to content analysis. The entire analysis process, from coding to Sankey diagram creation, conducted via ATLAS.ti - v.22.1.4.0, a computer-aided qualitative data analysis software. Among the results;the role in restarting tourism and the aspects of developing pandemic immunity of implementing hygiene-oriented innovative practices even if they will require changes in the organizational chart, prioritizing coordination, communication and cooperation not only in the steps taken by the government and businesses but also by the other interested parties, making the dynamism within the internal processes brought about by the turbulent conditions efficient and standardized via the adoption of protocols establishing a specific business manner and procedure are stand out. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] Çalışmanın amacı;uluslararası nitelikteki turizmi yeniden başlatma protokollerinin detaylı bir şekilde incelenerek somutlaştırılmasıdır. Böylece benzer krizlerin şok etkisini kısaltan, eyleme geçme sürecini daha etkili ve hızlı kılan bir pandemi bağışıklığının geliştirilmesine katkı sağlanması hedeflenmektedir. Bu doğrultuda, Türkçeye çevrilmiş olan Birleşmiş Milletler Dünya Turizm Örgütü'nün 28 Mayıs 2020 tarihli küresel yönergesi ile Dünya Seyahat ve Turizm Konseyi'nin 29 Mayıs 2020 tarihli yeni-normal protokolleri içerik analizine tabi tutulmuştur. Kodlama işleminden Sankey diyagramı oluşturmaya kadar tüm analiz süreci, bilgisayar destekli bir nitel veri analiz yazılımı olan ATLAS.ti - v.22.1.4.0 vasıtasıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Sonuçlar arasından;örgüt şemasında değişimleri gerektirecek olsa dahi hijyen odaklı inovatif uygulamaların hayata geçirilmesinin, yalnızca hükümetin ve işletmelerin değil;diğer ilgili tarafların atacağı adımlarda da koordinasyonun, iletişimin ve iş birliğinin öncelikli olarak değerlendirilmesinin, çalkantılı koşulların işletme içi süreçlerde meydana getirdiği olumsuzlukların protokollerin benimsenmesi aracılığıyla standardize edilmesinin ve verimli kılınmasının, turizmin yeniden başlatılmasındaki rolü ve pandemi bağışıklığını geliştirici yönleri ön plana çıkmaktadır. (Turkish) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Pamukkale University Journal of Social Sciences Institute / Pamukkale Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi is the property of Pamukkale University, Social Sciences Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

COVID-related incentive payments to healthcare workers

Introduction/Objective The study estimates the associations between the key pandemic indicators and the allocation of COVID-19-related bonus and welfare payments to Russian healthcare workers. Methods The study uses regression analysis. Results The study examines two consecutive types of COVID-19-related bonus payments: (1) incentive payments (in 2020) and (2) welfare payments (in 2020–2022). Concerning incentive payments (type 1), the study supports hypotheses regarding the association between the number of persons infected with COVID-19 in a relevant region and the actual/estimated amount of budget transfers to a relevant region for bonus payments to medical workers (a) for special working conditions and additional workload and (b) for performing particularly important work. As for welfare payments (type 2), the study supports hypotheses regarding the association between (1) COVID-19 cases, (2) COVID-19 recoveries, and (3) the fiscal year-end closeout and the amount of welfare payments. Conclusion The main channel for financing payments to medical workers is a special welfare payment through the system of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation. This source exceeds the estimated total transfers and subsidies for similar purposes in 2020. The study tests hypotheses regarding the association between the key pandemic indicators and the size of various types of budget transfers for bonus and welfare payments to medical workers. © 2023, Serbia Medical Society. All rights reserved.

Frontiers of COVID-19: Scientific and Clinical Aspects of the Novel Coronavirus 2019

This book aims to serve the critical interests of the global community by supplying the most current knowledge and understanding of Covid-19 epidemiology, treatment, and prognoses. There was much uncertain and contradictory information published in the first year of the novel coronavirus. The dynamics of COVID-19 have now been realized, including the type of antibodies produced in infected patients and their limited lasting endurance. This book will set the record straight on the concept of "herd immunity” and explore the current vaccine trials taking place in different countries. This comprehensive book will illuminate recent advances regarding COVID-19 and offer a possible roadmap on how to move forward. Frontiers of COVID-19: A Pathophysiology and Epidemiology Roadmap of Novel Coronavirus Disease will be a vital and forward-looking guide for infectious disease clinicians, scientists and researchers, and students at the graduate level. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Covid-19 imaging: A narrative review.

BACKGROUND: The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) imaging data is dispersed in numerous publications. A cohesive literature review is to be assembled. OBJECTIVE: To summarize the existing literature on Covid-19 pneumonia imaging including precautionary measures for radiology departments, Chest CT's role in diagnosis and management, imaging findings of Covid-19 patients including children and pregnant women, artificial intelligence applications and practical recommendations. METHODS: A systematic literature search of PubMed/med line electronic databases. RESULTS: The radiology department's staff is on the front line of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Strict adherence to precautionary measures is the main defense against infection's spread. Although nucleic acid testing is Covid-19's pneumonia diagnosis gold standard; kits shortage and low sensitivity led to the implementation of the highly sensitive chest computed tomography amidst initial diagnostic tools. Initial Covid-19 CT features comprise bilateral, peripheral or posterior, multilobar ground-glass opacities, predominantly in the lower lobes. Consolidations superimposed on ground-glass opacifications are found in few cases, preponderantly in the elderly. In later disease stages, GGO transformation into multifocal consolidations, thickened interlobular and intralobular lines, crazy paving, traction bronchiectasis, pleural thickening, and subpleural bands are reported. Standardized CT reporting is recommended to guide radiologists. While lung ultrasound, pulmonary MRI, and PET CT are not Covid-19 pneumonia's first-line investigative diagnostic modalities, their characteristic findings and clinical value are outlined. Artificial intelligence's role in strengthening available imaging tools is discussed. CONCLUSION: This review offers an exhaustive analysis of the current literature on imaging role and findings in COVID-19 pneumonia.

[Morphological aspects of diaphragm dysfunction in COVID-19-associated pneumonia]. / Morfologicheskie aspekty disfunktsii diafragmy pri COVID-19-assotsiirovannoi pnevmonii.

OBJECTIVE: To assess morphological changes in the diaphragm and phrenic nerve in patients who died from COVID-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a case-control study, an analysis was made of autopsy material of the diaphragm and phrenic nerve of those who died from COVID-19 infection complicated by SARS-CoV-2-associated pneumonia, confirmed in vivo by the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (Group 1, n=12), and those who died with a diagnosis of acute cerebrovascular accident of the ischemic type without parenchymal respiratory failure (Group 2, n=3). RESULTS: The main histopathological features in the diaphragm of the 1st group were the edema of the pericellular spaces of muscle fibers, edema of perivascular spaces, diapedese hemorrhages, plethora in arteriolas, in most veins and capillaries, red blood clots were revealed; in the diaphragmatic nerve - swelling of the perineral space, severe edema around the nerve fibers inside the nerve trunk. In the diaphragm of group 2, edema of pericellular spaces of muscle fibers and edema of perivascular spaces were less pronounced (p<0.001), hemorrhages were not determined; in the diaphragmatic nerve, moderate edema of the perineral space, mild swelling inside the nerve trunk around the nerve fibers was revealed (p<0.001). The glycogen content in the muscle cells of group 1 is significantly lower compared to group 2 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The study confirms the characteristic pathological picture of organ damage in COVID-19. However, the leading pathological mechanism of organ damage requires further investigation.

Persistent lymphocyte reduction and interleukin-6 levels are independently associated with death in patients with COVID-19.

To investigate the value of the peripheral blood lymphocyte count (LYM) combined with interleukin-6 (IL-6) in predicting disease severity and prognosis in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia. This was a prospective observational cohort study. A total of 109 patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia who were admitted to Nanjing First Hospital from December 2022 to January 2023 were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups based on disease severity: severe (46 patients) and critically ill (63 patients). The clinical data of all patients were collected. The clinical characteristics, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, peripheral blood lymphocyte count, IL-6 level and other laboratory test results were compared between the two groups. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the predictive value of each index for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia severity; patients were regrouped using the optimal cut-off value of the ROC curve, and the relationship between different LYM and IL-6 levels and the prognosis of patients was analysed. Kaplan‒Meier survival curve analysis was performed; in the different LYM and IL-6 groups, the patients were regrouped based on whether thymosin was used, and the effect of thymosin on patient prognosis was compared between the groups. Patients in the critically ill group were significantly older than patients in the severe group (age: 78 ± 8 vs. 71 ± 17, t = 2.982, P < 0.05), and the proportion of patients with hypertension, diabetes and cerebrovascular disease was significantly higher in the critically ill group than in the severe group (69.8% vs. 45.7%, 38.1% vs. 17.4%, 36.5% vs. 13.0%; χ2 values, 6.462, 5.495, 7.496, respectively, all P < 0.05). Compared with the severe group, the critically ill group had a higher SOFA score on admission (score: 5.4 ± 3.0 vs. 1.9 ± 1.5, t = 24.269, P < 0.05); IL-6 and procalcitonin (PCT) in the critically ill group were significantly higher than those in the severe group on the first day of admission [288.4 (191.4, 412.9) vs. 513.0 (288.2, 857.4), 0.4 (0.1, 3.2) vs. 0.1 (0.05, 0.2); Z values, 4.000, 4.456, both P < 0.05]. The lymphocyte count continued to decline, and the lymphocyte count on the 5th day (LYM-5d) was still low (0.6 ± 0.4 vs. 1.0 ± 0.4, t = 4.515, both P < 0.05), with statistically significant differences between the two groups. ROC curve analysis indicated that LYM-5d, IL-6 and LYM-5d + IL-6 all had value for predicting SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia severity; the areas under the curve (AUCs) were 0.766, 0.725, and 0.817, respectively, and the 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were 0.676-0.856, 0.631-0.819, and 0.737-0.897, respectively. The optimal cut-off values for LYM-5d and IL-6 were 0.7 × 109/L and 416.4 pg/ml, respectively. LYM-5d + IL-6 had the greatest value in predicting disease severity, and LYM-5d had higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia severity. Regrouping was performed based on the optimal cut-off values for LYM-5d and IL-6. Comparing the IL-6 ≥ 416.4 pg/ml and LYM-5d < 0.7 × 109/L group with the other group, i.e., patients in the non-low-LYM-5d and high-IL-6 group, patients in the low-LYM-5d and high-IL-6 group had a higher 28-day mortality rate (71.9% vs. 29.9%, χ2 value 16.352, P < 0.05) and a longer hospital stay, intensive care unit (ICU) stay and mechanical ventilation time (days: 13.7 ± 6.3 vs. 8.4 ± 4.3, 9.0 (7.0, 11.5) vs. 7.5 (4.0, 9.5), 8.0 (6.0, 10.0) vs. 6.0 (3.3, 8.5); t/Z values, 11.657, 2.113, 2.553, respectively, all P < 0.05), as well as a higher incidence of secondary bacterial infection during the disease course (75.0% vs. 41.6%, χ2 value 10.120, P < 0.05). Kaplan‒Meier survival analysis indicated that the median survival time of patients in the low LYM-5d and high-IL-6 group was significantly shorter than that of patients in the non-low LYM-5d and high-IL-6 group (14.5 ± 1.8 d vs. 22.2 ± 1.1 d, Z value 18.086, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the curative effect between the thymosin group and the nonthymosin group. LYM and IL-6 levels are closely related to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia severity. The prognosis for patients with IL-6 ≥ 416.4 pg/ml at admission and a lymphocyte count < 0.7 × 10 9/L on the 5th day is poor.

Effectiveness of RCTs Pooling Evidence on Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) Therapeutic Applications During COVID-19 Epidemic: A Systematic Review.

Background: Global pandemic identified as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in a variety of clinical symptoms, from asymptomatic carriers to those with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS) and moderate upper respiratory tract symptoms (URTS). This systematic review aimed to determine effectiveness of stem cell (SC) applications among COVID-19 patients. Methods: Multiple databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were used. Studies were screened, chosen, and included in this systematic review using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 flowchart diagram and PRISMA checklist. Included studies' quality was assessed employing Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) quality evaluation criteria for 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Results: Fourteen RCTs were performed between the years of 2020 to 2022, respectively, with a sample size n = 574 (treatment group (n = 318); control group (n = 256)) in multiple countries of Indonesia, Iran, Brazil, Turkey, China, Florida, UK, and France. The greatest sample size reported from China among 100 COVID-19 patients, while the lowest sample of 9 COVID-19 patients from Jakarta, Indonesia, and the patient's age ranges from 18 to 69 years. Studies applied to the type of SC were "Umbilical cord MSCs, MSCs secretome, MSCs, Placenta-derived MSCs, Human immature dental pulp SC, DW-MSC infusion, Wharton Jelly-derived MSCs". The injected therapeutic dose was 1 × 106 cells/kg, 1 × 107 cells/kg, 1 × 105 cells/kg, and 1 million cells/kg as per the evidence from the different studies. Studies focused on demographic variables, clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, Comorbidities, respiratory measures, concomitant therapies, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, mechanical ventilation, body mass index, adverse events, inflammatory markers, and PaO2/FiO2 ratio were all recorded as study characteristics. Conclusion: Clinical evidence on MSC's therapeutic applications during COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a promising therapy for COVID-19 patient recovery with no consequences and applied as a routine treatment for challenging ailments.

Kawasaki Disease in the Time of COVID-19 and MIS-C - The International Kawasaki Disease Registry.

BACKGROUND: Patients with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD) have overlapping clinical features. We compared demographics/clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of patients by evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: The International KD Registry (IKDR) enrolled KD and MIS-C patients from sites from North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia and Middle East. Evidence of prior infection was defined as: Positive (+ve household contact or positive PCR/serology), Possible (suggestive clinical features of MIS-C and/or KD with negative PCR or serology but not both), Negative (negative PCR and serology and no known exposure), and Unknown (incomplete testing and no known exposure). RESULTS: Of 2345 enrolled patients SARS-CoV-2 status was Positive for 1541 (66%) patients, Possible 89 (4%), Negative 404 (17%) and Unknown for 311 (13%) patients. Clinical outcomes varied significantly between the groups, with more patients in the Positive/Possible groups presenting with shock, having admission to Intensive Care, receiving inotropic support, and having longer hospital stays. Regarding cardiac abnormalities, patients in the Positive/Possible groups had a higher prevalence of left ventricular dysfunction, while patients in the Negative and Unknown groups had more severe coronary artery abnormalities. results CONCLUSION: : There appears to be a spectrum of clinical features from MIS-C to KD with a great deal of heterogeneity, and one primary differentiating factor is evidence for prior acute SARS CoV2 infection/exposure. SARS-CoV-2 Positive/Possible patients had more severe presentations and required more intensive management, with a greater likelihood of ventricular dysfunction but less severe coronary artery adverse outcomes, in keeping with MIS-C.

Acupoint stimulation for long COVID: A promising intervention:.

"Long COVID" is a sustained symptom following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). According to recent statistics, at least 65 million people have long COVID, which poses a long-term threat to human health. The pathogenic mechanisms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are complex and affect multiple organs and systems. Common symptoms include palpitations, breathing difficulties, attention and memory deficits, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. It is difficult to achieve satisfactory treatment effect with a single intervention. Currently, treatment strategies for long COVID are still in the exploratory stage, and there is an urgent need to find appropriate and effective methods for long COVID treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine is effective in treating the various phases of COVID-19. Previous studies have shown that acupoint stimulation therapy is effective in improving palpitations, dyspnea, cognitive impairment, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms in patients. According to previous studies, acupoint stimulation may improve various symptoms related to long COVID. This paper discusses the potential application value of acupoint stimulation in the treatment of long COVID-related symptoms, based on the common sequelae of various systems involved in long COVID, and the effect of acupoint stimulation in the treatment of similar symptoms and diseases in recent years.

Comparative Analysis of Mathematical Model of Covid-Sars Using Atangana-Baleanu and Yang-Abdel-Cattani Fractional Derivative Operators

Today's world is suffering from a disease known as the Corona Virus (COVID-19). Since this virus has turned into a pandemic at a global level, it is required to investigate the virus and its related attributes to anticipate future outbreaks and also to make strategies for its control through mathematical models. In this article, we perform a comparative analysis of the model using the Atangana-Baleanu and Yang-Abdel-Cattani fractional derivative operators with the help of Sumudu transform. We also compute the numerical results with graphical representation to show the behavior of the operators.