[Clinico-psychological profile and life quality of patients with post-COVID syndrome]. / Kliniko-psikhologicheskii profil' i kachestvo zhizni patsientov s postkovidnym sindromom.

OBJECTIVE: To study clinico-psychological profile and life quality of patients with post-COVID syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined 162 patients aged 24-60 years with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection which having symptoms that served as the basis for the diagnosis of post-COVID syndrome. Patients underwent general neurological and somatic examination with allocation of the corresponding neurological syndromes. The intensity and quality of pain were assessed using the McGill Pain questionnaire. The level of psychosocial stress was determined by the Holmes-Ray questionnaire, the identification and severity of asthenia - by the MFI-20 asthenia scale. The level of reactive and personal anxiety was studied according to the Spielberger-Khanin questionnaire, depression - according to the Beck scale. The assessment of life quality was carried out using the Russian version of SF-36 questionnaire. To correct the identified disorders, Mexidol was used according to the scheme: 500 mg once daily intravenously for 14 days, followed by Mexidol FORTE 250 750 mg per day orally (250 mg 3 times a day) for 2 months. RESULTS: The course of treatment with Mexidol in patients with post-COVID syndrome led to decrease in the severity of subjective and objective symptoms, asthenic, anxiety and depressive disorders, and improved the life quality of patients. CONCLUSION: The high efficacy and safety of sequential therapy with Mexidol (injections followed by tablets of Mexidol FORTE 250) has been shown.

Pre-hospital causes for delayed arrival in acute ischemic stroke before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A study at two stroke centers in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: In the current study we investigated the causes of pre-hospital delay as this can compromise the patient's chance to receive thrombolytic therapy and thus impact stroke outcome. METHODS: We surveyed 254 patients regarding reasons for delayed and early arrival to hospital after acute ischemic stroke. The survey was performed over five months, spanning a period pre- and during COVID-19 (between December 7, 2019 and May 10, 2020). RESULTS: A total of 71.2% of patients arrived beyond four hours of onset of ischemic stroke. The commonest cause for delay pre-Covid-19 was receiving treatment in a non-stroke hospital, while that during COVID-19 was fear of infection and lock down issues. Not realizing the urgency of the condition and stroke during sleep were common in both periods. Early arrival because of the patient's previous experience with stroke accounted for approximately 25% of cases in both periods. The effect of media was more evident during COVID-19, accounting for 47.7% of cases. CONCLUSION: Pre-hospital delay secondary to misperception of the urgency of stroke and management in a non-stroke hospital reflect the lack of awareness among the public and medical staff. This concept is emphasized by early arrival secondary to previous experience with stroke and the pronounced effect of media in the time of COVID-19.