Post-COVID-19 fatigue and health-related quality of life in Saudi Arabia: a population-based study.

Background: Despite substantial literature on symptoms and long-term health implications associated with COVID-19; prevalence and determinants of post-acute COVID-19 fatigue (PCF) remain largely elusive and understudied, with scant research documenting health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Hence, prevalence of PCF and its associated factors, and HRQoL among those who have survived Covid-19 within the general population of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the subject under examination in this research. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 2063 individuals, selected from the KSA's general population, using a non-probability sampling approach. An online survey was used to employ a self-administered questionnaire to the participants, which included socio-demographic information, the patient's COVID-19 infection history, 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) to assess quality of life, and Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS) (CFQ 11) to evaluate the extent and severity of fatigue. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. A p < 0.05 was considered to be strong evidence against the null hypothesis. Results: The median age of participants was 34 (IQR = 22) years, with females comprising the majority (66.2%). According to the SF-12 questionnaire, 91.2% of patients experienced physical conditions, and 77% experienced depression. The prevalence of PCF was 52% on CFQ 11 scale. Female gender, higher levels of education, a pre-existing history of chronic disease, as well as the manifestations of shortness of breath and confusion during acute COVID-19 infection, were identified as independent predictors of fatigue. Conclusion: To facilitate timely and effective intervention for post-acute COVID-19 fatigue, it is essential to continuously monitor the individuals who have recovered from acute COVID-19 infection. Also, it is critical to raise health-education among these patients to improve their quality of life. Future research is required to determine whether COVID-19 survivors would experience fatigue for an extended duration and the impact of existing interventions on its prevalence and severity.

Significance of p53 and CD31 in astrogliomas.

BACKGROUND: Astrogliomas are the most common primary brain tumor. Its progression is the result of activation of oncogenes, inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs), and expression of various growth factors. The angiogenesis and p53 in astrogliomas play an important role in its grading, treatment strategies, and hence its clinical outcome. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the frequency of presentation and the possible co-expression of p53 and angiogenesis marker (CD31) and their clinical implications in astrogliomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrograde study included 45 cases with astrocytomas in the form of paraffin blocks. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to determine the type and histological grade according to WHO (2007) classification of CNS tumors. Immunostaining was done using anti p53 and CD31 and the results were measured as labeling index (LI) using image analyzer system CAS-200. RESULTS: Both p53 and CD31 expressions were correlated well with the histopathological grades of different subtypes of astrogliomas with good discrimination between low and high grades. Overall, a highly significant statistical correlation was observed between the grades of astrocytomas and the p53 and CD31 labeling indices. The expressions of p53 and CD31 were markedly increased in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) with mean values (59.7 +/- 13.5) (P = 0.0001) and (40.7 +/- 8.9) (P = 0.001), respectively. Obviously, these observations demonstrate that the co-expression and increased levels of p53 and CD31 in astrogliomas are increasing as the tumor grade is increasing. CONCLUSION: The estimation of p53 and CD31 could be used as good tools to assess the grade, prognosis, and aggressiveness of the astroglial tumors. Thus, the two markers can be used as adjunct to the diagnosis and stratification of the high grade from the low-grade intrinsic brain astrogliomas.