ABSTRACT
Background: India is the epicenter of diabetes mellitus (DM). The relationship between COVID and DM in age/gender-matched non-diabetics has not been studied yet. The role of DM in predicting the disease severity and outcome in COVID patients might provide new insight for effective management. Methods: We conducted a prospective comparative study at a COVID care center from 25th April-31st May 2021. Among 357 severe-COVID patients screened, all consecutive diabetes (n-113) and age/gender-matched non-diabetes (n-113) patients were recruited. All diabetics and non-diabetics at admission were subjected to high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest and inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, ferritin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR)) before starting anti- COVID therapy. Statistical analysis was done using JMP 15·0 ver·3·0·0. Results: The prevalence of DM among the screened population (n-357) was 38·37%. The mean age of the study population was 61y with male preponderance (57%). There was no statistical difference in the HRCT-score or inflammatory markers in the two groups except for higher NLR (p-0·0283) in diabetics. Diabetics had significantly inferior overall survival (OS) (p-0·0251) with a 15d-OS of diabetics vs. non-diabetics being 58·87%, 72·67%, and 30d-OS of diabetics vs. non-diabetics being 46·76%, 64·61%, respectively. The duration of the hospital stay was not statistically different in the two groups (p-0·2). Conclusion: The mortality is significantly higher in severe-COVID patients with DM when compared to age/gender-matched non-diabetics. There was no significant difference in most inflammatory markers/CT at admission between the two groups.
ABSTRACT
Background Among patients hospitalized for severe pneumonia due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19), clinical stability and normal resting peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels are widely used as a discharge criterion after recovery. It is unknown whether a test to assess the functional exercise capacity, like a six-minute walk test (6MWT), can add to the appropriateness of discharge criteria. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care COVID-19 hospital in India from 01st to 31st May 2021. All patients considered fit for discharge after recovery from "severe" COVID-19 pneumonia were subjected to 6MWT. Fitness for discharge was assessed by clinical stability and resting SpO2 above 93% for three consecutive days. Patients were considered to have failed the 6MWT if there was ≥4% fall in SpO2 or if they could not complete the test. Serum samples were analyzed for levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) at the time of discharge. Results Fifty-three discharge-ready patients with a mean age of 54.54 ± 14.35 years with a male preponderance (60.38%) were analyzed. Thirty-three (62.26%) patients failed the 6MWT with a median six-minute walk distance (6MWD) of 270 m (60-360). A total of 45 (84.91%) patients had a fall in SpO2 during the test. The median change in SpO2 (∆SpO2) was 5% ranging from -6% to 8%. Serum LDH was significantly higher among patients who failed the 6MWT with a median LDH of 334 IU/L (38.96-2339) versus 261 IU/L (49.2-494) (p = 0.02). The difference was not significant for CRP or IL-6. There was no statistically significant correlation between the inflammatory markers with either 6MWD or (∆SpO2). Conclusion Two-thirds of the patients considered fit for discharge after recovery from severe COVID-19 pneumonia failed 6MWT, implying reduced functional exercise capacity and exertional hypoxia. Serum LDH levels were higher in these patients but not in other inflammatory markers. None of the inflammatory markers at discharge correlated with 6MWD or ∆SpO2 of 6MWT.
ABSTRACT
Background Computed tomography (CT) scans and CT severity scores (CTSS) are widely used to assess the severity and prognosis in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). CTSS has performed well as a predictor in differentiating severe from non-severe cases. However, it is not known if CTSS performs similarly in hospitalized severe cases with hypoxia at admission. Methods We conducted a retrospective comparative study at a COVID-care center from Western India between 25th April and 31st May 2021, enrolling all consecutive severe COVID-19 patients with hypoxemia (peripheral oxygen saturation < 94%). Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), D-dimer, ferritin, and CT thorax were done within 24h of admission before being initiated on any anti-COVID-19 therapy. CTSS was calculated by visual assessment and categorized into three severity categories and was correlated with laboratory markers and overall survival (OS). Statistical analysis was done using John's Macintosh Project (JMP) 15.0.0 ver. 3.0.0 (Cary, North Carolina). Results The median age of the study population (n-298) was 59 years (24-95) with a male preponderance (61.41%, n=183). The 15 and 30-day survivals were 67.64% and 59.90%, respectively. CTSS did not correlate with age, gender, time from vaccination, symptoms, or comorbidities but had a significant though weak correlation with LDH (p=0.009), D-dimer (p=0.006), and NLR (p=0.019). Comparing demographic and laboratory aspects using CT severity categories, only NLR (p=0.0146) and D-dimer (p=0.0006) had significant differences. The 15d-OS of mild, moderate, and severe CT categories were 88.62%, 70.39%, and 52.62%, respectively, while 30d-OS of three categories were 59.08%, 63.96%, and 49.12%, respectively. Conclusion Among hospitalized severe COVID-19 patients with hypoxemia at admission, CT severity categories correlate well with outcomes but not inflammatory markers at admission.
ABSTRACT
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has put the entire medical fraternity into a very challenging and demanding situation. Along with always being at the risk of COVID infection, healthcare workers (HCWs) are also facing neurological problems due to long working hours in personal protective equipment (PPE). These symptoms and their characteristics need to be observed and studied in-depth to understand the problems experienced by HCWs and to design new solutions to overcome such problems. Objectives: This study intends to evaluate the various neurological manifestations among the HCWs wearing PPE for prolonged periods. Materials and Methods: We conducted a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study at a Covid care center from western India from April 20 to June 01, 2021 by using a self-administered web-based questionnaire. A total of 256 HCWs were surveyed. The de-identified data were analyzed using JMP 15.0.0. Results: Among a total of 256 HCWs surveyed for this study, the majority (58.6%) were aged 24-35 years, with a male preponderance (65.62%, n = 168). Participants included doctors (41%), nurses (35%), paramedical staff (22%), and housekeeping staff (1%). The symptoms encountered among the HCWs wearing the PPE were headache, classified further as donning headache in 112 (44.98%), doffing headache in 56 (26.24%), slowed mentation in 48 (21.05%), and excessive sleepiness in 86 (38.74%), which affected their work performance. The age of the HCWs had a significant correlation with all the symptoms. Conclusion: Headache, slowed mentation, and excessive sleepiness was encountered among the HCWs wearing PPE, which depended upon the duration of PPE usage. The most common symptom was headache, which was of moderate to severe intensity.
