Risk factors of PTSD, depression and anxiety in patients with previous COVID-19 infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis / The Health Sciences Journal

INTRODUCTION@#Studies showed that those who tested positive for COVID-19 have a 65% risk for a psychiatric disorder, while those undergoing isolation or quarantine are put at risk for anxiety and depression. The objective of this study was to appraise studies that determine the risk factors for psychiatric disorder post-COVID-19 infection.@*METHODS@#All cross-sectional and cohort studies from 2019 onwards that had COVID-19 survivors that developed anxiety, depression and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were included. Medline, Cochrane Library and ClinicalKey were searched using MeSH terms including “COVID-19”, “depression”, “anxiety”, “post-traumatic stress disorder”, and “risk factor”. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The data extracted from the studies were characteristics of the participants, risk factors, outcome measures and outcomes.@*RESULTS@#Four cohort and four cross-sectional studies involving 1438 COVID-19 survivors who developed depression, anxiety and/or depression were included. The risk factors that were statistically significant were 1) female sex (RR = 1.86; 95% CI 1.06, 2.04; Z = 2.32; p = 0.02) for depression, 2) having family members infected with COVID-19 (RR = 1.56; 95% CI 1.32, 1.85; Z= 5.17; p = <0.01) for depression, 3) steroid administration during hospital admission (RR = 1.62; 95% CI 1.07, 2.47; Z = 2.26; p = 0.02) for anxiety and 4) female sex (RR = 2.13; 95% CI 1.16, 3.91; Z = 2.45, p = 0.01) for PTSD.@*CONCLUSION@#Female sex increases the risk of depression and PTSD. A family history of COVID-19 increases the risk of depression. Steroid administration is a risk factor for anxiety.

A general approach to the non-invasive imaging of transgenes using cis-linked herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase.

Non-invasive imaging of gene expression opens new prospects for the study of transgenic animals and the implementation of genetically based therapies in patients. We have sought to establish a general paradigm to enable whole body non-invasive imaging of any transgene. We show that the expression and imaging of HSV1-tk (a marker gene) can be used to monitor the expression of the LacZ gene (a second gene) under the transcriptional control of a single promoter within a bicistronic unit that includes a type II internal ribosomal entry site. In cells bearing a single copy of the vector, the expression of the two genes is proportional and constant, both in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that non-invasive imaging of HSV1-tk gene accurately reflects the topology and activity of the other cis-linked transgene.

Effect of extensive debridement and treatment on the healing of diabetic foot ulcers. Diabetic Ulcer Study Group.

BACKGROUND: There has been a broad interest in the use of growth factors to treat patients with chronic nonischemic diabetic ulcers. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred eighteen patients were studied in a randomized, prospective, double-blind, multicenter trial comparing treatment with topically applied recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor (rhPDGF) or placebo (vehicle) and were treated until completely healed or to 20 weeks. All patients had aggressive sharp debridement of their ulcers before randomization and repeat debridement of callus and necrotic tissue as needed. The influence of debridement was evaluated by reviewing the records of the office visits where debridement was performed. RESULTS: Forty-eight percent of patients treated with rhPDGF healed compared with 25 percent of patients who received placebo (p = 0.01). The mean percentage of office visits where debridement was performed was comparable for the two treatment groups: 46.8 percent (rhPDGF) and 48.0 percent (placebo). In general, a lower rate of healing was observed in those centers that performed less frequent debridement. The improved response rate observed with more frequent debridement was independent of the treatment group. However, for any given center, the percentage of patients who healed was greater with rhPDGF than placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Wound debridement is a vital adjunct in the care of patients with chronic diabetic foot ulcers.

Inward and outward irritability in the suicidally inclined.

A questionnaire to measure inward irritability and outward irritability was given to college students. Inward irritability scores correlated .27 with outward irritability scores. Those students who had attempted suicide had high inward irritability scores; those who had threatened suicide had high inward and outward irritability scores. Results supported the proposition that some suicidal people may have higher levels of outwardly directed anger than nonsuicidal people.