[The survival prediction of hospitalized patients with COVID-19: the role of chitotriosidase level in peripheral blood].

AIM: To assess the relationship between plasma chitotiosidase (CHIT) level and mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 347 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were enrolled in our single-center cohort prospective observational study. On the first day of hospitalization the patients were assessed by the level of CHIT in the venosus blood to addition to default laboratory examinations. The primary endpoint was all-cause death. The survival after hospital discharge were assessed via phone calls on 90 and 180 days since inclusion to the study (NCT04752085). RESULTS: Our study included 347 patients. The first symptoms appeared in 7 days [5; 7] before hospitalization; 283 (84.3%) patients had less than 50% of the involvement of the lung tissue to the inflammation process (CT 0-2); 36 (10.4%) patients had died since the start of our investigation; 30 (83.3%) of them died during hospitalization, others -no later than 60 days; 68 (19%) people didn't answer during phone call. The survivor's activity of the enzyme in the deceased was significantly lower in compare to deceased patients (90.5 [40.2; 178.0] nmol/h/mL vs 180.0 [77.2; 393.2] nmol/h/mL; p=0.001). Survivor of the patients with a higher level of the activity of the CHIT (more than 171 nmol/h/mL) was statically significantly lower. CONCLUSION: Rising of the CHIT's activity more than 171 nmol/h/mL might be an early independent predictor of the bad prognosis of the patients, who were hospitalized with COVID-19 infection.

[The efficacy of secondary prevention programs with remote support in coronary heart disease patients with abdominal obesity].

Background Long-term secondary preventive programs in coronary heart disease (CHD) are of highest efficacy but numerous logistical problems often compromise their implementation. Contemporary remote technologies have a potential to overcome these barriers. AIM: To assess  the impact of 2 preventive counselling programs with subsequent remote support in CHD patients with concomitant obesity. METHODS: A prospective randomized parallel-group study in 120 stable CHD patients hospitalized for elective coronary revascularization who were from 40 to 65 years old and had concomitant obesity. Patients were randomized (1:1:1) into 3 groups (n=40 each). Before discharge, Groups 1 and 2 received a single-session comprehensive counselling with focus on diet followed by remote counselling by phone (Group 1) or via text messages (Group 2). Remote counselling was delivered weekly (Months 1-3) and then monthly (Months 4-6). Group 3 received only standard advice from their attending physicians. The patients were followed for 12 months with assessment of adiposity measures, self-reported dietary patterns, physical activity (IPAQ questionnaire), smoking status, blood pressure (BP), fasting blood glucose, lipids and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, as well as of clinical events. RESULTS: At 1 year of follow-up, the patients from both intervention groups showed a marked improvement of several risk factors including obesity: the body mass index was reduced by 1.48±0.13 kg/m² in Group 1 and by 1.53±0.18 kg/m² in Group 2; the waist circumference went down by 7.62±0.49 and by 7.41±0.74 cm, respectively; the height-normalized fat mass decreased by 4.66±0.40 kg and 5.98±0.63 kg, respectively (all P values are <0.01 vs corresponding changes in the control group). These changes were coupled with more healthy dietary patterns and less sedentary lifestyles in both intervention groups: the proportion of patients with low activity level fell from 87.5% to 2.5% in Group 1 and from 80% to 10% in Group 2 (both p values <0.01 vs control). In Group 1, BP decreased by 18.08±2.20 mmHg (systolic) and 8.56±1.61 mmHg (diastolic); both р values <0.01 vs Group 3. In Group 2 systolic BP dropped by only 11.95±2.50 mmHg (non-significant) and diastolic BP by 6.33±1.52 mmHg (р<0.05 vs control). The proportion of smokers went down from 30% to 5% in Group 1 and from 22.5% to 0% in Group 2 (both p values <0.01 vs control). The fasting glucose levels decreased by 0.21±0.20 mmol/L in Group 1 and by 0.48±0.25 mmol/L in Group 2 (<0.01 vs control, both), but there were no meaningful improvements in blood lipids or CRP. CONCLUSION: Long-term (6 months) secondary prevention programs incorporating remote support technologies result into sustained improvement of key secondary prevention indicators in obese CHD patients, irrespective of the support modality (by phone or via electronic messaging).

[The Impact of Secondary Prevention Programs Incorporating Remote Technologies on Psychological Well-Being and Quality of Life in Coronary Heart Disease Patients with Abdominal Obesity].

BACKGROUND: Quality of life, which is determined both by the physical symptoms and by psychosocial risk factors, is among the primary treatment goals in coronary heart disease (CHD). Therefore, it is reasonable to assess the impact of any therapeutic interventions in CHD on these measures. AIM: To assess the changes of psychological status and quality of life in patients with CHD and abdominal obesity (AO) over time during 2 secondary prevention programs using two different modalities of remote support. METHODS: An open-label randomized study with 3 parallel groups enrolling hospitalized patients with stable CHD and AO (most hospitalizations were due to elective revascularization procedures). The patients were randomized into 2 intervention groups (Group I and Group II) and into Group III (control). Both intervention groups received secondary prevention programs including one in-hospital preventive counselling session with focus on healthy eating habits and subsequent remote support for 6 months (Month 1 to 3: once a week; Month 4 to 6: once a month). Group I received this subsequent counselling via phone calls and Group II received text messages via different platforms according to patient preferences. Group III received standard advice at discharge only. During 1 year of follow-up motivation for lifestyle changes and continued participation in secondary prevention programs, anxiety and depression symptoms (HADS), stress levels (10-point VAS) and quality of life (HeartQol) were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients were enrolled (mean age±SD, 57.75±6.25 years; men, 83.4%) who had a high baseline motivation to participate in preventive programs. At 1 year of follow-up there was a substantial improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms in Groups I and II which was absent in Group III. As a result, the proportion of patients with HADS-A score ≥8 dropped from 45.0% to 10.0% in Group I and from 40.0% to 7.5% in Group II (both р values <0.01 vs control), and the proportion of participants with HADS-D ≥8 decreased from 30.0% to 10.0% (р<0.01 vs control) and from  12.5% to 0% (р<0.05 vs control), respectively. Stress level decreased in Groups I and II by 3.95±0.38 and 3.56±0.39 баллов, respectively (both р values <0.01 vs control). The HeartQol global score increased by 1.07±0.08 points in Group I and by 0.98±0.13 points in Group (both р values <0.01 vs control). CONCLUSION: Both secondary prevention programs with long-term remote support targeting obese CHD patients resulted in improvement of pivotal measures of their psychological status i.e. into a decline of anxiety and depression symptomatology, stress reduction and into a better quality of life.