Areas of interest and sentiment analysis towards second generation antipsychotics, lithium and mood stabilizing anticonvulsants: Unsupervised analysis using Twitter.

BACKGROUND: Severe mental disorders like Schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders (SRD) or Bipolar Disorder (BD) require pharmacological treatment for relapse prevention and quality of life improvement. Yet, treatment adherence is a challenge, partly due to patients' attitudes and beliefs towards their medication. Social media listening offers insights into patient experiences and preferences, particularly in severe mental disorders. METHODS: All tweets posted between 2008 and 2022 mentioning the names of the main drugs used in SRD and BD were analyzed using advanced artificial intelligence techniques such as machine learning, and deep learning, along with natural language processing. RESULTS: In this 15-year study analyzing 893,289 tweets, second generation antipsychotics received more mentions in English tweets, whereas mood stabilizers received more tweets in Spanish. English tweets about economic and legal aspects displayed negative emotions, while Spanish tweets seeking advice showed surprise. Moreover, a recurring theme in Spanish tweets was the shortage of medications, evoking feelings of anger among users. LIMITATIONS: This study's analysis of Twitter data, while insightful, may not fully capture the nuances of discussions due to the platform's brevity. Additionally, the wide therapeutic use of the studied drugs, complicates the isolation of disorder-specific discourse. Only English and Spanish tweets were examined, limiting the cultural breadth of the findings. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the importance of social media research in understanding user perceptions of SRD and BD treatments. The results provide valuable insights for clinicians when considering how patients and the general public view and communicate about these treatments in the digital environment.

Efficacy and Safety of Calcifediol in Young Adults with Vitamin D Deficiency: A Phase I, Multicentre, Clinical Trial-POSCAL Study.

Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent, and recent evidence suggests a possible association between vitamin D deficiency and various health conditions. The aim of this study was to assess monthly calcifediol treatments for vitamin D deficiency (or biweekly, if the deficiency was severe) in a young adult population with no associated comorbidities. This multicentre phase I trial started with a four month open-label treatment phase (TP) that included 101 participants (65% women with mean age 29.8 years). Eighty-two percent of the subjects (79/96) achieved 25(OH)D levels within the target range (20-60 ng/mL) by the end of the TP, and they were subsequently randomised and subjected to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, five month follow-up phase (FP). At the end of the FP, 89% of participants maintained vitamin D levels of >20 ng/mL with calcifediol, versus 49% with placebo (p < 0.001). Subjects receiving monthly calcifediol during both phases (n = 32) maintained 25(OH)D levels >20 ng/mL, whereas those on the placebo during the FP (n = 38) exhibited deficiency levels of 25(OH)D by the end of the study. No clinically relevant changes in bone metabolism parameters or toxic 25(OH)D levels were observed, and no serious adverse events were reported throughout the study. Calcifediol is a safe and effective treatment for vitamin D deficiency in the young adult population, but long-term use may be required to sustain optimal 25(OH)D levels.

Vivencias e impacto en la calidad de vida de personas con COVID persistente / Experiences and impact on the quality of life of people with long COVID

Objetivo: Explorar las vivencias de las personas con COVID persistente en el País Vasco transcurrido más de 1 año desde el inicio de la pandemia, con el fin de comprender su impacto en la salud y en el ámbito social, así como detectar posibles áreas de mejora en la asistencia que reciben estas personas con el fin de desarrollar programas de salud que apoyen su recuperación. Método: Estudio cualitativo fenomenológico. Como técnica de recogida de datos se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad hasta la saturación del discurso. Se incluyeron pacientes mayores de edad con sintomatología de COVID persistente con un tiempo de evolución mayor de 12 semanas. El contacto con los/las pacientes se realizó a través del Colectivo COVID Persistente de Euskadi. Las entrevistas se realizaron y grabaron con la aplicación ZOOM. Se realizó una trascripción literal de las entrevistas y posteriormente un análisis temático, identificando las primeras unidades de significado y asignando códigos que se agruparon después en las diferentes categorías. Resultados: Participaron 20 pacientes. Del análisis de los discursos emergieron tres categorías principales: 1) afectación/impacto en la calidad de vida de los/las pacientes; 2) detección de mejoras en la asistencia sanitaria; y 3) aspectos que reconfortan. Conclusiones: Este estudio evidencia el importante impacto en la calidad de vida que sufren estas personas. Es necesario diseñar políticas sanitarias que favorezcan el abordaje personalizado, integral y multidisciplinario de tales pacientes. (AU)

Objective: To explore the experiences of people with persistent COVID in the Basque Country more than a year after the start of the pandemic, in order to understand the health and social impact it has, as well as to detect possible areas for improvement in the care that these people receive in order to develop health programms to support their recovery. Method: Qualitative phenomenological study. In-depth interviews will be carried out as a data collection technique until saturation of the discourse. Patients of legal age who present persistent COVID symptomatology with an evolution time of more than 12 weeks were included. Contact with the patients was made through the Basque Long COVID Collective. The interviews were carried out and recorded through the ZOOM application. After the literal transcription of the interviews, the thematic analysis will be carried out, identifying the first units of meaning and assigning codes that will later be grouped into the different categories. Results: 20 patients participated. A total of three main categories emerged from the analysis of the discourses: 1) affecting/impacting patients’ quality of life; 2) identifying improvements in healthcare; and 3) comforting aspects. Conclusions: This study shows the significant impact on the quality of life suffered by these people. It is necessary to design health policies that favour a personalised, comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to these patients. (AU)

[Experiences and impact on the quality of life of people with long COVID]. / Vivencias e impacto en la calidad de vida de personas con COVID persistente.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the experiences of people with persistent COVID in the Basque Country more than a year after the start of the pandemic, in order to understand the health and social impact it has, as well as to detect possible areas for improvement in the care that these people receive in order to develop health programms to support their recovery. METHOD: Qualitative phenomenological study. In-depth interviews will be carried out as a data collection technique until saturation of the discourse. Patients of legal age who present persistent COVID symptomatology with an evolution time of more than 12 weeks were included. Contact with the patients was made through the Basque Long COVID Collective. The interviews were carried out and recorded through the ZOOM application. After the literal transcription of the interviews, the thematic analysis will be carried out, identifying the first units of meaning and assigning codes that will later be grouped into the different categories. RESULTS: 20 patients participated. A total of three main categories emerged from the analysis of the discourses: 1) affecting/impacting patients' quality of life; 2) identifying improvements in healthcare; and 3) comforting aspects. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the significant impact on the quality of life suffered by these people. It is necessary to design health policies that favour a personalised, comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to these patients.

Modelling the risk of hospital admission of lab confirmed SARS-CoV-2-infected patients in primary care: a population-based study.

The objectives of this study are to develop a predictive model of hospital admission for COVID-19 to help in the activation of emergency services, early referrals from primary care, and the improvement of clinical decision-making in emergency room services. The method is the retrospective cohort study of 49,750 patients with microbiological confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The sample was randomly divided into two subsamples, for the purposes of derivation and validation of the prediction rule (60% and 40%, respectively). Data collected for this study included sociodemographic data, baseline comorbidities, baseline treatments, and other background data. Multilevel analyses with generalized estimated equations were used to develop the predictive model. Male sex and the gradual effect of age were the main risk factors for hospital admission. Regarding baseline comorbidities, coagulopathies, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes with organ damage, and liver disease were among the five most notable. Flu vaccination was a risk factor for hospital admission. Drugs that increased risk were chronic systemic steroids, immunosuppressants, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and NSAIDs. The AUC of the risk score was 0.821 and 0.828 in the derivation and validation samples, respectively. Based on the risk score, five risk groups were derived with hospital admission ranging from 2.94 to 51.87%. In conclusion, we propose a classification system for people with COVID-19 with a higher risk of hospitalization, and indirectly with it a greater severity of the disease, easy to be completed both in primary care, as well as in emergency services and in hospital emergency room to help in clinical decision-making.Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04463706.

Percepciones y vivencias de escolares de 7 a 8 años del País Vasco durante la alerta sanitaria COVID-19 / Perceptions and experiences of 7-8 year old schoolchildren in the Basque Country during the COVID-19 health alert

Objetivo: Explorar las experiencias y las vivencias de escolares de 7-8 años en una situación excepcional de alerta sanitaria en la que se han aplicado a la población estrictas medidas de confinamiento. Método: Estudio cualitativo exploratorio a través del análisis de ilustraciones realizadas por 71 escolares de 7-8 años de edad. El análisis se llevó a cabo según el marco teórico de Rose. Se realizó análisis descriptivo de los datos sociodemográficos. Resultados: Del análisis del contenido emergieron cinco categorías: 1) sentimientos de tristeza y miedo; 2) importancia del núcleo familiar, seguridad y protección; 3) hábitos de vida sedentarios durante el confinamiento; 4) infraestructuras de las viviendas y desigualdades sociales (la vida tras una ventana); y 5) respuesta social, lucha colectiva y de los/las profesionales de la salud. Conclusiones: La situación de pandemia de COVID-19 y las medidas estrictas de confinamiento han tenido un importante impacto en la población escolar, que es la que ha vivido las mayores restricciones. La infraestructura del hogar se ha mostrado como un claro diferenciador que ahonda en las desigualdades sociales y el impacto que la situación tiene en los/las escolares. Es necesario ampliar los estudios acerca del impacto psicosocial que esta situación va a tener a largo plazo en su salud física y mental. (AU)

Objective: To explore the experiences of schoolchildren in an exceptional health alert situation in which strict confinement measures have been applied to the population. Method: Qualitative exploratory study through the analysis of illustrations carried out by schoolchildren aged 7 to 8. The analysis was carried out according to Rose's theoretical framework. Descriptive analysis of socio-demographic data was performed. Results: Five categories emerged from the analysis of the content: 1) feelings of sadness and fear; 2) importance of the family nucleus, safety and protection; 3) sedentary living habits during confinement; 4) housing infrastructure and social inequalities (life through a window); and 5) social response, collective struggle and through health professionals. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic situation and the strict confinement measures have had a significant impact on the school population, who had experienced the greatest restrictions. Household infrastructure has been shown to be a clear differentiator that deepens social inequalities and the impact that the situation has on school children. More studies are needed on the long-term psychosocial impact of this situation on their physical and mental health.

[Perceptions and experiences of 7-8 year old schoolchildren in the Basque Country during the COVID-19 health alert]. / Percepciones y vivencias de escolares de 7 a 8 años del País Vasco durante la alerta sanitaria COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the experiences of schoolchildren in an exceptional health alert situation in which strict confinement measures have been applied to the population. METHOD: Qualitative exploratory study through the analysis of illustrations carried out by schoolchildren aged 7 to 8. The analysis was carried out according to Rose's theoretical framework. Descriptive analysis of socio-demographic data was performed. RESULTS: Five categories emerged from the analysis of the content: 1) feelings of sadness and fear; 2) importance of the family nucleus, safety and protection; 3) sedentary living habits during confinement; 4) housing infrastructure and social inequalities (life through a window); and 5) social response, collective struggle and through health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic situation and the strict confinement measures have had a significant impact on the school population, who had experienced the greatest restrictions. Household infrastructure has been shown to be a clear differentiator that deepens social inequalities and the impact that the situation has on school children. More studies are needed on the long-term psychosocial impact of this situation on their physical and mental health.