Evaluation of post-acute-COVID-19, and long-COVID symptoms with a questionnaire: Within one year, a longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: Long-term consequences of COVID-19 vary widely, representing a growing global health challenge. The aim of this report was to define the presence of symptoms in post-acute-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) patients and to assess the frequency, associated factors, and the spectrum of persistent symptoms. METHODS: In this longitudinal study, 487 adults with a previously diagnosed "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2" (SARS-CoV-2) who admitted to COVID-19 follow-up outpatient clinic between December 1, 2020 and November 31, 2021 were interviewed face-to-face three times. Data was collected on patient demographics, comorbidities, and symptoms. A questionnaire of 160 questions was asked and organized into the following: identification and consent, socio-demographic/epidemiological characteristics, previous medical history, diagnosis and clinical presentation of acute COVID-19, as well as systematic symptoms. Data were evaluated using univariate comparisons and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: The most prevalent symptoms among all PCS patients during their initial visit were dyspnea, weakness, forgetfulness, fatigue, and arthralgia respectively. The most common symptoms in patients with 6 months or more time from discharge to follow-up at the first and second visits, appear to be persistent. While incidence rates decreased by the third visit, the five most common symptoms remained the same. The possibility of weakness and arthralgia was found to be higher in non-hospitalized patients. Females were associated with the most common persistent symptoms and the strongest association was with arthralgia. CONCLUSION: A large number of COVID-19 survivors had continuing symptoms at the first year of post-COVID-19-infection. Neither the presence of comorbidities of the patient nor smoking status were associated with the severity of PCS symptoms. A better understanding of the mechanisms, predisposing factors and evaluation require a multidisciplinary team approach.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Levels of Postmenopausal Women about Osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis can be delayed by providing accurate and adequate information to people at risk. Therefore, we aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and behavior levels of women in the postmenopausal period, which is the largest group at risk. METHODS: The study was conducted in a tertiary Training and Research Hospital between 1 December 2018 and 1 May 2019 in 225 postmenopausal women who applied to the Family Medicine outpatient clinic and bone mineral density (BMD) outpatient clinics for BMD measurement or had previously had this measurement at least once. A questionnaire evaluating the knowledge, attitudes, and behavior levels related to osteoporosis was applied to all patients included in the study. RESULTS: The mean age was 58.05±9.1 years. The median osteoporosis knowledge score was 7 out of 19 points. A total of 119 (52.9%) had low knowledge scores and 106 (47.1%) had higher knowledge scores. Of the individuals with high scores, 40 (37.7%) were smoking, 64 (60.4%) did not sunbathe, 89 (84%) did not consume the recommended daily amount of calcium, and 58 (54.7%) were not exercising in the recommended time. It was seen that those who were university graduates, who had previously learned about osteoporosis from a health professional, and who had a family history of osteoporosis had higher knowledge levels. CONCLUSIONS: Even in postmenopausal women who are aware that they are in the risk group and that they should have BMD, their knowledge, attitude, and behavior levels on osteoporosis were found to be quite low.

Association between newly diagnosed hyperglycemia/diabetes mellitus, atherogenic index of plasma and obesity in post-COVID-19 syndrome patients.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a great global concern and its associated morbidities. The goal of this study was to determine the incidence of newly diagnosed hyperglycemia and diabetes among COVID-19 survivors and to evaluate whether obesity and lipid profile have an effect on this group using the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP). METHODS: In the retrospective study, 511 adults with a previously diagnosed "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2" who admitted to COVID-19 follow-up outpatient clinic were evaluated. Data was collected on patient demographics, comorbidities, and some laboratory results. Logistic regression was used to estimate associated factors. RESULTS: Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was defined in 17 patients (3.32%), hyperglycemia in 86 patients (16.82%). The results of analysis were examined, gender, age, BMI and triglyceride variables were found to be significant risk factors together. Fasting blood glucose values of 22 out of 86 patients with hyperglycemia returned to normal after six months of follow-up. Undiagnosed-preexisting DM in 4 out of 17 patients diagnosed with T2DM at their first visit and in 7 out of 8 hyperglycemia patients diagnosed with T2DM at the end of six-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: COVID-19, may directly/indirectly, predispose to hyperglycemia. Obesity and hyperlipidemia are risk factors for newly diagnosed T2DM/hyperglycemia in post-COVID-19 syndrome patients. Since that some metabolic variables were found to be significantly higher in the group with high AIP values, we suggest that AIP might be used as a reference to predict the development of obesity and T2DM.

Prevalence and risk factors of psychological symptoms and quality of life in COVID-19 survivors: A cross-sectional study of three different populations.

AIM: Studies of the effects of COVID-19, especially post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, on psychological health in non-severe cases are limited. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and associated risk factors of psychological symptoms, and quality-of-life in three groups of outpatients, hospitalized and intensive care patients. METHODS: A total 276 patients, previously confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, attending the COVID-19 follow-up outpatient clinic from December 2020 to July 2021 were interviewed face-to-face. In this cross-sectional, retrospective study, all participants were asked our self-designed demographic and screening questions to assess their psychological symptoms and administered the WHQOOL-BREF survey to evaluate quality of life. RESULTS: In screening questions, major depressive disorder symptoms were detected at a rate of 20.3%, generalized anxiety disorder symptoms at a rate of 16.7%, panic attack symptoms at a rate of 10.9%, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms at a rate of 28.6% and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms at a rate of 18.1%. The outpatient group with COVID-19 infection had a higher risk of developing psychological symptoms and decreased quality of life. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 infection was found to have a considerable psychological impact on those treated as outpatients despite the less severe course of their illness.

Assesssing an unmet healthcare demand: A survey of immunisation among homecare patients and their caregivers.

Susceptibility of the homecare patient to vaccine preventable infections and their complications is high. Hospitalization of this patient group increases costs to the healthcare system. Therefore vaccination services are of great importance for protecting these patients from complications and hospitalization. We aimed to determine vaccination status of the patients receiving home care services from a tertiary hospital in Turkey and to reveal their vaccination needs. This cross sectional study was carried out in the Division of Home Care Services of Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital in Ankara Turkey. A questionnaire Comprised of 15 questions were administered through face to face with 336 patients and their care givers. The data obtained was analyzed with descriptive statistical methods and chi-squared test was used for comparison of proportions. A total of 86.3% of the patients and 22.6% of the caregivers were older than age 65. Approximately 45% of the patients were receiving home care due to primary neurological diagnosis such as Dementia, Parkinson's disease and Cerebrovascular Accident. In addition, 78% of the patients had at least 1 additional diagnosis other than their primary diagnosis. Although immunization indications were present among all patients included in the study and at least 22% of the care providers, only 15.2% of patients and 11.3% of care providers had been recommended to receive vaccination. Among those who had been recommended to get vaccinated, 74% of patients and 77% of care givers had been administered the recommended vaccine. This finding implied that both groups were responsive to the advice for vaccination. Moreover, since the patients receiving home care are already followed-up by a healthcare team, thus these patients can be vaccinated with very little additional logistic support.