Pregnancy-specific responses to COVID-19 revealed by high-throughput proteomics of human plasma.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women are at greater risk of adverse outcomes, including mortality, as well as obstetrical complications resulting from COVID-19. However, pregnancy-specific changes that underlie such worsened outcomes remain unclear. METHODS: Plasma samples were collected from pregnant women and non-pregnant individuals (male and female) with (n = 72 pregnant, 52 non-pregnant) and without (n = 29 pregnant, 41 non-pregnant) COVID-19. COVID-19 patients were grouped as asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, or critically ill according to NIH classifications. Proteomic profiling of 7,288 analytes corresponding to 6,596 unique protein targets was performed using the SOMAmer platform. RESULTS: Herein, we profile the plasma proteome of pregnant and non-pregnant COVID-19 patients and controls and show alterations that display a dose-response relationship with disease severity; yet, such proteomic perturbations are dampened during pregnancy. In both pregnant and non-pregnant state, the proteome response induced by COVID-19 shows enrichment of mediators implicated in cytokine storm, endothelial dysfunction, and angiogenesis. Shared and pregnancy-specific proteomic changes are identified: pregnant women display a tailored response that may protect the conceptus from heightened inflammation, while non-pregnant individuals display a stronger response to repel infection. Furthermore, the plasma proteome can accurately identify COVID-19 patients, even when asymptomatic or with mild symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study represents the most comprehensive characterization of the plasma proteome of pregnant and non-pregnant COVID-19 patients. Our findings emphasize the distinct immune modulation between the non-pregnant and pregnant states, providing insight into the pathogenesis of COVID-19 as well as a potential explanation for the more severe outcomes observed in pregnant women.

Pregnant COVID-19 patients are at increased risk of experiencing complications and severe outcomes compared to the general population. However, the reasons for this heightened risk are still unclear. We measured the proteins present in the blood of pregnant and non-pregnant patients with COVID-19 and compared these to healthy individuals. We found that some COVID-19-associated proteins were present at lower levels in pregnant women, which could help to protect the fetus from harmful inflammation, the body's natural response to infection. While some proteins affected by COVID-19 are shared between pregnant and non-pregnant patients, others were distinctly affected only in pregnant women, providing a potential explanation for the more severe outcomes in this group.

Pregnancy-specific responses to COVID-19 are revealed by high-throughput proteomics of human plasma.

Pregnant women are at greater risk of adverse outcomes, including mortality, as well as obstetrical complications resulting from COVID-19. However, pregnancy-specific changes that underlie such worsened outcomes remain unclear. Herein, we profiled the plasma proteome of pregnant and non-pregnant COVID-19 patients and controls and showed alterations that display a dose-response relationship with disease severity; yet, such proteomic perturbations are dampened during pregnancy. In both pregnant and non-pregnant state, the proteome response induced by COVID-19 showed enrichment of mediators implicated in cytokine storm, endothelial dysfunction, and angiogenesis. Shared and pregnancy-specific proteomic changes were identified: pregnant women display a tailored response that may protect the conceptus from heightened inflammation, while non-pregnant individuals display a stronger response to repel infection. Furthermore, the plasma proteome can accurately identify COVID-19 patients, even when asymptomatic or with mild symptoms. This study represents the most comprehensive characterization of the plasma proteome of pregnant and non-pregnant COVID-19 patients.

El phubbing y las relaciones de pareja adulta / Phubbing and adult couple relationships

Objetivo: comprender cuáles son los efectos generados por el Phubbing en las rela-ciones de pareja adulta. Materiales: la investigación es cualitativa y fenomenológica, para ello se trabaja con las historias de vida recolectadas por medio de una entrevista a profundidad, la misma se diseñó teniendo en cuenta las categorías de análisis. Po-blación: para el trabajo de campo se contó con cinco personas, adultos jóvenes con edades entre 25 a 40 años. Metodología: la presente investigación comprendida en el periodo de febrero hasta noviembre de 2020 se realizó bajo un enfoque cualitativo con diseño fenomenológico, el cual lleva a una comprensión e interpretación en amplitud del fenómeno, enfocado desde la realidad subjetiva de los informantes, es un enfoque dinámico donde las hipótesis y preguntas pueden manifestarse en cualquier momento (Hernández Sampieri et al., 2014). Resultados: se reconoce que este fenómeno es sig-nificativamente interferente en las relaciones de pareja, fomentando sentimientos de abandono e incluso en algunos casos de desconfianza. Conclusión: el consumo de las nuevas tecnologías permite apreciaciones encontradas, en tanto se encuentran postu-ras a favor y en contra; en todo caso el fenómeno resulta conflictivo cuando no se tiene un uso racional y mediático, llegando a interponerse como una barrera comunicativa

Objective: to understand the effects generated by Phubbing in adult couple relationships. Materials: the research is qualitative and phenomenological, for this we work with life stories collected through an in-depth interview, which was designed taking into account the categories of analysis. Population: for the field work there were five people, young adults between 25 and 40 years of age. Methodology: the present research, from February to November 2020, was conducted under a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design, which leads to a broad understanding and interpretation of the phenomenon, focused on the subjective reality of the informants, it is a dynamic approach where the hypothesis and questions can be expressed at any time (Hernández Sampieri, 2014). Results: it is recognized that this phenomenon is significantly interfering in couple relationships, fostering feelings of abandonment and even in some cases of distrust. Conclusion: the consumption of new technologies allows conflicting appreciations, as there are positions in favor and against, in any case the phenomenon is conflictive when it is not used rationally and mediatically, becoming a communicative barrier

Accesibilidad al consumo de marihuana en escolarizados colombianos / Marijuana Accessibility Among Colombian School children / Acessibilidade do uso da maconha entre os estudantes colombianos

Introducción: El consumo de marihuana es una problemática de salud pública y cobra relevancia en la población escolar. Objetivo: Describir la accesibilidad de consumo de marihuana por características sociodemográficas, relaciones familiares y de consumo en escolarizados colombianos 2016. Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo, transversal, secundario del Estudio Nacional de Consumo de Sustancias Psicoactivas en Población Escolar Colombia 2016, con una muestra de 80 018 estudiantes, mediante análisis uni-variado y bivariado. Resultados: A partir del análisis de la muestra de escolares, el promedio de edad de consumo de marihuana es de 15,55 años; el 51,9 % eran mujeres. La mayoría de los escolares estudian en colegios mixtos (96,11 %); un 37,3 % considera que le sería fácil conseguir marihuana; aquellos que manifestaron ser consumidores actuales de mari-huana, los que manifiestan que todos sus amigos son consumidores y aquellos que conviven con un consumidor mostraron ser los que percibían muy fácil acceder a la marihuana (88,0 %, 80,1 % y 71,6 %, respectivamente). Conclusiones: Existe una alta proporción de adolescentes que perciben un acceso muy fácil a la marihuana, y los consumidores o aquellos que se relacionan con consumidores fueron quienes percibían en mayor proporción un fácil acceso a la marihuana. Se sugieren intervenciones que puedan contrarrestar este fenómeno. Palabras clave: estudiantes; factores de riesgo. abuso de marihuana; adolescente.

Introduction: Marijuana use is a public health problem and becomes relevant in the school population. Objective: To describe the accessibility of marijuana use by sociodemographic characteristics, family relationships and consumption in Colombian schoolchildren in 2016. Material and methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional, secondary study of the National Study of Psy-choactive Substance Consumption in Colombia School Population ­ 2016, with a sample of 80,018 students, through univariate and bivariate analysis. Results: After analyzing the sample, the average age of marijuana use is 15.55 years; 51.9% were women. Most of the schoolchildren study in mixed schools (96.11%); 37.3% consider that it would be easy for them to obtain marijuana. Those who stated that they were current users of marijuana, those who stated that all their friends were users, and those who lived with a consumer were the ones who perceived it to be very easy to access marijuana (88.0%, 80.1%, and 71.6%, respectively). Conclusions: There is a high proportion of adolescents who perceive a very easy access to marijuana, consumers or those who are related to consumers were the ones who perceived a greater proportion of easy access to marijuana. Interventions that can counteract this phenomenon are suggested

Introdução: O uso de maconha é uma questão de saúde pública e é relevante para a população escolar. Objetivo: Descrever a acessibilidade do uso da maconha por características sociodemográficas, re-lações familiares e consumo nas crianças colombianas em idade escolar em 2016. Materiais e métodos: estudo descritivo, transversal, secundário do Estudo Nacional do Uso de Subs-tâncias Psicoativas na População Escolar Colombiana 2016, com uma amostra de 80 018 alunos, utilizando análise univariada e bivariada. Resultados: Da análise da amostra Da escola, a idade média de uso da maconha foi de 15,55 anos; 51,9% eram mulheres. A maioria das crianças em idade escolar estudam em escolas coeducacionais (96,11%); 37,3% consideram que seria fácil para elas obter maconha; aqueles que relataram ser usuários atuais de maconha, aqueles que relataram que todos os seus amigos são usuários e aqueles que vivem com um usuário foram aqueles que perceberam ser muito fácil o acesso à maconha (88,0%, 80,1% e 71,6%, respectivamente). Conclusões: Há uma elevada proporção de adolescentes que percebem um acesso muito fácil à maconha, e os usuários ou aqueles que se associam aos usuários foram os mais propensos a perceber um acesso fácil à maconha. São sugeridas intervenções que podem contrariar este fenômeno

Placenta accreta: importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the Colombian hospital setting.

Introduction: The management of patients with placenta accreta (PA) poses a challenge to health services. Although it may lead to devastating complications, its low incidence limits the development of expertize in all obstetric centers. We evaluated the results obtained from a multidisciplinary approach in patients with PA in a Latin American hospital.Methods: The study included patients with prenatal suspicion or intraoperative diagnosis of PA, before and after initiating a set of interdisciplinary and institutional interventions, with the aim of achieving better outcomes.Results: From December 2011 to December 2017, 62 patients with prenatally or intraoperatively suspected PA underwent surgery. The first 30 women (Group A), admitted until April 2016 and before any changes in the management protocol, had a longer hospital stay and surgery time, higher newborn hospitalization, and greater use of general anesthesia, compared to the 20 patients from Group B, who were admitted during the last 20 months of the observation period. A total of 12 women with late and intraoperative diagnosis, under no institutional protocol, showed greater blood loss and more frequent red blood cell transfusions.Conclusions: The expertize of the multidisciplinary team responsible for managing women with PA is associated with better clinical outcomes.

Description of criteria for near miss in high-complexity obstetric population with sickle cell anemia: an observational study.

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common monogenic diseases worldwide, affecting approximately 30 million people across the globe. It is one of the most common hemoglobinopathies affecting pregnancy, particularly in the black population. Pregnant women with SCD, in conjunction with the physiological changes of pregnancy, have an increased risk of developing severe maternal and fetal complications.Materials and methods: A descriptive, observational study was conducted retrospectively to determine the maternal and neonatal disease burden of pregnant women with SCD between 2011 and 2016. The study included pregnant patients with SCD admitted to the hospital, with confirmed diagnosis through hemoglobin electrophoresis. Patients having no confirmatory testing of the disease were excluded.Results: In all, 54% (34 patients) had no previous diagnosis of sickle cell anemia or presence of sickle cell trait, and so an in-hospital diagnosis was carried out through hemoglobin gel electrophoresis, whereas the remaining 46% (28 patients) had already a peripheral diagnosis. In total, the following profiles were obtained: Hb AS 62.9% (39 patients), Hb SC 17.7% (11 patients), Hb SS 16.1% (10 patients), Hb AC 3.2% (2 patients), and Hb CC 0% (0 patients). Vaso-occlusive pain crises constituted the most common cause of hospital admission antepartum (54.8% of the general population), occurring in 100% of the patients with Hb SS and Hb AC, in 45% of the Hb SC group and in 43% of those with the Hb AS trait. The second cause of hospital admission encompassed infectious processes, which affected 45% of the general population, 30% of the Hb AS group, 60% of the Hb SS group, 77% of the Hb SC group, and 100% of the Hb AC group. The method of termination of pregnancy of 44% (27 patients) was C-section. The most common perinatal complication was preterm birth, occurring in 26% (16 patients), with the highest incidence in the Hb AC group. The second most common complication was the intrauterine growth restriction, reported in 6% (4 patients) of all patients, being most frequently in the Hb SS group.Conclusion: Pregnant women having SCD should be assessed and managed by a multidisciplinary team composed of hematology, perinatology, and intensive care. Management should be conducted preferably in high-quality centers experienced in treating this entity, thereby decreasing the great impact of morbidity and mortality associated with SCD in the pregnant population.

Use of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Surgical Site Infection During Pregnancy: A Case Study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a known cause of morbidity and mortality; however, evidence related to management of SSIs during pregnancy is sparse. CASE: A 26-year-old female patient with an adnexal cystic lesion underwent laparotomy at 19 weeks of pregnancy. She experienced a late SSI 10 days after initial surgery, necessitating surgical debridement. She was treated with multiple surgical interventions for wound irrigations and wound closure assisted by a negative pressure wound therapy. CONCLUSION: Negative pressure wound therapy was used for treatment of an SSI during pregnancy without causing premature delivery or requiring a cesearan section.