Indication criteria for monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 in the era of vaccination: is an update needed?

This study describes a cohort of 223 patients who received anti-S protein monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment for COVID-19 after having met the indication criteria set by the national guidelines in the Czech Republic at the time. The authors compare the vaccinated and unvaccinated subpopulations of this cohort. The results show that most of the patients (73.5%) already had significant circulating levels of anti-S antibodies detectable at the time of treatment. The authors confirm a positive correlation between number of vaccine doses and S-protein antibody levels. The data show, that vaccinated patients are overall less likely to be hospitalized than unvaccinated ones. The authors recommend a change in the national guidelines for mAb treatment in the Czech Republic.

Baroreflex sensitivity and blood pressure in premature infants - dependence on gestational age, postnatal age and sex.

To characterize the differences in baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and respiration rate (RR) in preterm infants with a similar postconceptional age reached by various combinations of gestational and postnatal ages. To detect potential sex differences in assessed cardiovascular parameters. The study included 49 children (24 boys and 25 girls), postconceptional age 34.6+/-1.9 weeks. Two subgroups of infants were selected with the similar postconceptional age (PcA) and current weight, but differing in gestational (GA) and postnatal (PnA) ages, as well as two matched subgroups of boys and girls. Blood pressure (BP) was recorded continuously using Portapres device (FMS). A stationary segment of 250 beat-to-beat BP values was analyzed for each child. Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) was calculated by cross-correlation sequence method. Despite the same PcA age and current weight, children with longer GA had higher BRS, diastolic and mean BP than children with shorter GA and longer PnA age. Postconceptional age in preterm infants is a parameter of maturation better predicting baroreflex sensitivity and blood pressure values compared to postnatal age. Sex related differences in BRS, BP, HR and RR were not found in our group of preterm infants.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in adults with the risk factors.

In 2017 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) seems to be a curable disease in most cases. Analysis of epidemiologic data of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection gained from a primary care office shows how HCV is underdiagnosed in the Czech Republic (CZ). The importance of primary care in screening of HCV infection is shown, as is the necessity of spreading information about this disease between common population and healthcare workers. The aim of the study is to determine seroprevalence of HCV antibodies and HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) positivity among registered patients with risk factors (RF) in medical history in one physician´s practice. 1620 complete follow-ups of registered clients were accomplished during a 10-month period between 2016 and 2017 in the office of one general practitioner (GP). Amongst those 627 were confirmed to have RF. Each client with RF was tested for HCV antibodies, including detection of HCV RNA via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in cases of HCV antibodies positivity. 19 anti HCV positive clients were found, with a prevalence of 3.03%, 5 were HCV RNA positive, with a prevalence of 0.8%.

Baroreflex sensitivity in premature infants - relation to the parameters characterizing intrauterine and postnatal condition.

At present, there are insufficient information about baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and factors that determine BRS in premature newborns. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between BRS and the characteristics that reflecting the intrauterine development (gestational age and birth weight), as well as postnatal development (postconception age and the actual weight of the child at the time of measurement). We examined 57 premature infants, who were divided into groups according to gestational age and postconception age as well as birth weight, and weight at the time of measurement. Continuous and noninvasive registration of peripheral blood pressure (BP) was performed in every child within 2-5 min under standard conditions using a Portapres (FMS) device. The results showed a close correlation of baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate and respiratory rate with gestational age, postconception age, birth weight and actual weight at the time of measurement premature newborns. An increase in the characteristics (ages and weights) resulted in increased BRS and diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), and in decreased heart and respiratory rates. Baroreflex sensitivity in the first week was in the group of very premature newborns the lowest (4.11 ms/mmHg) and in the light premature newborns was almost double (8.12 ms/mmHg). BRS increases gradually in relation to postnatal (chronological) and to postconception age as well as to birth and actual weight. The multifactor analysis of BRS identified birth weight and postconception age as the best BRS predictors. The two independent variables together explained 40 % of interindividual BRS variability.