RESUMO
A persistent state of inflammation has been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess short-term heart rate variability (HRV), peripheral body temperature, and serum cytokine levels in patients with long COVID. We evaluated 202 patients with long COVID symptoms categorized them according to the duration of their COVID symptoms (≤120 days, n = 81; >120 days, n = 121), in addition to 95 healthy individuals selected as controls. All HRV variables differed significantly between the control group and patients with long COVID in the ≤120 days group (p < 0.05), and participants in the long COVID ≤120 days group had higher temperatures than those in the long COVID >120 days group in all regions analysed (p < 0.05). Cytokine analysis showed higher levels of interleukin 17 (IL-17) and interleukin 2 (IL-2), and lower levels of interleukin 4 (IL-4) (p < 0.05). Our results suggest a reduction in parasympathetic activation during long COVID and an increase in body temperature due to possible endothelial damage caused by the maintenance of elevated levels of inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, high serum levels of IL-17 and IL-2 and low levels of IL-4 appear to constitute a long-term profile of COVID-19 cytokines, and these markers are potential targets for long COVID-treatment and prevention strategies.
RESUMO
Caracterizar os pacientes internados em enfermariapediátrica de um hospital de referência de Belém-PA, no anode 2012. Material e Métodos: estudo transversal quantitativo,onde foi avaliada uma amostra randomizada de 230prontuários de pacientes admitidos na enfermaria pediátricano ano de 2012. As variáveis do estudo foram: sexo, faixaetária, procedência, motivo da admissão, tempo e desfechoda internação, diagnósticos clínico e nutricional,oxigenoterapia e tratamento fisioterapêutico. Para análiseda significância foi utilizado o teste Qui-Quadrado (Aderência)do programa BioEstat 5.0, e o nível de significância adotadofoi p valor = 0,05 (5%). Resultados: a amostra constituiu-sede pacientes do sexo feminino (52,6%), com faixa etária de0 a 23 meses (43,5%), procedentes da região metropolitanade Belém (49,6%), sendo os diagnósticos clínicos maispresentes aqueles relacionados com os sistemas respiratório(29,6%) e renal (24,6%), apresentavam na admissão pesoadequado (50,9%). Cinquenta e seis pacientes receberamatendimento fisioterapêutico (24,3%), sendo de abordagemmotora e/ou respiratória, e os meios de administração deoxigênio mais utilizados foram o cateter nasal (42,9%) e amáscara de Venturi (39,3%). Foram encontrados 13diagnósticos listados como condições sensíveis à atençãoprimária. Conclusão: estes resultados revelaram ascaracterísticas dos pacientes internados nesta enfermariaque se mostrou de caráter predominantemente clínico, comtempo de internação curto, até 10 dias (56,1%), podendocontribuir no planejamento institucional e no direcionamentode ações voltadas à prevenção de agravos e a promoção dasaúde nesta população a nível regional e nacional...
To characterize the profile of patients admitted tothe pediatric ward of a referral hospital in Belém-PA, in 2012.Material and Methods: This was a quantitative crosssectionalstudy evaluating a random sample of 230 medicalrecords of patients admitted to a pediatric ward in the year2012. The variables studied were: sex, age, origin, admissionreason, hospitalization length and outcomes, clinical andnutritional diagnostics, oxygen therapy and physical therapy.The Chi-square test was used for data analysis on BioEstat5.0, with a 5% significance level. Results: The sampleconsisted of female patients (52.6%), aged 0-23 months(43.5%), from the metropolitan area of Belém (49.6%). Theyhad clinical diagnosis more frequently related to respiratory(29.6%) and renal systems (24.6%) and presented properweight on admission (50.9%). Fifty-six patients receivedphysical therapy (24.3%), with motor and/or respiratoryapproaches. Oxygen was administrated in most cases vianasal catheter (42.9%) or the Venturi mask (39.3%). A totalof 13 diagnoses were found as primary care sensitiveconditions. Conclusion: The results revealed thecharacteristics of patients admitted in this pediatric ward.There was a predominance of clinical character, with shorthospital stay up to 10 days (56.1%). Our findings maycontribute to the institutional planning and directing of actionsaimed at disease prevention and health promotion in thispopulation at a regional and national level...
