Author: Nevin Manimala

Artif Organs. 2021 Dec 16. doi: 10.1111/aor.14136. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Around 5% of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients develop critical disease, with severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In these cases, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be considered when conventional therapy fails. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of COVID-19 patients with ARDS refractory to lung-protective ventilation and prone positioning on ECMO support, as well as to review the available literature on ECMO use and COVID-19 patients’ outcome. Patients from this case series were selected from the Brazilian COVID-19 Registry. From the 7646 patients included in the registry, only eight received ECMO support (0.1%), in four hospitals. The median age of the entire sample was 59 (interquartile range 54.2-64.4) years old and 87.5% were male. Hypertension (50.0%), diabetes mellitus (50.0%) and obesity (37.5%) were the most frequent comorbidities. The indications for ECMO were PaO₂ /FiO₂ ratio <80 mm Hg for more than 6 h or PaO₂ /FiO₂ ratio <60 mm Hg for more than 3 h. The mortality rate was 87.5%. In conclusion, in this case series of COVID-19 patients with ARDS refractory to conventional therapy who received ECMO support, a very high mortality was observed. Our findings are not different from previous studies including a small number of patients; however, there is a huge difference from Extracorporeal Life Support Organization results, which encourages us to keep looking for improvement.

PMID:34913492 | DOI:10.1111/aor.14136

Fam Process. 2021 Dec 16. doi: 10.1111/famp.12736. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This article reports results of a study that assessed the efficacy of multiple family therapy (MFT) for helping children of depressed parent(s), using a quasi-randomized controlled trial design. In total, 76 children participated in the study, with 51 children were assigned to the experimental group (EG) and 25 to the comparison group (CG). The EG children and their parents completed the three-month MFT program, while the CG children and their parents attended two psychoeducational talks scheduled at the same time as the MFT. A group × Time repeated measure ANCOVA did not discern the intervention types having any effect on children’s lives in the post-treatment phase or at the three-month follow-up. However, the MFT brought some promising positive changes in the EG children’s perceived social support, both overall and that from the father and other family members at three-month follow-up; compared to the CG children, the EG children also attached more importance to the support from their mothers in the post-treatment phase and that from other family members at the three-month follow-up. The results implied the potential efficacy of the MFT in facilitating an increase in the overall social support of children of depressed parents and their positive interactions with both the healthy and the depressed parent and other family members. Owing to multiple statistical limitations, caution is required while interpreting the results. A larger sample and a more sophisticated research design were suggested for future studies examining the efficacy and therapeutic mechanism of the MFT.

PMID:34913487 | DOI:10.1111/famp.12736

Dis Aquat Organ. 2021 Dec 16;147:111-126. doi: 10.3354/dao03639.

ABSTRACT

High maternal investment and extended inter-calving intervals in Florida manatees Trichechus manatus latirostris make calf survivorship critical to overall population growth. However, detailed patterns of causes of mortality in calves have not been reported and state agency statistics report portions of perinatal mortality based on body length rather than actual cause of death (COD). The objectives of this study were to categorize COD based on necropsy data and geographical location in Florida for 1209 manatee calf carcasses (<236 cm total length) examined between January 2009 and December 2017 and to describe factors contributing to calf mortality. Results indicated COD was attributed to natural causes (47%, n = 573), cold stress syndrome (38%, n = 457), watercraft injury (13%, n = 155), or other human-related causes (2%, n = 24). Natural causes were the leading COD for small calves <151 cm, with death due to stillbirth or dystocia most frequent (48%, n = 273/573). Enteric trematodiasis contributed to a large proportion of deaths from natural causes in large calves within the southwest region of Florida, with an increasing annual trend. Brevetoxicosis contributed substantially to natural causes within the southwest region exclusively and was commonly comorbid with enteric trematodiasis. Cold stress syndrome was the leading cause of death for large calves (151-235 cm), with the Atlantic region having the highest proportion of cases. Watercraft injury was a sustained threat to large calves, especially within the southwest region. This report provides details on specific health threats and patterns of mortality among manatee calves.

PMID:34913440 | DOI:10.3354/dao03639

Dan Med J. 2022 Dec 15;69(1):A05210397.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: In penile cancer, both disease and treatment may be mutilating. We examined life satisfaction in three separate groups; at penile cancer diagnosis and one and two years later.

METHODS: From 1 January 2013 to 31 December2015, Danish penile cancer patients completed the Life-Satisfaction Questionnaire-11 (LISAT-11) at diagnosis and after one year and after two years. Responders scored 11 domains of life on a six-point scale. We analysed the scores and compared scores with those of a Swedish control cohort from the literature with patients in the same age group.

RESULTS: A total of 157 individual penile cancer patients completed the LISAT-11 checklist at one point in the trajectory and were considered for this study. We observed trends towards less life satisfaction in the years after diagnosis and with increasingly mutilating surgical treatment. The differences were not statistically significant. A difference was observed between the proportion of responders scoring “satisfied” on activities of daily living between penile cancer patients and a healthy control cohort, with a higher score being recorded for the healthy controls. No other LISAT-11 domains were scored significantly different between penile cancer patients and controls.

CONCLUSIONS: Danish responders with penile cancer are less satisfied than a Swedish control cohort within the self-care domain.

FUNDING: none.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.

PMID:34913430

Dan Med J. 2022 Dec 7;69(1):A10210765.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: As the protection from the COVID-19 vaccines diminishes over time, health authorities are currently considering how to maintain immunity by means of vaccine booster doses. In a recent survey, we investigated COVID-19 booster vaccine willingness among Danes, a population with a high acceptance of the initial round of COVID-19 vaccination.

METHODS: The data were derived from the sixth wave of the longitudinal COVID-19 Consequences Denmark Panel Survey 2020, which included questions on booster vaccine willingness. The data from the respondents were primarily analysed using descriptive statistics. The association between age, gender, level of education, region, type of received vaccine and booster vaccine willingness was analysed using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS: Among those reporting to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or that their vaccination was scheduled, a weighted total of 90% indicated that they were willing to receive the booster vaccine, if/once offered. The only characteristic associated with booster vaccine willingness at the set level of statistical significance (0.05) was age (increased willingness with age; adjusted odds ratio per year: 1.04, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.06).

CONCLUSIONS: The willingness to receive a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine is high among Danes. If health authorities decide to offer COVID-19 booster vaccines to the young, they may consider providing specific information targeted at this population to increase uptake.

FUNDING: The Novo Nordisk Foundation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.

PMID:34913428

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Dec 16:1-4. doi: 10.1017/ice.2021.482. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The CLEAR Trial recently found that decolonization reduced infections and hospitalizations in MRSA carriers in the year following hospital discharge. In this secondary analysis, we explored whether decolonization had a similar benefit in the subgroup of trial participants who harbored USA300, using two different definitions for the USA300 strain-type.

PMID:34913422 | DOI:10.1017/ice.2021.482

Scand J Rheumatol. 2021 Dec 16:1-9. doi: 10.1080/03009742.2021.1957557. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the incidence and prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the adult Danish population.Method: In this nationwide register-based cohort study, patients with incident RA between 1998 and the end of 2018 were identified using Danish administrative registries. The age- and sex-standardized incidence rate (IR), incidence proportion (IP), lifetime risk (LR), and point prevalence (PP) of RA were calculated. RA was defined as a first-time RA diagnosis registered in the Danish National Patient Registry combined with a redeemed prescription of a conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug in the following year. In addition, three different case definitions of RA were explored.Results: The overall age- and sex-standardized IR of RA from 1998 to 2018 was 35.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 35.1-35.9] per 100 000 person-years while the IP was 35.2 (95% CI 34.8-35.5) per 100 000 individuals. The IR was two-fold higher for women than for men. The LR of RA ranged from 2.3% to 3.4% for women and from 1.1% to 1.5% for men, depending on the RA case definition used. The overall PP of RA was 0.6% (95% CI 0.5-0.6%) in 2018: 0.8% (95% CI 0.7-0.8%) for women and 0.3% (95% CI 0.3-0.4%) for men. The prevalence increased about 1.5-fold from 2000 to 2018.Conclusion: The IR and PP were approximately two-fold higher for women than for men. The prevalence of RA in Denmark increased significantly from 2000 to 2018. The RA case definition had more impact on the results than the choice of denominator.

PMID:34913402 | DOI:10.1080/03009742.2021.1957557

Womens Health (Lond). 2021 Jan-Dec;17:17455065211065865. doi: 10.1177/17455065211065865.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Studies indicate that women with polycystic ovary syndrome have high depressive symptom scores and more perceived barriers than benefits to exercise, factors that may affect health-related quality-of-life. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore the impact of perceived exercise benefits and barriers, exercise outcome expectations, and depressive symptoms on polycystic ovary syndrome-specific health-related quality-of-life.

METHODS: A survey link was posted on polycystic ovary syndrome Facebook groups. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (n = 935) answered questionnaires about demographics, polycystic ovary syndrome-specific health-related quality-of-life, exercise benefits and barriers, exercise outcome expectations, and depressive symptoms. Data were collected using Qualtrics, transferred to SPSS, and statistically analyzed using regression analyses. Mean responses were reported for the questionnaires, with exercise benefits and barriers means divided for a ratio.

RESULTS: Respondents were 32 ± 10.6 years of age, mostly White (72%), and employed full-time (65%). The total mean scores were health-related quality-of-life, 2.7 ± 0.1; exercise outcome expectation, 2.4 ± 0.8; and depressive symptoms, 12.4 ± 5.8. The benefit/barrier ratio was 0.9. HRQoL increased 0.32 points for every additional perceived exercise benefit and 0.61 points for every additional exercise outcome expectation (EOE). HRQoL was reduced by 1.19 points for every additional perceived exercise barrier and 2.82 points for every additional one-point increase of the depressive symptoms score.

CONCLUSIONS: Respondents reported low health-related quality-of-life, greater exercise barriers than benefits, neutral exercise outcome expectations, and high depressive symptoms. These results suggest that promoting exercise benefits, overcoming exercise barriers, and addressing management of depressive symptoms are important foci of future efforts to improve health-related quality-of-life among women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

PMID:34913389 | DOI:10.1177/17455065211065865

Int J Surg Pathol. 2021 Dec 16:10668969211065757. doi: 10.1177/10668969211065757. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) are both classified as lung neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC). It has recently been reported that the special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (STAB2), known as a colorectal cancer marker, is also expressed in NECs occurring in various organs including the lung. However, few studies have examined any differences of SATB2 immunopositivity between SCLC and LCNEC. We investigated SATB2 expression in 45 SCLC and 14 LCNEC cases using immunohistochemistry as well as the expression of caudal-type homeobox 2 (CDX2) and keratin (KRT) 20. The LCNEC cases were more frequently positive for SATB2 (ten out of 14, 71%) than the SCLC ones (seventeen out of 45, 38%) with a statistically significance (P = 0.035). Furthermore, two LCNEC cases were positive for CDX2 while no positive findings were observed for any SCLC cases, the difference of which, however, was not statistically significant (P = 0.053). KRT20 was negative in all LCNEC and SCLC cases. These results require our attention when we use SATB2 and CDX2 as colorectal cancer markers because their expression in pulmonary NECs can lead to a misdiagnosis that the tumor is of metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma, especially when the patient has a past history of colorectal cancer. Analyzing the relationship between the demographic/clinical variables and the SATB2 expression in the SCLC cases, just high Brinkman index (≥ 600) was significantly related to the positivity of SATB2 (P = 0.017), which is interesting considering the strong relationship between SCLC and smoking.

PMID:34913369 | DOI:10.1177/10668969211065757

Nutr Res Pract. 2021 Dec;15(Suppl 1):S94-S109. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2021.15.S1.S94. Epub 2021 Sep 23.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has dramatically changed nearly every aspect of our lives. Although Dietary lifestyle includes attitudes and behaviors to meet their most basic needs, but few studies have examined the pattern of changes in dietary lifestyle driven by COVID-19. This study explores changes in dietary attitudes and behaviors among Korean consumers after COVID-19.

SUBJECTS/METHODS: An online survey was conducted with 549 Korean adults aged 20 and older to identify general demographics and changes in dietary attitudes and behaviors. Data were collected from Oct 12 to Oct 18, 2020. Frequency, percentage, and mean values were calculated and a K-means cluster analysis was performed to categorize consumers based on the 5S of dietary attitudes (i.e., savor-oriented, safety-oriented, sustainability-oriented, saving-oriented, and socializing-oriented).

RESULTS: Findings indicate consumers considered safety, health, and freshness to be most important when choosing groceries and prepared meal such as home meal replacement and delivery food. Among the types of services, a large proportion of consumers increased their delivery and take-out services. Regarding retail channels, the increase in the use of online retailers was remarkable compared to offline retailers. Finally, consumers were classified into four segments based on changes in dietary attitudes: “most influenced,” “seeking safety and sustainability,” “abstaining from savor and socializing,” and “least influenced.” Each type of consumer exhibited statistically significant differences by sex, age, household composition, presence of disease, and perceived risk of COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study provides initial insights for future research by identifying various aspects of dietary attitudes and behaviors among Korean consumers after COVID-19.

PMID:34909136 | PMC:PMC8636393 | DOI:10.4162/nrp.2021.15.S1.S94