Risultati per: COVID-19, nuova guida per gastroenterologi

Objectives
Veterinary ivermectin (vet-IVM) has been used widely in Latin America against COVID-19, despite the lack of scientific evidence and potential risks. Widespread vet-IVM intake was also discovered against Chagas disease during a study in Bolivia prior to the pandemic. All vet-IVM-related data were extracted to understand this phenomenon, its extent and underlying factors and to discuss potential implications for the current pandemic.

Design
A convergent mixed-methods study design including a survey, qualitative in-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group discussions (FGD).

Setting
A cross-sectional study conducted in 2018 covering the geographic area of Monteagudo, an endemic municipality for Chagas disease.

Participants
A total of 669 adult household representatives from 26 communities participated in the survey, supplemented by 14 IDI and 2 FGD among patients, relatives and key informants.

Results
9 IDI and 2 FGD contained narratives on vet-IVM use against Chagas disease. Five main themes emerged: (1) the extent of the vet-IVM phenomenon, (2) the perception of vet-IVM as a treatment for Chagas disease, (3) the vet-IVM market and the controversial role of stakeholders, (4) concerns about potential adverse events and (5) underlying factors of vet-IVM use against Chagas disease.
In quantitative analysis, 28% of participants seropositive for Chagas disease had taken vet-IVM. Factors associated with multivariate analysis were advanced age (OR 17.01, 95 CI 1.24 to 36.55, p=0.027 for age above 60 years), the experience of someone close as information source (OR 3.13, 95 CI 1.62 to 5.02, p

Objectives
This study aims to determine the COVID-19 vaccination coverage and the factors associated with vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in the general population of Pakistan.

Setting
This population-based study covers all major areas of Pakistan, including Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan provinces and the capital Islamabad.

Participants
A total of 541 male and female Pakistani adults above 18 years were interviewed to determine the COVID-19 vaccination coverage and understand the factors associated with vaccine acceptance and hesitancy.

Outcome
The outcome was COVID-19 vaccination status (not vaccinated or vaccinated).

Results
Of 541 participants, 227 (41.96%) were non-vaccinated and 314 (58.04%) were vaccinated. Two-thirds of the participants from both the non-vaccinated and vaccinated groups (185 (81.50%) vs 236 (75.16%), p=0.008) reside in Sindh. Nearly one-third of participants from both groups were ever infected with COVID-19 (77 (33.92%) and 90 (28.66%)). The odds of COVID-19 vaccination among the age group 34–42 years were 1.75 times higher (95% CI 1.35 to 2.09, p=0.008) than the other age groups. The odds of COVID-19 vaccination among those with COVID-19 ever-infected family members were 1.87 times higher (95% CI 1.56 to 2.34, p=0.032) than those with uninfected family members.

Conclusions
Targeted interventions for subsets of populations reluctant to vaccination can improve vaccine coverage. Moreover, advocacy and explaining the public health benefits of vaccination can enhance the coverage in Pakistan.

Objectives
This study aims to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms among healthcare workers and possible factors associated with this outcome (resilience, spirituality, social support, quality of life, among other individual variables). Our hypothesis is that some of these factors can have a protective effect on depressive symptoms.

Design
Web-based cross-sectional survey.

Setting
Participants were recruited online from 16 April to 23 April 2020.

Participants
1043 healthcare workers, predominantly Brazilians, aged 18 years or older.

Primary and secondary outcome measures
Depression was the primary outcome, measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Possible protective factors were measured in the following ways: social support was assessed by the modified Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (mMOS-SS); spirituality, religiousness and personal beliefs (SRPB) were evaluated using the 9-item SRPB module of the brief WHO Quality of Life instrument (WHOQoL-SRPB-bref); quality of life was assessed using the brief EUROHIS instrument for Quality of Life (EUROHIS-QoL 8-item); resilience was assessed using the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10).

Results
23% met the criteria for depression according to the PHQ-9 scale. Quality of life (B=–3.87 (–4.30 to –3.43), β=–0.37, p

Objectives
To explore the main factors affecting the knowledge, attitude and practice about influenza and influenza vaccine as well as the intention to receive influenza vaccination among the same group of medical students before (2019) and after (2021) the COVID-19 outbreak.

Design
A population-based prospective cohort study.

Setting
A longitudinal cohort study of a selected medical school in Chongqing, China, which ran from 2019 to 2021.

Participants
A total of 803 medical students participated in the study in 2019 and only 484 students responded in 2021. The response rate for our survey was only 60.27% due to graduation, emails being abandoned, etc.

Results
The influenza vaccination rate of students at this medical school was 6.7% in 2019, compared with 25.8% in 2021. The awareness rate of medical students about influenza and influenza vaccine was 82.8% in 2019 and 86% in 2021, and there was no significantly statistical difference between the 2 years (p=0.134); the number of medical students with supportive attitude towards influenza vaccine was 95.1% in 2019 and 97.1% in 2021, and there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 years (p=0.078); the number of students who actively learnt about knowledge related to influenza vaccine rose from 183 (22.8%) in 2019 to 195 (40.3%) in 2021.

Conclusions
The COVID-19 outbreak prompted an increase in influenza vaccination rates among medical students in Chongqing, with almost all students (96.0%) believing that the spread of COVID-19 promoted their knowledge about influenza and influenza vaccine, and the vast majority (74.8%) believing that the spread of COVID-19 promoted their willingness to receive influenza vaccine.

Introduction
Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective treatment for obesity, and is performed yearly in over 8000 patients in Canada. Over 50% of those who live with obesity also have a history of mental health disorder. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for people living with obesity to manage their weight even after undergoing bariatric surgery, which combined with pandemic-related increases in mental health distress, has the potential to adversely impact obesity outcomes such as weight loss and quality of life. Reviews of virtual mental health interventions during COVID-19 have not identified any interventions that specifically address psychological distress or disordered eating in patients with obesity, including those who have had bariatric surgery.

Methods and analysis
A randomised controlled trial will be conducted with 140 patients across four Ontario Bariatric Centres of Excellence to examine the efficacy of a telephone-based cognitive behavioural therapy intervention versus a control intervention (online COVID-19 self-help resources) in postoperative bariatric patients experiencing disordered eating and/or psychological distress. Patients will be randomised 1:1 to either group. Changes in the Binge Eating Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-Item Scale will be examined between groups across time (primary outcomes). Qualitative exit interviews will be conducted, and data will be used to inform future adaptations of the intervention to meet patients’ diverse needs during and post-pandemic.

Ethics and dissemination
This study has received ethics approvals from the following: Clinical Trials Ontario (3957) and the University Health Network Research Ethics Committee (22–5145), the Board of Record. All participants will provide written informed consent prior to enrolling in the study. Results will be made available to patients with bariatric surgery, the funders, the supporting organisations and other researchers via publication in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.

Trial registration number
NCT05258578.

Objectives
This study aimed to examine COVID-19 patients’ experiences in a Fangcang shelter hospital in China, to provide insights into the effectiveness of this centralised isolation strategy as a novel solution to patient management during emerging infectious disease outbreaks.

Design
This study adopted a qualitative descriptive design. Data were collected by individual semistructured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis.

Setting
This study was undertaken in 1 of the 16 Fangcang shelter hospitals in Wuhan, China between 28 February 2020 and 7 March 2020. Fangcang shelter hospitals were temporary healthcare facilities intended for large-scale centralised isolation, treatment and disease monitoring of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 cases. These hospitals were an essential component of China’s response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants
A total of 27 COVID-19 patients were recruited by purposive sampling. Eligible participants were (1) COVID-19 patients; (2) above 18 years of age and (3) able to communicate effectively. Exclusion criteria were (1) being clinically or emotionally unstable and (2) experiencing communication difficulties.

Results
Three themes and nine subthemes were identified. First, COVID-19 patients experienced a range of psychological reactions during hospitalisation, including fear, uncertainty, helplessness and concerns. Second, there were positive and negative experiences associated with communal living. While COVID-19 patients’ evaluation of essential services in the hospital was overall positive, privacy and hygiene issues were highlighted as stressors during their hospital stay. Third, positive peer support and a trusting patient–healthcare professional relationship served as a birthplace for resilience, trust and gratitude in COVID-19 patients.

Conclusions
Our findings suggest that, while sacrificing privacy, centralised isolation has the potential to mitigate negative psychological impacts of social isolation in COVID-19 patients by promoting meaningful peer connections, companionship and support within the shared living space. To our knowledge, this is the first study bringing patients’ perspectives into healthcare service appraisal in emergency shelter hospitals.

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major concern worldwide; however, easily accessible treatment options for patients with mild COVID-19 remain limited. Since the oral intake of Lactococcus lactis strain plasma (LC-Plasma) enhances both the innate and acquired immune systems through the activation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), we hypothesised that the oral intake of LC-Plasma could aid the relief or prevention of symptoms in patients with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19.

Methods and analysis
This is an exploratory, multicentre, double-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. This study was initiated in December 2021 and concludes in April 2023. The planned number of enrolled subjects is 100 (50 subjectsx2 groups); subject enrolment will be conducted until October 2022. Patients with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 will be enrolled and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to group A (oral intake of LC-Plasma-containing capsule, 200 mg/day, for 14 days) or group B (oral intake of placebo capsule, for 14 days). The primary endpoint is the change in subjective symptoms measured by the severity score. Secondary endpoints include SARS-CoV-2 viral loads, biomarkers for pDC activation, serum SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, serum cytokines, interferon and interferon-inducible antiviral effectors and the proportion of subjects with emergency room visits to medical institutions or who are hospitalised.

Ethics and dissemination
The study protocol was approved by the Clinical Research Review Board of Nagasaki University, in accordance with the Clinical Trials Act of Japan. The study will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, the Clinical Trials Act, and other current legal regulations in Japan. Written informed consent will be obtained from all the participants. The results of this study will be reported in journal publications.

Trial registration number
Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (registration number: jRCTs071210097).

Objectives
While almost 60% of the world has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the global distribution of vaccination has not been equitable. Only 4% of the population of low-income countries (LICs) has received a full primary vaccine series, compared with over 70% of the population of high-income nations.

Design
We used economic and epidemiological models, parameterised with public data on global vaccination and COVID-19 deaths, to estimate the potential benefits of scaling up vaccination programmes in LICs and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) in 2022 in the context of global spread of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV2.

Setting
Low-income and lower-middle-income nations.

Main outcome measures
Outcomes were expressed as number of avertable deaths through vaccination, costs of scale-up and cost per death averted. We conducted sensitivity analyses over a wide range of parameter estimates to account for uncertainty around key inputs.

Findings
Globally, universal vaccination in LIC/LMIC with three doses of an mRNA vaccine would result in an estimated 1.5 million COVID-19 deaths averted with a total estimated cost of US$61 billion and an estimated cost-per-COVID-19 death averted of US$40 800 (sensitivity analysis range: US$7400–US$81 500). Lower estimated infection fatality ratios, higher cost-per-dose and lower vaccine effectiveness or uptake lead to higher cost-per-death averted estimates in the analysis.

Conclusions
Scaling up COVID-19 global vaccination would avert millions of COVID-19 deaths and represents a reasonable investment in the context of the value of a statistical life. Given the magnitude of expected mortality facing LIC/LMIC without vaccination, this effort should be an urgent priority.

Annals of Internal Medicine, Ahead of Print.

Their in vitro performance is excellent; their real-world efficacy awaits more data.

Annals of Internal Medicine, Volume 175, Issue 10, Page 1475, October 2022.

A large observational Dutch study suggests post–COVID-19 conditions occur in 1 of 8 people.

Introduction
Since 2020, the world has been going through a viral pandemic with a high morbidity and mortality rate along with the potential to evolve from an acute infection to post-acute and long-COVID, which is still in the process of elucidation. Diagnostic and prognostic research is essential to understand the complexity of factors and contexts involving the illness’s process. This protocol introduces a study strategy to analyse predictors, sequelae, and repercussions of COVID-19 in adults and older adults with different disease severities in the State of Paraná, Brazil.

Methods and analysis
A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. The quantitative data will be conducted by an ambispective cohort study, which will explore the manifestations of COVID-19 for 18 months, with nearly 3000 participants with confirmed diagnoses of COVID-19 (reverse transcription-PCR test) between March and December of 2020, retrieved from national disease reporting databases, over 18 years old, living in a Brazilian State (Paraná) and who survived the viral infection after being discharged from a health service. Data collection will be conducted through telephone interviews, at two different occasions: the first will be a recall 12 months after the acute phase as a retrospective follow-up, and the second will be another prospective interview, with data of the following 6 months. For the qualitative step, Grounded Theory will be used; participants will be selected from the cohort population. The first sample group will be composed of people who were discharged from the intensive care unit, and other sample groups will be composed according to theoretical saturation. The qualitative data will follow the temporal design and classification of the disease provided for in the cohort.

Ethics and dissemination
Ethics approval was granted by the State University of Maringá, under opinion number: 4 165 272 and CAAE: 34787020.0.0000.0104 on 21 July 2020, and Hospital do Trabalhador (Worker’s Hospital), which is accountable for the Health Department of the State of Paraná, under opinion number: 4 214 589 and CAAE: 34787020.0.3001.5225 on 15 August 2020. The participants will verbally consent to the research, their consent will be recorded, and the informed consent form will be sent by mail or email. Outcomes will be widely disseminated through peer-reviewed manuscripts, conference presentations, media and reports to related authorities.