COVID-19 In People Research Articles

Correlation between physical activity practice and mortality from COVID-19: an ecological study

Background and objective: new population-level studies are needed to better assess the relationship between physical inactivity and mortality from COVID-19. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between population prevalence of physical activity and standardized mortality rates by COVID-19 in Brazilian capital cities and the Federal District. Methods: this is an ecological study, whose analysis is secondary. The prevalence of physical inactivity, insufficient physical activity, and physical activity during free time was obtained from the Surveillance of Risk Factors and Protection for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey 2019 (VIGITEL), according to minutes spent on leisure, commuting, and household activities. The COVID-19 mortality data was obtained from the Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance Information System (SIVEP-Gripe), adding the accumulated deaths until December 31, 2020. The resident population was estimated from the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) for the year 2020. Pearson Correlation evaluated the correlation between the prevalence of different physical activity practices and the standardized mortality rate from COVID-19, in total, and according to age groups. Results: there was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.420; p = 0.029) between the overall prevalence of insufficient physical activity and the standardized COVID-19 mortality rate. No correlation was observed between the other prevalence of physical activity and the standardized mortality rate from COVID-19. Conclusion: there was a correlation between insufficient levels of physical activity and the standardized mortality rate from COVID-19 in people living in Brazilian capital cities.

COVID-19 in people with HIV in the Netherlands.

We investigated occurrence of and risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes in people with HIV (PWH) in the Netherlands. An ongoing prospective nationwide HIV cohort study. COVID-19 diagnoses and outcomes with other relevant medical information were prospectively collected from electronic medical records in all HIV treatment centers in the Netherlands, from the start of the COVID-19 epidemic until December 31, 2021. Risk factors for COVID-19 related hospitalization and death were investigated using multivariable logistic regression, including demographics, HIV-related factors, and comorbidities. The cohort comprises 21 289 adult PWH, median age 51.2 years, 82% male, 70% were of Western origin, 12.0% were of sub-Saharan African and 12.6% Latin American/Caribbean origin, 96.8% had HIV-RNA less than 200 copies/ml, median CD4 + cell count 690 (IQR 510-908) cells/μl. Primary SARS-CoV-2 infections were registered in 2301 individuals, of whom 157 (6.8%) required hospitalization and 27 (1.2%) ICU admission. Mortality rates were 13 and 0.4% among hospitalized and nonhospitalized individuals, respectively. Independent risk factors for severe outcomes (COVID-19-related hospitalization and death) were higher age, having multiple comorbidities, a CD4 + cell count less than 200 cells/μl, uncontrolled HIV replication, and prior AIDS diagnosis. Migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean were at an increased risk of severe outcomes independently of other risk factors. In our national cohort of PWH, risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes was increased in individuals with uncontrolled HIV replication, low CD4 + cell count, and prior AIDS diagnosis, independently of general risk factors such as higher age, comorbidity burden and migrants originating from non-Western countries.

Does the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale Measure Coronaphobia the Same Way for Mourners With and Without Dysfunctional Grief?

Deaths from COVID-19 have exceeded 6.5 million people globally. Although many people are mourning the loss of loved ones to this deadly disease, little is known about the validity of measuring coronavirus-related anxiety with this particular group of people. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine if the coronavirus anxiety scale (CAS) measures the coronaphobia construct the same way for mourners with and without dysfunctional levels of grief. The results indicated that the four-item version of the CAS has acceptable fit indices and is partially invariant between people with dysfunctional and non-dysfunctional grief. Moreover, the CAS demonstrated adequate criterion validity and reliability with this group of bereaved adults. In conclusion, the CAS can be used to measure anxiety due to COVID-19 in people who are going through dysfunctional and non-dysfunctional grieving processes.

The relationship between fear of Covid-19 and obsessive–compulsive disorder

BackgroundThe coronavirus pandemic and health measures related to it have led to an increase in mental health problems. The relatively high incidence of the disease and its mortality rate created anxiety in society. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of fear of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its relationship with obsessive–compulsive disorder in patients who attended the outpatient clinic of Besat Hospital in Hamadan.MethodsIn this cross-sectional descriptive study, 320 patients who attended the outpatient clinic of Besat Hospital in Hamadan were selected by random sampling method in 2021. Data were collected using the Fear of the coronavirus (COVID-19) questionnaire and obsessive–compulsive disorder scale and analyzed using SPSS software (V16). They were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and independent t-test.ResultsThe mean ± SD age of the subjects was 34.14 ± 9.30 years and 65% of the study subjects were women. The mean ± SD score on the obsessive–compulsive disorder scale was 32.90 ± 19.87 and the mean ± SD score for fear of coronavirus was 16.82 ± 5.79. The contamination dimension of OCD had the highest score of 9.04 ± 5.46 and stealing had the lowest score of 0.10 ± 0.49. The mean fear of COVID-19 in people who had a history of obsessive–compulsive disorder before the quarantine was significantly higher than in those who did not have it (P = 0.002). Along with the increasing fear of coronavirus scale score, the score of obsessive–compulsive disorders increased except for the stealing dimension (P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe results of the study showed that there was a moderate level of fear of COVID-19 among the study population. Also, a relatively high proportion of study subjects had a weak manifestation of OCD. It seems that two years after the beginning of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, people have adapted to the conditions, and their fear of the disease is reduced.

Cognitive Concerns are a Risk Factor for Mortality in People with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and COVID-19 (S21.003)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To assess the contribution of cognitive symptoms to risk of mortality from COVID-19 in people with HIV (PWH). <h3>Background:</h3> Despite higher prevalence of cognitive disorders in PWH and dementia being a risk factor for COVID-19 mortality, the association between cognitive impairment and adverse outcomes in PWH with COVID-19 has not been well established. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> Matched case-control study (1:10) of PWH and without (PWoH) with documented SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity from March 2020-March 2021 evaluated at a Boston-based healthcare system. Data were extracted from the electronic health record. Matching was on age, sex, race, and zip code. Primary exposures were dementia (ICD-10 code) and cognitive concerns (concern for impairment within 12 months pre-COVID-19, ascertained using a semi-automated chart annotation tool). VACS2.0 Index (including general and HIV-specific biomarkers) was calculated. VACS2.0 Index-adjusted logistic regression models assessed effect of dementia and cognitive concerns on odds of death (OR[95% confidence interval]). <h3>Results:</h3> Among 14,129 patients with COVID-19, 64 PWH were identified and matched to 463 PWoH. Among PWH, 89% were on antiretroviral therapy, 87% had an HIV-1 viral load &lt;200 copies/mL, and 19% had CD4 &lt;200 cells/μL. VACS2.0 score predicted level of care and mortality in both PWH and PWoH. PWH had higher prevalence of dementia (16% vs. 6%, p=0.01) and cognitive concerns (22% vs. 16%, p=0.04). Death was more frequent in PWH (17% vs. 6%, p&lt;0.01), at younger ages (58 vs. 66 years, p=0.03). VACS2.0-adjusted regression models found cognitive concerns (2.4[1.1–5.3], p=0.03) and dementia (2.4[1.0–5.8], p=0.05) significantly associated with odds of death in the overall group. Among PWH only, aOR for cognitive concern approached significance (3.9[0.81–20.19], p=0.09), while dementia (1.75[0.29–8.71], p=0.50) did not. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Dementia and cognitive concerns were associated with mortality among people with COVID-19, and the magnitude of the effect of cognitive impairment may be greater in PWH. Assessment of cognitive status is an important component to care for PWH in the COVID-19 era. <b>Disclosure:</b> Ms. Rudmann has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wilcox has nothing to disclose. Elissa Ye has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of Massachusetts General Hospital. Mr. Noori has nothing to disclose. Colin Magdamo has received research support from National Institutes of Health. Aayushee Jain has nothing to disclose. Dr. Alabsi has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of Biogen. Virginia Triant has nothing to disclose. The institution of Gregory Robbins has received research support from Gilead Sciences. The institution of Gregory Robbins has received research support from Citius Pharm. The institution of Gregory Robbins has received research support from Emergent Biosolutions. The institution of Gregory Robbins has received research support from Pfizer. The institution of Gregory Robbins has received research support from Leonard Meron Biosciences. Dr. Westover has stock in Beacon Biosignals. The institution of Dr. Westover has received research support from NIH. Dr. Westover has received publishing royalties from a publication relating to health care. Dr. Westover has a non-compensated relationship as a cofounder with Beacon Biosignals that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. An immediate family member of Sudeshna Das has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of Alix Partners. An immediate family member of Sudeshna Das has received stock or an ownership interest from Alix Partners. The institution of Sudeshna Das has received research support from NIA. The institution of Sudeshna Das has received research support from Mass Life Sciences Center. The institution of Sudeshna Das has received research support from IOS Press. Dr. Mukerji has stock in Gilead Science. The institution of Dr. Mukerji has received research support from NIH. The institution of Dr. Mukerji has received research support from Massachusetts General Hospital.

Prevalence of gastro-intestinal symptoms among COVID-19 patients and the association with disease clinical outcomes.

This study examined the various manifestations of COVID-19 in people's gastro-intestinal system and how gastro-intestinal involvement relates to the progression and outcome of the disease. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from 561 COVID-19 patients between February 6 and 6April2022. Laboratory data and clinical outcomes were obtained from the patients' medical records. 39.9% of patients presented gastro-intestinal symptoms, mainly loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Gastro-intestinal symptoms were not linked to poorer outcomes such as mortality, ICU admission or length of hospital stays. gastro-intestinal symptoms were common among patients and may manifest with respiratory symptoms. We recommended clinicians to watch out for gastro-intestinal symptoms as related to COVID-19 infection.

RISK FACTORS FOR THE OCCURRENCE OF COVID-19 IN PEOPLE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELITUS IN THE COMMUNITY RT 006/002 TELUK JAYA, VILLAGE JAYA, DISTRICT IN 2022

Background: Based on data from the International Diabetes Federation 2020, the number of diabetics continues to increase in various countries, including Indonesia. The prevalence of diabetes in Indonesia still reaches 6.2 percent with 10,681,400 cases. Diabetes Melitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder disease that affects the work of insulin in glucose absorption. Factors related to the occurrence of COVID-19 in a person with type 2 diabetes Melitus include characteristics consisting of gender, age and Activity Of Daily Living as well as foods that can increase high levels of sugar in the body, this is reviewed from the results of other studies conducted by Smith (2021) in the journal (Apin, 2021). Research Objectives: This study has a general objective, namely to determine the Risk Factors for the Occurrence of Covid-19 in People with Type 2 Diabetes Melitus in the RT community. 006/002 Teluk Jaya Village, Jaya District, in 2022. Research Method: The design in this study uses Observational Analytics with a Cross Sectional research design, the sampling technique used in this study is a total sampling with a total sample of 50 respondents in accordance with the inclusion criteria, measured using a digital questionnaire and carried out statistical tests using Chi Square. Results: Based on the results of the chi square statistical test output obtained.. It can be concluded that the Value of Asymp Significance (0.000) &lt; the value of α (0.05), this indicates that H0 is rejected. Thus, it can be concluded that there is a relationship between ADL and the confirmation of COVID-19 in the COMMUNITY RT006/002 Teluk Jaya Village, Jaya District, Karawang Regency. Conclusion: Risk Factors for the Occurrence of Covid-19 in People with Type 2 Diabetes Melitus in the RT community. 006/002 Teluk Jaya Village, Jaya District, in 2022.

Does Physical Exercise Enhance the Immune Response after Vaccination? A Systematic Review for Clinical Indications of COVID-19 Vaccine

Stimulating protective immunity with vaccines appears to be the most promising option for providing widespread moderate to high protection against COVID-19 in people over the age of 18. Regular exercise improves the immune response, transmitting possible benefits against virus infections. The aim of this review is to study the effects of physical activity on vaccine injections, helping to develop new recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. A comprehensive review of the existing literature was undertaken using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The internal quality of the studies was assessed according to the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. The outcomes analyzed were antibody titer, the level of lymphocytes CD4, CD8, InterLeukin 6 (IL6), leukocytes level, the visual analogue scale (VAS) for overall pain rating, arm and forearm circumferences and volume of oxygen (VO2) peak. Fourteen articles were selected for the analysis. The majority of studies were randomized controlled trials (RCT) (n = 8) and controlled trials (CT) (n = 6). According to PEDro, the 'fair' category (n = 7) was the most represented, followed by 'good' (n = 6) and 'excellent' (n = 1). Physical training showed a positive effect on antibody titers of the vaccine; yet, different variables seem to influence antibody titers: higher new vs. old antigen in the vaccine, higher in younger vs. older individuals, and higher in females vs. males. After exercise, when analyzing variables of direct response to the vaccine, such as the amount of CD4, IL-6 and leukocytes, higher levels were observed in the patients who performed physical exercise compared to the control group. In the same way, better results were observed in physiological variables such as VO2 and limb circumferences, or subjective variables such as pain, which showed better results than the control group. The immune response (antibody titers) depends on age, gender and the intensity of physical activity: long-term protocols at moderate intensity are the most recommended. All of these aspects also have to be carefully considered for the COVID-19 vaccination.

Electronic health record data for assessing risk of hospitalization for COVID-19: Methodological considerations applied to multiple sclerosis.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, electronic health record (EHR) data has been used to investigate disease severity and risk factors for severe COVID-19 in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Methodological challenges including sampling bias, and residual confounding should be considered when conducting EHR-based studies. We aimed to address these limitations related to the use of EHR data in order to identify risk factors, including the use of disease modifying therapies (DMTs), associated with hospitalization for COVID-19 amongst pwMS. We performed a retrospective cohort study including a sample of 47,051 pwMS using a large US-based EHR and claims linked database. Follow-up started at the beginning of the pandemic, February 20th 2020, and continued until September 30th 2020. COVID-19 diagnosis was determined by the presence of ICD-10 diagnostic code for COVID-19, or a positive diagnostic laboratory test, or an ICD-10 diagnostic code for coronaviruses. We used Cox regression modeling to assess the impact of baseline demographics, MS disease history and pre-existing comorbidities on the risk of hospitalization for COVID-19. Then, we identified 5,169 pwMS using ocrelizumab (OCR) and 3,351 pwMS using dimethyl fumarate (DMF) at baseline, and evaluated the distribution of the identified COVID-19 risk factors between the two groups. Finally, we used Cox regression models, adjusted for the identified confounders, to estimate the risk of hospitalization for COVID-19 in pwMS treated with OCR compared to DMF. Among the pwMS cohort, we identified 799 COVID-19 cases (1.7%) which resulted in 182 hospitalizations for COVID-19 (0.4%). Population differences between the pwMS and COVID-19 cohorts were observed. Statistical modeling identified older age, male gender, African-American race, walking with assistance, non-ambulatory status, severe relapse requiring hospitalization in year prior to baseline, and specific comorbidities to be associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 related-hospitalization. Comparing the COVID-19 risk factors between OCR users and DMF users, MS characteristics including ambulatory status and MS subtype were highly imbalanced, likely arising from key differences in the labelled indications for these therapies. Compared to DMF use, in unadjusted (HR 1.58, 95% CI 0.73 - 3.44), adjusted (HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.58 - 2.83), propensity score weighted (HR 1.25, 95% CI 0.56 - 2.80), and doubly robust models (HR 1.29, 95% CI 0.57 - 2.89), no significantly increased risk of hospitalization for COVID-19 was associated with OCR use. We observed significant population differences when comparing all pwMS to COVID-19 cases, as well as significant differences in key confounders between OCR and DMF treated patients. In unadjusted analyses we did not observe a statistically significant higher risk of COVID-19 hospitalization in pwMS treated with OCR compared to DMF, with further attenuation of risk when adjusting for the key confounders. This study re-emphasises the importance to appropriately consider both sampling and confounding bias in EHR-based MS research.

Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 S and N proteins in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients treated with disease-modifying therapies.

The course of COVID-19 in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) has been described, while the serological status after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination, especially in patients treated with disease-modifying therapies (DMT), is still under investigation. This is a significant clinical problem, as certain DMTs may predispose to a severe course of viral infections. We analyzed the presence of antibodies against spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in relapsing-remitting PwMS treated with DMT, especially dimethyl fumarate, interferon beta, and glatiramer acetate, in a single multiple sclerosis (MS) centre in north-eastern Poland (the Department of Neurology, Medical University of Bialystok). The presence of antibodies against S and N proteins in PwMS was assessed twice: on visit one (between May and June 2020) (n = 186) and on visit two (between May and June 2021) (n = 88). Samples were taken from 68 individuals on both visits. Demographic and clinical data was collected: duration of MS, Expanded Disability Status Scale Score (EDSS), type of DMT, history of COVID-19 (positive PCR or antigen test in the past), vaccination status, and the type of vaccine. It was shown that on visit one: 3.7% (n = 7) PwMS were positive for IgA against S protein (IgA-S), 3.2% (n = 6) for IgG against S (IgG-S) protein, and none of those examined was positive for IgG against N protein (IgG-N). On visit two, the most common detected antibodies were IgG-S (71.3%; n = 62), then IgA-S (65.1%; n = 55), and the least common was IgG-N (18.2%; n = 16). On visit two: 20.45% of PwMS had a history of a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR or antigen test during the last year. By the time of visit two, 42.05% (n = 37) of patients who participated in visit two had been full-course vaccinated against COVID-19. It was demonstrated that vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 significantly induces the production of IgG-S and IgA-S (p < 0.0001), while no difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients was shown in the detection of IgG-N. There was no correlation between COVID-19 infection and antibodies against proteins S and N in the study group. Moreover, the presented study did not show any relationship between the ability to produce antibodies against the S protein with any of the used DMTs. According to our study, PwMS treated with dimethyl fumarate, interferon beta, or glatiramer acetate can efficiently produce antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 both after infection and after vaccination.

Mental Health System Responsiveness during COVID-19 in People with Pre-Existing Psychiatric Disorders: Experiences from Iran.

Mental health system responsiveness (MHSR) is one of the important indicators in measuring the performance of mental health systems. Recognizing this function can be effective in responding appropriately to the needs of People with Pre-Existing Psychiatric Disorders (PPEPD). This study aimed to investigate MHSR during the COVID-19 period in PPEPD in Iran. Using stratified random sampling, 142 PPEPD who were admitted to a Psychiatric Hospital in Iran one year before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Participants completed a demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire as well as a Mental Health System Responsiveness Questionnaire through telephone interviews. The results show that the indicators of prompt attention, autonomy, and access to care were reported as the worst-performing and the confidentiality indicator as the best-performing. The type of insurance affected the access to care and the quality of basic amenities. MHSR has been reported to be poor in Iran in general and this problem worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Iran and the degree of disability of these disorders, structural and functional changes are needed for adequate MHSR.

Characteristics associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes in people with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis: data from the COVID-19 PsoProtect and Global Rheumatology Alliance physician-reported registries

ObjectivesTo investigate factors associated with severe COVID-19 in people with psoriasis (PsO), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).MethodsDemographic data, clinical characteristics and COVID-19 outcome severity of adults with PsO,...

Challenges of Implementing World Health Organisation Measures on Covid-19 for People with Disabilities in Tanzania

Tanzania like other countries was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the coronavirus outbreak, Tanzania decided to adopt health control measures from World Health Organisation. Even though the measures were taken, it was more challenging to disabled people. This study intended to examine the challenges that affected disabled people in implementing WHO health measures during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study used a desk review study whereby full-length articles published in academic journals between 2019 to date were reviewed. Data were generated from WHO reports, health reports from Tanzania, online coronavirus news via Google scholar using keywords such as "disabled people," "COVID-19", and "government responses." 48 articles were generated and analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that people with disabilities faced challenges in implementing WHO measures even though Tanzania has several laws and regulations to protect people with disabilities. The Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly, and Children in Tanzania needs to use an acceptable form of communication that is user-friendly to disabled people when announcing coronavirus news. Maintaining social distancing is challenging for disabled people. Most of them depend significantly on others, but investing in building health centers specifically for them would help them to socially distance themselves from the mainstream population. Although wearing of face mask is crucial, but transparent face mask is the way to go as this would help those with hearing issues to interpret the lips movement. Health workers need to be trained on how to communicate with disabled people properly. Special lines need to be introduced in every public hospital to assist them in handling emergencies for disabled persons.

Onset of Mental Disorders Following Hospitalization for COVID-19: A 6-Month Follow-Up Study

(1) Background: The present study aimed to investigate the onset of mental disorders in the six months following hospitalization for COVID-19 in people without a previous psychiatric history. (2) Methods: This was a longitudinal study carried out among adults who had been hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection. Six months after discharge, a series of questionnaires were administered (the World Health Organization Well-being Index (WHO-5), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the General Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7, and the Drug Abuse Screen Test, among others). Based on these scores, a compound Yes/No variable that indicated the presence of common mental disorders was calculated. A multivariate logistic regression was built to explore the factors associated with the presence of common mental disorders. (3) Results: One hundred and sixty-eight patients (57.34%) developed a common mental disorder in the 6 months following hospital discharge after COVID-19 infection. Three variables were independently associated with the presence of common mental disorders after hospitalization for COVID-19, and the WHO-5 duration of hospitalization), and severity of illness. (4) Conclusions: Among people with no previous psychiatric history, we observed a high incidence of mental disorders after COVID-19 hospitalization. A moderate (1–2 weeks) duration of hospitalization may pose a higher risk of post-COVID-19 onset of a mental health condition than longer or shorter durations of medical hospitalization. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying the psychopathological consequences of COVID-19 and their predictors.

Navigating use of rituximab during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The severity of COVID-19 in people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases has declined throughout the different waves of SARS-CoV-2 variants (wild-type or alpha, delta, and omicron) and in the post-vaccination phase, similar to the general population.1 However, the risk for breakthrough infection and poor outcomes remains increased, particularly in people treated with anti-CD20 therapies.2 Although the humoral response to vaccination is impaired in people who are receiving anti-CD20 therapies, the T-cell response to vaccine still occurs, although with some variability.

Adipocytes in obesity: A perfect reservoir for SARS-CoV-2?

Research evidence suggests that adipocytes in obesity might facilitate SARS-CoV-2 replication, for it was only found in adipose tissue of individuals with overweight or obesity but not lean individuals who died from COVID-19. As lipid metabolism is key to adipocyte function, and viruses are capable of exploiting and manipulating lipid metabolism of host cells for their own benefit of infection, we hypothesize that adipocytes could not only impair host immune defense against viral infection, but also facilitate SARS-CoV-2 entry, replication and assembly as a reservoir to boost the viral infection in obesity. The latter of which could mainly be mediated by SARS-CoV-2 hijacking the abnormal lipid metabolism in the adipocytes. If these were to be confirmed, an approach to combat COVID-19 in people with obesity by taking advantage of the abnormal lipid metabolism in adipocytes might be considered, as well as modifying lipid metabolism of other host cells as a potential adjunctive treatment for COVID-19.

Increased risk of mortality from COVID-19 in people with obesity

Objective: to analyze the risk of mortality from COVID-19 in people with obesity. Methods: observational, retrospective, and analytical study. Data were collected in the State System of Data Analysis. For the comparative analysis of people with and without obesity, n=168,808 was adopted. The analyses were performed using the log-binomial regression model and relative risk calculation. The comparative model was adjusted for sex, age group, heart disease and diabetes. Results: in more than 95% of COVID-19 notifications, information regarding the risk factor obesity was recorded as ignored. Obese individuals with COVID-19 had 26% higher risk of death when compared to those without obesity. Obese individuals in the 11 to 60 age groups had the highest mortality risks compared to individuals without obesity. Obese women in the age groups 31 to 50 years and elderly women over 71 years had the lowest mortality risk when compared to obese men. Conclusion: obese people, especially adults, have an increased risk of mortality from COVID-19. Contributions to practice: to help establish public health strategies to identify the profiles of individuals considered at high risk in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Outcomes of COVID-19 in people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease in Ireland over the first 2years of the pandemic.

Poor COVID-19 outcomes occur with higher frequency in people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD). Better understanding of the factors involved is crucial to informing patients and clinicians regarding risk mitigation. To describe COVID-19 outcomes for people with RMD in Ireland over the first 2years of the pandemic. Data entered into the C19-GRA provider registry from Ireland between 24th March 2020 and 31st March 2022 were analysed. Differences in the likelihood of hospitalisation and mortality according to demographic and clinical variables were investigated. Of 237 cases included, 59.9% were female, 95 (41.3%) were hospitalised, and 22 (9.3%) died. Hospitalisation was more common with increasing age, gout, smoking, long-term glucocorticoid use, comorbidities, and specific comorbidities of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, and cancer. Hospitalisation was less frequent in people with inflammatory arthritis and conventional synthetic or biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug use. Hospitalisation had a U-shaped relationship with disease activity, being more common in both high disease activity and remission. Mortality was more common with increasing age, gout, smoking, long-term glucocorticoid use, comorbidities, and specific comorbidities of cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and obesity. Inflammatory arthritis was less frequent in those who died. Hospitalisation or death were more frequently experienced by RMD patients with increasing age, certain comorbidities including potentially modifiable ones, and certain medications and diagnoses amongst other factors. These are important 'indicators' that can help risk-stratify and inform the management of RMD patients.

БІОХІМІЧНІ ПОКАЗНИКИ КРОВІ У ХВОРИХ НА РОЗСІЯНИЙ СКЛЕРОЗ, ЯКІ ПЕРЕНЕСЛИ ІНФЕКЦІЮ SARS-CoV-2

B a c k g r o u n d. Currently, multiple sclerosis (MS) is an important medical and social problem. There are already more than 2.8 million people with MS worldwide, and due to the lack of effective methods of treatment and prevention, the number of patients is increasing constantly. Therefore, the search for new ways and approaches aimed towards stabilizing the patient's condition is a priority task of modern neurobiology. It is also important to identify triggers that can lead to accelerating the rate of disease progression. Since MS is an immune-mediated disorder, we hypothesized that concomitant diseases of infectious etiology, via the activation of an inflammatory reactions cascade, can lead to a worsening of the MS patient's condition. However, the final answer to the question of whether acute viral infections affect the condition of patients with MS has not been obtained yet. In the context of the epidemiological situation that has developed in recent years, due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, it is interesting to study the possible negative consequences of COVID-19 in people suffering from MS. The aim of the study was to analyze the general biochemical status of patients with MS who had or did not have a confirmed history of COVID-19. M e t h o d s. A total of 271 participants were enrolled in this study, including 97 MS patients and 30 healthy volunteers who matched for age and sex. Patients with MS were divided into two groups: group I (n= 56; 36 women and 20 men, average age: 41.3±5.5, disease duration: 4.4±1.5 years) – patients with MS who did not have confirmed history of COVID-19 and group II (n= 41; 27 women and 14 men, average age: 40.2±5.6, disease duration: 4.6±1.3 years) – patients with MS, who had a laboratory-verified diagnosis of COVID-19 in the past 4-7 months. Blood serum samples of patients and healthy donors were obtained from the University Clinic of O.O. Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine. All patients were diagnosed with MS according to the 2017 McDonald criteria. R e s u l t s. It was established that both groups of MS patients had similar changes in blood biochemical parameters compared to the healthy indicators: a decrease in creatinine and uric acid concentrations; decrease in the levels of particular lipid fractions, namely VLDL and TAG; decrease in the activities of AP and LDH; increase in C-reactive protein concentration. The only significant differences between groups I and II were noted due to multidirectional changes in serum ferritin concentration and an increase in the level of amylase activity in the blood serum of patients with MS in post- COVID period. C o n c l u s i o n s. The absence of statistically significant differences between the blood biochemical parameters in patients with MS who had or did not have confirmed history of COVID-19 indicates the absence of a relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and changes of particular studied parameters. Among the results obtained, the multidirectional changes in ferritin concentration in MS patients before and after COVID-19 could be of great interest to further research.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Italian people with multiple sclerosis.

Vaccine hesitancy promotes the spread of infectious diseases including COVID-19 virus, limiting the herd immunity. Complications caused by COVID-19 in people with multiple sclerosis forced governments to ensure them prior access to vaccinations. Their propensity to be vaccinated needs to be assessed to promote adhesion to vaccination programs. The aim of this study was to explore the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rate in pwMS. We conducted an observational study recruiting patients affected by multiple sclerosis followed at MS Clinical and Research Unit of Tor Vergata University, Rome. We invited them to fill in an online survey about their intent to get COVID-19 vaccination. Fisher's exact test and Kruskal-Wallis test were performed to explore differences in sociodemographic, clinical, and emotional variables relative to the opinions about vaccinations. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to assess the factorial structure of the questionnaire; Pearson's correlations between the factors and Big Five personality dimensions were also calculated. Of 276 respondents, 90% was willing to get vaccinated, while only 1.4% was sure to refuse the vaccination. Education level, opinions on safety and efficacy of vaccines, and emotional status were found to be associated to the propensity of getting the COVID-19 vaccination (respectively: p = 0.012, p < 0.001, and p = 0.0001). Moreover, general opinions on healthcare system were related to the intention to get vaccinated. Our results reinforce the importance of a good relationship between doctor and patient and the need to adapt doctors' communication strategy to patients' personalities and beliefs.