scholarly journals Thalassaemia prior and consequent to COVID-19 pandemic. The perspective of Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF)

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Androulla Eleftheriou ◽  
Lily Cannon ◽  
Michael Angastiniotis

Patients with haemoglobin disorders, particularly β-thalassaemia or sickle cell disease (SCD) or combined forms, on account of their underlying disease pathology and associated (iron load mainly in the case of thalassaemia) co-morbidities are defined as high-risk individuals prone to develop more severe complications from coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Despite the fact that epidemiological evidence concerning severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in these patients is currently limited across the world, it is expected that COVID-19 pandemic will have a very serious, negative impact on national economies, healthcare and social systems and consequently significant respective repercussions on the patients particularly chronic ones, and their families. Although this may be a temporary challenge in some countries of high HDI and robust health, public health and social infrastructures, this can be a long term challenge with serious to tragic consequences in countries particularly devoid of universally covered heath care systems. Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) in this present paper summarises the key challenges as expressed by the patients, their families and involved health care professionals themselves prior and consequent to COVID-19 pandemic, describes its response during the pandemic and expresses its position in support of its global patient community.

Respiration ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Chloé Cantero ◽  
Patrick Pasquina ◽  
Melissa Dominicé Dao ◽  
Christine Cedraschi ◽  
Dan Adler ◽  
...  

<b><i>Background:</i></b> During the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland, confinement was imposed to limit transmission and protect vulnerable persons. These measures may have had a negative impact on perceived quality of care and symptoms in patients with chronic disorders. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> To determine whether patients under long-term home noninvasive ventilation (LTHNIV) for chronic respiratory failure (CRF) were negatively affected by the 56-day confinement (March–April 2020). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A questionnaire-based survey exploring mood disturbances (HAD), symptom scores related to NIV (S<sup>3</sup>-NIV), and perception of health-care providers during confinement was sent to all patients under LTHNIV followed up by our center. Symptom scores and data obtained by ventilator software were compared between confinement and the 56 days prior to confinement. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Of a total of 100 eligible patients, 66 were included (median age: 66 years [IQR: 53–74]): 35 (53%) with restrictive lung disorders, 20 (30%) with OHS or SRBD, and 11 (17%) with COPD or overlap syndrome. Prevalence of anxiety (<i>n</i> = 7; 11%) and depressive (<i>n</i> = 2; 3%) disorders was remarkably low. Symptom scores were slightly higher during confinement although this difference was not clinically relevant. Technical data regarding ventilation, including compliance, did not change. Patients complained of isolation and lack of social contact. They felt supported by their relatives and caregivers but complained of the lack of regular contact and information by health-care professionals. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Patients under LTHNIV for CRF showed a remarkable resilience during the SARS-CoV-2 confinement period. Comments provided may be helpful for managing similar future health-care crises.


2020 ◽  
pp. 33-37
Author(s):  
M.A. Flaksenberg ◽  
◽  

The objective: determination of morphofunctional features of leiomatous nodes and endometrium in women with uterine leiomyoma and infertility to restore reproductive function and prevent recurrence of the underlying disease. Materials and methods. In order to restore reproductive function and prevent recurrence of the underlying disease, morphofunctional features of leiomatous nodes and endometrium in women with uterine leiomyoma and infertility were determined. Thirty samples of leiomyomatous nodes and endometrium were examined, among which 15 were obtained from women with multiple uterine leiomyoma and infertility and 15 samples from women with uterine leiomyoma with isolated uterine leiomyoma. During the study, a general-histological method was used for staining with hematoxylin-eosin and picrofuxin by van Gizon, as well as immunohistochemical methods. Histological examination of the endometrium was performed according to conventional protocol, taking into account the day of the menstrual cycle and R.W. Noyes criteria. Results. In the morphological examination of leiomyomatous nodes in the vast majority of cases the presence of uterine leiomyomas of simple and cell types or their combination was established. In women with multiple uterine leiomyoma, simple-type leiomyoma (53.3%) was predominant, and in patients with isolated leiomyoma the signs of cellular uterine leiomyoma (66.7%) were more frequently found. In 80.0% of women with uterine leiomyoma revealed pathology of the endometrium, such as glandular and glandular-fibrous polyps, simple and complex atypical endometrial hyperplasia, which confirms the theory about the only pathogenetic mechanisms of the emergence of hyperplastic processes of female organs. In 66.7% of women with multiple leiomyomas, signs of chronic endometritis have been found, which exacerbates the pathological process and can have a negative impact on the reproductive function, such as secretory endometrial transformation and impaired blastocyst implantation, and explains a much higher percentage of infertility in the group. Conclusion. In women with impaired reproductive function, patients with uterine leiomyoma, it is necessary to conduct a study of the receptivity of the reproductive organs, namely - the endometrium and leiomatous nodes. This will make it possible to use one or another method of treatment in order to restore reproductive function and prevent recurrence of the underlying disease. Keywords: infertility, uterine leiomyoma, endometrium, receptive apparatus.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Takamori ◽  
Hiroyuki Oizumi ◽  
Jun Suzuki ◽  
Katsuyuki Suzuki

Abstract Background Repeat pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) considerably improves the prognosis of patients with pulmonary metastases of osteosarcoma. Reports have demonstrated a significantly improved prognosis in patients who have undergone repeat metastasectomy for osteosarcoma; however, there have been no reports with more than six metastasectomies. Herein, we describe the long-term survival of a patient following resection of multiple tumors and other treatments for metastatic osteosarcoma. Case presentation A 28-year-old woman underwent extensive resection and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for right tibial sarcoma. Over the years, she developed repeated pulmonary metastases. First, 116 metastases were removed from the bilateral lungs. After that, multiple PMs of approximately 250 tumors and other treatments for deep metastatic lesions were performed. The patient died of the underlying disease 24 years after the primary surgery. Conclusions This case report demonstrates the long-term survival benefit of a multidisciplinary treatment centered on multiple metastasectomies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Altweck ◽  
Stefanie Hahm ◽  
Holger Muehlan ◽  
Tobias Gfesser ◽  
Christine Ulke ◽  
...  

Abstract Background While a strong negative impact of unemployment on health has been established, the present research examined the lesser studied interplay of gender, social context and job loss on health trajectories. Methods Data from the German Socio-Economic Panel was used, which provided a representative sample of 6838 participants. Using latent growth modelling the effects of gender, social context (East vs. West Germans), unemployment (none, short-term or long-term), and their interactions were examined on health (single item measures of self-rated health and life satisfaction respectively). Results Social context in general significantly predicted the trajectories of self-rated health and life satisfaction. Most notably, data analysis revealed that West German women reported significantly lower baseline values of self-rated health following unemployment and did not recover to the levels of their East German counterparts. Only long-term, not short-term unemployment was related to lower baseline values of self-rated health, whereas, in relation to baseline values of life satisfaction, both types of unemployment had a similar negative effect. Conclusions In an economic crisis, individuals who already carry a higher burden, and not only those most directly affected economically, may show the greatest health effects.


Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Yan Xu ◽  
Wantian Cui

BACKGROUND: China’s atmospheric PM2.5 pollution is serious, and PM2.5 exerts a negative impact on the human respiratory system, cardiovascular, and mental health, and even more serious health risk for the elderly with weak immunity. OBJECTIVE: This work aims to analyse the impacts of PM2.5 microenvironment exposure on the health of the elderly and provide corresponding countermeasures. METHODS: The survey subjects are 118 retired elderly people in the community. PM2.5 exposure concentrations are monitored in summer (June 10 ∼ July 10, 2019) and winter (November 25 ∼ December 25, 2019). RESULTS: The exposure concentration in winter is higher than that in summer, with statistical difference (P <  0.05). Under the impact of PM2.5 microenvironment exposure, smoking in the elderly can increase the concentration of PM2.5, and long-term exposure to PM2.5 in the elderly can cause mental health problems. CONCLUSION: Long-term exposure of the elderly to the PM2.5 microenvironment leads to physical diseases and even psychological problems, which requires attention.


Author(s):  
Steffen T. Simon ◽  
Anne Pralong ◽  
Michael Hallek ◽  
Christoph Scheid ◽  
Udo Holtick ◽  
...  

AbstractPatients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) are given a real chance of cure, but at the same time are confronted with a considerable risk of mortality and of severe long-term impediments. This narrative, non-systematic literature review aims to describe the supportive and palliative care needs of allo-SCT recipients, including long-term survivors or those relapsing or dying after transplantation. It also evaluates the feasibility and effectivity of integrating palliative care early in transplant procedures. In this appraisal of available literature, the main findings relate to symptoms like fatigue and psychological distress, which appear to be very common in the whole allo-SCT trajectory and might even persist many years post-transplantation. Chronic GvHD has a major negative impact on quality of life. Overall, there is a paucity of research on further issues in the context of allo-SCT, like the distress related to the frequently unpredictable post-transplant trajectory and prognosis, as well as the end-of-life phase. First randomized controlled results support the effectiveness of early integration of specialized palliative care expertise into transplant algorithms. Barriers to this implementation are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 026988112098642
Author(s):  
Rafael Guimarães dos Santos ◽  
Jaime EC Hallak ◽  
Glen Baker ◽  
Serdar Dursun

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the most prevalent mental health disorders worldwide, and it is associated with a reduced quality of life and enormous costs to health care systems. Available drug treatments show low-to-moderate response in most patients, with almost a third of patients being non-responders (treatment-resistant). Furthermore, most currently available medications need several weeks to achieve therapeutic effects, and the long-term use of these drugs is often associated with significant unwanted side effects and resultant reductions in treatment compliance. Therefore, more effective, safer, and faster-acting antidepressants with enduring effects are needed. Together with ketamine, psychedelics (or classic or serotoninergic hallucinogens) such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, and ayahuasca are among the few compounds with recent human evidence of fast-acting antidepressant effects. Several studies in the 1950s to 1970s reported antidepressive and anxiolytic effects of these drugs, which are being confirmed by modern trials (LSD, one trial; psilocybin, five trials; ayahuasca, two trials). The effects of these drugs appear to be produced primarily by their agonism at serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) receptors, especially the 5-HT2A receptor. Considering the overall burden of MDD and the necessity of new therapeutic options, the promising (but currently limited) evidence of safety and efficacy of psychedelics has encouraged the scientific community to explore more fully their beneficial effects in MDD.


Author(s):  
سعدالله ألنعيمي

The study aims to analyzing the reciprocal relationship between the nominal exchange rate of the Turkish lira versus the U.S. dollar and the stock prices of the companies listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) expressed in the general market index for the period from 2005 to 2020 with 192 monthly observations, based on the traditional theory and the theory of portfolio balance model in theoretical interpretation for that relationship, aiming to identify the effect of the exchange rate on stock prices, as well as to analyze the causal relationship between those variables and to identify which of them is the cause or which is the result, using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. The research found that the exchange rate has a positive effect on stock prices in the long term, despite the emergence of the negative impact in the short term, but the long-term relationship has corrected the course of the short-term relationship with a time period not exceeding one month, in addition to proving that this relationship takes one direction. From the exchange rate towards stock prices, that is, the exchange rate is the reason and stock prices are the result, therefore the results of this research helps investors to predict future trends of stock prices depending on the exchange rate changes, and it also enables the companies, especially those with foreign transactions, to manage price risks the exchange rate in order to avoid its negative impact on its share price, as it represents an obstacle to achieving its main goal of maximizing the share price


Circulation ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 116 (suppl_16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda G Mellbin ◽  
Klas Malmberg ◽  
Anders Waldenstrom ◽  
Hans Wedel ◽  
Lars Ryden

Aims Tight, insulin-based glucose control is recommended to diabetic patients (DM pat) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A potential draw-back would be if insulin induced hypoglycaemia (HG) had a negative impact of future prognosis. Methods 1253 pat (mean age 68 years; 67% males) with type 2 DM and suspect AMI were followed for a median of 2.1 years. 947 were randomised to insulin infusion during at least 24 hours while 306 were treated routinely. HG (blood glucose<3.0 mmol/L with or without symptoms) was recorded during hospitalisation. Unadjusted and adjusted (age, sex, smoking, previous MI and heart failure, renal function, duration of DM, coronary interventions, blood glucose at randomisation) Hazard Ratios (HR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) for cardiovascular events (CVE = death, MI or stroke) during follow up were calculated. Results 153 pat (12.2%) experienced HG. During the first 24 hours 111 (11.7%) insulin-treated pat experienced HG (symptomatic 23.4%) compared with 3 (1.0%) pat on routine treatment (symptomatic 33.3%). As outlined in the figure HG was not an independent predictor of subsequent CVE. Conclusion Insulin induced HG was not a significant risk factor for subsequent CVE in AMI-pat with type 2 DM. Hypoglycaemic seem to identify patients at high risk for other reasons.


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