Cancer is a chronic disease with long-term consequences for health and quality of life and is more prevalent among older people. Therefore, comorbidity among cancer patients is commonly observed. Several data indicate that 40% of cancer patients have at least one other chronic condition recorded, and of these, 15% have two or more medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, obesity and metabolic disease, mental health problems, and muscle-skeletal conditions. There is no gold-standard approach for measuring comorbidity in the context of cancer, especially in recent years, when health systems have dealt with a pandemic emergency that has negatively impacted the management of cancer patients. The purpose of this narrative review is to clarify and provide the necessary insights to optimize the care of cancer patients. Ensuring the continuum of care for cancer patients is of vital importance and is considered a top priority. It is necessary to overcome the model that considers neoplastic pathology as a single morbid condition. Instead, the complexity of a cancer patient’s problems must be considered and related to complex medical conditions. Addressing the problem of comorbidity in cancer more decisively will be a central challenge if we are to avert a crisis in the models of diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients.
{"title":"Clustering Diseases in Cancer and Health Organization: What Is the Gold-Standard Approach?","authors":"T. Ciarambino, P. Crispino, O. Para, M. Giordano","doi":"10.3390/biomed2030023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed2030023","url":null,"abstract":"Cancer is a chronic disease with long-term consequences for health and quality of life and is more prevalent among older people. Therefore, comorbidity among cancer patients is commonly observed. Several data indicate that 40% of cancer patients have at least one other chronic condition recorded, and of these, 15% have two or more medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, obesity and metabolic disease, mental health problems, and muscle-skeletal conditions. There is no gold-standard approach for measuring comorbidity in the context of cancer, especially in recent years, when health systems have dealt with a pandemic emergency that has negatively impacted the management of cancer patients. The purpose of this narrative review is to clarify and provide the necessary insights to optimize the care of cancer patients. Ensuring the continuum of care for cancer patients is of vital importance and is considered a top priority. It is necessary to overcome the model that considers neoplastic pathology as a single morbid condition. Instead, the complexity of a cancer patient’s problems must be considered and related to complex medical conditions. Addressing the problem of comorbidity in cancer more decisively will be a central challenge if we are to avert a crisis in the models of diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients.","PeriodicalId":93816,"journal":{"name":"SPG biomed","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84911894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article provides arguments for and against the classification of low back pain (LBP) as a disease or health condition. Based on the basic definitions of health, disease, illness, sickness, infirmity, and pain, little support has been found for the idea that LBP represents a specific disease entity. Although specified back pains do not signify disease, the pain experienced may be caused by specific diseases, such as inflammation, neuropathy, fractures, or tumors. Common findings in medical imaging indicate disk herniation, degenerative joints with or without signs of inflammation in the facet joints, and spinal stenosis present in a relatively high proportion of pain-free persons. The same applies to hypomobile segmental dysfunction (joint blockage) and myofascial syndrome. Both functional entities play a core role in manual medicine but are common in asymptomatic subjects, showing low–moderate reliability and failing to meet the classification requirements of disease. Reducing disability through interventions targeting a disease’s structural/functional conditions cannot be achieved since the relationship between pathological changes and activity restrictions/participation is indirect in most cases. Considering LBP as a condition shifts the goal of treatment from the disease to the patient’s optimal performance in activities/participation and allows them to be self-determined and independent.
{"title":"Low Back Pain—A Disease or Condition of Impaired Functional Health? Definition-Inherent Consequences for the Comprehensive Care of Back Pain Patients","authors":"K. Ammer, G. Ebenbichler, T. Bochdansky","doi":"10.3390/biomed2020022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed2020022","url":null,"abstract":"This article provides arguments for and against the classification of low back pain (LBP) as a disease or health condition. Based on the basic definitions of health, disease, illness, sickness, infirmity, and pain, little support has been found for the idea that LBP represents a specific disease entity. Although specified back pains do not signify disease, the pain experienced may be caused by specific diseases, such as inflammation, neuropathy, fractures, or tumors. Common findings in medical imaging indicate disk herniation, degenerative joints with or without signs of inflammation in the facet joints, and spinal stenosis present in a relatively high proportion of pain-free persons. The same applies to hypomobile segmental dysfunction (joint blockage) and myofascial syndrome. Both functional entities play a core role in manual medicine but are common in asymptomatic subjects, showing low–moderate reliability and failing to meet the classification requirements of disease. Reducing disability through interventions targeting a disease’s structural/functional conditions cannot be achieved since the relationship between pathological changes and activity restrictions/participation is indirect in most cases. Considering LBP as a condition shifts the goal of treatment from the disease to the patient’s optimal performance in activities/participation and allows them to be self-determined and independent.","PeriodicalId":93816,"journal":{"name":"SPG biomed","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80494129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Human posture and range of motion (ROM) measurements are important health indicators for identifying abnormalities from various disorders (e.g., scoliosis, musculoskeletal disorders, pain syndromes). A viable real-time mobile application for measuring body posture and ROM is currently lacking. To address this need, a novel Android smartphone augmented-reality-based application was developed and evaluated to enable real-time AprilTag2 marker measurement at the point of patient contact (Biomechanical Augmented Reality-Marker, BAR-M). Mobile app performance was evaluated on a body opponent bag (BOB) and 15 healthy participants by comparing smartphone app and Vicon motion analysis output (pelvis, shoulder, arm, torso angles). A Samsung Galaxy smartphone recorded live video, calculated AprilTag orientations and angle of “a line connecting the center of two tags”, and displayed outcomes in real time. For the BOB test, the absolute difference between Vicon and smartphone angles were 0.09° ± 0.05° for hip, 0.09° ± 0.06° for shoulder, and 0.69° for arm abduction. For the participant test, the absolute mean angle differences were 1.70° ± 0.23° for hip, 1.34° ± 0.27° for shoulder, and 11.18° ± 3.68° for arm abduction. Overall, the app obtained valid and reliable angle measurements for postural and ROM assessments using the smartphone’s front camera. Arm abduction results were affected by clothing movement that caused Vicon markers to move differently from AprilTag markers. Thus, with appropriate measurement methods, this real-time smartphone app is a viable tool to facilitate immediate clinical decision making based on human posture and ROM assessments.
{"title":"A Novel Augmented Reality Mobile-Based Application for Biomechanical Measurement","authors":"Shahin Basiratzadeh, E. Lemaire, N. Baddour","doi":"10.3390/biomed2020021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed2020021","url":null,"abstract":"Human posture and range of motion (ROM) measurements are important health indicators for identifying abnormalities from various disorders (e.g., scoliosis, musculoskeletal disorders, pain syndromes). A viable real-time mobile application for measuring body posture and ROM is currently lacking. To address this need, a novel Android smartphone augmented-reality-based application was developed and evaluated to enable real-time AprilTag2 marker measurement at the point of patient contact (Biomechanical Augmented Reality-Marker, BAR-M). Mobile app performance was evaluated on a body opponent bag (BOB) and 15 healthy participants by comparing smartphone app and Vicon motion analysis output (pelvis, shoulder, arm, torso angles). A Samsung Galaxy smartphone recorded live video, calculated AprilTag orientations and angle of “a line connecting the center of two tags”, and displayed outcomes in real time. For the BOB test, the absolute difference between Vicon and smartphone angles were 0.09° ± 0.05° for hip, 0.09° ± 0.06° for shoulder, and 0.69° for arm abduction. For the participant test, the absolute mean angle differences were 1.70° ± 0.23° for hip, 1.34° ± 0.27° for shoulder, and 11.18° ± 3.68° for arm abduction. Overall, the app obtained valid and reliable angle measurements for postural and ROM assessments using the smartphone’s front camera. Arm abduction results were affected by clothing movement that caused Vicon markers to move differently from AprilTag markers. Thus, with appropriate measurement methods, this real-time smartphone app is a viable tool to facilitate immediate clinical decision making based on human posture and ROM assessments.","PeriodicalId":93816,"journal":{"name":"SPG biomed","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81178966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Obesity in America is a public health crisis that will continue to impact the country at an individual, social, and economic level unless we address the disease with dietary modifications to reduce or prevent its development. Nutritional interventions designed for obesity treatment are constantly evolving. Berries, which are a rich source of polyphenols, have been suggested as a potential bioactive component, as they have been reported to have anti-obesity effects. Therefore, this review will provide an overview of epidemiological studies to introduce the idea of berries for health promotion. Studies conducted in both rodents and humans are summarized. This review includes an overview of the physiological responses associated with berry consumption, including the effects on the composition of the gut microbiota in humans and rodents, which demonstrate how berry consumption may provide a protective effect against obesity and its related comorbidities. However, these findings have yet to be translated into feasible, long-term nutrition intervention in humans. Future research into different berries and their components will identify effective, accessible functional food options that can augment nutritional interventions.
{"title":"Berry Anthocyanins in Rodent and Human Obesity and Diabetes: A Review of the Evidence","authors":"Joseph G. Riordan, Patrick M Solverson","doi":"10.3390/biomed2020019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed2020019","url":null,"abstract":"Obesity in America is a public health crisis that will continue to impact the country at an individual, social, and economic level unless we address the disease with dietary modifications to reduce or prevent its development. Nutritional interventions designed for obesity treatment are constantly evolving. Berries, which are a rich source of polyphenols, have been suggested as a potential bioactive component, as they have been reported to have anti-obesity effects. Therefore, this review will provide an overview of epidemiological studies to introduce the idea of berries for health promotion. Studies conducted in both rodents and humans are summarized. This review includes an overview of the physiological responses associated with berry consumption, including the effects on the composition of the gut microbiota in humans and rodents, which demonstrate how berry consumption may provide a protective effect against obesity and its related comorbidities. However, these findings have yet to be translated into feasible, long-term nutrition intervention in humans. Future research into different berries and their components will identify effective, accessible functional food options that can augment nutritional interventions.","PeriodicalId":93816,"journal":{"name":"SPG biomed","volume":"144 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79621708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
At-home rapid antigen test (RAT) kits for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are valuable public health tools during the present coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. They provide fast identification of coronavirus infection, which can help to reduce the transmission rates and burden on the healthcare system. However, they have lower sensitivity compared to the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests. One of the reasons for the lower sensitivity is due to the RAT color indicators being indistinct or invisible to the naked eye after the measurements. For this reason, we present a proof of concept of a novel approach, through which we investigated anonymously provided at-home RAT kit results by using our in-house open-source image processing scripts developed for affordable Raspberry Pi computer and Raspberry Pi HQ camera systems. Therefore, we aimed at minimizing the human-related analysis errors for such kits and believe that the present computer vision-based assessment framework can contribute to reducing delayed quarantines of infected individuals and the spread of the current infectious disease.
{"title":"Augmented Sensitivity of At-Home Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test (RAT) Kits with Computer Vision: A Framework and Proof of Concept","authors":"Kim Miikki, Lars Miikki, J. Wiklund, A. Karakoç","doi":"10.3390/biomed2020018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed2020018","url":null,"abstract":"At-home rapid antigen test (RAT) kits for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are valuable public health tools during the present coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. They provide fast identification of coronavirus infection, which can help to reduce the transmission rates and burden on the healthcare system. However, they have lower sensitivity compared to the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests. One of the reasons for the lower sensitivity is due to the RAT color indicators being indistinct or invisible to the naked eye after the measurements. For this reason, we present a proof of concept of a novel approach, through which we investigated anonymously provided at-home RAT kit results by using our in-house open-source image processing scripts developed for affordable Raspberry Pi computer and Raspberry Pi HQ camera systems. Therefore, we aimed at minimizing the human-related analysis errors for such kits and believe that the present computer vision-based assessment framework can contribute to reducing delayed quarantines of infected individuals and the spread of the current infectious disease.","PeriodicalId":93816,"journal":{"name":"SPG biomed","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87343400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which comes with several comorbidities, was declared a pandemic in early 2020 by World Health Organization (WHO). Glucocorticoids that are used in severe cases of COVID-19 as therapeutic measures may lead to opportunistic fungal infections in such patients. Mucormycosis is one of these infections and mostly occurs in immune-compromised patients such as those who undergo transplant surgeries. However, it rarely develops in COVID-19 patients, although many cases of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) have been found in developing nations, like India. CAM usually develops between 15 days to a few months after hospitalization or complete recovery from coronavirus disease. It is an uncommon yet serious infection that further agitates the severe symptoms of COVID-19 disease. Patients with diabetes mellitus and other comorbidities are likely to be at a higher risk for developing mucormycosis. Concurrent glucocorticoid therapy possibly heightens the risk as it increases blood glucose levels. Dentists, as frontline healthcare workers, maybe the first to be presented with oral manifestations and therefore need to pay special attention. In light of the available pieces of evidence, this review highlights the basics of the underlying condition starting from the pathology, causative factors, and clinical manifestations, including the oral cavity, to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mucormycosis with both conventional and advanced approaches. We limited this study to the basic and established methods of CAM management and treatment along with the statistical updates. Other antifungal drugs and novel microbiological peptides are in development and need future studies for their elucidation.
{"title":"A Comprehensive Review on the Management of COVID-19-Associated Mucormycosis (CAM): The New Basics","authors":"D. Girdhar, Ekta Manocha","doi":"10.3390/biomed2020017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed2020017","url":null,"abstract":"The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which comes with several comorbidities, was declared a pandemic in early 2020 by World Health Organization (WHO). Glucocorticoids that are used in severe cases of COVID-19 as therapeutic measures may lead to opportunistic fungal infections in such patients. Mucormycosis is one of these infections and mostly occurs in immune-compromised patients such as those who undergo transplant surgeries. However, it rarely develops in COVID-19 patients, although many cases of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) have been found in developing nations, like India. CAM usually develops between 15 days to a few months after hospitalization or complete recovery from coronavirus disease. It is an uncommon yet serious infection that further agitates the severe symptoms of COVID-19 disease. Patients with diabetes mellitus and other comorbidities are likely to be at a higher risk for developing mucormycosis. Concurrent glucocorticoid therapy possibly heightens the risk as it increases blood glucose levels. Dentists, as frontline healthcare workers, maybe the first to be presented with oral manifestations and therefore need to pay special attention. In light of the available pieces of evidence, this review highlights the basics of the underlying condition starting from the pathology, causative factors, and clinical manifestations, including the oral cavity, to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mucormycosis with both conventional and advanced approaches. We limited this study to the basic and established methods of CAM management and treatment along with the statistical updates. Other antifungal drugs and novel microbiological peptides are in development and need future studies for their elucidation.","PeriodicalId":93816,"journal":{"name":"SPG biomed","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88503242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The global prevalence of diabetes exceeds half a billion people globally. The Diabetes Prevention Program, a 27-site, randomized clinical trial demonstrated that dietary and other lifestyle changes can prevent more than half (58%) of diabetes cases. Implementation of dietary recommendations can be challenging for those who are not food secure. In a review on the intersection of food insecurity (FI) and diabetes (date range through May 2014), the authors concluded that the lack of access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food impairs the ability of those with diabetes to implement the dietary modifications required to manage the condition. A challenge to diabetes self-management among this population was adverse social determinants of health. This study assessed insights gleaned about the association between FI and suboptimal glycemic control among adults with type 2 diabetes from research published after May 2014. Conflicting evidence emerged regarding the impact of FI on HbA1c levels among adults with type 2 diabetes. Glycemic control was impacted by social and medical factors. Potential areas for further research are also presented.
{"title":"The Impact of Food Insecurity on Glycemic Control among Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes","authors":"B. Gordon","doi":"10.3390/biomed2020016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed2020016","url":null,"abstract":"The global prevalence of diabetes exceeds half a billion people globally. The Diabetes Prevention Program, a 27-site, randomized clinical trial demonstrated that dietary and other lifestyle changes can prevent more than half (58%) of diabetes cases. Implementation of dietary recommendations can be challenging for those who are not food secure. In a review on the intersection of food insecurity (FI) and diabetes (date range through May 2014), the authors concluded that the lack of access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food impairs the ability of those with diabetes to implement the dietary modifications required to manage the condition. A challenge to diabetes self-management among this population was adverse social determinants of health. This study assessed insights gleaned about the association between FI and suboptimal glycemic control among adults with type 2 diabetes from research published after May 2014. Conflicting evidence emerged regarding the impact of FI on HbA1c levels among adults with type 2 diabetes. Glycemic control was impacted by social and medical factors. Potential areas for further research are also presented.","PeriodicalId":93816,"journal":{"name":"SPG biomed","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87761860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vaccination has been the most effective approach in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of the world’s population has been vaccinated and sufficient data is available to analyze the impact of COVID-19 vaccines around the globe. In this paper, we present a correlation analysis between administered vaccine doses and COVID-19 cases/deaths in Europe. The correlation analysis is performed considering different types of vaccinations, different age groups and different COVID-19 variants (including the prevalent Delta and Omicron variants). We present a detailed analysis for 30 European countries giving various insights such as efficacy of six different vaccines, effect of vaccinating different age groups and how the correlation evolves as different COVID-19 variants emerge.
{"title":"A Correlation Study of COVID-19 in Europe Considering Different Vaccines, Age Groups and Variants Including Delta and Omicron","authors":"H. Iqbal, Muhammad Umair, S. Rizvi, M. A. Cheema","doi":"10.3390/biomed2020015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed2020015","url":null,"abstract":"Vaccination has been the most effective approach in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of the world’s population has been vaccinated and sufficient data is available to analyze the impact of COVID-19 vaccines around the globe. In this paper, we present a correlation analysis between administered vaccine doses and COVID-19 cases/deaths in Europe. The correlation analysis is performed considering different types of vaccinations, different age groups and different COVID-19 variants (including the prevalent Delta and Omicron variants). We present a detailed analysis for 30 European countries giving various insights such as efficacy of six different vaccines, effect of vaccinating different age groups and how the correlation evolves as different COVID-19 variants emerge.","PeriodicalId":93816,"journal":{"name":"SPG biomed","volume":"112 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75513749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bartosz M. Nowak, M. Kamiński, Bartłomiej Owczarek, M. Szulińska, P. Bogdański
There were worries that the COVID-19 pandemic could result in a shortage of supplies of some drugs. We aimed to analyze if the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the availability drop of different cardiodiabetological medicaments. Special attention was put to combined therapies and to investigate the general availability of these drugs. Data were obtained from the Polish startup company GdziePoLek regarding the availability of 121 cardiodiabetolocigal drugs divided into 23 separate categories in Polish pharmacies. The period of the analysis was limited from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020. The threshold of a 20% decrease of median availability was set to found drugs with the most severe drop in availability during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also identified medicaments with a median availability of less than 50%. We identified two drugs with the most severe drop in availability level during COVID-19 pandemics: acenocoumarol (decrease by 52.0%) and nitrendipine (decrease by 98.3%). In 2019 and 2020, 27 of 121 drugs had a median availability lower than 50%. The limited availability concerned the most novel agents and polypills, mostly non-insulin antidiabetic drugs. The decrease in drug availability in Poland was not as severe as expected. Accessibility to some novel non-refunded medicaments is limited.
{"title":"Availability of Cardiodiabetological Drugs in Poland during the First Year of COVID-19 Pandemic: Retrospective Study","authors":"Bartosz M. Nowak, M. Kamiński, Bartłomiej Owczarek, M. Szulińska, P. Bogdański","doi":"10.3390/biomed2010013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed2010013","url":null,"abstract":"There were worries that the COVID-19 pandemic could result in a shortage of supplies of some drugs. We aimed to analyze if the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the availability drop of different cardiodiabetological medicaments. Special attention was put to combined therapies and to investigate the general availability of these drugs. Data were obtained from the Polish startup company GdziePoLek regarding the availability of 121 cardiodiabetolocigal drugs divided into 23 separate categories in Polish pharmacies. The period of the analysis was limited from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020. The threshold of a 20% decrease of median availability was set to found drugs with the most severe drop in availability during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also identified medicaments with a median availability of less than 50%. We identified two drugs with the most severe drop in availability level during COVID-19 pandemics: acenocoumarol (decrease by 52.0%) and nitrendipine (decrease by 98.3%). In 2019 and 2020, 27 of 121 drugs had a median availability lower than 50%. The limited availability concerned the most novel agents and polypills, mostly non-insulin antidiabetic drugs. The decrease in drug availability in Poland was not as severe as expected. Accessibility to some novel non-refunded medicaments is limited.","PeriodicalId":93816,"journal":{"name":"SPG biomed","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86306067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
T. Lupia, Alberto Gaviraghi, E. Concialdi, Maurizio Penna, S. Corcione, F. D. De Rosa
Opportunistic invasive fungal infections (IFI) have been described in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. COVID-19-related cytokine storm, immune dysregulation and lymphopenia may increase IFI susceptibility in comorbid patients. We described the case of a 64-year-old man with respiratory failure due to SARS-CoV-2 infection complicated with disseminated cryptococosis. We analyzed the role played by the SARS-CoV-2-associated lymphopenia and the cumulative risk factors that lead to secondary infection by Cryptococcus neoformans, and its part in the dysregulation of the immunity response.
{"title":"Disseminated Cryptococcosis Complicating Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection","authors":"T. Lupia, Alberto Gaviraghi, E. Concialdi, Maurizio Penna, S. Corcione, F. D. De Rosa","doi":"10.3390/biomed2010014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed2010014","url":null,"abstract":"Opportunistic invasive fungal infections (IFI) have been described in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. COVID-19-related cytokine storm, immune dysregulation and lymphopenia may increase IFI susceptibility in comorbid patients. We described the case of a 64-year-old man with respiratory failure due to SARS-CoV-2 infection complicated with disseminated cryptococosis. We analyzed the role played by the SARS-CoV-2-associated lymphopenia and the cumulative risk factors that lead to secondary infection by Cryptococcus neoformans, and its part in the dysregulation of the immunity response.","PeriodicalId":93816,"journal":{"name":"SPG biomed","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78782768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：