BACKGROUND: Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) is a multisystem disorder degrading the quality of life. The study determined characteristics and predictors of PCS in unvaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) suffering from PCS based on a comparison with their fully recovered counterparts. METHODS: 305 HCWs were examined at least 12 weeks post COVID-19 symptom onset to obtain data about their acute phase of COVID-19 and current health status and tested for complete blood count, C-reactive protein (CRP), electrophoresis of plasma proteins and SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G and M. RESULTS: 181 (59.3%) HCWs reported persisting symptoms attributable to PCS during the examination and 124 (40.7%) HCWs stated no symptoms. In the entire sample, the mean CRP level slightly exceeded the normal range (6.63 mg/L, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.96-7.3) while all other laboratory results were within the normal range. No statistically significant differences in laboratory results were revealed between both subgroups except for the mean Ig levels, which were higher in HCWs with PCS. The average number of symptoms of PCS was 1.9 (median 2). The most frequent symptoms of PCS were fatigue that interfered with daily life (47.5%), shortness of breath (38.1%), muscle or joint aches (16%), loss of smell (14.9%), headache (14.9%) and sleep disorders (11%). The only statistically significant predictors of PCS were female sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.48, 95% CI 1.059-2.067, p = .022) and increasing age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07, p = .008). CONCLUSIONS: PCS appears to be a prevalent condition determined by female sex and increasing age.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * epidemiologie MeSH
- kvalita života MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- postakutní syndrom COVID-19 MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
- zdravotnický personál MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 survivors may experience long-term health problems, including deterioration of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), as demonstrated by several cross-sectional studies that compared the results of cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) performed only after COVID-19 with predicted values. This study aimed to analyze a change in CRF between repeated CPETs in response to suffered COVID-19. METHODS: A total of 127 healthcare workers (HCWs; mean age 55.7 years) underwent two CPETs with a mean interval of 762 days. Forty HCWs suffered from COVID-19 (mild to moderate severity) in the interim (321 days before the second CPET), and 87 HCWs formed a control group. Mixed-effects regression with multiple adjustment and interaction terms was used for two response variables - maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) and power output. RESULTS: Between both CPETs, mean VO2 max decreased statistically significantly in the COVID-19 subgroup (by 3.12 mL/kg/min, p = .034) and insignificantly in controls (by 0.56 mL/kg/min, p = .412). The proportion of HCWs achieving predicted VO2 max decreased from 75.9% to 59.5% (p = .161) in COVID-19 survivors, while it increased from 73.8% to 81% (p = .274) in controls. COVID-19 (β = -0.66, p = .014) and body mass index (β = -0.49, p < .001) were independent negative predictors of VO2 max change. COVID-19 was not associated with a change in power output. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of repeated CPETs, COVID-19 significantly, albeit rather modestly, reduces CRF almost one year after infection. The reduction persists even after the acute phase with mild or moderate severity.
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
Background and Objectives: Given the limited knowledge of antibody responses to COVID-19 and their determinants, we analyzed the relationship between the occurrence of acute-phase symptoms and infection-induced immunoglobulin (Ig) G seropositivity up to 8 months post-symptom onset. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 661 middle-aged unvaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) were interviewed about the presence of symptoms during the acute phase of their previously confirmed COVID-19 and were tested for specific IgG, targeting the spike protein (S1 and S2). The dependence of seropositivity on the symptom occurrence was explored through multiple logistic regression, adjusted for the interval between symptom onset and serology testing, and through classification and regression trees. Results: A total of 551 (83.4%) HCWs showed seropositivity and, inversely, 110 (16.6%) HCWs were seronegative. The chance of IgG seropositivity was increased by dyspnea (odds ratio (OR) 1.48, p < 0.001) and anosmia (OR 1.52, p = 0.021). Fever in HCWs with dyspnea resulted in the highest detected seropositivity rate, and anosmia in HCWs without dyspnea significantly increased the proportion of seropositivity. Conclusion: Clinical manifestation of the acute phase of COVID-19 predisposes to the development of infection-induced antibody responses. The findings can be applied for assessing the long-term protection by IgG, and thus, for creating effective surveillance strategies.
- MeSH
- anosmie MeSH
- COVID-19 * komplikace MeSH
- dyspnoe MeSH
- imunoglobulin G MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- protilátky virové MeSH
- průřezové studie MeSH
- zdravotnický personál MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
OBJECTIVES: The study focused on the relationship between routine clinical characteristics and anti-SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies in a pilot sample of healthcare workers (HCWs) having suffered COVID-19. The aim was to investigate the existence of readily available predictors of antibodies against COVID-19. METHODS: As part of the recognition of COVID-19 as an occupational disease in 152 HCWs with the mean age of 43.2 years, personal, anthropometric and anamnestic data related to the disease as well as anti-spike immunoglobulin (Ig) levels were obtained. Through descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses, relationships of all variables and Ig levels, especially seropositivity of IgG, were investigated. RESULTS: The mean interval between the symptom onset and the determination of antibodies was 58 days. IgG seropositivity and IgM seropositivity were noted in 82 % and 49 % of HCWs, respectively. Symptom duration was the only statistically significant predictor of IgG seropositivity. With each day of symptom duration, the probability of IgG seropositivity increased from 1.078 to 1.092 times (p < 0.05). If symptoms lasted longer than 17 days, a majority (almost 80 %) of the subjects demonstrated seropositivity in the following months. CONCLUSION: The presence of IgG immunity may be assumed from symptom duration. Such easy recognizing of seropositive patients may be a useful tool, e.g. in vaccination strategies (Tab. 3, Fig. 1, Ref. 28).
- Klíčová slova
- séropozitivita, trvání nemoci,
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * imunologie MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- imunoglobulin G * imunologie krev MeSH
- Kaplanův-Meierův odhad MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- logistické modely MeSH
- nemoci z povolání imunologie MeSH
- průřezové studie MeSH
- regresní analýza MeSH
- statistika jako téma MeSH
- zdravotnický personál statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
OBJECTIVES: Asbestos-related diseases are still a current problem worldwide. What is their occurrence in the Czech Republic? The answer is the subject of this study, which aims to provide a general and regional overview of the situation over the last 20 years with a more detailed focus on mesothelioma, the development of which is highly associated with asbestos exposure and the issue of their recognition as an occupational disease. METHODS: In its retrospective reviews, the study is based on analyses of data from the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic and data from the Czech National Cancer Registry, which also interconnects. RESULTS: In the last 20 years, 512 new cases of occupational diseases from asbestos have been reported, namely 228 cases of pleural thickening, 133 mesotheliomas, 92 asbestoses, and 59 cases of lung cancer. In the last 5 years, mesotheliomas (n = 39) predominated among the reported diseases with a 45% proportion in the total number of 86 cases. The trend in their incidence, as the only one among asbestos-related diseases, is not declining. There was a significant difference in the overall incidence of mesothelioma in a general population and the incidence of occupational mesotheliomas. At the national level, occupational aetiology was acknowledged in only 11.3% of cases of mesothelioma on average. The highest proportion of occupational mesotheliomas and the highest incidence of all asbestos-related diseases were found in regions where the largest asbestos processing plants were located. CONCLUSION: The authors emphasize the importance of work history for the diagnostic process of asbestos-related diseases and also the need to perform follow-up examinations for their early detection.
- MeSH
- azbest * toxicita MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mezoteliom * chemicky indukované epidemiologie MeSH
- nemoci z povolání * epidemiologie MeSH
- retrospektivní studie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- kazuistiky MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
