BMJ open
-
Since its emergence in late 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic that has significantly challenged healthcare systems. Healthcare workers have previously been shown to have experienced higher rates of infection than the general population. We aimed to assess the extent of infection in staff working in our healthcare setting. ⋯ Staff working in clinical areas where patients with COVID-19 were nursed were more likely to have detectable antibodies. The relationship between seropositivity in healthcare workers and the increase in 'per 100 COVID-19 bed-days' of the area in which they worked, although statistically significant, was weak, suggesting other contributing factors to the risk profile. Of staff with detectable antibodies and therefore evidence of prior infection, a quarter self-reported that they had experienced no compatible symptoms. This has implications for potential unrecorded transmission in both staff and patients.
-
To validate the Living with Chronic Illness (LW-CI) Scale in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ⋯ This has been the first validation study of the LW-CI-COPD. It is a feasible, reliable, valid and precise self-reported scale to measure living with COPD in the Spanish-speaking population. Therefore, it could be recommended for research and clinical practice to measure this concept and evaluate the impact of centred-care interdisciplinary interventions based on the patients' perspective, focused on providing holistic and comprehensive care to patients with COPD.
-
Pressure ulcers are serious and potentially life-threatening problems across all age groups and across all medical specialties and care settings. The hospitalised elderly population is the most common group to develop pressure ulcers. This study aims to systematically review studies implementing pressure ulcer prevention strategies recommended in the Pressure Ulcer Prevention Practice Guidelines for the prevention of pressure ulcers among hospitalised elderly patients globally. ⋯ CRD42019129088.
-
To assess the effect of a weather index on in-hospital COVID-19-linked deaths. ⋯ Many parameters influence COVID-19 outbreak-severity indicators. Population density is a strong factor but its exact importance is difficult to discern. Weather (mainly cold winter temperatures) was independently associated with mortality and could help explain outbreak dynamics, which began and were initially more severe in the coldest counties of continental France. Weather partly explains fatality-rate discrepancies observed worldwide.
-
Multicenter Study Observational Study
What is the recovery rate and risk of long-term consequences following a diagnosis of COVID-19? A harmonised, global longitudinal observational study protocol.
Very little is known about possible clinical sequelae that may persist after resolution of acute COVID-19. A recent longitudinal cohort from Italy including 143 patients followed up after hospitalisation with COVID-19 reported that 87% had at least one ongoing symptom at 60-day follow-up. Early indications suggest that patients with COVID-19 may need even more psychological support than typical intensive care unit patients. The assessment of risk factors for longer term consequences requires a longitudinal study linked to data on pre-existing conditions and care received during the acute phase of illness. The primary aim of this study is to characterise physical and psychosocial sequelae in patients post-COVID-19 hospital discharge. ⋯ The protocol and survey are open access to enable low-resourced sites to join the study to facilitate global standardised, longitudinal data collection. Ethical approval has been given by sites in Colombia, Ghana, Italy, Norway, Russia, the UK and South Africa. New sites are welcome to join this collaborative study at any time. Sites interested in adopting the protocol as it is or in an adapted version are responsible for ensuring that local sponsorship and ethical approvals in place as appropriate. The tools are available on the ISARIC website (www.isaric.org). PROTOCOL REGISTRATION NUMBER: osf.io/c5rw3/ PROTOCOL VERSION: 3 August 2020 EUROQOL ID: 37035.