Swiss medical weekly
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Swiss medical weekly · Dec 2020
Observational StudyImpact of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute coronary syndromes.
To assess the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute coronary syndromes and on the delay from symptom onset to first medical contact among patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), as well as to investigate whether there were patient-related reasons related to COVID-19 for delaying first medical contact. ⋯ We observed prolonged delays from symptom onset to first medical contact and a decline in overall ACS incidence during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a higher threshold to call for help among ACS patients.
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Swiss medical weekly · Dec 2020
SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 in patients on the Swiss national transplant waiting list.
The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on patients listed for solid organ transplantation has not been systematically investigated to date. Thus, we assessed occurrence and effects of infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on patients on the Swiss national waiting list for solid organ transplantation. ⋯ The overall rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections in candidates awaiting solid organ transplantation was four times higher than in the Swiss general population; however, the frequency of testing likely played a role. Given the small sample size of affected patients, conclusions have to be drawn cautiously and results need verification in larger cohorts.
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Swiss medical weekly · Nov 2020
Social mixing and risk exposures for SARS-CoV-2 infections in elderly persons.
During the transitional phase between the two pandemic waves of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), infection rates were temporarily rising among younger persons only. However, following a temporal delay infections started to expand to older age groups. A comprehensive understanding of such transmission dynamics will be key for managing the pandemic in the time to come and to anticipate future developments. The present study thus extends the scope of previous SARS-CoV-2-related research in Switzerland by contributing to deeper insight into the potential impact of “social mixing” of different age groups on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections. ⋯ Although many elderly persons continued to follow the recommended preventive measures during the transitional phase between the two pandemic waves, social mixing with younger persons constitutes a way for transmission of infections across age groups. Pandemic containment among all age groups thus remains essential to protect vulnerable populations, including the elderly.
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Swiss medical weekly · Oct 2020
Problems faced by Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Switzerland.
Refugees and asylum seekers are susceptible to developing common mental disorders due to their exposure to stressful experiences before, during and after their flight. The Syrian Civil War, which started in 2011, has led to a massive number of Syrians seeking refuge and asylum in European countries, including Switzerland. Currently, Syrians are the second-largest refugee and asylum-seeking population in Switzerland. However, very little is known about the problems faced by this new population in Switzerland and their needs relating to mental health services. Identifying the problems faced by this community is crucial to providing adapted and tailored mental health services to Syrian refugees in Switzerland. ⋯ Authorities, practitioners and researchers should recognize that Syrian refugees and asylum seekers are strongly affected by a broad range of problems. Besides practical problems, they suffer a multitude of psychological problems, and a significant number of them report, among other issues, symptoms of mental health disorders. Officials working with this population should be aware of this vulnerability and be prepared to refer clients in need of mental healthcare to mental healthcare providers. Moreover, the significant variety and number of problems experienced by this population should be taken into consideration when developing solutions tailored to their needs.