The impact of the two-year COVID-19 pandemic on hospital admission and readmissions of children and adolescents because of mental health problems

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the specific risk factors and psycho-social and clinical features of hospitalized neuropsychiatric patients during the COVID pandemic and to analyze the hospital readmission phenomenon, which, according to recent studies, increased in frequency during the first pandemic period.Patients and methodsThis observational retrospective cohort study examined 375 patients aged between 0 and 17 years who were hospitalized between 1 February 2018 and 31 March 2022 due to neuropsychiatric issues. The majority of the patients were girls: there were 265 girls compared to 110 boys (M = 13.9 years; SD 2.30 years). The total sample was divided into two groups: the pre-COVID-19 group (160 inpatients hospitalized between February 2018 and February 2020) and the COVID-19 group (215 inpatients hospitalized between March 2020 and March 2022). To explore the readmission phenomenon (second aim), we selected from the two groups of patients with at least one hospital readmission within 365 days after the first discharge. Multiple variables (sociodemographic, clinical, psychological, and related to hospitalization) were collected for each patient by reviewing their medical records.ResultsThe risk factors for mental health disorders were similar between the two groups, except for the significantly increased use of electronic devices in the COVID-19 group, increasing from 8.8% in the pre-COVID-19 group to 29.2% in the COVID-19 group. Patients suffering from eating disorders increased from 11.3% in the pre-COVID-19 group to 23.8% in the COVID-19 group. Hospital readmissions nearly increased from 16.7% in the 2-year pre-COVID-19 period to 26.2% in the 2-year COVID-19 period. A total of 75% of patients hospitalized three or more times in the last 2 years and 85.7% of the so-called “revolving door” patients (with relapse within 3 months after discharge) were identified in the COVID-19 group. However, the comparison between the two groups of patients readmitted before and during the COVID-19 pandemic did not show any differences in terms of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.ConclusionIn conclusion, there was a significant increase in hospital readmissions, but these results suggest the need for better coordination between hospital and territorial services in managing the complexity of mental health problems related to situations arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the necessity to implement prevention strategies and services

A Real-World, Multicenter, Observational Retrospective Study of Durvalumab After Concomitant or Sequential Chemoradiation for Unresectable Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Introduction: For unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the standard therapy consists of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by durvalumab maintenance for responding patients. The present study reports on the safety and outcome of durvalumab use after CRT in a real-world, multicenter, retrospective cohort. Methods: Two hundred thirty-eight patients have been included. We collected data on systemic therapy, radiation therapy, the timing between CRT and durvalumab, number of durvalumab cycles, reasons for non-starting or discontinuation, incidence and grade of adverse events (AEs), and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: One hundred fifty-five patients out of 238 (65.1%) received at least one durvalumab dose: 91 (58.7%) after concomitant CRT (cCRT) and 64 (41.3%) after sequential CRT (sCRT). Programmed-death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status was unknown in 7/155 (4.5%), negative in 14 (9.1%), and positive ≥1% in 134/155 (86.4%). The main reasons for non-starting durvalumab were progression (10.1%), PD-L1 negativity (7.5%), and lung toxicity (4.6%). Median follow-up time was 14 months (range 2–29); 1-year PFS and OS were 83.5% (95%CI: 77.6–89.7) and 97.2% (95%CI: 94.6–99.9), respectively. No significant differences in PFS or OS were detected for cCRT vs. sCRT, but the median PFS was 13.5 months for sCRT vs. 23 months for cCRT. Potentially immune-related AEs were recorded in 76/155 patients (49.0%). Pneumonitis was the most frequent, leading to discontinuation in 11/155 patients (7.1%). Conclusions: Durvalumab maintenenace after concurrent or sequential chemoradiation for unresectable, stage III NSCLC showed very promising short-term survival results in a large, multicenter, restrospective, real-world study. Durvalumab was the first drug obtaining a survival benefit over CRT within the past two decades, and the present study contributes to validating its use in clinical practice

Association between preoperative evaluation with lung ultrasound and outcome in frail elderly patients undergoing orthopedic surgery for hip fractures: study protocol for an Italian multicenter observational prospective study (LUSHIP)

Hip fracture is one of the most common orthopedic causes of hospital admission in frail elderly patients. Hip fracture fixation in this class of patients is considered a high-risk procedure. Preoperative physical examination, plasma natriuretic peptide levels (BNP, Pro-BNP), and cardiovascular scoring systems (ASA-PS, RCRI, NSQIP-MICA) have all been demonstrated to underestimate the risk of postoperative complications. We designed a prospective multicenter observational study to assess whether preoperative lung ultrasound examination can predict better postoperative events thanks to the additional information they provide in the form of "indirect" and "direct" cardiac and pulmonary lung ultrasound signs

Bio-Inspired Systems in Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy to Reduce Contaminated Aerosol during COVID-19: A Comprehensive and Bibliometric Review

Background: On 30 January 2020, a public health emergency of international concern was declared as a result of the new COVID-19 disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This virus is transmitted by air and, therefore, clinical practices with the production of contaminant aerosols are highly at risk. The purpose of this review was to assess the effectiveness of bio-inspired systems, as adjuvants to nonsurgical periodontal therapy, in order to formulate bio-inspired protocols aimed at restoring optimal condition, reducing bacteremia and aerosols generation. Methods: A comprehensive and bibliometric review of articles published in English. Research of clinical trials (RCTs) were included with participants with chronic or aggressive periodontal disease, that have compared benefits for nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). Results: Seventy-four articles have been included. For probing depth (PPD) there was a statically significant improvement in laser, probiotic, chlorhexidine groups, such as gain in clinical attachment level (CAL). Bleeding on probing (BOP) reduction was statistically significant only for probiotic and chlorhexidine groups. There were changes in microbiological and immunological parameters. Conclusions: The use of bio-inspired systems in nonsurgical periodontal treatment may be useful in reducing risk of bacteremia and aerosol generation, improving clinical, microbiological and immunological parameters, of fundamental importance in a context of global pandemic, where the reduction of bacterial load in aerosols becomes a pivotal point of clinical practice, but other clinical trials are necessary to achieve statistical validity

Chemo-radiotherapy plus durvalumab for loco-regional relapse of resected NSCLC

Abstract Background tumor recurrence after NSCLC surgical resection is the most common cause of treatment failure that sharply reduces the patient’s life expectancy. The optimal treatment strategy for loco-regional recurrences developing after surgical resection in patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not established yet. This report aims to describe the pattern of relapse, PFS, and OS in patients treated with radio-chemotherapy and durvalumab for loco-regional relapse after surgery. Methods  We conducted a multicenter, retrospective study including subjects who underwent surgical resection for NSCLC and were treated with Pacific protocol after loco-regional relapse. Results Twenty-four patients met the inclusion criteria. At the time of diagnosis mean age was 65 years (range 47–78), the majority being male (58.3%). The 12-month progression-free survival rate was 68.7%, the 18-month progression-free survival rate was 45.8%, and the 24-month progression-free survival rate was 34.3%. There were three deaths: the 12-month survival rate was 91%, and the 18-month survival rate was 82.8%. Conclusions In this article, we propose a treatment strategy that might prolong post recurrence survival in patients with good performance status experiencing loco-regional relapse after surgery

Maternal stress, prenatal medical illnesses and obstetric complications: Risk factors for schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder

Maternal stress and medical illnesses during early life are well-documented environmental indicators of an increased risk of schizophrenia. Few studies, conversely, have confirmed an association with major affective disorders. The present study examined the impact of maternal stress, medical illnesses and obstetric complications on the development of severe mental disorder in 240 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder and matched with 85 controls. Mothers of participants were asked about stressful events during pregnancy using the Social Readjustment Scale; information on prenatal/perinatal illnesses were acquired from medical records. Schizophrenia spectrum disorder was positively associated with maternal stress (OR = 2.16), infections (OR = 7.67), inadequate weight gain (OR = 9.52) during pregnancy, and peripartum asphyxia (OR = 4.00). An increased risk of bipolar disorder was associated with head circumference < 32 cm at birth (OR = 5.40) and inversely with inadequate weight gain (OR = 0.29). Major depressive disorder diagnosis was inversely related to inadequate weight gain (OR = 0.22). These results support a role for maternal stress, medical illnesses and obstetric complications as risk factors for subsequent severe mental illness in adulthood. Further research is needed, especially with regard to affective disorders

Differential expression of TNF-a, IL-6 and IGF-1 by graded mechanical stress in normal rat myocardium.

An isovolumic normal rat heart Langendorff model was used to examine the effects of moderate (15 mmHg) and severe (35 mmHg) mechanical stretch on the time course (from 0 to 60 min) of myocardial expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and their cognate receptors. After 10 min of moderate stretch, TNF-alpha was de novo expressed, whereas constitutive IL-6 and IGF-1 levels were slightly upregulated; no further changes occurred up to 60 min. In comparison, severe stretch resulted in a higher and progressive increase in TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IGF-1 expression up to 20 min. After 20 min, whereas TNF-alpha expression further increased, IL-6 and IGF-1 levels progressively reduced to values lower than those observed under moderate stretch and in unstretched (5 mmHg) control myocardium (IL-6). Mechanical stretch did not significantly alter the expression of the cognate receptors. Indeed, the TNF-alpha receptor (p55) tended to be progressively upregulated under severe stretch over time. The current data provide the first demonstration that TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IGF-1 ligand-receptor systems are differentially expressed within the normal rat myocardium in response to graded mechanical stretch. Such findings may have potential implications with regard to compensatory hypertrophy and failure

Balanced SET levels favor the correct enhancer repertoire during cell fate acquisition

Abstract Within the chromatin, distal elements interact with promoters to regulate specific transcriptional programs. Histone acetylation, interfering with the net charges of the nucleosomes, is a key player in this regulation. Here, we report that the oncoprotein SET is a critical determinant for the levels of histone acetylation within enhancers. We disclose that a condition in which SET is accumulated, the severe Schinzel-Giedion Syndrome (SGS), is characterized by a failure in the usage of the distal regulatory regions typically employed during fate commitment. This is accompanied by the usage of alternative enhancers leading to a massive rewiring of the distal control of the gene transcription. This represents a (mal)adaptive mechanism that, on one side, allows to achieve a certain degree of differentiation, while on the other affects the fine and corrected maturation of the cells. Thus, we propose the differential in cis-regulation as a contributing factor to the pathological basis of SGS and possibly other the SET-related disorders in humans