Ageing, sex, obesity, smoking and COVID-19 — truths, myths and speculations

In early December 2019, in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province, China, the first infections by a novel coronavirus were reported. Since then, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been spreading to other cities and countries becoming the global emerging epidemiological issue and quickly reaching the status of a pandemic. Multiple risk factors of disease severity and mortality have been identified so far. These include old age, male sex, smoking, and obesity. This concise narrative review highlights the important role of these factors in the pathobiology and clinical landscape of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We especially focused on their significant role in disease severity and mortality. However, in spite of intensive research, most of the presented pieces of evidence are weak and need further verification

The utility of selected questionnaires in the assessment of fatigue, depression and health quality in post-sarcoidosis fatigue syndrome

Introduction: The nature of post-sarcoidosis fatigue syndrome (PSFS) is unknown and tools for the assessment of health quality (HQ) in these patients have not been fully assessed. The aim was to validate the Polish version of sarcoidosis health questionnaire (SHQ) and verify the association of HQ with fatigue and depressive symptoms among Polish patients with PSFS. Material and methods: 71 patients with sarcoidosis (34 women, the mean age 47) were divided to: PSFS (n = 21), active sarcoidosis (S-A, n = 27) and sarcoidosis with complete remission (S-R, n = 23) groups. Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) was used to define significant fatigue (≥ 22 points). Polish version of SHQ was prepared by the authors and validated. Beck Depression Index (BDI) and Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) were used to evaluate self-reported depressive symptoms. Results: Polish version of SHQ was proved reliable and valid. HQ was worse and depressive symptoms were more frequent in PSFS and S-A when compared with S-R group. SHQ total score correlated negatively with depressive symptoms (r = -0.787 for BDI and r = -0,755 for PHQ-9, p < 0.01). A negative correlation between SHQ and FAS score was found (r = –0.784, p < 0.01). FAS score correlated with depressive symptoms (r = 0.726 for BDI and r = 0.755 for PHQ-9, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Polish version of SHQ is a valuable tool for the assessment of HQ in sarcoidosis. HQ is impaired in PSFS comparing to patients with complete remission, but is comparable to active sarcoidosis. Depressive symptoms impact HQ and may influence perception of fatigue. Both fatigue and depression have a negative impact on HQ in sarcoidosis

QuantiFERON-TB-GOLD In-Tube in patients with sarcoidosis

Introduction: Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis (TB) are the diseases that share many similarities. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) culture results are the gold standard for the diagnosis of TB, but false positive results are not rare. The aim was to evaluate the utility of QFT in detecting latent TB infection in a group of sarcoidosis patients with negative history of TB and negative culture/BACTEC results, and checking sarcoidosis activity influence on the QFT results. Additionally, we assessed if QFT negative result may strengthen the suspicion that positive culture/BACTEC results are false positive. Material and methods: 37 culture-negative and 6 culture-positive sarcoidosis patients were enrolled. On the basis of clinical and radiological data TB was considered unlikely (false-positive results). A control group consisted of age-matched subjects with excluded TB (n = 37). QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In-Tube (QIAGEN, USA) was used according to the manual. Test validity was checked basing on the results obtained from a low-risk (n = 21) and active TB group (n = 23). Results: The frequency of positive results tended to be higher in MTB(–) sarcoidosis (24.3% vs. 13.5% for the control group, p = 0.37), but was similar to the general population. None of culture-positive sarcoidosis patients was QFT-positive. The positive results were equally distributed among patients with active and inactive sarcoidosis. Conclusions: QFT has been found to be the useful test for the detection of latent TB infection in sarcoidosis patients. In addition, we confirm that sarcoidosis activity does not negatively influence the result of QFT. Moreover, QFT would be proposed as a cost-saving diagnostic test providing additional diagnostic information when false positive MTB culture result in the sarcoidosis patient is highly suspected. However, in each case clinical, radiological and epidemiological data should be considered before taking the therapeutic decision

Ageing, Sex, Obesity, Smoking and COVID-19—Truths, Myths and Speculations

In early December 2019, in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province, China, the first infections by a novel coronavirus were reported. Since then, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been spreading to other cities and countries becoming the global emerging epidemiological issue and quickly reaching the status of a pandemic. Multiple risk factors of disease severity and mortality have been identified so far. These include old age, male sex, smoking, and obesity. This concise narrative review highlights the important role of these factors in the pathobiology and clinical landscape of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We especially focused on their significant role in disease severity and mortality. However, in spite of intensive research, most of the presented pieces of evidence are weak and need further verification

Starzenie się, płeć, otyłość, palenie tytoniu a covid-19 — prawdy, mity i spekulacje

Na początku grudnia 2019 roku w mieście Wuhan, znajdującym się w prowincji Hubei w Chinach, odnotowano pierwsze przypadki zakażeń nowym koronawirusem ciężkiego ostrego zespołu oddechowego (SARS-CoV-2). Od tego czasu patogen ten rozprzestrzenił się na inne miasta i kraje na całym świecie, stając się globalnym problemem epidemiologicznym, a epidemia wywoływanej przez niego choroby koronawirusowej 2019 (COVID-19) szybko osiągnęła status pandemii. Do tej pory zidentyfikowano wiele czynników ryzyka ciężkości i śmiertelności COVID-19. Należą do nich m.in. wiek, płeć męska, palenie tytoniu i otyłość. Prezentowany w niniejszej pracy zwięzły przegląd narracyjny podkreśla ważną rolę tych czynników w patobiologii i obrazie klinicznym COVID-19. Mimo intensywnych badań jakość większości przedstawionych dowodów jest jednak niska i wymaga dalszej weryfikacji

Multiple Post-SARS-COV2 Infectious Complications in Kidney Transplant Recipient

A forty-seven-year-old recipient in late period after kidney transplantation with chronic estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 30 mL/min/1.73 m2, fully vaccinated against COVID-19 was diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection in November 2021. After an initially mild course of the disease, he developed multiorgan failure requiring periodic respiratory and dialysis therapy. Covid-19 disease was complicated by multiple infections such Clostridioides difficile infection, Streptococcus epidermidis bacteriemia, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida glabrata urinary tract disease, cytomegalovirus infection and oral candidiasis. In a short period, he was readmitted to the hospital twice with recurrent Klebsiella pneumoniae urosepsis. One of those hospitalizations was also complicated by another COVID-19 infection that was confirmed with non-reactive neutralizing antibody. Due to severe infections the patient required individualized modification of immunotherapy; however, due to their recurrence it was finally decided to be discontinued. The patient was also reintroduced to hemodialysis therapy and no infections occurred since then

Assessment of type 1 and type 3 deiodinase expression levels in depressive disorders

A depressive disorder is a disease characterized by a heterogenous background. The important processes observed and diagnosed in depressed patients indicate that the etiology of depression may include disturbances in thyroid hormone (TH) levels and the occurrence of immune‑inflammatory activation. Type 1 (DIO1) and type 3 (DIO3) iodothyronine deiodinases are the enzymes which determine the peripheral and tissue levels of TH, but also interfere with immunological cells and inflammatory processes. We aimed to investigate the levels of DIO1 and DIO3 in the patients suffering from recurrent depressive disorders (rDD). Data collected from 91 rDD patients and 105 healthy controls were analyzed. The diagnoses were made based on the ICD‑10 criteria (F33.0–F33.8). The expression levels of DIO1 and DIO3 were estimated using the polymerase chain reaction method and the enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of DIO1 on mRNA/protein levels in the rDD patients was reduced in comparison to the control subjects, while the expression of DIO3 was higher in the patients suffering from depression. No significant relationship was found between the investigated DIOs and other clinical parameters. Our results indicate and suggest a role of DIO1 and DIO3‑related pathways in the pathophysiology of depression. The results represent a promising way to investigate the biological markers of depression