Atrial fibrillation management in older hospitalized patients: Evidence of a poor oral anticoagulants prescriptive attitude from the Italian REPOSI registry.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence increases in older patients which also show a high thromboembolic risk. Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are recommended to prevent cardioembolic events and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) improved anti-thrombotic treatment. However, the benefits/risks of anticoagulant in older patients still need to be completely defined. This retrospective observational study aimed to describe the treatment with OACs in older AF hospitalized patients, and to identify factors influencing OAC therapy or discontinuation using the REgistro Politerapie SIMI. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were applied to identify predictors of OACs treatment and discontinuation. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to evaluate one-year mortality by treatment groups. AF patients were 1,128(26.5 %) at discharge and 1,098(97.3 %) required OAC treatment; about half of them (N = 528;48.1 %) were no-OACs users; 236(21.5 %) and 334(30.4 %) used DOACs and VKA, respectively. Increasing DOACs use was observed during the study period. Predictors of OACs treatment were: BMI (OR:1.04; 95 %CI:1.01-1.07), Barthel index (OR:1.01; 95 %CI:1.01-1.02), medications number (OR:1.07; 95 %CI:1.01-1.13). Conversely, a lower probability was found in patients with a high CIR.S (OR:0.59; 95 %CI:0.36-0.97) and neoplasm (OR:0.57; 95 %CI:0.37-0.88). Hospital stay (OR:1.02; 95 %CI:1.01-1.05), neoplasm (OR:2.25; 95 %CI:1.07-4.70) and INR (OR:1.21; 95 %CI:1.05-1.40) increased OACs discontinuation. A lower discontinuation was observed in dyslipidemic patients (OR:0.18; 95 %CI:0.04-0.82) and heart failure (OR:0.38; 95 %CI:0.21-0.70). Among AF patients, 157(14.3 %) died during the follow-up year. Age (HR = 1.05; 95 %CI = 1.03-1.08) and CIR.S (HR = 2.54; 95 %CI = 1.53-4.21) were associated with a greater mortality risk. In conclusion, critical issues related to the underuse and discontinuation of OACs therapy in hospitalized older patients were highlighted.

Safety of High-Dose Vitamin C in Non-Intensive Care Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: An Open-Label Clinical Study.

Background: Vitamin C has been used as an antioxidant and has been proven effective in boosting immunity in different diseases, including coronavirus disease (COVID-19). An increasing awareness was directed to the role of intravenous vitamin C in COVID-19. Methods: In this study, we aimed to assess the safety of high-dose intravenous vitamin C added to the conventional regimens for patients with different stages of COVID-19. An open-label clinical trial was conducted on patients with COVID-19. One hundred four patients underwent high-dose intravenous administration of vitamin C (in addition to conventional therapy), precisely 10 g in 250 cc of saline solution in slow infusion (60 drops/min) for three consecutive days. At the same time, 42 patients took the standard-of-care therapy. Results: This study showed the safety of high-dose intravenous administration of vitamin C. No adverse reactions were found. When we evaluated the renal function indices and estimated the glomerular filtration rate (eGRF, calculated with the CKD-EPI Creatinine Equation) as the main side effect and contraindication related to chronic renal failure, no statistically significant differences between the two groups were found. High-dose vitamin C treatment was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in mortality and admission to the intensive care unit, even if the result was bound to the statistical significance. On the contrary, age was independently associated with admission to the intensive care unit and in-hospital mortality as well as noninvasive ventilation (N.I.V.) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.41-3.35; OR 7.50, 95% CI 1.97-28.54; OR 8.84, 95% CI 2.62-29.88, respectively). When considering the length of hospital stay, treatment with high-dose vitamin C predicts shorter hospitalization (OR -4.95 CI -0.21--9.69). Conclusions: Our findings showed that an intravenous high dose of vitamin C is configured as a safe and promising therapy for patients with moderate to severe COVID-19.

The lived experience of mothers living with fibromyalgia syndrome: A phenomenological inquiry.

INTRODUCTION: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a complex chronic pain condition that negatively impacts women's daily lives, particularly their roles as mothers and wives. A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted to explore the lived experiences of motherhood and daily life among women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. METHODS: A sample of 10 women affected by FMS was recruited between January and February 2020. Participants were interviewed in a face-to-face, in-depth interview using a semi-structured interview guide. Data were collected until saturation, and Colaizzi's method was used to analyse data. RESULTS: This qualitative analysis identified five themes: A trauma preceding diagnosis, Pervasive feelings of misunderstanding, A struggle to maintain strength among limitations, Challenges in fulfilling maternal roles, and Persistent sexual discomfort. The latter two themes emerged as the most prominent. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the significant impact of fibromyalgia on women's family lives and suggest the need for a more comprehensive care programme.

Assessing Humoral Immuno-Inflammatory Pathways Associated with Respiratory Failure in COVID-19 Patients.

All severe cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections are characterized by a high risk of disease progression towards ARDS, leading to a bad outcome. Respiratory symptoms in COVID-19 patients often do not correspond to disease's worsening. In our sample, median age was 74 years (72-75) and 54% were men. The median period of hospitalization was 9 days. Firstly, we observed a significant asynchronous trend of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in 764 selected among 963 patients, who were consecutively recruited in two hospitals (Cannizzaro, S. Marco) in Catania, Italy. NLR values in deceased patients showed an increase from baseline over time. By contrast, CRP tended to fall from baseline to median day of hospitalization in all three subgroups, but steeply increased at the end of hospitalization only in ICU-admitted patients. Then, we evaluated the relationships between NLR and CRP as continuous variables with PaO2/FiO2 ratio (P/F). NLR was an independent predictor of mortality (HR: 1.77, p < 0.0001), while ICU admission was more significantly associated with CRP (HR: 1.70, p < 0.0001). Finally, age, neutrophils, CRP, and lymphocytes are significantly and directly linked to P/F, while the influence of inflammation on P/F, reflected by CRP, was also mediated by neutrophils.

Protective Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on COVID-19-Related Intensive Care Hospitalization and Mortality: Definitive Evidence from Meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic represents one of the world's most important challenges for global public healthcare. Various studies have found an association between severe vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19-related outcomes. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in immune function and inflammation. Recent data have suggested a protective role of vitamin D in COVID-19-related health outcomes. The purpose of this meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) was to better explain the strength of the association between the protective role of vitamin D supplementation and the risk of mortality and admission to intensive care units (ICUs) in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: We searched four databases on 20 September 2022. Two reviewers screened the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and assessed the risk of bias, independently and in duplicate. The pre-specified outcomes of interest were mortality and ICU admission. RESULTS: We identified 78 bibliographic citations. After the reviewers' screening, only five RCTs were found to be suitable for our analysis. We performed meta-analyses and then TSAs. Vitamin D administration results in a decreased risk of death and ICU admission (standardized mean difference (95% CI): 0.49 (0.34-0.72) and 0.28 (0.20-0.39), respectively). The TSA of the protective role of vitamin D and ICU admission showed that, since the pooling of the studies reached a definite sample size, the positive association is conclusive. The TSA of the protective role of vitamin D in mortality risk showed that the z-curve was inside the alpha boundaries, indicating that the positive results need further studies. DISCUSSION: The results of the meta-analyses and respective TSAs suggest a definitive association between the protective role of vitamin D and ICU hospitalization.

Critical importance of patient-reported outcomes for a comprehensive assessment of psoriatic arthritis patients.

Introduction: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a heterogeneous, chronic inflammatory disease that negatively impacts patients' quality of life. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are used to capture patient perspectives in disease assessment, and physicians use the Disease Activity Index for Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) to evaluate disease activity in PsA. The study aimed to assess the relationship between PROMs and the DAPSA score in consecutive outpatients affected by PsA. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2018 to October 2020 at the PsA clinic of the ARNAS Civico in Palermo (Italy), enrolling outpatients with PsA. Patients were assessed for their disease activity according to the DAPSA score, and PROMs, such as PHQ-9, HAQ, FACIT-F, and PsAID, were evaluated. Linear regression analysis evaluated the relationship between the DAPSA Score and the included PROMs. Results: 158 PsA consecutive peripheral subset psoriatic arthritis outpatients were recruited. The median years of illness was 10.6 (9.3-11.9), and the median DAPSA score was 19.02 (9-33.1). The regression analysis highlighted a strong relationship between the DAPSA score and the PsAID (adjR2 26%, p < 0.0001), the FACIT-F (adjR2 25.4%, p < 0.0001), the HAQ (adjR2 23.7%, p < 0.0001), and PHQ-9 (adjR2 15%, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: PROMs are strongly associated with the DAPSA score, but it allows in-depth evaluation of the impact of the disease on different domains of PsA patients' life.

Clinical complexity and diabetes: a multidimensional approach for the management of cardiorenal metabolic syndrome.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the fastest-growing health emergencies of the 21st century, and one of the chronic diseases with the highest socio-economic impact on health care systems. DM is the main cause of chronic kidney disease, and is associated with a significant increase in cardiovascular risk and clinical and care complexity. The presence of a constellation of cardiac, metabolic, and renal diseases, in a complex patient with DM, constitutes the CardioRenal Metabolic Syndrome (CRMS). The management of these patients should include a paradigm shift from a reactive strategy to a proactive approach, and the integration of territorial, hospital and social assistance services according to the Chronic Care Model (CCM). Complexity science suggests an alternative model in which disease and health arise from complex, dynamic, and unique interactions among the different components of the overall system. The hospital should be viewed as a highly specialized hub of the chronic care system, which interacts with the outpatient specialist and primary care. In order to create effective communication among territorial care units and highly specialized hospitals, levels of clinical complexity are here proposed and included in a multidimensional management model for the complex patient with diabetes and cardiorenal comorbidity.

The "Diabetes Comorbidome": A Different Way for Health Professionals to Approach the Comorbidity Burden of Diabetes.

(1) Background: The disease burden related to diabetes is increasing greatly, particularly in older subjects. A more comprehensive approach towards the assessment and management of diabetes' comorbidities is necessary. The aim of this study was to implement our previous data identifying and representing the prevalence of the comorbidities, their association with mortality, and the strength of their relationship in hospitalized elderly patients with diabetes, developing, at the same time, a new graphic representation model of the comorbidome called "Diabetes Comorbidome". (2) Methods: Data were collected from the RePoSi register. Comorbidities, socio-demographic data, severity and comorbidity indexes (Cumulative Illness rating Scale CIRS-SI and CIRS-CI), and functional status (Barthel Index), were recorded. Mortality rates were assessed in hospital and 3 and 12 months after discharge. (3) Results: Of the 4714 hospitalized elderly patients, 1378 had diabetes. The comorbidities distribution showed that arterial hypertension (57.1%), ischemic heart disease (31.4%), chronic renal failure (28.8%), atrial fibrillation (25.6%), and COPD (22.7%), were the more frequent in subjects with diabetes. The graphic comorbidome showed that the strongest predictors of death at in hospital and at the 3-month follow-up were dementia and cancer. At the 1-year follow-up, cancer was the first comorbidity independently associated with mortality. (4) Conclusions: The "Diabetes Comorbidome" represents the perfect instrument for determining the prevalence of comorbidities and the strength of their relationship with risk of death, as well as the need for an effective treatment for improving clinical outcomes.

Beta-Blocker Use in Older Hospitalized Patients Affected by Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Italian Survey From the REPOSI Register.

Beta (ß)-blockers (BB) are useful in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) and concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nevertheless, the use of BBs could induce bronchoconstriction due to ß2-blockade. For this reason, both the ESC and GOLD guidelines strongly suggest the use of selective ß1-BB in patients with HF and COPD. However, low adherence to guidelines was observed in multiple clinical settings. The aim of the study was to investigate the BBs use in older patients affected by HF and COPD, recorded in the REPOSI register. Of 942 patients affected by HF, 47.1% were treated with BBs. The use of BBs was significantly lower in patients with HF and COPD than in patients affected by HF alone, both at admission and at discharge (admission, 36.9% vs. 51.3%; discharge, 38.0% vs. 51.7%). In addition, no further BB users were found at discharge. The probability to being treated with a BB was significantly lower in patients with HF also affected by COPD (adj. OR, 95% CI: 0.50, 0.37-0.67), while the diagnosis of COPD was not associated with the choice of selective ß1-BB (adj. OR, 95% CI: 1.33, 0.76-2.34). Despite clear recommendations by clinical guidelines, a significant underuse of BBs was also observed after hospital discharge. In COPD affected patients, physicians unreasonably reject BBs use, rather than choosing a ß1-BB. The expected improvement of the BB prescriptions after hospitalization was not observed. A multidisciplinary approach among hospital physicians, general practitioners, and pharmacologists should be carried out for better drug management and adherence to guideline recommendations.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) Is a Promising Predictor of Mortality and Admission to Intensive Care Unit of COVID-19 Patients.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an inflammatory marker predicting the prognosis of several diseases. We aimed to assess its role as a predictor of mortality or admission to the intensive care unit in COVID-19 patients. We retrospectively evaluated a cohort of 411 patients with COVID-19 infection. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) of patients with COVID-19 were compared. The median age of our sample was 72 years (interquartile range: 70−75); 237 were males. Hypertension, diabetes and ischemic heart disease were the most common comorbidities. The study population was subdivided into three groups according to NLR tertiles. Third-tertile patients were older, showing significantly higher levels of inflammatory markers; 133 patients (32%) died during hospitalization, 81 of whom belonged to the third tertile; 79 patients (19%) were admitted to ICU. NLR showed the largest area under the curve (0.772), with the highest specificity (71.9%) and sensitivity (72.9%), whereas CRP showed lower sensitivity (60.2%) but slightly higher specificity (72.3%). Comparisons between NLR and CRP ROC curves were significantly different (p = 0.0173). Cox regression models showed that the association between NLR and death was not weakened after adjustment for confounders. Comparisons of ROC curves showed no significant differences between NLR, PLR, and CRP. Cox regression analysis showed that NLR predicted the risk of admission to ICU independently of demographic characteristics and comorbidities (HR: 3.9597, p < 0.0001). These findings provide evidence that NLR is an independent predictor of mortality and a worse outcome in COVID-19 patients and may help identify high-risk individuals with COVID-19 infection at admission.

Sclerosing cholangitis may mimic radiological pattern of cholangiocarcinoma: Differential diagnosis and review of literature.

IgG4 related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-SC) is a chronic cholestatic autoimmune liver disease, characterized by obstruction of the biliary tract due to IgG4-positive plasma cell infiltrations associated with fibrosis, phlebitis and presence of eosinophils. The diagnosis of the disease is supported by elevation in serum IgG4, radiological imaging and histology. In most of the cases IgG4-SC is associated with a wide spectrum of symptoms and manifestations summarized by the definition of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). When the IgG4-SC causes an interruption of the biliary tract, differential diagnosis with cholangiocarcinoma may become challenging, due to the anatomical difficulty to get an appropriate histological pattern of the disease. Here we are describing a case of a male patient admitted to our hospital for jaundice. The stenosis of biliary ducts shown by radiologic imaging suggested Cholangiocarcinoma but, in the patient, IgG4-SC was definitely diagnosed.

An Overview of Systematic Reviews of the Role of Vitamin D on Inflammation in Patients with Diabetes and the Potentiality of Its Application on Diabetic Patients with COVID-19.

Almost two years have passed since the outbreak reported for the first time in Wuhan of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), due to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 coronavirus, rapidly evolved into a pandemic. This infectious disease has stressed global health care systems. The mortality rate is higher, particularly in elderly population and in patients with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, chronic renal disease, and malignancy. Among them, subjects with diabetes have a high risk of developing severe form of COVID-19 and show increased mortality. How diabetes contributes to COVID-19 severity remains unclear. It has been hypothesized that it may be correlated with the effects of hyperglycemia on systemic inflammatory responses and immune system dysfunction. Vitamin D (VD) is a modulator of immune-response. Data from literature showed that vitamin D deficiency in COVID-19 patients increases COVID-19 severity, likely because of its negative impact on immune and inflammatory responses. Therefore, the use of vitamin D might play a role in some aspects of the infection, particularly the inflammatory state and the immune system function of patients. Moreover, a piece of evidence highlighted a link among vitamin D deficiency, obesity and diabetes, all factors associated with COVID-19 severity. Given this background, we performed an overview of the systematic reviews to assess the association between vitamin D supplementation and inflammatory markers in patients with diabetes; furthermore, vitamin D's possible role in COVID-19 patients was assessed as well. Three databases, namely MEDLINE, PubMed Central and the Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews, were reviewed to retrieve the pertinent data. The aim of this review is to provide insight into the recent advances about the molecular basis of the relationship between vitamin D, immune response, inflammation, diabetes and COVID-19.

Impact of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Comorbidities on Elderly Patients Hospitalized in Internal Medicine Wards: Data from the RePoSi Registry.

BACKGROUND: Currently, diabetes represents the seventh leading cause of death worldwide, with a significant economic burden. The number and severity of comorbidities increase with age, and are identified as important determinants that influence the prognosis. We aimed to investigate comorbidities and outcomes in a cohort of hospitalized elderly patients affected by diabetes. METHODS: In this observational study, we retrospectively analyzed data collected from the REgistro dei pazienti per lo studio delle POlipatologie e politerapie in reparti della rete Simi (RePoSi) registry. Socio-demographic, clinical characteristics, and laboratory findings were considered. The association between variables and in-hospital and 1-year follow-up were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 4708 in-patients, 1378 (29.3%) had a diagnosis of diabetes. Patients with diabetes had more previous hospitalization, a clinically significant disability, and more need for a urinary catheter in comparison with subjects without diabetes. Patients affected by diabetes took more drugs, both at admission, at in-hospital stay, at discharge, and at 1-year follow-up. Thirty-five comorbidities were more frequent in patients with diabetes, and the first five were hypertension (57.1%), ischemic heart disease (31.4%), chronic renal failure (28.8%), atrial fibrillation (25.6%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (22.7%). Heart rate was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality. At 1-year follow-up, cancer and male sex were strongly independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed the severity of the impact of diabetes and its comorbidities in the real life of internal medicine and geriatric wards, and provide data to be used for a better tailored management of elderly in-patients with diabetes.

Kidney Disease Management in the Hospital Setting: A Focus on Inappropriate Drug Prescriptions in Older Patients.

Aging with multimorbidity and polytherapy are the most significant factors that could led to inappropriate prescribing of contraindicated medications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prescriptions of contraindicated drugs in older adults in CKD and to identify their associated factors in a hospital context. An observational retrospective study was carried out considering all patients ≥65 years with at least one serum creatinine value recorded into the REPOSI register into 2010-2016 period. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was applied to identify CKD. A descriptive analysis was performed to compare demographic and clinical characteristics; logistic regression models were used to estimate factors of inappropriate and percentage changes of drug use during hospitalization. A total of 4,713 hospitalized patients were recorded, of which 49.8% had an eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2; the 21.9% were in treatment with at least one inappropriate drug at the time of hospital admission with a decrease of 3.0% at discharge (p = 0.010). The probability of using at least one contraindicated drug was significantly higher in patients treated with more several drugs (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.16-1.25, p <0.001) and with CKD end-stages (G4: 16.90, 11.38-25.12, p < 0.001; G5: 19.38, 11.51-32.64, p < 0.001). Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid was the contraindicated drug mainly used at the time of admission, reducing 1.2% at discharge. An overall increase in therapeutic appropriateness in hospitalized older patients with CKD was observed, despite a small percentage of therapeutic inappropriateness at discharge that underlines the need for a closer collaboration with the pharmacologist to improve the drug management.

GDS score as screening tool to assess the risk of impact of chronic conditions and depression on quality of life in hospitalized elderly patients in internal medicine wards.

ABSTRACT: Aging of population is characterized by multiple chronic conditions in the same individual. Health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) reflects the multidimensional impact of chronic disease on population and it is increasingly analysed as outcomes.The aim of this study was the evaluation of the predictors of quality of life among elderly patients hospitalized in internal medicine ward, investigating the effect of comorbidities on health-related quality of life.Data collected in this cross-sectional study were analysed. Socio-demographic, clinical characteristics, disease distribution and quality of life by the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) were evaluated.Of 240 inpatients, subjects with Barthel Index (BI)≤40 were 23.7%, 55% had a Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)≥2. After categorizing mental component score (MCS) and physical component score (PCS) in five classes, we found that diabetics and patients with cancer were more frequent in the first class of MCS while patients with NYHA III-IV are significantly more frequent in the first class of PCS. When we classified patients according to GDS≥2 or < 2, subjects with GDS≥2 had BI and MCS significantly lower. In the multivariate analysis GDS score ≥2 was independently associated with first MCS class [16.32 (3.77-70.68)] while NYHA III-IV class and claudicatio intermittents were strong predictors of the worst PCS class [9.54 (1.97-47.40), 2.53 (1.16-5.49), respectively]. Liver disease was independently associated with GDS≥2 [5.26 (1.13-24.39)].Our study highlighted the impact of chronic diseases on health-related quality of life in elderly subjects hospitalized in an internal medicine ward pointing out the importance of taking into account patient's needs and perception and the setting up of a personalised health-care. Patients with diabetes and liver disease along with persons affected by cancer need psychological support to improve their quality of life. A GDS score ≥ 2 is a strong predictor of poor quality of life and should trigger an in-depth assessment of mental health in this kind of patients.

Tuberculosis among Migrant Populations in Sicily: A Field Report.

BACKGROUND: In the EU, tuberculosis (TB) mainly affects vulnerable people, including migrants. From 2014 to 2017, we have estimated the frequency of both tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among the migrant population hosted in 41 reception centers in western Sicily (ITaCA network). MATERIALS AND METHODS: All migrants were consecutively recruited for the screening of TB infection with physical examination and TST in 1,020 migrants and with IGRA in the others 2,690. The screening was carried out 4-8 weeks after landing in Sicily. For all migrants with a positive screening test, chest X-ray and smear examination were performed. LTBI was defined by positivity of TST or IGRA with negative X-ray chest, clinical, and smear examination. Active TB was defined by radiological and/or clinical and/or sputum positivity in a patient with a TST or IGRA positivity. RESULTS: We evaluated a total of 3,710 migrants, of which 89% came from Sub-Saharan countries; 2,811 were males, 899 were females, with a median age of 22 years (IQR: 18-25). TB infection was diagnosed in 501 persons (13.5%) of which 440 (11.8%) had LTBI and 61 had active TB (1.6%): 1 had lymph node TB, 1 had intestinal TB, and 59 had pulmonary TB (38 sputum smear positive TB; no drug-resistant TB were observed). CONCLUSIONS: TB screening is critical to early diagnosis and treatment.

Does Evidence Exist to Blunt Inflammatory Response by Nutraceutical Supplementation during COVID-19 Pandemic? An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Melatonin, and Zinc.

More than one year has passed since the first cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 coronavirus were reported in Wuhan (China), rapidly evolving into a global pandemic. This infectious disease has become a major public health challenge in the world. Unfortunately, to date, no specific antivirals have been proven to be effective against COVID-19, and although a few vaccines are available, the mortality rate is not decreasing but is still increasing. One therapeutic strategy has been focused on infection prevention and control measures. In this regard, the use of nutraceutical supports may play a role against some aspect of the infection, particularly the inflammatory state and the immune system function of patients, thus representing a strategy to control the worst outcomes of this pandemic. For this reason, we performed an overview including meta-analyses and systematic reviews to assess the association among melatonin, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc supplementation and inflammatory markers using three databases, namely, MEDLINE, PubMed Central and the Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews. According to the evidence available, an intake of 50,000 IU/month of vitamin D showed efficacy in CRP. An amount of 1 to 2 g per day of vitamin C demonstrated efficacy both in CRP and endothelial function, and a dosage of melatonin ranging from 5 to 25 mg /day showed good evidence of efficacy in CRP, TNF and IL6. A dose of 50 mg/day of elemental zinc supplementation showed positive results in CRP. Based on the data reported in this review, the public health system could consider whether it is possible to supplement the current limited preventive measures through targeted nutraceutical large-scale administration.

Hyperglycemia at admission, comorbidities, and in-hospital mortality in elderly patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards: data from the RePoSI Registry.

AIMS: The association between hyperglycemia at hospital admission and relevant short- and long-term outcomes in elderly population is known. We assessed the effects on mortality of hyperglycemia, disability, and multimorbidity at admission in internal medicine ward in patients aged ≥ 65 years. METHODS: Data were collected from an active register of 102 internal medicine and geriatric wards in Italy (RePoSi project). Patients were recruited during four index weeks of a year. Socio-demographic data, reason for hospitalization, diagnoses, treatment, severity and comorbidity indexes (Cumulative Illness rating Scale CIRS-SI and CIRS-CI), renal function, functional (Barthel Index), and cognitive status (Short Blessed Test) and mood disorders (Geriatric Depression Scale) were recorded. Mortality rates were assessed in hospital 3 and 12 months after discharge. RESULTS: Of the 4714 elderly patients hospitalized, 361 had a glycemia level ≥ 250 mg/dL at admission. Compared to subjects with lower glycemia level, patients with glycemia ≥ 250 mg/dL showed higher rates of male sex, smoke and class III obesity. These patients had a significantly lower Barthel Index (p = 0.0249), higher CIRS-SI and CIRS-CI scores (p = 0.0025 and p = 0.0013, respectively), and took more drugs. In-hospital mortality rate was 9.2% and 5.1% in subjects with glycemia ≥ 250 and < 250 mg/dL, respectively (p = 0.0010). Regression analysis showed a strong association between in-hospital death and glycemia ≥ 250 mg/dL (OR 2.07; [95% CI 1.34-3.19]), Barthel Index ≤ 40 (3.28[2.44-4.42]), CIRS-SI (1.87[1.27-2.77]), and male sex (1.54[1.16-2.03]). CONCLUSIONS: The stronger predictors of in-hospital mortality for older patients admitted in general wards were glycemia level ≥ 250 mg/dL, Barthel Index ≤ 40, CIRS-SI, and male sex.

Immunological Characteristics of Non-Intensive Care Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Preliminary Report.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is posing a threat to global health. This disease has different clinical manifestations and different outcomes. The immune response to the novel 2019 coronavirus is complex and involves both innate and adaptive immunity. In this context, cell-mediated immunity plays a vital role in effective immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Significant differences have been observed when comparing severe and non-severe patients. Since these immunological characteristics have not been fully elucidated, we aimed to use cluster analysis to investigate the immune cell patterns in patients with COVID-19 who required hospitalization but not intensive care. We identified four clusters of different immunological patterns, the worst being characterized by total lymphocytes, T helper lymphocytes CD4+ (CD4+), T cytotoxic lymphocytes CD8+ (CD8+) and natural killer (NK) cells below the normal range, together with natural killer lymphocyte granzyme < 50% (NK granzyme+) and antibody-secreting plasma cells (ASCs) equal to 0 with fatal outcomes. In the worst group, 50% of patients died in the intensive care unit. Moreover, a negative trend was found among four groups regarding total lymphocytes, CD4+, CD8+ and B lymphocytes (p < 0.001, p < 0.005, p < 0.000, p < 0.044, respectively). This detailed analysis of immune changes may have prognostic value. It may provide a new perspective for identifying subsets of COVID-19 patients and selecting novel prospective treatment strategies. Notwithstanding these results, this is a preliminary report with a small sample size, and our data may not be generalizable. Further cohort studies with larger samples are necessary to quantify the prognostic value's weight, according to immunological changes in COVID-19 patients, for predicting prognoses and realizing improvements in clinical conditions.