Psychiatric disorders during pregnancy in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 positive women: Prevalence and effect on outcome.

The effect of psychiatric comorbidity on pregnancy outcome among SARS-CoV-2 positive women with asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic infections remains largely unknown. We reviewed the electronic medical records of all pregnant women who received care at Mayo Health System and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (RT-PCR) from March 2020 through October 2021. Among 789 patients, 34.2% (n = 270) had psychiatric comorbidity. Of those with psychiatric comrobidity, 62.2% (n = 168) had depression prior to pregnancy, and 5.2% (n = 14) reported new-onset depression during pregnancy. Before pregnancy, 65.6% (n = 177) had anxiety, and 4.4% (n = 12) developed anxiety during pregnancy Thirteen percent of SARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women (n = 108) received psychotropic medication during pregnancy. In addition, 6.7% (n = 18) and 10.7% (n = 29) of pregnant women with psychiatric comorbidity had documented nicotine, cannabis and/ or illicit substance use during and prior to pregnancy, respectively. We depicted a significantly higher risk for cesarean delivery [35.6% vs. 24.9%) in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women with psychiatric comorbidity. In conclusion, the prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, and prescribed antidepressant medications during pregnancy among asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infected women were substantially higher than average, which negatively impacted pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.

Dynamics of disease characteristics and viral RNA decay in patients with asymptomatic and mild infections during the Omicron wave in Shanghai, China: A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Asymptomatic infections and mild diseases were more common during the Omicron outbreak in Shanghai, China in 2022. This study aimed to assess the characteristics and viral RNA decay between patients with asymptomatic and mild infections. METHODS: A total of 55,111 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 who were quarantined in the National Exhibition & Convention Center (Shanghai) Fangcang shelter hospital within 3 days after diagnosis from April 9 to May 23, 2022 were enrolled. The kinetics of cycle threshold (Ct) values of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were assessed. The influencing factors for disease progression and the risk factors for the viral RNA shedding time (VST) were investigated. RESULTS: On admission, 79.6% (43,852/55,111) of the cases were diagnosed with asymptomatic infections, and 20.4% were mild diseases. However, 78.0% of initially asymptomatic subjects developed mild diseases at the follow-up. The final proportion of asymptomatic infections was 17.5%. The median time of symptom onset, the duration of symptoms, and the VST were 2 days, 5 days, and 7 days, respectively. Female, age 19-40 years, underlying comorbidities with hypertension and diabetes, and vaccination were associated with higher risks of progressing to mildly symptomatic infections. In addition, mildly symptomatic infections were found to be associated with prolonged VST compared with asymptomatic infections. However, the kinetics of viral RNA decay and dynamics of Ct values were similar among asymptomatic subjects, patients with asymptomatic-to-mild infection, and patients with mild infection. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of initially diagnosed asymptomatic Omicron infections is in the presymptomatic stage. The Omicron infection has a much shorter incubation period and VST than previous variants. The infectivity of asymptomatic infections and mildly symptomatic infections with Omicron is similar.

CD25 as a unique marker on human basophils in stable-mildly symptomatic allergic asthma.

Background: Basophils in acute asthma exacerbation are activated as evidenced by their increased expression levels of activation markers such as CD203c and CD63. However, whether basophils of allergic asthmatics who are in stable phase and have no asthma exacerbations display a specific and distinctive phenotype from those of healthy individuals has yet to be well characterized. Objective: We aimed to identify the phenotype of basophils from allergic asthmatics in the stable phase and investigate whether such a phenotype is affected by ex vivo allergen stimulation. Methods: We determined by flow cytometry, the expression of surface proteins such as CD25, CD32, CD63, CD69, CD203c, and CD300a and intracellular anti-apoptotic proteins BCL-2, BCL-xL, and MCL-1. We investigated these markers in blood basophils obtained from well-characterized patients with stable-mildly symptomatic form of allergic asthma with no asthma exacerbation and from healthy individuals. Moreover, we determined ex vivo CD63, CD69, and CD25 on blood basophils from stable-mildly symptomatic allergic asthmatics upon allergen stimulation. Results: In contrast to all tested markers, CD25 was significantly increased on circulating basophils in the patient cohort with stable-mildly symptomatic allergic asthma than in healthy controls. The expression levels of CD25 on blood basophils showed a tendency to positively correlate with FeNO levels. Notably, CD25 expression was not affected by ex vivo allergen stimulation of blood basophils from stable-mildly symptomatic allergic asthma patients. Conclusion: Our data identifies CD25 as a unique marker on blood basophils of the stable phase of allergic asthma but not of asthma exacerbation as mimicked by ex vivo allergen stimulation.

Results of Testing Children for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Through a Community-based Testing Site.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographics, clinical features, and test results of children referred from their primary provider for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the community setting. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study of children ≤22 years of age who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 at a community-based specimen collection site in Washington, DC, affiliated with a large children's hospital between March 21 and May 16, 2020. RESULTS: Of the 1445 patients tested at the specimen collection site for SARS-CoV-2 virus, 408 (28.2%) had a positive polymerase chain reaction test. The daily positivity rate increased over the study period, from 5.4% during the first week to a peak of 47.4% (Ptrend < .001). Patients with fever (aOR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.3-2.3) or cough (aOR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.9) and those with known contact with someone with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (aOR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0-2.4.) were more likely have a positive test, but these features were not highly discriminating. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of mildly symptomatic or well children and adolescents referred to a community drive-through/walk-up SARS-CoV-2 testing site because of risk of exposure or clinical illness, 1 in 4 patients had a positive test. Children and young adults represent a considerable burden of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Assessment of their role in transmission is essential to implementing appropriate control measures.

Role of Non-Perfusion Factors in Mildly Symptomatic Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke.

INTRODUCTION: Uncertainty regarding reperfusion of mildly-symptomatic (minor) large vessel occlusion (LVO)-strokes exists. Recently, benefits from reperfusion were suggested. However, there is still no strong data to support this. Furthermore, a proportion of those patients don't improve even after non-hemorrhagic reperfusion. Our study evaluated whether or not non-perfusion factors account for such persistent deconditioning. METHODS: Patients with identified minor LVO-strokes (NIHSS ≤ 8) from our stroke alert registry between January-2016 and May-2018 were included. Variables/ predictors of outcome were tested using univariate/multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses. Three month-modified ranking scale (mRS) was used to differentiate between favorable (mRS = 0-2) and unfavorable outcomes (mRS = 3-6). RESULTS: Eighty-one patients were included. Significant differences between the two outcome groups regarding admission-NIHSS and discharge-NIHSS existed (OR = 0.47, 0.49 / p = 0.0005, <0.0001 respectively).The two groups had matching perfusion measures. In the poor outcome group, discharge-NIHSS was unchanged from the admission-NIHSS while in the good outcome group, discharge-NIHSS significantly improved. CONCLUSION: Admission and discharge NIHSS are independent predictors of outcome in patients with minor-LVO strokes. Unchanged discharge-NIHSS predicts worse outcomes while improved discharge-NIHSS predicts good outcomes. Unchanged NIHSS in the poor outcome group was independent of the perfusion parameters. In literature, complement activation and pro-inflammatory responses to ischemia might account for the progression of stroke symptoms in major-strokes. Our study concludes similar phenomena might be present in minor-strokes. Therefore, discharge-NIHSS may be useful as a clinical marker for future therapies.

Mildly symptomatic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: diagnostic and therapeutic considerations.

AIMS: Whereas up to about half of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) report no or only mild symptoms and are considered as clinically stable, the progressive nature of HFrEF, often silent, renders clinical stability a misleading situation, especially if disease progression is unrecognized. We highlight the challenges in the definition of clinical stability and mild symptomatic status in HFrEF, outline clinical characteristics and available diagnostic tools, and discuss evidence and gaps in the current guidelines for the management of these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a state-of-the-art review that focuses on clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects in mildly symptomatic HFrEF patients; summarizes the challenges; and proposes directions for future research in this group of patients. The New York Heart Association classification has been widely used as a measure of prognosis in HFrEF, but it lacks objectivity and reproducibility in terms of symptoms assessment. The definition of clinical stability as described in current guidelines is vague and may often lead to underdiagnosis of disease progression in patients who appear to be 'stable' but in fact are at an increased risk of clinical worsening, hospitalization, or death. Although an increasing number of clinical trials proved that the efficacy of HFrEF therapies was unrelated to the symptomatic status of patients and led to their implementation early in the course of the disease, clinical inertia in terms of under-prescription or underdosing of guideline-recommended medications in mildly symptomatic HFrEF patients is still a challenging issue to deal with. CONCLUSIONS: Mildly symptomatic status in a patient with HFrEF is very frequent; it should not be ignored and should not be regarded as an index of disease stability. The application of risk scores designed to predict mortality and mode of death should be engaged among mildly symptomatic patients, not only to identify the most suitable HF candidates for cardioverter defibrillator implantation, but also to identify patients who might benefit from early intensification of medical treatment before the implementation of more interventional approaches.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with mild heart failure is a reversal therapy.

This systematic review with meta-analysis sought to determine the efficacy, safety of implantation of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in mild heart failure (HF). Medline, Embase, Elsevier, and Sciences online database as well as Google scholar literature were used for selecting appropriate studies with randomized controlled design. The literature search of all major databases retrieved 2035 studies. After screening, a total of 10 trials were identified that reported outcomes of interest. Pooled analysis was performed on left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (P<0.001), LV end-diastolic volume (P<0.001), LV end-systolic volume (P<0.001), LV end-diastolic diameter (P<0.001), LV end-systolic diameter (P<0.001), incidence of progression of heart failure (P<0.001), mortality (P=0.06), infection (P=0.1), and pneumothorax (P=0.08). Overall, implantation of CRT in patients with asymptomatic and mild HF resulted in improved cardiac function, decreased progression of HF, trend to decrease of mortality in short to long-term follow-up.

A Pilot Placebo Controlled Randomized Trial of Dexamethasone for Chronic Subdural Hematoma.

BACKGROUND: Current opinions regarding the use of dexamethasone in the treatment of chronic subdural hematomas (CSDH) are only based on observational studies. Moreover, the use of corticosteroids in asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic patient with this condition remains controversial. Here, we present data from a prospective randomized pilot study of CSDH patients treated with dexamethasone or placebo. METHODS: Twenty patients with imaging-confirmed CSDH were recruited from a single center and randomized to receive dexamethasone (12 mg/day for 3 weeks followed by tapering) or placebo as a conservative treatment. Patients were followed for 6 months and the rate of success of conservative treatment with dexamethasone versus placebo was measured. Parameters such as hematoma thickness and clinical changes were also compared before and after treatment with chi-square tests. Adverse events and complications were documented. RESULTS: During the 6-month follow-up, one of ten patients treated with corticosteroids had to undergo surgical drainage and three of ten patients were treated surgically after placebo treatment. At the end of the study, all remaining patients had complete radiological resolution. No significant differences were observed in terms of hematoma thickness profile and impression of change; however, patients experienced more severe side effects when treated with steroids as compared with placebo. Dexamethasone contributed to many serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Given the small sample size, these preliminary results have not shown a clear beneficial effect of dexamethasone against placebo in our patients. However, the number of secondary effects reported was much greater for corticosteroids, and dexamethasone treatment was responsible for significant complications.

A longitudinal study of cognition in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic bipolar disorder patients.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by cognitive deficits that impair patients' functioning and quality of life. Most of the earlier studies assessing changes in BD patients' cognitive functioning over time utilized a cross-sectional research design. The few longitudinal studies that were conducted tended to have methodological limitations such as very short follow-up periods, recruitment of acutely ill patients, and lack of assessment of practice effects. The current study aimed to assess changes over time in the cognitive functioning of typical BD outpatients. For this purpose, asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic BD outpatients were assessed at baseline and after two years (n=31). At baseline, the cognitive functioning of the BD patients was compared to that of gender- and age-matched healthy controls. Practice effects were estimated by re-assessing the controls one week after their first assessment. Compared to the controls, BD patients had deficits in psychomotor speed, sustained attention, and one domain of executive functioning (cognitive planning). No evidence was found of a decline in their cognitive functioning over the two year time interval. These findings support a developmental model of cognitive impairment in BD. Studies using longer follow-up periods and larger sample sizes, however, are needed before these conclusions can be stated confidently.