Prognostic Assessment of Stress-Related Factors in Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic is an extraordinary challenge for all countries and affects the psychological wellbeing of healthcare professionals working with people suffering from COVID-19 and puts them at a high risk of mental health problems. The aim of the study was to identify stress-related factors that affect the mental health of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 1098 Ukrainian healthcare workers were surveyed using an online questionnaire consisting of questions relating to a) socio-demographic characteristics; b) perceptions of the COVID-19 related situation; and c) stress and protective factors. Respondents were divided into two groups, depending on whether they provided care to the patients with COVID-19 or not. RESULTS: Of the 1087 healthcare workers, 863 (79.4%) were found to have anxiety / fear caused by the COVID-19. No significant difference was detected between professionals who did and did not provide personal assistance to patients with COVID-19 concerning anxiety / fear related to COVID-19 (p=0.0776). Based on logistic regression model (χ2(6)=263.70, p=0.000) the most significant predictive factors for anxiety / fear caused by the COVID-19 were factors related to safety and risk perception (the risk of getting infected, dying, infecting loved ones, perception of the threat of the epidemic spread), information factors (constant news about COVID-19), as well as factors related to the organisation of care (lack of staff in health care facilities). CONCLUSIONS: Negative risk perception, high consumption of COVID-19 news, and shortage of staff in health care facilities were significant predictors of anxiety / fear caused by the COVID-19.

EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN UKRAINE.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To study the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers in Ukraine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: 1087 healthcare workers across all regions of Ukraine completed an online questionnaire. Respondents were divided into two groups: A - 863 (79.4%), В - 224 (20.6%), according to whether or not they experienced anxiety/fear related to COVID-19. RESULTS: Results: Such factors as risk of contracting COVID-19, news of new cases, insufficient staff in healthcare facilities, risk of transmission of COVID-19 to family or friends, risk of death from COVID-19, the threat of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with high level of anxiety/fear among healthcare workers. Factors that facilitate coping with stress included absence of Covid-19 cases among staff, recovering patients, availability of gear and protective equipment and absence of COVID-19 infected among loved ones, relieving stress (relaxation, going info sports and so on), communication with family and friends to relieve stress and get support, avoidance of COVID-19 media reports in particular on deaths connected cases, getting information about the spread of Covid-19 only from legitimate sources. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The data obtained in this study indicate an urgent need for the development and implementation of preventive and rehabilitation measures aimed at stabilizing the psycho-emotional state of health workers and improving the quality of care in the special conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Achieving these goals will be facilitated by taking into account the specifics of the response to COVID-19 and measures to reduce the effects of stress while enhancing the effects of stressors among health care workers.

Inherited Retinal Diseases Due to RPE65 Variants: From Genetic Diagnostic Management to Therapy.

Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a heterogeneous group of conditions that include retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) and early-onset severe retinal dystrophy (EO[S]RD), which differ in severity and age of onset. IRDs are caused by mutations in >250 genes. Variants in the RPE65 gene account for 0.6-6% of RP and 3-16% of LCA/EORD cases. Voretigene neparvovec is a gene therapy approved for the treatment of patients with an autosomal recessive retinal dystrophy due to confirmed biallelic RPE65 variants (RPE65-IRDs). Therefore, the accurate molecular diagnosis of RPE65-IRDs is crucial to identify 'actionable' genotypes-i.e., genotypes that may benefit from the treatment-and is an integral part of patient management. To date, hundreds of RPE65 variants have been identified, some of which are classified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic, while the significance of others is yet to be established. In this review, we provide an overview of the genetic diagnostic workup needed to select patients that could be eligible for voretigene neparvovec treatment. Careful clinical characterization of patients by multidisciplinary teams of experts, combined with the availability of next-generation sequencing approaches, can accelerate patients' access to available therapeutic options.

Water-soluble quercetin modulates the choleresis and bile lipid ratio in rats.

Water-soluble analogue of quercetin, corvitin is used in patients with myocardial infarction as blocker of 5-lipoxygenase. However, its effects on secretion, lipid content and physico-chemical properties of bile have not been understood yet. We investigated the effect of corvitin, applied in different doses, on the level of bile flow, the content of bile free and esterified cholesterol, phospholipids, triacylglycerols, and free fatty acids. In order to determine stability of the bile colloidal system, we examined the relationship between different lipid components. The rats were injected intraportally with a bolus of corvitin. At doses of 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg, the latter increased bile flow and concentration of total cholates, as well as free fatty acids. Corvitin (5 mg/kg) elevated phospholipids and cholesterol content, but at a dose of 10 mg/kg it increased the concentration of bile cholesterol esters and triacylglycerols. Corvitin applied at doses of 2.5 and 10 mg/kg increased total cholates/cholesterol ratio, but at a dose of 10 mg/kg, the drug reduced cholesterol / esterified cholesterol ratio. The results suggest that corvitin exerts choleretic effect and improves stability of bile colloidal system.