The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the geriatric inpatient unit.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the effects of the pandemic on the inpatients in the geriatric unit by comparing the demographic and clinical characteristics, reasons for hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality of the patients before and during the pandemic. METHODS: The population of this retrospective, cross-sectional study consisted of inpatients in the geriatric unit for two years (11 March 2019-10 March 2021). The patients were separated into two groups according to the hospitalization time as pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 period. Hospitalization types, reasons for hospitalization, length of stay, demographic data, chronic diseases, drugs, developed morbidities, discharge, and 1-year mortality status of the patients were recorded. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty patients were included in our study. The mean age was 80.4 ± 8.02. It was observed that the number of hospitalized patients decreased by ∼50% in the COVID-19 period. However, there was a significant decrease in hospitalization due to the control of chronic diseases during the COVID-19 period (p = .008). The number of inpatients from the emergency department was found to be higher during the COVID-19 period (p < .001). Regarding the presence of geriatric syndromes, polypharmacy (p = .011) and delirium (p = .035) were found to be significantly less in the pre-COVID-19 period. The percentage of malnutrition was also detected as lower, but it was not statistically significant. In terms of 1-year mortality, although not statistically significant, the all-cause mortality rate was higher during the COVID-19 period (p = .08). CONCLUSIONS: Pandemic has greatly affected the geriatric unit. The prognosis of the patients has worsened and mortality rates have increased. Physiological and psychological deterioration caused by quarantine measures, worsening chronic diseases, and immunosenescence affected the prognosis of geriatric patients. This adds to the previous literature by proving the fact that older individuals are the most vulnerable group in the pandemic.

Serum defensin levels in patients with systemic sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of skin and lung as well as involvement of kidney, gastrointestinal system and heart. Aetiology and exact mechanism of disease is poorly understood. The association between antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and other diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, diffuse panbronchiolitis, pulmoner alveolar proteinosis and psoriasis have been reported. A small number of studies have examined the role of AMPs on autoimmune diseases which has not been studied in scleroderma yet. We aimed to investigate AMP serum levels and their association with disease characteristics of SSc. METHODS: Forty-two patients (40 female, mean age 42 years) and 38 healthy subjects (32 female, mean age 38 years) were enrolled. For SSc patients, the following data were recorded: disease subset (limited/diffuse), autoantibodies (antinuclear, anti-centromere (ACA), and anti-SCL-70), blood tests, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP), modified Rodnan skin score, presence and history of digital ulcers, kidney, gastrointestinal disease and lung involvement assessed by computed tomography and pulmonary function tests. Association between serum AMPs and disease characteristics were analysed. RESULTS: Twenty-nine of the patients had diffuse (69%) and 13 of the patients had limited (31%) systemic sclerosis. Average disease duration was 5.5 years. Pulmonary involvement was detected in 20 patients (47.6%). Serum concentration of alpha defensin was higher than healthy subjects (563 ± 415 vs 377 ± 269 ng/mL, p = 0.02). However, no difference was observed for beta-1 and beta-2 defensins in SSc patients and healthy controls. In sub-group analysis patients with interstitial lung disease had higher levels of alpha defensin than those without lung involvement (684 ± 473 vs 430 ± 299 ng/ml, p = 0.04). There was also correlation between alfa defensin serum concentrations and CRP (r = 0.34). CONCLUSIONS: Alpha defensin levels are increased in scleroderma patients and correlated with lung involvement indicating a role in the pathogenesis of disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is not a clinical trial study.

Serum defensin levels in patients with systemic sclerosis

Abstract Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of skin and lung as well as involvement of kidney, gastrointestinal system and heart. Aetiology and exact mechanism of disease is poorly understood. The association between antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and other diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, diffuse panbronchiolitis, pulmoner alveolar proteinosis and psoriasis have been reported. A small number of studies have examined the role of AMPs on autoimmune diseases which has not been studied in scleroderma yet. We aimed to investigate AMP serum levels and their association with disease characteristics of SSc. Methods: Forty-two patients (40 female, mean age 42 years) and 38 healthy subjects (32 female, mean age 38 years) were enrolled. For SSc patients, the following data were recorded: disease subset (limited/diffuse), autoantibodies (antinuclear, anti-centromere (ACA), and anti-SCL-70), blood tests, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP), modified Rodnan skin score, presence and history of digital ulcers, kidney, gastrointestinal disease and lung involvement assessed by computed tomography and pulmonary function tests. Association between serum AMPs and disease characteristics were analysed. Results: Twenty-nine of the patients had diffuse (69%) and 13 of the patients had limited (31%) systemic sclerosis. Average disease duration was 5.5 years. Pulmonary involvement was detected in 20 patients (47.6%). Serum concentration of alpha defensin was higher than healthy subjects (563 ± 415 vs 377 ± 269 ng/mL, p = 0.02). However, no difference was observed for beta-1 and beta-2 defensins in SSc patients and healthy controls. In sub-group analysis patients with interstitial lung disease had higher levels of alpha defensin than those without lung involvement (684 ± 473 vs 430 ± 299 ng/ml, p = 0.04). There was also correlation between alfa defensin serum concentrations and CRP (r = 0.34). Conclusions: Alpha defensin levels are increased in scleroderma patients and correlated with lung involvement indicating a role in the pathogenesis of disease. Trial registration: This study is not a clinical trial study.(AU)