Percepción de riesgo de la COVID-19 en gestantes ante la nueva normalidad

La pandemia derivada de la enfermedad por coronavirus 2019, está caracterizada por una elevada propagación en la población y la no percepción del riesgo es una amenaza que se enfrenta en la gestión de esta pandemia. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal en 320 gestantes que acudieron a la consulta de ultrasonido en el Policlínico Carlos J. Finlay de Santiago de Cuba con el objetivo de realizar un diagnóstico de la percepción que tienen las gestantes sobre la COVID 19 ante la nueva normalidad. Se utilizaron variables cualitativas que evaluaron la percepción de riesgo sobre la COVID 19. Para la obtención de la información se les aplicó una encuesta. A pesar de que el 93,1 % de las encuestadas consideran la COVID 19 como una enfermedad grave, un porciento considerable saludaría a las personas con besos y abrazos, dudaría en ingresar si fuese contacto de un paciente sospechoso y confirmado, no consideraría necesario las acciones de control al viajero, realizarían fiestas familiares, no se preocuparían ante cualquier síntoma si no han tenido contacto con casos sospechosos y confirmados, consideran que la COVID no tiene consecuencias para todos, solo para los pacientes vulnerables y lo más alarmante que el 71,5 % no sienten temor a contagiarse porque las gestantes no son vulnerables. La percepción real del riesgo para la salud aún es mínima, y las gestantes no concientizan que constituyen un grupo vulnerable para esta enfermedad.

The pandemic derived from coronavirus disease 2019 is characterized by a high spread in the population and the non-perception of risk is a threat faced in the management of this pandemic. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 320 pregnant women who attended the ultrasound consultation at the Carlos J. Finlay Polyclinic in Santiago de Cuba with the aim of making a diagnosis of the perception that pregnant women have about COVID 19 in the face of the new normality. Qualitative variables were used to evaluate the perception of risk on COVID 19. To obtain the information, a survey was applied. Despite the fact that 93.1% of those surveyed consider COVID 19 to be a serious illness, a considerable percentage would greet people with kisses and hugs, would hesitate to enter if they were the contact of a suspected and confirmed patient, would not consider necessary the traveler control actions, they would hold family parties, they would not worry about any symptoms if they have not had contact with suspected and confirmed cases, they consider that COVID does not have consequences for everyone, only for vulnerable patients and the most alarming thing is that 71, 5% are not afraid of getting infected because pregnant women are not vulnerable. The real perception of health risk is still minimal, and pregnant women are not aware that they constitute a vulnerable group for this disease.

A pandemia derivada da doença do coronavírus 2019, caracteriza-se por uma elevada propagação na população e a não perceção de risco é uma ameaça enfrentada na gestão desta pandemia. Foi realizado um estudo transversal descritivo em 320 gestantes que compareceram à consulta de ultrassom na Policlínica Carlos J. Finlay, em Santiago de Cuba, com o objetivo de fazer um diagnóstico da percepção que as gestantes têm sobre a COVID 19 diante da nova normalidade. Variáveis qualitativas foram utilizadas para avaliar a percepção de risco sobre a COVID 19. Para a obtenção das informações, aplicou-se um levantamento. Apesar de 93,1% dos entrevistados considerarem a COVID 19 como uma doença grave, uma porcentagem considerável cumprimentaria as pessoas com beijos e abraços, hesitaria em entrar se fosse um contato de um paciente suspeito e confirmado, não consideraria necessário controlar o viajante, realizaria festas familiares, não se preocuparia com nenhum sintoma se não tivesse tido contato com casos suspeitos e confirmados, consideram que a COVID não tem consequências para todos, apenas para os doentes vulneráveis e o mais alarmante é que 71,5% não têm medo de se infectarem porque as grávidas não são vulneráveis. A percepção real do risco à saúde ainda é mínima, e as gestantes não percebem que constituem um grupo vulnerável para essa doença.

Factores de riesgo cardiovascular asociados a la mortalidad de adultos mayores con COVID-19 / Cardiovascular risk factors associated with the mortality of elderly with COVID-19

Introducción: La COVID-19 ha afectado de manera desproporcionada a los adultos mayores, quienes tienen una evolución más desfavorable. Objetivo: Analizar los factores de riesgo cardiovascular asociados con la mortalidad de adultos mayores con COVID-19. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio analítico, de tipo caso-control, de 25 adultos mayores pertenecientes al Policlínico Docente Ramón López Peña de Santiago de Cuba, fallecidos por COVID 19 entre enero de 2020 e igual mes de 2022 (casos) y de 50 que no fallecieron (controles). Se determinó la razón de productos cruzados, el intervalo de confianza y el riesgo atribuible en expuesto porcentual. Resultados: La edad fue el marcador de riesgo de mayor asociación y la hipertensión arterial resultó ser la enfermedad asociada de mayor relevancia, para una razón de productos cruzados de 6,0 y 10,1, respectivamente. Conclusiones: Los hallazgos demostraron que deben identificarse los pacientes de edad avanzada, hipertensos, fumadores, obesos y con deterioro cognitivo, así como utilizar un enfoque preventivo que permita el diagnóstico y tratamiento tempranos, para evitar así desenlaces fatales por COVID- 19.

Introduction: The COVID-19 has affected in a disproportionate way the elderly who have a more unfavorable clinical course. Objective: To analyze the cardiovascular risk factors associated with the mortality of elderly with COVID-19. Methods: An analytic, case-control type study, of 25 elderly belonging to the Ramón López Peña Teaching Polyclinic was carried out in Santiago de Cuba, they died due to COVID 19 between January, 2020 and the same month in 2022 (cases) and 50 that didn't die (controls). The ratio of crossed products, confidence interval and attributable risk in exposed percentage were determined. Results: The age was the risk marker of more association and hypertension was the associated disease of more relevance, for a ratio of crossed products 6.0 and 10.1, respectively. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that the patients of advanced age, hypertense, smokers, obese and with cognitive deterioration should be identified, as well as to use a preventive approach that allows the early diagnosis and treatment, to avoid this way fatal outcomes due to COVID-19.

GPR84 sustains aberrant ß-catenin signaling in leukemic stem cells for maintenance of MLL leukemogenesis.

ß-catenin is required for establishment of leukemic stem cells (LSCs) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Targeted inhibition of ß-catenin signaling has been hampered by the lack of pathway components amenable to pharmacologic manipulation. Here we identified a novel ß-catenin regulator, GPR84, a member of the G protein-coupled receptor family that represents a highly tractable class of drug targets. High GPR84 expression levels were confirmed in human and mouse AML LSCs compared with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Suppression of GPR84 significantly inhibited cell growth by inducing G1-phase cell-cycle arrest in pre-LSCs, reduced LSC frequency, and impaired reconstitution of stem cell-derived mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) AML, which represents an aggressive and drug-resistant subtype of AML. The GPR84-deficient phenotype in established AML could be rescued by expression of constitutively active ß-catenin. Furthermore, GPR84 conferred a growth advantage to Hoxa9/Meis1a-transduced stem cells. Microarray analysis demonstrated that GPR84 significantly upregulated a small set of MLL-fusion targets and ß-catenin coeffectors, and downregulated a hematopoietic cell-cycle inhibitor. Altogether, our data reveal a previously unrecognized role of GPR84 in maintaining fully developed AML by sustaining aberrant ß-catenin signaling in LSCs, and suggest that targeting the oncogenic GPR84/ß-catenin signaling axis may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for AML.

Effects of PRE and POST therapy drug-pressure selected mutations on HIV-1 protease conformational sampling.

Conformational sampling of pre- and post-therapy subtype B HIV-1 protease sequences derived from a pediatric subject infected via maternal transmission with HIV-1 were characterized by double electron-electron resonance spectroscopy. The conformational ensemble of the PRE construct resembles native-like inhibitor bound states. In contrast, the POST construct, which contains accumulated drug-pressure selected mutations, has a predominantly semi-open conformational ensemble, with increased populations of open-like states. The single point mutant L63P, which is contained in PRE and POST, has decreased dynamics, particularly in the flap region, and also displays a closed-like conformation of inhibitor-bound states. These findings support our hypothesis that secondary mutations accumulate in HIV-1 protease to shift conformational sampling to stabilize open-like conformations, while maintaining the predominant semi-open conformation for activity.