COVID-19 and Anxiety Sensitivity Across Two Studies in Argentina: Associations with COVID-19 Worry, Symptom Severity, Anxiety, and Functional Impairment.

BACKGROUND: The novel 2019 SARS2-Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a devastating physical health, mental health, and economic impact, causing millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths. While COVID-19 has impacted the entire world, COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted low-income countries, particularly in South America, causing not only increased mortality but also increased associated mental health complaints. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), reflecting fear of anxiety-related physical sensations, may be particularly important to understand COVID-19 mental health effects among Latinx individuals in South America (Argentina). Past work suggests that Latinx individuals report greater somatization of mental health symptoms, and AS has been specifically linked to greater mental health symptoms. Yet, to date, no work has examined AS as a vulnerability factor for the negative mental health effects of COVID-19. METHOD: Therefore, the current manuscript examined the association of AS with COVID-19 worry, functional impairment, anxiety, and symptom severity across two samples of adults in Argentina: a community sample (n = 105, M age = 38.58, SD = 14.07, 69.5% female) and a clinical sample comprised of individuals with an anxiety disorder (n = 99, M age = 34.99, SD = 10.83, 66.7% female). RESULTS: Results from the current study provide support for AS as a potential vulnerability factor for COVID-19-related mental health problems across both samples, and these effects were evident over and above the variance accounted for by age, sex, pre-existing medical conditions, and COVID-19 exposure. CONCLUSIONS: These data identify AS as a potential intervention target to reduce COVID-19 mental health burden among adults in Argentina.

A survey of patients lost to follow-up after inferior vena cava filter placement.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the demographics and subjective rationale for failure to present for retrieval of patients who had an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placed. METHODS: Between January 1, 2010, and September 12, 2017, there were 242 patients who had retrievable IVC filters placed. Demographics and indications for filter placement were retrospectively analyzed. All patients who failed to have the filter retrieved were contacted by Institutional Review Board-approved telephone survey to delineate the reason that the filter was not removed. RESULTS: Of 242 patients with IVC filters placed, 53 (22%) patients presented for filter retrieval at Abington-Jefferson Health. Patients who presented for filter retrieval were statistically younger (46 years vs 65 years; P < .001). The most common indication for filter placement in both groups was preoperative placement for bariatric surgery, but this percentage was higher in the group that presented for filter retrieval (70% [37/53] in the retrieved group vs 47% [88/189] in the nonretrieved group; P = .018). After telephone survey that reached 146 patients, it was determined that 46 (32%) patients who did not return for filter retrieval were told to keep the filter in place secondary to comorbidities, 28 (19%) did not remember being instructed to follow up for retrieval, and 18 (12%) did not want another procedure. Twenty-four patients were deceased at the time of telephone survey (16%). The remainder of the patients had the filter removed at an outside institution or gave another reason. CONCLUSIONS: Our study documented a disappointingly low rate of filter retrieval. Patients with IVC filters who failed to present for retrieval were more likely to be older and frequently did not understand the complications of leaving a filter in place and the need to have the filter retrieved. Patient education should be increased to better capture patients with IVC filters and to improve retrieval rates, but our study showed that a significant percentage of patients do not have filters retrieved because of comorbidities or they do not want another procedure.

Using electron microscopy and multivariate cluster analysis to determine diagnosis and prognosis in cases of neuroendocrine lung carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To establish reproducible electron microscopic criteria for identifying the four major types of neuroendocrine tumors of the lung: carcinoid; atypical carcinoid; large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma; and small cell carcinoma. METHODS: Measurements were made on electron micrographs using a digital image analyzer. Sixteen morphometric variables related to tumor cell differentiation were assessed in 27 tumors. The examination under electron microscopy revealed that all of the tumors could be classified as belonging to one of the four categories listed above. Cluster analysis of the morphometry variables was used to group the tumors into three clusters, and Kaplan-Meier survival function curves were employed in order to draw correlations between each cluster and survival. RESULTS: All three clusters of neuroendocrine carcinomas were found to be associated with survival curves, demonstrating the prognostic significance of electron microscopic features. The tumors fell into three well-defined clusters, which represent the spectrum of neuroendocrine differentiation: typical carcinoid (cluster 1); atypical carcinoid and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (cluster 2); and small cell carcinoma (cluster 3). Cluster 2 represents an intermediate step in neuroendocrine carcinogenesis, between typical carcinoid tumors and small cell carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm that electron microscopy is useful in making the diagnosis and prognosis in cases of lung tumor.

Diagnóstico e prognóstico dos tumores pulmonares neuroendócrinos mediante microscopia eletrônica e análise multivariavel de agrupamento / Using electron microscopy and multivariate cluster analysis to determine diagnosis and prognosis in cases of neuroendocrine lung carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To establish reproducible electron microscopic criteria for identifying the four major types of neuroendocrine tumors of the lung: carcinoid; atypical carcinoid; large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma; and small cell carcinoma. METHODS: Measurements were made on electron micrographs using a digital image analyzer. Sixteen morphometric variables related to tumor cell differentiation were assessed in 27 tumors. The examination under electron microscopy revealed that all of the tumors could be classified as belonging to one of the four categories listed above. Cluster analysis of the morphometry variables was used to group the tumors into three clusters, and Kaplan-Meier survival function curves were employed in order to draw correlations between each cluster and survival. RESULTS: All three clusters of neuroendocrine carcinomas were found to be associated with survival curves, demonstrating the prognostic significance of electron microscopic features. The tumors fell into three well-defined clusters, which represent the spectrum of neuroendocrine differentiation: typical carcinoid (cluster 1); atypical carcinoid and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (cluster 2); and small cell carcinoma (cluster 3). Cluster 2 represents an intermediate step in neuroendocrine carcinogenesis, between typical carcinoid tumors and small cell carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm that electron microscopy is useful in making the diagnosis and prognosis in cases of lung tumor.

OBJETIVO: Estabelecer, com ajuda do microscópio eletrônico, critérios que possibilitem uma diferenciação mais exata entre os quatro tipos maiores de tumores neuroendócrinos pulmonares: tumor carcinóide típico e atípico, carcinoma de grandes células neuroendócrino e carcinoma de pequenas células. MÉTODOS: Todos os tumores foram avaliados morfometricamente e 16 variáveis foram relacionadas com diferenciação das células tumorais; estas variáveis foram analisadas sob microscopia eletrônica com ajuda de um analisador de imagem digital em 27 tumores. A avaliação através da microscopia eletrônica revelou que todos os tumors investigados podiam ser classificados a um dos quarto tipos listados acima. A análise das variáveis morfométricas foi usada para agrupar os tumores em três grandes grupos, os quais foram relacionados à sobrevivência pelas curvas de Kaplan Meier. RESULTADOS: Os três grupos de carcinoma neuroendócrino associaram-se às curvas da sobrevivência, as quais mostraram características ultrastruturais na microscopia eletrônica de significância prognóstica distinta. Os tumores foram contidos em três grupos bem definidos, que representam o espectro da diferenciação neuroendócrina: tumor carcinóide (grupo 1); tumor carcinóide atípico e carcinoma de grandes células neuroendócrino (grupo 2); e carcinoma de pequenas células (grupo 3). O grupo 2 representa um espectro intermediário na carcinogênese neuroendócrina, entre o carcinóide típico e o carcinoma de pequenas células. CONCLUSÕES: Nossos achados confirmam que a microscopia eletrônica é uma ferramenta útil no diagnóstico e prognóstico dos casos de tumores pulmonares.