University Pharmacy: from the foundation to the Pandemic times of Covid-19

Abstract The University Pharmacy Program (FU), from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), was created based on the need to offer a curricular internship to students of the Undergraduate Course at the Faculty of Pharmacy. Currently, it is responsible for the care of about 200 patients/day, offering vacancies for curricular internships for students in the Pharmacy course, it has become a reference in the manipulation of many drugs neglected by the pharmaceutical industry and provides access to medicines for low-income users playing an important social function. Research is one of the pillars of FU-UFRJ and several master and doctoral students use the FU research laboratory in the development of dissertations and theses. As of 2002, the Pharmaceutical Care extension projects started to guarantee a rational and safe pharmacotherapy for the medicine users. From its beginning in 1982 until the current quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FU-UFRJ has been adapting to the new reality and continued to provide patient care services, maintaining its teaching, research, and extension activities. The FU plays a relevant social role in guaranteeing the low-income population access to special and neglected medicines, and to pharmaceutical and education services in health promotion.

Autoantibodies targeting GPCRs and RAS-related molecules associate with COVID-19 severity.

COVID-19 shares the feature of autoantibody production with systemic autoimmune diseases. In order to understand the role of these immune globulins in the pathogenesis of the disease, it is important to explore the autoantibody spectra. Here we show, by a cross-sectional study of 246 individuals, that autoantibodies targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) and RAS-related molecules associate with the clinical severity of COVID-19. Patients with moderate and severe disease are characterized by higher autoantibody levels than healthy controls and those with mild COVID-19 disease. Among the anti-GPCR autoantibodies, machine learning classification identifies the chemokine receptor CXCR3 and the RAS-related molecule AGTR1 as targets for antibodies with the strongest association to disease severity. Besides antibody levels, autoantibody network signatures are also changing in patients with intermediate or high disease severity. Although our current and previous studies identify anti-GPCR antibodies as natural components of human biology, their production is deregulated in COVID-19 and their level and pattern alterations might predict COVID-19 disease severity.

Hematologic parameters and biomarkers predictors of severity in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children associated with SARS-CoV-2. / Parámetros hematológicos y biomarcadores predictores de gravedad en Síndrome Inflamatorio Pediátrico Multisistémico asociado a SARS-CoV-2.

INTRODUCTION: The multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children associated with SARS-CoV-2 (MIS-C) is cha racterized by a hyperinflammatory state resulting from a cytokine storm, evidenced by alterations in laboratory blood testing and acute-phase proteins. OBJECTIVE: to describe the clinical and labora tory characteristics of patients hospitalized due to MIS-C and identify predictive markers of severity. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Retrospective study of 32 patients. The group was divided into critical and non-critical according to clinical presentation and therapy used. Clinical and laboratory aspects were studied, including complete blood count, coagulation tests, and biomarkers. RESULTS: 18/32 were males, with a median age of 6.8 years. The most frequent manifestations were cardiovascular (84.3%), digestive (84%), and mucocutaneous (59%). The group of critical patients included 15 patients, 12 were males with a median age of 8.9 years, and the non-critical group included 17 patients, 6 were males with a median age of 5.4 years. The laboratory parameters at the admission in the global group showed increased C-reactive protein, D-dimer, leukocytes, neutrophils, ferritin, and fibrinogen. In contrast, albumin and blood sodium levels were decreased. At admission, the critical group was cha racterized by presenting thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, prolonged prothrombin time, and elevated ferritin. At the time of deterioration, there was an intensification of thrombocytopenia, in creased C-reactive protein together with increased neutrophils level. CONCLUSION: The blood count, C-reactive protein, and albuminemia at admission proved to be significantly important in the identi fication of patients at risk of clinical deterioration.

Diagnósticos/resultados e intervenções de enfermagem para pacientes com COVID-19: estudo documental retrospectivo / Nursing diagnoses/outcomes and interventions for patients with COVID-19: a retrospective documentary study / Diagnósticos/resultados e intervenciones de enfermería para pacientes con COVID-19: estudio documental retrospectivo

OBJETIVO: Construir Diagnósticos/Resultados e Intervenções de Enfermagem utilizando a Classificação Internacional para a Prática de Enfermagem em pacientes com infecção por coronavírus. MÉTODO: Estudo exploratório, descritivo, do tipo documental retrospectivo, desenvolvido em unidades de pronto atendimento do município de João Pessoa -Paraíba. A amostra foi composta por 187 prontuários e a coleta de dados foi realizada entre junho e agosto de 2020. A análise dos dados ocorreu por meio de estatística descritiva, média, amplitude e desvio padrão. RESULTADO: Foram identificados 12 Diagnósticos/Resultados de Enfermagem (Dispneia, Febre, Tosse, Dor Muscular, Dor na cabeça, Diarreia, Olfato prejudicado, Paladar prejudicado, Falta de apetite, Deglutição, prejudicada, Dor notórax e Vômito) e 36 Intervenções de Enfermagem direcionadas aos pacientes acometidos por coronavírus. CONCLUSÃO: A identificação de Diagnósticos/Resultados e Intervenções de Enfermagem se faz indispensável para subsidiar a assistência, sobretudo no cenário atual da pandemia do COVID-19, contribuindo com a operacionalização do Processo de Enfermagem.

OBJECTIVE: To elaborate Nursing Diagnoses/Outcomes and Interventions using the International Classification for Nursing Practice in patients with coronavirus infection. METHOD: An exploratory, descriptive, retrospective and documentary study, developed in emergency care units in the municipality of João Pessoa -Paraíba. The sample consisted of 187 medical records and data collection was carried out between June and August 2020. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, mean, range and standard deviation. RESULT: A total of 12 Nursing Diagnoses/Outcomes (Dyspnea, Fever, Cough, Muscle Pain, Headache, Diarrhea, Impaired Smell, Impaired Taste, Lack of Appetite, Impaired Swallowing, Chest Pain and Vomiting) and 36 Nursing Interventions targeted at patients affected by coronavirus were identified. CONCLUSION: The identification of Nursing Diagnoses/Outcomes and Interventions is indispensable to support care, especially in the current scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to the operationalization ofthe Nursing Process.

OBJETIVO: Elaborar diagnósticos/resultados e intervenciones de enfermería utilizando la Clasificación Internacional para la práctica de enfermería en pacientes con infección por coronavirus. MÉTODO: Estudio exploratorio, descriptivo, del tipo documental retrospectivo, desarrollado en unidades de emergencia de la ciudad de João Pessoa, Paraíba. La muestra estuvo conformada por 187 historias clínicas y la recolección de datos se realizó entre junio y agosto de 2020. El análisis de los datos se realizó mediante estadística descriptiva, media, amplitud y desviación estándar. RESULTADOS: Se identificaron 12 Diagnósticos /Resultados de Enfermería (Disnea, Fiebre, Tos, Dolor Muscular, Dolor de Cabeza, Diarrea, Deterioro del sentido del Olfato, Deterioro del sentidodel Gusto, Falta de Apetito, Deterioro de la deglución, Dolor Torácico y Vómitos) y 36 Intervenciones de Enfermería dirigidas a pacientes afectados por coronavirus. CONCLUSIÓN: Identificar Diagnósticos/Resultados e Intervenciones de Enfermería es fundamental para la atención, especialmente en el escenario actual de la pandemia de COVID-19, dado que contribuye a la operacionalización del Proceso de Enfermería.

Covid Longa e Pós-Covid / Long Covid and Post-Covid

Revisão acerca dos termos "long COVID", em português, "COVID Longa", "COVID Pós-Aguda", "Pós-COVID", ou "Síndrome de COVID Crônica". Ainda não há consenso na literatura sobre os termos. Raveendran (2021), Greenhalgh e colaboradores (2020), consideram a existência de dois estágios distintos após a fase aguda da infecção pelo SARS-CoV-2. Nalbandian e colaboradores (2021), consideraram a COVID PósAguda como a persistência de sintomas ou o desenvolvimento de sequelas após 4 semanas de início dos sintomas da doença. Baig (2021) defende o uso do termo Chronic COVID Syndrome (CCS) ­ em português Síndrome de COVID Crônica (SCC) ­ em analogia a outras doenças infecciosas e não-infecciosas da Medicina que apresentam progressão de sintomas de uma fase inicial a outra mais prolongada. Existem ainda, a proposta apresentada por Peñas e colaboradores (2021) que consideram o tempo, a partir do início de sintomas, como fator mais relevante na classificação. Para além do consenso acerca da nomenclatura a ser utilizada faz-se necessário pesquisas que examinem fatores de risco e mecanismos envolvidos no desenvolvimento de COVID Longa, bem como as medidas para prevenir e tratar adequadamente tal complicação (ALJAHDHAMI et al., 2021).

Review of the terms "long COVID", in Portuguese, "COVID Longa", "COVID Pós-Aguda", "Post-COVID", or "Chronic COVID Syndrome". There is still no consensus in the literature about the terms. Raveendran (2021), Greenhalgh et al. (2020), consider the existence of two distinct stages after the acute phase of infection by SARS-CoV-2. Nalbandian et al. (2021) considered PostAcute COVID as the persistence of symptoms or the development of sequelae after 4 weeks of onset of disease symptoms. Baig (2021) defends the use of the term Chronic COVID Syndrome (CCS) ­ in Portuguese Chronic COVID Syndrome (SCC) ­ in analogy to other infectious and non-infectious diseases in Medicine that present progression of symptoms from an initial phase to another more prolonged. There are still the submitted proposal by Peñas et al. (2021) who consider the time, from the onset of symptoms, as the most relevant factor in the classification. In addition to the consensus on the nomenclature to be used, research is needed to examine risk factors and mechanisms involved in the development of COVID Longa, as well as measures to prevent and adequately treat such complication (ALJAHDHAMI et al., 2021).

Computed Tomography Image Processing Analysis in COVID-19 Patient Follow-Up Assessment.

The rapid worldwide spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has infected patients around the world in a short space of time. Chest computed tomography (CT) images of patients who are infected with COVID-19 can offer early diagnosis and efficient forecast monitoring at a low cost. The diagnosis of COVID-19 on CT in an automated way can speed up many tasks and the application of medical treatments. This can help complement reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) diagnosis. The aim of this work is to develop a system that automatically identifies ground-glass opacity (GGO) and pulmonary infiltrates (PIs) on CT images from patients with COVID-19. The purpose is to assess the disease progression during the patient's follow-up assessment and evaluation. We propose an efficient methodology that incorporates oversegmentation mean shift followed by superpixel-SLIC (simple linear iterative clustering) algorithm on CT images with COVID-19 for pulmonary parenchyma segmentation. To identify the pulmonary parenchyma, we described each superpixel cluster according to its position, grey intensity, second-order texture, and spatial-context-saliency features to classify by a tree random forest (TRF). Second, by applying the watershed segmentation to the mean-shift clusters, only pulmonary parenchyma segmentation-identified zones showed GGO and PI based on the description of each watershed cluster of its position, grey intensity, gradient entropy, second-order texture, Euclidean position to the border region of the PI zone, and global saliency features, after using TRF. Our classification results for pulmonary parenchyma identification on CT images with COVID-19 had a precision of over 92% and recall of over 92% on twofold cross validation. For GGO, the PI identification showed 96% precision and 96% recall on twofold cross validation.

Simulation-based evaluation of school reopening strategies during COVID-19: A case study of São Paulo, Brazil.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries opted for strict public health measures, including closing schools. After some time, they have started relaxing some of those restrictions. To avoid overwhelming health systems, predictions for the number of new COVID-19 cases need to be considered when choosing a school reopening strategy. Using a computer simulation based on a stochastic compartmental model that includes a heterogeneous and dynamic network, we analyse different strategies to reopen schools in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, including one similar to the official reopening plan. Our model allows us to describe different types of relations between people, each type with a different infectiousness. Based on our simulations and model assumptions, our results indicate that reopening schools with all students at once has a big impact on the number of new COVID-19 cases, which could cause a collapse of the health system. On the other hand, our results also show that a controlled school reopening could possibly avoid the collapse of the health system, depending on how people follow sanitary measures. We estimate that postponing the schools' return date for after a vaccine becomes available may save tens of thousands of lives just in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area compared to a controlled reopening considering a worst-case scenario. We also discuss our model constraints and the uncertainty of its parameters.

Haemophagocytic syndrome and COVID-19.

Primary and secondary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) are hyperferritinaemic hyperinflammatory syndromes with a common terminal pathway triggered by different etiopathogenetic factors. HLH is characterised by a decreased capacity of interferon gamma production with an activated NK phenotype profile similar to other hyperinflammatory syndromes. Viruses are closely linked to the development of HLH as infectious triggers, and the break of tolerance to self-antigens is considered a critical mechanism involved in the development of immune-mediated conditions triggered by viral infections. Emerging studies in patients with COVID-19 are suggesting a key role of monocytes/macrophages in the pathogenesis of this viral infection, and there is a significant overlap between several features reported in severe COVID-19 and the features included in the HLH-2004 diagnostic criteria. Therefore, SARS-Cov-2, as other respiratory viruses, may also be considered a potential etiological trigger of HLH. The frequency of HLH in adult patients with severe COVID-19 is lower than 5%, although this figure could be underestimated considering that most reported cases lacked information about some specific criteria (mainly the histopathological criteria and the measurement of NK cell function and sCD25 levels). Because HLH is a multi-organ syndrome, the diagnostic approach in a patient with severe COVID-19 in whom HLH is suspected must be carried out in a syndromic and holistic way, and not in the light of isolated clinical or laboratory features. In COVID-19 patients presenting with persistent high fever, progressive pancytopenia, and hepatosplenic involvement, together with the characteristic triad of laboratory abnormalities (hyperferritinaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, and hypofibrinogenaemia), the suspicion of HLH is high, and the diagnostic workup must be completed with specific immunological and histopathological studies.

Perspective Covid-19 ARDS: challenges in care, recommendations & review of research / Covid-19: Desafíos, recomendaciones, revisión e investigación

Though physicians and care providers are familiar with the management of ARDS, however, when it occurs as a sequale of COVID-19, COVID-19 ARDS has different features and there remains uncertainty on the consensus of management. To answer this question on how it compares and contrasts with ARDS from other causes, we deliver a review of the published literature and our own clinical experience from managing patients with COVID-19 ARDS in DR Congo and India. A PubMed search was conducted on 05-7-2020 using the systematic review filter to identify articles that were published using MeSH terms COVID-19 and ARDS. Systematic reviews or meta-analyses were selected from a systematic search for literature containing diagnostic, prognostic and management strategies in MEDLINE/PubMed. Those were compared and reviewed to the existing practices by the various treating specialists and recommendations were made. Specifically, we discuss the COVID-19 ARDS, its risk factors and pathophysiology, lab diagnosis, radiological findings, rational of recommendation of drugs proposed so far, oxygenation and ventilation strategies and the psychological ramifications of the disease. Because of the high mortality in mechanically ventilated patients, the above recommendations and findings direct the potential for improvement in the management of patients with COVID-19 ARDS.

Aunque los médicos y los proveedores de atención están familiarizados con el manejo de ARDS, cuando ocurre una complicación de COVID-19, existe incertidumbre sobre el manejo y curso que va a seguir. Para responder a esta pregunta sobre cómo se compara y contrasta con el SDRA por otras causas, entregamos una revisión de la literatura publicada y nuestra propia experiencia clínica en el manejo de pacientes con SDRA COVID-19 en la República Democrática del Congo e India. Se realizó una búsqueda en PubMed el 05 de julio de 2020 utilizando el método sistemático con filtro de revisión para identificar artículos que se publicaron utilizando términos MeSH COVID-19 y SDRA. Se seleccionaron revisiones sistemáticas o metanálisis de una búsqueda sistemática de literatura que contenga diagnóstico, pronóstico y manejo estrategias en MEDLINE / PubMed. Aquellos fueron comparados y revisados para las prácticas existentes por los diversos especialistas en tratamiento y recomendaciones que fueron hechos. Específicamente, discutimos el ARDS COVID-19, sus factores de riesgo, fisiopatología, diagnóstico de laboratorio, hallazgos radiológicos, racionalidad de recomendación de los fármacos propuestos hasta el momento, las estrategias de oxigenación y ventilación y las complicaciones psicológicas de la enfermedad. Debido a la alta mortalidad de los paciente en ventilación mecánica las recomendaciones y los hallazgos anteriores se dirigen a la potencial de mejora en el manejo de pacientes con COVID-19.