Tilt Table Testing.

This Diagnostic Test Interpretation uses a patient case to illustrate tilt table testing, useful for evaluating patients with syncope of unknown cause or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

Perspectives on the impact of vortioxetine on the treatment armamentarium of major depressive disorder.

INTRODUCTION: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mental health issue that significantly affects patients' quality of life and functioning. Despite available treatments, many patients continue to suffer due to incomplete symptom resolution and side effects. AREAS COVERED: This manuscript examines Vortioxetine's role in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) treatment, highlighting its potential to reshape therapeutic strategies due to its unique Multimodal action and proven broad-spectrum efficacy in multiple depressive domains. A detailed examination of Vortioxetine's pharmacological aspects, including indications, dosage, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics, is provided, emphasizing its safety and effectiveness. The discussion extends to Vortioxetine's role in acute-phase treatment and maintenance of MDD and its profound impact on specialized depression domains. EXPERT OPINION: Vortioxetine is distinguished for its novel multimodal serotonin modulation mechanism, showcasing significant promise as an innovative treatment for MDD. Its efficacy, which is dose-dependent, along with a commendable tolerability profile, positions it as a potential leading option for initial treatment strategies. The discourse on dosage titration, particularly the strategy of initiating treatment at lower doses followed by gradual escalation, underscores the approach toward minimizing initial adverse effects while optimizing therapeutic outcomes, aligning with the principles of personalized medicine in psychiatric care.

Persistent complement dysregulation with signs of thromboinflammation in active Long Covid.

Long Covid is a debilitating condition of unknown etiology. We performed multimodal proteomics analyses of blood serum from COVID-19 patients followed up to 12 months after confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Analysis of >6500 proteins in 268 longitudinal samples revealed dysregulated activation of the complement system, an innate immune protection and homeostasis mechanism, in individuals experiencing Long Covid. Thus, active Long Covid was characterized by terminal complement system dysregulation and ongoing activation of the alternative and classical complement pathways, the latter associated with increased antibody titers against several herpesviruses possibly stimulating this pathway. Moreover, markers of hemolysis, tissue injury, platelet activation, and monocyte-platelet aggregates were increased in Long Covid. Machine learning confirmed complement and thromboinflammatory proteins as top biomarkers, warranting diagnostic and therapeutic interrogation of these systems.

The burden of persistent symptoms after COVID-19 (long COVID): a meta-analysis of controlled studies in children and adults.

BACKGROUND: Previous meta-analyses estimating the prevalence of the post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) were confounded by the lack of negative control groups. This may result in an overestimation of the prevalence of those experiencing PCC, as these symptoms are non-specific and common in the general population. In this study, we aimed to compare the burden of persistent symptoms among COVID-19 survivors relative to COVID-19-negative controls. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using the following databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) until July 2023 for comparative studies that examined the prevalence of persistent symptoms in COVID-19 survivors. Given that many of the symptoms among COVID-19 survivors overlap with post-hospitalization syndrome and post-intensive care syndrome, we included studies that compare the prevalence of persistent symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients relative to non-COVID-19 hospitalized patients and in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients relative to healthy controls that reported outcomes after at least 3 months since infection. The results of the meta-analysis were reported as odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval based on the random effects model. RESULTS: Twenty articles were included in this study. Our analysis of symptomatology in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to negative controls revealed that the majority of symptoms examined were not related to COVID-19 infection and appeared equally prevalent in both cohorts. However, non-COVID-19 hospitalized patients had higher odds of occurrence of certain symptoms like anosmia, ageusia, fatigue, dyspnea, and brain fog (P < 0.05). Particularly, anosmia and ageusia showed substantially elevated odds relative to the negative control group at 11.27 and 9.76, respectively, P < 0.05. In contrast, analysis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to those hospitalized for other indications did not demonstrate significantly higher odds for the tested symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The persistent symptoms in COVID-19 survivors may result from hospitalization for causes unrelated to COVID-19 and are commonly reported among the general population. Although certain symptoms exhibited higher odds in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients relative to controls, these symptoms are common post-viral illnesses. Therefore, the persistent symptoms after COVID-19 may not be unique to SARS-CoV-2. Future studies including well-matched control groups when investigating persistent symptoms in COVID-19 survivors are warranted to draw a firm conclusion.

Caracterização sociodemográfica e clínica de pessoas idosas com sequelas da COVID-19 / Sociodemographic and clinical characterization of elderly people with sequelae of COVID-19 / Caracterización sociodemográfica y clínica de personas mayores con secuelas de COVID-19

Objetivo: descrever as características sociodemográficas e clínicas de pessoas idosas com sequelas da COVID-19. Método: estudo documental quantitativo, observacional, descritivo, compôs-se a amostra 204 prontuários de pessoas idosas com registros de sequelas da COVID-19. Realizados testes de Qui-quadrado de Pearson e Fisher. Resultados: prevaleceram mulheres, entre 60 a 69 anos (66,7%), casadas (50,5%), com filhos (92,9%), aposentadas (47,6%), com renda de dois a quatro salários-mínimos (50,7%). Verificou-se como comorbidades a hipertensão arterial (65,2%), obesidade (40%), diabetes mellitus (23,5%), doenças cardíacas (13,7%) e respiratórias (7,8%) e como comportamentos de risco o sedentarismo (59,4%) e sobrepeso (52,2%). A hospitalização foi mais prevalente entre portadores de diabetes mellitus (56,3%), obesidade (68,8%) e câncer (83,3%). Conclusão: o envelhecimento, a presença de comorbidades e hospitalização são condições associadas a mortalidade por COVID-19. Ressalta-se a importância de uma assistência individualizada e multidimensional(AU)

Objective: to describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of elderly people with sequelae of COVID-19. Method: quantitative, observational, descriptive documentary study, the sample consisted of 204 medical records of elderly people with records of COVID-19 sequelae. Pearson and Fisher Chi-square tests were performed. Results: women prevailed, between 60 and 69 years old (66.7%), married (50.5%), with children (92.9%), retired (47.6%), with income of two to four salaries- minimum (50.7%). Comorbidities were arterial hypertension (65.2%), obesity (40%), diabetes mellitus (23.5%), heart disease (13.7%) and respiratory diseases (7.8%) and as health behaviors. risk of sedentary lifestyle (59.4%) and overweight (52.2%). Hospitalization was more prevalent among patients with diabetes mellitus (56.3%), obesity (68.8%) and cancer (83.3%). Conclusion: aging, the presence of comorbidities and hospitalization are conditions associated with mortality from COVID-19. The importance of individualized and multidimensional assistance is highlighted(AU)

Objetivo: describir las características sociodemográficas y clínicas de personas mayores con secuelas de COVID-19. Método: estudio documental cuantitativo, observacional, descriptivo, la muestra estuvo compuesta por 204 historias clínicas de personas mayores con antecedentes de secuelas de COVID-19. Se realizaron pruebas de Chi-cuadrado de Pearson y Fisher. Resultados: predominaron las mujeres, entre 60 y 69 años (66,7%), casadas (50,5%), con hijos (92,9%), jubiladas (47,6%), con ingresos de dos a cuatro salarios mínimos (50,7%). Las comorbilidades fueron hipertensión arterial (65,2%), obesidad (40%), diabetes mellitus (23,5%), enfermedades cardíacas (13,7%) y enfermedades respiratorias (7,8%) y, en cuanto a conductas de riesgo, el sedentarismo (59,4%) y el sobrepeso (52,2%). La hospitalización fue más prevalente entre los pacientes con diabetes mellitus (56,3%), obesos (68,8%) y con cáncer (83,3%). Conclusión: el envejecimiento, la presencia de comorbilidades y la hospitalización son condiciones asociadas a la mortalidad por COVID-19. Destacan la importancia de la asistencia individualizada y multidimensional(AU)

Ansiedad y depresión en pacientes post-COVID-19 en primer nivel de atención / Anxiety and depression in post-COVID-19 patients at the primary level of health care

Introducción: durante diciembre de 2019 se identificó en Wuhan, China, un nuevo coronavirus, denominado SARS-CoV-2 por el Comité Internacional de Taxonomía de Virus. Después de haber presentado esta enfermedad se han encontrado secuelas como ansiedad y depresión. Objetivo: determinar el nivel de ansiedad y depresión en los pacientes post-COVID-19 en primer nivel de atención. Material y métodos: estudio observacional, descriptivo, transversal, unicéntrico, homodémico, prospectivo, prolectivo. Se realizó en una Unidad de Primer Nivel de Atención del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, en el periodo de enero de 2021 a enero de 2022. Se aplicó la Escala de Hamilton para la Ansiedad y el Inventario de Beck para Depresión. Se realizó un análisis estadístico en el programa SPSS 25, los datos se expresaron como media ± desviación estándar o mediana, según la distribución. Las variables cualitativas se expresaron en frecuencias y porcentajes. Resultados: el promedio de edad fue de 27 años; con predominio del sexo femenino (62.4%), presentaron depresión moderada 6%, depresión grave 1.5%, ansiedad leve 20.9% y ansiedad moderada o grave 9.8%. Conclusión: existe una asociación entre el nivel de depresión y ansiedad en los pacientes post-COVID-19, con una p significativa (AU)

Introduction: during December 2019, a new coronavirus, named SARSCoV-2, by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, was identified in Wuhan, China. After presenting with this disease, sequelae such as anxiety and depression have been found. Objective: determine the level of anxiety and depression in post-COVID-19 patients of the Family Medicine Unit No. 34. Material and methods: observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, unicentric, homodemic, prospective, prolective study. It was conducted in a first level unit of the Mexican Institute of Social Security, in the period from January 2021 to January 2022. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory were applied. Statistical analysis was performed in the SPSS 25 program, data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation or median, according to the distribution. Qualitative variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages. Results: the mean age was 27 years; with a predominance of females (62.4%), 6% presented moderate depression, 1.5% severe depression, 20.9% mild anxiety and 9.8% moderate or severe anxiety. Conclusions: there is an association between the level of depression and anxiety in post-COVID-19 patients, with a significant p (AU)

COVID prolongado / Long COVID

Existen múltiples reportes de manifestaciones persistentes en pacientes que cursaron infecciones por SARS-CoV-2, independiente de su gravedad, configurando el síndrome de COVID-19 prolongado. No existe una definición consensuada de este síndrome, cuya patogenia pareciera ser multifactorial. Considerando las más de 500 millones de infecciones en todo el mundo, este síndrome pudiese incidir en una insospechada y prolongada carga sobre los sistemas sanitarios. Reportes recientes han asociado a la vacunación con esquema primario completo como una asociación protectora para el desarrollo de COVID-19 prolongado, transformándose en otro beneficio poblacional asociado a las vacunas.(AU)

There are multiple reports of persistent manifestations in patients who had SARS-CoV-2 infections, regardless of their severity, configuring the prolonged COVID-19 syndrome. There is no agreed definition of this syndrome whose pathogenesis seems to be multifactorial. Considering the more than 500 million infections worldwide, this syndrome could have an unsuspected and prolonged burden on health systems . Recent reports have associated vaccination with a complete primary schedule as a protective association with the development of prolonged COVID-19, becoming another population benefit associated with vaccines.(AU)