Neurological symptoms in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 and their association with in-hospital mortality.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the spectrum of neurological symptoms in patients with COVID-19 during the first 14 days of hospitalisation and its association with in-hospital mortality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included 200 patients with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 admitted to University Hospital in Krakow, Poland. In 164 patients, a detailed questionnaire concerning neurological symptoms and signs was performed prospectively within 14 days of hospitalisation. In the remaining 36 patients, such questionnaires were completed retrospectively based on daily observations in the Department of Neurology. RESULTS: During hospitalisation, 169 patients (84.5%) experienced neurological symptoms; the most common were: fatigue (62.5%), decreased mood (45.5%), myalgia (43.5%), and muscle weakness (42.5%). Patients who died during hospitalisation compared to the remainder were older (79 [70.5-88.5] vs. 63.5 [51-77] years, p = 0.001), and more often had decreased level of consciousness (50.0% vs. 9.3%, p < 0.001), delirium (33.3% vs. 4.4%, p < 0.001), arterial hypotension (50.0% vs. 19.6%, p = 0.005) or stroke during (18.8% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.026) or before hospitalisation (50.0% vs. 7.1, p < 0.001), whereas those who survived more often suffered from headache (42.1% vs. 0%, p = 0.012) or decreased mood (51.7% vs. 0%, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Most hospitalised patients with COVID-19 experience neurological symptoms. Decreased level of consciousness, delirium, arterial hypotension, and stroke during or before hospitalisation increase the risk of in-hospital mortality.

An analysis of the U-wave and its relation to the T-wave in body surface potential maps for healthy subjects and MI patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the U-wave morphology and its relation to the T-wave in one group of healthy subjects and in two groups of myocardial infarction (MI) patients-with and without ventricular tachycardia (VT) episodes. The context of the U-wave origin was also discussed and the U-wave as a potential marker of VT was investigated. METHODS: The study was carried out on three groups of subjects: 20 healthy subjects, 14 MI patients not at risk of VT, and 22 MI patients at risk of VT. The morphology of the repolarization phase was examined in the high-resolution body surface potential maps recorded from 64 surface ECG leads. The temporal and spatial distributions of several ECG parameters were studied. RESULTS: The U-wave was present in almost all the studied subjects. The spatial heterogeneity and smooth change in both the T- and U-wave shapes on the entire torso were observed in all the studied groups. The statistical significance of discrimination between the MI patients without VT and MI patients with VT was observed for QRS interval, QT interval, U-wave integral, and normalized U-wave integral. CONCLUSIONS: High-resolution measurement of body surface potentials and an advanced data analysis allow for a detailed description of U-wave morphology and its relation to the T-wave. This might be of value in discriminating intracardiac repolarization effects, mechano-electrical feedback, and arrhythmia risk stratification.

Analysis of Changes in Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Patients with Clinically Severe Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Undergoing Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy-Prospective Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: We still lack studies providing analysis of changes in glucose and lipid metabolism after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). We aimed to investigate postoperative changes in glucose and lipid metabolism after LSG in patients with DM2. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective, observational study included patients with BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 and ≤ 50 kg/m2, DM2 < 10 years of duration, who were qualified for LSG. Perioperative 14-day continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) began after preoperative clinical assessment and OGTT, then reassessment 1 and 12 months after LSG. Thirty-three patients in mean age of 45 ± 10 years were included in study (23 females). RESULTS: EBMIL before LSG was 17 ± 11.7%, after 1 month-36.3 ± 12.8%, while after 12 months-66.1 ± 21.7%. Fifty-two percent of the patients had DM2 remission after 12 months. None required then insulin therapy. 16/33 patients initially on oral antidiabetics still required them after 12 months. Significant decrease in HbA1C was observed: 5.96 ± 0.73%; 5.71 ± 0.80; 5.54 ± 0.52%. Same with HOMA-IR: 5.34 ± 2.84; 4.62 ± 3.78; 3.20 ± 1.99. In OGTT, lower increase in blood glucose with lesser insulin concentrations needed to recover glucose homeostasis was observed during follow-ups. Overtime perioperative average glucose concentration in CGM of 5.03 ± 1.09 mmol/L significantly differed after 12 months, 4.60 ± 0.53 (p = 0.042). Significantly higher percentage of glucose concentrations above targeted compartment (3.9-6.7 mmol/L) was observed in perioperative period (7% ± 4%), than in follow-up (4 ± 6% and 2 ± 1%). HDL significantly rose, while triglyceride levels significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Significant improvement in glucose and lipid metabolism was observed 12 months after LSG and changes began 1 month after procedure.

Tight versus less tight 1-hour postprandial glycemic target in women with gestational diabetes mellitus - a single-center cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the impact of the change of 1-hour postprandial glycemic target from < 6.7 mmol/L (120 mg/dL) to < 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL) on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) treatment and pregnancy outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a retrospective analysis of 1021 GDM patients from the Department of Metabolic Diseases, University Hospital in Cracow, Poland, we compared insulin therapy regimens and pregnancy outcomes between women admitted in 2014-2016 (before the change) and in 2018-2019 (after it). RESULTS: A total of 377 patients were admitted between 2014 and 2016 (TIGHT group) and 644 between 2018 and 2019 (LESS TIGHT group). Women from the LESS TIGHT group were older (32 vs 30 years, p < 0.001) and gained less weight during pregnancy (7.0 vs 9.0 kg, p < 0.001). There was no change in the frequency of any insulin therapy (51.6% vs 56.1%, p = 0.168). In the LESS TIGHT group, the basal insulin-only model was used more frequently (32.5% vs 10.2%, p < 0.001), while the prandial insulin and basal-bolus model less frequently (23.6% vs 42.6% and 21.4% vs 36.7%, p < 0.001, respectively) than in the TIGHT group. There were no differences in the frequency of cesarean sections, preterm births, Hbd of delivery, mean birth weight or prevalence of perinatal complications. CONCLUSIONS: Less tight glycemic targets in women with GDM, compared to tighter targets, were associated with less frequent use of prandial insulin, with insulin therapy often limited to basal administration. The change in glycemic targets did not affect the prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes, providing evidence supporting new recommendations.

Education of adult type 1 diabetes patients in a diabetes ward setting: a best practice implementation project.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Education is the cornerstone of effective diabetes care. In this implementation project, we aimed to improve compliance with best practices regarding type 1 diabetes educational interventions for adult hospitalized patients. METHODS: This project was guided by the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework. A baseline audit was conducted involving 20 nurses and 20 type 1 diabetes patients who received regular educational measures. Areas of non-compliance were identified and an improvement strategy was implemented. A follow-up audit was then conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the improvement strategy. The project was conducted in Poland in 2021 in a tertiary referral unit that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. RESULTS: Substantial improvements were noted for all audit criteria after the implementation of strategies to address areas of non-compliance. Use of the education program improved from 0% to 100%. Compliance regarding patients receiving handouts and personalization of the program increased to 100%. We observed a significant improvement from 0% to 80% in the structuring of the program content. CONCLUSIONS: This project successfully improved the quality of education provided for type 1 diabetes patients in all relevant areas. We devised an education program, covering important aspects of diabetes education, with the patients reporting increased satisfaction with the personalized educational measures during their hospital stay. SPANISH ABSTRACT: http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A215.

Corrigendum: Diabetes as a risk factor of death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients - an analysis of a National Hospitalization Database from Poland, 2020.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1161637.].

Diabetes as a risk factor of death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients - an analysis of a National Hospitalization Database from Poland, 2020.

Introduction: Diabetes is one of the comorbidities associated with poor prognosis in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. In this nationwide retrospective study, we evaluated the risk of in-hospital death attributed to diabetes. Methods: We analyzed data from discharge reports of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in 2020 as submitted to the Polish National Health Fund. Several multivariate logistic regression models were used. In each model, in-hospital death was estimated with explanatory variables. Models were built either on the whole cohorts or cohorts matched with propensity score matching (PSM). The models examined either the main effects of diabetes itself or the interaction of diabetes with other variables. Results: We included 174,621 patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized in the year 2020. Among them, there were 40,168 diabetic patients (DPs), and the proportion of DPs in this group was higher than in the general population (23.0% vs. 9.5%, p<0.001). In this group of COVID-19 hospitalizations, 17,438 in-hospital deaths were recorded, and the mortality was higher among DPs than non-diabetics (16.3% vs. 8.1%, p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regressions showed that diabetes was a risk factor of death, regardless of sex and age. In the main effect analysis, odds of in-hospital death were higher by 28.3% for DPs than for non-diabetic patients. Similarly, PSM analysis including 101,578 patients, of whom 19,050 had diabetes, showed that the risk of death was higher in DPs regardless of sex with odds higher by 34.9%. The impact of diabetes differed among age groups and was the highest for patients aged 60-69. Conclusions: This nationwide study confirmed that diabetes was an independent risk factor of in-hospital death in the course of COVID-19 infection. However, the relative risk differed across the age groups.

The interplay between gingival crevicular fluid microbiome and metabolomic profile in intensively treated people with type 1 diabetes - a combined metagenomic/metabolomic approach cross-sectional study.

Aims: This study aimed to assess the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) microbiome and metabolome of adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the GCF of adults with T1D treated with CSII and non-diabetic controls were sampled, and metagenomic/metabolomic analyses were performed. Results: In total, 65 participants with T1D and 45 healthy controls with a mean age of 27.05 ± 5.95 years were investigated. There were 22 cases of mild gingivitis (G) in the T1D group. There were no differences considering the Shannon and Chao indices and ß-diversity between people with T1D and G, with T1D without G, and healthy controls. Differential taxa were identified, which were mainly enriched in people with T1D and G. Acetic acid concentration was higher in people with T1D, regardless of the presence of G, than in healthy controls. Propionic acid was higher in people with T1D and G than in healthy controls. Isobutyric and isovaleric acid levels were higher in individuals with T1D and G than in the other two subgroups. The concentration of valeric acid was lower and that of caproic acid was higher in people with T1D (regardless of gingival status) than in healthy controls. Conclusions: The identification of early changes in periodontal tissues by targeting the microbiome and metabolome could potentially enable effective prevention and initial treatment of periodontal disease in people with T1D.

Oral Microbiota-One Habitat or Diverse Niches? A Pilot Study of Sampling and Identification of Oral Bacterial and Fungal Biota in Patients with Type I Diabetes Mellitus Treated with Insulin Pump.

OBJECTIVE: The oral microbiota is a very complex and dynamic microbial ecosystem. Alterations of its balance can result in oral and systemic diseases. We aimed to characterize the microbiota in particular niches of the oral cavity in adult type 1 diabetes patients treated with continuous infusion of insulin with insulin pump (IP). In addition, we aimed to determine optimal sites of oral microbiota sampling in studies of large research groups of patients with DM I. DESIGN: In this pilot study, we sampled the buccal and soft palate mucosa, tongue, palatal and buccal dental surfaces and gingival pockets of adult DM I patients treated with IP. RESULTS: In total, 23 patients were recruited. The oral microbiota was dominated by Streptococus and Neisseria, with a low incidence of cariogenic S. mutans and Lactobacillus, as well as periodontal pathogens such as Prevotella. There were significant differences in overall CFU counts of all strains, Gram-positive, Staphylococci, Streptococci and S. oralis strains between mucosal and dental surface sites. The overall CFU counts of all strains and Gram-positive strains were higher in dental sites vs. mucosal sites (both p < 0.001). CFU counts of S. oralis were significantly higher in dental sites vs. gingival pocket sites (p = 0.013). Candida species were rare. The mucosal sites on the buccae presented lower diversity and bacterial counts. CONCLUSIONS: In the study group of adult DM I patients treated with IP, the microbiota in particular niches of the oral cavity was significantly different. Three distinct and optimally appropriate sampling sites for oral microflora were identified: buccal and palatal mucosa, dental surface and gingival pockets. The results of this study may be the basis for further studies of large groups of patients with DM I.

Oral Myco- and Bacteriobiota and Yeast Infections in Mechanically Ventilated COVID-19 Patients.

Critically ill COVID-19 patients requiring mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit are at risk of developing invasive candidiasis. In this study we aimed to (1) characterize oral cultivable mycobiota of mechanically ventilated adult COVID-19 patients in an ICU setting by sampling four distinct oral niches in two fixed time points with regards to oral health status, (2) investigate Candida spp. infections in this population, and (3) compare oral mycobiota with selected bacteriobiota strains during the observation in the ICU. We recruited 56 adult COVID-19 patients who qualified for mechanical ventilation. Patients received either standard or extended oral care procedures with tooth brushing. Oral samples were taken first within 36 h and after 7 days of intubation. Yeast-like fungi were identified by MALDI/TOF mass spectrometry. Yeast infection cases were retrospectively analyzed. Candida spp. in oral sampling was identified in 80.4% and 75.7%, C. albicans in 57.1% and 61.1%, and non-albicans Candida species in 48.2% and 47.2% patients at baseline and follow-up, respectively. There were no differences in the overall CFU counts of Candida spp. species and individual Candida species in oral samples, both at baseline and follow-up. At baseline, a higher prevalence of Candida spp. was associated with a higher identification rate of Lactobacillus spp. (64.4% vs. 27.3%, p = 0.041). At follow-up, there was a borderline lower prevalence of Candida spp. in patients with Lactobacillus spp. identified (57.1% vs. 87.0%, p = 0.057). The incidence rate of candidiasis was 5.4% and the incidence density was 3.1/1000 pds. In conclusion, non-albicans Candida species in oral samples were identified in nearly half of patients. Oral health was moderately impaired. A high incidence of yeast infections, including invasive cases, in patients hospitalized in the ICU due to COVID-19 and requiring mechanical ventilation was noted. Severe COVID-19 and disease-specific interventions within the ICU possibly played a major role promoting Candida spp. infections.

Comparison of the clinical characteristics, glycemic control, and pregnancy outcomes between women with gestational diabetes mellitus in waves I and III of the COVID-19 pandemic: a reference center report.

OBJECTIVES: The medical care of patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during the COVID-19 pandemic was influenced by changing epidemiological conditions and government regulations. Aim - To compare the clinical pregnancy data of GDM women between waves I and III of the pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records from the GDM clinic and compared the periods of March-May 2020 (wave I) and March-May 2021 (wave III). RESULTS: Women with GDM during wave I (n = 119) compared to wave III (n = 116) were older (33.0 ± 4.7 vs 32.1 ± 4.8 years; p = 0.07), booked later (21.8 ± 8.4 vs 20.3 ± 8.5 weeks; p = 0.17), and had their last appointment earlier (35.5 ± 2.0 vs 35.7 ± 3.2 weeks; p < 0.01). Telemedicine consultations were used more frequently during wave I (46.8% vs 24.1%; p < 0.01), while insulin therapy was used less often (64.7% vs 80.2%; p < 0.01). Mean fasting self-measured glucose did not differ (4.8 ± 0.3 vs 4.8 ± 0.3 mmol/L; p = 0.49), but higher postprandial glucose was reported during wave I (6.6 ± 0.9 vs 6.3 ± 0.6 mmol/l; p < 0.01). Pregnancy outcome data were available for 77 wave I pregnancies and 75 wave III pregnancies. The groups were similar in terms of gestational week of delivery (38.3 ± 1.4 vs 38.1 ± 1.6 weeks), cesarean sections (58.4% vs 61.3%), APGAR scores (9.7 ± 1.0 vs 9.7 ± 1.0 pts), and birth weights (3306.6 ± 457.6 g vs 3243.9 ± 496.8 g) (p = NS for all). The mean wave I neonate length was slightly higher (54.3 ± 2.6 cm vs 53.3 ± 2.6 cm; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: We identified differences between wave I and wave III pregnancies for several clinical characteristics. However, nearly all pregnancy outcomes were found to be similar.

Characteristics, Mortality, and Clinical Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 and Diabetes: A Reference Single-Center Cohort Study from Poland.

Background: Diabetes is a risk factor for a severe course of COVID-19. We evaluated the characteristics and risk factors associated with undesirable outcomes in diabetic patients (DPs) hospitalized due to COVID-19. Materials and Methods: The data analysis of patients admitted between March 6, 2020, and May 31, 2021, to the University Hospital in Krakow (Poland), a reference center for COVID-19, was performed. The data were gathered from their medical records. Results: A total number of 5191 patients were included, of which 2348 (45.2%) were women. The patients were at the median age of 64 (IQR: 51-74) years, and 1364 (26.3%) were DPs. DPs, compared to nondiabetics, were older (median age: 70 years, IQR: 62-77 vs. 62, IQR: 47-72, and p < 0.001) and had a similar gender distribution. The DP group had a higher mortality rate (26.2% vs. 15.7%, p < 0.001) and longer hospital stays (median: 15 days, IQR: 10-24 vs. 13, IQR: 9-20, and p < 0.001). DPs were admitted to the ICU more frequently (15.7% vs. 11.0%, p < 0.001) and required mechanical ventilation more often (15.5% vs. 11.3%, p < 0.001). In a multivariate logistic regression, factors associated with a higher risk of death were age >65 years, glycaemia >10 mmol/L, CRP and D-dimer level, prehospital insulin and loop diuretic use, presence of heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. Factors contributing to lower mortality were in-hospital use of statin, thiazide diuretic, and calcium channel blocker. Conclusion: In this large COVID-19 cohort, DPs constituted more than a quarter of hospitalized patients. The risk of death and other outcomes compared to nondiabetics was higher in this group. We identified a number of clinical, laboratory, and therapeutic variables associated with the risk of hospital death in DPs.

Type 1 diabetes outpatient care and treatment effectiveness during COVID-19: A single-center cohort study.

PURPOSE: COVID-19 has brought many challenges for providing quality healthcare for type 1 diabetes (T1DM). We evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the medical care, glycemic control, and selected outcomes in T1DM patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed medical records from 357 T1DM adults enrolled in the Program of Comprehensive Outpatient Specialist Care at the University Hospital in Krakow, and assessed differences in patient data from before the COVID-19 period (March 2019-February 2020) and after it started COVID-19 (March 2020-February 2021). RESULTS: The median HbA1c levels and the percentage of patients within the HbA1c target of <7 % (53 mmol/mol) were similar in both periods: before and after the beginning of the pandemic (6.86 % [51.5 mmol/mol], IQR 6.23-7.58 % [44.6-59.3 mmol/mol] vs. 6.9 % [51.9 mmol/mol], IQR 6.2-7.61 % [44.3-59.7 mmol/mol]; p = 0.50 and 56.3 % vs. 57.1 %, p = 0.42, respectively). However, we observed a rise in BMI and body weight (median 24.25, IQR 21.97-27.05 vs. 24.82, IQR 22.17-27.87 and median weight 71.0 IQR 61-82 vs. 72.55, IQR 55-85; p < 0.001 for both comparisons). There was no reduction in the numbers of total diabetes-related visits (median 4, IQR 4-5 vs. 5, IQR 4-5; p = 0.065), but the frequency of other specialist consultations decreased (2, IQR 0-2 vs. 1, IQR 0-2). During the pandemic, telehealth visits constituted of 1191 out of 1609 (71.6 %) total visits. CONCLUSIONS: In this single-center observation, the COVID-19 pandemic did not have a negative impact on glycemic control in T1DM patients, but the patients' weight did increase. Telemedicine proved to be a valuable tool for T1DM care.

Prevalence and clinical implications of atrial fibrillation in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19: Data from a registry in Poland.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia with increasing prevalence with respect to age and comorbidities. AF may influence the prognosis in patients hospitalized with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to assess the prevalence of AF among patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 and the association of AF and in-hospital anticoagulation treatment with prognosis. Methods and results: We assessed the prevalence of AF among patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 and the association of AF and in-hospital anticoagulation treatment with prognosis. Data of all COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the University Hospital in Krakow, Poland, between March 2020 and April 2021, were analyzed. The following outcomes: short-term (30-days since hospital admission) and long-term (180-days after hospital discharge) mortality, major cardiovascular events (MACEs), pulmonary embolism, and need for red blood cells (RBCs) transfusion, as a surrogate for major bleeding events during hospital stay were assessed. Out of 4,998 hospitalized patients, 609 had AF (535 pre-existing and 74 de novo). Compared to those without AF, patients with AF were older and had more cardiovascular disorders. In adjusted analysis, AF was independently associated with an increased risk of short-term {p = 0.019, Hazard Ratio [(HR)] 1.236; 95% CI: 1.035-1.476} and long-term mortality (Log-rank p < 0.001) as compared to patients without AF. The use of novel oral anticoagulants (NOAC) in AF patients was associated with reduced short-term mortality (HR 0.14; 95% CI: 0.06-0.33, p < 0.001). Moreover, in AF patients, NOAC use was associated with a lower probability of MACEs (Odds Ratio 0.3; 95% CI: 0.10-0.89, p = 0.030) without increase of RBCs transfusion. Conclusions: AF increases short- and long-term risk of death in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19. However, the use of NOACs in this group may profoundly improve prognosis.

Impact of tooth brushing on oral bacteriota and health care-associated infections among ventilated COVID-19 patients: an intervention study.

BACKGROUND: Up to 48% of ventilated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients develop ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) during hospitalization in an ICU. Dysbiotic oral microbiota can colonize the lower respiratory tract and lead to VAP. It is recommended to introduce oral care strategies in the ICU to prevent VAP. In this study, we observed the impact of an oral hygienic protocol with tooth brushing on cultivable oral bacteriota, the incidence of HAI and patient safety among mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients in an ICU setting. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, we recruited 56 adult COVID-19 patients who qualified for mechanical ventilation. Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on the oral care procedure: standard and extended oral procedures with tooth brushing. Oral bacteriota samples were taken first within 36 h and after 7 days of intubation. Microorganisms were identified by MALDI/TOF mass spectrometry. bacterial health care-associated infection (HAI) cases were retrospectively analyzed by etiology. A PFGE study was performed for Klebsiella pneumoniae to check for clonal spreading of strains from oral bacteriota samples and HAI cases. RESULTS: We observed significant dysbiosis and a decrease in cultivable oral bacteriota diversity, with a high frequency of potentially pathogenic species, including Acinetobacter baumannii and K. pneumoniae. The HAI incidence rate was high (55.2/1000 patient-days), most commonly of K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii etiologies, which correlated with the presence of A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae in the oral samples. Strains isolated from VAP cases were the same as oral isolates in 8 cases. The procedure with tooth brushing led to less frequent identification of A. baumannii in oral samples (55.6% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.001); however, it did not decrease the incidence of HAIs. CONCLUSIONS: Dysbiotic oral bacteriota is an important source of respiratory pathogens. The introduction of tooth brushing in oral hygiene protocols in an ICU setting was effective in decreasing the extent of oral bacteriota dysbiosis; however, it did not reduce the risk of HAIs or mortality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: 1072.6120.333.2020.

Influence of individual torso geometry on inverse solution to 2 dipoles.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to observe the influence of variety in individual torso geometries on the results of inverse solution to 2 dipoles. METHODS: The inverse solution to 2 dipoles was computed from the measured data on 8 patients using either standard torso with various shapes and sizes of the heart and lungs in it or using various outer torso geometries with the same inhomogeneities. The vertical position of the heart relative to the fourth intercostal level was kept constant in all models. The results were compared with the reference solution computed in standard torso. RESULTS: The inverse solution was influenced in 4 of 8 cases by changes of torso geometry and only in 1 of 8 cases by changes of internal inhomogeneities. CONCLUSIONS: The use of individual torso geometry with the knowledge of the true heart position is very important for correct inverse results.

Cultivable oral bacteriota dysbiosis in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients.

Potential interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the human oral microbiota are currently investigated widely. Patients with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting are at high risk of developing severe complications, including ventilator-associated pneumonia, thus making oral health management important. The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral health status and assess the dysbiosis of cultivable oral bacteriota in COVID-19 patients hospitalized in an ICU with acute respiratory distress within 36 h following intubation. In this prospective cohort study, we recruited 56 adult COVID-19 patients that qualified for mechanical ventilation in the Temporary ICU for COVID-19 Patients of the University Hospital in Krakow. On admission to the ICU, oral health of patients was assessed using the modified Beck Oral Assessment Score (BOAS). Four oral habitats were sampled, namely the buccal mucosa, tongue, buccal dental surface and gingival pocket. Microorganisms were identified by MALDI/TOF mass spectrometry. The mean age of the study population was 66.5 ± 12.7 years, there were 24 (42.9%) females. All patients included in this study were intubated and ventilated in the ICU, with a corresponding high mortality rate (76.8%). On admission to ICU, 76.8% subjects scored 11-20 on the BOAS scale (median 12 [IQR 10-14]), indicating moderate or severe dysfunction of oral health. Potentially pathogenic bacteria were identified in the oral microbiota samples, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in 23.2%, 39.3%, 17.9%, and 19.6% of patients, respectively. Lactobacillus spp. were present in 57.1% subjects. The mean CFU counts of all bacteria strains in dental brushes were 9.3E+5 (1.4E+6) and in gingival pockets 7.6E+5 (1.4E+6). The highest CFU counts were observed for Enterococcus spp. and, Lactobacillus spp., although these did not differ significantly from CFU counts of Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. In this report we comprehensively characterized the oral health condition and cultivable oral bacteriota in COVID-19 patients hospitalized in an ICU with acute respiratory distress within 36 h following intubation. The oral bacteriota showed significant qualitative and quantitative dysbiosis. Hospitalization in an ICU and mechanical ventilation are important factors leading to oral dysbiosis in SARS-CoV-2 patients.

Higher scanning frequency is correlated with less fear of hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes patients using isCGM.

Background: Frequent scanning of intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) devices is associated with improvements in glycemic indices. Limited data is available for its correlation with fear of hypoglycemia (FOH), an established factor affecting quality of life and glycemic control in type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze the association of sensor scanning frequency with FOH and glycemic indices in T1DM patients using isCGM. Subjects and methods: T1DM patients using isCGM were eligible. Clinical data and Ambulatory Glucose Profile (AGP) reports were obtained from medical records. At outpatient visits, AGP of last 14 days prior to visit were analyzed and FOH was assessed using Hypoglycemia Fear Survey II (HFS II). Results: We included 77 consecutive T1DM patients (58 females, 19 males). Mean age was 34.1 ± 10.2 years and mean T1DM duration was 14.7 ± 12.0 years. Baseline mean glycemic indices were as follows: mean glucose - 155.8 ± 29.8 mg/dL; GMI - 53.3 ± 7.5 mmol/mol; TIR - 66.4 ± 17.8%; TBR70 - 4.5 ± 4.1%; TBR54 - 0.6 ± 1.2%; TAR180 - 29.2 ± 17.9%; TAR250 - 9.6 ± 10.4%; %CV - 36.7 ± 8.3. Average scanning frequency was 13.8 ± 7.8 scans/day. Mean HFS II scores were 16.1 ± 7.2 and 18.7 ± 12.2 in behavior and worry subscale, respectively. Correlation was confirmed between scanning frequency and mean glucose, GMI, TIR, TBR70, TAR180, TAR250, %CV and HFS II total, and HFS II - B (p<0.05 for all statistics). Conclusions: For the first time, we report that higher scanning frequency is associated not only with better glycemic indices but also with less FOH in T1DM adult patients using isCGM.

Risk assessment of ventricular arrhythmia using new parameters based on high resolution body surface potential mapping.

BACKGROUND: The effective screening of myocardial infarction (MI) patients threatened by ventricular tachycardia (VT) is an important issue in clinical practice, especially in the process of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy recommendation. This study proposes new parameters describing depolarization and repolarization inhomogeneity in high resolution body surface potential maps (HR BSPM) to identify MI patients threatened by VT. MATERIAL/METHODS: High resolution ECGs were recorded from 64 surface leads. Time-averaged HR BSPMs were used. Several parameters for arrhythmia risk assessment were calculated in 2 groups of MI patients: those with and without documented VT. Additionally, a control group of healthy subjects was studied. To assess the risk of VT, the following parameters were proposed: correlation coefficient between STT and QRST integral maps (STT_QRST_CORR), departure index of absolute value of STT integral map (STT_DI), and departure index of absolute value of T-wave shape index (TSI_DI). These new parameters were compared to known parameters: QRS width, QT interval, QT dispersion, Tpeak-Tend interval, total cosines between QRS complex and T wave, and non-dipolar content of QRST integral maps. RESULTS: STT_DI, TSI_DI, STT_QRST_CORR, QRS width, and QT interval parameters were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) in arrhythmia risk assessment. The highest sensitivity was found for the STT_DI parameter (0.77) and the highest specificity for TSI_DI (0.79). CONCLUSIONS: Arrhythmia risk is demonstrated by both abnormal spatial distribution of the repolarization phase and changed relationship between depolarization and repolarization phases, as well as their prolongation. The proposed new parameters might be applied for risk stratification of cardiac arrhythmia.

Optimal ECG Lead System for Exercise Assessment of Ischemic Heart Disease.

The diagnostic value of an ECG exercise test in diagnosis of ischemic heart disease (IHD) is limited. We investigated whether it is possible to develop a method for diagnosis of IHD which uses a low number of optimal ECG leads and has a higher diagnostic efficiency than conventional exercise ECG. This study was carried out on 43 patients. The 67-lead high-resolution ECG was recorded at rest and during exercise. The diagnostic value of ST segment depression (ΔST60) and T-wave morphology change (δT) determined in optimized ECG lead configurations was higher than for the standard 12-lead ECG. The best results were obtained for δT determined from 6 ECG electrode locations where sensitivity and specificity were 70% and 69% whereas for the standard exercise ECG were 63% and 62%, respectively. The small number of ECG leads used allows for easy hardware implementation of the methods for use in clinical settings.