This version of BIP! Finder aims to ease the exploration of COVID-19-related literature by enabling ranking articles based on various impact metrics.
Last Update: 18 - 01 - 2023 (628506 entries)
Popularity: Citation-based measure reflecting the current impact.
Influence: Citation-based measure reflecting the total impact.
Reader Attention: The current number of Mendeley readers.
Social Media Attention: The number of recent tweets related to this article.
*More details on these impact measures can be found here.
Exceptional score (in top 0.01%).
Substantial score (in top 1%).
Average score (in bottom 99%).
Score not available.
CORD-19 dataset(1) (list of papers)
LitCovid hub(2) (list of papers)
PMC & PubMed (citations)
Mendeley (number of readers)
COVID-19-TweetIDs(3) (tweets)
| Title | Venue | Year | Impact | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3601 | Clinical Features and Chest CT Manifestations of COVID-19 in a Single-Center Study in Shanghai, China N/A | AJR Am J Roentgenol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3602 | Predictive Value of Sudden Olfactory Loss in the Diagnosis of COVID-19 INTRODUCTION: Recent reports suggest that sudden smell loss might be a symptom of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of olfactory loss in an outpatient population who presented to a coronavirus testing center during a 2-week period and to evaluate the diagnostic value of the symptom “sudden smell loss” for screening procedures. METHODS: In this cross-sectional controlled cohort study, 500 patients who presented with symptoms of a common cold to a corona testing center and fulfilled corona testing criteria completed a standardized diagnostic questionnaire which included the patients' main symptoms, time course, and an additional self-assessment of the patients' current smell, taste function, and nasal breathing compared to the level before the onset of symptoms. RESULTS: Out of the 500 patients, 69 presented with olfactory loss. Twenty-two of them subsequently tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Only 12 out of the patients without olfactory loss tested positive, resulting in a frequency of 64.7% for the symptom “sudden smell loss” in COVID-19 patients. Compared to COVID-19 patients without smell loss, they were significantly younger and less severely affected. Changes in nasal airflow were significantly more pronounced in SARS-CoV-2 negative patients with olfactory complaints compared to the patients with smell loss who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. By excluding patients with a blocked nose, the symptom “sudden smell loss” can be attested a high specificity (97%) and a sensitivity of 65% with a positive predictive value of 63% and negative predictive value of 97% for COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Considering the high frequency of smell loss in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients, acute olfactory impairment should be recognized as an early symptom of the disease and should be tested for on a regular basis. In contrast to other acute viral smell impairment, COVID-19-associated smell loss seems to be only rarely accompanied by a severely blocked nose. | ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat S | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3603 | Obesity, eating behavior and physical activity during COVID-19 lockdown: A study of UK adults Eating, physical activity and other weight-related lifestyle behaviors may have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and people with obesity may be disproportionately affected. We examined weight-related behaviors and weight management barriers among UK adults during the COVID-19 social lockdown. During April–May of the 2020 COVID-19 social lockdown, UK adults (N = 2002) completed an online survey including measures relating to physical activity, diet quality, overeating and how mental/physical health had been affected by lockdown. Participants also reported on perceived changes in weight-related behaviors and whether they had experienced barriers to weight management, compared to before the lockdown. A large number of participants reported negative changes in eating and physical activity behavior (e.g. 56% reported snacking more frequently) and experiencing barriers to weight management (e.g. problems with motivation and control around food) compared to before lockdown. These trends were particularly pronounced among participants with higher BMI. During lockdown, higher BMI was associated with lower levels of physical activity and diet quality, and a greater reported frequency of overeating. Reporting a decline in mental health because of the COVID-19 crisis was not associated with higher BMI, but was predictive of greater overeating and lower physical activity in lockdown. The COVID-19 crisis may have had a disproportionately large and negative influence on weight-related behaviors among adults with higher BMI. | Appetite | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3604 | Analysis of clinical features and imaging signs of COVID-19 with the assistance of artificial intelligence N/A | Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3605 | IgA dominates the early neutralizing antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 Humoral immune responses are typically characterized by primary IgM antibody responses followed by secondary antibody responses associated with immune memory and composed of IgG, IgA, and IgE. Here, we measured acute humoral responses to SARS-CoV-2, including the frequency of antibody-secreting cells and the presence of SARS-CoV-2–specific neutralizing antibodies in the serum, saliva, and bronchoalveolar fluid of 159 patients with COVID-19. Early SARS-CoV-2–specific humoral responses were dominated by IgA antibodies. Peripheral expansion of IgA plasmablasts with mucosal homing potential was detected shortly after the onset of symptoms and peaked during the third week of the disease. The virus-specific antibody responses included IgG, IgM, and IgA, but IgA contributed to virus neutralization to a greater extent compared with IgG. Specific IgA serum concentrations decreased notably 1 month after the onset of symptoms, but neutralizing IgA remained detectable in saliva for a longer time (days 49 to 73 post-symptoms). These results represent a critical observation given the emerging information as to the types of antibodies associated with optimal protection against reinfection and whether vaccine regimens should consider targeting a potent but potentially short-lived IgA response. | Sci Transl Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3606 | COVID-19 in conflict region: the arab levant response BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has hit the world in an unprecedented way causing serious repercussions on several aspects of our life. Multiple determinants have affected various nations’ level of success in their responses towards the pandemic. The Arab Levant region in the Middle East, notoriously known for repeated wars and conflicts, has been affected, similarly to other regions, by this pandemic. The combination of war, conflict, and a pandemic brings too much of a burden for any nation to handle. METHODS: A descriptive analysis of data obtained from the health departments of various Arab Levant Countries (ALC) was performed. ALC include Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Palestine. The data collected involves incidence, recovery rate, case fatality rate and number of tests performed per million population, Global Health Security index, government stringency index, and political stability index. The information obtained was compared and analyzed among the ALC and compared to global figures. An extensive electronic literature search to review all relevant articles and reports published from the region was conducted. The 2019 Global Health Security (GHS) index was obtained from the “GHS index” website which was made by John Hopkins University’s center for health security, the Nuclear threat Initiative (NTI) and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Government stringency index and political stability index were obtained from the University of Oxford and the website of “The Global Economy”, respectively. Other world governance indicators such as government effectiveness were obtained from the World Bank website. RESULTS: In terms of incidence of COVID-19, Iraq has the highest with 9665 per one million population, Syria the lowest at 256 per million. Deaths per million population was highest in Iraq at 237, and the lowest in Syria at 12. As for number of tests per million population, Lebanon ranked first at 136,033 with Iraq fourth at 59,795. There is no data available for the tests administered in Syria and subsequently no value for tests per million population. In terms of recoveries from COVID-19 per million population, Iraq had the highest number at 7903 per million, and Syria the lowest at 68 per million. When compared as percent recovery per million, Palestine ranked first (84%) and Syria last (27%). The government response stringency index shows that Jordan had the highest index (100) early in the pandemic among the other countries. Palestine’s index remained stable between 80 and 96. The other countries’ indices ranged from 50 to 85, with Lebanon seeing a drop to 24 in mid-August. Even with improved stringency index, Iraq reported an increased number of deaths. CONCLUSION: In countries devastated by war and conflict, a pandemic such as COVID-19 can easily spread. The Arab Levant countries represent a breeding ground for pandemics given their unstable political and economic climate that has undoubtedly affected their healthcare systems. In the era of COVID-19, looking at healthcare systems as well as political determinants is needed to assess a country’s readiness towards the pandemic. The unrest in Lebanon, the uprising in Iraq, the restrictions placed on Syria, and the economic difficulties in Palestine are all examples of determinants affecting pandemic management. Jordan, on the contrary, is a good example of a stable state, able to implement proper measures. Political stability index should be used as a predictor for pandemic management capacity, and individual measures should be tailored towards countries depending on their index. | BMC Public Health | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3607 | Relationship Between Coronavirus-Related eHealth Literacy and COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices among US Adults: Web-Based Survey Study BACKGROUND: During a global pandemic, it is critical that the public is able to rapidly acquire new and accurate health information. The internet is a major source of health information. eHealth literacy is the ability of individuals to find, assess, and use health information available on the internet. OBJECTIVE: The goals of this study were to assess coronavirus-related eHealth literacy and examine the relationship between eHealth literacy and COVID-19−related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs). METHODS: We conducted a web-based survey of a representative sample of 1074 US adults. We adapted the 8-item eHealth Literacy Scale to develop the Coronavirus-Related eHealth Literacy Scale (CoV-eHEALS) to measure COVID-19−related knowledge, conspiracy beliefs, and adherence to protective behaviors (eg, wearing facial masks and social distancing). Our analyses identified sociodemographic associations with the participants’ CoV-eHEALS scores and an association between the CoV-eHEALS measure and COVID-19 KAPs. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the adapted CoV-eHEALS measure was high (Cronbach α=.92). The mean score for the CoV-eHEALS was 29.0 (SD 6.1). A total of 29% (306/1074) of the survey participants were classified as having low coronavirus-related eHealth literacy (CoV-eHEALS score <26). Independent associations were found between CoV-eHEALS scores and ethnicity (standardized β=–.083, P=.016 for Black participants) and education level (standardized β=–.151, P=.001 for participants with high-school education or lower). Controlling for demographic characteristics, CoV-eHEALS scores demonstrated positive independent associations with knowledge (standardized β=.168, P<.001) and adherence to protective behaviors (standardized β=.241, P<.001) and a negative association with conspiracy beliefs (standardized β=–.082, P=.009). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an estimate of coronavirus-related eHealth literacy among US adults. Our findings suggest that a substantial proportion of US adults have low coronavirus-related eHealth literacy and are thus at a greater risk of lower and less-protective COVID-19 KAPs. These findings highlight the need to assess and address eHealth literacy as part of COVID-19 control efforts. Potential strategies include improving the quality of health information about COVID-19 available on the internet, assisting or simplifying web-based search for information about COVID-19, and training to improve general or coronavirus-specific search skills. | J Med Internet Res | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3608 | Neonatal outcome in 29 pregnant women with COVID-19: A retrospective study in Wuhan, China BACKGROUND: As of June 1, 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused more than 6,000,000 infected persons and 360,000 deaths globally. Previous studies revealed pregnant women with COVID-19 had similar clinical manifestations to nonpregnant women. However, little is known about the outcome of neonates born to infected women. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In this retrospective study, we studied 29 pregnant women with COVID-19 infection delivered in 2 designated general hospitals in Wuhan, China between January 30 and March 10, 2020, and 30 neonates (1 set of twins). Maternal demographic characteristics, delivery course, symptoms, and laboratory tests from hospital records were extracted. Neonates were hospitalized if they had symptoms (5 cases) or their guardians agreed to a hospitalized quarantine (13 cases), whereas symptom-free neonates also could be discharged after birth and followed up through telephone (12 cases). For hospitalized neonates, laboratory test results and chest X-ray or computed tomography (CT) were extracted from hospital records. The presence of antibody of SARS-CoV-2 was assessed in the serum of 4 neonates. Among 29 pregnant COVID-19-infected women (13 confirmed and 16 clinical diagnosed), the majority had higher education (56.6%), half were employed (51.7%), and their mean age was 29 years. Fourteen women experienced mild symptoms including fever (8), cough (9), shortness of breath (3), diarrhea (2), vomiting (1), and 15 were symptom-free. Eleven of 29 women had pregnancy complications, and 27 elected to have a cesarean section delivery. Of 30 neonates, 18 were admitted to Wuhan Children’s Hospital for quarantine and care, whereas the other 12 neonates discharged after birth without any symptoms and had normal follow-up. Five hospitalized neonates were diagnosed as COVID-19 infection (2 confirmed and 3 suspected). In addition, 12 of 13 other hospitalized neonates presented with radiological features for pneumonia through X-ray or CT screening, 1 with occasional cough and the others without associated symptoms. SARS-CoV-2 specific serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were measured in 4 neonates and 2 were positive. The limited sample size limited statistical comparison between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed COVID-19 or radiological features of pneumonia in some, but not all, neonates born to women with COVID-19 infection. These findings suggest that intrauterine or intrapartum transmission is possible and warrants clinical caution and further investigation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000031954 (Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes of Women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a multicenter retrospective cohort study). | PLoS Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3609 | A Scoping Review to Find Out Worldwide COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Its Underlying Determinants Background: The current crisis created by the coronavirus pandemic is impacting all facets of life. Coronavirus vaccines have been developed to prevent coronavirus infection and fight the pandemic. Since vaccines might be the only way to prevent and stop the spread of coronavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has already approved several vaccines, and many countries have started vaccinating people. Misperceptions about vaccines persist despite the evidence of vaccine safety and efficacy. Objectives: To explore the scientific literature and find the determinants for worldwide COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy as reported in the literature. Methods: PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines were followed to conduct a scoping review of literature on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and willingness to vaccinate. Several databases (e.g., MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar) were searched to find relevant articles. Intervention- (i.e., COVID-19 vaccine) and outcome- (i.e., hesitancy) related terms were used to search in these databases. The search was conducted on 22 February 2021. Both forward and backward reference lists were checked to find further studies. Three reviewers worked independently to select articles and extract data from selected literature. Studies that used a quantitative survey to measure COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance were included in this review. The extracted data were synthesized following the narrative approach and results were represented graphically with appropriate figures and tables. Results: 82 studies were included in this scoping review of 882 identified from our search. Sometimes, several studies had been performed in the same country, and it was observed that vaccine hesitancy was high earlier and decreased over time with the hope of vaccine efficacy. People in different countries had varying percentages of vaccine uptake (28–86.1%), vaccine hesitancy (10–57.8%), vaccine refusal (0–24%). The most common determinants affecting vaccination intention include vaccine efficacy, vaccine side effects, mistrust in healthcare, religious beliefs, and trust in information sources. Additionally, vaccination intentions are influenced by demographic factors such as age, gender, education, and region. Conclusions: The underlying factors of vaccine hesitancy are complex and context-specific, varying across time and socio-demographic variables. Vaccine hesitancy can also be influenced by other factors such as health inequalities, socioeconomic disadvantages, systemic racism, and level of exposure to misinformation online, with some factors being more dominant in certain countries than others. Therefore, strategies tailored to cultures and socio-psychological factors need to be developed to reduce vaccine hesitancy and aid informed decision-making. | Vaccines (Basel) | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3610 | Physical Activity, Nutritional Habits and Sleeping Behavior in Students and Employees of a Swiss University During the COVID-19 Lockdown Period: Questionnaire Survey Study BACKGROUND: The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 led to the COVID-19 pandemic starting in January 2020. The Swiss Federal Council prescribed a lockdown of nonessential businesses. Students and employees of higher education institutions had to install home offices and participate in online lectures. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this survey study was to evaluate lifestyle habits, such as physical activity (PA), sitting time, nutritional habits (expressed as median modified Mediterranean Diet Score [mMDS]), alcohol consumption habits, and sleeping behavior during a 2-month period of confinement and social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey participants were students and employees of a Swiss university of applied sciences. METHODS: All students and employees from Bern University of Applied Sciences, Department of Health Professions (ie, nursing, nutrition and dietetics, midwifery, and physiotherapy divisions) were invited to complete an anonymous online survey during the COVID-19 confinement period. Information on the lifestyle dimensions of PA, sitting time, nutritional and alcohol consumption habits, and sleep behavior was gathered using adaptations of validated questionnaires. Frequency analyses and nonparametric statistical methods were used for data analysis. Significance was set at 5% α level of error. RESULTS: Prevalence of non-health-enhancing PA was 37.1%, with participants of the division of physiotherapy showing the lowest prevalence. Prevalence of long sitting time (>8 hours/day) was 36.1%. The median mMDS was 9, where the maximal score was 15, with participants of the division of nutrition and dietetics being more adherent to a Mediterranean diet as compared to the other groups. Prevalence of nonadherence to the Swiss alcohol consumption recommendations was 8.3%. Prevalence of low sleeping quality was 44.7%, while the median sleeping duration was 8 hours, which is considered healthy for adult populations. CONCLUSIONS: In the group analysis, differences in PA, sitting time, and mMDS were observed between different divisions of health professions as well as between Bachelor of Science students, Master of Science students, and employees. Therefore, public health messages regarding healthy lifestyle habits during home confinement should be more group specific. The results of this study may provide support for the implementation of group-specific health promotion interventions at universities in pandemic conditions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04502108; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04502108 | JMIR Public Health Surveill | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3611 | Parents' intention to get vaccinated and to have their child vaccinated against COVID-19: cross-sectional analyses using data from the KUNO-Kids health study A COVID-19 vaccine can be an important key for mitigating the spread of the pandemic, provided that it is accepted by a sufficient proportion of the population. This study investigated parents’ intention to get vaccinated and to have one’s child vaccinated against COVID-19. In May 2020, 612 parents participating with their child in the KUNO-Kids health study completed an online survey. Multivariable logistic regression models were calculated to analyze predictors of intention to vaccinate. Fifty-eight percent of parents intended to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and 51% intended to have their child vaccinated. Significant predictors for the intention to get vaccinated and for having the child vaccinated included stronger parental confidence in one’s knowledge about prevention measures and lower beliefs that policy measures were exaggerated. Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy was considerable in our sample of parents in Germany. However, our study revealed some potentially modifiable factors which should be addressed by a comprehensive and tailored communication and education strategy. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00431-021-04094-z. | Eur J Pediatr | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3612 | ISTH interim guidance on recognition and management of coagulopathy in COVID-19 N/A | J Thromb Haemost | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3613 | Medically Necessary Orthopaedic Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Safe Surgical Practices and a Classification to Guide Treatment N/A | J Bone Joint Surg Am | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3614 | High-Surety Isothermal Amplification and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Isothermal nucleic acid amplification tests (iNATs), such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), are good alternatives to PCR-based amplification assays, especially for point-of-care and low-resource use, in part because they can be carried out with relatively simple instrumentation. However, iNATs can often generate spurious amplicons, especially in the absence of target sequences, resulting in false-positive results. This is especially true if signals are based on non-sequence-specific probes, such as intercalating dyes or pH changes. In addition, pathogens often prove to be moving, evolving targets and can accumulate mutations that will lead to inefficient primer binding and thus false-negative results. Multiplex assays targeting different regions of the analyte and logical signal readout using sequence-specific probes can help to reduce both false negatives and false positives. Here, we describe rapid conversion of three previously described SARS-CoV-2 LAMP assays that relied on a non-sequence-specific readout into individual and multiplex one-pot assays that can be visually read using sequence-specific oligonucleotide strand exchange (OSD) probes. We describe both fluorescence-based and Boolean logic-gated colorimetric lateral flow readout methods and demonstrate detection of SARS-CoV-2 virions in crude human saliva. IMPORTANCE One of the key approaches to treatment and control of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, is accurate and rapid diagnostics that is widely deployable in a timely and scalable manner. To achieve this, it is essential to go beyond the traditional gold standard of quantitative PCR (qPCR) that is often faced with difficulties in scaling due to the complexity of infrastructure and human resource requirements. Isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods, such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), have been long pursued as ideal, low-tech alternatives for rapid, portable testing. However, isothermal approaches often suffer from false signals due to employment of nonspecific readout methods. We describe general principles for rapidly converting nonspecifically read LAMP assays into assays that are read in a sequence-specific manner by using oligonucleotide strand displacement (OSD) probes. We also demonstrate that inclusion of OSD probes in LAMP assays maintains the simplicity of one-pot assays and a visual yes/no readout by using fluorescence or colorimetric lateral-flow dipsticks while providing accurate sequence-specific readout and the ability to logically query multiplex amplicons for redundancy or copresence. These principles not only yielded high-surety isothermal assays for SARS-CoV-2 but might also aid in the design of more sophisticated molecular assays for other analytes. | mSphere | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3615 | Potential Effects of Coronaviruses on the Cardiovascular System: A Review N/A | JAMA Cardiol | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3616 | Mental health effects of school closures during COVID-19 | Lancet Child Adolesc Health | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3617 | Bacterial coinfection and secondary infection in patients with COVID-19: a living rapid review and meta-analysis BACKGROUND: Bacterial co-pathogens are commonly identified in viral respiratory infections and are important causes of morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of bacterial infection in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 is not well understood. AIMS: To determine the prevalence of bacterial co-infection (at presentation) and secondary infection (after presentation) in patients with COVID-19. SOURCES: We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE, OVID Epub and EMBASE databases for English language literature from 2019 to April 16, 2020. Studies were included if they (a) evaluated patients with confirmed COVID-19 and (b) reported the prevalence of acute bacterial infection. CONTENT: Data were extracted by a single reviewer and cross-checked by a second reviewer. The main outcome was the proportion of COVID-19 patients with an acute bacterial infection. Any bacteria detected from non-respiratory-tract or non-bloodstream sources were excluded. Of 1308 studies screened, 24 were eligible and included in the rapid review representing 3338 patients with COVID-19 evaluated for acute bacterial infection. In the meta-analysis, bacterial co-infection (estimated on presentation) was identified in 3.5% of patients (95%CI 0.4–6.7%) and secondary bacterial infection in 14.3% of patients (95%CI 9.6–18.9%). The overall proportion of COVID-19 patients with bacterial infection was 6.9% (95%CI 4.3–9.5%). Bacterial infection was more common in critically ill patients (8.1%, 95%CI 2.3–13.8%). The majority of patients with COVID-19 received antibiotics (71.9%, 95%CI 56.1 to 87.7%). IMPLICATIONS: Bacterial co-infection is relatively infrequent in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The majority of these patients may not require empirical antibacterial treatment. | Clin Microbiol Infect | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3618 | Sociodemographic predictors of and main reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in eastern Oslo: a cross-sectional study N/A | BMC Public Health | 2022 | LitCov | |
| 3619 | Perceptions on barriers, facilitators and recommendations related to mental health service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Canada: a qualitative descriptive study BACKGROUND: There was an increase in self-reported mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, with research showing reduced access to mental health services in comparison to pre-pandemic levels. This paper explores 1) barriers and facilitating factors associated with mental health service delivery via primary care settings during the first two pandemic waves in Quebec, Canada, and 2) recommendations to addressing these barriers. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study design was used. Semi-structured interviews with 20 participants (health managers, family physicians, mental health clinicians) were conducted and coded using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: Barriers and facilitating factors were organized according to Chaudoir et al. (2013)‘s framework of structural, organizational, provider- and patient-related, as well as innovation (technological modalities for service delivery) categories. Barriers included relocation of mental health staff to non-mental health related COVID-19 tasks (structural); mental health service interruption (organizational); mental health staff on preventive/medical leave (provider); the pandemic’s effect on consultations (i.e., perceptions of increased demand) (patients); and challenges with the use of technological modalities (innovation). Facilitating factors included reinforcements to mental health care teams (structural); perceptions of reductions in wait times for mental health evaluations during the second wave due to diminished FP referrals in the first wave, as well as supports (i.e., management, private sector, mental health trained staff) for mental health service delivery (organizational); staff’s mental health consultation practices (provider); and advantages in increasing the use of technological modalities in practice (innovation). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore barriers and facilitating factors to mental health service delivery during the pandemic in Quebec, Canada. Some barriers identified were caused by the pandemic, such as the relocation of staff to non-mental health services and mental health service interruption. Offering services virtually seemed to facilitate mental health service delivery only for certain population groups. Recommendations related to building and strengthening human and technological capacity during the pandemic can inform mental health practices and policies to improve mental health service delivery in primary care settings and access to mental health services via access points. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12875-022-01634-w. | BMC Prim Care | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3620 | Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in a vulnerable population in France: a cross-sectional study OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the level of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in socially deprived neighbourhoods after the first wave of the pandemic, and to identify factors associated with seropositivity. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Three socially deprived neighbourhoods of the city of Perpignan, in the south of France, where large settled Roma communities live. PARTICIPANTS: People aged 6 years old or over, living in the study area. 700 people were included in the study using two-stage stratified sampling design. INTERVENTIONS: The study included a questionnaire and SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing by the Roche Elecsys immunoassay between 29 June and 17 July 2020. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence was estimated from weighted data. Associated factors and reported symptoms were investigated using univariable and multivariable logistic regressions. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 35.4% (95% CI 30.2% to 41.0%). People aged 15–64 years old had increased odds of being seropositive than those aged 65 years or over. Obese people had higher odds of being seropositive (adjusted OR (aOR)=2.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.8). The odds of being seropositive were higher in households with clinical COVID-19 cases (one case: aOR=2.5, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.0; several cases: aOR=6.9, 95% CI 3.1 to 15.2). In the neighbourhood with the highest measured seroprevalence, people living in a dwelling with one to two rooms had higher odds of being seropositive than those living in a four-room house (aOR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.3). Working during the lockdown was associated with lower odds of being seropositive (aOR=0.2, 95% CI 0.03 to 1.0). CONCLUSION: Transmission of SARS-COV-2 in this vulnerable population was very high during the COVID-19 pandemic’s first wave. Our results highlight the need to strengthen and adapt preventive measures taking into account all social determinants of health, especially housing conditions. | BMJ Open | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3621 | Sociodemographic and Psychological Risk Factors for Anxiety and Depression: Findings from the Covid-19 Health and Adherence Research in Scotland on Mental Health (CHARIS-MH) Cross-sectional Survey BACKGROUND: Investigations about mental health report prevalence rates with fewer studies investigating psychological and social factors influencing mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic. Study aims: (1) identify sociodemographic groups of the adult population at risk of anxiety and depression and (2) determine if the following social and psychological risk factors for poor mental health moderated these direct sociodemographic effects: loneliness, social support, threat perception, illness representations. METHODS: Cross-sectional nationally representative telephone survey in Scotland in June 2020. If available, validated instruments were used, for example, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4) to measure anxiety and depression. Simple linear regressions followed by examination of moderation effect. RESULTS: A total of 1006 participants; median age 53 years, 61.4% female, from all levels of area deprivation (i.e., 3.8% in the most deprived decile and 15.6% in the most affluent decile). Analyses show associations of anxiety and depression with sociodemographic (age, gender, deprivation), social (social support, loneliness) and psychological factors (perceived threat and illness representations). Mental health was poorer in younger adults, women and people living in the most deprived areas. Age effects were exacerbated by loneliness and illness representations, gender effects by loneliness and illness representations and deprivation effects by loneliness, social support, illness representations and perceived threat. In each case, the moderating variables amplified the detrimental effects of the sociodemographic factors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm the results of pre-Covid-19 pandemic studies about associations between sociodemographics and mental health. Loneliness, lack of social support and thoughts about Covid-19 exacerbated these effects and offer pointers for pre-emptive action. | Int J Behav Med | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3622 | Increased mortality in community-tested cases of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 N/A | Nature | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3623 | Evaluation of changes in pediatric emergency department utilization during COVID-19 pandemic BACKGROUND: : During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period, the use of emergency services with pediatric non-COVID patients has decreased considerably. We aimed to examine whether there was a change in the demographic data, triage profile, causes, management, and cost of pediatric emergency department (PED) visits of non-COVID patients during the pandemic period. METHODS: : This study was a retrospective, single-center, observational comparative study that was conducted at the PED. Patient records were examined during “the pandemic spring” and the same period of the previous year. Patient demographics, waiting time, and outcome of the PED visit were analyzed in the entire population of children admitted to the PED during the study period, whereas more precise data such as the reason for PED use, duration of symptoms, urgency levels according to the Emergency Severity Index (ESI), final diagnosis, management, and cost of patient care were analyzed in a sample of admitted patients. We used the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Mann–Whitney U test for statistical analyses. RESULTS: : A total of 62,593 PED visits occurred. During the pandemic period, PED visits showed a decrease of 55.8% compared to the previous year. Patients included in the sampling study group were selected using a systematic random sampling method. The median waiting time during the pandemic period was significantly shorter than the previous year (median 14 min [IQR: 5–32] vs. median 5 min [IQR: 2–16]; p<0.001). The median duration of symptoms was 1 day (1–2) in both groups. Emergency Severity Index (ESI) levels I, II, and III showed a significant increase (27.7% vs. 37.3%) in triage scoring compared to levels IV and V (72.3% vs. 62.7%) during the pandemic period (p<0.001). The median cost per patient during the pandemic period was statistically higher compared to the previous year ($19.57 [19.57–40.50] vs. $25.34 [31.50–52.01]; p<0.001). Overall costs during the pandemic period had a 1.6-fold decline. CONCLUSION: : We highlighted the changes in an ordinary PED profile during an extraordinary period. A shift in ESI levels in a more emergent direction was observed. While the number of nonurgent patients, especially those with infections, decreased, the rates of surgical cases, acute neurological and heart diseases, home accidents, and poisoning increased relative to the pre-pandemic period. | Arch Pediatr | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3624 | COVID-19 Vaccination in Lower-Middle Income Countries: National Stakeholder Views on Challenges, Barriers and Potential Solutions The development of COVID-19 vaccines does not imply the end of the global pandemic as now countries have to purchase enough COVID-19 vaccine doses and work towards their successful rollout. Vaccination across the world has progressed slowly in all, but a few high-income countries (HICs) as governments learn how to vaccinate their entire populations amidst a pandemic. Most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have been relying on the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility to obtain vaccines. COVAX aims to provide these countries with enough doses to vaccinate 20% of their populations. LMICs will likely encounter additional barriers and challenges rolling out vaccines compared HICs despite their significant experience from the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI). This study explores potential barriers that will arise during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in lower-middle-income countries and how to overcome them. We conducted sixteen semi-structured interviews with national-level stakeholders from Ghana and Bangladesh (eight in each country). Stakeholders included policymakers and immunisation programme experts. Data were analysed using a Framework Analysis technique. Stakeholders believed their country could use existing EPI structures for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout despite existing challenges with the EPI and despite its focus on childhood immunisation rather than vaccinating the entire population over a short period of time. Stakeholders suggested increasing confidence in the vaccine through community influencers and by utilising local government accredited institutions such as the Drug Authorities for vaccine approval. Additional strategies they discussed included training more health providers and recruiting volunteers to increase vaccination speed, expanding government budgets for COVID-19 vaccine purchase and delivery, and exploring other financing opportunities to address in-country vaccine shortages. Stakeholders also believed that LMICs may encounter challenges complying with priority lists. Our findings suggest that COVID-19 vaccination is different from previous vaccination programs, and therefore, policymakers have to expand the EPI structure and also take a systematic and collaborative approach to plan and effectively rollout the vaccines. | Front Public Health | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3625 | Using the COVID-19 Pandemic to Assess the Influence of News Affect on Online Mental Health-Related Search Behavior Across the United States: Integrated Sentiment Analysis and the Circumplex Model of Affect BACKGROUND: The digital era has ushered in an unprecedented volume of readily accessible information, including news coverage of current events. Research has shown that the sentiment of news articles can evoke emotional responses from readers on a daily basis with specific evidence for increased anxiety and depression in response to coverage of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Given the primacy and relevance of such information exposure, its daily impact on the mental health of the general population within this modality warrants further nuanced investigation. OBJECTIVE: Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a subject-specific example, this work aimed to profile and examine associations between the dynamics of semantic affect in online local news headlines and same-day online mental health term search behavior over time across the United States. METHODS: Using COVID-19–related news headlines from a database of online news stories in conjunction with mental health–related online search data from Google Trends, this paper first explored the statistical and qualitative affective properties of state-specific COVID-19 news coverage across the United States from January 23, 2020, to October 22, 2020. The resultant operationalizations and findings from the joint application of dictionary-based sentiment analysis and the circumplex theory of affect informed the construction of subsequent hypothesis-driven mixed effects models. Daily state-specific counts of mental health search queries were regressed on circumplex-derived features of semantic affect, time, and state (as a random effect) to model the associations between the dynamics of news affect and search behavior throughout the pandemic. Search terms were also grouped into depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and nonspecific depression and anxiety symptoms to model the broad impact of news coverage on mental health. RESULTS: Exploratory efforts revealed patterns in day-to-day news headline affect variation across the first 9 months of the pandemic. In addition, circumplex mapping of the most frequently used words in state-specific headlines uncovered time-agnostic similarities and differences across the United States, including the ubiquitous use of negatively valenced and strongly arousing language. Subsequent mixed effects modeling implicated increased consistency in affective tone (Spin(VA) β=–.207; P<.001) as predictive of increased depression-related search term activity, with emotional language patterns indicative of affective uncontrollability (Flux(A) β=.221; P<.001) contributing generally to an increase in online mental health search term frequency. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated promise in applying the circumplex model of affect to written content and provided a practical example for how circumplex theory can be integrated with sentiment analysis techniques to interrogate mental health–related associations. The findings from pandemic-specific news headlines highlighted arousal, flux, and spin as potentially significant affect-based foci for further study. Future efforts may also benefit from more expansive sentiment analysis approaches to more broadly test the practical application and theoretical capabilities of the circumplex model of affect on text-based data. | J Med Internet Res | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3626 | Sex differences in immune responses that underlie COVID-19 disease outcomes A growing body of evidence indicates sex differences in the clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)(1–5). However, whether immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 differ between sexes, and whether such differences explain male susceptibility to COVID-19, is currently unknown. In this study, we examined sex differences in viral loads, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody titers, plasma cytokines, as well as blood cell phenotyping in COVID-19 patients. By focusing our analysis on patients with moderate disease who had not received immunomodulatory medications, our results revealed that male patients had higher plasma levels of innate immune cytokines such as IL-8 and IL-18 along with more robust induction of non-classical monocytes. In contrast, female patients mounted significantly more robust T cell activation than male patients during SARS-CoV-2 infection, which was sustained in old age. Importantly, we found that a poor T cell response negatively correlated with patients’ age and was associated with worse disease outcome in male patients, but not in female patients. Conversely, higher innate immune cytokines in female patients associated with worse disease progression, but not in male patients. These findings reveal a possible explanation underlying observed sex biases in COVID-19, and provide important basis for the development of sex-based approach to the treatment and care of men and women with COVID-19. | Nature | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3627 | SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant: Characteristics and prevention Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has brought about a great threat to global public health. Recently, a new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) variant B.1.1.529 has been reported in South Africa and induced a rapid increase in COVID‐19 cases. On November 24, 2021, B.1.1.529 named Omicron was designated as a variant under monitoring (VUM) by World Health Organization (WHO). Two days later, the Omicron variant was classified as a variant of concern (VOC). This variant harbors a high number of mutations, including 15 mutations in the receptor‐binding domain (RBD) of spike. The Omicron variant also shares several mutations with the previous VOC Alpha, Beta, and Gamma variants, which immediately raised global concerns about viral transmissibility, pathogenicity, and immune evasion. Here we described the discovery and characteristics of the Omicron variant, compared the mutations of the spike in the five VOCs, and further raised possible strategies to prevent and overcome the prevalence of the Omicron variant. | MedComm (2020) | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3628 | Neurological and neuropsychiatric complications of COVID-19 in 153 patients: a UK-wide surveillance study BACKGROUND: Concerns regarding potential neurological complications of COVID-19 are being increasingly reported, primarily in small series. Larger studies have been limited by both geography and specialty. Comprehensive characterisation of clinical syndromes is crucial to allow rational selection and evaluation of potential therapies. The aim of this study was to investigate the breadth of complications of COVID-19 across the UK that affected the brain. METHODS: During the exponential phase of the pandemic, we developed an online network of secure rapid-response case report notification portals across the spectrum of major UK neuroscience bodies, comprising the Association of British Neurologists (ABN), the British Association of Stroke Physicians (BASP), and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), and representing neurology, stroke, psychiatry, and intensive care. Broad clinical syndromes associated with COVID-19 were classified as a cerebrovascular event (defined as an acute ischaemic, haemorrhagic, or thrombotic vascular event involving the brain parenchyma or subarachnoid space), altered mental status (defined as an acute alteration in personality, behaviour, cognition, or consciousness), peripheral neurology (defined as involving nerve roots, peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junction, or muscle), or other (with free text boxes for those not meeting these syndromic presentations). Physicians were encouraged to report cases prospectively and we permitted recent cases to be notified retrospectively when assigned a confirmed date of admission or initial clinical assessment, allowing identification of cases that occurred before notification portals were available. Data collected were compared with the geographical, demographic, and temporal presentation of overall cases of COVID-19 as reported by UK Government public health bodies. FINDINGS: The ABN portal was launched on April 2, 2020, the BASP portal on April 3, 2020, and the RCPsych portal on April 21, 2020. Data lock for this report was on April 26, 2020. During this period, the platforms received notification of 153 unique cases that met the clinical case definitions by clinicians in the UK, with an exponential growth in reported cases that was similar to overall COVID-19 data from UK Government public health bodies. Median patient age was 71 years (range 23–94; IQR 58–79). Complete clinical datasets were available for 125 (82%) of 153 patients. 77 (62%) of 125 patients presented with a cerebrovascular event, of whom 57 (74%) had an ischaemic stroke, nine (12%) an intracerebral haemorrhage, and one (1%) CNS vasculitis. 39 (31%) of 125 patients presented with altered mental status, comprising nine (23%) patients with unspecified encephalopathy and seven (18%) patients with encephalitis. The remaining 23 (59%) patients with altered mental status fulfilled the clinical case definitions for psychiatric diagnoses as classified by the notifying psychiatrist or neuropsychiatrist, and 21 (92%) of these were new diagnoses. Ten (43%) of 23 patients with neuropsychiatric disorders had new-onset psychosis, six (26%) had a neurocognitive (dementia-like) syndrome, and four (17%) had an affective disorder. 18 (49%) of 37 patients with altered mental status were younger than 60 years and 19 (51%) were older than 60 years, whereas 13 (18%) of 74 patients with cerebrovascular events were younger than 60 years versus 61 (82%) patients older than 60 years. INTERPRETATION: To our knowledge, this is the first nationwide, cross-specialty surveillance study of acute neurological and psychiatric complications of COVID-19. Altered mental status was the second most common presentation, comprising encephalopathy or encephalitis and primary psychiatric diagnoses, often occurring in younger patients. This study provides valuable and timely data that are urgently needed by clinicians, researchers, and funders to inform immediate steps in COVID-19 neuroscience research and health policy. FUNDING: None. | Lancet Psychiatry | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3629 | Renal histopathological analysis of 26 postmortem findings of patients with COVID-19 in China Although the respiratory and immune systems are the major targets of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), acute kidney injury and proteinuria have also been observed. Currently, detailed pathologic examination of kidney damage in critically ill patients with COVID-19 has been lacking. To help define this we analyzed kidney abnormalities in 26 autopsies of patients with COVID-19 by light microscopy, ultrastructural observation and immunostaining. Patients were on average 69 years (19 male and 7 female) with respiratory failure associated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome as the cause of death. Nine of the 26 showed clinical signs of kidney injury that included increased serum creatinine and/or new-onset proteinuria. By light microscopy, diffuse proximal tubule injury with the loss of brush border, non-isometric vacuolar degeneration, and even frank necrosis was observed. Occasional hemosiderin granules and pigmented casts were identified. There were prominent erythrocyte aggregates obstructing the lumen of capillaries without platelet or fibrinoid material. Evidence of vasculitis, interstitial inflammation or hemorrhage was absent. Electron microscopic examination showed clusters of coronavirus particles with distinctive spikes in the tubular epithelium and podocytes. Furthermore, the receptor of SARS-CoV-2, ACE2 was found to be upregulated in patients with COVID-19, and immunostaining with SARS-CoV nucleoprotein antibody was positive in tubules. In addition to the direct virulence of SARS-CoV-2, factors contributing to acute kidney injury included systemic hypoxia, abnormal coagulation, and possible drug or hyperventilation-relevant rhabdomyolysis. Thus, our studies provide direct evidence of the invasion of SARSCoV-2 into kidney tissue. These findings will greatly add to the current understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection. | Kidney Int | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3630 | Molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 and differentiation of Omicron and Delta variant strains The SARS‐CoV‐2 virus is the causative agent of COVID‐19 and has undergone continuous mutations throughout the pandemic. The more transmissible Omicron variant has quickly spread and is replacing the Delta variant as the most prevalent strain globally, including in the United States. A new molecular assay that can detect and differentiate both the Delta and Omicron variants was developed. A collection of 660,035 SARS‐CoV‐2 full‐ or near‐full genomes, including 169,454 Delta variant and 24,202 Omicron variant strains, were used for primer and probe designs. In silico data analysis predicted an assay coverage of >99% of all strains, including >99% of the Delta and >99% of Omicron strains. The Omicron variant differential test was designed based on the Δ31‐33 aa deletion in the N‐gene, which is present in the original B.1.1.529 main genotype, BA.1, as well as in BA.2 and BA.3 subtypes. Therefore, the assay should detect the majority of all Omicron variant strains. Standard curves generated with human clinical samples indicated that the PCR amplification efficiencies were 104%, 90.7% and 90.4% for the Omicron, Delta, and non‐Delta/non‐Omicron wild‐type genotypes, respectively. Correlation coefficients of the standard curves were all >0.99. The detection limit of the assay was 14.3, 32.0, and 21.5 copies per PCR reaction for Omicron, Delta, and wild‐type genotypes, respectively. The assay was designed to specifically detect SAR‐CoV‐2 strains. Selected samples with Omicron, Delta and wild‐type genotypes identified by the RT‐qPCR assay were also confirmed by sequencing. The assay did not detect any animal coronavirus‐positive samples that were tested. Human nasal swab samples that previously tested positive (n = 182) or negative (n = 42) for SARS‐CoV‐2 by the ThermoFisher TaqPath COVID‐19 Combo Kit, produced the same result with the new assay. Among positive samples, 55.5% (101/182), 23.1% (42/182), and 21.4% (39/182) were identified as Omicron, Delta, and non‐Omicron/non‐Delta wild‐type genotypes, respectively. | Transbound Emerg Dis | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3631 | Severe COVID-19, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and Kawasaki disease: immunological mechanisms, clinical manifestations and management Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) is a pediatric hyperinflammation disorder caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has now been reported from several countries the world over. Some of the clinical manifestations of MIS-C mimic Kawasaki disease (KD) shock syndrome. MIS-C develops 4–6 weeks following SARS-CoV-2 infection, and is presumably initiated by adaptive immune response. Though it has multisystem involvement, it is the cardiovascular manifestations that are most prominent. High titres of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are seen in these patients. As this is a new disease entity, its immunopathogenesis is not fully elucidated. Whether it has some overlap with KD is still unclear. Current treatment guidelines recommend use of intravenous immunoglobulin and high-dose corticosteroids as first-line treatment. Mortality rates of MIS-C are lower compared to adult forms of severe COVID-19 disease. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00296-020-04749-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. | Rheumatol Int | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3632 | Pandemic lockdown, healthcare policies and human rights: integrating opposed views on COVID-19 public health mitigation measures N/A | Rev Cardiovasc Med | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3633 | Origin, virological features, immune evasion and intervention of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages N/A | Signal Transduct Target Ther | 2022 | LitCov | |
| 3634 | Changes in Language Style and Topics in an Online Eating Disorder Community at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Observational Study BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has affected individuals with lived experience of eating disorders (EDs), with many reporting higher psychological distress, higher prevalence of ED symptoms, and compensatory behaviors. The COVID-19 pandemic and the health and safety measures taken to contain its spread also disrupted routines and reduced access to familiar coping mechanisms, social support networks, and health care services. Social media and the ED communities on social media platforms have been an important source of support for individuals with EDs in the past. So far, it is unknown how discussions in online ED communities changed as offline support networks were disrupted and people spent more time at home in the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to identify changes in language content and style in an online ED community during the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We extracted posts and their comments from the ED community on the social media website Reddit and concatenated them to comment threads. To analyze these threads, we applied top-down and bottom-up language analysis methods based on topic modeling with latent Dirichlet allocation and 13 indicators from the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program, respectively. Threads were split into prepandemic (before March 11, 2020) and midpandemic (after March 11, 2020) groups. Standardized mean differences were calculated to estimate change between pre- and midpandemic threads. RESULTS: A total of 17,715 threads (n=8772, 49.5% prepandemic threads; n=8943, 50.5% midpandemic threads) were extracted from the ED community and analyzed. The final topic model contained 21 topics. CIs excluding zero were found for standardized mean differences of 15 topics and 9 Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count categories covering themes such as ED symptoms, mental health, treatment for EDs, cognitive processing, social life, and emotions. CONCLUSIONS: Although we observed a reduction in discussions about ED symptoms, an increase in mental health and treatment-related topics was observed at the same time. This points to a change in the focus of the ED community from promoting potentially harmful weight loss methods to bringing attention to mental health and treatments for EDs. These results together with heightened cognitive processing, increased social references, and reduced inhibition of negative emotions detected in discussions indicate a shift in the ED community toward a pro-recovery orientation. | J Med Internet Res | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3635 | Once we have it, will we use it? A European survey on willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 | Eur J Health Econ | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3636 | Social and emotional loneliness among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: The predictive role of coping behaviors, social support and personal resilience N/A | Perspect Psychiatr Care | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3637 | Should We Postpone Elective Cardiovascular Procedures and Percutaneous Coronary Interventions During the COVID-19 Pandemic? N/A | Heart Surg Forum | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3638 | COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: The Role of Information Sources and Beliefs in Dutch Adults COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy may be regarded as a new pandemic hindering the elimination of or coping with COVID-19. This study assessed reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy using the I-Change Model (ICM) by considering the role of informational and psychosocial factors. A cross-sectional online survey using a convenience sample was conducted among Dutch adults (n = 240). The questionnaire assessed information factors, predisposing factors, awareness factors, motivational factors, preparatory actions, and vaccination intention. Vaccine hesitant participants (n = 58, 24%) had lower levels of education, more often paid work, and tended to have a religion other than Catholicism. They used written media less often and tended to visit websites of public health organizations less often, but used messaging services like WhatsApp more frequently. All participants had neutral intentions towards checking information credibility. Vaccine hesitant respondents had less knowledge about vaccination, lower perceived severity of getting sick and dying of COVID-19, and reported fewer exposures to cues about the advantages of COVID-19 vaccination. They were less convinced of the emotional and rational advantages of COVID-19 vaccination and expressed more negative feelings about it. They also reported more negative social norms concerning COVID-19 vaccination, and lower self-efficacy to get vaccinated and to cope with potential side-effects. The regression model explained 58% of the variance in vaccination intention. The results suggest that strategies are needed to: 1. Reduce fake news and stimulate information checking to foster well-informed decision-making; 2. Target both rational and emotional consequences of COVID-19, in addition to strategies for optimizing levels of knowledge. Campaigns should acknowledge the perceptions of the emotional disadvantages and increase perceptions of emotional advantages of COVID-19 vaccinations, such as reducing feelings of regret, and increasing feelings of freedom and reassurance. | Int J Environ Res Public Healt | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3639 | COVID-19 Symptoms and Duration of Rapid Antigen Test Positivity at a Community Testing and Surveillance Site During Pre-Delta, Delta and Omicron BA.1 Periods N/A | JAMA Netw Open | 2022 | LitCov | |
| 3640 | Evaluation of a saliva molecular point of care for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in ambulatory care Rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals is a cornerstone for the control of virus spread. The sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by RT-PCR is similar in saliva and nasopharyngeal swabs. Rapid molecular point-of-care tests in saliva could facilitate, broaden and speed up the diagnosis. We conducted a prospective study in two community COVID-19 screening centers to evaluate the performances of a CE-marked RT-LAMP assay (EasyCoV) designed for the detection of SARS-CoV2 RNA from fresh saliva samples, compared to nasopharyngeal RT-PCR, to saliva RT-PCR and to nasopharyngeal antigen testing. Overall, 117 of the 1718 participants (7%) tested positive with nasopharyngeal RT-PCR. Compared to nasopharyngeal RT-PCR, the sensitivity and specificity of the RT-LAMP assay in saliva were 34% and 97%, respectively. The Ct values of nasopharyngeal RT-PCR were significantly lower in the 40 true positive subjects with saliva RT-LAMP (Ct 25.9) than in the 48 false negative subjects with saliva RT-LAMP (Ct 28.4) (p = 0.028). Considering six alternate criteria for reference tests, including saliva RT-PCR and nasopharyngeal antigen, the sensitivity of saliva RT-LAMP ranged between 27 and 44%. The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in crude saliva samples with an RT-LAMP assay had a lower sensitivity than nasopharyngeal RT-PCR, saliva RT-PCR and nasopharyngeal antigen testing. Registration number: NCT04578509. | Sci Rep | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3641 | Patient and caregiver perspectives on virtual care: a patient-oriented qualitative study BACKGROUND: Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual care solutions have been rapidly adopted across the country to provide safe, quality care to diverse patient populations. The objective of this qualitative case study was to understand patient and caregiver experiences of virtual care to identify barriers and gather suggestions to address them. METHODS: In this patient-oriented project, we sought to understand gaps in virtual care experienced by patients and caregivers, using virtual focus groups. With the assistance of a patient research liaison, we engaged 2 patient partners as full partners; they participated in study conception, data collection, data analysis and knowledge translation. Recruitment was done through email by disseminating the study poster to 30 community organizations and health units in Ontario and British Columbia. We conducted a constructivist, qualitative study guided by grounded theory methodology. One researcher employed in-vivo coding, followed by axial coding with focus group participants, followed by selective coding with the study team. The study took place from November to December 2020. RESULTS: We conducted 6 focus groups with 13 patients and 5 caregivers. The analysis resulted in 6 major themes and 17 minor themes. Key findings showed that barriers related to access to technology and Internet, language and cultural differences were challenges to virtual care. Participants identified special considerations surrounding caregiver and family involvement; privacy, consent and confidentiality; and the patient–physician relationship. Participants suggested that technology and the Internet be universally accessible and that virtual care modalities be integrated (e.g., consolidated patient portal) to improve virtual care. INTERPRETATION: There are multiple patient-identified barriers to accessing virtual care in Canada; patients can provide insights into ways to address these barriers. Future research should include robust patient engagement to explore ways to address these challenges and barriers to ensure that virtual care can be equitable, accessible and safe for all users. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Although virtual care has been rapidly adopted and scaled up in health care institutions across the country, few improvements informed by patient and caregiver experiences have been made. Driven by concerns expressed by patient partners, our study team undertook a patient-partnered qualitative study to understand the barriers of virtual care from the perspectives and experiences of patients and caregivers. Our study team created the interview guide drawing from our previous patient-oriented qualitative studies and designed an orientation package to provide resources related to the focus groups and to introduce participants to the study team. Drawing from local health teams, clinics and patient advisory groups, the study team recruited 13 patients and 5 caregivers to participate in 6 focus group interviews. An analysis based on grounded theory was undertaken, with participation from both the study team and participants. Lack of access to technology or Internet and language barriers were determined to be the primary challenges in virtual care. Special considerations to caregiver and family involvement, privacy and confidentiality, as well as the patient–physician relationship were considered priorities to improving access to virtual care. Participants offered recommendations and potential solutions to address barriers and challenges in virtual care, which can serve to encourage large-scale policy and programmatic changes in patient-centred ways. | CMAJ Open | 2022 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3642 | Progress of the COVID-19 vaccine effort: viruses, vaccines and variants vs efficacy, effectiveness and escape Where 2020 saw the development and testing of vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at an unprecedented pace, the first half of 2021 has seen vaccine rollout in many countries. In this Progress article, we provide a snapshot of ongoing vaccine efficacy studies, as well as real-world data on vaccine effectiveness and the impact of virus variants of concern. Where they have been deployed in a high proportion of the adult population, the currently approved vaccines have been extremely effective in preventing COVID-19, particularly severe disease. Nonetheless, there are still significant challenges in ensuring equitable vaccine access around the globe and lessons that can be learned for controlling this pandemic and for the next pandemic. | Nat Rev Immunol | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3643 | Elective surgery cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic: global predictive modelling to inform surgical recovery plans BACKGROUND: The COVID‐19 pandemic has disrupted routine hospital services globally. This study estimated the total number of adult elective operations that would be cancelled worldwide during the 12 weeks of peak disruption due to COVID‐19. METHODS: A global expert‐response study was conducted to elicit projections for the proportion of elective surgery that would be cancelled or postponed during the 12 weeks of peak disruption. A Bayesian beta‐regression model was used to estimate 12‐week cancellation rates for 190 countries. Elective surgical case‐mix data, stratified by specialty and indication (cancer versus benign surgery), was determined. This case‐mix was applied to country‐level surgical volumes. The 12‐week cancellation rates were then applied to these figures to calculate total cancelled operations. RESULTS: The best estimate was that 28,404,603 operations would be cancelled or postponed during the peak 12 weeks of disruption due to COVID‐19 (2,367,050 operations per week). Most would be operations for benign disease (90.2%, 25,638,922/28,404,603). The overall 12‐week cancellation rate would be 72.3%. Globally, 81.7% (25,638,921/31,378,062) of benign surgery, 37.7% (2,324,069/6,162,311) of cancer surgery, and 25.4% (441,611/1,735,483) of elective Caesarean sections would be cancelled or postponed. If countries increase their normal surgical volume by 20% post‐pandemic, it would take a median 45 weeks to clear the backlog of operations resulting from COVID‐19 disruption. CONCLUSIONS: A very large number of operations will be cancelled or postponed due to disruption caused by COVID‐19. Governments should mitigate against this major burden on patients by developing recovery plans and implementing strategies to safely restore surgical activity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. | Br J Surg | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3644 | Potential Inhibitors for Novel Coronavirus Protease Identified by Virtual Screening of 606 Million Compounds The rapid outbreak of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in China followed by its spread around the world poses a serious global concern for public health. To this date, no specific drugs or vaccines are available to treat SARS-CoV-2 despite its close relation to the SARS-CoV virus that caused a similar epidemic in 2003. Thus, there remains an urgent need for the identification and development of specific antiviral therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2. To conquer viral infections, the inhibition of proteases essential for proteolytic processing of viral polyproteins is a conventional therapeutic strategy. In order to find novel inhibitors, we computationally screened a compound library of over 606 million compounds for binding at the recently solved crystal structure of the main protease (M(pro)) of SARS-CoV-2. A screening of such a vast chemical space for SARS-CoV-2 M(pro) inhibitors has not been reported before. After shape screening, two docking protocols were applied followed by the determination of molecular descriptors relevant for pharmacokinetics to narrow down the number of initial hits. Next, molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to validate the stability of docked binding modes and comprehensively quantify ligand binding energies. After evaluation of potential off-target binding, we report a list of 12 purchasable compounds, with binding affinity to the target protease that is predicted to be more favorable than that of the cocrystallized peptidomimetic compound. In order to quickly advise ongoing therapeutic intervention for patients, we evaluated approved antiviral drugs and other protease inhibitors to provide a list of nine compounds for drug repurposing. Furthermore, we identified the natural compounds (−)-taxifolin and rhamnetin as potential inhibitors of M(pro). Rhamnetin is already commercially available in pharmacies. | Int J Mol Sci | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3645 | Assessing the Impact of Inflammatory Markers and CT Severity Score on Disease Severity of COVID-19 Patients Admitted to ICU at a Tertiary Hospital N/A | J Assoc Physicians India | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3646 | Screening of plant-based natural compounds as a potential COVID-19 main protease inhibitor: an in silico docking and molecular dynamics simulation approach A new strain of coronavirus (CoV) has been identified as SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, there is no approved vaccine or drug available to combat the pandemic. COVID-19 main protease (M(pro)) is a key CoV enzyme, which plays an important role in triggering viral replication and transcription, turns it into an attractive target. Therefore, we aim to screen natural products library to find out potential COVID-19 M(pro) inhibitors. Plant-based natural compounds from Sigma-Aldrich plant profiler chemical library have been screened through virtual molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation to identify potential inhibitors of COVID M(pro). Our virtual molecular docking results have shown that there are twenty-eight natural compounds with a greater binding affinity toward the COVID-19 M(pro) inhibition site as compared to the co-crystal native ligand Inhibitor N3 (-7.9 kcal/mol). Also, molecular dynamics simulation results have confirmed that Peonidin 3-O-glucoside, Kaempferol 3-O-β–rutinoside, 4-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-7-methoxy-5-[(6-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)oxy]-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one, Quercetin-3-D-xyloside, and Quercetin 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranoside (selected based on the docking score) possess a significant amount of dynamic properties such as stability, flexibility and binding energy. Our In silco results suggests that all the above mention natural compounds have the potential to be developed as a COVID-19 M(pro) inhibitor. But before that, it must go through under the proper preclinical and clinical trials for further scientific validation. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma | J Biomol Struct Dyn | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3647 | Prevalence and Determinants of Immediate and Long-Term PTSD Consequences of Coronavirus-Related (CoV-1 and CoV-2) Pandemics among Healthcare Professionals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Background: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rise. In order to control the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals have been subjected to increased exposure to work stress. In this systematic review, we aimed at investigating the prevalence and determinants of immediate and long-term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) effects on healthcare professionals by the COVID-19 (SARS CoV-2) and SARS-2003 (SARS CoV-1) pandemics. Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the recommendations of the Protocols for Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. Only studies reporting the prevalence of PTSD (frequency, percentage) and related risk factors (adjusted odds ratio (OR)) in healthcare professionals (HCPs) during the SARS CoV-2 and SARS CoV-1 pandemics were included. The following databases were screened: Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, and Health Psychosocial Instrument (HaPI). Results: Six of eight studies reported PTSD symptoms among healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in China (three), Singapore (one), India (one), and the United States of America (USA) (two), while two studies reported symptoms during the SARS-2003 pandemic in China (one) and Singapore (one). Sample sizes ranged from 263 to 5062 with a combined total of 10,074 participants. All of the studies self-reported the level of exposure to coronaviruses (CoV-1 and CoV-2) and severity of PTSD. Seven studies reported the prevalence of immediate PTSD and determinants, while one study reported delayed-onset PTSD (3 years after CoV-1 pandemic). Determinants of immediate PTSD were reported for the CoV-2 pandemic, while those for long-term PTSD were reported for the CoV-1 pandemic. Conclusions: A comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and determinants of immediate or long-term pandemic PTSD for healthcare workers can improve prevention, diagnosis, and management. Rigorous research measuring the prevalence of PTSD and its associated risk factors (adjusted OR) for the CoV-2 pandemic are envisaged. Although strategies to resolve immediate PTSD are key, long-term PTSD must not be overlooked. | Int J Environ Res Public Healt | 2021 | LitCov and CORD-19 | |
| 3648 | Dynamic measurement of volume of atelectasis area in the evaluation of the prognosis of patients with moderate-to-severe acute respiratory distress syndrome N/A | Zhonghua Wei Zhong Bing Ji Jiu | 2020 | CORD-19 | |
| 3649 | A case-case study on the effect of primary and booster immunization with China-produced COVID-19 vaccines on prevention of pneumonia and viral load among vaccinated persons infected by Delta and Omicron variants N/A | Emerg Microbes Infect | 2022 | LitCov | |
| 3650 | Use of medical face masks vs particulate respirators as a component of personal protective equipment for Healthcare workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic Currently available evidence supports that the predominant route of human-to-human transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 is through respiratory droplets and/or contact routes. The report by the World Health Organization (WHO) Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China supports person-to-person droplet and fomite transmission during close unprotected contact with the vast majority of the investigated infection clusters occurring within families, with a household secondary attack rate varying between 3 and 10%, a finding that is not consistent with airborne transmission. The reproduction number (R(0)) for the SARS-CoV-2 is estimated to be between 2.2–2.7, compatible with other respiratory viruses associated with a droplet/contact mode of transmission and very different than an airborne virus like measles with a R(0) widely cited to be between 12 and 18. Based on the scientific evidence accumulated to date, our view is that SARS-CoV-2 is not spread by the airborne route to any significant extent and the use of particulate respirators offers no advantage over medical masks as a component of personal protective equipment for the routine care of patients with COVID-19 in the health care setting. Moreover, prolonged use of particulate respirators may result in unintended harms. In conjunction with appropriate hand hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE) used by health care workers caring for patients with COVID-19 must be used with attention to detail and precision of execution to prevent lapses in adherence and active failures in the donning and doffing of the PPE. | Antimicrob Resist Infect Contr | 2020 | LitCov and CORD-19 |
(1) COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19). 2020. Version 2022-06-02. Retrieved from https://ai2-semanticscholar-cord-19.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/historical_releases.html. Accessed 2022-06-05. doi:10.5281/zenodo.3715506
(2) Chen Q, Allot A, & Lu Z. (2020) Keep up with the latest coronavirus research, Nature 579:193 and Chen Q, Allot A, Lu Z. LitCovid: an open database of COVID-19 literature. Nucleic Acids Research. 2020. (version 2023-01-10)
(3) Currently tweets of June 23rd to June 29th 2022 have been considered.