The American journal of medicine
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Long-term Health-related Quality of Life in Working-age COVID-19 Survivors: A Cross-sectional Study.
Most working-age (18-64) adults have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, and some may have developed post-COVID-19 condition (PCC). However, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) greater than 2 years following infection remains uncharacterized. ⋯ In working-age adults who have survived greater than 2 years following COVID-19, HRQOL is high among those who have never had PCC or have recovered from PCC. However, individuals with ongoing symptoms of PCC have lower HRQOL and are more likely to have deficits in multiple functional domains. These findings underscore the importance of implementing targeted healthcare interventions to improve HRQOL in adults with long-term PCC.
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Long-COVID is a syndrome persisting 12+ weeks after COVID-19 infection, impacting life and work ability. Autonomic nervous system imbalance has been hypothesised as the cause. This study aims to investigate cardiovascular autonomic function in health care workers (HCWs) with Long-COVID and the effectiveness of slow paced breathing SPB on autonomic modulation. ⋯ Resting vascular modulation was reduced in Long-COVID, while during SPB baroreflex sensitivity effectively improved. Long-term studies are needed to evaluate whether multiple sessions of breathing exercises can restore basal vascular reactivity and reduce cardiovascular risk in these patients.
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Forty percent of Americans are obese and 20 percent overweight. Until recently, notwithstanding great efforts to combat this chronic, worsening epidemic, the only therapy that "worked" was surgery. However, recently a new class of safe drugs (incretins) have been developed that cause obese patients to lose ∼20 to 25% of their body weight. Herein we recount this revolution and its implications.