Croatian medical journal
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Croatian medical journal · Dec 2020
Prevalence of somatic comorbidities among coronavirus disease 2019 patients in Croatia in the first pandemic wave: data from national public health databases.
To determine the prevalence of common somatic comorbidities among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive patients in Croatia in the first pandemic wave, and assess the differences in clinical outcomes depending on the presence of comorbidities. ⋯ COVID-19 patients who died in the first pandemic wave in Croatia were more likely to suffer previous somatic comorbidities. This corroborates the findings of similar studies and calls for further research into the underlying disease mechanisms, hence providing ground for more efficient preventive measures.
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Croatian medical journal · Dec 2020
The analysis of waiting time and utilization of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in Croatia: a nationwide survey.
To assess the variation in the waiting time for diagnostic imaging (DI) services among Croatian public hospitals and the utilization of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. ⋯ The waiting times for CT and MRI were exceptionally long regardless of the hospital category, with highly varying utilization. Croatia performed more exams per scanner compared with other EU countries, but not significantly so. High-level hospitals' utilization was significantly higher than that of low-level hospitals, and CT utilization was significantly higher than EU average, while the difference for MRI utilization was not significant.
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Croatian medical journal · Dec 2020
The reliability of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody testing - a pilot study in asymptomatic health care workers in a Croatian university hospital.
To evaluate three fully automated serological assays in terms of reactivity to SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) and perform SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody testing among asymptomatic health care workers (HCW) at the University Hospital Center Zagreb. ⋯ SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroprevalence among asymptomatic HCW in our hospital setting was low, with different assays indicating a different number of positive samples. One of the assays yielded a large false negative rate. These findings can be attributed to differences in assay formulation but also to heterogeneity and diverse reactivity of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 antigens.
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Croatian medical journal · Dec 2020
Adherence to epidemiological measures and related knowledge and attitudes during the coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic in Croatia: a cross-sectional study.
To assess the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and related knowledge and attitudes during the coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic in Croatia. ⋯ Croatians had good knowledge and neutral to moderately positive attitudes about PPE use. Nevertheless, health authorities need to promote positive attitudes about PPE use in order to retain trust and compliance with epidemiological measures.
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Croatian medical journal · Dec 2020
Coronavirus epidemic in Croatia: case fatality decline during summer?
To describe the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic pattern in Croatia during February-September 2020 and compare the case fatality ratio (CFR) between spring and summer. ⋯ The epidemic dynamics suggests summer decline in case fatality, except in ventilated patients. While the effect of comorbidity also decreased, cardiovascular comorbidity remained an important risk factor for death even during summer. A plethora of possible confounders and an ever-changing landscape of SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Croatia require constant monitoring and evaluation, with an aim to prevent the uncontrolled spread of the virus and a disruption of health care functioning.