The Medical journal of Australia
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To investigate associations between sociodemographic factors, pre-existing chronic comorbidities, and general practitioner-led diagnosis of long COVID. ⋯ Female sex, middle age, high socio-economic status and pre-existing comorbidities, including mental health conditions, respiratory conditions, cancer and musculoskeletal conditions, were associated with general practitioner-led long COVID diagnosis among general practice patients. These factors largely parallel the emerging international evidence on long COVID and highlight the patient characteristics that practitioners should be cognisant of when patients present with symptoms of long COVID.
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Immune dysregulation is a key aspect of post-acute sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (PASC), also known as long COVID, with sustained activation of immune cells, T cell exhaustion, skewed B cell profiles, and disrupted immune communication thereby resulting in autoimmune-related complications. The gut is emerging as a critical link between microbiota, metabolism and overall dysfunction, potentially sharing similarities with other chronic fatigue conditions and PASC. Immunothrombosis and neurological signalling dysfunction emphasise the complex interplay between the immune system, blood clotting, and the central nervous system in the context of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Clear research gaps in the design of PASC studies, especially in the context of longitudinal research, stand out as significant areas of concern.
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Comparative Study
Hospital costs of COVID-19, post-COVID-19 condition and other viral pneumonias: a cost comparison analysis.
To compare hospital admission costs for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases to hospital admission costs for other viral pneumonia cases in Australia, and to describe hospital admission costs for post-COVID-19 condition. ⋯ Given its recent emergence, cases of acute COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 condition have had a significant additional financial impact on Australian hospitals. Further studies are required to understand long term costs and identify trends over time in the context of increased vaccination rates and subsequent variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
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Skinner T, Brown A, Teixeira-Pinto A, et al. Sensitivity and specificity of Aboriginal-developed items to supplement the adapted PHQ-9 screening measure for depression: results from the Getting it Right study. Med J Aust 2024; https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52406 In this research article, the fourth author's name was spelt incorrectly as Sara F Farnbach. The correct spelling is Sara Farnbach.