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Acromegaly embraces typical complications of a pituitary tumor as well as GH (growth hormone) and IGF1 (insulin-like growth factor) excess-related cardio-metabolic and oncologic conditions; and associated medical, surgical treatment or even radiotherapy issues. We point out a few particular aspects concerning acromegaly issues amid COVID-19 pandemic. The review includes only full length, English published papers. One of the most important complications of long standing, untreated or un-responsive to therapy acromegaly is related to respiratory and otorhinolaryngology issues like sleep apnea; this becomes an important aspect causing pulmonary complications in patients with active coronavirus infection. In subjects who are not going through a COVID-19 infection, but they had a prior diagnostic of acromegaly, two main aspects of medical and surgical practice were noted: a massive reduction of surgical volume during the first year of pandemic, mostly during peak months of high infection rate in general population and the introduction of tele (digital) health care systems, of different protocols and various platforms mostly depending of medical center, rather than country or even continent related protocols. Associated central adrenal insufficiency requires a particular attention if COVID-19 positive. The data directly targeting the endocrinologists amid pandemic are very limited. ACROCOVID is a 2021 study that was internationally conducted based on a questionnaire that was applied to 84 endocrinologists (67% of them in Europe); 33% of acromegalic individuals had a delay on procedure because of insufficient COVID-19 assays and 54% of them due to inefficient provision for neurosurgery. Secondary diabetes mellitus (with a potential worsening in some patients due to pasireotide LAR) is at high risk for COVID-19 infection; the level of glycated hemoglobin A1c seems a good predictor at onset of infectious disease. Acromegaly might associate osteoporosis; coronavirus infection aggravates bone loss due to oxidative stress, inflammatory status, cytokine release, immobilization, glucocorticoid use. Acromegaly field concerning pandemic changes represents a complex, still ongoing matter involving both patients and multidisciplinary practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the uneven geography of COVID‐19‐related excess mortality during the first wave of the pandemic in Europe, before assessing the factors behind the geographical differences in impact. The analysis of 206 regions across 23 European countries reveals a distinct COVID‐19 geography. Excess deaths were concentrated in a limited number of regions—expected deaths exceeded 20% in just 16 regions—with more than 40% of the regions considered experiencing no excess mortality during the first 6 months of 2020. Highly connected regions, in colder and dryer climates, with high air pollution levels, and relatively poorly endowed health systems witnessed the highest incidence of excess mortality. Institutional factors also played an important role. The first wave hit regions with a combination of weak and declining formal institutional quality and fragile informal institutions hardest. Low and declining national government effectiveness, together with a limited capacity to reach out across societal divides, and a frequent tendency to meet with friends and family were powerful drivers of regional excess mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The recent pandemic caused by COVID‐19 has globally affected air transport mobility as well as the airline industry in general. Numerous restrictions have been implemented in airline transport, which is potentially leading toward severe long‐term impacts on the global airline industry. In this paper, air transport mobility was analyzed regarding Europe (EU) based on the available data from the relevant sources associated with the airline industry. Data were analyzed in specific periods from January to April of 2020, which corresponded with the initialization of the pandemic in the EU and later in its full development. Specifically, two airports were selected in Croatia as case studies to analyze the impact of COVID‐19 more thoroughly on mobility together with the estimation of carbon footprint during the pandemic and the year before the pandemic state. The results revealed that COVID‐19 gradually affected air transport mobility in the EU where a peak was reached in April with a reduction in the number of flights in the EU region reaching more than 89%. Cargo traffic was not significantly affected by the pandemic, and was even increased in some cases due to the supply of medical equipment in the fight against the disease. The analyzed case study revealed the reduction in air transport mobility for selected airports to be more than 96%, which directly affected the reduction of CO2 emissions to factor 1.81 for the commercial airport of Zagreb and 3.49 for the seasonal airport of Split. A normalization of air transport mobility is expected to be reached through a 1‐year period with a continued reduction in the number of flights ranging from 15% to 25%, based on the projections and expectations from relevant EU associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]