Search

Fatema Ahmed Ali,1 Ghufran Jassim,2 Zahra Khalaf,3 Manaf Yusuf,4 Sara Ali,5 Nada Husain,6 Fatema Ebrahim6 1Department of Internal Medicine, South West Acute Hospital, Western Health and Social Care Trust, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, UK; 2Family Medicine Department, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland — Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain), Busaiteen, Kingdom of Bahrain; 3Department of Postgraduate Studies, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; 4Children’s & Adolescent Services, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK; 5Ministry of Health Bahrain, COVID-19 National Team, Sanabis, Kingdom of Bahrain; 6Department of Internal Medicine, Private Health Sector, Manama, Kingdom of BahrainCorrespondence: Ghufran Jassim, Family Medicine Department, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland — Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain), Busaiteen, Kingdom of Bahrain, Email gjassim@rcsi-mub.comObjective: This study aims to explore the prevalence of anosmia and dysgeusia and their impact on COVID-19 patients.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between 1st October 2020 and 30th June 2021 were randomly selected from a national COVID-19 registry. COVID-19 cases were diagnosed using molecular testing method which measured the viral E gene. The Anosmia Reporting Tool, and a brief version of the questionnaire on olfactory disorders were used to measure the outcomes via telephone interviews. Data were analysed using SPSS 27 statistics software.Results: A total of 405 COVID-19 adults were included in this study, 220 (54.3%) were males and 185 (45.8%) were females. The mean±SD age of participants was 38.2 ± 11.3 years. Alterations in the sense of smell and taste were reported by 206 (50.9%), and 195 (48.1%) of the patients, respectively. Sex and nationality of participants were significantly associated with anosmia and dysgeusia (p < 0.001) and (p-value=0.001) respectively. Among patients who experienced anosmia and dysgeusia, alterations in eating habits (64.2%), impact on mental wellbeing (38.9%), concerns that the alterations were permanent (35.4%), and physical implications and difficulty performing activities of daily living (34%) were reported.Conclusion: Anosmia and dysgeusia are prevalent symptoms of COVID-19 disease, especially among females. Although transient, anosmia and dysgeusia had considerable impact on patient’s life. Neuropsychological implications of COVID-19 in acute infection phase and prognosis of anosmia and dysgeusia in COVID-19 are areas for further exploration.Keywords: anosmia, taste, smell, COVID-19, dysgeusia, quality of life

Background: Suicide is a major public health concern and one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. People with an at‐risk‐mental‐state (ARMS) for psychosis are more vulnerable to psychiatric co‐morbidity and suicide, however, there are limited data from low‐middle‐income countries. The present study aimed to identify the prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation along with sociodemographic and clinical correlates of suicidal ideation in individuals with ARMS from Pakistan. Method: Participants between the age of 16 and 35 years who met the criteria for ARMS based on the Comprehensive Assessment of At‐Risk Mental State (CAARMS), were recruited from the community, general practitioner clinics and psychiatric units across Pakistan (n = 326). Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Social‐Occupational‐Functional‐Assessment‐Scale (SOFAS) were administered to participants. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts in the sample at baseline were 91.1% (n = 297) and 61.0% (n = 199), respectively. There were significant mean differences between groups (mean difference [95% CI]; p‐value) without suicidal ideation and with suicidal ideation on measures of MADRS (−5.47 [−7.14, −3.81]; p <.001), CAARMS non‐bizarre ideas (−0.29 [−0.47, −0.11]; p =.002) and perceptual abnormalities (−0.23 [−0.41, −0.04]; p =.015). Conclusion: These findings indicate that suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms are highly prevalent in individuals with ARMS in Pakistan. Given the pivotal developmental stages that ARMS presents, and the poor outcomes associated with co‐morbid depression, there is an urgent need to prioritize the development of low‐cost and scalable evidence‐based interventions to address psychiatric comorbidity and suicidality in the ARMS population in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite considerable advances in flood forecasting during recent decades, state-of-the-art, operational flood early warning systems (FEWS) need to be equipped with near-real-time inundation and impact forecasts and their associated uncertainties. High-resolution, impact-based flood forecasts provide insightful information for better-informed decisions and tailored emergency actions. Valuable information can now be provided to local authorities for risk-based decision-making by utilising high-resolution lead-time maps and potential impacts to buildings and infrastructures. Here, we demonstrate a comprehensive floodplain inundation hindcast of the 2021 European Summer Flood illustrating these possibilities for better disaster preparedness, offering a 17-hour lead time for informed and advisable actions.