Purpose To assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its associated factors in patients who survived COVID-19 and to assess a prospective evaluation of the prevalence and severity of their depression and anxiety symptoms. Methods We followed up a sample of hospitalized patients who survived COVID-19 at 3 and 12 months after discharge. We assessed HRQoL (Euroqol-5D-5L) through telephone interviews. Any problem in any dimension of Euroqol-5D-5L was considered as low HRQoL. The depression and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 tools, respectively. We estimated the adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) to low HRQoL using Poisson regression and the changes on their depression and anxiety symptoms during the follow-up. Results We included 119 patients with a mean follow-up time of 363.6 days. 74% of the participants had low HRQoL at one year after hospital discharge and were associated with being ≥ 41 years old (aPR: 1.95), having a previous history of psychiatric diagnoses before COVID-19 infection (aPR: 1.47), having any COVID-19 symptom during the follow-up at one year (aPR: 1.84), and having a family member who had died from COVID-19 during the first wave (aPR: 1.24). In addition, the clinically relevant depression symptoms were frequent, and they increased from 3 (14.3%) to 12 months (18.5%). Conclusion One year after COVID-19 hospitalization discharge, patients had low HRQoL, and their depression symptoms increased. These findings acknowledge the need to provide services that adequately address mental health sequels and HRQoL to reduce the burden of the COVID-19.

Background Recently, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has become a biomarker for assessing inflammatory stress and prognosis in different diseases. Objective We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the current evidence on the capacity of the NLR to serve as a biomarker in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Methods Through a comprehensive systematic search up to December 2021 and using the search terms "neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio" and "neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder" we selected studies evaluating NLR values in NMOSD patients. A meta-analysis was planned, and a narrative synthesis was performed when this was not possible. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were planned. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach was used to assess certainty of the evidence. Results Six studies were included (1036 patients). A significant increase in the NLR was observed between NMOSD patients and healthy controls with high heterogeneity (MD: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.76; 1.32; I2 = 59%). Regarding NMOSD prognosis, relapse (OR: 1.33 –OR: 2.14) was evaluated as being related to NLR with low certainty. An association with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score ≥4 (OR: 1.23 –OR: 1.43) was reported with moderate certainty. An association with the occurrence of lesions on MRI was reported with an OR of 1.52. Conclusion We found the NLR to be useful as a biomarker of NMOSD as it was significantly increased in the patient group compared to the healthy control group with high certainty. Additionally, the NLR was applicable as an indicator of poor prognosis with low to moderate certainty.

Background and objectivesGuillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an immune-mediated neuropathy. This has raised the possibility that the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be a biomarker of its activity. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the evidence of NLR as a potential biomarker for GBS.MethodsWe systematically searched databases (PubMed, Ovid-Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO Citation Index, LILACS, and Google Scholar) until October 2021 for studies evaluating pre-treatment NLR values in GBS patients. A meta-analysis using a random-effects model to estimate pooled effects was realized for each outcome and a narrative synthesis when this was not possible. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis were realized. GRADE criteria were used to identify the certainty of evidence for each result.ResultsTen studies from 745 originally included were selected. Regarding GBS patients versus healthy controls, a meta-analysis of six studies (968 patients) demonstrated a significant increase in NLR values in GBS patients (MD: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.29, 2.24; I2 = 86%) with moderate certainty due to heterogeneity of GBS diagnosis criteria used. Regarding GBS prognosis, assessed by Hughes Score ≥ 3, NLR had a sensitivity between 67.3 and 81.5 and a specificity between 67.3 and 87.5 with low certainty due to imprecision, and heterogeneity. In relation to respiratory failure, NLR had a sensitivity of 86.5 and specificity of 68.2 with high and moderate certainty, respectively.DiscussionWith moderate certainty, mean NLR is higher in GBS patients compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, we found that NLR could be a prognostic factor for disability and respiratory failure with low and moderate certainty, respectively. These results may prove useful for NLR in GBS patients; however, further research is needed.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42021285212.

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been shown to have prognostic value in a number of different clinical settings, such as cardiovascular disease, including heart failure. However, its prognostic value in heart transplant (HT) recipients remains unknown. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the prognostic value of pre-transplant RDW for mortality in HT recipients. There is a pre-published protocol of this review. The terms "Heart transplant", "Red cell distribution width" and their synonyms were used in the search strategy. PubMed/Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and LILACS were searched until May 17th, 2022, without date or language restrictions. Two authors independently carried out the selection, first by title and abstract, second by full-text revision. Discrepancies were discussed and resolved with three other authors. Quality of individual studies was assessed with Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cohorts. After removing the duplicates, 3885 articles were identified. Four articles were included in the qualitative synthesis. Three studies were classified as “good quality”: whereas one as “poor quality” according to NOS scale. All the included articles evaluated long-term mortality and one study also evaluated short-term mortality. In this one, a correlation between higher RDW values and short-term mortality was reported. Meanwhile, in all the studies, a high pre-HT RDW was a marker of long-term mortality following cardiac transplantation. Our review shows that an elevated on-admission RDW is associated with long-term mortality in heart transplantation recipients.