ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on mental health and burn-out syndrome in Spanish internists and the factors that could be related to its appearance.DesignWe performed an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study for which we designed a survey that was distributed in May 2020.SettingWe included internists who worked in Spain during the COVID-19 outbreak.ParticipantsA total of 1015 internists responded to the survey. Of those 62.9% were women.ResultsOf 1015 people, 58.3% presented with high emotional exhaustion, 61.5% had a high level of depersonalisation and 67.6% reported low personal fulfilment. 40.1% presented with the 3 criteria described, and therefore burn-out syndrome.Burn-out syndrome was independently related to the management of patients with SARS-CoV-2 (HR: 2.26; 95% CI 1.15 to 4.45), the lack of availability of personal protective equipment (HR: 1.41; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.91), increased responsibility (HR: 2.13; 95% CI 1.51 to 3.01), not having received financial compensation for overtime work (HR: 0.43; 95% CI 0.31 to 0.62), not having rested after 24-hour shifts (HR: 1.61; 95% CI 1.09 to 2.38), not having had holidays in the previous 6 months (HR: 1.36; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.84), consumption of sleeping pills (HR: 1.83; 95% CI 1.28 to 2.63) and higher alcohol intake (HR: 1.95; 95% CI 1.39 to 2.73).ConclusionsDuring the COVID-19 outbreak, 40.1% of Internal Medicine physicians in Spain presented with burn-out syndrome, which was independently related to the assistance of patients with SARS-CoV-2, overworking without any compensation and the fear of being contagious to their relatives. Therefore, it is imperative to initiate programmes to prevent and treat burn-out in front-line physicians during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Objectives The aim of the present study was to detect preclinical changes in SLE patients in retinal microvascularization or retinal and optical nerve structure by optical coherence tomography. Methods This cross-sectional, single-center study aimed to describe structural changes (macular and retinal nerve fiber layer [RNFL] thickness) by structural spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and perifoveal vascular (vascular density [VD] and perfusion [VP] and foveal avascular zone [FAZ] structural parameters) findings by OCT-angiography (OCTA) in 78 SLE patients and 80 healthy volunteers. In addition, we analyzed their association with clinical and laboratory parameters, medications received, disease duration and SLE activity and damage. Results Structural parameters by SD-OCT and perifoveal vascular parameters by OCTA were decreased in SLE patients compared with controls. OCTA parameters (VD, VP and FAZ circularity) and macular thickness were also decreased in patients with longer disease duration (>10 years). The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies was associated with a decreased RNFL thickness, mainly in the inferior quadrants. Patients developing antiphospholipid syndrome also showed decreased RNFL thickness and OCTA flow changes. SD-OCT and OCTA results were not associated with disease activity. Foveal structural parameters were lower in patients with higher damage score. Conclusion SD-OCT and OCTA can detect preclinical structural and microcirculatory changes in SLE patients. Structural and perifoveal vascular macular changes in SLE patients are related with disease duration. Macular structural parameters were impaired in patients with higher disease damage. Antiphospholipid syndrome seems to be associated with preclinical damage of the optic nerve and impairment of the perifoveal microvasculature.