Background: In Kuwait, prior to the first case of COVID-19 being reported in the country, mass screening of incoming travelers from countries with known outbreaks was performed and resulted in the first identified cases in the country. All COVID-19 cases at the time and subsequently after, were transferred to a single center, Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital, where the patients received standardized investigations and treatments. The objective of this study was to characterize the demographics, clinical manifestations, and outcomes in this unique patient population. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted between 24th February 2020 and 20th April 2020. All consecutive patients in the entire State of Kuwait diagnosed with COVID-19 according to WHO guidelines and admitted to Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital were included. Patients received standardized investigations and treatments. Multivariable analysis was used to determine the associations between risk factors and outcomes (admission to intensive care and/or mortality). Findings: Of 1096 patients, the median age was 41 years and 81% of patients were male. Most patients were asymptomatic on admission (46.3%), of whom 35 later developed symptoms, and 59.7% had no signs of infection. Only 3.6% of patients required an ICU admission and 1.7% were dead at the study's cutoff date. On multivariable analysis, the risk factors found to be significantly associated with admission to intensive care were age above 50 years old, a qSOFA score above 0, smoking, elevated CRP and elevated procalcitonin levels. Asthma, smoking and elevated procalcitonin levels correlated significantly with mortality in our cohort.

This is the largest and most current review of the literature addressing the effect of the ACGME duty hours limitations on surgical training. Limitations had a positive effect on residents but a negative effect on surgical faculty. Importantly, duty hours limitations did not adversely affect surgical residents' operating-room experience.

The emergence of effective vaccines for COVID-19 has been welcomed by the world with great optimism. Given their increased susceptibility to COVID-19, the question arises whether individuals with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other metabolic conditions can respond effectively to the mRNA-based vaccine. We aimed to evaluate the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and neutralizing antibodies in people with T2DM and/or other metabolic risk factors (hypertension and obesity) compared to those without. This study included 262 people (81 diabetic and 181 non-diabetic persons) that took two doses of BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) mRNA vaccine. Both T2DM and non-diabetic individuals had a robust response to vaccination as demonstrated by their high antibody titers. However, both SARS-CoV-2 IgG and neutralizing antibodies titers were lower in people with T2DM. The mean ( ± 1 standard deviation) levels were 154 ± 49.1 vs. 138 ± 59.4 BAU/ml for IgG and 87.1 ± 11.6 vs. 79.7 ± 19.5% for neutralizing antibodies in individuals without diabetes compared to those with T2DM, respectively. In a multiple linear regression adjusted for individual characteristics, comorbidities, previous COVID-19 infection, and duration since second vaccine dose, diabetics had 13.86 BAU/ml (95% CI: 27.08 to 0.64 BAU/ml, p=0.041) less IgG antibodies and 4.42% (95% CI: 8.53 to 0.32%, p=0.036) fewer neutralizing antibodies than non-diabetics. Hypertension and obesity did not show significant changes in antibody titers. Taken together, both type-2 diabetic and non-diabetic individuals elicited strong immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine; nonetheless, lower levels were seen in people with diabetes. Continuous monitoring of the antibody levels might be a good indicator to guide personalized needs for further booster shots to maintain adaptive immunity. Nonetheless, it is important that people get their COVID-19 vaccination especially people with diabetes.

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Background Social media is one of the most rapid and impactful ways of obtaining and delivering information in the modern era. Objective The aim of this study was to rapidly obtain information on public perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors related to COVID-19 in order to identify deficiencies in key areas of public education. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, a survey web link was posted on the social media and messaging platforms Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp by the study investigators. Participants, aged ≥18 years, filled out the survey on a voluntary basis. The main outcomes measured were knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, protective measures against COVID-19, and source(s) of information about COVID-19. Subgroup analyses were conducted to determine the effects of age, gender, underlying illness, and working or studying in the health care industry on the perceived likelihood of acquiring COVID-19 and getting vaccinated. Results A total of 5677 subjects completed the survey over the course of 1 week. “Fever or chills” (n=4973, 87.6%) and “shortness of breath” (n=4695, 82.7%) were identified as the main symptoms of COVID-19. Washing and sanitizing hands (n=4990, 87.9%) and avoiding public places and crowds (n=4865, 85.7%) were identified as the protective measures most frequently used against COVID-19. Social media was the most utilized source for information on the disease (n=4740, 83.5%), followed by the World Health Organization (n=2844, 50.1%). Subgroup analysis revealed that younger subjects (<35 years), males, and those working or studying in health care reported a higher perceived likelihood of acquiring COVID-19, whereas older subjects, females, and those working or studying in non–health care areas reported a lower perceived likelihood of acquiring COVID-19. Similar trends were observed for vaccination against COVID-19, with older subjects, females, and those working or studying in non–health care sectors reporting a lower likelihood of vaccinating against COVID-19. Conclusions Our results are indicative of a relatively well-informed cohort implementing appropriate protective measures. However, key knowledge deficiencies exist with regards to vaccination against COVID-19, which future efforts should aim at correcting.

Adequate liver regeneration was achieved in patients who underwent PVE. However, significant tumour progression was also observed post-embolization.

Summary The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic is straining the healthcare system, particularly for patients with severe outcomes requiring admittance to the intensive care unit (ICU). This study investigated the potential associations of obesity and diabetes with COVID‐19 severe outcomes, assessed as ICU admittance. Medical history, demographic and patient characteristics of a retrospective cohort (1158 patients) hospitalized with COVID‐19 were analysed at a single centre in Kuwait. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the associations between different variables and ICU admittance. Of 1158 hospitalized patients, 271 had diabetes, 236 had hypertension and 104 required admittance into the ICU. From patients with available measurements, 157 had body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2. Univariate analysis showed that overweight, obesity class I and morbid obesity were associated with ICU admittance. Patients with diabetes were more likely to be admitted to the ICU. Two models for multivariate regression analysis assessed either BMI or diabetes on ICU outcomes. In the BMI model, class I and morbid obesities were associated with ICU admittance. In the diabetes model, diabetes was associated with increased ICU admittance, whereas hypertension had a protective effect on ICU admittance. In our cohort, overweight, obesity and diabetes in patients with COVID‐19 were associated with ICU admittance, increasing the risk of poor outcomes.

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic is straining the healthcare system, particularly for patients with severe outcomes who require admittance to the intensive care unit (ICU). This study aimed to investigate the potential associations of obesity and diabetes with COVID19 severe outcomes, assessed as ICU admittance. Subjects: Demographic and patient characteristics from a retrospective cohort of 1158 patients hospitalized with COVID19 in a single center in Kuwait, along with their medical history, were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the associations between different variables and ICU admittance. Results: From the 1158 hospitalized patients, 271 (23.4%) had diabetes, 236 (20.4%) had hypertension and 104 (9%) required admittance into the ICU. From patients with available measurements, 157 (21.6%) had body mass index (BMI)≥25 kg/m2. Univariate analysis showed that overweight (BMI=25.0~29.9 kg/m2), obesity class I (BMI=30~34.9 kg/m2) and morbid obesity (BMI≥40 kg/m2) associated with ICU admittance (odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence intervals (CI)]: 2.45 [1.26~4.74] p value=0.008; OR [95% CI]: 3.51 [1.60~7.69] p value=0.002; and OR [95% CI]: 5.18 [1.50~17.85] p value=0.009], respectively). Patients with diabetes were more likely to be admitted to ICU (OR [95% CI]: 9.38 [5.49~16.02]). Two models for multivariate regression analysis were used, assessing either BMI or diabetes on ICU outcomes. In the BMI model, class I obesity and morbid obesity were associated with ICU admittance (adjusted OR (AOR) [95% CI]: 2.7 [1.17~6.20] p value=0.019 and AOR [95% CI]: 3.95 [1.00~15.20] p value=0.046, respectively). In the diabetes model, diabetes was associated with higher ICU admittance (AOR [95% CI]: 5.49 [3.13~9.65] p value<0.001) whereas hypertension had a protective effect on ICU admittance (AOR [95% CI]: 0.51 (0.28−0.91). Conclusions: In our cohort, overweight, obesity and diabetes in patients with COVID19 were associated with ICU admittance, putting these patients at higher risk of poor outcomes.