BackgroundIt has been shown that certain hematological conditions, such as lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia, are associated with increased severity and mortality from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, a majority of the previous data came from large institutional centers with high academic output. We aimed to explore the association between patient's characteristics, hematological parameters, and outcomes in admitted persons with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at our community hospital in an inner city. MethodsThis study is a retrospective chart review designed to evaluate the potential associations between demographic and clinical characteristics of our patient population and their outcomes when testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. The study population included patients hospitalized in the Saint Francis Medical Center from January 2020 to September 2020. This pilot study included 50 out of the 275 hospitalized patients with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during this timeframe. Data collection from the patient's chart included age, sex, comorbidities, admission complete blood cell count, and use of Remdesivir, steroids, and plasma. The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included the need for mechanical ventilation and ICU admission. ResultsIn this pilot study, there was an overall mortality rate of 32% (16 out of 50 patients). Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) of 3 points or above was present in 87.5% of the patients in the mortality group versus 41.1% in patients who survived (p = 0.0021). There was no statistically significant difference in mortality between males and females after adjusting for other variables with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.19 (95% CI 0.02-1.80, p = 0.09). There were no statically significant differences in mortality between Caucasians, non-Hispanic, Black, and Latinx patients (p = 0.466). Admission platelets were lower in the mortality group with a mean of 157.7 ± 43.23 (Thou/ul) versus 250.06 ± 93.95 (Thou/ul) in the survivors (p = 0.0005). Admission white blood cell count in the mortality group was lower than the survivor group with an average of 5.93 ± 2.58 (Thou/ul) versus 9.3 ± 4.14 (Thou/ul) (p = 0.0039), respectively. The plasma D-dimer level of 3 mg/L fibrinogen equivalent unit (FEU) or higher was associated with increased mortality. There was no association of Creactive protein (CRP) with mortality (p = 0.93 and p = 0.54, respectively); however, the CRP level revealed an association with ICU admission (p = 0.03). The use of steroids, Remdesivir, and plasma did not have a statistically significant effect on mortality, ICU admission, or sepsis in our study. ConclusionIn this study, older age, higher CCI, and plasma D-dimer level of 3 mg/L FEU or higher were associated with higher mortality among COVID-19 patients. White blood cell count and platelet count were significantly lower in the mortality group in comparison to the survivor group. However, there was no statistical difference in lymphocyte count b...

BackgroundDiabetes self-management education (DSME) plays a vital role in diabetes control yet is highly underutilized, especially in the minority population. The efficacy of DSME on glycemic control among the Hispanic and non-Hispanic black population is not as well established as it is compared to the non-Hispanic White population. MethodologyIn this retrospective cohort study, patients who participated in both group and one-to-one DSME classes at Saint Francis Medical Center, Trenton, New Jersey, from 2017 to 2019 were identified. Mean hemoglobin A1c levels before DSME and after DSME were compared using paired t-test. ResultsA total of 344 patients were included in the study. Out of 344 patients, 200 (58%) patients were Hispanic and 97 (28%) were non-Hispanic black, 42 (12%) were Caucasian, and five (2%) were from other races. The mean hemoglobin A1c was reduced by an average of 1.08% among patients who participated in group DSME (DSME done in group settings) and by an average of 1.95% among patients who participated in one-to-one DSME (DSME done in individualized settings). ConclusionDSME is effective in reducing hemoglobin A1c levels in Hispanic and non-Hispanic black majority patients. One-to-one DSME is more effective than group DSME in reducing hemoglobin A1c in this patient population.