Background: During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, harsh social distancing measures were taken in China to contain viral spread. We examined their impact on the lives of medical students. Methods: A nation-wide cross-sectional survey of college students was conducted from 4–12 February 2020. We enrolled medical students studying public health in Beijing and Wuhan to assess their COVID-19 awareness and to evaluate their mental health status/behaviors using a self-administered questionnaire. We used the Patient Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Health Questionnaire-9 to measure anxiety disorders and depression. We used multivariable logistic regression and path analysis to assess the associations between covariates and anxiety disorder/depression. Results: Of 933 students, 898 (96.2%) reported wearing masks frequently when going out, 723 (77.5%) reported daily handwashing with soap, 676 (72.5%) washed hands immediately after arriving home, and 914 (98.0%) reported staying home as much as possible. Prevalence of anxiety disorder was 17.1% and depression was 25.3%. Multivariable logistic regression showed anxiety to be associated with graduate student status (odds ratio (aOR) = 2.0; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2–3.5), negative thoughts or actions (aOR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.4–1.7), and feeling depressed (aOR = 6.8; 95% CI: 4.0–11.7). Beijing students were significantly less likely to have anxiety than those in the Wuhan epicenter (aOR = 0.9; 95% CI: 0.8–1.0), but depression did not differ. Depression was associated with female students (aOR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.2–3.3), negative thoughts or actions (aOR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.5–1.9), and anxiety disorder (aOR = 5.8; 95% CI: 3.4–9.9). Path analysis validated these same predictors. Conclusions: Despite medical students’ knowledge of disease control and prevention, their lives were greatly affected by social distancing, especially in the Wuhan epicenter. Even well-informed students needed psychological support during these extraordinarily stressful times.
ObjectiveHypothyroidism (HO) can induce significant metabolic dysfunction and increase cardiovascular disease risk. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between homocysteine (Hcy) and insulin resistance (IR) in patients with HO or subclinical hypothyroidism (SHO).MethodsA total of 270 subjects were enrolled. All subjects were divided into the following three groups: HO, SHO and control. Plasma levels of Hcy were measured, and each patient’s homeostatic index of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. Statistical analyses were carried out to evaluate the correlations among groups and to determine the predictors of IR in patients with HO or SHO.ResultsThe HOMA-IR value was significantly higher in the HO group than in the SHO and control groups. Plasma levels of Hcy were markedly increased in the HO group compared with those of the SHO group and controls. In addition, plasma levels of Hcy were positively correlated with the HOMA-IR values in both the HO and SHO groups. Multiple linear regression models showed that plasma levels of Hcy and free thyroxine (FT4) were the only predictors of HOMA-IR in patients with HO or SHO.ConclusionsPlasma levels of Hcy and HOMA-IR were increased in patients with HO or SHO. Our results suggest that HO and SHO may increase the risk for atherogenesis and cardiovascular disease by increased IR. The increased IR induced by hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with HO or SHO may partially explain this adverse effect.
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