The Management of Patients at High Risk of Serious COVID-19 Disease: Optimising the Patient Pathway in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe

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Abstract

Introduction

For patients at high risk of severe COVID-19 disease, antiviral therapeutic options are available to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death. Although many countries have developed national guidelines for COVID-19 management that include use of antiviral agents, it is unclear how these guidelines are used in daily clinical practice. This study aims to assess the management of high-risk COVID-19 patients in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe, with a focus on understanding current practices, challenges, and potential strategies for improvement.

Methods

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) from the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe came together at a regional summit in February 2023 to share perspectives on the therapeutic management of patients at high risk of serious COVID-19 disease in the community. Summit participants represented diverse medical specialties, geographical regions, and healthcare settings. Key insights gathered during the summit were supplemented with evidence from the published literature via a non-systematic literature search of MEDLINE and online sources such as government reports since the start of 2020 to identify articles on disease burden, unmet needs, treatment access, antiviral therapy, guidelines related to individuals with COVID-19 at high-risk for poor outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Together, these sources were used by the authors to generate their recommendations for future priorities and optimal care pathways globally.

Results

Specific insights gathered from the summit were that participants reported that primary care is the first point of contact for high-risk patients, but the role of primary care physicians (PCPs) in treatment is uncertain. Additionally, participants highlighted that between-country differences in the care pathway for high-risk patients are due to variations in local treatment practices, healthcare system structures, and resourcing. In line with the published literature, participants agreed that HCP education is needed to support the identification, counseling, and appropriate management of high-risk patients and that pharmacists have a critical role to play in identifying clinically important potential interactions with antiviral treatment and recommending appropriate adjustments. Furthermore, patient hesitancy can result in late presentation, delayed treatment, and potential progression of symptoms. HCPs should proactively counsel high-risk patients, so they are aware of their risk and its implications and understand what to do if they experience symptoms of COVID-19. Targeted educational initiatives for patients are needed to mitigate reluctance to undergo COVID-19 testing and counter COVID-19 misinformation.

Conclusion

Collaboration among stakeholders is essential to optimize COVID-19 management for high-risk patients globally, ensuring effective implementation of guidelines and improving outcomes.

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Most cited references 35

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Enhancing the sample diversity of snowball samples: Recommendations from a research project on anti-dam movements in Southeast Asia

Julian Kirchherr, Katrina Charles (2018)

Snowball sampling is a commonly employed sampling method in qualitative research; however, the diversity of samples generated via this method has repeatedly been questioned. Scholars have posited several anecdotally based recommendations for enhancing the diversity of snowball samples. In this study, we performed the first quantitative, medium-N analysis of snowball sampling to identify pathways to sample diversity, analysing 211 reach-outs conducted via snowball sampling, resulting in 81 interviews; these interviews were administered between April and August 2015 for a research project on anti-dam movements in Southeast Asia. Based upon this analysis, we were able to refine and enhance the previous recommendations (e.g., showcasing novel evidence on the value of multiple seeds or face-to-face interviews). This paper may thus be of particular interest to scholars employing or intending to employ snowball sampling.

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Patient care and clinical outcomes for patients with COVID-19 infection admitted to African high-care or intensive care units (ACCCOS): a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study

(2021)

Background There have been insufficient data for African patients with COVID-19 who are critically ill. The African COVID-19 Critical Care Outcomes Study (ACCCOS) aimed to determine which resources, comorbidities, and critical care interventions are associated with mortality in this patient population. Methods The ACCCOS study was a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study in adults (aged 18 years or older) with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection who were referred to intensive care or high-care units in 64 hospitals in ten African countries (ie, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, and South Africa). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality censored at 30 days. We studied the factors (ie, human and facility resources, patient comorbidities, and critical care interventions) that were associated with mortality in these adult patients. This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04367207. Findings From May to December, 2020, 6779 patients were referred to critical care. Of these, 3752 (55·3%) patients were admitted and 3140 (83·7%) patients from 64 hospitals in ten countries participated (mean age 55·6 years; 1890 [60·6%] of 3118 participants were male). The hospitals had a median of two intensivists (IQR 1–4) and pulse oximetry was available to all patients in 49 (86%) of 57 sites. In-hospital mortality within 30 days of admission was 48·2% (95% CI 46·4–50·0; 1483 of 3077 patients). Factors that were independently associated with mortality were increasing age per year (odds ratio 1·03; 1·02–1·04); HIV/AIDS (1·91; 1·31–2·79); diabetes (1·25; 1·01–1·56); chronic liver disease (3·48; 1·48–8·18); chronic kidney disease (1·89; 1·28–2·78); delay in admission due to a shortage of resources (2·14; 1·42–3·22); quick sequential organ failure assessment score at admission (for one factor [1·44; 1·01–2·04], for two factors [2·0; 1·33–2·99], and for three factors [3·66, 2·12–6·33]); respiratory support (high flow oxygenation [2·72; 1·46–5·08]; continuous positive airway pressure [3·93; 2·13–7·26]; invasive mechanical ventilation [15·27; 8·51–27·37]); cardiorespiratory arrest within 24 h of admission (4·43; 2·25–8·73); and vasopressor requirements (3·67; 2·77–4·86). Steroid therapy was associated with survival (0·55; 0·37–0·81). There was no difference in outcome associated with female sex (0·86; 0·69–1·06). Interpretation Mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19 is higher in African countries than reported from studies done in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Increased mortality was associated with insufficient critical care resources, as well as the comorbidities of HIV/AIDS, diabetes, chronic liver disease, and kidney disease, and severity of organ dysfunction at admission. Funding The ACCCOS was partially supported by a grant from the Critical Care Society of Southern Africa.

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Decentralising HIV treatment in lower- and middle-income countries.

Tamara Kredo, Nathan Ford, Folasade B Adeniyi … (2013)

Policy makers, health staff and communities recognise that health services in lower- and middle-income countries need to improve people's access to HIV treatment and retention to treatment programmes. One strategy is to move antiretroviral delivery from hospitals to more peripheral health facilities or even beyond health facilities. This could increase the number of people with access to care, improve health outcomes, and enhance retention in treatment programmes. On the other hand, providing care at less sophisticated levels in the health service or at community-level may decrease quality of care and result in worse health outcomes. To address these uncertainties, we summarised the research studies examining the risks and benefits of decentralising antiretroviral therapy service delivery. To assess the effects of various models that decentralised HIV treatment and care to more basic levels in the health system for initiating and maintaining antiretroviral therapy. We conducted a comprehensive search to identify all relevant studies regardless of language or publication status (published, unpublished, in press, and in progress) from 1 January 1996 to 31 March 2013, and contacted relevant organisations and researchers. The search terms included 'decentralisation', 'down referral', 'delivery of health care', and 'health services accessibility'. Our inclusion criteria were controlled trials (randomised and non-randomised), controlled-before and after studies, and cohorts (prospective and retrospective) in which HIV-infected people were either initiated on antiretroviral therapy or maintained on therapy in a decentralised setting in lower- and middle-income countries. We define decentralisation as providing treatment at a more basic level in the health system to the comparator. Two authors applied the inclusion criteria and extracted data independently. We designed a framework to describe different decentralisation strategies, and then grouped studies against these strategies. Data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Because loss to follow up in HIV programmes is known to include some deaths, we used attrition as our primary outcome, defined as death plus loss to follow-up. We assessed evidence quality with GRADE methodology. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria, all but one were from Africa, comprising two cluster randomised trials and 14 cohort studies. Antiretroviral therapy started at a hospital and maintained at a health centre (partial decentralisation) probably reduces attrition (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.71, 4 studies, 39 090 patients, moderate quality evidence). There may be fewer patients lost to care with this model (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.69, low quality evidence).We are uncertain whether there is a difference in attrition for antiretroviral therapy started and maintained at a health centre (full decentralisation) compared to a hospital at 12 months (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.02; four studies, 56 360 patients, very low quality evidence), but there are probably fewer patients lost to care with this model (RR 0.3, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.54, moderate quality evidence).When antiretroviral maintenance therapy is delivered at home by trained volunteers, there is probably no difference in attrition at 12 months (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.46, two trials, 1453 patients, moderate quality evidence). Decentralisation of HIV care aims to improve patient access and retention in care. Most data were from good quality cohort studies but confounding between site of treatment and outcomes cannot be excluded. Nevertheless, this review found that attrition appears to be lower in partial decentralisation models of treatment, where antiretrovirals were started at hospital and continued in the health centre; with antiretroviral drugs started and continued at health centres, no difference in attrition was detected, but there were fewer patients lost to care. For antiretroviral therapy provided at home by trained volunteers, no difference in outcomes were detected when compared to facility-based care.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Cureus

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Cureus

Journal ID (issn): 2168-8184

Title: Cureus

Publisher: Cureus (Palo Alto (CA) )

ISSN (Electronic): 2168-8184

Publication date (Electronic, pub): 20 May 2024

Publication date (Electronic, collection): May 2024

Volume: 16

Issue: 5

Electronic Location Identifier: e60727

Affiliations

[1 ] Medicine, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, BHR

[2 ] Executive Medical Services, International Medical Center Hospital, Jeddah, SAU

[3 ] Infectious Diseases, Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, London, GBR

[4 ] Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Sotiria General Hospital, Athens, GRC

[5 ] Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, ESP

[6 ] Infectious Diseases, Al Rahba Hospital, Abu Dhabi, ARE

[7 ] Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center, Tbilisi, GEO

[8 ] Chest Diseases, Ministry of Health and Population, Cairo, EGY

[9 ] Chest Diseases, Ain Shams University, Cairo, EGY

[10 ] Internal Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, ZAF

[11 ] Internal Medicine, Tarawneh Clinic, Amman, JOR

[12 ] Medical affairs, Pfizer Ltd., Jeddah, SAU

Author notes

Jameela Al-Salman jsalman@ 123456health.gov.bh

Article

DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60727

PMC ID: 11110092

PubMed ID: 38779436

SO-VID: b9ddde2c-218e-4d79-9a2c-6689fd46dde1

License:

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY 4.0., which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

History

Date accepted : 14 May 2024

Funding

The medical writing/editorial support for the development of the manuscript was provided by Innovaacom LLC and funded by Pfizer Inc. Neither honoraria nor payments were made for authorship.

The Management of Patients at High Risk of Serious COVID-19 Disease: Optimising the Patient Pathway in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe

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Most cited references 35

Enhancing the sample diversity of snowball samples: Recommendations from a research project on anti-dam movements in Southeast Asia

Patient care and clinical outcomes for patients with COVID-19 infection admitted to African high-care or intensive care units (ACCCOS): a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study

Decentralising HIV treatment in lower- and middle-income countries.

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