Browsing by Author "Ostojic, Olivera (57224676685)"

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be an unrelenting health threat for more than a year now. The emerging amount of data indicates that vitamin D, zinc and selenium could be important for clinical presentation of COVID-19. Here, we investigated association of genetic variants related to the altered level and bioavailability of vitamin D, zinc and selenium with clinical severity of COVID-19. Methods: We analyzed variants in genes significant for the status of vitamin D (DHCR7/NADSYN1 rs12785878, GC rs2282679, CYP2R1 rs10741657, and VDR rs2228570), zinc (PPCDC rs2120019) and selenium (DMGDH rs17823744) in 120 Serbian adult and pediatric COVID-19 patients using allelic discrimination. Furthermore, we carried out comparative population genetic analysis among European and other worldwide populations to investigate variation in allelic frequencies of selected variants. Results: Study showed that DHCR7/NADSYN rs12785878 and CYP2R1 rs10741657 variants were associated with severe COVID-19 in adults (p = 0.03, p = 0.017, respectively); carriers of DHCR7/NADSYN TG+GG and CYP2R1 GG genotypes had 0.21 and 5.9 the odds for developing severe disease, OR 0.21 (0.05–0.9) and OR 5.9 (1.4–25.2), respectively. There were no associations between selected genetic variants and disease severity in pediatric patients. Comparative population genetic analysis revealed that Serbian population had the lowest frequency of CYP2R1 rs10741657 G allele compared to other non-Finish Europeans (0.58 compared to 0.69 and 0.66 in Spanish and Italian population, respectively), suggesting that other populations should also investigate the relationship of CYP2R1 variant and the COVID-19 disease course. Conclusion: The results of the study indicated that vitamin D related genetic variants were implicated in severe COVID-19 in adults. This could direct prevention strategies based on population specific nutrigenetic profiles. © Copyright © 2021 Kotur, Skakic, Klaassen, Gasic, Zukic, Skodric-Trifunovic, Stjepanovic, Zivkovic, Ostojic, Stevanovic, Lavadinovic, Pavlovic and Stankovic.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be an unrelenting health threat for more than a year now. The emerging amount of data indicates that vitamin D, zinc and selenium could be important for clinical presentation of COVID-19. Here, we investigated association of genetic variants related to the altered level and bioavailability of vitamin D, zinc and selenium with clinical severity of COVID-19. Methods: We analyzed variants in genes significant for the status of vitamin D (DHCR7/NADSYN1 rs12785878, GC rs2282679, CYP2R1 rs10741657, and VDR rs2228570), zinc (PPCDC rs2120019) and selenium (DMGDH rs17823744) in 120 Serbian adult and pediatric COVID-19 patients using allelic discrimination. Furthermore, we carried out comparative population genetic analysis among European and other worldwide populations to investigate variation in allelic frequencies of selected variants. Results: Study showed that DHCR7/NADSYN rs12785878 and CYP2R1 rs10741657 variants were associated with severe COVID-19 in adults (p = 0.03, p = 0.017, respectively); carriers of DHCR7/NADSYN TG+GG and CYP2R1 GG genotypes had 0.21 and 5.9 the odds for developing severe disease, OR 0.21 (0.05–0.9) and OR 5.9 (1.4–25.2), respectively. There were no associations between selected genetic variants and disease severity in pediatric patients. Comparative population genetic analysis revealed that Serbian population had the lowest frequency of CYP2R1 rs10741657 G allele compared to other non-Finish Europeans (0.58 compared to 0.69 and 0.66 in Spanish and Italian population, respectively), suggesting that other populations should also investigate the relationship of CYP2R1 variant and the COVID-19 disease course. Conclusion: The results of the study indicated that vitamin D related genetic variants were implicated in severe COVID-19 in adults. This could direct prevention strategies based on population specific nutrigenetic profiles. © Copyright © 2021 Kotur, Skakic, Klaassen, Gasic, Zukic, Skodric-Trifunovic, Stjepanovic, Zivkovic, Ostojic, Stevanovic, Lavadinovic, Pavlovic and Stankovic.

Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic has started, Serbia has faced problems in implementing proper public health measures in the population, including non-pharmaceutical interventions, as well as protecting health care workers (HCWs) from disease, like all other countries. This study aimed to estimate COVID-19 seroprevalence and evaluate the risk perception of COVID-19 among HCWs in three different hospitals in Belgrade, Serbia: non-COVID hospital, Emergency Center (EC), and dedicated COVID hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three hospitals during the second wave of the outbreak in Serbia, from June to early October. All staff in these hospitals were invited to voluntarily participate in blood sampling for IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and questionnaire testing. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, known exposure to COVID-19 positive persons, previous signs and symptoms related to COVID-19 infection since the outbreak had started in our country, and SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing. Results: The overall prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody among 1580 HCWs was 18.3 % [95 % CI 16.4–20.3 %]. Significantly higher prevalence of HCWs with positive results for the serum IgG antibody test was observed in COVID hospital (28.6 %, 95 %CI: 24.0–33.6 %) vs. prevalence in the EC (12.6 %, 95 %CI: 10.1–15.4 %), and in the non-COVID hospital (18.3 %, 95 %CI: 15.2–26.7 %). The prevalence adjusted for declared test sensitivity and specificity would be 16.8 %; that is 27.4 % in COVID-19 hospital, 10.9 % in EC, and 16.8 % in non-COVID hospital. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the independent predictors for seropositivity were working in COVID-hospital, the profession of physician, and the presence of the following symptoms: fever, shortness of breath, and anosmia/ageusia. Conclusions: We found an overall seropositivity rate of 18.3 % and 16.0 % of the adjusted rate that is higher than seroprevalence obtained in similar studies conducted before vaccinations started. The possibility that patients in non-COVID dedicated hospitals might also be infectious, although PCR tested, imposes the need for the use of personal protective equipment also in non-COVID medical institutions. © 2022 The Authors