Mental Health Outcomes Among British Healthcare Workers-Lessons From the First Wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Objective: To ascertain the level of psychological distress, using validated psychology tools, among British National healthcare workers (HCW) during the first wave of the Covid-19 crisis.

Methods: A multi-centre, anonymized, all-comer staff survey across 3 hospitals in Lancashire, England during the Covid-19 first wave (April to June 2020), consisting of Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Impact of Events Scale (IES-6).

Results: Among 1113 HCW, median (IQR) PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSS-10, and IES-6 score was 7 (3 to 11), 6 (3 to 11), 19 (13 to 24), and 9 (5 to 14), respectively.

Lysosomal phospholipase A2 is selectively expressed in alveolar macrophages.

Lung surfactant is the surface-active agent comprised of phospholipids and proteins that lines pulmonary alveoli. Surfactant stabilizes the alveolar volume by reducing surface tension. Previously, we identified a lysosomal phospholipase A2, termed LPLA2, with specificity toward phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine.

Fabry disease in mice is associated with age-dependent susceptibility to vascular thrombosis.

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder due to deficiency of alpha-galactosidase A (GLA) activity that results in the widespread accumulation of neutral glycosphingolipids. Renal failure, neuropathy, premature myocardial infarction, and stroke occur in patients with this condition primarily due to deposition of glycosphingolipids in vascular endothelial cells. The clinical consequences of Fabry disease suggest that vascular thrombosis may play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of this disease; however, the vasculopathy associated with Fabry disease has not been extensively studied.