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The development and implementation of new procedures of COVID-19 patients’ treatment in the cross-border area of Poland and Ukraine.

professor Marcin Weiner, professor Oleksandr Oliynyk

IMPACT DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

At the outbreak of the pandemic, the University started collaboration with the partners from Ukraine and with the Provincial Specialist Hospital. Many years of the University employees’ experience in recognising and combating infectious diseases led to the development of new procedures in the cross-border area. The University conducted research on the assessment of the levels of COVID-19 antibodies, the implementation of new therapeutic methods, clinical trials included, and the implementation of scientific and testing procedures in the cross-border area. Moreover, the University has become a source of information for numerous partners and entrepreneurs on how to proceed during the epidemic. The involvement of the University in the research and the support of society have been recognised by the Ministry of Education and Science.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAJOR RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS

The team led by Professor O. Oliynyk conducted a retrospective analysis in order to compare the medical records of severe COVID-19 patients. In the course of the research, significant differences in all studied oxygen metabolism markers were found between survivors and deceased patients [R1]. A number of indicators were shown as predictive factors indicating possible deaths in the course of the COVID-19 infection. Clinical tests were also conducted with the use of tocilizumab which reduced mortality in MAS patients. Moreover, elevated ferritin levels were found to be possibly indicative of MAS [R2].

Two months after the outbreak of the pandemic, the team led by Professor M. Weiner presented a comparative analysis of coronavirus diseases in recent years [R3]. Moreover, the team analysed the strategies of the fight between the infectious agent and its victim. The research contributed to a better understanding of the strategy of offensive and defensive fight. The basic survival strategies for living organisms include interaction independent of their constituent elements, as well as the complexity, size or mass of the cell structure, and the ability to select the appropriate counter-measures for vector-borne diseases [R4].

The team led by Doctor K. Zaworski focused on the assessment of physical activity in women and men during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the course of the research conducted, a statistically significant decrease was found in physical activity frequency of men, which mainly referred to strength exercises. Independently of sex, the frequency of physical activity was found reduced in the group aged 39-58. An analysis of the duration of a single exercise before and during the pandemic indicated a statistically significant reduction in the training time both for men and women as well as in all age groups. What is interesting, the decrease in the amount of physical exertion in women was accompanied by a statistically significant growth of the frequency of flexibility exercises performed by women, e.g. yoga [R5].

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROLE OF THE ENTITY IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY OUTCOMES

Employees of the Faculty of Health Sciences led by Professor Marcin Weiner authored the main part of the research on the course, epidemiology and consequences of the COVID-19 infection. The cross-border collaboration between Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education and the Medical University in Kyiv resulted in the implementation of clinical practice procedures concerning the treatment of COVID-19 patients and the application of therapeutic methods and new, experimental drugs. The local scientific collaboration between the University and the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Biała Podlaska concerning the assessment of the concentration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies resulted in the knowledge of the immune status in the local community.

  • Professor Marcin Weiner
  • Professor Oleksandr Oliynyk
  • dr Kamil Zaworski

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES AND SUMMARY OF UP TO 5 SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS

[R1] Oliynyk O, Rorat M, Barg W. Oxygen metabolism markers as predictors of mortality in severe COVID-19.
International Journal of Infectious Diseases 2021; (103): 452-456.
A retrospective analysis was conducted in order to compare the medical records of severe COVID-19 patients. Significant differences in all studied oxygen metabolism markers were found between survivors and deceased patients (p < 0.001).

[R2] Oliynyk O, Barg W, Ślifirczyk A, Oliynyk J, Gurianov V,Rorat M. Efficacy of Tocilizumab Therapy in Different Subtypes of COVID-19 Cytokine Storm Syndrome. Viruses 2021; 13: 1067.
MAS was diagnosed in 9.1% of the patients examined, CRS in 81.8%, and sepsis in 9.1%. In CRS patients, a higher mortality rate was observed among those who received tocilizumab (p = 0.043), RR = 2.1 (95% CI 1.0-4.3). In MAS patients, tocilizumab decreased the mortality of patients (p = 0.013), RR = 0.50 (95% CI 0.25-0.99).

[R3] Weiner M, Tarasiuk K. Characteristics and occurence of coronaviruses in humans and animals.
Health Problems of Civilization 2020; 14(3): 149-156.
To date, three major epidemics causing severe respiratory diseases in humans (SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2) have been reported. The current COVID-19 pandemic in humans demonstrates the need for action to modernise and improve diagnostics in this area but also to develop innovative immunoprophylactic and therapeutic methods.

[R4] Weiner M, Teodorowicz P, Niźnikowska E. Resistance and rational actions as effective counter-measures in the struggle against Lyme disease. Archives of Budo 2020; 16: 173-180.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in zoonoses. The basic survival strategies for organisms include interaction independent of their constituent elements, as well as the complexity, size or mass of the cell structure, and the ability to select the appropriate counter-measures.

[R5] Zaworski K, Kubińska Z, Dziewulska A, Walasek O. Physical Activity of Poles in the Care for Their Health Potential Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness 2020: 1-4.
A decrease in PA frequency was found in the age group of 39-58. There was a statistically significant increase in the frequency of flexibility exercises performed by women, e.g. yoga, as well as a decrease in marching and walks. Men significantly less frequently performed strength exercises.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESEARCH ACTIVITY IMPACT, INCLUDING THE ACTIVITY WHOSE OUTCOMES ARE THE SUBJECT OF COMMERCIALISATION, WITH AN INDICATION OF THE RELATION BETWEEN RESEARCH ACTIVITY AND THIS IMPACT AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL GROUP BENEFITTING FROM THIS IMPACT AND THE GREATEST RESEARCH ACTIVITY IMPACT AREA

Under the cross-border collaboration with the National Medical University in Kyiv, joint research and development activity was conducted. The cooperation concerned the implementation of vital research projects aiming at health protection during the coronavirus pandemic in Ukraine and Poland. The collaboration brought tangible effects of breakthrough research activity on an international scale. Due to the joint research and development initiatives of both higher education institutions in collaboration with the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care of Infectious Diseases at the Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 4, as well as a closer long-term scientific cooperation and the involvement of scientists in the fields of epidemiology, virology and other scientific disciplines, the State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska helped in the implementation of EU clinical procedures of COVID-19 treatment in the University in Kyiv. The research, jointly conducted by both institutions, considerably contributed to the decrease in the incidence rate in Ukraine and Poland, in towns and villages, but also, due to the geographical location, in the cross-border traffic and international mobility. Due to the research conducted and diagnostic tests performed in Poland, the University has become a recognised academic centre with an impact on the changes in the local, regional and international environments, which altered patients’ attitudes and broke the barriers related to the availability of SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic points. The University, through its involvement, has built social trust in the development of science and research in favour of good-neighbourly relations and European partnership [S1].

As part of local scientific research, the Provincial Specialist Hospital was supported in its diagnostics of COVID-19 infections by the research team of the Faculty of Health Sciences. The research had an impact on very quick infection diagnosis. Under the collaboration with the Medical Laboratory of the Innovation Research Centre, serological tests were performed to assess the concentration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. The research was conducted between 16 November 2020 and 8 February 2021 and covered the population of 900 persons. Joint initiatives of the two entities, a closer long-term scientific cooperation, joint publishing policy and the involvement of scientists in the fields of epidemiology, microbiology and public health enabled the University to raise the awareness and health service standards through its scientific and research activity. An active participant in the public life, the University has systematically increased the social awareness as an active promoter of information and good practices in public health protection in the town and county of Biała Podlaska. The jointly conducted research of both Institutions contributed to a decrease in the incidence rate in the town of Biała Podlaska and the eastern part of the Lubelskie voivodeship. The scientific research and diagnostic tests allowed the University to become the research leader, which had an impact on the shaping of health-promoting attitudes of patients in the local and regional environments and broke the barriers related to the availability of SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic points [S2].

The commitment of the academic community, including nursing, medical rescue and public health students, is also not to be overestimated. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska has supported the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Biała Podlaska in the fight to eliminate disease outbreaks as soon as possible. This is the reason why the University came out with the initiative of organising students’ voluntary work in the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Biała Podlaska, in healthcare facilities and sanitary-epidemiological services. In order to raise the awareness of the inhabitants of the county and town of Biała Podlaska, the University prepared a number of open lectures and educational materials (videos) aiming at improving the inhabitants’ health and raising the awareness of COVID-19 threat. These materials were successively posted on the University’s website in the COVID-19 tab and distributed in social media (Facebook) and in the Microsoft Teams informational channels [S3].

Apart from educational and health-promoting campaigns in social media, the academic community was involved in material activities, i.e., preparation of personal protective equipment, organisation of help for the elderly in basic living needs (visits to offices, shopping), and food collection for the most vulnerable people from social welfare homes or Christmas packages for people directly involved in fighting COVID-19 [S4].

DETAILED CHARACTERISTICS OF UP TO 5 PIECES OF EVIDENCE OF SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY IMPACT

[S1] Testimonial from the National Medical University in Kyiv
The Rector of the National Medical University in Kyiv confirmed the completion of joint research and development activities as well as the collaboration in the implementation of vital research projects aiming at health protection during the coronavirus pandemic in Ukraine and Poland. The collaboration brought tangible effects of breakthrough research on an international scale.

[S2] Testimonial from the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Biała Podlaska
The executive director of the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Biała Podlaska confirmed that the collaboration, being part of a socially significant problem and a global challenge for humanity, had brought tangible research results. The conducted research had an impact on very quick infection diagnosis. Under the collaboration with the Medical Laboratory, serological tests were performed to assess the concentration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in the local community.

[S3] University’s social media as a source of knowledge for the local community
By means of social media, Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska took up a number of initiatives related to the widely defined health protection and influence on the awareness and knowledge of the local inhabitants and the academic community. These actions met with great interest and enabled the University to become a source of information on COVID-19 for numerous entities.

[S4] Material support for people most in need, affected by COVID-19
Apart from social media campaigns, the academic community was involved in material activities, i.e., preparation of personal protective equipment, psychological phone and stationary support for the local community, organisation of help for the elderly in basic living needs (visits to offices, shopping), and food collection for the most vulnerable people from social welfare homes.

INFORMATION WHETHER THE IMPACT IS THE RESULT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR THE CREATION OF THIS IMPACT

The COVID-19 epidemic has influenced all the areas of social operation on a global scale. This refers to the question of the linear relationship between health and disease, defined following WHO criteria, but also to practically all areas of life and scientific disciplines. Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska took up a number of interdisciplinary research actions, i.e., in the area of the widely defined health protection and treatment of COVID-19 infections, but also research on the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on social behaviours, with an emphasis on social sciences. The University was involved in a number of information campaigns in social media directed at the local community, which provided psychological support and knowledge on COVID-19. Moreover, the University organised a number of open lectures on the significance of diet, physical activity and resistance to stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The academic community members were also involved in the material and psychological support for those most in need, i.e., senior citizens and persons put under quarantine. The interdisciplinary actions of the University and the involvement in many areas of support for the community of the cross-border area were frequently noted in the news published by the Ministry of Education and Science.