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Jaewhan Kim, Kenechukwu C. Ben-Umeh, Rachel Weir, Karen Manotas, Kristi Kleinschmit, Aaron Fischer, Peter Weir, Fernando Wilson
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 18.10.2024
Tilføjet 18.10.2024
by Jaewhan Kim, Kenechukwu C. Ben-Umeh, Rachel Weir, Karen Manotas, Kristi Kleinschmit, Aaron Fischer, Peter Weir, Fernando Wilson Previous studies have reported a potential occurrence of sleep disorders in patients following a COVID-19 infection. However, these findings were based on surveys or retrospective studies with small sample sizes. This study examined if subjects with a previous COVID-19 infection in 2020 experienced sleep disorders in 2021. Using the 2019–2021 Utah All Payers Claims Database (APCD), adults (≥18 to 62 years old in 2019) covered by private insurance and Medicaid were identified. Sleep disorders were identified from the primary and secondary diagnosis in 2021. Baseline characteristics of subjects such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, type of insurance, and comorbid conditions were identified from the database. Entropy balancing was used to balance the baseline characteristics of subjects with and without a COVID-19 infection in 2020. Weighted logistic regression was used to identify significant factors that were associated with sleep disorders. A total of 413,958 subjects were included in the study. The average (SD) age was 38 (17) years old in 2019 and 58% were female. Among the subjects, about 39% had a COVID-19 infection in 2020. Those who had a COVID-19 infection in 2020 were 53% more likely to have a sleep disorder in 2021 (OR = 1.53; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.48–1.58). Sleep disorders could be one of long-term COVID-19 symptoms. More screening and observations for those who had a COVID-19 infection could be important to improve sleep related problems.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedInfection, 17.10.2024
Tilføjet 17.10.2024
Abstract Purpose Since winter 2022, invasive GAS (iGAS) infections have re-emerged in Europe, causing severe diseases in children and adults. We aimed to examine whether this reported post-pandemic increase was associated with an increased disease severity and/or a shift in clinical disease phenotypes. Methods We performed detailed clinical phenotyping of patients hospitalized with iGAS infections at a 1410-bed tertiary German Medical Center from 01/2015 to 09/2023. Results One hundred seventy-eight patients were included: 50 children (28.1%) and 128 adults (71.9%). IGAS infections of Q1/2023 exceeded the pre-pandemic average by 551% (1200% for children). The mean age of affected patients shifted significantly post-pandemically (49.5 ± 26.5 to 32.4 ± 28.2 years of age, p
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedYun Sang Tang, Chee Wah Tan, Ka Chun Chong, Chunke Chen, Yuanxin Sun, Karen Yiu, Kwun Cheung Ling, Ken KP Chan, Malik Peiris, Chris Ka Pun Mok, David S Hui
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 17.10.2024
Tilføjet 17.10.2024
Since its emergence in January 2020, SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, has evolved from the ancestral Wuhan strain into multiple variants, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Mu, and Omicron. The Omicron lineage first appeared as BA.1 in early 2022 and subsequently evolved into BA.2, BA.4/5, and XBB variants. In August 2023, the EG.5 subvariant of XBB emerged, followed by the antigenically distinct JN.1 variant in early 2024, which evolved from the BA.2.86 lineage. More recently, the JN.1 variant further evolved into a descendant strain, KP.2, which has been causing increasing numbers of infections since April 2024 [1–3].
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedElisa de Lazzari, Daniel K. Nomah, Jose L. Blanco, Naira Rico, Xabier Filella, Natalia Egri, Raquel Ruiz, Maria Angeles Marcos, Maria del Mar Mosquera, Jose Alcamí, Sonsoles Sánchez-Palomino, Andreu Bruguera, Carmen Hurtado, Cristina Rovira, Juan Ambrosioni, Iván Chivite, Ana González-Cordón, Alexy Inciarte, Montserrat Laguno, María Martínez-Rebollar, Lorena de la Mora, Berta Torres, Yesika Díaz, Esteban Martínez, Josep Mallolas, Jose M. Miro, Hospital Clinic HIV investigators
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 17.10.2024
Tilføjet 17.10.2024
Studies on HIV and COVID-19 coinfection are inconclusive especially in the context of unvaccinated individuals.[1] The severity of COVID-19 outcomes among people with HIV (PWH) can vary based on specific settings, health system conditions, and individual clinical attributes such as age and comorbidities.[2] The protective role of antiretroviral therapy (ART), particularly tenofovir, has been a subject of debate. The inclination towards tenofovir as a viable treatment option for SARS-CoV-2 infection stems from the nucleotide analogue\'s capacity to inhibit RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, a pivotal enzyme for SARS-CoV-2 replication, [3] with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) exhibiting higher plasma concentrations compared to tenofovir alafenamide (TAF).[4] Nevertheless, the clinical effectiveness of tenofovir in COVID-19 patients remains uncertain, with conflicting findings emerging from studies among PWH.[1] The study aimed to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among unvaccinated PWH and to explore the impact of different factors including ART on the SARS-CoV-2 acquisition and COVID-19 severity.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedTomas, A., Wettermark, B., Nyberg, F., Hajiebrahimi, M.
BMJ Open, 17.10.2024
Tilføjet 17.10.2024
ObjectivesAntihypertensives reduce the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. Restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic limited access to healthcare, which may have had a negative impact on drug prescribing. This study aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the initiation of antihypertensive drugs. DesignInterrupted time series study using a segmented linear regression model. SettingSwedish population assessed through linked national healthcare registers. Participants720 300 new users of antihypertensives. InterventionMarch 2020, COVID-19 pandemic onset. Main outcomes measuresThe change in the initiation of antihypertensives expressed as monthly cumulative incidence, stratified by age and sex. Data on dispensed prescriptions of diuretics, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers were extracted from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register, from March 2018 to November 2021. Initiation (new use) was defined as having no previous dispensations before March 2019. Monthly cumulative incidence in March 2019–November 2021 was calculated as the number of patients initiating each drug class in each month divided by the population. ResultsThe start of the pandemic was associated with an immediate drop in the initiation of any antihypertensive, but no sustained effects were observed, as the incidence continued to increase in the postinterruption period by +0.02% each month in both sexes. The immediate drop was statistically significant for ACEi in both sexes and all antihypertensive classes except diuretics in patients >65 years. A significant postintervention trend change was observed for initiation of diuretics (+0.013% overall), driven mainly by a significant increase in patients >65 years. Similar findings were also observed for diuretics in females (+0.02%) and ACEi (+0.03%) in patients >65 years. ConclusionsThe pandemic had an immediate negative short-term effect, but we found no major long-term negative influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on initiation of any type of antihypertensive drugs.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 17.10.2024
Tilføjet 17.10.2024
Abstract Background Although several genetic biomarkers have been reported in the tocilizumab (TCZ) response in rheumatoid arthritis, no studies have addressed the pharmacogenomics effect of TCZ in COVID-19. Methods In this prospective longitudinal study, 95 individuals with severe COVID-19 were selected between 2020–2022. The recovery process was measured at 24 h, 48 h, and 10 days before and after taking TCZ. All participants were genotyped using RFLP-PCR. Different genotypes of FCGR2A rs1801274 and IL-6R rs2228145 were compared in terms of the recovery process. Results 43.2% of patients were male and 56.8% were female with an average age of 58.20(± 16.214) years. The GA genotype for FCGR2A rs1801274 increased the risk of death (OR = 2.83, P = 0.038) and ventilation (OR = 2.71, P = 0.047) in TCZ-treated individuals. However, there was no risk of death and ventilation with IL-6R rs2228145 (P > 0.05). Additionally, docking analysis showed that not only IL6R but also FCGR2A can be a ligand for TCZ. Conclusion This study provides valuable insights into the impact of genetic variations on the response rate of TCZ in COVID-19 patients. The GA genotype for FCGR2A rs1801274 was associated with poor treatment outcomes.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 17.10.2024
Tilføjet 17.10.2024
Abstract Purpose To perform an extensive investigation of the clinical features and long-term complications among the n = 134 adults and children with nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) verified SARS-CoV-2-infection in the immunologically naïve population of Ulvik, Norway, during the single variant B.1.1.7 outbreak in late January through February 2021. Methods Every infected person regardless of whether symptoms of COVID-19 were present was invited to answer a web-based questionnaire at two- and seven months after testing positive. The period from initial infection to the first questionnaire was assessed retrospectively, and the time points at two- and seven months were assessed prospectively. Results A total of 87 of 134 (65%) NAAT-positive persons answered the first questionnaire, of which 35/87 (40%) were children, and 74 of 87 (85%) answered the second questionnaire. Children experienced symptoms less often than adults during the acute phase of infection (51% (18/35) versus 81% (42/52) (p = .004)). At two-months follow-up 88% (53/60) of participants with symptoms during the acute phase, including all children, reported no longer having symptoms. Among those with persisting symptoms at seven months, fatigue (18/25) and insomnia (16/24) were common. Conclusion In an immunologically naïve population infected with the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant, the clinical features of acute phase symptoms were similar to previous studies. Children underwent asymptomatic infection more often than adults, and adults more often experienced persisting symptoms. Insomnia and fatigue were common complaints among those with persisting symptoms seven months after infection.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 17.10.2024
Tilføjet 17.10.2024
Abstract Background By the end of December 2019, a new coronavirus, termed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged, and the cause of the disease was named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Several genetic factors have been implicated in diverse responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as the C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) rs2228014 polymorphism, which has been previously studied in various diseases but has not been explored in the context of COVID-19 severity. The current study aimed to assess the association between the rs2228014 polymorphism in the CXCR4 gene and the severity of COVID-19, which has not been previously reported. Method This cross-sectional study analyzed 300 adult Egyptian COVID-19 patients (156 with mild or moderate and 144 with severe or critical symptoms) admitted to Assiut University Quarantine Hospital from June to September 2022 during the omicron variant. The rs2228014 polymorphism in the CXCR4 gene was detected using real-time PCR with a TaqMan assay probe. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the best cutoff values for C-reactive protein (CRP) that can be used to estimate the severity of COVID-19. P values less than 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. Results No significant differences in the allelic or genotypic frequencies of CXCR4 rs2228014 were detected between the severity groups. However, the exclusive presence of the AA genotype in mild or moderate cases suggests its potential protective role. Additionally, significant differences in myalgia presentation, leukocyte counts and antibiotic use, were observed among different genotypes. Statistical data showed that the severity of COVID-19 could be predicted at a cutoff value of CRP > 30 mg/L, with a sensitivity of 74.3% and a specificity of 42.9%. Conclusion The present findings suggest a potential protective role of the AA genotype and A allele of CXCR4 rs2228014 against severe COVID-19. Additionally, factors such as lack of vaccination and comorbidities such as hypertension, renal disease, and diabetes mellitus were associated with increased disease severity.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 17.10.2024
Tilføjet 17.10.2024
Abstract Objective To assess the changes in maternal-fetal outcomes in a nonepidemic designated hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021 on pregnant patients. The fixed-effects regression model was used to determine changes in birth outcomes and pregnancy-related complications between three periods with the pre-epidemic cohort as the control group. Logistic regression was applied to determine the odds ratio (OR) for binary outcomes. Results There were 15,261 births during the pre-epidemic period, and this number decreased by 15% and 23% to 12,980 and 11,736 in the first and second epidemic cohorts, respectively. The mean birth weight during the pre-epidemic period was 3319 which decreased to 3309 and 3272 g in the following periods. Excluding stillbirth and preterm, all other outcomes differed significantly between the three periods. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (17–19%) and maternal hypertension (9.2–11%) appeared to increase. Compared to the pre-epidemic period, the odds of macrosomia and LGA significantly decreased in the second epidemic cohort (adjusted ORs: 0.76 and 0.8), while the odds of low birth weight (LBW) and small gestation age (SGA) increased (ORs: 1.25 and 1.16). The odds of neonatal asphyxia (OR: 1.4), and hypertension (OR: 1.29) appeared to increase in the second epidemic cohort, while GDM decreased in the first cohort (OR: 0.88) and increased in the second cohort (OR: 1.15). Vaginal delivery underwent a marginal decrease in both the first and second epidemic cohorts (ORs: 0.89 and 0.92). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic may have had a substantial and long-term impact on non-infected pregnant women and newborns. Our research results provided precious research information and clinical experience summary for population health research in the future.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 17.10.2024
Tilføjet 17.10.2024
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted tuberculosis (TB) treatment services, including directly observed therapy (DOT) programs used to promote medication adherence. We compared DOT adherence embedded in a research study before and after COVID-19 lockdowns in South Africa. Methods We analyzed data from 263 observational study participants undergoing drug susceptible (DS)-TB DOT between May 2017 to March 2022. Participants enrolled before October 2019 were considered ‘pre-COVID-19’ and those enrolled after September 2020 were considered ‘post-COVID-19 lockdown groups. Negative binomial regression models were used to compare DOT non-adherence rates between the two lockdown groups. We then conducted a sensitivity analysis which only included participants enrolled in the immediate period following the first COVID-19 lockdown. Results DOT non-adherence rate was higher in the post-COVID-19 lockdown group (aIRR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.04–1.96; p = 0.028) compared to pre-COVID-19 lockdown period, adjusting for age, sex, employment status, household hunger, depression risk, and smoked substance use. DOT non-adherence was highest immediately following the initial lockdown (aIRR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.17–2.67; p = 0.006). Conclusion The COVID-19 lockdowns adversely effected adherence to TB DOT in the period after lockdowns were lifted. The change in DOT adherence persisted even after adjusting for socioeconomic and behavioral variables. We need a better understanding of what treatment adherence barriers were exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdowns to improve outcomes in post-pandemic times. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Registration Number: NCT02840877. Registered on 19 July 2016.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedNasr Alrabadi, Haneen Obeidat, Razan Haddad, Noor Alyassin, Karem H. Alzoubi, Omar Obeidat, Saif M. Shteiwi, Daher Al-rabadi, Ibrahim Al-faouri
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 17.10.2024
Tilføjet 17.10.2024
by Nasr Alrabadi, Haneen Obeidat, Razan Haddad, Noor Alyassin, Karem H. Alzoubi, Omar Obeidat, Saif M. Shteiwi, Daher Al-rabadi, Ibrahim Al-faouri Background The highly contagious novel COVID-19 virus has demonstrated a great challenge for healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. One of these challenges is the availability of vaccines in some countries or societies, especially in the early stages of the pandemic. Objectives This study aims to determine the level of natural immunity against COVID-19 infection among HCWs exposed to COVID-19 at the early stages of the pandemic and build a model to determine the groups that can benefit more from the scarce vaccination resources. Methods This study took place between January and March 2021, after the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, before spreading the variants of concern, such as the UK variant (Alpha B.1.1.7), and before starting the vaccine campaigns. This cross-sectional study collected serum samples from 251 vulnerable HCWs. The samples were tested for IgG antibodies against COVID-19 using commercial kits. The demographics and clinical characteristics of the participants were recorded using face-to-face interviews. Results COVID-19 IgG antibodies were detected in more than 40% of HCWs before vaccination. Those HCWs should have less priority than those without COVID-19 IgG. The seroprevalence of COVID-19 was higher in male HCWs and among nurses. There was no association between the participants’ immunity and smoking status or different blood groups. Most HCWs reported being infected with the virus during the first wave, mainly at the end of 2020. A limited number of HCWs reported infections between January 2021 and March 2021. All HCWs eventually received the COVID-19 vaccine, ignoring being previously infected. Conclusion The reported results emphasize the value of using immunity tests to prioritize the groups that may benefit the most from the limited vaccines, especially in developing countries with scarce resources where those with COVID-19 IgG antibodies should have less priority for the COVID-19 vaccine. The present results indicate that up to 40% of the delivered vaccines to HCWs who had COVID-19 antibodies could be prioritized more wisely in future pandemics.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedSchmidt, M. I., Bracco, P. A., Nunes, M. A., Cherubini, K. A., Castilhos, C. D., Spagiari, J. Z., Galliano, L. M., Ladwig, R., Del Vecchio, F. B., Del Vecchio, A. H. M., Drehmer, M., Forti, A. C., Facanha, C., Zajdenverg, L., de Almeida-Pititto, B., Rea, R. R., Dualib, P. M., Duncan, B. B.
BMJ Open, 16.10.2024
Tilføjet 16.10.2024
ObjectivesTo evaluate a postpartum telephone-based lifestyle intervention to prevent diabetes in high-risk women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). DesignMulticentre parallel randomised clinical trial. SettingSpecialised antenatal clinics in the Brazilian National System. MethodsLifestyle Intervention for Diabetes Prevention After Pregnancy compared (1:1) postpartum telephone support for lifestyle changes with conventional care in women with recent GDM at substantial risk for diabetes. Randomisation started on 28 March 2015 and ended on 13 March 2020, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used Cox regression to estimate HRs for diabetes and analysis of covariance adjusted for follow-up time to assess weight change. OutcomesThe primary outcome was incident diabetes ascertained with blinded measurements of oral glucose tolerance tests. The secondary outcome was a change in measured weight. ResultsWe enrolled 5323 women with GDM, 2735 (51%) being at high risk. After invitations, baseline assessment and exclusions, we assigned 466 women to intervention (231) or control (235) groups. Attendance was satisfactory (≥7/20 phone sessions) in 75%. Over an average follow-up of 29.7 (15.6) months, 142 (30.5%) women progressed to diabetes, 75 (32%) in the control and 67 (29%) in the intervention group. There was no reduction in the incidence of diabetes (HR=0.84; 0.60–1.19) and only a non-significant 0.97 kg less weight gain (p=0.09). Among the 305 women randomised more than 1 year before the COVID-19 pandemic, the intervention did not reduce the incidence of diabetes (HR=0.71; 0.48–1.04) despite a 2.09 kg (p=0.002) lesser weight gain. ConclusionThe strategy to identify women with GDM at high risk proved valid, as women often gained weight and frequently developed diabetes. Over a 30-month follow-up, telephone support for lifestyle changes at postpartum did not reduce weight gain or diabetes incidence, although only 75% attended the minimum number of telephone sessions. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted trial conduction. Trial registration number NCT02327286.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedCostello, R. E., Pedersen, L., Henderson, A. D., Tazare, J., Sorensen, H. T., Vandenbroucke, J. P., Mansfield, K. E., Mahalingasivam, V., Zheng, B., Carreira, H., Bidulka, P., Piehlmaier, D. M., Wong, A. Y. S., Warren-Gash, C., Hayes, J. F., Quint, J. K., Katikireddi, S. V., Mackenna, B., Mehrkar, A., Bacon, S., Goldacre, B., Tomlinson, L. A., Langan, S. M., Mathur, R., Collaborative, T. L. N., Consortium, T. O.
BMJ Open, 16.10.2024
Tilføjet 16.10.2024
ObjectivesTo examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on deprivation-related inequalities in hospitalisations for cardiovascular disease (CVD) conditions in Denmark and England between March 2018 and December 2021. DesignTime-series studies in England and Denmark. SettingWith the approval of National Health Service England, we used English primary care electronic health records, linked to secondary care and death registry data through the OpenSAFELY platform and nationwide Danish health registry data. ParticipantsWe included adults aged 18 and over without missing age, sex or deprivation information. On 1 March 2020, 16 234 700 people in England and 4 491 336 people in Denmark met the inclusion criteria. Primary outcome measuresHospital admissions with the primary reason for myocardial infarction (MI), ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, heart failure and venous thromboembolism (VTE). ResultsWe saw deprivation gradients in monthly CVD hospitalisations in both countries, with differences more pronounced in Denmark. Based on pre-pandemic trends, in England, there were an estimated 2608 fewer admissions than expected for heart failure in the most deprived quintile during the pandemic compared with an estimated 979 fewer admissions in the least deprived quintile. For all other outcomes, there was little variation by deprivation quintile. In Denmark, there were an estimated 1013 fewer admissions than expected over the pandemic for MI in the most deprived quintile compared with 619 in the least deprived quintile. Similar trends were seen for stroke and VTE, though absolute numbers were smaller. Heart failure admissions were similar to pre-pandemic levels with little variation by deprivation quintile. ConclusionsOverall, we did not find that the pandemic substantially worsened pre-existing deprivation-related differences in CVD hospitalisations, though there were exceptions in both countries.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 16.10.2024
Tilføjet 16.10.2024
Abstract Purpose To perform an extensive investigation of the clinical features and long-term complications among the n = 134 adults and children with nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) verified SARS-CoV-2-infection in the immunologically naïve population of Ulvik, Norway, during the single variant B.1.1.7 outbreak in late January through February 2021. Methods Every infected person regardless of whether symptoms of COVID-19 were present was invited to answer a web-based questionnaire at two- and seven months after testing positive. The period from initial infection to the first questionnaire was assessed retrospectively, and the time points at two- and seven months were assessed prospectively. Results A total of 87 of 134 (65%) NAAT-positive persons answered the first questionnaire, of which 35/87 (40%) were children, and 74 of 87 (85%) answered the second questionnaire. Children experienced symptoms less often than adults during the acute phase of infection (51% (18/35) versus 81% (42/52) (p = .004)). At two-months follow-up 88% (53/60) of participants with symptoms during the acute phase, including all children, reported no longer having symptoms. Among those with persisting symptoms at seven months, fatigue (18/25) and insomnia (16/24) were common. Conclusion In an immunologically naïve population infected with the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant, the clinical features of acute phase symptoms were similar to previous studies. Children underwent asymptomatic infection more often than adults, and adults more often experienced persisting symptoms. Insomnia and fatigue were common complaints among those with persisting symptoms seven months after infection.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 16.10.2024
Tilføjet 16.10.2024
Abstract Background By the end of December 2019, a new coronavirus, termed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged, and the cause of the disease was named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Several genetic factors have been implicated in diverse responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as the C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) rs2228014 polymorphism, which has been previously studied in various diseases but has not been explored in the context of COVID-19 severity. The current study aimed to assess the association between the rs2228014 polymorphism in the CXCR4 gene and the severity of COVID-19, which has not been previously reported. Method This cross-sectional study analyzed 300 adult Egyptian COVID-19 patients (156 with mild or moderate and 144 with severe or critical symptoms) admitted to Assiut University Quarantine Hospital from June to September 2022 during the omicron variant. The rs2228014 polymorphism in the CXCR4 gene was detected using real-time PCR with a TaqMan assay probe. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the best cutoff values for C-reactive protein (CRP) that can be used to estimate the severity of COVID-19. P values less than 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. Results No significant differences in the allelic or genotypic frequencies of CXCR4 rs2228014 were detected between the severity groups. However, the exclusive presence of the AA genotype in mild or moderate cases suggests its potential protective role. Additionally, significant differences in myalgia presentation, leukocyte counts and antibiotic use, were observed among different genotypes. Statistical data showed that the severity of COVID-19 could be predicted at a cutoff value of CRP > 30 mg/L, with a sensitivity of 74.3% and a specificity of 42.9%. Conclusion The present findings suggest a potential protective role of the AA genotype and A allele of CXCR4 rs2228014 against severe COVID-19. Additionally, factors such as lack of vaccination and comorbidities such as hypertension, renal disease, and diabetes mellitus were associated with increased disease severity.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 16.10.2024
Tilføjet 16.10.2024
Abstract Objective To assess the changes in maternal-fetal outcomes in a nonepidemic designated hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021 on pregnant patients. The fixed-effects regression model was used to determine changes in birth outcomes and pregnancy-related complications between three periods with the pre-epidemic cohort as the control group. Logistic regression was applied to determine the odds ratio (OR) for binary outcomes. Results There were 15,261 births during the pre-epidemic period, and this number decreased by 15% and 23% to 12,980 and 11,736 in the first and second epidemic cohorts, respectively. The mean birth weight during the pre-epidemic period was 3319 which decreased to 3309 and 3272 g in the following periods. Excluding stillbirth and preterm, all other outcomes differed significantly between the three periods. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (17–19%) and maternal hypertension (9.2–11%) appeared to increase. Compared to the pre-epidemic period, the odds of macrosomia and LGA significantly decreased in the second epidemic cohort (adjusted ORs: 0.76 and 0.8), while the odds of low birth weight (LBW) and small gestation age (SGA) increased (ORs: 1.25 and 1.16). The odds of neonatal asphyxia (OR: 1.4), and hypertension (OR: 1.29) appeared to increase in the second epidemic cohort, while GDM decreased in the first cohort (OR: 0.88) and increased in the second cohort (OR: 1.15). Vaginal delivery underwent a marginal decrease in both the first and second epidemic cohorts (ORs: 0.89 and 0.92). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic may have had a substantial and long-term impact on non-infected pregnant women and newborns. Our research results provided precious research information and clinical experience summary for population health research in the future.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedClinical Infectious Diseases, 16.10.2024
Tilføjet 16.10.2024
Abstract Background Patients with immunocompromising conditions are at an increased risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related hospitalizations and mortality. Randomized clinical trials provide limited enrollment, if any, to inform outcomes of such patients treated with remdesivir.Methods Using the US PINC AI Healthcare Database, we identified adult patients with immunocompromising conditions, hospitalized for COVID-19 between December 2021 and February 2024. Primary outcome was all-cause inpatient mortality examined in propensity score (PS) matched patients in remdesivir versus non-remdesivir groups. Subgroup analyses were performed for patients with cancer, hematologic malignancies, and solid organ/hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.Results Of 28,966 patients included in the study, 16,730 (58%) received remdesivir during first two days of hospitalization. After PS matching, 8,822 patients in remdesivir and 8,822 patients in non-remdesivir group were analyzed. Remdesivir was associated with a significantly lower mortality among patients with no supplemental oxygen (aHR [95% CI]: 14-day, 0.73 [0.62-0.86]; 28-day, 0.79 [0.68-0.91]) and among those with supplemental oxygen (14-day, 0.75 [0.67-0.85]; 28-day, 0.78 [0.70-0.86]). Remdesivir was also associated with lower mortality in subgroups of patients with cancer, hematological malignancies (including leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma), and solid organ/hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.Conclusions In this large cohort of patients with immunocompromising conditions hospitalized for COVID-19, remdesivir was associated with significant improvement in survival, including patients with varied underlying immunocompromising conditions. The integration of current real-world evidence into clinical guideline recommendations can inform clinical communities to optimize treatment decisions in the evolving COVID-19 era, extending beyond the conclusion of the public health emergency declaration.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedClinical Infectious Diseases, 16.10.2024
Tilføjet 16.10.2024
Abstract Background Reducing hospital readmission offer potential benefits for patients, providers, payers, and policymakers to improve quality of healthcare, reduce cost, and improve patient experience. We investigated effectiveness of remdesivir in reducing 30-day COVID-19-related readmission during the Omicron era, including older adults and those with underlying immunocompromising conditions.Methods This retrospective study utilized the US PINC AI Healthcare Database to identify adult patients discharged alive from an index COVID-19 hospitalization between December 01, 2021 and February 29, 2024. Odds of 30-day COVID-19-related readmission to the same hospital were compared between patients who received remdesivir vs those not, after balancing characteristics of two groups using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Analyses were stratified by maximum supplemental oxygen requirement during index hospitalization.Results Of 326,033 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 during study period, 210,586 patients met the eligibility criteria. Of these, 109,551 (52%) patients were treated with remdesivir. After IPTW, lower odds of 30-day COVID-19-related readmission were observed in patients who received remdesivir vs those who did not, in the overall population (3.3% vs 4.2%, respectively; odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.78 [0.75–0.80]), elderly population (3.7% vs 4.7%, respectively; 0.78 [0.75–0.81]), and those with underlying immunocompromising conditions (5.3% vs 6.2%, respectively; 0.86 [0.80–0.92]). These results were consistent irrespective of supplemental oxygen requirements.Conclusions Treating patients hospitalized for COVID-19 with remdesivir was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of 30-day COVID-19-related readmission across all patients discharged alive from the initial COVID-19 hospitalization, including older adults and those with underlying immunocompromising conditions.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedNathalie Llanos, Lorena Iglesias, Patricia Gálvez Espinoza, Carla Cuevas, Dérgica Sanhueza
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 16.10.2024
Tilføjet 16.10.2024
by Nathalie Llanos, Lorena Iglesias, Patricia Gálvez Espinoza, Carla Cuevas, Dérgica Sanhueza
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedJieYi Png, Farahiyah Wan Yunus, Masne Kadar, Yang Wai Wai, Yazmin Ahmad Rusli, Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 16.10.2024
Tilføjet 16.10.2024
by JieYi Png, Farahiyah Wan Yunus, Masne Kadar, Yang Wai Wai, Yazmin Ahmad Rusli, Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom Early intervention improves the developmental progress among toddlers with ASD. Family involvement enhances the intervention outcome. This study aimed to develop and test the feasibility of an early intervention home program manual for toddlers with ASD. Method: This study involved three phases: (I) formulation of manual concept and content design (II) manual development through focus group discussion (n = 10) and content validation by experts (n = 9); (III) cognitive interview (n = 6) and feasibility study (n = 8). Result: Content Validity Index (I-CVI) for the developed manual ranged from .78–1.0, S-CVI/Ave .96, and S-CVI/UA .79. Cognitive interview among six parents reported that the manual was easy to understand. The feasibility study reported all eight parents benefitted from coaching sessions. Approximately 87.5% of the respondents found the program benefited their children and could easily implement the activities in their daily routines. Approximately 75% of respondents reported having greater confidence in managing their child’s behaviors at home. Parent coaching using the developed home program is feasible and accepted by parents of a toddler with ASD. Further study should be developed to explore the effectiveness of parent coaching using the manual.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedSilvana Simões Velloso Schuler, Mayra Costanti Vilela Campos, Ana Julia Lacerda, Adriana Cátia Mazzoni, Tamiris Silva, Francine Cristina da Silva, Manoela Domingues Martins, Kristianne Porta Santos Fernandes, Elsa Susana Fonseca, Raquel Agnelli Mesquita-Ferrari, Anna Carolina Ratto Tempestini Horliana, Sandra Kalil Bussadori, Lara Jansiski Motta
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 16.10.2024
Tilføjet 16.10.2024
by Silvana Simões Velloso Schuler, Mayra Costanti Vilela Campos, Ana Julia Lacerda, Adriana Cátia Mazzoni, Tamiris Silva, Francine Cristina da Silva, Manoela Domingues Martins, Kristianne Porta Santos Fernandes, Elsa Susana Fonseca, Raquel Agnelli Mesquita-Ferrari, Anna Carolina Ratto Tempestini Horliana, Sandra Kalil Bussadori, Lara Jansiski Motta Introduction Orofacial pain and tension headache are symptoms that affect a large portion of the population, compromising productivity, social ability, and functional development. The treatment for reducing painful sensation should be chosen carefully, as pharmacological treatment may bring side effects and overload the organism of patients in pain. Low-level laser therapy has been used with local and systemic [vascular] applications for pain control. However, there is still uncertainty in the literature about the ideal dosimetric parameters for photobiomodulation treatment according to patient characteristics. Methods The objective of this project is to validate a dosimetry model based on the relationship between the effects of photobiomodulation with anthropometric and hemodynamic variables, both in local application and systemic application in patients with symptoms of orofacial pain and tension headache. For this purpose, 180 participants with orofacial pain post-covid eligible participants will be randomly assigned to Group 1—Local Photobiomodulation, Group 2—Vascular Photobiomodulation, Group 3—Placebo Local Photobiomodulation, or Group 4—Placebo Vascular Photobiomodulation [Therapy EC–DMC device, São Carlos, Brazil,– 660 nm, 100mW] using stratified block randomization. Before the application, sociodemographic information such as age, skin phototype [classified by the Fitzpatrick scale], weight, height, body mass index [BMI], oxygen saturation [SaO2], blood pressure [BP], heart rate [HR], and thickness of skin, fat, and facial muscles will be collected. During the application, we will collect local temperature, SaO2, BP, and HR. Before and after laser application, blood levels of lactate and hemoglobin, BP, and HR will be measured in the first and last session. In addition to demographic, anthropometric, and hemodynamic variables, the penetrated energy will be quantified using a power meter, and information from orofacial pain and headache symptom questionnaires will be analyzed. The Monte Carlo simulation technique will be used to systematically study the relationship between the light penetration profile into the target tissues and the most relevant variables, namely BMI, tissue layer thicknesses, and skin phototype. Light transmittance, measured in vivo and simulated, will be compared to validate a personalized dosimetry model. Discussion The results of this study contribute to validating a Monte Carlo Simulation model to calculate the appropriate dosimetry for photobiomodulation therapies in the control of patients with Post-Covid-19 orofacial pain. Trial registration Trial registration number: NCT06065969.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedMerete Ellingjord-Dale, Anders Benteson Nygaard, Nathalie C Støer, Ragnhild Bø, Nils Inge Landrø, Sonja Hjellegjerde Brunvoll, Mette Istre, Karl Trygve Kalleberg, John Arne Dahl, Linda Geng, Kostas Tsilidis, Elio Riboli, Giske Ursin, Arne Søraas
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 15.10.2024
Tilføjet 15.10.2024
COVID-19 was associated with cognitive symptoms, anosmia, dysgeusia, dyspnoea and fatigue as well as worsening of overall health up to 22 months after a SARS-CoV-2 test, even when correcting for symptoms before the onset of COVID-19.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedJournal of the American Medical Association, 15.10.2024
Tilføjet 15.10.2024
To more closely target SARS-CoV-2 variants currently circulating in the US, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized an updated formula of the messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine, the agency announced in mid-August.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedJournal of the American Medical Association, 15.10.2024
Tilføjet 15.10.2024
This cross-sectional study analyzes characteristics of prehospital encounters for youth opioid overdoses and trends before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedDewi, P. E. N., Youngkong, S., Sunantiwat, M., Nathisuwan, S., Thavorncharoensap, M.
BMJ Open, 15.10.2024
Tilføjet 15.10.2024
ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia with respect to time to treatment, treatment pattern and treatment outcome. DesignThis is a retrospective cohort study in which medical records of hospitalised patients with ACS were reviewed. SettingThree hospitals in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. ParticipantsPatients hospitalised with ACS during two pandemic periods (first pandemic period: March–August 2020; second pandemic period: March–August 2021) and prepandemic period (March–August 2019). Outcome measuresTime to treatment, treatment pattern and treatment outcome. ResultsA total of 598 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 615 with non-ST-elevation ACS were identified. Of these, 313, 484 and 416 were identified during the prepandemic period, first pandemic period and second pandemic period, respectively. For STEMI, the proportion of patients with a delay from symptom onset to first medical contact (FMC) was significantly higher during the second pandemic period as compared with the prepandemic period (47.7% vs 32.0%, OR=1.84, 95% CI 1.18, 2.85). The proportion of patients with STEMI with delayed door-to-balloon (D2B) time was significantly higher during the second pandemic period as compared with the prepandemic period (99.4% vs 92.9%, OR=13.08, 95% CI 1.57, 108.73). Significantly longer mean total ischaemic time (45.85 hours vs 30.29 hours, mean difference=14.56, 95% CI 1.85, 27.28) was observed among patients with STEMI during the second year of the pandemic as compared with the prepandemic period. No significant differences between the prepandemic period and the first pandemic period were found in terms of proportion of patients with STEMI with a delay in time from symptom onset to FMC, delayed D2B time and total ischaemic time. Only Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score (OR=1.04, 95% CI 1.03, 1.05) was a significant predictor of in-hospital mortality in the multivariate analysis. ConclusionsThis study suggests a significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on time to treatment among patients with ACS. Health systems need to be well prepared to support effective and timely treatment of patients with ACS during future crisis.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedHuiberts, A. J., Hoeve, C. E., Kooijman, M. N., de Melker, H. E., Hahne, S. J., Grobbee, D. E., van Binnendijk, R., den Hartog, G., van de Wijgert, J. H., van den Hof, S., Knol, M. J.
BMJ Open, 15.10.2024
Tilføjet 15.10.2024
PurposeVAccine Study COVID-19 (VASCO) is a cohort study with a 5-year follow-up that was initiated when COVID-19 vaccination was introduced in the Netherlands. The primary objective is to estimate real-world vaccine effectiveness (VE) of COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Netherlands, overall and in four subpopulations defined by age and medical risk. ParticipantsThe cohort consists of 45 547 community-dwelling participants aged 18–85 years who were included irrespective of their COVID-19 vaccination status or intention to get vaccinated. A medical risk condition is present in 4289 (19.8%) of 21 679 individuals aged 18–59 years, and in 9135 (38.3%) of 23 821 individuals aged 60–85 years. After 1 year of follow-up, 5502 participants had dropped out of the study. At inclusion and several times after inclusion, participants are asked to take a self-collected fingerprick blood sample in which nucleoprotein and spike protein receptor binding domain-specific antibody concentrations are assessed. Participants are also asked to complete monthly digital questionnaires in the first year, and 3 monthly in years 2–5, including questions on sociodemographic factors, health status, COVID-19 vaccination, SARS-CoV-2-related symptoms and testing results, and behavioural responses to COVID-19 measures. Findings to dateVASCO data have been used to describe VE against SARS-CoV-2 infection of primary vaccination, first and second booster and bivalent boosters, the impact of hybrid immunity on SARS-CoV-2 infection and VE against infectiousness. Furthermore, data were used to describe antibody response following vaccination and breakthrough infections and to investigate the relation between antibody response and reactogenicity. Future plansVASCO will be able to contribute to policy decision-making regarding future COVID-19 vaccination. Furthermore, VASCO provides an infrastructure to conduct further studies and to respond to changes in vaccination campaigns and testing policy, and new virus variants. Trial registration numberNL9279.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedThe PLOS ONE Editors
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 15.10.2024
Tilføjet 15.10.2024
Xiaoran Yu, Huan Wang, Sheng Ma, Wanning Chen, Lin Sun, Zhiyong Zou
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 15.10.2024
Tilføjet 15.10.2024
Lower respiratory infections (LRIs) are the leading cause of death from infectious diseases worldwide, causing approximately 2.60 million deaths annually.[1] Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and influenza virus are three major pathogens associated with LRIs, imposing a substantial disease and economic burden. Especially in the winter of 2023, several bacteria and viruses led to an unusually high burden of LRIs according to the recent World Health Organization (WHO) reports.[2, 3] The implementation of nonpharmaceutical interventions during the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected the transmission of seasonal respiratory pathogens.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 14.10.2024
Tilføjet 14.10.2024
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted tuberculosis (TB) treatment services, including directly observed therapy (DOT) programs used to promote medication adherence. We compared DOT adherence embedded in a research study before and after COVID-19 lockdowns in South Africa. Methods We analyzed data from 263 observational study participants undergoing drug susceptible (DS)-TB DOT between May 2017 to March 2022. Participants enrolled before October 2019 were considered ‘pre-COVID-19’ and those enrolled after September 2020 were considered ‘post-COVID-19 lockdown groups. Negative binomial regression models were used to compare DOT non-adherence rates between the two lockdown groups. We then conducted a sensitivity analysis which only included participants enrolled in the immediate period following the first COVID-19 lockdown. Results DOT non-adherence rate was higher in the post-COVID-19 lockdown group (aIRR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.04–1.96; p = 0.028) compared to pre-COVID-19 lockdown period, adjusting for age, sex, employment status, household hunger, depression risk, and smoked substance use. DOT non-adherence was highest immediately following the initial lockdown (aIRR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.17–2.67; p = 0.006). Conclusion The COVID-19 lockdowns adversely effected adherence to TB DOT in the period after lockdowns were lifted. The change in DOT adherence persisted even after adjusting for socioeconomic and behavioral variables. We need a better understanding of what treatment adherence barriers were exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdowns to improve outcomes in post-pandemic times. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Registration Number: NCT02840877. Registered on 19 July 2016.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 14.10.2024
Tilføjet 14.10.2024
Abstract Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of severe respiratory infections in infants worldwide, significantly affecting their health and contributing to the global healthcare burden. We aimed to examine healthcare resource utilisation patterns and costs for infants under one year old with confirmed RSV infection across subgroups of different gestational ages and health conditions and the cost implications of RSV infections over time, thereby demonstrating the economic burden of the disease. Methods This retrospective cohort study utilised nationwide claims data from the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service for infants under one year of age with confirmed RSV infection in the first year of life from January 2017 to April 2022. The infants were stratified into three subgroups based on their gestational age and health status: unhealthy preterm, healthy preterm, and full-term infants. A descriptive analysis was conducted to estimate healthcare utilization by type of resource and costs related to the treatment of RSV. Results Out of 93,585 RSV infections identified, 31,206 patients met the inclusion criteria; these included 963 unhealthy preterm, 1,768 healthy preterm and 28,475 full-term infants. In our study, 76.3% of the infants with confirmed RSV infection required intensive care, including hospitalisation and more critical interventions such as intensive care unit (ICU) or mechanical ventilation (MV). The total average cost of RSV management was notably higher for unhealthy preterm infants ($ 6,325; 95% confidence interval (CI): $ 5,484-7,165) than for healthy preterm ($ 1,134; 95% CI: $ 1,006 − 1,261) and full-term infants ($ 606; 95% CI: 583–630). Our findings confirmed a significant epidemiological and economic burden, with infants at greater risk–shorter gestational age and poorer health conditions. Furthermore, we observed a marked increase in the total average cost of RSV management during COVID-19, reflecting the complex interplay between RSV and pandemic-related healthcare dynamics. Conclusion Our findings provide evidence for the significant economic burden of RSV infection among infants, with considerable disparities based on gestational age and health status subgroups. However, RSV prevention policies should also recognise that healthy preterm or full-term infants who receive intensive care face a significant disease burden.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedPatanwala, Asad E.; Xiao, Xuya; Hills, Thomas E.; Higgins, Alisa M.; McArthur, Colin J.; Alexander, G. Caleb; Mehta, Hemalkumar B.; on behalf of National Covid Cohort Collaborative (N3C) Consortium
Critical Care Medicine, 13.10.2024
Tilføjet 13.10.2024
Objectives: COVID-19 treatment guidelines recommend baricitinib or tocilizumab for the management of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We compared the effectiveness of baricitinib vs. tocilizumab on mortality and clinical outcomes among hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Design: Multicenter, retrospective, propensity-weighted cohort study using a target trial emulation approach. Setting: The National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C), which is the largest electronic health records data on COVID-19 in the United States. The setting included 75 hospitals. Patients: Adults who were hospitalized for COVID-19. Interventions: Newly initiated on baricitinib or tocilizumab. Measurements and Main Results: Our primary outcome was 28-day mortality. We used propensity scores with inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs) to control bias and confounding while comparing treatments. Among 10,661 individuals included in the study, 6,229 (58.4%) received baricitinib and 4,432 (41.6%) tocilizumab. Overall, the mean age of the cohort was 60.0 ± 15.1 years, 6429 (60.3%) were male, and 19.2% received invasive mechanical ventilation. After IPTW adjustment, baricitinib use was associated with lower 28-day mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85–0.98) and hospital (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82–0.94) mortality compared with tocilizumab. Baricitinib was also associated with shorter hospital length of stay (incident rate ratio, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.90–0.94) and lower rates of hospital-acquired infections (OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.75–0.99), although no difference in ICU length of stay was noted between the two groups. Conclusions: In this large, diverse cohort of U.S. hospitalized adults with COVID-19, baricitinib was associated with significantly lower 28-day mortality, hospital mortality, shorter hospital length of stay, and less hospital-acquired infections compared with tocilizumab.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBriana Mezuk, Viktoryia Kalesnikava, Aparna Ananthasubramaniam, Annalise Lane, Alejandro Rodriguez-Putnam, Lily Johns, Courtney Bagge, Sarah Burgard, Kara Zivin
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 12.10.2024
Tilføjet 12.10.2024
by Briana Mezuk, Viktoryia Kalesnikava, Aparna Ananthasubramaniam, Annalise Lane, Alejandro Rodriguez-Putnam, Lily Johns, Courtney Bagge, Sarah Burgard, Kara Zivin Purpose To describe and explore variation in ‘pandemic-related circumstances’ among suicide decedents during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We identified pandemic-related circumstances using decedents’ text narratives in the 2020 National Violent Death Reporting System. We use time-series analysis to compare other psychosocial characteristics (e.g., mental health history, interpersonal difficulties, financial strain) of decedents pre-pandemic (2017/2018: n = 56,968 suicide and n = 7,551 undetermined deaths) to those in 2020 (n = 31,887 suicide and n = 4,100 undetermined). We characterize common themes in the narratives with pandemic-related circumstances using topic modeling, and explore variation in topics by age and other psychosocial circumstances. Results In 2020, n = 2,502 (6.98%) narratives described pandemic-related circumstances. Compared to other deaths in 2020 and to the pre-pandemic period, decedents with pandemic-related circumstances were older and more highly educated. Common themes of pandemic-related circumstances narratives included: concerns about shutdown restrictions, financial losses, and infection risk. Relative to decedents of the same age that did not have pandemic-related circumstances in 2020, those with pandemic-related circumstances were more likely to also have financial (e.g., for 25–44 years, 43% vs. 12%) and mental health (76% vs. 66%) psychosocial circumstances, but had similar or lower prevalence of substance abuse (47% vs. 49%) and interpersonal (40% vs. 42%) circumstances. Conclusions While descriptive, these findings help contextualize suicide mortality during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and can inform mental health promotion efforts during similar public health emergencies.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedMohammed B. A. Sarhan, Hanin Basha, Rita Giacaman, Masamine Jimba, Rika Fujiya
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 12.10.2024
Tilføjet 12.10.2024
by Mohammed B. A. Sarhan, Hanin Basha, Rita Giacaman, Masamine Jimba, Rika Fujiya Background The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered major changes worldwide, with repercussions on mental health and education. The present study primarily aimed to retrospectively explore undergraduate students’ risk perceptions of COVID-19 and their experiences with remote learning during the pandemic, with an emphasis on their high school years. Methods This qualitative photovoice study was conducted between 30 March and 4 May 2023. The target population of this study was first- and second-year undergraduate students who had been in high school during the pandemic. Maximum variation, snowball, and convenience sampling methods were used to recruit students. They were asked to share photos and provide comments in written or voice messages explaining their experiences during the pandemic. Voice messages were manually transcribed verbatim. A manual content analysis of these comments was performed to derive the codes and themes relevant to the study objectives. Results Forty-seven students initially agreed to participate and signed an informed consent form. However, the final sample included 16 students (nine men and seven women). The content analysis revealed four themes that were identified as the main factors contributing to high school students’ risk perceptions of COVID-19. The first theme was psychosocial factors related to the pandemic, including emotions, isolation and stress. The second focused on the mechanisms used to cope with the pandemic. The third theme included beliefs and behaviours that either increased or decreased COVID-19 risk. The final theme addressed schools’ responses to COVID-19, including factors such as maintaining connections with schools, preventive measures and the transition to remote learning. Conclusion This study highlighted the extensive impact of the pandemic on Palestinian high school students, demanding instantaneous adaptation to ensure their safety and well-being while maintaining the quality of education. Remote learning has become an important strategy with opportunities and challenges for high school students.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedDanielle Toccalino, Halina (Lin) Haag, Emily Nalder, Vincy Chan, Amy Moore, Christine M. Wickens, Angela Colantonio
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 12.10.2024
Tilføjet 12.10.2024
by Danielle Toccalino, Halina (Lin) Haag, Emily Nalder, Vincy Chan, Amy Moore, Christine M. Wickens, Angela Colantonio Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health crisis. Often repetitive and occurring over prolonged periods of time, IPV puts survivors at high risk of brain injury (BI). Mental health concerns are highly prevalent both among individuals who have experienced IPV and those who have experienced BI, yet the interrelatedness and complexity of these three challenges when experienced together is poorly understood. This qualitative study explored care provision for IPV survivors with BI (IPV-BI) and mental health concerns from the perspectives of both survivors and providers. Methods This qualitative interpretive description study was part of a broader research project exploring employment, mental health, and COVID-19 implications for survivors of IPV-BI. Participants (N = 24), including survivors and service providers, participated in semi-structured group and individual interviews between October 2020 and February 2021. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Findings Four themes were developed from interview findings: 1) identifying BI and mental health as contributing components to survivors’ experiences is critical to getting appropriate care; 2) supporting survivors involves a “toolbox full of strategies” and a flexible approach; 3) connecting and collaborating across sectors is key; and 4) underfunding and systemic barriers hinder access to care. Finally, we share recommendations from participants to better support IPV survivors. Conclusions Identifying both BI and mental health concerns among IPV survivors is critical to providing appropriate supports. Survivors of IPV experiencing BI and mental health concerns benefit from a flexible and collaborative approach to care; health and social care systems should be set up to support these collaborative approaches.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedEkaterina Krieger, Alexander V. Kudryavtsev, Ekaterina Sharashova, Olga Samodova, Anna Kontsevaya, Vitaly A. Postoev
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 12.10.2024
Tilføjet 12.10.2024
by Ekaterina Krieger, Alexander V. Kudryavtsev, Ekaterina Sharashova, Olga Samodova, Anna Kontsevaya, Vitaly A. Postoev Introduction The spectrum of COVID-19 manifestations makes it challenging to estimate the exact proportion of people who had the infection in a population, with the proportion of asymptomatic cases likely being underestimated. We aimed to assess and describe the spectrum of COVID-19 cases in a sample of adult population aged 40–74 years in Arkhangelsk, Northwest Russia, a year after the start of the pandemic. Materials and methods A population-based survey conducted between February 24, 2021 and June 30, 2021 with an unvaccinated sample aged 40–74 years (N = 1089) combined a serological survey data, national COVID-19 case registry, and self-reported data on COVID-19 experience and symptoms. Based on the agreement between these sources, we classified the study participants as non-infected and previously infected (asymptomatic, non-hospitalized and hospitalized symptomatic) cases, and compared these groups regarding demographics, lifestyle and health characteristics. Results After a year of the pandemic in Arkhangelsk, 59.7% 95% confidence intervals (CI) (56.7; 62.6) of the surveyed population had had COVID-19. Among those who had been infected, symptomatic cases comprised 47.1% 95% CI (43.2; 51.0), with 8.6% 95% CI (6.6; 11.1) of them having been hospitalized. Of the asymptomatic cases, 96.2% were not captured by the healthcare system. Older age was positively associated, while smoking showed a negative association with symptomatic COVID-19. Individuals older than 65 years, and those with poor self-rated health were more likely to be hospitalized. Conclusion More than half of the infected individuals were not captured by the healthcare-based registry, mainly those with asymptomatic infections. COVID-19 severity was positively associated with older age and poor self-rated health, and inversely associated with smoking. Combining different sources of surveillance data could reduce the number of unidentified asymptomatic cases and enhance surveillance for emerging infections.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedNetanya S. Utay, Roberto Güerri‐Fernández, Shahin Gharakhanian, David M. Asmuth, Moises Contreras, Charlotte Kunkler, Christopher J. Detzel, Christopher D. Warner
Journal of Medical Virology, 12.10.2024
Tilføjet 12.10.2024
BMC Infectious Diseases, 12.10.2024
Tilføjet 12.10.2024
Abstract Purpose The essence of this scholarly work was to carefully outline the key factors intensifying the virulence and protracted contagion of COVID-19, particularly among individuals afflicted with hematologic malignancies (HM), in an epoch predominantly governed by the Omicron variant. Methods Adults with HM diagnosed with COVID-19 from November 2022 to February 2023 were monitored in this retrospective study. Patient blood samples yielded biochemical data, and COVID-19 was confirmed through RNA or antigen testing. The factors affecting severity and infection duration were examined using both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. For calculating the overall survival probabilities, the Kaplan–Meier product limit approach was employed. Results In the examined cohort, 133 individuals diagnosed with HM and concomitantly infected with COVID-19 were scrutinized. Of the participants, 29.3% (39 patients) were classified as Severe/Critical, while the other 70.7% (94 patients) were categorized as Non-severe. A significant difference was observed in vaccination status: 61.7% of patients in the Non-severe group had received at least a two-dose vaccine regimen, whereas 61.5% of the Severe/Critical group had either minimal or only one dose of vaccination. The data analysis revealed that elevated C-reactive protein levels (≥ 100 mg/L) significantly raised the risk of severe/critical conditions in HM patients with COVID-19, as determined by advanced multivariate logistic regression. The odds ratio was 3.415 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.294–9.012 (p = 0.013). Patients who continued to have positive nucleic acid tests and ongoing symptoms beyond 30 days were categorized as having a persistent infection, whereas those who achieved infection control within this timeframe were categorized as having infection recovery. Of the HM cohort, 11 did not survive beyond 30 days after diagnosis. The results from a competing risk model revealed that increased interleukin-6 levels (HR: 2.626, 95% CI: 1.361–5.075; p = 0.004) was significantly associated with persistent infection. Conversely, receiving more than two vaccine doses (HR: 0.366, 95% CI: 0.158–0.846; p = 0.019), and having high IgG levels (≥ 1000 mg/dl) (HR: 0.364, 95% CI: 0.167–0.791; p = 0.011), were associated with infection recovery. There was a notable disparity in survival rates between patients with persistent infections and infection recovery, with those in the non-persistent group demonstrating superior survival outcomes (P
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedClinical Infectious Diseases, 11.10.2024
Tilføjet 11.10.2024
Abstract The concept of immunity debt is a phenomenon resulting from the suppression of endemic pathogens during the COVID-19 pandemic due to non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). The reduced circulation of various pathogens during the pandemic, particularly respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), altered typical infectious disease dynamics by reducing levels of population immunity usually acquired through exposure to infection. This concept is demonstrated through post-pandemic resurgence of diseases such as RSV and Group A Streptococcus, and highlights the interplay between reduced pathogen exposure and increased susceptibility in populations. The complexities and non-linear dynamics of seasonal transmission are observed in differences in pathogen resurgence across regions. These issues highlight the importance of comprehensive disease surveillance and public health strategies in mitigating these long-term epidemiological impacts.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedHa-Eun Jeon, Seonghyun Lee, Jisun Lee, Gahyun Roh, Hyo-Jung Park, Yu-Sun Lee, Yeon-Jung Kim, Hong-Ki Kim, Ji-Hwa Shin, You-Jeung Lee, Chae-Ok Gil, Eun-Seok Jeon, Jae-Hwan Nam, Byung-Kwan Lim
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 11.10.2024
Tilføjet 11.10.2024
by Ha-Eun Jeon, Seonghyun Lee, Jisun Lee, Gahyun Roh, Hyo-Jung Park, Yu-Sun Lee, Yeon-Jung Kim, Hong-Ki Kim, Ji-Hwa Shin, You-Jeung Lee, Chae-Ok Gil, Eun-Seok Jeon, Jae-Hwan Nam, Byung-Kwan Lim The current COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were developed and applied for pandemic-emergent conditions. These vaccines use a small piece of the virus’s genetic material (mRNA) to stimulate an immune response against COVID-19. However, their potential effects on individuals with chronic inflammatory conditions and vaccination routes remain questionable. Therefore, we investigated the effects of mRNA vaccines in a mouse model of chronic inflammation, focusing on their cardiac toxicity and immunogenicity dependent on the injection route. mRNA vaccine intravenous administration with or without chronic inflammation exacerbated cardiac pericarditis and myocarditis; immunization induced mild inflammation and inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta and IL-6 production in the heart. Further, IV mRNA vaccination induced cardiac damage in LPS chronic inflammation, particularly serum troponin I (TnI), which dramatically increased. IV vaccine administration may induce more cardiotoxicity in chronic inflammation. These findings highlight the need for further research to understand the underlying mechanisms of mRNA vaccines with chronic inflammatory conditions dependent on injection routes.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedMontrosse-Moorhead, B., Sutter, A., Phiri, C., De La Cruz Perdomo, L.
BMJ Open, 11.10.2024
Tilføjet 11.10.2024
IntroductionYouth participatory evaluation is one model for monitoring global outcomes and assessing interventions to improve young people’s health equity and well-being while embracing principles of participation and empowerment. Little is known about the use of this approach in practise. This scoping review will identify and synthesise descriptions of how youth participatory evaluation is enacted, to what extent it occurs, and describe the relationship between context and inclusion. Methods and analysisScoping review methods will adhere to those outlined by Arksey and O’Malley. The study will also follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. The review will use publicly available evaluation reports (grey literature) for programmes funded by the US National Science Foundation through the Advancing Informal science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) Learning programme and whose reports are archived in the repository hosted by the Reimagining Equity and Values in Informal STEM education (REVISE) Center. This scoping review is limited to education, one of the domains of the social determinants of health, more precisely STEM education, due to the report publication parameters set by the REVISE Center repository. A research team member will download citations for and PDFs of reports. These citations and reports will be managed using Zotero and exported to Covidence, a web-based program designed to manage systematic and scoping reviews. Evaluation report selection will occur in a two-step process by trained coders with clear criteria. Inclusion criteria will include: (1) report is for an evaluation study; (2) evaluation has a focus on young people, aged 10–24; (3) evaluation is for a programme serving young people, aged 10–24; and (4) report written and uploaded to the REVISE Center repository between 2017 and 2022. All reports hosted on the REVISE Center repository are based in the USA and written in English. Data charting will also be done by trained coders and facilitated by Covidence and a codebook. Several procedures will be used to uphold rigour and consistency during this process. Data analysis will be done with Dedoose. Ethics and disseminationHuman subjects research approval will not be required. This scoping review will rely on publicly available evaluation reports. No human research participants will be involved in this review. Findings will be shared through dissemination strategies, such as peer-reviewed journals, international and national conferences, and social media affiliated with academic institutions and professional associations. Study registrationThis study is preregistered on Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/23jdx/). Registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/K6J98.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 11.10.2024
Tilføjet 11.10.2024
BMC Infectious Diseases, 11.10.2024
Tilføjet 11.10.2024
Abstract Background COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness declines months after vaccination. Therefore, it is likely that during the next few years, people may be repeatedly offered a booster vaccine to enhance humoral immunity levels. A growing number of people are questioning whether the benefits of a booster vaccine outweigh the side-effects. Objective This study aims (1) to identify the most frequently reported side-effects after different doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, (2) and the longest lasting symptoms; and (3) to predict the likelihood of having moderate-to-severe side-effects after a booster COVID-19 mRNA vaccine given individual- and vaccine-specific characteristics. Design, setting, and participants Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study in primary health care providers (PHCPs) in Belgium conducted between December 2020 and December 2021, and in February-March 2023. Methods In nine subsequent surveys over a period of 2 years vaccine dose-number and side-effects after COVID-19 vaccines were collected. A Generalized Estimation Equations approach on the data of the first and second booster dose was used to investigate the probability of having moderate-to-severe side-effects after mRNA booster vaccination. Predictive performance of a binary classifier was assessed by looking at discrimination (i.e., quantified in terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve). The final prediction model was validated using data with regard to the third booster by assessing misclassification rate, sensitivity and specificity. Results In total, 11% of the PHCPs had moderate-to-severe side-effects after their booster COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. The most common side-effects of COVID-19 mRNA doses included fatigue, local pain at the injection site, general pains, and headache. These side-effects typically lasted for a median of 1 to 2 days. The final model included five predictors: sex, alcohol consumption, history of moderate-to-severe side-effects after any previous dose, recent COVID-19 infection, and the booster dose-number (first, second). Having experienced moderate-to-severe side-effects after any previous dose was the strongest predictor of moderate-to-severe side-effects following an mRNA vaccine booster, with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.64 (95% CI: 2.80–4.75). The OR for female sex was 1.49 (95% CI: 1.21–1.84) implying that females have a higher odds of moderate-to-severe side-effects following booster vaccination. The differences in effect for booster dose-number, alcohol consumption and recent COVID-19 infection was not significant. Conclusion and relevance COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccination implies a low prevalence of moderate-to-severe side-effects among PHCPs, with a short median duration of symptoms if any. The strongest predictors are a history of moderate-to-severe side-effects after any previous dose and being female. These reassuring findings can help addressing concerns about booster vaccination and encourage their uptake. Trial Registration NCT04779424 (registration date: 2021-02-22).
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 11.10.2024
Tilføjet 11.10.2024
Abstract Background Post-COVID- 19 syndrome (PCS) significantly impacts the quality of life of survivors. There is, however, a lack of a standardized approach to PCS diagnosis and management. Our bidirectional cohort study aimed to estimate PCS incidence, identify risk factors and biomarkers, and classify clinical phenotypes for enhanced management to improve patient outcomes. Methods A bidirectional prospective cohort study was conducted at five medical sites in Hatyai district in Songkhla Province, Thailand. Participants were randomly selected from among the survivors of COVID-19 aged≥18 years between May 15, 2022, and January 31, 2023. The selected participants underwent a scheduled outpatient visit for symptom and health assessments 12 to 16 weeks after the acute onset of infection, during which PCS was diagnosed and blood samples were collected for hematological, inflammatory, and serological tests. PCS was defined according to the World Health Organization criteria. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify biomarkers associated with PCS. Moreover, three clustering methods (agglomerative hierarchical, divisive hierarchical, and K-means clustering) were applied, and internal validation metrics were used to determine clustering and similarities in phenotypes. Findings A total of 300 survivors were enrolled in the study, 47% of whom developed PCS according to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition. In the sampled cohort, 66.3% were females, and 79.4% of them developed PCS (as compared to 54.7% of males, p-value
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedBMC Infectious Diseases, 11.10.2024
Tilføjet 11.10.2024
Abstract Introduction Vaccination is considered as one of the most promising strategies to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it could be associated with rare but serious complications. In the present study, we aimed to review the clinical course and etiology of post COVID-19 vaccination meningitis. Methods After a systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Sciences online databases as well as Google Scholar, documents were screened and qualified. Then data extraction was performed and the most frequent underlying agent of meningitis was found based on the reported cases. Results Overall, 35 cases of post COVID-19 vaccination meningitis from 33 articles were included in the review. Among them, 12 cases had proven viral diagnosis and 23 of them were reported to be vaccine-induced. The most frequent viral pathogen among the cases was VZV. The most prevalent symptom was headache, and the most common time of appearance symptoms was one week after vaccination. Conclusion Overall, our study suggested meningitis as a critical but not devastating complication of COVID-19 vaccination. Almost all patients responded well to common agents used to manage viral or vaccine-induced meningitis. It is recommended to monitor patients with a history of chickenpox after COVID-19 vaccination regarding the development of meningitis.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedApril McNeill-Johnson, Zuri Hudson, Brittany Moore, Dumebi Okocha, Megha Ramaswamy, Kimberly Randell
PLoS One Infectious Diseases, 10.10.2024
Tilføjet 10.10.2024
by April McNeill-Johnson, Zuri Hudson, Brittany Moore, Dumebi Okocha, Megha Ramaswamy, Kimberly Randell Despite the worsening health disparities among youth in detention during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been minimal exploration into the pandemic experiences of detained youth and opportunities for pandemic mitigation. This paper analyzes the perspectives of youth in detention on the pandemic, including the effect of the pandemic on their detention experience and their perceptions about COVID-19 vaccination. The study used purposive sampling to recruit 16 participants (aged 14–17 years) from two juvenile detention centers in the urban Midwest. We conducted semi-structured interviews and analyzed verbatim transcripts using a hybrid deductive-inductive approach and thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: 1) personal experience influenced youth perceptions of pandemic severity and risk; 2) distrust and misconceptions contributed to youth vaccine hesitancy or refusal; 3) desired opportunities and parental opinion motivated youth to get the COVID-19 vaccine; and 4) pandemic mitigation strategies negatively impacted youths’ detention center experience. Study findings identify opportunities for detention centers to minimize the negative impacts of pandemic mitigation strategies on youth in detention, expand vaccination knowledge and uptake, and build trust to positively impact the health and wellbeing of detained youth currently and during future pandemics.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedMarta Colaneri, Federico Fama, Federico Fassio, Darcy Holmes, Giovanni Scaglione, Chiara Mariani, Lucia Galli, Alessia Lai, Spinello Antinori, Andrea Gori, Agostino Riva, Monica Schiavini, Ospedale Luigi Sacco “COVID-19 Hotspot” study group
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 10.10.2024
Tilføjet 10.10.2024
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic caused chaos in healthcare systems worldwide. As we move into the current endemic stage, concern is angled more towards COVID-19 high-risk patients care and the management of long-term consequences of the disease. Key considerations have shifted to early treatments efficacy, and formulation of public policies to help restore and maintain patients’ quality of life and a functional society.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedJournal of Infectious Diseases, 10.10.2024
Tilføjet 10.10.2024
Abstract Using the VA COVID-19 National Database, we created matched pairs of previously uninfected vaccinated (≥2 doses of an mRNA vaccine) and previously infected unvaccinated individuals.The incidence rate (per 1000 person-days) of breakthrough infection among vaccinated individuals (0.30, 95% CI 0.29-0.32) was similar to reinfection rate among unvaccinated individuals (0.31, 95% CI 0.30-0.32; p=0.5). The incidence rate of hospitalization/death was higher after reinfection (7.31, 95% CI 6.66-8.03) compared with rate after breakthrough infection (4.69, 95% CI 4.06-5.42; P
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedXiaoli Pang, Bonita E Lee, Tiejun Gao, Rhonda J Rosychuk, Linnet Immaraj, Judy Y Qiu, Jiabi Wen, Nathan Zelyas, Krista Howden, Janelle Wallace, Eleanor Risling, Lorie A Little, John Kim, Heidi Wood, Alyssia Robinson, Michael Parkins, Casey R J Hubert, Kevin Frankowski, Steve E Hrudey, Christopher Sikora
Lancet Microbe, 10.10.2024
Tilføjet 10.10.2024
Implementation of WBS could enable targeted clinical investigations and improve cost-effectiveness of COVID-19 outbreak management in LTCFs. WBS and serostatus provided informed dynamic changes of infections and immunity. Critical evidence was that LTCF WBS is an effective early warning system to support rapid public health outbreak management and protect vulnerable older populations.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedZoe Swank, Ella Borberg, Yulu Chen, Yasmeen Senussi, Sujata Chalise, Zachary Manickas-Hill, Xu G. Yu, Jonathan Z. Li, Galit Alter, Timothy J. Henrich, J. Daniel Kelly, Rebecca Hoh, Sarah A. Goldberg, Steven G. Deeks, Jeffrey N. Martin, Michael J. Peluso, Aarthi Talla, Xiaojun Li, Peter Skene, Thomas F. Bumol, Troy R. Torgerson, Julie L. Czartoski, M. Juliana McElrath, Elizabeth W. Karlson, David R. Walt, RECOVER consortium authors
Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 10.10.2024
Tilføjet 10.10.2024
To determine the proportion of individuals with detectable antigen in plasma or serum after SARS-CoV-2 infection and the association of antigen detection with postacute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) symptoms.
Læs mere Tjek på PubMedKantor, J., Carlisle, R. C., Morrison, M., Pollard, A. J., Vanderslott, S.
BMJ Open, 10.10.2024
Tilføjet 10.10.2024
ObjectivesTo describe the development, validation and reliability of the Oxford Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (OVHS), a new instrument to assess vaccine hesitancy in the general population. DesignCross-sectional validation study. SettingInternet-based study with participants in the UK and USA. ParticipantsDemographically representative (stratified by age, sex and race) samples from the UK and USA recruited through the Prolific Academic platform. Main outcome measuresTo demonstrate OVHS development, exploratory factor analysis with categorical variables and a polychoric correlation matrix followed by promax oblique rotation on the UK sample was performed. Confirmatory factor analysis with a Satorra-Bentler scaled test statistic evaluating goodness of fit statistics including the root mean squared error of approximation (RMSEA), standardised root mean squared residual (SRMR) and comparative fit index (CFI) was performed on the US sample. Reliability as internal consistency was assessed using McDonald’s omega. Evidence in support of the predictive, convergent and discriminant validity of the scale was assessed using logistic regression ORs of association (OR) or Pearson correlation coefficients. ResultsData for factor analysis were obtained from 1004 respondents, 504 in the UK and 500 in the USA. A scree plot, minimum average partial correlation analysis and parallel analysis suggested a three-factor 13-item scale with domains of vaccine beliefs (seven items), pain (three items) and personal deliberation (three items). Responses were recorded on a Likert scale ranging from disagree completely to agree completely, with higher score reflecting greater hesitancy. Potential total scores ranged from 13 to 65. Goodness of fit was excellent, with RMSEA=0.044, SRMR=0.041 and CFI=0.977. Predictive validity for COVID-19 vaccination status was excellent, with logistic regression ORs of association (95% CI) of 0.07 (0.04, 0.13), p
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