Epidemiology of Herpes Zoster in the pre-vaccination era: establishing the baseline for vaccination programme's impact in Spain.

BackgroundHerpes zoster (HZ) affects 1 in 3 persons in their lifetime, and the risk of HZ increases with increasing age and the presence of immunocompromising conditions. In Spain, vaccination guidelines were recently updated to include the recommendation of the new recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) for certain risk groups.AimTo describe the epidemiology of HZ-related hospitalisations in Spain in order to prioritise vaccination recommendations and define a baseline to monitor the effectiveness of vaccination policies.MethodsRetrospective study using the National Health System's Hospital Discharge Records Database, including all HZ-related hospitalisations from 1998 to 2018.ResultsThe 65,401 HZ-related hospitalisations, corresponded to an annual mean hospitalisation rate of 6.75 per 100,000 population. There was an increasing trend of HZ hospitalisations over the study period. This rate was higher in males and older age groups, particularly over 65 years. Comorbidities with higher risk of readmission were leukaemia/lymphoma (RR 2.4; 95% CI: 2.3-2.6) and solid malignant neoplasm (RR 2.2; 95% CI: 2.1-2.4). Comorbidities associated with higher risk of mortality were leukaemia/lymphoma (RR 2.9; 95% CI: 2.7-3.2), solid malignant neoplasm (RR 2.9; 95% CI: 2.7-3.1) and HIV infection (RR 2.2; 95% CI: 1.8-2.7).ConclusionOf all patients hospitalised with HZ, those with greater risk of mortality or readmission belonged to the groups prioritised by the current vaccination recommendations of the Spanish Ministry of Health. Our study provided relevant information on clinical aspects of HZ and established the base for future assessments of vaccination policies.

Trends in COVID-19-related in-hospital mortality in women and men.

INTRODUCTION: Whether political, scientific and medical development in a country is associated with better clinical results according to gender in patients with COVID-19 has not yet been clearly elucidated. OBJECTIVE: To determine the trends of COVID-19-related in-hospital mortality in women and men from March 2020 to February 2022. METHODS: Clinical data of all patients with COVID-19 cared for at 21 Spanish hospitals were used, both of those who were discharged and of those who died during hospitalization. The association between hospital length of stay and mortality was analyzed with logistic regression models. RESULTS: Out of 7,974 patients that were included, 3,234 were women; 928 patients died. A significant decreasing trend in mortality was identified. When the analysis was carried out by gender, no significant mortality trend was found in women (OR = 0.96 [0.90-1.03], p = 0.239), while in men there was a significant decreasing trend identified (OR = 0.87 [0.82-0.92], p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Health policies, together with clinical and preventive interventions, may explain these results. Response to treatment and behavioral differences may explain why mortality does not decrease for women.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Todavía no se comprende si el desarrollo político, científico y médico en un país se asocia a mejores resultados clínicos de los pacientes con COVID-19 según el sexo. OBJETIVO: Determinar las tendencias de mortalidad hospitalaria asociada a COVID-19 en mujeres y hombres entre marzo de 2020 y febrero de 2022. MÉTODOS: Se utilizaron los datos clínicos de todos los pacientes con COVID-19 atendidos en 21 hospitales españoles, tanto de quienes fueron dados de alta como de quienes fallecieron durante el ingreso. La asociación entre la fecha del ingreso y la mortalidad se analizó con modelos de regresión logística. RESULTADOS: Fueron incluidos 7974 pacientes, de los cuales 3234 fueron mujeres y 928 fallecieron. Se encontró una tendencia significativa y decreciente en la mortalidad según avanzaba la fecha del ingreso. Cuando el análisis se realizó por sexos, no se halló una tendencia significativa en las mujeres (RM = 0.96 [0.90-1.03], p = 0.239), pero sí en los hombres (RM = 0.87 [0.82-0.92], p < 0.001). CONCLUSIÓN: Las políticas de salud, junto con las intervenciones clínicas y preventivas, pueden dar cuenta de los resultados. Diferencias en la respuesta al tratamiento o en los comportamientos pueden explicar por qué la mortalidad no disminuye en las mujeres.

Azithromycin in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Azithromycin has been widely used in the management of COVID-19. However, the evidence on its actual effects remains disperse and difficult to apply in clinical settings. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes the available evidence to date on the beneficial and adverse effects of azithromycin in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: The PRISMA 2020 statement criteria were followed. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies comparing clinical outcomes of patients treated with and without azithromycin, indexed until 5 July 2021, were searched in PubMed, Embase, The Web of Science, Scopus, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and MedRXivs. We used random-effects models to estimate pooled effect size from aggregate data. RESULTS: The initial search produced 4950 results. Finally, 16 studies, 5 RCTs and 11 with an observational design, with a total of 22 984 patients, were included. The meta-analysis showed no difference in mortality for those treated with or without azithromycin, in observational studies [OR: 0.90 (0.66-1.24)], RCTs [OR: 0.97 (0.87-1.08)] and also when both types of studies were pooled together [with an overall OR: 0.95 (0.79-1.13)]. Different individual studies also reported no significant difference for those treated with or without azithromycin in need for hospital admission or time to admission from ambulatory settings, clinical severity, need for intensive care, or adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: The results presented in this systematic review do not support the use of azithromycin in the management of COVID-19. Future research on treatment for patients with COVID-19 may need to focus on other drugs.

Epidemiology of measles in vaccinated people, Spain 2003-2014. / Epidemiología del sarampión en personas vacunadas, España 2003-2014.

INTRODUCTION: During the final phase of measles elimination rigorous investigation of each individual case becomes fundamental to confirm or discard cases, particularly among vaccinated people, since they experience a milder disease, and laboratory diagnosis is more complex. Our study focused in the epidemiology of measles in vaccinated people. METHODS: Longitudinal study on measles cases in two dose vaccinated people in Spain from 2003 to 2014. RESULTS: We confirmed 138 measles cases (90 of them, laboratory confirmed) in people with two doses of vaccine. The median of time from last vaccination to rash onset showed a lineal trend (P<.001), in parallel with the number of doses of vaccine received (0, 1, 2 doses). Among confirmed cases, the hospitalization risk decreased inversely proportional to the number of administered vaccine doses (linear trend, P<.001). Only in 23.9% of confirmed cases and 50% of discarded cases the guidelines about sample taking were fulfilled. 50% of samples in two dose vaccinated people were taken without fulfilling time delay criteria. 16.7% (36/215) of discarded cases with a negative IgM result did correspond to samples taken early (first 72h after rash) and could represent false negatives. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the importance of fulfilling properly the guidelines for laboratory diagnosis in order to confirm or discard every measles case, especially in two dose vaccinated people. When a negative IgM result is obtained in early samples a new IgM test should be practiced, as well as a PCR test, in order to avoid infra-detection of cases.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in elective cholecystectomy: Protocol adequacy and related outcomes in a retrospective single-centre analysis.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic prophylaxis is an effective tool to reduce surgical infection rates. However, antibiotic prophylaxis in cholecystectomy is controversial when non-high risk patients are considered. This research aims to evaluate the adherence with antibiotic prophylaxis protocol in patients undergoing cholecystectomy, and its impact in the outcomes of surgical infection. METHODS: This single-center observational and retrospective study analyzed all elective cholecystectomy procedures carried out at the Fundación Alcorcón University Hospital in the period 2007-2014. Data were recovered from hospital records; rates of adherence to the available hospital protocols were evaluated for choice, initiation, duration, administration route and dosages of antibiotics, and the starting and duration of the prophylaxis. RESULTS: The overall adequacy rate to protocol was 72%. The adherence rates in both the administration route and dose were 100%. The most common violations of the protocol included the choice of antibiotic agent (19%), followed by the moment of initiating its administration (8.9%). The overall wound infection rate was lower in case of laparoscopy than in laparotomy cholecystectomy (1.4% vs. 4.3%, p < 0.05; odds rate [OR] 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1-0.6). No relationship between adequacy of antibiotic prophylaxis and surgical infection rate was documented, neither considering overall gallbladder surgeries (crude OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.1-2.0), nor laparoscopy vs. open surgery (MH adjusted OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.2-2.1). CONCLUSIONS: The overall adequacy rate to antibiotic prophylaxis protocol recommended for elective cholecystectomy in our hospital was high (72%). No significant association between the adequacy or antibiotic prophylaxis and surgical infection was found.

Lamivudine and Entecavir for Acute Hepatitis B: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute hepatitis B infection is associated with severe liver disease and chronic sequelae in some cases. The purpose of this review was to determine the efficacy of nucleoside analogues (NA) (lamivudine versus entecavir) compared to placebo or no intervention for treating acute primary HBV infection. METHODS: A meta-analysis for drug intervention was performed, following a fixed-effect model. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomized studies that evaluated the outcomes of NA in acute hepatitis B infection were included. The following outcomes were considered: virological cure (PCR negative), elimination of acute infection (seroconversion of HBsAg), mortality, and serious adverse events. RESULTS: Five trials with 627 adult participants with severe acute hepatitis B defined by biochemical and serologic parameters were included. Virological cure did not favor any intervention: OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.7 (p = 0.90), I2 = 58%. Seroconversion of HBsAg to negative favored placebo/standard-of-care compared to lamivudine: OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.9 (p = 0.02), I2 = 31%. The only trial that compared entecavir and lamivudine favored entecavir over lamivudine (OR: 3.64, 95% CI 1.31-10.13; 90 participants). Adverse events were mild. CONCLUSION: There is insufficient evidence that NA obtain superior efficacy compared with placebo/standard-of-care in patients with acute viral hepatitis, based on low quality evidence.

The association of treatment with hydroxychloroquine and hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients.

This study investigates the association between the treatment with hydroxychloroquine and mortality in patients admitted with COVID-19. Routinely recorded, clinical data, up to the 24th of April 2020, from the 2075 patients with COVID-19, admitted in 17 hospitals in Spain between the 1st of March and the 20th of April 2020 were used. The following variables were extracted for this study: age, gender, temperature, and saturation of oxygen on admission, treatment with hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, heparin, steroids, tocilizumab, a combination of lopinavir with ritonavir, and oseltamivir, together with data on mortality. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations. At the time of collecting the data, 301 patients had died, 1449 had been discharged home from the hospitals, 240 were still admitted, and 85 had been transferred to hospitals not included in the study. Median follow-up time was 8 (IQR 5-12) days. Hydroxychloroquine had been used in 1857 patients. Hydroxychloroquine was associated with lower mortality when the model was adjusted for age and gender, with OR (95% CI): 0.44 (0.29-0.67). This association remained significant when saturation of oxygen < 90% and temperature > 37 °C were added to de model with OR 0.45 (0.30-0.68) p < 0.001, and also when all the other drugs, and time of admission, were included as covariates. The association between hydroxychloroquine and lower mortality observed in this study can be acknowledged by clinicians in hospitals and in the community. Randomized-controlled trials to assess the causal effects of hydroxychloroquine in different therapeutic regimes are required.

Tendencia de mortalidad hospitalaria por COVID-19 en mujeres y hombres / Trends in COVID-19-related in-hospital mortality in women and men

Resumen Introducción: Todavía no se comprende si el desarrollo político, científico y médico en un país se asocia a mejores resultados clínicos de los pacientes con COVID-19 según el sexo. Objetivo: Determinar las tendencias de mortalidad hospitalaria asociada a COVID-19 en mujeres y hombres entre marzo de 2020 y febrero de 2022. Métodos: Se utilizaron los datos clínicos de todos los pacientes con COVID-19 atendidos en 21 hospitales españoles, tanto de quienes fueron dados de alta como de quienes fallecieron durante el ingreso. La asociación entre la fecha del ingreso y la mortalidad se analizó con modelos de regresión logística. Resultados: Fueron incluidos 7974 pacientes, de los cuales 3234 fueron mujeres y 928 fallecieron. Se encontró una tendencia significativa y decreciente en la mortalidad según avanzaba la fecha del ingreso. Cuando el análisis se realizó por sexos, no se halló una tendencia significativa en las mujeres (RM = 0.96 [0.90-1.03], p = 0.239), pero sí en los hombres (RM = 0.87 [0.82-0.92], p < 0.001). Conclusión: Las políticas de salud, junto con las intervenciones clínicas y preventivas, pueden dar cuenta de los resultados. Diferencias en la respuesta al tratamiento o en los comportamientos pueden explicar por qué la mortalidad no disminuye en las mujeres.

Abstract Introduction: Whether political, scientific and medical development in a country is associated with better clinical results according to gender in patients with COVID-19 has not yet been clearly elucidated. Objective: To determine the trends of COVID-19-related in-hospital mortality in women and men from March 2020 to February 2022. Methods: Clinical data of all patients with COVID-19 cared for at 21 Spanish hospitals were used, both of those who were discharged and of those who died during hospitalization. The association between hospital length of stay and mortality was analyzed with logistic regression models. Results: Out of 7,974 patients that were included, 3,234 were women; 928 patients died. A significant decreasing trend in mortality was identified. When the analysis was carried out by gender, no significant mortality trend was found in women (OR = 0.96 [0.90-1.03], p = 0.239), while in men there was a significant decreasing trend identified (OR = 0.87 [0.82-0.92], p < 0.001). Conclusion: Health policies, together with clinical and preventive interventions, may explain these results. Response to treatment and behavioral differences may explain why mortality does not decrease for women.