Peginterferon lambda for the treatment of hospitalized patients with mild COVID-19: A pilot phase 2 randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous injection of peginterferon lambda in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Methods: In this study (NCT04343976), patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 confirmed by RT-PCR from nasopharyngeal swab were randomly assigned within 48 h to receive peginterferon lambda or placebo in a 1:1 ratio. Participants were subcutaneously injected with a peginterferon lambda or saline placebo at baseline and day 7 and were followed up until day 14. Results: We enrolled 14 participants; 6 participants (85.7%) in the peginterferon lambda group and 1 participant (14.3%) in the placebo group were treated with remdesivir prior to enrollment. Fifty percent of participants were SARS-CoV-2 RNA negative at baseline although they tested SARS-CoV-2 RNA positive within 48 h of randomization. Among participants who were SARS-CoV-2 positive at baseline, 2 out of 5 participants (40%) in the peginterferon lambda group became negative at day 14, while 0 out of 2 participants (0%) in the placebo group achieved negativity for SARS-CoV-2 by day 14 (p > 0.05). The median change in viral load (log copies per ml) was +1.72 (IQR -2.78 to 3.19) in the placebo group and -2.22 (IQR -3.24 to 0.55) in the peginterferon lambda group at day 14 (p = 0.24). Symptomatic changes did not differ between the two groups. Peginterferon lambda was well tolerated with a few treatment-related adverse effects. Conclusion: Peginterferon lambda appears to accelerate SARS-CoV-2 viral load decline and improve plasma disease progression markers in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Assessment of Physical Tests in 6-11 Years Old Children: Findings from the Play Lifestyle and Activity in Youth (PLAY) Study.

The purpose was to evaluate selected physical tests in children and to compare the outcomes by sex. A cross-sectional study design was used to evaluate children 6-11 years who completed five physical tests: hand grip, vertical jump, sit and reach, Y-balance, and obstacle course (time and score). The outcome measures including test results were descriptively examined and compared by sex. The study participants consisted of 133 children (62 males and 71 females, with a median age of 7.8 years). Girls showed superior sit and reach performance (p = 0.002) compared with boys. Boys demonstrated better Y-balance scores (p = 0.007) and faster obstacle time (p = 0.042) than girls. Sex comparison within three age groups (6-<8 years, 8-<10 years, and 10-<12 years) showed that girls performed better on the sit and reach compared with boys in the in 6-<8 years (p = 0.009). Boys demonstrated higher Y-balance scores (p = 0.017) and faster obstacle time (p = 0.007) compared with girls in the 8-<10-year age group. These data will serve to guide future efforts to evaluate normative measures of physical literacy and guide targeted training interventions to promote sustained physical activity in children with deficits relative to their age and sex norms.

Attitudes and behaviors of physical activity in children: Findings from the Play, Lifestyle & Activity in Youth (PLAY) Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: The identified domains of child physical literacy include knowledge/understanding, behavior, motivation/confidence, and physical competency. Understanding physical literacy is critical to moving forward intervention efforts surrounding physical inactivity. OBJECTIVES: To investigate physical literacy domains by presenting responses to the Play, Lifestyle & Activity in Youth (PLAY) questionnaire and analyze the relationship between comparable questions in the child and parent sections. DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire study. SETTING: Suburban youth program, United States. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Parent and child responses to the PLAY questionnaire. RESULTS: Questionnaire data were collected for 106 children 6-11 years old and 91 parents. Children (93.3%, 83/91) reported enjoyment in physical education, despite 70% participation in physical education 0-1 day/week. 66.6% (26/91) of children preferred active to passive play and played outside most days/week (5.0 median). Similarly, a high proportion of children (93.3%, 83/91) reported feeling that they physically performed similar to or higher than their peers and took ownership to improve motor competency versus taking a more passive approach. Most children (96.7%, 87/91) reported feeling happy when they were able to play sports/run around, enjoyed gym class (93.3%, 83/91), and reported feeling sad if they cannot play sports/run around during the day (75.6%, 68/91). Parents and children reported rules around screen time and bed time, and reinforced these rules often. Child and parent responses were associated for comparable questions about bedtime and screen-time/media rules, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day, sport camp preference, and play equipment use (Fisher's p = .051 screen time, p < .001 other questions). CONCLUSIONS: PLAY questionnaire internal validity showed agreement between comparable parent and child responses and an association for select comparable questions.