Molecular diagnosis of Chagas disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The complexity of the Chagas disease and its phases is impossible to have a unique test for both phases and a lot of different epidemiological scenarios. Currently, serology is the reference standard technique; occasionally, results are inconclusive, and a different diagnostic technique is needed. Some guidelines recommend molecular testing. A systematic review and meta-analysis of available molecular tools/techniques for the diagnosis of Chagas disease was performed to measure their heterogeneity and efficacy in detecting Trypanosoma cruzi infection in blood samples. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted up to July 27, 2022, including studies published in international databases. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined to select eligible studies. Data were extracted and presented according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Study quality was assessed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2). A random-effects model was used to calculate pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). Forest plots and a summary of the receiving operating characteristics (SROC) curves displayed the outcomes. Heterogeneity was determined by I2 and Tau2 statistics and P values. Funnel plots and Deek's test were used to assess publication bias. A quantitative meta-analysis of the different outcomes in the two different clinical phases was performed. RESULTS: We identified 858 records and selected 32 papers. Studies pertained to endemic countries and nonendemic areas with adult and paediatric populations. The sample sizes ranged from 17 to 708 patients. There were no concerns regarding the risk of bias and applicability of all included studies. A positive and nonsignificant correlation coefficient (S = 0.020; P = 0.992) was obtained in the set of studies that evaluated diagnostic tests in the acute phase population (ACD). A positive and significant correlation coefficient (S = 0.597; P < 0.000) was obtained in the case of studies performed in the chronic phase population (CCD). This resulted in high heterogeneity between studies, with the master mix origin and guanidine addition representing significant sources. INTERPRETATION/CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The results described in this meta-analysis (qualitative and quantitative analyses) do not allow the selection of the optimal protocol of molecular method for the study of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in any of its phases, among other reasons due to the complexity of this infection. Continuous analysis and optimization of the different molecular techniques is crucial to implement this efficient diagnosis in endemic areas.

Impact of pneumocystosis on the Spanish health care system, 1997-2020: Profile of HIV and non-HIV immunocompromised patients.

BACKGROUND: Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic fungus recognized for causing P. jirovecii pneumonia. The global prevalence is thought to be higher than 400,000 annual cases, although detailed information about epidemiological patterns is scarce. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective longitudinal descriptive study was performed among patients with diagnosis of pneumocystosis according to Classification of Diseases 9th edition, Clinical Modification (code 136.3 for the cases from 1997 to 2015; and 10th edition code B59.0 for cases from 2016 to 2020 in Spanish public hospitals from 1 January 1997-31 December 2020. RESULTS: A total of 25289 cases were diagnosed. The period incidence rate was 2.36 (95 % CI, 2.33-2.39) cases per 100,000 person-years. Infection was more frequent among men (72.2 %) than among women (27.8 %). Comorbidity was the main characteristic of this cohort. Up to 72.3 % of pneumocystis-infected patients (18293) had HIV coinfection. During the study period, there was a progressive decrease in the number of HIV coinfected cases as the group of patients without HIV infection increased, with the largest group in 2017. The lethality rate in the cohort was 16.7 %. The global cost was €229,234,805 and the average ( ± SD) cost per patient was €9065 ( ± 9315). CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology of pneumocystosis in Spain has changed in the last two decades. We noted in our study the possibility of a reemergence among non-HIV immunocompromised patients as patients with hematological and nonhematological neoplasia and other risk groups. The lethality of pneumocystosis continues to be high, and the underlying diseases are the main variable associated with lethality.

Is babesiosis a rare zoonosis in Spain? Its impact on the Spanish Health System over 23 years.

BACKGROUND: Babesiosis is a zoonosis caused by an intraerythrocytic protozoan of the genus Babesia and transmitted mainly by ticks of the Ixodes spp. complex. There is no comprehensive global incidence in the literature, although the United States, Europe and Asia are considered to be endemic areas. In Europe, the percentage of ticks infected with Babesia spp. ranges from 0.78% to 51.78%. The incidence of babesiosis in hospitalized patients in Spain is 2.35 cases per 10,000,000 inhabitants/year. The mortality rate is estimated to be approximately 9% in hospitalized patients but can reach 20% if the disease is transmitted by transfusion. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the epidemiological impact of inpatients diagnosed with babesiosis on the National Health System (NHS) of Spain between 1997 and 2019. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective longitudinal descriptive study that included inpatients diagnosed with babesiosis [ICD-9-CM code 088.82, ICD-10 code B60.0, cases ap2016-2019] in public Spanish NHS hospitals between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2019 was developed. Data were obtained from the minimum basic dataset (CMBD in Spanish), which was provided by the Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad after the receipt of a duly substantiated request and the signing of a confidentiality agreement. MAIN FINDINGS: Twenty-nine inpatients diagnosed with babesiosis were identified in Spain between 1997 and 2019 (IR: 0.28 cases/10,000,000 person-years). A total of 82.8% of the cases were men from urban areas who were approximately 46 years old. The rate of primary diagnoses was 55.2% and the number of readmissions was 79.3%. The mean hospital stay was 20.3±19.2 days, with an estimated cost of €186,925.66. Two patients, both with secondary diagnoses of babesiosis, died in our study. CONCLUSIONS: Human babesiosis is still a rare zoonosis in Spain, with an incidence rate that has been increasing over the years. Most cases occurred in middle-aged men from urban areas between summer and autumn. The Castilla-La-Mancha and Extremadura regions recorded the highest number of cases. Given the low rate of primary diagnoses (55.2%) and the high number of readmissions (79.3%), a low clinical suspicion is likely. There was a 6.9% mortality in our study. Both patients who died were patients with secondary diagnoses of the disease.

Sohlh1 loss of function male and female infertility model impacts overall health beyond gonadal dysfunction in mice†.

Reproductive longevity is associated with health outcomes. Early menopause, loss of ovarian function, and male infertility are linked to shorter lifespan and increased adverse health outcomes. Here we examined the extragonadal effects of whole animal loss of spermatogenesis and oogenesis specific basic helix-loop-helix 1 (Sohlh1) gene in mice, a well-described mouse model of female and male infertility. Sohlh1 encodes a transcription factor that is primarily expressed in the male and female germline and regulates germline differentiation. The Sohlh1 knockout mouse model, just like human individuals with SOHLH1 loss of function, presents with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and loss of ovarian function in females and impaired spermatogenesis in males, with a seemingly gonad restricted phenotype in both sexes. However, extragonadal phenotyping revealed that Sohlh1 deficiency leads to abnormal immune profiles in the blood and ovarian tissues of female animals, sex-specific alterations of metabolites, and behavior and cognition changes. Altogether, these results show that Sohlh1 deficiency impacts overall health in both male and female mice.

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, Spain, 2013-2021.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral infectious disease for which distribution of the main vector, Hyalomma spp. ticks, is expanding. We analyzed all 10 cases of CCHF diagnosed in Spain during 2013-2021; case-patient median age was 56.5 years, and 7 were men. We identified CCHF virus genotypes III and V. Six case-patients acquired the infection in urban areas. Sixty percent of patients were infected in summer and 40% in spring. Two patients met criteria for hemophagocytic syndrome. Seven patients survived. The epidemiologic pattern of CCHF in Spain is based on occasional cases with an elevated mortality rate. Genotype III and, to a less extent also genotype V, CCHF circulates in humans in a common geographic area in Spain. Those data suggest that the expansion pathways are complex and may change over time. Physicians should remain alert to the possibility of new CCHF cases.

Actividad científica del claustro de profesores de Neonatología. Periodo 2015-2021 / Scientific activity of the Neonatology faculty. From 2015 to 2021

Fundamento: los escenarios docentes en centros asistenciales constituyen espacios excelentes para la generación de conocimientos y el desarrollo de la actividad científico-técnica. Objetivo: caracterizar la actividad científica de los profesores del claustro de la especialidad de Neonatología de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas "Miguel Enríquez". Métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo, de corte transversal y retrospectivo de la producción científica del claustro del periodo 2015-2021. Se utilizaron métodos teóricos, y empíricos: revisión de expedientes docentes y científicos e informes técnicos. La información se procesó utilizando el paquete estadístico SPSS, versión 15.0. La relación de variables se expresó en frecuencias absolutas y relativas. Resultados: el 94,4 % del claustro era másteres en ciencias y solo el 11,1 % doctores en ciencias particulares. Más del 80 % tenía grado de especialización elevado y baja categorización investigativa. Se presentaron 174 ponencias científicas, y predominaron los eventos internacionales (37 %). Se otorgaron 40 premios y 62 reconocimientos. El 2018 fue el año más productivo. El 94,4 % había publicado. El 16,7 % participó como tutor/asesor de 10-14 tesis y 55,6 % en ninguna. Participaron activamente en tribunales estatales de especialidad, categorización docente, eventos y arbitraje de documentos en revistas nacionales y extranjeras. Conclusiones: se caracterizó la actividad científica del claustro de profesores de la especialidad de Neonatología. Se constató una adecuada formación pedagógica y académica, y satisfactoria actividad científica con reconocimiento asistencial, docente e investigativo y capacidades para publicar y formar a otros especialistas.

Background: the teaching scenarios in healthcare centers constitute excellent spaces for the generation of knowledge and the development of scientific-technical activity. Objective: to characterize the scientific activity of the faculty of the Neonatology specialty of the "Miguel Enriquez" Faculty of Medical Sciences. Methods: an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective study of the scientific production of the faculty from 2015 to 2021 was carried out. Theoretical and empirical methods were used: review of teaching and scientific records and technical reports. The information was processed using the SPSS statistical package, version 15.0. The relationship of variables was expressed in absolute and relative values. Results: 94.4% of the faculty had master's degrees in science and only 11.1% had Ph.D.in particular sciences. More than 80% had a high degree of specialization and low investigative rank. 174 scientific papers were presented, and international events predominated (37%). 40 awards and 62 recognitions were awarded. 2018 was the most productive year. 94.4% had published. 16.7% participated as tutor/advisor of 10-14 theses and 55.6% in none. They actively participated in examining boards of specialty, professor´s ranking, events, and arbitration of documents in national and foreign journals. Conclusions: the scientific activity of the faculty of the Neonatology specialty was characterized. Adequate pedagogical and academic training was verified, as well as satisfactory scientific activity with healthcare, teaching and research recognition and capacities to publish and train other specialists.

Producción científica y su pertinencia con las líneas de investigación de neonatología en una institución docente / Scientific Production and Its Relevance to Neonatology Research Lines in a Teaching Institution

Introducción: Los resultados de la investigación científica visibilizaron a la universidad y sus escenarios docentes. Objetivo: Determinar la pertinencia de la producción científica con las líneas de investigación en la especialidad de neonatología, en la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas Miguel Enríquez. Métodos: Estudio observacional, descriptivo, de corte transversal y retrospectivo. El universo lo constituyeron las publicaciones científicas realizadas en el período 2015-2021, y su relación con las líneas de investigación. La información se organizó en tres dimensiones: datos generales del claustro, impacto científico tecnológico y pertinencia. La recolección de información se efectuó mediante el buscador Google Académico, la Biblioteca Virtual de Salud y evidencias entregadas. Resultados: Se realizaron 135 publicaciones por 94,4 por ciento de los profesores; 15 libros y 40 94,4 por ciento sección de libros; a razón de 7,5 publicaciones/profesor. Publicaron entre 9 y 13 profesores anualmente. El 54,8 94,4 por ciento presentó artículos científicos, de ellos, 61 94,4 por ciento originales; 15,6 94,4 por ciento en idioma inglés y en bases de datos de buena visibilidad. Se observó tendencia ascendente de tesis generadas y pertinencia con las líneas de investigación establecidas en los escenarios docentes. Conclusiones: La producción científica del claustro y las tesis realizadas resultaron pertinentes con las líneas de investigación establecidas en el programa de neonatología. Las publicaciones de los profesores favorecieron la generación de conocimientos y, en algunas temáticas, constituyeron material docente en la especialidad(AU)

Introduction: The results of scientific research made the university and its teaching scenarios visible. Objective: To determine the relevance of scientific production with the lines of research in the specialty of neonatology, in Miguel Enríquez Faculty of Medical Sciences. Methods: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective study. The universe was formed by the scientific publications made in the period 2015-2021, and their relationship with the lines of research. The information was organized in three dimensions: general data of the faculty, scientific and technological impact, and relevance. The collection of information was carried out through the Google Scholar search engine, the Virtual Health Library and evidence delivered. Results: A total of 135 publications were made by 94.4 percent of the teachers; 15 books and 40 percent book section; at the rate of 7.5 publications/teacher. 9 to 13 professors published annually. 54.8 percent submitted scientific articles, of which 61% were original; 15.6 percent in English and in well-visibilized databases. There was an upward trend in the thesis generated and relevance to the lines of research established in the teaching scenarios. Conclusions: The scientific production of the faculty and the theses carried out were pertinent to the lines of research established in the neonatology program. The publications of the professors favored the generation of knowledge and, in some topics, constituted teaching material in the specialty(AU)

Effectiveness of the Unified Barlow Protocol (UP) and neuropsychological treatment in cancer survivors for cognitive impairments: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Cancer survivors frequently develop cognitive impairment, which negatively affects their quality of life and emotional well-being. This study compares the effectiveness of a well-established treatment (neuropsychological treatment) with the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) to reduce these cognitive deficits and evaluate the effect of both treatments on anxiety-depressive symptoms and the quality of life of cancer survivors. METHODS: A three-arm, randomized superiority clinical trial with a pre-post and repeated follow-up measures intergroup design using a 1:1:1 allocation ratio will be performed. One hundred and twenty-three cancer survivors with mild to moderate cognitive impairment will be randomly assigned to one of the study interventions: a cognitive rehabilitation intervention group, an intervention group with UP intervention, or a control group on the waiting list. The primary outcome is to observe a significant improvement in cognitive function in both intervention groups and a significant decrease in emotional impairments in comparison with the waitlist group. Improvements in anxiety, depression, and quality of life are also expected as secondary outcomes. These results will be maintained at 6 months of follow-up. DISCUSSION: The aim of this trial is to test the efficacy of the UP intervention in reducing cognitive deficits in breast cancer survivors. The results of this trial may be useful in reducing the presence of cognitive problems in cancer survivors and improving their emotional state and quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05289258. Registered 12 March 2022, v01.

Efficacy of a Combined Acceptance and Commitment Intervention to Improve Psychological Flexibility and Associated Symptoms in Cancer Patients: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Psychological flexibility is a key concept of acceptation and commitment therapy (ACT). This factor has been linked with psychological wellbeing and associated factors, such as quality of life, in cancer patients. These and other positive results of acceptation and commitment therapy in cancer patients found in previous research could be enhanced by using mhealth tools. A three-arm randomized superiority clinical trial, with a pre-post-follow-up repeated measures intergroup design with a 1:1:1 allocation ratio is proposed. A hundred and twenty cancer patients will be randomly assigned to one of the following interventions: (1) face-to-face ACT + mobile application (app), (2) face-to-face ACT, and (3) Waitlist control group. The primary expected outcome is to observe significant improvements in psychological flexibility acceptance and action questionnaire- II (AAQ-II) in the face-to-face ACT + app group, after comparing baseline and post-treatment scores, and the scores will remain stable in the two assessment points, 3 and 6 months after the intervention. Secondary expected outcomes are significant increasing scores in quality of life (EORTC QLQ C-30) and post-traumatic-growth (PTGI-SF), and significant decreasing scores in anxiety and depression (HADS), insomnia (ISI) and fatigue (BFI) at the same assessment points. Also, it is expected that the scores of this group will be higher than the scores of the face-to-face ACT group and the waitlist control group. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a combined intervention (face-to face ACT + app) for psychological flexibility and associated symptoms in cancer patients. The results of this protocol may help to consider the use of acceptation and commitment therapy and mhealth applications in cancer settings as a valid therapeutic choice. Clinical Trial Registration: [www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT05126823].

How Has the Aspergillosis Case Fatality Rate Changed over the Last Two Decades in Spain?

(1) Background: Aspergillus produces high morbidity and mortality, especially in at-risk populations. In Spain, the evolution of mortality in recent years due to this fungus is not well established. The aim of this study was to estimate the case fatality rate of aspergillosis in inpatients from 1997 to 2017 in Spain. (2) Methodology: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted with records of inpatients admitted to the National Health System with a diagnosis of aspergillosis. (3) Principal findings: Of 32,960 aspergillosis inpatients, 24.5% of deaths were registered, and 71% of the patients who died were men. The percentage of deaths increased progressively with age. The case fatality rate progressively decreased over the period, from 25.4 and 27.8% in 1997-1998 to values of 20.6 and 20.8% in 2016 and 2017. Influenza and pneumonia occurrence/association significantly increased case fatality rates in all cases. (4) Conclusions: Our study shows that lethality significantly decreased in the last two decades despite the increase in cases. This highlights the fact that patients with solid and/or hematological cancer do not have a much higher mortality rate than the group of patients with pneumonia or influenza alone, these two factors being the ones that cause the highest CFRs. We also need studies that analyze the causes of mortality to decrease it and studies that evaluate the impact of COVID-19.

Mortalidad en adolescentes atendidos en Hospital Pediátrico Universitario "Juan Manuel Márquez"

RESUMEN Introducción: La atención a la adolescencia debe dirigirse hacia el fomento de conductas que se ven reflejadas en los indicadores de mortalidad. Objetivo: Caracterizar la mortalidad y sus causas, en los adolescentes de 10-18 años, fallecidos en el decenio 2009-2018. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo, de corte transversal, realizado en el Hospital Pediátrico Docente "Juan Manuel Márquez''. Los 164 adolescentes de 10-18 años de edad fallecidos, constituyeron el universo. Los registros del movimiento hospitalario, historias clínicas e informes de Anatomía Patológica de los fallecidos fueron las fuentes de información utilizadas. Entre las variables estudiadas: edad, sexo, procedencia, causa del fallecimiento y año de ocurrencia. Resultados: La tasa de mortalidad fue inferior a 1/100 egresos; predominaron las defunciones en el grupo de 15-18 años (51,9 %), el sexo femenino (50,6 %) y la procedencia de La Habana (53,4 %). Los tumores y enfermedades malignas provocaron casi la mitad de las muertes (48,7 %), seguidos de las lesiones no intencionales (19,7 %). Conclusiones: La mortalidad en los adolescentes fue similar en ambos sexos y edades, con tendencia a la disminución, donde los tumores malignos y las lesiones no intencionales constituyeron las principales causas que se presentaron durante todo el periodo.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Attention to adolescence should be directed towards the promotion of behaviors that are reflected in mortality indicators. Objective: Characterize mortality and its causes in adolescents between 10-18 years of age who died in the decade 2009-2018. Methods: A descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at "Juan Manuel Márquez" Pediatric Teaching Hospital. The 164 teenagers aged 10-18 who died constituted the sample. Hospital movement records, medical records and Pathological Anatomy reports of the deceased were the sources of information used. Among the variables studied were: age, sex, origin, cause of death and year of occurrence. Results: The mortality rate was less than 1/100 discharges; deaths predominated in the group of 15-18 years (51.9 %), the female sex (50.6 %) and being from Havana (53.4 %). Tumors and malignant diseases caused almost half of the deaths (48.7%), followed by unintentional injuries (19.7%). Conclusions: Mortality in adolescents was similar in both sexes and ages, with a tendency to decrease, where malignant tumors and unintentional lesions were the main causes that occurred throughout the period.

Clinical Spectrum of Schistosomiasis: An Update.

Schistosomiasis is a helminthic infection and one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). It is caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. It is an important public health problem, particularly in poverty-stricken areas, especially those within the tropics and subtropics. It is estimated that at least 236 million people worldwide are infected, 90% of them in sub-Saharan Africa, and that this disease causes approximately 300,000 deaths annually. The clinical manifestations are varied and affect practically all organs. There are substantial differences in the clinical presentation, depending on the phase and clinical form of schistosomiasis in which it occurs. Schistosomiasis can remain undiagnosed for a long period of time, with secondary clinical lesion. Here, we review the clinical profile of schistosomiasis. This information may aid in the development of more efficacious treatments and improved disease prognosis.

Morbilidad en lactantes con destete precoz

RESUMEN Introducción: La leche materna es el producto fisiológico fundamental para promover la salud nutricional del niño y su interrupción precoz es un factor de riesgo para el desarrollo de enfermedades. Objetivo: Caracterizar la morbilidad en lactantes con destete precoz. Metódos: Estudio observacional, correlacional, de corte transversal realizado en 720 lactantes entre 29 días y 6 meses de edad, ingresados en el Hospital Pediátrico Docente de San Miguel del Padrón entre enero y diciembre del año 2014, que constituyeron el universo y muestra del estudio. Se analizaron variables como edad y tipo de destete, ingresos anteriores y causas de ingresos. La recolección de información se realizó a través de las historias clínicas y un cuestionario aplicado a las madres. Resultados: Solo el 27,7 % estaba con lactancia materna exclusiva, el resto fueron destetados en cualquier edad, incluso antes del mes de nacido. Al aumentar la edad del destete, disminuyeron la cantidad de ingresos y la morbilidad. Los destetados presentaron mayor frecuencia de infecciones respiratorias y digestivas. Conclusiones: En los lactantes estudiados, mientras más temprano ocurre el destete, mayor es el riesgo de morbilidad y de necesidad de ingresos en servicios hospitalarios, por tanto, menor protección para la salud del pequeño.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Breast milk is the fundamental physiological product to promote the nutritional health of the child and its early interruption is a risk factor for the development of diseases. Objective: Characterize morbidity in infants with early weaning. Methods: Observational, correlational, cross-sectional study conducted in 720 infants between 29 days and 6 months of age, admitted to the Pediatric Teaching Hospital of San Miguel del Padrón from January to December 2014, whom represented the universe and the sample of the study. Variables such as age and type of weaning, previous hospitalizations and their causes were analyzed. The collection of information was carried out through medical records and a questionnaire applied to the mothers. Results: Only 27.7% of the children were exclusively breastfed, the rest were weaned at any age, even before one month of birth. As the age of weaning increased, the amount of hospitalizations and morbidity decreased. Those weaned had a higher frequency of respiratory and digestive infections. Conclusions: In the infants studied, the earlier the weaning occurs, the greater the risk of morbidity and the need for admission to hospital services was; therefore, it represented less protection for the child's health.

Epidemiological assessment of 5598 brucellosis inpatients in Spain (1997-2015).

Brucellosis remains one of the main zoonoses worldwide. Epidemiological data on human brucellosis in Spain are scarce. The objective of this study was to assess the epidemiological characteristics of inpatient brucellosis in Spain between 1997 and 2015. A retrospective longitudinal descriptive study was performed. Data were requested from the Health Information Institute of the Ministry of Health and Equality, which provided us with the Minimum Basic Data Set of patients admitted to the National Health System. We also obtained data published in the System of Obligatory Notifiable Diseases. A total of 5598 cases were registered. The period incidence rate was 0.67 (95% CI 0.65-0.68) cases per 100 000 person-years. We observed a progressive decrease in the number of cases and annual incidence rates. A total of 3187 cases (56.9%) came from urban areas. The group most at risk comprised men around the fifth decade of life. The average (±s.d.) hospital stay was 12.6 days (±13.1). The overall lethality rate of the cohort was 1.5%. The number of inpatients diagnosed with brucellosis decreased exponentially. The group of patients with the highest risk of brucellosis in our study was males under 45 years of age and of urban origin. The lethality rate has reduced to minimum values. It is probable that hospital discharge records could be a good database for the epidemiological analysis of the hospital management of brucellosis and offer a better information collection system than the notifiable diseases system (EDO in Spanish).

Development of a severity of disease score and classification model by machine learning for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: Efficient and early triage of hospitalized Covid-19 patients to detect those with higher risk of severe disease is essential for appropriate case management. METHODS: We trained, validated, and externally tested a machine-learning model to early identify patients who will die or require mechanical ventilation during hospitalization from clinical and laboratory features obtained at admission. A development cohort with 918 Covid-19 patients was used for training and internal validation, and 352 patients from another hospital were used for external testing. Performance of the model was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: A total of 363 of 918 (39.5%) and 128 of 352 (36.4%) Covid-19 patients from the development and external testing cohort, respectively, required mechanical ventilation or died during hospitalization. In the development cohort, the model obtained an AUC of 0.85 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82 to 0.87) for predicting severity of disease progression. Variables ranked according to their contribution to the model were the peripheral blood oxygen saturation (SpO2)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) ratio, age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, updated Charlson comorbidity index and lymphocytes. In the external testing cohort, the model performed an AUC of 0.83 (95% CI, 0.81 to 0.85). This model is deployed in an open source calculator, in which Covid-19 patients at admission are individually stratified as being at high or non-high risk for severe disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: This machine-learning model, applied at hospital admission, predicts risk of severe disease progression in Covid-19 patients.

Corticosteroid Pulses for Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: Effects on Mortality.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the influence of corticosteroid pulses on 60-day mortality in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19. METHODS: We designed a multicenter retrospective cohort study in three teaching hospitals of Castilla y León, Spain (865,096 people). We selected patients with confirmed COVID-19 and lung involvement with a pO2/FiO2<300, excluding those exposed to immunosuppressors before or during hospitalization, patients terminally ill at admission, or those who died in the first 24 hours. We performed a propensity score matching (PSM) adjusting covariates that modify the probability of being treated. Then, we used a Cox regression model in the PSM group to consider factors affecting mortality. RESULTS: From 2933 patients, 257 fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. 124 patients were on corticosteroid pulses (250 mg of methylprednisolone for three days), and 133 were not. 30.3% (37/122) of patients died in the corticosteroid pulse group and 42.9% (57/133) in the nonexposed cohort. These differences (12.6%, 95% CI [8·54-16.65]) were statically significant (log-rank 4.72, p = 0, 03). We performed PSM using the exact method. Mortality differences remained in the PSM group (log-rank 5.31, p = 0.021) and were still significant after a Cox regression model (HR for corticosteroid pulses 0.561; p = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence about treatment with corticosteroid pulses in severe COVID-19 that might significantly reduce mortality. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria with that selection process set a reliable frame to compare mortality in both the exposed and nonexposed groups.

Date of Admission during COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Patient Outcomes in Addition to the Higher Efficacy of Tocilizumab Plus High-Dose Corticosteroid Therapy Compared to Tocilizumab Alone.

BACKGROUND: The evidence for the efficacy of glucocorticoids combined with tocilizumab (TCZ) in COVID-19 comes from observational studies or subgroup analysis. Our aim was to compare outcomes between hospitalized COVID-19 patients who received high-dose corticosteroid pulse therapy and TCZ and those who received TCZ. METHODS: A retrospective single-center study was performed on consecutive hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 between 1 March and 23 April 2020. Patients treated with either TCZ (400-600 mg, one to two doses) and methylprednisolone pulses (MPD-TCZ group) or TCZ alone were analyzed for the occurrence of a combined endpoint of death and need for invasive mechanical ventilation during admission. The independence of both treatment groups was tested using machine learning classifiers, and relevant variables that were potentially different between the groups were measured through a mean decrease accuracy algorithm. RESULTS: An earlier date of admission was significantly associated with worse outcomes regardless of treatment type. Twenty patients died (27.0%) in the TCZ group, and 33 (44.6%) died or required intubation (n = 74), whereas in the MPD-TCZ group, 15 (11.0%) patients died and 29 (21.3%) patients reached the combined endpoint (n = 136; p = 0.006 and p < 0.001, respectively). Machine learning methodology using a random forest classifier confirmed significant differences between the treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: MPD and TCZ improved outcomes (death and invasive mechanical ventilation) among hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but confounding variables such as the date of admission during the COVID-19 pandemic should be considered in observational studies.