Evaluating the impact of a virtual outpatient care programme in preventing hospitalizations, emergency department visits and mortality for patients with COVID-19: a matched cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of virtual care in preventing unnecessary healthcare visits for patients with SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective matched cohort study, evaluating the COVID-19 Expansion to Outpatients (COVIDEO) programme involving virtual assessments for all positive patients in the Sunnybrook assessment centre from January 2020 to June 2021, followed by risk-stratified routine follow-up, couriering of oxygen saturation devices, and 24 hour/day direct-to-physician pager for urgent questions. We linked COVIDEO data to province-wide datasets, matching each eligible COVIDEO patient to ≤10 other Ontario SARS-CoV-2 patients on age, sex, neighbourhood, and date. The primary outcome was emergency department (ED) visit, hospitalization or death within 30 days. Multivariable regression accounted for comorbidities, vaccination, and pre-pandemic healthcare utilization. RESULTS: Among 6508 eligible COVIDEO patients, 4763 (73.1%) were matched to ≥1 non-COVIDEO patient. COVIDEO care was protective against the primary composite outcome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.91, 95% CI, 0.82-1.02), with a reduction in ED visits (7.8% vs. 9.6%; aOR 0.79, 95% CI, 0.70-0.89), but increase in hospitalizations (3.8% vs. 2.7%, aOR 1.37, 95% CI, 1.14-1.63) reflecting more direct-to-ward admissions (1.3% vs. 0.2%, p < 0.0001). Results were similar when matched comparators were limited to patients who had not received virtual care elsewhere with a decrease in ED visits (7.8 vs. 8.6%, aOR 0.86, 95% CI, 0.75-0.99) and an increase in hospitalizations (3.7 vs. 2.4%, aOR 1.45, 95% CI, 1.17-1.80). DISCUSSION: An intensive remote care programme can prevent unnecessary ED visits and facilitate direct-to-ward hospitalizations and thereby mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare system.

Association between initial symptoms and subsequent hospitalization in outpatients with COVID-19: A cohort study.

Background: Most individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experience mild symptoms and are managed in the outpatient setting. The aim of this study was to determine whether self-reported symptoms at the time of diagnosis can identify patients at risk of clinical deterioration. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 671 outpatients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosed in Toronto between March 1 and October 16, 2020. We examined the association between patients' baseline characteristics and self-reported symptoms at the time of diagnosis and the risk of subsequent hospitalization. Results: Of 671 participants, 26 (3.9%) required hospitalization. Individuals aged 65 years or older were more likely to require hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] 5.29, 95% CI 2.19 to 12.77), whereas those without medical comorbidities were unlikely to be hospitalized (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.17). After adjusting for age and presence of comorbidities, sputum production (adjusted OR [aOR] 5.01, 95% CI 1.97 to 12.75), arthralgias (aOR 4.82, 95% CI 1.85 to 12.53), diarrhea (aOR 4.56, 95% CI 1.82 to 11.42), fever (aOR 3.64, 95% CI 1.50 to 8.82), chills (aOR 3.62, 95% CI 1.54 to 8.50), and fatigue (aOR 2.59, 95% CI 1.04 to 6.47) were associated with subsequent hospitalization. Conclusions: Early assessment of symptoms among outpatients with COVID-19 can help identify individuals at risk of clinical deterioration. Additional studies are needed to determine whether more intense follow-up and early intervention among high-risk individuals can alter the clinical trajectory of and outcomes among outpatients with COVID-19.

Historique: La plupart des personnes atteintes de la maladie à coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) éprouvent des symptômes légers et sont prises en charge en milieu ambulatoire. La présente étude visait à déterminer si les symptômes autodéclarés au moment du diagnostic permettent de dépister les patients à risque de détérioration clinique. Méthodologie: Les chercheurs ont réalisé la présente étude de cohorte rétrospective auprès de 671 patients ambulatoires atteints d'une COVID-19 diagnostiquée à Toronto et confirmée en laboratoire entre le 1er mars et le 16 octobre 2020. Ils ont examiné l'association entre les caractéristiques de référence et les symptômes autodéclarés des patients au moment du diagnostic, d'une part, et le risque d'hospitalisation, d'admission en soins intensifs ou de décès par la suite, d'autre part. Résultats: Des 671 participants, 26 (3,9 %) ont dû être hospitalisés, sept (1,0 %) ont été admis en soins intensifs et trois (0,4 %) sont décédés dans les 30 jours suivant le diagnostic. Les personnes de 65 ans ou plus étaient plus susceptibles de devoir être hospitalisées (RC 5,29, IC à 95 % 2,19 à 12,77) et celles qui n'avaient pas d'autres problèmes de santé l'étaient moins (RC 0,02, IC à 95 % 0,00 à 0,17). Après redressement pour tenir compte de l'âge et de la présence d'autres problèmes de santé, la production de mucus (RC ajusté [RCa] 5,01, IC à 95 % 2,11 à 13,66), les arthralgies (RCa 4,82, IC à 95 % 1,85 à 12,53), la diarrhée (RCa 4,56, IC à 95 % 1,82 à 11,42), la fièvre (RCa 3,64, IC à 95 % 1,50 à 8,82), les frissons (RCa 3,62, IC à 95 % 1,54 à 8,50) et la fatigue (RCa 2,59, IC à 95 % 1,04 à 6,47) étaient associés à des hospitalisations. Conclusions: L'évaluation précoce des symptômes des patients ambulatoires atteints de la COVID-19 peut contribuer à dépister les personnes vulnérables à une détérioration clinique. Lorsque ce facteur s'ajoute à l'âge et à l'histoire de problèmes de santé, la symptomatologie fournit plus d'information pronostique aux cliniciens qui prennent en charge les patients atteints de COVID-19 en milieu ambulatoire. D'autres études s'imposent pour déterminer si un suivi plus intense et une intervention précoce auprès des personnes très vulnérables peuvent modifier la trajectoire clinique et le pronostic des patients ambulatoires atteints de la COVID-19.

Betwixt and Between Well and Sick in Cervical Precancer: Canadian Women's Experiences of Recurring HPV Infections and HPV Vaccination.

Background This research fuses the experiences of a precancer diagnosis with the decision-making surrounding a vaccine that can protect against human papillomavirus strains that women may not have been exposed to. The interviewee cohort is of note as half the women were in their 30s and 40s and 75% were over the age of 26. These groupings are often overlooked in media discourses and narrative research surrounding human papillomavirus and the human papillomavirus vaccine. Purpose Womens' diagnoses and treatment experiences, including colposcopies, biopsies, and Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedures, are chronicled to highlight a liminal, precancerous state-one in which they are not deemed healthy, but nor have they been diagnosed with cancer. These are emotion-filled experiences that are ridden with anxiety and fear, but also ones that are structured with self-care strategies to contain human papillomavirus infections and the risk of cervical cancer. Methods Twenty women who attended Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre's human papillomavirus vaccination clinic were interviewed and their narratives were documented and analyzed to determine their experiences surrounding human papillomavirus infections and precancer as well as their motivations for human papillomavirus vaccination. Results The decision to undergo human papillomavirus vaccination was a self-care strategy that accompanied treatment procedures and was a means to reduce cervical cancer risk. While encouraged with the human papillomavirus vaccine's potential to curb cervical cancer, they had a tempered view of the vaccine and its effectiveness in their cases, given their medical histories. Conclusions The research provides an in-depth accounting of an often overlooked grouping in human papillomavirus and human papillomavirus vaccination research and media discourse which, generally, focuses upon middle-school-aged girls and university-/college-aged women. In addition, the research provides recommendations for practice for cervical precancer diagnoses going forward.