Prevalence and risk factors for sessile serrated lesions in an average risk colorectal cancer screening population.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The reported prevalence and risk factors for sessile serrated lesions (SSLs) show significant variation. We aimed to specifically study the prevalence and potential risk factors of SSLs in an average risk colorectal cancer (CRC) screening population of Chinese subjects. METHODS: This is a case-control study of prospectively collected data from a territory-wide colorectal screening program in Hong Kong. Information on risk factors was obtained from questionnaires completed prior to screening colonoscopy. We compared subjects with SSLs against controls without these lesions to identify potential risk factors using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 12 039 asymptomatic screening subjects, 6011 subjects received a screening colonoscopy with 2214 subjects (36.8%) having conventional adenomas, 486 subjects (8.1%) having hyperplastic polyps, and 85 subjects (1.4%) having SSLs only. Of these subjects, three had synchronous advanced adenomas and were excluded from the analysis. More than 60% of these lesions were in the proximal colon. We compared these 82 subjects with SSLs only and 3226 controls without any polyps. After multivariable logistic regression, age ≥ 66 years, smoking, and diabetes mellitus (DM) were significant independent risk factors for SSLs. CONCLUSION: In this study, we report the prevalence of SSLs to be 1.4%. Age ≥ 66 years, smoking, and DM were independent risk factors for these lesions. Our findings provide relevant new data that should be taken into consideration when designing region-specific surveillance programs for SSLs with the ultimate goal of reducing the risk of CRC.

Cost of Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Acute Lower Respiratory Infection Management in Young Children at the Regional and Global Level: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in young children aged <5 years. METHODS: We aimed to identify the global inpatient and outpatient cost of management of RSV-ALRI in young children to assist health policy makers in making decisions related to resource allocation for interventions to reduce severe morbidity and mortality from RSV in this age group. We searched 3 electronic databases including Global Health, Medline, and EMBASE for studies reporting cost data on RSV management in children under 60 months from 2000 to 2017. Unpublished data on the management cost of RSV episodes were collected through collaboration with an international working group (RSV GEN) and claim databases. RESULTS: We identified 41 studies reporting data from year 1987 to 2017, mainly from Europe, North America, and Australia, covering the management of a total of 365 828 RSV disease episodes. The average cost per episode was €3452 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3265-3639) and €299 (95% CI, 295-303) for inpatient and outpatient management without follow-up, and it increased to €8591(95% CI, 8489-8692) and €2191 (95% CI, 2190-2192), respectively, with follow-up to 2 years after the initial event. CONCLUSIONS: Known risk factors (early and late preterm birth, congenital heart disease, chronic lung disease, intensive care unit admission, and ventilator use) were associated with €4160 (95% CI, 3237-5082) increased cost of hospitalization. The global cost of inpatient and outpatient RSV ALRI management in young children in 2017 was estimated to be approximately €4.82 billion (95% CI, 3.47-7.93), 65% of these in developing countries and 55% of global costs accounted for by hospitalization. We have demonstrated that RSV imposed a substantial economic burden on health systems, governments, and the society.

Risk of Postpolypectomy Bleeding With Uninterrupted Clopidogrel Therapy in an Industry-Independent, Double-Blind, Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Guidelines recommend withholding clopidogrel 7 days before polypectomy to decrease bleeding risk, but these were written based on limited evidence. We investigated whether uninterrupted clopidogrel therapy increases the risk of delayed postpolypectomy bleeding in patients undergoing colonoscopy. METHODS: We identified patients receiving clopidogrel for cardiovascular disease undergoing elective colonoscopies in Hong Kong from February 28, 2012 through April 11, 2018. Eligible patients were instructed to stop taking clopidogrel 7 days before colonoscopy. Then, they were randomly assigned to groups given clopidogrel (75 mg) or placebo daily until the morning of colonoscopy. All patients resumed their usual prescriptions of clopidogrel after colonoscopy. The primary end point was delayed postpolypectomy bleeding that required hospitalization or intervention up to 30 days after colonoscopy. Secondary end points were immediate postpolypectomy bleeding and serious cardio-thrombotic events for as long as 6 months after colonoscopy, according to Antithrombotic Trialists' criteria. All events were adjudicated by an independent masked committee. RESULTS: In total, 387 patients underwent colonoscopy and 216 required polypectomies (106 patients in the clopidogrel group and 110 patients in the placebo group). The cumulative incidence of delayed postpolypectomy bleeding was 3.8% (95% confidence interval 1.4-9.7) in the clopidogrel group and 3.6% (95% confidence interval 1.4-9.4) in the placebo group (P = .945 by log-rank test). There were no significant differences in immediate postpolypectomy bleeding (8.5% vs 5.5%; P = .380) and cardio-thrombotic events (1.5% vs 2%; P = .713). CONCLUSIONS: In a randomized controlled trial of clopidogrel users undergoing colonoscopy, a slightly larger proportion of patients continuing clopidogrel developed delayed and immediate postpolypectomy bleeding, although this difference was not statistically significant. ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01806090.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided cyanoacrylate injection to prevent rebleeding in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with variceal hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Secondary prophylaxis (SP) of variceal rebleeding was reported to improve outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, but the optimal endoscopic approach is not well defined. We compared outcomes in HCC patients who underwent SP by endoscopic ultrasound-guided cyanoacrylate obturation (EUS-CYA) versus no SP. METHODS: Between 2014 and 2018, 30 consecutive patients with inoperable HCC and recent endoscopically controlled variceal bleeding were prospectively recruited. Twenty-seven patients with persistent varices ≥ 3 mm on endoscopic ultrasound underwent EUS-CYA for SP. Thirty-three HCC patients treated by esophagogastroduodenoscopy-guided CYA obturation (EGD-CYA) alone for acute variceal bleeding between 2009 and 2013 were identified from a prospective gastrointestinal bleed registry as standard of care controls for comparison. Outcome measures were death-adjusted cumulative incidence of rebleeding, bleeding-free survival, technical success, and procedure-related adverse events of EUS-CYA. RESULTS: The majority of patients in both groups had advanced HCC, portal vein thrombosis, and Child-Pugh B cirrhosis. EUS-CYA was successful in all 27 patients with no radiographic evidence of cyanoacrylate-lipiodol embolization. Significantly lower 30- and 90-day death-adjusted cumulative incidence of rebleeding (14.8% vs 42.4%, P = 0.023 and 18.5% vs 60.6%, P = 0.002, respectively) and significantly higher variceal bleeding-free survival at 3 and 6 months (51.9% vs 21.2%, P = 0.009, 40.7% vs 15.2%, P = 0.010, respectively) were observed in the EUS-CYA group when compared with standard of care group. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary prophylaxis by EUS-CYA reduced rebleeding rate and improved variceal bleeding-free survival in patients with inoperable HCC and variceal bleeding when compared with no SP. Randomized studies are needed to confirm the benefits of EUS-CYA for this difficult-to-treat population.

Changes in Otitis Media Episodes and Pressure Equalization Tube Insertions Among Young Children Following Introduction of the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine: A Birth Cohort-based Study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) introduction on the occurrence of first and subsequent otitis media (OM) episodes in early childhood is unclear. We compared the risk of OM episodes among children age <2 years before and after PCV13 introduction, accounting for the dependence between OM episodes. METHODS: We identified consecutive annual (July-June) cohorts of Tennessee Medicaid-enrolled children (2006-2014) from birth through age 2 years. We identified OM episodes using coded diagnoses (we classified diagnoses <21 days apart as the same episode). We modeled adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for OM comparing 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7)-era (2006-2010) and PCV13-era (2011-2014) birth cohorts, accounting for risk factors and dependence between first and subsequent episodes. Secondary analyses examined pressure equalization tube (PET) insertions and compared the risk of recurrent OM (≥3 episodes in 6 months or ≥4 episodes in 12 months) between PCV7- and PCV13-era birth cohorts. RESULTS: We observed 618 968 OM episodes and 24 875 PET insertions among 368 063 children. OM and PET insertion rates increased during the PCV7 years and declined after PCV13 introduction. OM and PET insertion risks were lower in the 2013-2014 cohort compared with the 2009-2010 cohort (aHRs [95% confidence interval], 0.92 [.91-.93] and 0.76 [.72-.80], respectively). PCV13 introduction was associated with declines in the risk of first, subsequent, and recurrent OM. CONCLUSIONS: The transition from PCV7 to PCV13 was associated with a decline of OM among children aged <2 years due to a reduction in the risk of both the first and subsequent OM episodes.

Misoprostol Heals Small Bowel Ulcers in Aspirin Users With Small Bowel Bleeding.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There is no effective treatment for aspirin-induced small bowel ulcer bleeding. We performed a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to determine whether misoprostol can heal small bowel ulcers in patients with small bowel bleeding who require continuous aspirin therapy. METHODS: We performed a prospective study of 84 aspirin users with small bowel bleeding who required continued aspirin therapy in Hong Kong and Japan. Patients with small bowel ulcers or multiple erosions, detected by capsule endoscopy, were randomly assigned to groups that received either misoprostol (200 µg, 4 times daily; n = 42) or placebo (n = 42) for 8 weeks. All patients continued taking aspirin (100 mg, once daily). The primary end point was complete ulcer healing at follow-up capsule endoscopy. Secondary end points included changes in hemoglobin level and number of ulcer/erosions from baseline. RESULTS: Complete healing of small bowel ulcers was observed in 12 patients in the misoprostol group (28.6%; 95% CI, 14.9%-42.2%) and 4 patients in the placebo group (9.5%; 95% CI, 0.6%-18.4%), for a difference in proportion of 19.0% (95% CI, 2.8%-35.3%; P = .026). The misoprostol group had a significantly greater mean increase in hemoglobin than the placebo group (mean difference, 0.70 mg/dL; 95% CI, 0.05-1.36; P = .035). The reduction in medium number of ulcers or erosions was significantly greater in the misoprostol group (from 6.5 [range, 1-85] to 2 [range, 0-25]) than in the placebo group (from 7 [range, 1-29] to 4 [range, 0-19] (P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we found misoprostol to be superior to placebo in promoting healing of small bowel ulcers among aspirin users complicated by small bowel ulcer bleeding who require continuous aspirin therapy. However, use of misoprostol alone would provide only limited protection against aspirin on the small bowel. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT01998776.

Increasing Trend in Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer in Asia: More Cancers in Men and More Rectal Cancers.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of young-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) is reported to be increasing in the Western world. There are no population-based studies assessing the trend across Asia. METHODS: We performed a multinational cohort study involving four Asian countries/regions, namely Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong. The magnitude and direction of trend in the incidence of young-onset CRC (age < 50) were quantified using Joinpoint Regression Program to estimate average annual percentage change (AAPC). RESULTS: In Taiwan (1995-2014), incidence of young-onset CRC significantly increased in both men (colon cancer: 4.9-9.7 per 100,000; rectal cancer: 4.0-8.3 per 100,000) and women (colon cancer: 5.1-9.7 per 100,000; rectal cancer: 3.8-6.4 per 100,000). In Korea (1999-2014), incidence of young-onset CRC significantly increased in both men (colon cancer: 5.0-10.4 per 100,000; rectal cancer: 4.9-14.0 per 100,000) and women (colon cancer: 4.1-9.6 per 100,000; rectal cancer: 4.1-9.1 per 100,000). The most pronounced change was observed with male rectal cancer, increasing by 3.9% per year in Taiwan (AAPC + 3.9, 95% confidence interval + 3.3 to +4.5, P < 0.05) and 6.0% per year in Korea (AAPC +6.0, 95% confidence interval + 4.5 to +7.6, P < 0.05). Only a significant increase in rectal cancer was noted in Japan (male rectal cancer: 7.2-10.1 per 100,000, female rectal cancer 4.7-6.7 per 100,000) and Hong Kong (male rectal cancer: 4.4-7.0 per 100,000). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing trend in young-onset CRC is not limited to the Western world. This finding may have implications on screening program for CRC in these countries/regions.

Gastrointestinal safety of celecoxib versus naproxen in patients with cardiothrombotic diseases and arthritis after upper gastrointestinal bleeding (CONCERN): an industry-independent, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Present guidelines are conflicting for patients at high risk of both cardiovascular and gastrointestinal events who continue to require non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). We hypothesised that a cyclooxygenase-2-selective NSAID plus proton-pump inhibitor is superior to a non-selective NSAID plus proton-pump inhibitor for prevention of recurrent ulcer bleeding in concomitant users of aspirin with previous ulcer bleeding. METHODS: For this industry-independent, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised trial done in one academic hospital in Hong Kong, we screened patients with arthritis and cardiothrombotic diseases who were presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding, were on NSAIDs, and require concomitant aspirin. After ulcer healing, an independent staff member randomly assigned (1:1) patients who were negative for Helicobacter pylori with a computer-generated list of random numbers to receive oral administrations of either celecoxib 100 mg twice per day plus esomeprazole 20 mg once per day or naproxen 500 mg twice per day plus esomeprazole 20 mg once per day for 18 months. All patients resumed aspirin 80 mg once per day. Both patients and investigators were masked to their treatments. The primary endpoint was recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding within 18 months. The primary endpoint and secondary safety endpoints were analysed in the modified intention-to-treat population. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00153660. FINDINGS: Between May 24, 2005, and Nov 28, 2012, we enrolled 514 patients, assigning 257 patients to each study group, all of whom were included in the intention-to-treat population. Recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding occurred in 14 patients in the celecoxib group (nine gastric ulcers and five duodenal ulcers) and 31 patients in the naproxen group (25 gastric ulcers, three duodenal ulcers, one gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, and two bleeding erosions). The cumulative incidence of recurrent bleeding in 18 months was 5·6% (95% CI 3·3-9·2) in the celecoxib group and 12·3% (8·8-17·1) in the naproxen group (p=0·008; crude hazard ratio 0·44, 95% CI 0·23-0·82; p=0·010). Excluding patients who reached study endpoints, 21 (8%) patients in the celecoxib group and 17 (7%) patients in the naproxen group had adverse events leading to discontinuation of treatment. No treatment-related deaths occurred during the study. INTERPRETATION: In patients at high risk of both cardiovascular and gastrointestinal events who require concomitant aspirin and NSAID, celecoxib plus proton-pump inhibitor is the preferred treatment to reduce the risk of recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Naproxen should be avoided despite its perceived cardiovascular safety. FUNDING: The Research Grant Council of Hong Kong.

Trends in healthcare utilization and costs associated with pneumonia in the United States during 2008-2014.

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines have reduced the burden of pneumonia, but data on the current burden of pneumonia and its impact on the healthcare system are needed to inform the development and use of new vaccines and other preventive measures. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the frequency of pneumonia in the US during 2008-2014 using data from the MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters database. Frequencies of healthcare utilization related to the index pneumonia episode were calculated using the annual number of enrolled person-years (PY) as the denominator and the number of individuals with pneumonia as the numerator. Pneumonia-associated costs were calculated as mean payment per episode during the 2 years from 2013 to 2014. RESULTS: The overall annual healthcare utilization rate for pneumonia was 15.1 per 1000 PY and decreased slightly from 2008 to 2014 (from 15.4 to 13.5 per 1000 PY). Most pneumonia-related healthcare utilization was due to office/outpatient visits (10.3 per 1000 PY; 68.3%). Emergency department/urgent care visits (2.5 per 1000 PY; 16.9%) and hospitalizations (2.2 per 1000 PY; 14.8%) contributed less. Pneumonia-related healthcare utilization was highest in children < 5 years (rate per 1000 PY = 29.7 for < 1 year, 47.9 for 1 year, and 39.5 for 2-4 years) and adults > 65 years (45.0 per 1000 PY). The mean cost per pneumonia episode (95% confidence interval) was US$429.1 ($424.8-$433.4) for office/outpatient visits, $1126.9 ($1119.5-$1134.3) for emergency department/urgent care visits, and $10,962.5 ($10,822.8-$11,102.2) for hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of pneumonia on the US healthcare system remains substantial. The results presented here can help guide new vaccination strategies and other preventive interventions for reducing the remaining burden of pneumonia.

Healthcare resource use and economic burden attributable to respiratory syncytial virus in the United States: a claims database analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite several studies that have estimated the economic impact of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in infants, limited data are available on healthcare resource use and costs attributable to RSV across age groups. The aim of this study was to quantify age-specific RSV-related healthcare resource use and costs on the US healthcare system. METHODS: This retrospective case-control study identified patients aged ≥1 year with an RSV event in the Truven Health Marketscan® Commercial Claims and Encounters and Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits databases between August 31, 2012 and August 1, 2013. RSV patients were matched 1:1 with non-RSV controls for age, gender, region, healthcare plan and index date (n = 11,432 in each group). Stratified analyses for healthcare resource use and costs were conducted by age groups. RSV-attributable resource use and costs were assessed based on the incremental differences between RSV cases and controls using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: RSV patients had a higher healthcare resource use (hospital stays, emergency room/urgent care visits, ambulatory visits and outpatient visits) than non-RSV matched controls for all age groups (all p < 0.0001), particularly in the elderly age groups with RSV (1.9 to 3 days length of stay, 0.4 to 0.5 more ER/UC visits, 0.7 to 2.7 more ambulatory visits, 12.1 to 18.6 more outpatient visits and 9.5 to 14.6 more prescriptions than elderly in the control groups). The incremental difference in adjusted mean annual costs between RSV and non-RSV controls was higher in elderly (≥65; $12,030 to $23,194) than in those aged < 65 years ($2251 to $5391). Among children, adjusted costs attributable to RSV were higher in children aged 5-17 years ($3192), than those 1-4 years ($2251 to $2521). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed a substantial annual RSV-attributable healthcare resource use and costs in the US across age groups, with the highest burden in those aged ≥65 years. These data can be used in cost-effectiveness analyses, and may be useful for policymakers to guide future RSV vaccination and other prevention programs.

Trends in healthcare utilization and costs associated with acute otitis media in the United States during 2008-2014.

BACKGROUND: Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common cause of pediatric medical visits and antibiotic prescriptions worldwide, but its current impact on the US healthcare system is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the incidence of AOM from 2008, just before 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was introduced, to 2014 using US insurance records in the Truven MarketScan® database. The study also examined the costs associated with index AOM events during the two most recent years for which data were available (2013-2014). METHODS: AOM cases in the MarketScan database during 2008-2014 were identified using ICD9 diagnosis codes 381.xx and 382.xx. Incidence rates of healthcare utilization related to the index AOM episode were calculated using the annual number of enrolled person-years as the denominator and the number of individuals with AOM as the numerator. AOM-associated costs were calculated as the mean payment per episode during the 2 years from 2013 to 2014. RESULTS: The overall annual rate of AOM-related healthcare utilization was 60.5 per 1000 person-years and changed little from 2008 to 2014 (range, 58.4-62.6). Most of this was due to office/outpatient visits (55.7 [range, 52.0-58.8] per 1000 person-years). Emergency department/urgent care visits (4.7 [range 3.7-6.3] per 1000 person-years) and hospitalization (0.0 [range, 0.0-0.1] per 1000 person-years) contributed little. The rate of AOM-related healthcare utilization per 1000 person-years was highest in the youngest children and declined with age (474.3 for < 1 year, 503.9 for 1 year, 316.3 for 2-4 years, 94.9 for 5-17 years, 33.1 for 18-49 years, 28.6 for 50-64 years, 23.7 for 65-74 years, 20.2 for 75-84 years, and 16.1 for ≥85 years). The mean cost per AOM episode in 2013-2014 (95% confidence interval) was $199.0 (198.4-199.6) for office or outpatient visits, $329.6 (328.2-331.0) for emergency department/urgent care visits, and $1592.9 (1422.0-1763.8) for hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: In the US, AOM-associated healthcare utilization and costs remain substantial. More effective preventive measures such as new vaccines are needed to reduce the burden of AOM.

Clinical Features of Influenza and Acute Respiratory Illness in Older Adults at Least 50 Years of Age in an Outpatient Setting in the Republic of Korea: a Prospective, Observational, Cohort Study.

Two prospective, multi-centre, observational studies (GlaxoSmithKline [GSK] identifier No. 110938 and 112519) were performed over 2 influenza seasons (2007-2008 and 2008-2009) in the Republic of Korea (ROK) with the aim to evaluate the burden of laboratory-confirmed influenza (LCI) in patients ≥ 50 years of age seeking medical attention for acute respiratory illness (ARI). The median participant age was 58 years in the 2007-2008 season and 60 years in the 2008-2009 season. LCI was observed in 101/346 (29.2%) of ARI patients in the 2007-2008 season and in 166/443 (37.5%) of ARI patients in the 2008-2009 season. Compared to patients with non-influenza ARI, those with LCI had higher rates of decreased daily activities (60.4% vs. 32.9% in 2007-2008 and 46.4% vs. 25.8% in 2008-2009), work absenteeism (51.1% vs. 25.6% and 14.4% vs. 7.7%), and longer duration of illness. These results indicated that influenza is an important cause of ARI in adults aged 50 and older causing more severe illness than non-influenza related ARI.

Cost of hospital management of Clostridium difficile infection in United States-a meta-analysis and modelling study.

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of infectious nosocomial diarrhoea but the economic costs of CDI on healthcare systems in the US remain uncertain. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search for published studies investigating the direct medical cost associated with CDI hospital management in the past 10 years (2005-2015) and included 42 studies to the final data analysis to estimate the financial impact of CDI in the US. We also conducted a meta-analysis of all costs using Monte Carlo simulation. RESULTS: The average cost for CDI case management and average CDI-attributable costs per case were $42,316 (90 % CI: $39,886, $44,765) and $21,448 (90 % CI: $21,152, $21,744) in 2015 US dollars. Hospital-onset CDI-attributable cost per case was $34,157 (90 % CI: $33,134, $35,180), which was 1.5 times the cost of community-onset CDI ($20,095 [90 % CI: $4991, $35,204]). The average and incremental length of stay (LOS) for CDI inpatient treatment were 11.1 (90 % CI: 8.7-13.6) and 9.7 (90 % CI: 9.6-9.8) days respectively. Total annual CDI-attributable cost in the US is estimated US$6.3 (Range: $1.9-$7.0) billion. Total annual CDI hospital management required nearly 2.4 million days of inpatient stay. CONCLUSIONS: This review indicates that CDI places a significant financial burden on the US healthcare system. This review adds strong evidence to aid policy-making on adequate resource allocation to CDI prevention and treatment in the US. Future studies should focus on recurrent CDI, CDI in long-term care facilities and persons with comorbidities and indirect cost from a societal perspective. Health-economic studies for CDI preventive intervention are needed.

Healthcare utilization and costs associated with S. aureus and P. aeruginosa pneumonia in the intensive care unit: a retrospective observational cohort study in a US claims database.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are major causes of pneumonia in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Limited data exist regarding the health economic impact of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa pneumonias in the ICU setting. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study using a 29.6 million enrollee US medical and pharmacy administrative claims database. ICU patients with S. aureus or P. aeruginosa infection per International Classification of Diseases, 9th ed. coding between 01/01/2007-8/31/2012 were compared with ICU patients without any pneumonia or infections of interest. Primary outcomes were costs in 2012 US dollars, healthcare utilization and all-cause mortality associated with hospital-acquired S. aureus or P. aeruginosa pneumonia, and the relative odds of incurring higher costs due to a comorbid condition. RESULTS: Patients with S. aureus or P. aeruginosa pneumonia had longer mean hospital (37.9 or 55.4 vs 7.2 days, P < .001) and ICU stays (6.9 or 14.8 vs 1.1 days, P < .001), a higher rate of mechanical ventilation (62.6 % or 62.3 % vs 7.4 %, P < .001), higher mortality (16.0 % or 20.2 % vs 3.1 %, P < .001), and higher total mean hospitalization costs ($146,978 or $213,104 vs $33,851, P < .001) vs controls. Pneumonia survivors had significantly increased risk of rehospitalization within 30 days (27.2 % or 31.1 % vs 15.3 %, P < .001). Comorbid conditions were not associated with increased cost in the pneumonia cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare costs and resource utilization were high among ICU patients with S. aureus or P. aeruginosa pneumonia. Reducing the incidence of these infections could lead to substantial cost savings in the United States.

Modelling the Potential Public Health Impact of Different COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies with an Adapted Vaccine in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing COVID-19 has been a dynamically changing virus, requiring the development of adapted vaccines. This study estimated the potential public health impact alternative vaccination strategies for COVID-19 in Singapore. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The outcomes of alternative vaccination strategies with a future adapted vaccine were estimated using a combined Markov decision tree model. The population was stratified by high- and standard-risk. Using age-specific inputs informed by local surveillance data and published sources, the model estimated health (case numbers, hospitalizations, and deaths) and economic (medical costs and productivity losses) outcomes in different age and risk subpopulations. RESULTS: Booster vaccination in only the elderly and high-risk subpopulation was estimated to avert 278,614 cases 21,558 hospitalizations, 239 deaths, Singapore dollars (SGD) 277 million in direct medical costs, and SGD 684 million in indirect medical costs. These benefits increased as vaccination was expanded to other subpopulations. Increasing the booster vaccination coverage to 75% of the standard-risk population averted more deaths (3%), hospitalizations (29%), infections (145%), direct costs (90%), and indirect costs (192%) compared to the base case. CONCLUSIONS: Broader vaccination strategies using an adapted booster vaccine could have substantial public health and economic impact in Singapore.

Descriptive analysis to assess seasonal patterns of COVID-19 and influenza in low-income and middle-income countries in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

OBJECTIVES: Understanding disease seasonality can help predict the occurrence of outbreaks and inform public health planning. Respiratory diseases typically follow seasonal patterns; however, knowledge regarding the seasonality of COVID-19 and its impact on the seasonality of influenza remains limited. The objective of this study was to provide more evidence to understand the circulation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, in an endemic scenario to guide potential preventive strategies. DESIGN: In this study, a descriptive analysis was undertaken to describe seasonality trends and/or overlap between COVID-19 and influenza in 12 low-income and middle-income countries using Our World in Data and FluMart data sources. Plots of COVID-19 and influenza cases were analysed. SETTING: Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. OUTCOME MEASURES: COVID-19 cases and influenza cases. RESULTS: No seasonal patterns of SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV-2/influenza cocirculation were observed in most countries, even when considering the avian influenza pandemic period. CONCLUSIONS: These results can inform public health strategies. The lack of observed seasonal behaviour highlights the importance of maintaining year-round vaccination rather than implementing seasonal campaigns. Further research investigating the influence of climate conditions, social behaviour and year-round preventive measures could be fundamental for shaping appropriate policies related to COVID-19 and respiratory viral disease control in low-income and middle-income countries as COVID-19 variant data and epidemiologic patterns accrue over time.

Pediatric COVID-19 in Argentina: a comprehensive analysis of disease and economic burden through official data and a systematic literature review.

Background: Limited data are available on the clinical impact and economic burden of COVID-19 in the pediatric population in Argentina. We aimed to estimate the disease and economic burden of COVID-19 on children and adolescents. Methods: We analyzed official national databases and conducted a supplemental systematic review of the published literature with meta-analysis in children aged 0-18. The period of interest was from March 2020 to August 2021, before the introduction of vaccination in this age group as a national strategic plan. In addition, we used a cost of illness analysis to estimate the direct medical costs associated with COVID-19. All costs are reported in US dollars 2023. Results: A total of 450,503 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 180 multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) were reported in Argentina in the study period. Fourteen observational clinical studies were identified. The meta-analyses of severity level from hospital patients showed that according to different studies 15%-28% of cases were asymptomatic, 68%-88% were mild or moderate, and 3%-10% were severe or critical. About 28% of children had an underlying disease. In addition, the estimated economic burden associated with COVID-19 was 80 million dollars and 4 million dollars corresponded to MISC. Conclusion: Significant impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare system and substantial economic implications for the pediatric population in Argentina were identified. The findings should help policymakers to make informed decisions and allocate resources effectively.

Prevalence of Adult Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Related Complications in Alberta, Canada: A Retrospective, Observational Study Using Administrative Data.

OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent chronic disease and a leading cause of morbidity/mortality in Canada. We evaluated the burden of T2DM in Alberta, Canada, by estimating the 5-year period prevalence of T2DM and rates of comorbidities and complications/conditions after T2DM. METHODS: We conducted a population-based, retrospective study linking administrative health databases. Individuals with T2DM (≥18 years of age) were identified between 2008-2009 and 2018-2019 using a published algorithm, with follow-up data to March 2020. The 5-year period prevalence was estimated for 2014-2015 to 2018-2019. Individuals with newly identified T2DM, ascertained between 2010-2011 and 2017-2018 with a lookback period between 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 and a minimum 1 year of follow-up data, were evaluated for subsequent cardiovascular, diabetic, renal, and other complication/condition frequencies (%) and rates (per 100 person-years). Complications/conditions were stratified by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) status at index and age. RESULTS: The 5-year period prevalence of T2DM was 11,051 per 100,000 persons, with the highest prevalence in men 65 to <75 years of age. There were 195,102 individuals included in the cohort (mean age 56.7±14.7 years). The most frequently reported complications/conditions (rates per 100 person-years) were acute infection (23.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 23.00 to 23.30), hypertension (17.30, 95% CI 16.80 to 17.70), and dyslipidemia (12.20, 95% CI 11.90 to 12.40). Individuals who had an ASCVD event/procedure and those ≥75 years of age had higher rates of complications/conditions. CONCLUSIONS: We found that over half of the individuals had hypertension or infection after T2DM. Also, those with ASCVD had higher rates of complications/conditions. Strategies to mitigate complications/conditions after T2DM are required to reduce the burden of this disease on individuals and health-care systems.