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Background: Since late 2019, the global community has been gripped by the uncertainty surrounding the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In November 2021, the emergence of the Omicron variant in South Africa added a new dimension. This study aims to assess the disease's severity and determine the extent to which vaccinations contribute to reducing mortality rates. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the epidemiological implications of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 were performed, incorporating an analysis of articles from November 2021that address mortality rates. Results: The analysis incorporated data from 3,214,869 patients infected with omicron, as presented in 270 articles. A total of 6,782 deaths from the virus were recorded (0.21%). In the analysed articles, the pooled mortality rate was 0.003 and the pooled in-house mortality rate was 0.036. Vaccination is an effective step in preventing death (odds ratio: 0.391, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The mortality rates for the omicron variant are lower than for the preceding delta variant. mRNA vaccination affords secure and effective protection against severe disease and death from omicron.
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Background: Since December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2),causative pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has triggered a pandemic with challenges for health care systems around the world. Researchers have studied and published on the subject of SARS-CoV-2 and the disease extensively. What is the significance of articles published, shared and cited in the early stages of such a pandemic? Materials and methods: A systematic literature search in a time frame of 12 months and analysis rating using Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA) were performed. Results: The 100 most cited COVID-19 articles were identified. The majority of these articles were from China (n = 54), followed by United States of America (USA) (n = 21) and United Kingdom (UK) (n = 8). All articles were published in high-ranked, peer-reviewed journals, with research focusing onthe the diagnosis, transmission and therapy of COVID-19. The level of evidence of the 100 most cited COVID-19 articles on average was low. Conclusion: In the early stages of a pandemic, new and innovative research can emerge and be highly cited, regardless of the level of evidence.
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INTRODUCTION: Falls in older aged adults are an important public health problem. Insight into differences in fall-related injury rates between countries can serve as important input for identifying and evaluating prevention strategies. The objectives of this study were to compare Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 estimates on incidence, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to fall-related injury in older adults across 22 countries in the Western European region and to examine changes over a 28-year period. METHODS: We performed a secondary database descriptive study using the GBD 2017 results on age-standardised fall-related injury in older adults aged 70 years and older in 22 countries from 1990 to 2017. RESULTS: In 2017, in the Western European region, 13 840 per 100 000 (uncertainty interval (UI) 11 837-16 113) older adults sought medical treatment for fall-related injury, ranging from 7594 per 100 000 (UI 6326-9032) in Greece to 19 796 per 100 000 (UI 15 536-24 233) in Norway. Since 1990, fall-related injury DALY rates showed little change for the whole region, but patterns varied widely between countries. Some countries (eg, Belgium and Netherlands) have lost their favourable positions due to an increasing fall-related injury burden of disease since 1990. CONCLUSIONS: From 1990 to 2017, there was considerable variation in fall-related injury incidence, mortality, DALY rates and its composites in the 22 countries in the Western European region. It may be useful to assess which fall prevention measures have been taken in countries that showed continuous low or decreasing incidence, death and DALY rates despite ageing of the population.
