Risk factors for severe disease and mortality in children with COVID-19.

Background: Pediatric COVID-19 patients have lower rates of hospitalization and fatal outcomes compared to adults with COVID-19; however, children represent a challenge in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19. Our aim was to determine the risk factors for hospital admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, and mortality in pediatric COVID-19 patients in Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods: A retrospective cohort of pediatric patients with COVID-19 from February 2020 to April 2021 was reported on the National Epidemiological Surveillance System for Viral Respiratory Disease (SISVER) platform. Results: Among the 104,133 patients included in our study, 6214 were hospitalized, and 621 patients underwent invasive mechanical ventilation. A total of 0.65 % died during hospitalization. Children aged <12 months (odds ratio [OR]: 17.1; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 15.9-19.4, p < 0.001), 1-4 years (OR: 3.69; 95 % CI: 3.2-4.1, p < 0.001), 5-9 years (OR: 1.86; 95 % CI: 1.66-2.08, p < 0.001), and 10-14 years (OR: 1.23; 95 % CI: 1.11-1.37, p < 0.001), and those diagnosed with diabetes (OR: 2.32; 95 % CI 1.68-3.20, p < 0.001) and obesity (OR: 1.24; 95 % CI 1.04-1.48, p = 0.015) were associated with hospital admission. Renal disease (OR: 3.85; 95 % CI: 2.25-6.59, p < 0.001) was associated with invasive mechanical ventilation. Pneumonia (OR: 15.9; 95 % CI: 12.6-20.1, p < 0.001) and renal disease (OR: 3.85; 95 % CI: 2.25-6.59, p value < 0.001) were associated with death. Conclusion: Pneumonia increases the risk of death. The youngest age group has a higher risk of hospital admission. Comorbidities such as renal disease or immunosuppression increase the risk of death in all age groups.

Protection of hybrid immunity against SARS-CoV-2 reinfection and severe COVID-19 during periods of Omicron variant predominance in Mexico.

Background: With the widespread transmission of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant, reinfections have become increasingly common. Here, we explored the role of immunity, primary infection severity, and variant predominance in the risk of reinfection and severe COVID-19 during Omicron predominance in Mexico. Methods: We analyzed reinfections in Mexico in individuals with a primary infection separated by at least 90 days from reinfection using a national surveillance registry of SARS-CoV-2 cases from March 3rd, 2020, to August 13th, 2022. Immunity-generating events included primary infection, partial or complete vaccination, and booster vaccines. Reinfections were matched by age and sex with controls with primary SARS-CoV-2 infection and negative RT-PCR or antigen test at least 90 days after primary infection to explore reinfection and severe disease risk factors. We also compared the protective efficacy of heterologous and homologous vaccine boosters against reinfection. Results: We detected 231,202 SARS-CoV-2 reinfections in Mexico, most occurring in unvaccinated individuals (41.55%). Over 207,623 reinfections occurred during periods of Omicron (89.8%), BA.1 (36.74%), and BA.5 (33.67%) subvariant predominance and a case-fatality rate of 0.22%. Vaccination protected against reinfection, without significant influence of the order of immunity-generating events and provided >90% protection against severe reinfections. Heterologous booster schedules were associated with ~11% and ~ 54% lower risk for reinfection and reinfection-associated severe COVID-19, respectively, modified by time-elapsed since the last immunity-generating event, when compared against complete primary schedules. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 reinfections increased during Omicron predominance. Hybrid immunity provides protection against reinfection and associated severe COVID-19, with potential benefit from heterologous booster schedules.

Effect of zinc on oropharyngeal mucositis in children with acute leukemia undergoing chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: Oropharyngeal mucositis (OM) is one of the main side-effects of oncological therapy. There is no treatment to prevent its occurrence, but some zinc-based therapies have been proven to help in decreasing its in-tensity. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of zinc in OM in children with acute leukemia in the early stages of oncological treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This quasi-experimental study evaluated OM in 2 groups (control group: conventional hospital management, and experimental group: administration of 50 mg of zinc gluconate daily plus conventional hospital management). OM severity was recorded at a two-month follow-up. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients (26 in the control group and 23 in the experimental group) were included. The mean age of the patients was 11.1 ± 2.7 years; 65.3% had a diagnosis of pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The incidences of OM in the control group and the experimental group were 46.2% and 26.1%, respectively, but the difference was not significant. Based on a negative binomial regression model, females had, on average, 1.5 more days with OM (p = 0.002), and patients assigned to the experimental group had, on average, 2 less days with OM than the control group (p = 0.001). The pain score was higher in the control group (p = 0.0009), as was the mean score on the WHO scale (p = 0.0012). CONCLUSIONS: Zinc facilitated a reduction in the severity and duration of OM; further studies focusing on children are needed to confirm the effects of this trace element

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The Association of Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Hypertension with Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 on Admission Among Mexican Patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study's aim was to explore the association of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on admission. METHODS: In the present study, a total of 23,593 patient samples were evaluated by a laboratory from the Mexican Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference. Of these, 18,443 were negative for COVID-19, 3,844 were positive for COVID-19, and 1,306 were positive for other respiratory viruses. Severe types of respiratory disease were defined by the presence of pneumonia and other organ failure that requires intensive care. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore factors associated with severe COVID-19 on admission. RESULTS: Patients who tested positive for COVID-19 had a higher proportion of obesity (17.4%), diabetes (14.5%), and hypertension (18.9%) compared with those without a confirmed diagnosis. Compared with patients without obesity, those with obesity showed a 1.43-fold higher odds of developing severe COVID-19 on admission, whereas subjects with diabetes and hypertension showed a 1.87-fold and 1.77-fold higher odds of developing severe COVID-19 on admission, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity, diabetes, and hypertension were significantly associated with severe COVID-19 on admission and the association of obesity was stronger in patients < 50 years of age.

Human Metapneumovirus: Etiological Agent of Severe Acute Respiratory Infections in Hospitalized and Deceased Patients with a Negative Diagnosis of Influenza.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is one of the four major viral pathogens associated with acute respiratory tract infections (ARI) and creates a substantial burden of disease, particularly in young children (<5 years) and older individuals (≥65 years). The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiological behavior of HMPV in Mexico. This retrospective study was conducted over a nine-year period and used 7283 influenza-negative respiratory samples from hospitalized and deceased patients who presented Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI). The samples were processed with the help of qualitative multiplex RT-PCR for simultaneous detection of 14 respiratory viruses (xTAG® RVP FAST v2). 40.8% of the samples were positive for respiratory viruses, mainly rhinovirus/enterovirus (47.6%), respiratory syncytial virus (15.9%), HMPV (11.1%) and parainfluenza virus (8.9%). Other respiratory viruses and co-infections accounted for 16.5%. HMPV infects all age groups, but the most affected group was infants between 29 days and 9 years of age (65.6%) and adults who are 40 years and older (25.7%). HMPV circulates every year from November to April, and the highest circulation was observed in late winter. The results of this study aim to raise awareness among clinicians about the high epidemiological impact of HMPV in young children and older individuals in order to reduce the economic burden in terms of health care costs.

Validación de un instrumento para medir la calidad de vida en niños con mucositis orofaríngea en tratamiento por cáncer / Validation of an instrument to measure the quality of life in children with oropharyngeal mucositis undergoing cancer treatment

Resumen Introducción: La mucositis orofaríngea (MO) es una de las principales complicaciones del tratamiento oncológico que reduce significativamente la calidad de vida (CV) del paciente. El objetivo fue traducir, adaptar de manera cultural y validar una nueva versión en español del instrumento Oropharyngeal Mucositis-Specific Quality-of-Life (OMQoL) en pacientes pediátricos. Métodos: Estudio transversal de validación, multicéntrico, realizado para la traducción y adaptación del OMQoL del inglés al español en pacientes de entre 8 y 16 años con MO. Se midió la confiabilidad mediante el Alfa de Cronbach; la validez del contenido y el constructo, con un análisis factorial exploratorio; y la validez convergente, con las correlaciones de las escalas para MO de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), la Oropharingeal Mucositis Assessment Scale (OMAS) y con el Pediatric Quality of Life-3 (PedsQL-3) módulo cáncer en español. Resultados: Participaron en el estudio 193 niños con una media de edad de 10.91 ± 2.38 años, de los cuales 101 (52.3%) fueron de sexo femenino. En esta muestra, 80 niños (41.5%) presentaron leucemia aguda linfoblástica y 111 (57.5%) presentaron MO grado 2 y 3. El análisis factorial resultó con cuatro dimensiones con cargas > 0.40. De los 31 ítems del OMQoL, seis fueron eliminados. El Alfa de Cronbach del OMQoL español fue de 0.954. Las correlaciones de Spearman (r) con las escalas de la OMS y OMAS fueron significativas (r = −0.720 y r = −0.689; p<0.01, respectivamente); con el PedsQL-3 módulo cáncer existió una moderada correlación (r = 0.426; p < 0.01). Conclusiones: La nueva versión del OMQoL en español demostró propiedades psicométricas adecuadas, y resulta un instrumento confiable y válido para medir la CV en niños con MO.

Abstract Background: Oropharyngeal mucositis (OM) is one of the primary complications arising during oncological treatment, which significantly reduces the patient's quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the use of a new Spanish version of the Oropharyngeal Mucositis-Specific Quality-of-Life instrument (OMQoL) for pediatric patients. Methods: A multicentric, cross-sectional validation study was conducted to translate and adapt OMQoL from English to Spanish for its use by children with OM aged 8-16 years. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha; content and construct validity, in conjunction with exploratory factor analysis. The convergent validity, with the correlations of the scales for OM defined by the WHO, OMAS (Oropharingeal Mucositis Assessment Scale) and the PedsQL-3 cancer module in Spanish. Results: One hundred and ninety-three children with mean age of 10.91 ± 2.38 years participated in the study, out of which 101 (52.3%) were females. In this sample, 80 children (41.5%) suffered from acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 111 (57.5%) had grade 2 and 3 OM. The factorial analysis resulted in four dimensions with loads >0.40. Among the 31 items of the OMQoL, six were eliminated. Cronbach alpha of OMQoL-Spanish was 0.954. Spearman´s correlations (r) with the OMS and OMAS scales were significant (with r = −0.720 and r = −0.689; p < 0.01, respectively). Moderate correlation was observed with the PedsQL-3 cancer module (r = 0.426; p < 0.01). Conclusions: OMQoL-Spanish demonstrated adequate psychometric properties, resulting in a reliable and valid instrument for measuring QoL in children with MO.

Validation of an instrument to measure the quality of life in children with oropharyngeal mucositis undergoing cancer treatment.

Background: Oropharyngeal mucositis (OM) is one of the primary complications arising during oncological treatment, which significantly reduces the patient's quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the use of a new Spanish version of the Oropharyngeal Mucositis-Specific Quality-of-Life instrument (OMQoL) for pediatric patients. Methods: A multicentric, cross-sectional validation study was conducted to translate and adapt OMQoL from English to Spanish for its use by children with OM aged 8-16 years. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha; content and construct validity, in conjunction with exploratory factor analysis. The convergent validity, with the correlations of the scales for OM defined by the WHO, OMAS (Oropharingeal Mucositis Assessment Scale) and the PedsQL-3 cancer module in Spanish. Results: One hundred and ninety-three children with mean age of 10.91 ± 2.38 years participated in the study, out of which 101 (52.3%) were females. In this sample, 80 children (41.5%) suffered from acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 111 (57.5%) had grade 2 and 3 OM. The factorial analysis resulted in four dimensions with loads >0.40. Among the 31 items of the OMQoL, six were eliminated. Cronbach alpha of OMQoL-Spanish was 0.954. Spearman´s correlations (r) with the OMS and OMAS scales were significant (with r = -0.720 and r = -0.689; p < 0.01, respectively). Moderate correlation was observed with the PedsQL-3 cancer module (r = 0.426; p < 0.01). Conclusions: OMQoL-Spanish demonstrated adequate psychometric properties, resulting in a reliable and valid instrument for measuring QoL in children with MO.

Introducción: La mucositis orofaríngea (MO) es una de las principales complicaciones del tratamiento oncológico que reduce significativamente la calidad de vida (CV) del paciente. El objetivo fue traducir, adaptar de manera cultural y validar una nueva versión en español del instrumento Oropharyngeal Mucositis­Specific Quality-of-Life (OMQoL) en pacientes pediátricos. Métodos: Estudio transversal de validación, multicéntrico, realizado para la traducción y adaptación del OMQoL del inglés al español en pacientes de entre 8 y 16 años con MO. Se midió la confiabilidad mediante el Alfa de Cronbach; la validez del contenido y el constructo, con un análisis factorial exploratorio; y la validez convergente, con las correlaciones de las escalas para MO de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), la Oropharingeal Mucositis Assessment Scale (OMAS) y con el Pediatric Quality of Life-3 (PedsQL-3) módulo cáncer en español. Resultados: Participaron en el estudio 193 niños con una media de edad de 10.91 ± 2.38 años, de los cuales 101 (52.3%) fueron de sexo femenino. En esta muestra, 80 niños (41.5%) presentaron leucemia aguda linfoblástica y 111 (57.5%) presentaron MO grado 2 y 3. El análisis factorial resultó con cuatro dimensiones con cargas > 0.40. De los 31 ítems del OMQoL, seis fueron eliminados. El Alfa de Cronbach del OMQoL español fue de 0.954. Las correlaciones de Spearman (r) con las escalas de la OMS y OMAS fueron significativas (r = −0.720 y r = −0.689; p<0.01, respectivamente); con el PedsQL-3 módulo cáncer existió una moderada correlación (r = 0.426; p < 0.01). Conclusiones: La nueva versión del OMQoL en español demostró propiedades psicométricas adecuadas, y resulta un instrumento confiable y válido para medir la CV en niños con MO.

Instruments to measure the quality of life in patients with oral mucositis undergoing oncological treatment: a systematic review of the literature / Instrumentos para medir la calidad de vida de pacientes bajo tratamiento oncológico con mucositis oral: revisión sistemática de la literatura

Abstract: Background: Oral mucositis (OM) is an inflammatory reaction of the oropharyngeal mucosa to cumulative chemotherapy (CT) and radiation therapy (RT), affecting one or more parts of the digestive tract along with the quality of life (QoL) of the patient. The goal of this study was to identify valid and reliable tools to evaluate QoL related to OM. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted up to May 2016. Articles were selected by peers using the PubMed database through a search following the inclusion and exclusion criteria and STAndards for the Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) checklist with a cut-off point ≥ 70%. Results: We identified four relevant articles that described instruments to assess the QoL related to OM in patients undergoing cancer treatment. Conclusions: The evaluation of the QoL in patients with OM is a difficult scenario because of its multiple variables. The knowledge of this relationship is limited because general instruments of oral health or cancer therapy are commonly used for evaluation. However, valid instruments are already available for estimating the impact of OM on the QoL from the patient's perspective.

Resumen: Introducción: La mucositis oral (MO) es una reacción inflamatoria de la mucosa orofaríngea a la quimio y radioterapia acumulativa, que afecta una o varias partes del tracto digestivo, además de la calidad de vida (CV) del paciente. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar instrumentos válidos y confiables para evaluar la CV relacionada con MO. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura hasta mayo del 2016. Se realizó una selección por pares de los artículos a través de una búsqueda en PubMed, siguiendo los criterios de inclusión y exclusión y la lista de los estudios de precisión diagnóstica STARD (STAndards for the Reporting of Diagnostic) con un punto de corte ≥ 70%. Resultados: Se identificaron cuatro artículos relevantes que describen instrumentos para evaluar la CV relacionada con MO de pacientes que reciben tratamiento contra el cáncer. Conclusiones: El escenario para la evaluación de la CV de pacientes con MO resulta complicado debido a las múltiples variables. El conocimiento de la relación entre la CV y la MO es limitado porque los instrumentos generales son comúnmente utilizados tanto para la evaluación de la salud oral como para la terapia contra el cáncer. Sin embargo, ya se cuenta con instrumentos válidos para la evaluación del impacto de la MO sobre la CV desde la perspectiva del paciente.

Instruments to measure the quality of life in patients with oral mucositis undergoing oncological treatment: a systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Oral mucositis (OM) is an inflammatory reaction of the oropharyngeal mucosa to cumulative chemotherapy (CT) and radiation therapy (RT), affecting one or more parts of the digestive tract along with the quality of life (QoL) of the patient. The goal of this study was to identify valid and reliable tools to evaluate QoL related to OM. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted up to May 2016. Articles were selected by peers using the PubMed database through a search following the inclusion and exclusion criteria and STAndards for the Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) checklist with a cut-off point ≥ 70%. RESULTS: We identified four relevant articles that described instruments to assess the QoL related to OM in patients undergoing cancer treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of the QoL in patients with OM is a difficult scenario because of its multiple variables. The knowledge of this relationship is limited because general instruments of oral health or cancer therapy are commonly used for evaluation. However, valid instruments are already available for estimating the impact of OM on the QoL from the patient's perspective.