Comparative effectiveness of sotrovimab versus no treatment in non-hospitalised high-risk COVID-19 patients in north west London: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the effectiveness of sotrovimab vs no early COVID-19 treatment in highest-risk COVID-19 patients during Omicron predominance. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study using the Discover dataset in North West London. Included patients were non-hospitalised, aged ≥12 years and met ≥1 National Health Service highest-risk criterion for sotrovimab treatment. We used Cox proportional hazards models to compare HRs of 28-day COVID-19-related hospitalisation/death between highest-risk sotrovimab-treated and untreated patients. Age, renal disease and Omicron subvariant subgroup analyses were performed. RESULTS: We included 599 sotrovimab-treated patients and 5191 untreated patients. Compared with untreated patients, the risk of COVID-19 hospitalisation/death (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.24, 1.06; p=0.07) and the risk of COVID-19 hospitalisation (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.18, 1.00; p=0.051) were both lower in the sotrovimab-treated group; however, statistical significance was not reached. In the ≥65 years and renal disease subgroups, sotrovimab was associated with a significantly reduced risk of COVID-19 hospitalisation, by 89% (HR 0.11, 95% CI 0.02, 0.82; p=0.03) and 82% (HR 0.18, 95% CI 0.05, 0.62; p=0.007), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Risk of COVID-19 hospitalisation in sotrovimab-treated patients aged ≥65 years and with renal disease was significantly lower compared with untreated patients. Overall, risk of hospitalisation was also lower for sotrovimab-treated patients, but statistical significance was not reached.

The impact of policing and homelessness on violence experienced by women who sell sex in London: a modelling study.

Street-based sex workers experience considerable homelessness, drug use and police enforcement, making them vulnerable to violence from clients and other perpetrators. We used a deterministic compartmental model of street-based sex workers in London to estimate whether displacement by police and unstable housing/homelessness increases client violence. The model was parameterized and calibrated using data from a cohort study of sex workers, to the baseline percentage homeless (64%), experiencing recent client violence (72%), or recent displacement (78%), and the odds ratios of experiencing violence if homeless (1.97, 95% confidence interval 0.88-4.43) or displaced (4.79, 1.99-12.11), or of experiencing displacement if homeless (3.60, 1.59-8.17). Ending homelessness and police displacement reduces violence by 67% (95% credible interval 53-81%). The effects are non-linear; halving the rate of policing or becoming homeless reduces violence by 5.7% (3.5-10.3%) or 6.7% (3.7-10.2%), respectively. Modelled interventions have small impact with violence reducing by: 5.1% (2.1-11.4%) if the rate of becoming housed increases from 1.4 to 3.2 per person-year (Housing First initiative); 3.9% (2.4-6.9%) if the rate of policing reduces by 39% (level if recent increases had not occurred); and 10.2% (5.9-19.6%) in combination. Violence reduces by 26.5% (22.6-28.2%) if half of housed sex workers transition to indoor sex work. If homelessness decreased and policing increased as occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the impact on violence is negligible, decreasing by 0.7% (8.7% decrease-4.1% increase). Increasing housing and reducing policing among street-based sex workers could substantially reduce violence, but large changes are needed.

Mental health inequalities, challenges and support needs during COVID-19: a qualitative study of 14-to-25-year-olds in London.

OBJECTIVES: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent's mental health and relationships has received growing attention, yet the challenges and support needs of adolescents living in existing deprivation are not well understood. The current qualitative study, part of a broader project cocreating mental health and life-skill workshops with young people, documents adolescents' lived experience and support needs 4 years on from the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: 20 semi-structured interviews and 6 focus groups were transcribed and thematically analysed in NVivo V.12 to inform codesigned workshops to support adolescents' needs. SETTING: Islington borough in North London, United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: 20 adolescents aged 14-25 years (mean=18.3; 60% female, 60% white) from Islington with a history of difficulties (eg, mental health, deprivation, court order) were referred by Islington local authority teams to our study. RESULTS: Thematic analyses revealed eight themes on adolescents' COVID-19 experiences and five associated suggestions on 'support needs': health challenges and support; relationships and support; routines and support; educational challenges and learning support; inequality and support; distrust; loss of opportunities and grief. CONCLUSIONS: In our qualitative study, adolescents spoke of positive reflections, challenges, and need for support 4 years on from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many adolescents shared their lived experiences for the first time with someone else and wished they would have the space and time to acknowledge this period of loss. Adolescents living with existing inequality and deprivation before the pandemic have reported sustained and exacerbated impacts during the pandemic, hence coproduced support for adolescents should be a priority.

Lifetime and 10-year risks of cardiovascular mortality in relation to risk factors in middle and old age: 50-year follow-up of the Whitehall study of London Civil Servants.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality has declined substantially in the United Kingdom (UK) in recent decades, but the continued relevance of conventional risk factors for prediction of CVD mortality throughout the life-course is uncertain. We compared the 10-year risks and lifetime risks of CVD mortality associated with conventional risk factors recorded in middle and old age. METHODS: The Whitehall study was a prospective study of 19,019 male London civil servants (mean age 52 years) when enrolled in 1967-1970 and followed-up for 50 years for cause-specific mortality. In 1997, 7044 (83%) survivors (mean age 77 years) were re-surveyed. The 10-year and lifetime risks of CVD mortality were estimated by levels of CVD risk factors recorded in middle-age and old-age, respectively. RESULTS: By July 2020, 97% had died (22%, 51% and 80% before age 70, 80 and 90 years, respectively) and 7944 of 17,673 deaths (45%) were from CVD. The 10-year and lifetime risks of CVD death increased linearly with higher levels of CVD risk factors recorded in middle-age and in old-age. Individuals in the top versus bottom 5% of CVD risk scores in middle age had a 10.3% (95% CI:7.2-13.4) vs 0.6% (0.1-1.2) 10-year risk of CVD mortality, a 61.4% (59.4-65.3) vs 31.3% (24.1-34.5) lifetime risk of CVD mortality and a 12-year difference in life expectancy from age 50 years. The corresponding differences using a CVD risk score in old-age were 11.0% (4.4-17.5) vs 0.8% (0.0-2.2) for 10-year risk and 42.1% (28.2-50.0) vs 30.3% (6.0-38.0) for lifetime risk of CVD mortality and a 6-year difference in life expectancy from age 70 years. CONCLUSIONS: Conventional risk factors remained highly predictive of CVD mortality and life expectancy through the life-course. The findings highlight the relevance of estimation of both lifetime risks of CVD and 10-year risks of CVD for primary prevention of CVD.

Occupational exposure to particulate matter and staff sickness absence on the London underground.

The London Underground (LU) employs over 19,000 staff, some of whom are exposed to elevated concentrations of particulate matter (PM) within the network. This study quantified the occupational exposure of LU staff to subway PM and investigated the possible association with sickness absence (SA). A job exposure matrix to quantify subway PM2.5 staff exposure was developed by undertaking measurement campaigns across the LU network. The association between exposure and SA was evaluated using zero-inflated mixed-effects negative binomial models. Staff PM2.5 exposure varied by job grade and tasks undertaken. Drivers had the highest exposure over a work shift (mean: 261 µg/m3), but concentrations varied significantly by LU line and time the train spent subway. Office staff work in office buildings separate to the LU network and are unexposed to occupational subway PM2.5. They were found to have lower rates of all-cause and respiratory infection SA compared to non-office staff, those who work across the LU network and are occupational exposed to subway PM2.5. Train drivers on five out of eight lines showed higher rates of all-cause SA, but no dose-response relationship was seen. Only drivers from one line showed higher rates of SAs from respiratory infections (incidence rate ratio: 1.24, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.39). Lower-grade customer service (CS) staff showed higher rates of all-cause and respiratory infection SA compared to higher grade CS staff. Doctor-certified chronic respiratory and cardiovascular SAs were associated with occupational PM2.5 exposure in CS staff and drivers. While some groups with higher occupational exposure to subway PM reported higher rates of SA, no evidence suggests that subway PM is the main contributing factor to SA. This is the largest subway study on health effects of occupational PM2.5 exposure and may have wider implications for subway workers, contributing to safer working environments.

Changes in diet and physical activity following a community-wide pilot intervention to tackle childhood obesity in a deprived inner-London ward.

BACKGROUND: Local authorities in England have an important role in shaping healthy local environments contributing to childhood obesity. This study examined changes in diet and physical activity in primary school children following a three-year, complex, community-based intervention in Golborne ward, the second most deprived ward in London. METHODS: The Go-Golborne intervention aimed to shape the local environment across multiple settings with the engagement of a large number of local government and community stakeholders in a joint approach. Activities focused on six co-created themes to make changes to local environments and reduce sugary snacks and beverage consumption, increase fruit and vegetable intake, promote healthy snacks, increase active play and travel, and reduce screen time. We analysed changes in self-reported diet and physical activity, collected annually between 2016 and 2019, from 1,650 children aged 6-11 years through six local schools, who all received the intervention. We used multilevel, linear and logistic random-slope regression models adjusted for time on study, baseline age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation quintile, school, and baseline weight status. RESULTS: After three years of follow-up, there were reductions in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption (adjusted beta -0·43 occasions/day, 95% CI -0·55 to -0·32), fruit and vegetable consumption (adjusted beta -0.22 portions, 95% CI -0.44 to 0.001) and car travel to and from school (adjusted OR 0·19, 95% CI 0·06 to 0·66), while screen time increased (high versus moderate/low: OR 2·30, 95% CI 1·36 to 3·90). For other behavioural outcomes, there was no statistically significant evidence of changes. CONCLUSION: Local authorities have substantial powers to make positive changes to the obesogenic environment but programmes remain under-evaluated. Results from the ambitious Go-Golborne intervention demonstrated mixed results in health behaviours following programme implementation. These results underline the importance of a coordinated and comprehensive policy response to support changes in wider environmental and social conditions as well as appropriate and holistic evaluations of initiatives to inform local actions on obesogenic environments.

Impact of inconsistent ethnicity recordings on estimates of inequality in child health and education data: a data linkage study of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in South London.

OBJECTIVES: Ethnicity data are critical for identifying inequalities, but previous studies suggest that ethnicity is not consistently recorded between different administrative datasets. With researchers increasingly leveraging cross-domain data linkages, we investigated the completeness and consistency of ethnicity data in two linked health and education datasets. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust deidentified electronic health records, accessed via Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) and the National Pupil Database (NPD) (2007-2013). PARTICIPANTS: N=30 426 children and adolescents referred to local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Ethnicity data were compared between CRIS and the NPD. Associations between ethnicity as recorded from each source and key educational and clinical outcomes were explored with risk ratios. RESULTS: Ethnicity data were available for 79.3% from the NPD, 87.0% from CRIS, 97.3% from either source and 69.0% from both sources. Among those who had ethnicity data from both, the two data sources agreed on 87.0% of aggregate ethnicity categorisations overall, but with high levels of disagreement in Mixed and Other ethnic groups. Strengths of associations between ethnicity, educational attainment and neurodevelopmental disorder varied according to which data source was used to code ethnicity. For example, as compared with White pupils, a significantly higher proportion of Asian pupils achieved expected educational attainment thresholds only if ethnicity was coded from the NPD (RR=1.46, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.64), not if ethnicity was coded from CRIS (RR=1.11, 0.98 to 1.26). CONCLUSIONS: Data linkage has the potential to minimise missing ethnicity data, and overlap in ethnicity categorisations between CRIS and the NPD was generally high. However, choosing which data source to primarily code ethnicity from can have implications for analyses of ethnicity, mental health and educational outcomes. Users of linked data should exercise caution in combining and comparing ethnicity between different data sources.

Using online search activity for earlier detection of gynaecological malignancy.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal and endometrial cancer the most common gynaecological cancer in the UK, yet neither have a screening program in place to facilitate early disease detection. The aim is to evaluate whether online search data can be used to differentiate between individuals with malignant and benign gynaecological diagnoses. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study evaluating online search data in symptomatic individuals (Google user) referred from primary care (GP) with a suspected cancer to a London Hospital (UK) between December 2020 and June 2022. Informed written consent was obtained and online search data was extracted via Google takeout and anonymised. A health filter was applied to extract health-related terms for 24 months prior to GP referral. A predictive model (outcome: malignancy) was developed using (1) search queries (terms model) and (2) categorised search queries (categories model). Area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to evaluate model performance. 844 women were approached, 652 were eligible to participate and 392 were recruited. Of those recruited, 108 did not complete enrollment, 12 withdrew and 37 were excluded as they did not track Google searches or had an empty search history, leaving a cohort of 235. RESULTS: The cohort had a median age of 53 years old (range 20-81) and a malignancy rate of 26.0%. There was a difference in online search data between those with a benign and malignant diagnosis, noted as early as 360 days in advance of GP referral, when search queries were used directly, but only 60 days in advance, when queries were divided into health categories. A model using online search data from patients (n = 153) who performed health-related search and corrected for sample size, achieved its highest sample-corrected AUC of 0.82, 60 days prior to GP referral. CONCLUSIONS: Online search data appears to be different between individuals with malignant and benign gynaecological conditions, with a signal observed in advance of GP referral date. Online search data needs to be evaluated in a larger dataset to determine its value as an early disease detection tool and whether its use leads to improved clinical outcomes.

Contribution of Cold Versus Climate Change to Mortality in London, UK, 1976-2019.

Objectives. To quantify past reductions in cold-related mortality attributable to anthropogenic climate change. Methods. We performed a daily time-series regression analysis employing distributed lag nonlinear models of 1 203 981 deaths in Greater London, United Kingdom, in winter months (November-March) during 1976 to 2019. We made attribution assessment by comparing differential cold-related mortality impacts associated with observed temperatures to those using counterfactual temperatures representing no climate change. Results. Over the past decade, the average number of cold days (below 8 °C) per year was 120 in the observed series and 158 in the counterfactual series. Since 1976, we estimate 447 (95% confidence interval = 330, 559) annual cold-related all-cause deaths have been avoided because of milder temperatures associated with climate change. Annually, 241 cardiovascular and 73 respiratory disease deaths have been avoided. Conclusions. Anthropogenic climate change made some contribution to reducing previous cold-related deaths in London; however, cold remains an important public health risk factor. Public Health Implications. Better adaptation to both heat and cold should be promoted in public health measures to protect against climate change. In England, this has been addressed by the development of a new year-round Adverse Weather and Health Plan. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(4):398-402. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307552).

Predictors of unplanned emergency hospital admissions among patients aged 65+ with multimorbidity and depression in Northwest London during and after the Covid-19 lockdown in England.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with multimorbidity have an increased likelihood of using unplanned secondary care including emergency department visits and emergency hospitalisations. Those with mental health comorbidities are affected to a greater extent. The Covid-19 pandemic has negatively impacted on psychosocial wellbeing and multimorbidity care, especially among vulnerable older individuals. AIM: To examine the risk of unplanned hospital admissions among patients aged 65+ with multimorbidity and depression in Northwest London, England, during- and post-Covid-19 lockdown. METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional data analysis with the Discover-NOW database for Northwest London was conducted. The overall sample consisted of 20,165 registered patients aged 65+ with depression. Two time periods were compared to observe the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on emergency hospital admissions between 23rd March 2020 to 21st June 2021 (period 1) and equivalent-length post-lockdown period from 22nd June 2021 to 19th September 2022 (period 2). Multivariate logistic regression was conducted on having at least one emergency hospital admission in each period against sociodemographic and multimorbidity-related characteristics. RESULTS: The odds of having an emergency hospitalisation were greater in men than women (OR = 1.19 (lockdown); OR = 1.29 (post-lockdown)), and significantly increased with age, higher deprivation, and greater number of comorbidities in both periods across the majority of categories. There was an inconclusive pattern with ethnicity; with a statistically significant protective effect among Asian (OR = 0.66) and Black ethnicities (OR = 0.67) compared to White patients during post-lockdown period only. CONCLUSION: The likelihood of unplanned hospitalisation was higher in men than women, and significantly increased with age, higher deprivation, and comorbidities. Despite modest increases in magnitude of risk between lockdown and post-lockdown periods, there is evidence to support proactive case-review by multi-disciplinary teams to avoid unplanned admissions, particularly men with multimorbidity and comorbid depression, patients with higher number of comorbidities and greater deprivation. Further work is needed to determine admission reasons, multimorbidity patterns, and other clinical and lifestyle predictors.

Diagnosis and management of tuberculosis infection in inclusion health populations in London.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis in the UK is more prevalent in people with social risk factors- e.g. previous incarceration, homelessness - and in migrants from TB endemic countries. The management of TB infection is part of TB elimination strategies, but is challenging to provide to socially excluded groups and the evidence base for effective interventions is small. METHODS: We evaluated a TB infection screening and treatment programme provided by a peer-led service (Find&Treat) working in inclusion health settings (e.g. homeless hostels) in London. IGRA (interferon-gamma release assay) testing and TB infection treatment were offered to eligible adults using a community-based model. The primary outcome was successful progression through the cascade of care. We also evaluated socio-demographic characteristics associated with a positive IGRA. RESULTS: 42/312 (13.5%) participants had a positive IGRA and no one had evidence of active TB. 35/42 completed a medical evaluation; 22 started treatment, and 17 completed treatment. Having a positive IGRA was associated with previous incarceration and being born outside of the UK. DISCUSSION: Provision of TB infection diagnosis and management to this socially excluded population has several challenges including maintaining people in care and drug-drug interactions. Peer-support workers provided this service safely and effectively with appropriate support. Further work to generate data to inform risks and benefits of treatment for TB infection in this group is needed to facilitate joint decision making.

Re-evaluating John Snow's 1856 south London study.

John Snow, the London doctor who studied cholera in the 1840s and 1850s, argued in Snow (1856) that water exerted an "overwhelming influence" on mortality in a region of south London during the 1854 outbreak. In a paper re-assessing Snow's analysis, Koch and Denike (2006) claim that "Snow made not merely minor arithmetic errors but more importantly critical, conceptual mistakes that adversely affected his results." The claim of errors and mistakes is incorrect and due to a misreading or misunderstanding of Snow's data and analysis. Koch and Denike apply an inappropriate statistical test to Snow's original data (and do so incorrectly). More importantly, due to the misreading of the historical record they alter the underlying primary-source data, rendering their results invalid. Analysis of the data following Snow's approach but with modern statistical tools strongly supports Snow's claim for the primacy of water in accounting for variation in cholera mortality.

Psychosis prevalence in London neighbourhoods; A case study in spatial confounding.

Analysis of impacts of neighbourhood risk factors on mental health outcomes frequently adopts a disease mapping approach, with unknown neighbourhood influences summarised by random effects. However, such effects may show confounding with observed predictors, especially when such predictors have a clear spatial pattern. Here, the standard disease mapping model is compared to methods which account and adjust for spatial confounding in an analysis of psychosis prevalence in London neighbourhoods. Established area risk factors such as area deprivation, non-white ethnicity, greenspace access and social fragmentation are considered as influences on psychosis. The results show evidence of spatial confounding in the standard disease mapping model. Impacts expected on substantive grounds and available evidence are either nullified or reversed in direction. It is argued that the potential for spatial confounding to affect inferences about geographic disease patterns and risk factors should be routinely considered in ecological studies of health based on disease mapping.

Improving our understanding of the social determinants of mental health: a data linkage study of mental health records and the 2011 UK census.

OBJECTIVES: To address the lack of individual-level socioeconomic information in electronic healthcare records, we linked the 2011 census of England and Wales to patient records from a large mental healthcare provider. This paper describes the linkage process and methods for mitigating bias due to non-matching. SETTING: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), a mental healthcare provider in Southeast London. DESIGN: Clinical records from SLaM were supplied to the Office of National Statistics for linkage to the census through a deterministic matching algorithm. We examined clinical (International Classification of Disease-10 diagnosis, history of hospitalisation, frequency of service contact) and socio-demographic (age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation) information recorded in Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) as predictors of linkage success with the 2011 census. To assess and adjust for potential biases caused by non-matching, we evaluated inverse probability weighting for mortality associations. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals of all ages in contact with SLaM up until December 2019 (N=459 374). OUTCOME MEASURES: Likelihood of mental health records' linkage to census. RESULTS: 220 864 (50.4%) records from CRIS linked to the 2011 census. Young adults (prevalence ratio (PR) 0.80, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.81), individuals living in more deprived areas (PR 0.78, 95% CI 0.78 to 0.79) and minority ethnic groups (eg, Black African, PR 0.67, 0.66 to 0.68) were less likely to match to census. After implementing inverse probability weighting, we observed little change in the strength of association between clinical/demographic characteristics and mortality (eg, presence of any psychiatric disorder: unweighted PR 2.66, 95% CI 2.52 to 2.80; weighted PR 2.70, 95% CI 2.56 to 2.84). CONCLUSIONS: Lower response rates to the 2011 census among people with psychiatric disorders may have contributed to lower match rates, a potential concern as the census informs service planning and allocation of resources. Due to its size and unique characteristics, the linked data set will enable novel investigations into the relationship between socioeconomic factors and psychiatric disorders.

Seasonality of presentation and birth in catatonia.

BACKGROUND: Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with both psychiatric disorders and medical conditions. Understanding of the pathophysiology of catatonia remains limited, and the role of the environment is unclear. Although seasonal variations have been shown for many of the disorders underlying catatonia, the seasonality of this syndrome has not yet been adequately explored. METHODS: Clinical records were screened to identify a cohort of patients suffering from catatonia and a control group of psychiatric inpatients, from 2007 to 2016 in South London. In a cohort study, the seasonality of presentation was explored fitting regression models with harmonic terms, while the effect of season of birth on subsequent development of catatonia was analyzed using regression models for count data. In a case-control study, the association between month of birth and catatonia was studied fitting logistic regression models. RESULTS: In total, 955 patients suffering from catatonia and 23,409 controls were included. The number of catatonic episodes increased during winter, with a peak in February. Similarly, an increasing number of cases was observed during summer, with a second peak in August. However, no evidence for an association between month of birth and catatonia was found. CONCLUSIONS: The presentation of catatonia showed seasonal variation in accordance with patterns described for many of the disorders underlying catatonia, such as mood disorders and infections. We found no evidence for an association between season of birth and risk of developing catatonia. This may imply that recent triggers may underpin catatonia, rather than distal events.

Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on glaucoma appointment scheduling in a tertiary hospital in London, UK.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of the delay in patient appointments caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the triage system on the glaucomatous disease of patients in a London tertiary hospital. METHODS: Observational retrospective study that randomly selected 200 glaucoma patients with more than 3 months of unintended delay for their post-COVID visit and other inclusion and exclusion criteria. Demographic information, clinical data, number of drugs, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), visual field (VF) mean deviation (MD), and global peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) thickness were obtained from the pre- and post-COVID visit. At the post-COVID visit, the clinical outcomes subjective clinical concern and change of treatment or need for surgery were also annotated. The variables were stratified by glaucoma severity (according to the MD into early, moderate and advanced) and by delay time (more and less than 12 months) and analysed using SPSS. RESULTS: We included 121 eyes (from 71 patients). The median patient age was 74 years (interquartile range -IQR- 15), 54% were males and 52% Caucasians. Different glaucoma types and all glaucoma severities were included. When data was stratified for glaucoma severity, at the pre-COVID visit, significant differences in BCVA, CCT and IOP were observed and there were significantly higher values in the early glaucoma group. The median follow-up delay was 11 months (IQR 8), did not differ between the glaucoma severity groups and did not correlate to the glaucoma severity. At the post-COVID visit, significant differences in BCVA, IOP, and Global pRNFL thickness were observed between the glaucoma severity groups, as lower BCVA and higher IOP and pRNFL thickness were observed in the early glaucoma group. At the post-COVID visit there was cause for concern in 40 eyes: 5 were followed more closely, 22 had a change of treatment and 13 were booked for surgery (3 for cataract and 10 for glaucoma surgery). However, the number of eyes with causes for concern were similar between the glaucoma severity groups and there was no correlation between these clinical outcomes and the delay of the post-COVID visit. The number of topical hypotensive medications increased significantly after the post-COVID visit, higher number of medications were observed in the advanced glaucoma group. When differences of IOP, MD and pRNFL thickness between the pre and post-COVID visit, only the MD difference was significantly different between the glaucoma severity groups because it was higher in the severe group. When data was stratified for delay longer or shorter than 12 months, no differences were observed between the groups except at the pre-COVID visit, when the numbers of patients with MD deviation >-6 dB had longer delay time. When differences in IOP, MD and RNFL thickness were calculated, only the pRNFL thickness showed significant differences between the delay groups, because it was higher in the longer delay group. Finally, when paired analysis of the variables at the pre- and post-COVID visits, stratified by glaucoma severity and delay were conducted, although there were no significant differences in IOP in any group, the BCVA decreased significantly in the overall group and in the longer delay groups, the number of hypotensive drugs increased significantly overall and in the moderate and advanced glaucoma, the MD of the VF worsened significantly in the overall group and in the early glaucoma and longer delay groups and the pRNFL thickness decreased significantly in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: We document that delayed care impacts negatively on the glaucomatous disease of our patients because at the post-COVID visit there were reasons for clinical concern in a third of eyes that resulted in change of treatment or surgery. However, these clinical consequences were not related to IOP, glaucoma severity or delay time and reflect that the triage methods implemented worked adequately. The most sensitive parameter to indicate progression in our sample was the pRNFL thickness.

Validation of the East London Retinopathy of Prematurity algorithm to detect treatment-warranted retinopathy of prematurity: a cohort study.

AIM: To validate the East London Retinopathy of Prematurity algorithm (EL-ROP) in a cohort of infants at risk of developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS: The EL-ROP algorithm was applied retrospectively to routinely collected data from two tertiary neonatal units in England on infants eligible for ROP screening. The EL-ROP recommendation, to screen or not, was compared with the development of treatment-warranted ROP (TW-ROP) for each infant. The main outcome measures were (1) EL-ROP's sensitivity for predicting the future development of TW-ROP and (2) potential to reduce ROP screening examinations. RESULTS: Data from 568 infants were included in the trial. The median (IQR) birth weight (g) was 875 (704 - 1103) and gestational age (weeks) was 27.0 (25.4 - 29.0). Maternal ethnicity was black (33%) and non-black (67%). 58(10%) developed TW-ROP and in every case this was predicted by the EL-ROP algorithm. It's sensitivity was 100% (95% CI 94-100%) specificity: 44% (95% CI 39-48%) positive predictive value: 17% (95%CI 16-18%), negative predictive value: 100%. CONCLUSIONS: EL-ROP has been validated in a cohort of infants from two tertiary neonatal units in England. Further validation is required before its clinical usefulness can be assessed.

A decade of Campylobacter and Campylobacter bacteraemias in a district general hospital and the surrounding London and South East region, England.

BACKGROUND: Campylobacter bacteraemia is a rare complication of the most common bacterial gastrointestinal infection but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There is limited data describing current trends in surveillance and antimicrobial resistance for the Campylobacter strains involved. At the Epsom and St Helier's University Hospital (ESTH), we noted a marked increase in Campylobacter bacteraemia infections in 2021. METHODS: We extracted Campylobacter reports using the UK Health Security Agency's (UKHSA) Second Generation Surveillance System (laboratory reporting system) between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2021. We reviewed patient records of patients with Campylobacter bacteraemia for details including presentation, past medical history, duration of hospital stay, and antibiotic use. RESULTS: Between 2012 and 2021, ESTH reported a total of 34 cases of Campylobacter bacteraemia. In 2021, the estimated incidence was 6.8 cases per 100,000 population and in the surrounding area, the incidence was 0.4 per 100,000 population. The incidence rate of Campylobacter bacteraemia in London and the South East region was significantly lower than ESTH (RR = 0.17, p < 0.0001). Campylobacter bacteraemia cases at ESTH reported a high number of co-morbidities (average number of comorbidities = 2.3) and had a duration of stay in hospital of a median of 7 days (IQR = 4-10 days). Campylobacter jejuni was the most commonly reported species for stool and blood Campylobacter in ESTH, London, and South East England. CONCLUSION: Campylobacter bacteraemia reports at ESTH were significantly (p < 0.001) higher than the surrounding London and South East region. While no common cause for the exceedance of Campylobacter bacteraemia has been identified, common risk factors for Campylobacter bacteraemia infection include underlying health conditions, being older, and male.

A recent surge of nitrous oxide misuse around London which merits a public health warning.

BACKGROUND: Use of nitrous oxide (N2O) gas for recreational purposes by young people is increasingly recognized as a public health hazard in the UK. METHODS: We looked at the hospital records of patients admitted over the last 4 years to a single neurological centre in Essex to determine the demographics, presentation, and management of patients presenting with symptoms of N2O toxicity from its recreational use. RESULTS: Of the 17 patients (mean age = 22.9 ± 3 years) admitted between September 2018 and October 2022, 70% were admitted between January and October 2022. All patients reported limb paraesthesiae and 16/17 reported (95%) imbalance; 11/17 (65%) showed objective limb weakness. Serum B12 concentration was low in 9/17 (53%). Plasma methylmalonic acid (n = 7) and homocysteine (n = 8) levels were elevated in all patients tested. Spinal cord Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) imaging was abnormal in 10/17 (59%) patients. Nerve conduction studies were abnormal in 10/13 (77%) patients, with evidence of a symmetric, length-dependent, large fibre neuropathy. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a recent surge of cases with neurological complications of recreational N2O abuse in the UK, with a relatively greater rate in 2022. Greater awareness of this condition amongst clinicians and health regulators is urgently required to prevent harm from N2O misuse in young people.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening, linkage and retention-in-care in inclusion health populations: Evaluation of an outreach screening programme in London.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated a hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening programme, delivered by a specialist pan-London multidisciplinary outreach team, to understand population characteristics and care cascade among people who experience extreme social exclusion (Inclusion Health (IH) groups). METHODS: Point-of-care HBV screening was performed in temporary accommodation for people experiencing homelessness (PEH) and people seeking asylum (initial accommodation centres, IACs) via a mobile unit staffed by peers with lived experience, nurses, and doctors. We analysed demographics and HBV characteristics of adults screened between May 2020 and January 2022. We ascertained linkage-to-care (LTC), retention-in-care (RIC) and loss-to-follow-up (LTFU). People LTFU were contacted by peers to re-engage in care. RESULTS: 2473 people were screened: 809 in IACs, 1664 in other temporary accommodation. Overall hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) prevalence was 1.7% (43/2473), highest in IACs (3.5%, 28/809). LTC within 3 months was 56% (24/43) and RIC, 87% (26/30). LTC was higher when referred to a local IH-specialist hepatitis service, compared to other services (77%, 17/22 vs 33%, 7/21; p = 0.006). LTFU was 30% (13/43), reduced to 21% (9/43) after intervention by peers. CONCLUSION: Our findings support outreach screening among IH populations and peer-supported linkage to IH-specialist hepatitis services. We recommend increased HBV testing and HBV-specific IH specialist services.