Recomendaciones ALAT para el uso de vacunas respiratorias. Guía de práctica clínica basada en evidencias / ALAT Recommendations for the Use of Respiratory VaccinesEvidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline

Introducción: Las infecciones respiratorias son las enfermedades respiratorias con mayor mortalidad en el mundo. Las causadas por Streptococcus pneumoniae, virus de influenza, Bordetella pertussis, SARS-CoV-2 y el Virus Sincitial Respiratorio, cuentan hoy día con vacunas seguras y efectivas. Este documento representa una guía de práctica clínica (GPC) de la Asociación Latinoamericana de Tórax (ALAT), elaborada por iniciativa de los departamentos de enfermedades infecciosas y pediatría, con el objetivo de establecer recomendaciones sobre vacunas respiratorias, utilizando la evidencia disponible. Método: Se estableció un grupo de desarrollo de las guías conformado por cinco médicos responsables globales del proyecto, se crearon cinco subgrupos de trabajo, uno por cada vacuna, con expertos neumólogos de adulto, pediatras e infectólogos invitados, que generaron preguntas clínicas. Se trabajó con un grupo de expertos metodólogos que transformaron preguntas clínicas en preguntas PICO, seleccionándose nueve preguntas por método DELPHI. Luego, se utilizó el sistema GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) para evaluar la evidencia disponible. Resultados: Se obtuvieron recomendaciones para población adulta y pediátrica de las vacunas de neumococo, influenza, tos ferina, COVID-19 y Virus Respiratorio Sincitial basadas en preguntas PICO. También se agregaron recomendaciones basadas en preguntas narrativas relacionadas al uso de vacunas respiratorias en población con enfermedades respiratorias crónicas como asma, EPOC y fibrosis pulmonar.

Introduction: Respiratory infections are the leading cause of respiratory disease-related mortality worldwide. Infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, influenza virus, Bordetella pertussis, SARS-CoV-2 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) now have safe and effective vaccines available.This document represents a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) by the Latin American Thoracic Association (ALAT), developed through the initiative of the departments of in-fectious diseases and pediatrics, with the goal of establishing recommendations on respiratory vaccines using the available evidence. Method: A guideline development group was established, composed of five lead physicians responsible for the overall project. Five working subgroups were created, one for each vaccine, involving invited experts in adult pulmonology, pediatrics, and infectious diseases, who formulated clinical questions. A group of expert methodologists then transformed these clinical questions into PICO questions, with nine questions selected using the DELPHI method. The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system was then used to assess the available evidence. Results: Recommendations were obtained for the adult and pediatric populations for pneumococcal, influenza, pertussis, COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccines based on PICO questions. Additionally, recommendations based on narrative questions related to the use of respiratory vaccines in populations with chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, and pulmonary fibrosis were included.

Recommendations to Improve the Influenza Immunization Rates of Respiratory Healthcare Professionals: A Survey Conducted in Puerto Rico.

OBJECTIVE: Influenza affects 5-15% of the worldwide population and is responsible for 4-5 million cases and 250,000-500,000 deaths. Despite established recommendations, vaccination rates continue to be low. Our study aimed to identify barriers to influenza immunization and attitudes toward the vaccine among respiratory health care (HC) professionals in Puerto Rico. METHODS: We conducted an anonymous written survey that was handed out to 130 HC professionals, including physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists, who attended the Annual Respiratory Disease Congress held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on August 2018. RESULTS: A total of 68 health care professionals participated in the study. Nearly 34% of participants reported never receiving influenza immunization themselves, 13% reported intermittent immunization, and 53% received immunizations yearly. Approximately 82% and 87% of the participants believed the influenza vaccine to be safe and effective, respectively. Sixty- five percent of respiratory therapists considered the vaccine effective, as compared to 94% of physicians and 100% of nurses and other HC professionals (p=0.023). Most of the participants (87%) recommended influenza immunization, although 38% of participants indicated being concerned about potential side effects of the vaccine. Knowledge of current clinical indications for influenza immunization for medical conditions varied from 59% for patients on systemic steroids to 94% for patients with diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: This survey among respiratory HC professionals in Puerto Rico demonstrated barriers in knowledge about vaccination, its indications, and its safety. Addressing these barriers provides us with opportunities to improve influenza immunizations rates among HC workers and their patients.

Severe community-acquired pneumonia in the post COVID-19 era.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim was to examine and summarize the most recent published literature in the last years stating the advances for treatment options and adjunctive therapies in patients hospitalized with severe community-acquired pneumonia (sCAP). Search was performed in PubMed, including observational studies, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and international guidelines. RECENT FINDINGS: Regardless of a large number of published CAP guidelines, most of their recommendations are based on low-level evidence.Viruses have an increasing role as sCAP etiology with an impact on mortality. Accordingly, it is imperative to strengthen the demand for vaccines and newer antivirals. Considering an early monitoring of the immune response in patients with severe Influenza, may help to evaluate a personalized immunomodulatory strategy. Despite growing evidence, the use of corticosteroids as an adjunctive therapy in bacterial sCAP continues to be controversial. SUMMARY: Mortality due to sCAP still remains undesirably high. This fact strengthens the need for more high-quality research to increase evidence. It also highlights the need for clinicians to be aware of the level of evidence of the stated recommendations, taking this into consideration before decision making.

Barriers to and facilitators of populational adherence to prevention and control measures of COVID-19 and other respiratory infectious diseases: a qualitative evidence synthesis.

AIMS: To summarise the evidence on barriers to and facilitators of population adherence to prevention and control measures for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other respiratory infectious diseases. METHODS: A qualitative synthesis was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care: Qualitative Evidence Synthesis. We performed an electronic search on MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO from their inception to March 2023. RESULTS: We included 71 studies regarding COVID-19, pneumonia, tuberculosis, influenza, pertussis and H1N1, representing 5966 participants. The measures reported were vaccinations, physical distancing, stay-at-home policy, quarantine, self-isolation, facemasks, hand hygiene, contact investigation, lockdown, infection prevention and control guidelines, and treatment. Tuberculosis-related measures were access to care, diagnosis and treatment completion. Analysis of the included studies yielded 37 barriers and 23 facilitators. CONCLUSIONS: This review suggests that financial and social support, assertive communication, trust in political authorities and greater regulation of social media enhance adherence to prevention and control measures for COVID-19 and infectious respiratory diseases. Designing and implementing effective educational public health interventions targeting the findings of barriers and facilitators highlighted in this review are key to reducing the impact of infectious respiratory diseases at the population level.

Economic burden of respiratory syncytial and parainfluenza viruses in children of upper-middle-income countries: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and assess the current evidence available about the costs of managing hospitalized pediatric patients diagnosed with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 (PIV3) in upper-middle-income countries. METHODS: The authors conducted a systematic review across seven key databases from database inception to July 2022. Costs extracted were converted into 2022 International Dollars using the Purchasing Power Parity-adjusted. PROSPERO identifier: CRD42020225757. RESULTS: No eligible study for PIV3 was recovered. For RSV, cost analysis and COI studies were performed for populations in Colombia, China, Malaysia, and Mexico. Comparing the total economic impact, the lowest cost per patient at the pediatric ward was observed in Malaysia ($ 347.60), while the highest was in Colombia ($ 709.66). On the other hand, at pediatric ICU, the lowest cost was observed in China ($ 1068.26), while the highest was in Mexico ($ 3815.56). Although there is no consensus on the major cost driver, all included studies described that the medications (treatment) consumed over 30% of the total cost. A high rate of inappropriate prescription drugs was observed. CONCLUSION: The present study highlighted how RSV infection represents a substantial economic burden to health care systems and to society. The findings of the included studies suggest a possible association between baseline risk status and expenditures. Moreover, it was observed that an important amount of the cost is destinated to treatments that have no evidence or support in most clinical practice guidelines.

Accelerating guideline dissemination in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A patient-centered randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Nursing homes were ill-equipped for the pandemic; though facilities are required to have infection control staff, only 3% have taken a basic infection control course. Little is known about the implementation of effective practices outside of the acute care setting. We proposed an intervention utilizing Project ECHO, to connect Penn State University experts with nursing home staff and administrators to explore how infection control guidelines can be implemented effectively. METHODS: A stratified cluster randomized design was used to assign nursing homes to either AHRQ-funded COVID-19 ECHO or AHRQ-funded COVID-19 ECHO+. RESULTS: 136 nursing homes participated. There were no significant differences in COVID-19 infection rate, hospitalization, deaths, or influenza, between ECHO or ECHO+. DISCUSSION: The ECHO model has significant strengths when compared to traditional training, as it allows for remote learning delivered by a multidisciplinary team of experts and utilizes case discussions that match the context of nursing homes.

Guidelines on epidemics in Mexico. Historical perspective.

A perspective of epidemics and pandemics in Mexico is offered, focusing on three time periods, namely, end of the 18th century, the 20th century, and the 21st century, in order to analyze how they were approached by health and government authorities, as well as the challenges they have represented. Historical documentary sources were consulted and, in current cases, participation in them was analyzed. Epidemiological and social historical methodologies were combined. The presence of epidemics in Mexico is a constant on its evolution, which highlights the need for the epidemiological surveillance system to be updated, the importance of being prepared to face an epidemic and to develop a contingency plan.

Se ofrece una perspectiva de las epidemias y pandemias en México en tres periodos: fines del siglo XVIII y siglos XX y XXI, con el fin de analizar cómo las autoridades sanitarias y gubernamentales abordaron estos problemas, así como los desafíos que han representado. Se consultaron fuentes históricas documentales y, en los casos actuales, la participación en ellos. Se combinó metodología epidemiológica e histórica social. La presencia de las epidemias en México es una constante, lo cual evidencia la necesidad de actualizar el sistema de vigilancia epidemiológica, de estar preparados para enfrentar una epidemia y de elaborar un plan de contingencia.

Adult immunization practices, challenges and opportunities in Central America and the Caribbean: Advisory board proceedings.

As individuals age, they become increasingly prone to infectious diseases, many of which are vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Adult immunization has become a public health priority in the modern era, yet VPDs vaccination rates for adults are low worldwide. In Central America and Caribbean, national recommendations and vaccination practices in adults differ across countries, and adult vaccination coverage data are limited. An advisory board comprised infectious disease experts, pulmonologists, geriatricians, occupational health, and public health professionals for Central America and Dominican Republic was convened to: a) describe adult immunization practices in these countries; b) discuss challenges and barriers to adult vaccination; and c) find strategies to increase awareness about VPDs. The advisory board discussions reflect that national immunization guidelines typically do not include routine vaccine recommendations for all adults, but rather focus on those with risk factors. This is the case for influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B immunizations. Overall, knowledge lacks about the VPD burden among health-care professionals and the general public. Even more, there is insufficient information on vaccinology for students in medical schools. Actions from the responsible authorities - medical schools and scientific societies which can advocate for vaccination and a better knowledge in vaccinology - can help address these issues. A preventive medicine culture in the workplace may contribute to the advancement of public opinion on vaccination. Promoting vaccine education and research could be facilitated via working groups formed by disease experts, public and private sectors, and supranational authorities, in an ethical and transparent manner.

Knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and COVID-19 hesitancy in a large public university in Mexico city during the early vaccination rollout.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination against COVID-19 is a primary tool for controlling the pandemic. However, the spread of vaccine hesitancy constitutes a significant threat to reverse progress in preventing the disease. Studies conducted in Mexico have revealed that vaccination intention in Mexico among the general population ranges from 62 to 82%. OBJECTIVE: To know the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and associated factors among academics, students, and administrative personnel of a public university in Mexico City. METHODS: We administered an online survey investigating sociodemographic aspects, knowledge, attitudes, practices, and acceptance/hesitancy regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Using generalized linear Poisson models, we analyzed factors associated with vaccine hesitancy, defined as not intending to be vaccinated within the following six months or refusing vaccination. RESULTS: During May and June 2021, we studied 840 people, prevalence of vaccine hesitancy was 6%. Hesitancy was significantly associated with fear of adverse effects, distrust of physician's recommendations, lack of knowledge regarding handwashing, age younger than 40 years, refusal to use face masks, and not having received influenza vaccination during the two previous seasons. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccine hesitancy in this population is low. Furthermore, our results allowed us the identification of characteristics that can improve vaccine promotion.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding seasonal influenza vaccination during pregnancy in Costa Rica: A mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Influenza increases stillbirth risk, morbidity and mortality in pregnant women. Vaccination protects pregnant women against severe disease and indirectly protects their infants, but coverage among pregnant women remains low worldwide. We aimed to describe knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding seasonal influenza vaccination among postpartum women and prenatal care physicians in Costa Rica. METHODS: We conducted cross-sectional KAP surveys to women one to three days after childbirth at Costa Rican Social Security Fund maternity hospitals, and obstetricians and general practitioners who provided prenatal care in 2017. Principal components analysis, multiple imputation, and logistic regression were used to examine associations between influenza vaccination and demographics, prenatal care, and sources of information-separately for postpartum women and physicians. We also held two focus groups of six healthcare workers each to further describe vaccination KAP. RESULTS: We surveyed 642 postpartum women and 146 physicians in maternity hospitals in five Costa Rican provinces of whom 85.5 % (95 % CI: 82.6 %-88.0 %) and 57.9 % (95 % CI: 49.6 %-65.7 %) were vaccinated for influenza, respectively. Factors associated with influenza vaccination for postpartum women included tetanus vaccination (aOR: 3.62, 95 % CI: 1.89-6.92); received vaccination recommendations from clinicians during prenatal check-ups (aOR: 3.39, 95 % CI: 2.06-5.59); had other children in household vaccinated for influenza (aOR: 2.25, 95 % CI: 1.08-4.68); and secondary/university education (aOR: 0.15-0.31) with no formal education as reference. For postpartum women, reasons for vaccination were perceived benefits for mother and infant, whereas not being offered vaccines was most cited for non-vaccination. Most prenatal care physicians recommended influenza vaccines during prenatal check-ups but believed vaccination causes flu-like symptoms. CONCLUSION: Vaccination campaigns and provisions of free vaccines effectively increased knowledge and coverage among women in Costa Rica. To improve access, women should be offered vaccines during prenatal care appointments. Educating healthcare workers about vaccine benefits for themselves and patients is needed to mitigate safety concerns.

Role of Genetic Polymorphism Present in Macrophage Activation Syndrome Pathway in Post Mortem Biopsies of Patients with COVID-19.

COVID-19 is a viral disease associated with an intense inflammatory response. Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS), the complication present in secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH), shares many clinical aspects observed in COVID-19 patients, and investigating the cytolytic function of the responsible cells for the first line of the immune response is important. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded lung tissue samples obtained by post mortem necropsy were accessed for three groups (COVID-19, H1N1, and CONTROL). Polymorphisms in MAS cytolytic pathway (PRF1; STX11; STXBP2; UNC13D and GZMB) were selected and genotyping by TaqMan® assays (Thermo Fisher Scientific, MA, USA) using Real-Time PCR (Applied Biosystems, MA USA). Moreover, immunohistochemistry staining was performed with a monoclonal antibody against perforin, CD8+ and CD57+ proteins. Histopathological analysis showed high perforin tissue expression in the COVID-19 group; CD8+ was high in the H1N1 group and CD57+ in the CONTROL group. An association could be observed in two genes related to the cytolytic pathway (PRF1 rs885822 G/A and STXBP2 rs2303115 G/A). Furthermore, PRF1 rs350947132 was associated with increased immune tissue expression for perforin in the COVID-19 group. The genotype approach could help identify patients that are more susceptible, and for this reason, our results showed that perforin and SNPs in the PRF1 gene can be involved in this critical pathway in the context of COVID-19.

Influenza vaccination strategy in acute coronary syndromes: the VIP-ACS trial.

AIMS: To evaluate whether a strategy of double-dose influenza vaccination during hospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) compared with standard-dose outpatient vaccination (as recommended by current guidelines) would further reduce the risk of major cardiopulmonary events. METHODS AND RESULTS: Vaccination against Influenza to Prevent cardiovascular events after Acute Coronary Syndromes (VIP-ACS) was a pragmatic, randomized, multicentre, active-comparator, open-label trial with blinded outcome adjudication comparing two strategies of influenza vaccination following an ACS: double-dose quadrivalent inactivated vaccine before hospital discharge vs. standard-dose quadrivalent inactivated vaccine administered in the outpatient setting 30 days after randomization. The primary outcome was a hierarchical composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, unstable angina, hospitalization for heart failure, urgent coronary revascularization, and hospitalization for respiratory causes, analysed by the win ratio method. Patients were followed for 12 months. During two influenza seasons, 1801 participants were included at 25 centres in Brazil. The primary outcome was not different between groups, with 12.7% wins in-hospital double-dose vaccine group and 12.3% wins in the standard-dose vaccine group {win ratio: 1.02 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79-1.32], P = 0.84}. Results were consistent for the key secondary outcome, a hierarchical composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction and stroke [win ratio: 0.94 (95% CI: 0.66-1.33), P = 0.72]. Time-to-first event analysis for the primary outcome showed results similar to those of the main analysis [hazard ratio 0.97 (95% CI: 0.75-1.24), P = 0.79]. Adverse events were infrequent and did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: Among patients hospitalized with an ACS, double-dose influenza vaccination before discharge did not reduce cardiopulmonary outcomes compared with standard-dose vaccination in the outpatient setting. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT04001504.

Effect of vibration associated with cryotherapy on vaccine-related pain and anxiety levels in adults: study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination is one of the most effective strategies for prevention and eradication of immunopreventable diseases, but community acceptance of vaccination can be influenced by different factors, such as pain and anxiety. The use of high-frequency vibration associated with cryotherapy has been used to manage pain and anxiety during the vaccination process in children, but studies with adults are still scarce. This study aims to evaluate the effect of high-frequency vibration associated with cryotherapy on the levels of self-reported pain and anxiety related to administration of the Influenza vaccine intramuscularly in adults. METHODS: A two-arm, parallel, randomized clinical trial conducted in a Brazilian Primary Health Care Unit is proposed. A sample of 350 adults will be randomly assigned to participate in the control group, receiving the vaccine intramuscularly according to the standard protocol of the service, or in the intervention group, receiving the vaccine by the same route and using a portable device of high frequency vibration associated with cryotherapy for 30 s before and during administration. The primary endpoints will be self-reported levels of pain, assessed before and after vaccine administration. Secondary endpoints will be levels of anxiety, satisfaction with vaccine administration, and discomfort caused by high frequency vibration and temperature of the frozen bag in contact with the skin. Self-reported levels of pain and anxiety will be compared before and after vaccination as well as between the control and intervention groups. DISCUSSION: By evaluating the effect of high-frequency vibration associated with cryotherapy on pain and anxiety levels, we expect to find evidence that will support nursing practice, in order to promote greater comfort and safety in the vaccination process and, consequently, greater compliance by the population, by minimizing its undesirable effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Human Research Ethics Committee Opinion Number: 5.138.564. Approved on December 2, 2021. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (REBEC): Registration number RBR-5zgy25w. Registered on December 09, 2021.

Precision health diagnostic and surveillance network uses S gene target failure (SGTF) combined with sequencing technologies to track emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

INTRODUCTION: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic revealed a worldwide lack of effective molecular surveillance networks at local, state, and national levels, which are essential to identify, monitor, and limit viral community spread. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) such as Alpha and Omicron, which show increased transmissibility and immune evasion, rapidly became dominant VOCs worldwide. Our objective was to develop an evidenced-based genomic surveillance algorithm, combining reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequencing technologies to quickly identify highly contagious VOCs, before cases accumulate exponentially. METHODS: Deidentified data were obtained from 508,969 patients tested for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with the TaqPath COVID-19 RT-PCR Combo Kit (ThermoFisher) in four CLIA-certified clinical laboratories in Puerto Rico (n = 86,639) and in three CLIA-certified clinical laboratories in the United States (n = 422,330). RESULTS: TaqPath data revealed a frequency of S Gene Target Failure (SGTF) > 47% for the last week of March 2021 in both, Puerto Rico and US laboratories. The monthly frequency of SGTF in Puerto Rico steadily increased exponentially from 4% in November 2020 to 47% in March 2021. The weekly SGTF rate in US samples was high (>8%) from late December to early January and then also increased exponentially through April (48%). The exponential increase in SGFT prevalence in Puerto Rico was concurrent with a sharp increase in VOCs among all SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Puerto Rico uploaded to Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISAID) (n = 461). Alpha variant frequency increased from <1% in the last week of January 2021 to 51.5% of viral sequences from Puerto Rico collected in the last week of March 2021. CONCLUSIONS: According to the proposed evidence-based algorithm, approximately 50% of all SGTF patients should be managed with VOCs self-quarantine and contact tracing protocols, while WGS confirms their lineage in genomic surveillance laboratories. Our results suggest this workflow is useful for tracking VOCs with SGTF.

Impacto de la edad gestacional en la gravedad de la infección por Sars-CoV-2 en personas gestantes, en un hospital del conurbano bonaerense / Impact of gestational age on the severity of Sars-CoV-2 infection in pregnant people, in a hospital in the Buenos Aires surroundings

ntroducción: La información sobre la evolución de la infección por COVID-19 en personas gestantes (PG) continúa en desarrollo.Objetivos: Describir la presentación de la infección por Sars-CoV-2 en PG y determinar variables asociadas a mayor gravedad.Materiales y métodos: Estudio observacional retrospectivo. Periodo: 01/03/2020-31/07/2021. Se incluyeron PG con diagnóstico de COVID-19 asistidas en una maternidad de gestión pública: se clasificaron según gravedad y se dividieron en dos grupos: Grup o1 leve y de manejo ambulatorio; Grupo 2 moderado, severo y crítico, con internación. Se analizó la relación entre gravedad y obesidad, DBT, hipertensión inducida por el embarazo (HIE), edad gestacional, edad materna, vacunación antigripal. Recién nacidos (RN) de madres infectadas se estudiaron con PCR para Sars-CoV-2 24-48 hs postnacimiento. Análisis estadístico: Chi-cuadrado o test exacto de Fisher. Significancia= p<0,05. Aprobado porComité Ética Institucional.Resultados: 52 PG con diagnóstico de COVID-19. Edadmediana 29,6 años. Grupo 1: 29 PG (55,5%). Grupo 2: 23 PG(44%), 19 (36,5%) moderados, 2 (4%) severos y 2 (4%) críticos. No hubo fallecimientos maternos ni fetales. Edad gestacional ≥ 28 semanas fue la única variable asociada a mayor gravedad,p=0,00004. 48% de los embarazos finalizaron por cesárea.48/52 RN fueron estudiados con PCR para Sars-CoV-2, siendo 1 (2%) positivo (fue el único RN sintomático).Conclusiones: La infección por COVID-19 en PG se asoció a presentaciones clínicas más graves cuando la infecciónse cursó en el tercer trimestre de gestación y se asociócon mayor incidencia de cesáreas

ntroduction: The information concerning the impact of COVID-19 infection in pregnant people (PP) continues to be established.Aim: to describe the evolution of the Sars-CoV-2 infection in pregnant people and to determine variables associated with clinical severity.Materials and Methods: Retrospective observational study. Period: 01-03-2020 to 31-07-2021. We included PP with diagnosis of COVID-19, assisted in a public maternity hospital. The cases were classified according to clinical severity based on the NIH guidelines. The patients were divided into 2 groups: Group 1: mild (ambulatory manage-ment). Group 2: moderate, severe and critical (requiring hospitalization). The relationship between variables and clinical severity was analyzed. Variables studied: obesity, DBT, gestational hypertension, gestational age, maternal age, influenza vaccination. Newborns of infected mothers were studied with PCR for Sars-CoV-2 24 to 48 hours af-ter birth. Statistical analysis: Chi-square or Fisher's exact test, significance = p <0.05. Study approved by the Institu-tional Ethics Committee.Results: 52 PP with diagnosis of COVID-19 were includ-ed. Median age 29.6 years. 23 patients (44%) required hospitalization and 2 (4%) MRA (mechanical respiratory assistance). 29 (55.5%) were mild, 19 (36.5%) moderate, 2 (4%) severe, and 2 (4%) critical. There were no mater-nal or fetal deaths. Gestational age ≥ 28 weeks was the only variable associated with more severe clinical forms, p = 0.0001. 48% of the pregnancies ended by cesarean section. 48/52 newborns were studied with PCR for Sars-CoV-2, with only 1 (2%) being positive. This was the only symptomatic newborn.Conclusions: In our study, Sars-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy was associated with more severe clinical pre-sentations when the infection occurred in the 3rd trimes-ter of pregnancy. COVID-19 was also associated with a higher incidence of ter

Lineamientos Técnicos de la Jornada Nacional de Vacunación y Desparasitación (JNV-D) / Technical Guidelines of the National Day of Vaccination and Deworming (JNV-D)

La integración de otras intervenciones de promoción y prevención en salud, como la suplementación con vitamina A, promoción de la detección temprana del cáncer infantil en la población menor de cinco años y desparasitación de la población pre escolar. Este año se ha programado la JNV-D del 09 al 20 de mayo de 2022 en 17 Regiones Sanitaria y al 31 de mayo en las Regiones Sanitarias MDC, MSPS y Cortés, en la que el personal de la Secretaría de Salud (SESAL) y el Instituto Hondureño de Seguridad Social (IHSS) estarán movilizándose a vacunar a la población objetivo de vacunación a través de la búsqueda de la población susceptible de iniciar y completar esquema de vacunación, vacunar contra la Influenza estacional a grupos en riesgo, asegurando la protección de la población objetivo del PAI e integrar otras intervenciones de salud, así como cumplimento de las medidas de bioseguridad y el distanciamiento físico...(AU)

An Open-label Randomized Controlled Parallel-group Pilot Study Comparing the Immunogenicity of a Standard-, Double-, and Booster-dose Regimens of the 2014 Seasonal Trivalent Inactivated Influenza Vaccine in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Immunogenicity of influenza vaccine in transplant recipients is suboptimal and alternative vaccination regimens are necessary. METHODS: We compared the immunogenicity of a standard-dose trivalent inactivated influenza vaccination (SDTIIV), double-dose trivalent inactivated influenza vaccination (DDTIIV), and booster-dose trivalent inactivated influenza vaccination (BDTIIV) of the 2014 seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in kidney transplant recipients. We randomized 176 participants to SDTIIV (59), DDTIIV (59), and BDTIIV regimens (58). Antibody titers were determined by hemagglutination inhibition at enrollment and 21 d postvaccination. Seroprotection rates (SPRs), seroconversion rates (SCRs), and geometric mean ratios (GMRs) were analyzed separately for participants with low (<1:40) and high (≥1:40) prevaccination antibody titers. RESULTS: Vaccination was confirmed for 172 participants. Immunogenicity analysis was done for 149 participants who provided postvaccination blood samples. In the subgroup with high prevaccination antibody titers, all vaccination regimens induced SPR > 70% to all antigens, but SCR and GMR were below the recommendations. In the subgroup with low prevaccination antibody titers, DDTIIV and BDTIIV regimens induced adequate SCR > 40% and GMR > 2.5 for all antigens, whereas SDTIIV achieved the same outcomes only for influenza B. SPRs were >70% only after DDTIIV (A/H1N1-77.8%) and BDTIIV (A/H3N2-77.8%). BDTIIV regimen independently increased seroprotection to A/H1N1 (PR = 2.58; P = 0.021) and A/H3N2 (PR = 2.21; P = 0.004), whereas DDTIIV independently increased seroprotection to A/H1N1 (PR = 2.59; P = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that DDTIIV and BDTIIV regimens are more immunogenic than SDTIIV, indicating the need for head-to-head multicenter clinical trials to further evaluate their efficacy.

Perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines in a predominantly Hispanic patient population from the Texas-Mexico border.

BACKGROUND: Compared with nationwide averages, Hispanic individuals have experienced lower routine vaccination rates and have been disproportionately hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Few, if any, studies have examined the health beliefs surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines and adult vaccines among this population. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to (1) describe perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines in a predominantly Hispanic patient population in a federally qualified health center (FQHC) situated on the United States-Mexico border and (2) compare patient confidence in recommendations made by local clinic and government to obtain adult and COVID-19 vaccines. METHODS: A bilingual (English or Spanish) written survey was administered to participants recruited from a convenience sample of patients in waiting areas of 4 clinic sites in an FQHC system on the Texas-Mexico border between March and May 2021. Survey items were derived from the Health Belief Model and captured beliefs surrounding perceived effectiveness, perceived harms, protection from the influenza vaccine, trust in the local clinic, and trust in the government. RESULTS: A total of 58 participants aged 19-90 years, with a mean age of 57.28 years, completed the survey between March and May 2021, with 77.6% of respondents indicating they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine for themselves. Results revealed a trend among older adults in the study cohort to be more likely to trust the government in recommending vaccines than younger adults (r = 0.33, P ≤ 0.05) and a tendency toward higher vaccine acceptance among male survey participants (P = 0.026). The highest correlation that emerged was between perceived trust in local clinic provider and the perceived effectiveness of vaccines (r = 0.74, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Trends related to perceptions of adult vaccines among Hispanic patients extend to the COVID-19 vaccines: especially trust in local clinic providers. Increased age may correlate to higher trust in a government-recommended vaccine. Results highlight the importance of the pharmacist giving the patient a clear recommendation to receive vaccination and strong local clinic messaging.

Dissemination interventions to improve healthcare workers' adherence with infection prevention and control guidelines: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged health systems worldwide since 2020. At the frontline of the pandemic, healthcare workers are at high risk of exposure. Compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) should be encouraged at the frontline. This systematic review aimed to assess the effects of dissemination interventions to improve healthcare workers' adherence with IPC guidelines for respiratory infectious diseases in the workplace. METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cluster RCTs that assessed the effect of any dissemination strategy in any healthcare settings. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. We synthesized data using random-effects model meta-analysis in Stata 14.2. RESULTS: We identified 14 RCTs conducted from 2004 to 2020 with over 65,370 healthcare workers. Adherence to IPC guidelines was assessed by influenza vaccination uptake, hand hygiene compliance, and knowledge on IPC. The most assessed intervention was educational material in combined strategies (plus educational meetings, local opinion leaders, audit and feedback, reminders, tailored interventions, monitoring the performance of the delivery of health care, educational games, and/or patient-mediated interventions). Combined dissemination strategies compared to usual routine improve vaccination uptake (risk ratio [RR] 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.54 to 1.81, moderate-certainty evidence), and may improve hand hygiene compliance (RR 1.70; 95% CI 1.03 to 2.83, moderate-certainty). When compared to single strategies, combined dissemination strategies probably had no effect on vaccination uptake (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.07, low-certainty), and hand hygiene compliance (RR 1.16, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.36, low-certainty). Knowledge of healthcare workers on IPC improved when combined dissemination strategies were compared with usual activities, and the effect was uncertain in comparison to single strategy (very low-certainty evidence). CONCLUSIONS: Combined dissemination strategies increased workers' vaccination uptake, hand hygiene compliance, and knowledge on IPC in comparison to usual activities. The effect was negligible when compared to single dissemination strategies. The adoption of dissemination strategies in a planned and targeted way for healthcare workers may increase adherence to IPC guidelines and thus prevent dissemination of infectious disease in the workplace. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Protocol available at http://osf.io/aqxnp .

Oxigenação por membrana extracorpórea na insuficiência respiratória em crianças: os anos antes e depois da pandemia de H1N1 de 2009 / Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for respiratory failure in children: the years before and after the 2009 H1N1 pandemic

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto no número de casos de oxigenação por membrana extracorpórea e as taxas de sobrevivência nos anos seguintes à pandemia de H1N1 de 2009. Métodos: Avaliaram-se dois períodos distintos de utilização de oxigenação por membrana extracorpórea como suporte para insuficiência respiratória em crianças, por meio da análise de conjuntos de dados da Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. Foram construídos modelos autorregressivos integrados de médias móveis para estimar os efeitos da pandemia. O ano de 2009 foi o ano de intervenção (epidemia de H1N1) em um modelo de séries temporais interrompidas. Os dados colhidos entre 2001 e 2010 foram considerados pré-intervenção e os obtidos entre 2010 e 2017 como pós-intervenção. Resultados: Em comparação com o período entre 2001 e 2010, o período entre 2010 e 2017 mostrou aumento das taxas de sobrevivência (p < 0,0001), com melhora significante da sobrevivência quando se realizou oxigenação por membrana extracorpórea nos casos de insuficiência aguda por pneumonia viral. Antes do ponto de nível de efeito (2009), o modelo autorregressivo integrado de médias móveis mostrou aumento de 23 casos de oxigenação por membrana extracorpórea ao ano. Em termos de sobrevivência, a curva mostra que não houve aumento significante das taxas de sobrevivência antes de 2009 (p = 0,41), porém o nível de efeito foi próximo à significância após 2 anos (p = 0,05), com aumento de 6% na sobrevivência. Em 4 anos, ocorreu aumento de 8% (p = 0,03) na sobrevivência, e, 6 anos após 2009, a sobrevivência mostrou aumento de até 10% (p = 0,026). Conclusão: Nos anos após 2009, ocorreu significante e progressivo aumento global das taxas de sobrevivência com oxigenação por membrana extracorpórea para todos os casos, principalmente em razão de melhoras tecnológicas e dos protocolos de tratamento para insuficiência respiratória aguda relacionada à pneumonia viral e a outras condições respiratórias.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate whether there was any impact on the number of pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation runs and survival rates in the years subsequent to the 2009 pandemic. Methods: We studied two different periods of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for respiratory failure in children by analyzing datasets from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. Autoregressive integrated moving average models were constructed to estimate the effect of the pandemic. The year 2009 was the year of intervention (the H1N1 epidemic) in an interrupted time series model. Data collected from 2001 - 2010 were considered preintervention, and data collected from 2010 - 2017 were considered postintervention. Results: There was an increase in survival rates in the period 2010 - 2017 compared to 2001 - 2010 (p < 0.0001), with a significant improvement in survival when extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was performed for acute respiratory failure due to viral pneumonia. The autoregressive integrated moving average model shows an increase of 23 extracorporeal membrane oxygenation runs per year, prior to the point of the level effect (2009). In terms of survival, the preslope shows that there was no significant increase in survival rates before 2009 (p = 0.41), but the level effect was nearly significant after two years (p = 0.05), with a 6% increase in survival. In four years, there was an 8% (p = 0.03) increase in survival, and six years after 2009, there was up to a 10% (p = 0.026) increase in survival. Conclusion: In the years following 2009, there was a significant, global incremental increase in the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation survival rates for all runs, mainly due to improvements in the technology and treatment protocols for acute respiratory failure related to viral pneumonia and other respiratory conditions.