scholarly journals Sex and gender differences in testing, hospital admission, clinical presentation, and drivers of severe outcomes from COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen P Scully ◽  
Grant Schumock ◽  
Martina Fu ◽  
Guido Massaccesi ◽  
John Muschelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Inflammatory Markers ◽  
Inflammatory Marker ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Cohort Analysis ◽  
Sex And Gender ◽  
Sex Effect ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Male Sex ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Males experience increased severity of illness and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 compared to females but the mechanisms of male susceptibility are unclear. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of SARS-CoV-2 testing and admission data at 5 hospitals in the Maryland/Washington DC area. Using age-stratified logistic regression models we quantified the impact of male sex on the risk of the composite outcome of severe disease or death (WHO score 5-8), and tested the impact of demographics, comorbidities, health behaviors, and laboratory inflammatory markers on the sex effect. Results Among 213,175 SARS-CoV-2 tests, despite similar positivity rates, males in age strata between 18 and 74 years were more frequently hospitalized. For the 2,626 hospitalized individuals, clinical inflammatory markers (IL-6, CRP, ferritin, absolute lymphocyte count and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio) were more favorable for females than males (p< 0.001). Among 18-49 year-olds, male sex carried a higher risk of severe outcomes; both early (odds ratio (OR) 3.01, 95%CI 1.75,5.18) and at peak illness during hospitalization (OR 2.58, 95%CI 1.78,3.74). Despite multiple differences in demographics, presentation features, comorbidities and health behaviors, these variables did not change the association of male sex with severe disease. Only clinical inflammatory marker values modified the sex effect, reducing the OR for severe outcomes in males ages 18-49 years to 1.81 (95%CI 1.00,3.26) early and 1.39 (95%CI 0.93,2.08) at peak illness. Conclusions Higher inflammatory laboratory test values were associated with increased risk of severe COVID-19 for males. A sex-specific inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection may underlie the sex differences in outcomes.

scholarly journals Genotype–phenotype associations of polymorphisms within the gene locus of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 in Swiss inflammatory bowel disease patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyatharsan Yoganathan ◽  
Jean-Benoit Rossel ◽  
Sebastian Bruno Ulrich Jordi ◽  
Yannick Franc ◽  
Luc Biedermann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Crohn's Disease ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Regulatory Region ◽  
Disease Course ◽  
Pyrin Domain ◽  
Homozygous Genotype ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Major Allele ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Genetic variations within the regulatory region of the gene encoding NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) have been associated with Crohn’s Disease (CD). NLRP3 is part of the NLRP3-inflammasome that mediates the maturation of IL-1β and IL-18. Carrying the major allele of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs10733113, rs4353135 and rs55646866 is associated with an increased risk for CD. We here studied the impact of these polymorphisms on clinical characteristics in patients of the Swiss IBD Cohort Study (SIBDCS). Methods We included 981 Crohn’s disease (CD) patients and 690 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients of the SIBDCS. We analyzed whether three CD-associated NLRP3 polymorphisms have an impact on the clinical disease course in these patients. Results In CD patients presence of the major allele (G) of rs10733113 was associated with less surgeries and lower maximal CDAI and a similar trend was observed for rs55646866 and rs4353135. Presence of the major allele of all three SNPs was negatively correlated to maximal CDAI. In UC patients homozygous genotype for the major allele (CC) for rs55646866 was associated with a higher age at diagnosis and a higher MTWAI index. Homozygous genotype for the major allele of all three polymorphisms was associated with a higher number of ambulatory visits and longer hospital stays. Conclusions In CD patients presence of the major allele of all three polymorphisms was associated with markers of a less severe disease course, while in UC the homozygous genotype for all major alleles suggested a more severe disease activity.

scholarly journals Antirheumatic therapy is not associated with changes in circulating N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels in patients with autoimmune arthritis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253793
Author(s):  
Thao H. P. Nguyen ◽  
Morten Wang Fagerland ◽  
Gia Deyab ◽  
Gunnbjørg Hjeltnes ◽  
Ivana Hollan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Natriuretic Peptide ◽  
Natriuretic Peptide ◽  
Inflammatory Markers ◽  
Heart Function ◽  
Autoimmune Arthritis ◽  
Antirheumatic Therapy ◽  
Modest Improvement ◽  
Reactive Protein ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Background Patients with autoimmune arthritis (AA) are at increased risk for impaired cardiac function and heart failure. This may be partly due to the effect of inflammation in heart function. The impact of antirheumatic drugs on cardiac dysfunction in AA remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to examine effects of antirheumatic treatment on serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in AA patients and its relationship to inflammatory markers. Methods We examined 115 patients with AA (64 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 31 psoriatic arthritis and 20 ankylosis spondylitis) starting with methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy or tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) with or without MTX co-medication. NT-proBNP (measured in serum by ECLIA from Roche Diagnostics), and other clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated at baseline, after 6 weeks and 6 months of treatment. Results NT-proBNP levels did not change significantly after 6 weeks and 6 months of antirheumatic therapy (pbaseline-6weeks = 0.939; pbaseline-6months = 0.485), although there was a modest improvement from 6 weeks to 6 months in the MTX only treatment group (median difference = -18.2 [95% CI = -32.3 to -4.06], p = 0.013). There was no difference in the effects of MTX monotherapy and TNFi regimen on NT-proBNP levels. The changes in NT-proBNP after antirheumatic treatment positively correlated with changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Baseline NT-proBNP levels were related to baseline CRP and ESR levels, and some other established markers of disease activities in crude analyses. Conclusion Circulating levels of NT-proBNP were related to established inflammatory markers at baseline, and the changes in NT-proBNP after antirheumatic treatment were positively related to these markers. Nevertheless, antirheumatic therapy did not seem to affect NT-proBNP levels compared to baseline, even though inflammatory markers significantly improved.

scholarly journals Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients’ Perspectives during COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from a Portuguese Survey

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Joana Branco Revés ◽  
Catarina Frias-Gomes ◽  
Bárbara Morão ◽  
Catarina Nascimento ◽  
Carolina Palmela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽  
Immunosuppressive Therapy ◽  
Bowel Disease ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Professional Life ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Biologic Treatment ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel ◽  
The Impact

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not seem to be at increased risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2, but there is a concern whether immunosuppressive therapy may be associated with more severe disease. Several clinical practice recommendations have been published to help guide IBD care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, few studies have addressed patients’ perspectives and fears. We aimed to evaluate Portuguese IBD patients’ perspectives on the clinical management of their disease during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic as well as the impact on their professional life. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> An anonymous electronic survey was created using REDCap and was distributed by the Portuguese Association of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (APDI) between May and August 2020. Patients’ perspectives on immunosuppressive therapy, disease management, interaction with gastroenterology departments, and the impact of the pandemic in their professional life were assessed. Patients’ proposals to improve medical care were also evaluated. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were performed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 137 participants answered the survey (79.6% females, mean age 41.7 ± 12.1 years). Although having IBD and receiving treatment with immunosuppressors (thiopurines, steroids, or biologics) were considered promotors of anxiety, most patients (85.4%) agreed that disease remission was a priority and only a minority of patients interrupted their treatment during the pandemic. In multivariate analysis, active disease, biologic treatment, and use of corticosteroids in the last 3 months were perceived by the patients as high-risk features for increased risk of SARS-Cov-2 infection and more severe disease. Fifty-nine patients (44%) believed that their follow-up was influenced by the pandemic and only 58.8% felt that they had the opportunity to discuss their therapeutic options with their doctor. Sixty-three patients (46.0%) were working from home during the pandemic, although this decision was related to IBD and immunosuppressive therapy in only 36.5 and 39.7% of the cases, respectively. Areas where care could have been improved during the pandemic were identified by patients, namely enhancement of the communication with IBD professionals, conciliation of telemedicine with face-to-face appointments, and facilitation of the interaction between patients and employers. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Most patients agreed that maintaining IBD remission is crucial, and only a minority of the patients stopped their treatment as per their own initiative. IBD status only had a small influence on patients’ professional activity during the COVID-19 outbreak, with most changes being related to the pandemic itself.

scholarly journals Clinical characteristics and outcomes of adult patients admitted with COVID-19 in East London: a retrospective cohort analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryl Oswald Cheng ◽  
Claire Jacqueline Calderwood ◽  
Erik Wilhelm Skyllberg ◽  
Adam Denis Jeremy Ainley
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Clinical Course ◽  
Cohort Analysis ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Asian Ethnicity ◽  
Persistent Symptoms ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Male Sex

AbstractBackgroundDescriptions of clinical characteristics of patients hospitalised with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), their clinical course and short-term in- and outpatient outcomes in deprived urban populations in the United Kingdom are still relatively sparse. We describe the epidemiology, clinical course, experience of non-invasive ventilation and intensive care, mortality and short-term sequalae of patients admitted to two large District General Hospitals across a large East London NHS Trust during the first wave of the pandemic.MethodsA retrospective analysis was carried out on a cohort of 1,946 patients with a clinical or laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19, including descriptive statistics and survival analysis. A more detailed analysis was undertaken of a subset of patients admitted across three Respiratory Units in the trust.ResultsIncreasing age, male sex and Asian ethnicity were associated with worse outcomes. Increasing severity of chest X-ray abnormalities trended with mortality. Radiological changes persisted in over 50% of cases at early follow up (6 weeks). Ongoing symptoms including hair loss, memory impairment, breathlessness, cough and fatigue were reported in 67% of survivors, with 42% of patients unable to return to work due to ongoing symptoms.ConclusionsUnderstanding the acute clinical features, course of illness and outcomes of COVID-19 will be vital in preparing for further peaks of the pandemic. Our initial follow up data suggest there are ongoing sequalae of COVID-19 including persistent symptoms and radiological abnormalities. Further data, including longer term follow up data, are necessary to improve our understanding of this novel pathogen and associated disease.Section 1: What is already known on this topicPrevious studies have reported that increasing age, male sex, Black and Asian ethnicity increased risk of death for patients admitted to hospital with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is little published literature regarding the follow up of patients with COVID-19.Section 2: What this study addsOur study is one of the first with follow up data for patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. We show that radiological abnormality persisted at 6 weeks in over 50% of patients, as well as significantly increased breathlessness in patients without baseline dyspnoea. Our study confirms that increasing age, male sex and Asian ethnicity increased risk of death for patients, but also in an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse population in East London.

scholarly journals Presentation and outcome of COVID-19 in HIV patients with high viral loads and opportunistic infections: a case series

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (4s) ◽  
pp. 121-124
Author(s):  
Yasmine O. Hardy ◽  
Divine A. Amenuke ◽  
Kojo A. Hutton-Mensah ◽  
David R. Chadwick ◽  
Rita Larsen-Reindorf
Keyword(s):  
Opportunistic Infections ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Viral Loads ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Negative Clinical Outcome ◽  
The Impact

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is especially severe in patients with underlying chronic conditions, with increased risk of mortality. There is concern that people living with HIV (PLWH), especially those with severe immunosuppression, and COVID-19 may have severe disease and a negative clinical outcome. Most studies on COVID-19 in PLWH are from Asia, Europe and America where population dynamics, antiretroviral treatment coverage and coexisting opportunistic infections may differ from that in sub-Saharan Africa. We report on the clinical profile and outcome of three cases of PLWH co-infected with SARS-CoV-2. They all presented with fever, cough and breathlessness and also had advanced HIV infection as evidenced by opportunistic infections, high HIV viral loads and low CD4 counts. The patients responded favourably to the standard of care and were discharged home. Our findings suggest that PLWH with advanced immunosuppression may not necessarily have an unfavourable disease course and outcome. However, case-controlled studies with a larger population size are needed to better understand the impact of COVID-19 in this patient population.

scholarly journals Childhood Inflammatory Markers and Risks for Psychosis and Depression at Age 24: examination of temporality and specificity of association in a population-based prospective birth cohort

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin I. Perry ◽  
Stanley Zammit ◽  
Peter B. Jones ◽  
Golam M. Khandaker
Keyword(s):  
Birth Cohort ◽  
Psychotic Disorder ◽  
Depressive Episode ◽  
Inflammatory Markers ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Probit Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Shared Risk ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundCross-sectional studies have reported elevated concentrations of inflammatory markers in psychosis and depression. However, questions regarding temporality and specificity of association, crucial for understanding the potential role of inflammation, remain.MethodsBased on 2,224 ALSPAC birth cohort participants, we used regression analyses to test associations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels at age 9 with risks for psychosis (psychotic experiences; negative symptoms; psychotic disorder), and depression (depressive episode; symptom score) at age 24. Regression models were adjusted for sex, ethnicity, social class and body mass index. We tested for linearity (using quadratic terms) and specificity (using bivariate probit regression) of association, and used multiple imputation to explore the impact of missing data.ResultsAfter adjustments, higher IL-6 levels at age 9 were associated with increased risk of psychotic disorder (OR=1.56; 95% C.I., 1.10-2.21 per SD increase in IL-6; OR=1.49; 95% C.I., 1.02-2.18 for the top compared with bottom third of IL-6) and depressive episode (OR=1.14; 95% C.I., 0.99-1.32 per SD increase in IL-6; OR=1.49; 95% C.I., 1.02-2.18 for the top compared with bottom third of IL-6). IL-6 was associated with negative symptoms after adjusting for depression (β=0.09; 95% C.I., 0.01-0.22). There was no evidence for outcome-specific associations of IL-6. Childhood CRP was not associated with adult psychosis or depression.ConclusionsEvidence for similar, longitudinal, dose-response associations suggest that elevated childhood IL-6 could be a shared risk factor for psychosis and depression. The IL-6 pathway may represent a novel target for treatment and prevention of these disorders.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in Portuguese Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8552
Author(s):  
Aurea Lima ◽  
Hugo Sousa ◽  
Amanda Nobre ◽  
Ana Luisa Faria ◽  
Manuela Machado
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Kidney Disease ◽  
Retrospective Study ◽  
Kidney Disease ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Cardiac Disease ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Clinicopathological Characteristics ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Immunosuppressed Patients ◽  
The Impact

Literature reports that SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients may be associated with higher severity and mortality, nevertheless the knowledge is limited. We aimed to describe patients’ demographic characteristics and COVID-19 disease outcomes in Portuguese cancer patients. We conducted a retrospective study in a cohort of cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19. A total of 127 individuals were included: 46.5% males and 53.5% females, with a median age of 72 years. Clinicopathological characteristics were used in univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses to estimate odds ratios for each variable with outcomes adjusting for potential confounders. Our cohort revealed that 84.3% of patients had more than one risk factor for severe disease rather than cancer. In total, 36.2% of patients were admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine, 14.2% developed severe disease, 1.6% required Intensive Care Unit, and mortality was observed in 11.8%. Severe COVID-19 disease was associated with unfit (ECOG PS > 2) patients (p = 0.009; OR = 6.39; 95% CI: 1.60–25.59), chronic kidney disease (p = 0.004; OR = 20.7; 95% CI: 2.64–162.8), immunosuppression (p < 0.001; OR = 10.3; 95% CI: 2.58–41.2), and presence of respiratory symptoms at diagnosis (p = 0.033; OR = 5.05; 95% CI: 1.14–22.4). Increased risk for mortality was associated with unfit patients (p = 0.036; OR = 4.22; 95% CI: 1.10–16.3), cardiac disease (p = 0.003; OR = 8.26; 95% CI: 2.03–33.6) and immunosuppression (p = 0.022; OR = 5.06; 95% CI: 1.27–20.18). Our results demonstrated that unfit and immunosuppressed patients, with chronic kidney disease and cardiac disease, have, respectively, an increased risk for severe disease and mortality related to COVID-19. Hence, this study provides important information on risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease and associated mortality in a Portuguese cancer population.

P2746Survival of people with valvular heart disease in the community (OxValve-Survive)

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Taylor ◽  
J M Ordonez-Mena ◽  
A K Roalfe ◽  
J Wilson ◽  
S Myerson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Disease ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Valvular Heart Disease ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Valvular heart disease (VHD) occurs commonly in older patients (>65 years) but the majority is mild disease, which is of uncertain importance. Understanding the impact of VHD on mortality in this older group of patients would help determine its relevance and aid the appropriate use of healthcare resources. OxValve is a cohort study in Oxfordshire screening people aged 65 and over for VHD. Over 4,009 participants were recruited between August 2009 and May 2016 and screened using echocardiography to establish the presence and severity of VHD. AIMS To report survival in the OxValve cohort, and to investigate whether people with VHD are at increased risk of death. Methods The OxValve cohort was linked to Office for National Statistics mortality data to obtain date and cause of death. Cox regression was used to investigate the association of any VHD, VHD of significant severity, and VHD subtypes with all-cause and cause-specific mortality, adjusting for potential confounders including age, sex, socioeconomic status, smoking, and comorbidities. Results Linked mortality data was available for 3,511 OxValve participants up to September 2018 (median 5.85 years follow-up). VHD was present in 2,645 (75.3%) participants and of these 288 (8.2%) had significant VHD. In total, 311 (8.9%) participants had died. Cancer was the commonest cause of death (n=135), followed by cardiovascular disease (n=75) and respiratory disease (n=35). After adjustment for age and other covariates, mild to moderate VHD was not associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR 1.16, 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.50). However, VHD of significant severity (moderate or severe disease) was associated with a nearly two-fold higher risk of death overall (HR 1.92, 95% CI: 1:38 to 2.67) including increased CVD mortality (HR 2.25, 95% CI: 1.21 to 4.18). DISCUSSION Mild to moderate VHD was very common, but was not associated with increased mortality. Significant VHD was however associated with a two-fold reduction in survival. Further research is required to understand the natural history of VHD, how to identify those with progressive disease and when to intervene. Acknowledgement/Funding NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford

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