Demographic and clinical characteristics of primary care patients vaccinated against COVID-19 in spring 2021

AbstractThe early identification of patients suffering from SARS-CoV-2 infection in primary care is of outmost importance in the current pandemic. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of primary care patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. We conducted a cross-sectional study between March 24 and May 7, 2020, involving consecutive patients undergoing RT-PCR testing in two community-based laboratories in Lyon (France) for a suspicion of COVID-19. We examined the association between symptoms and a positive test using univariable and multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for clustering within laboratories, and calculated the diagnostic performance of these symptoms. Of the 1561 patients tested, 1543 patients (99%) agreed to participate. Among them, 253 were positive for SARS-CoV-2 (16%). The three most frequently reported ‘ear-nose-throat’ and non-‘ear-nose-throat’ symptoms in patients who tested positive were dry throat (42%), loss of smell (36%) and loss of taste (31%), respectively fever (58%), cough (52%) and headache (45%). In multivariable analyses, loss of taste (OR 3.8 [95% CI 3.3–4.4], p-value < 0.001), loss of smell (OR 3.0 [95% CI 1.9–4.8], p < 0.001), muscle pain (OR 1.6 [95% CI 1.2–2.0], p = 0.001) and dry nose (OR 1.3 [95% CI 1.1–1.6], p = 0.01) were significantly associated with a positive result. In contrast, sore throat (OR 0.6 [95% CI 0.4–0.8], p = 0.003), stuffy nose (OR 0.6 [95% CI 0.6–0.7], p < 0.001), diarrhea (OR 0.6 [95% CI 0.5–0.6], p < 0.001) and dyspnea (OR 0.5 [95% CI 0.3–0.7], p < 0.001) were inversely associated with a positive test. The combination of loss of taste or smell had the highest diagnostic performance (OR 6.7 [95% CI 5.9–7.5], sensitivity 44.7% [95% CI 38.4–51.0], specificity 90.8% [95% CI 89.1–92.3]). No other combination of symptoms had a higher performance. Our data could contribute to the triage and early identification of new clusters of cases.

Download Full-text

Blood pressure control in primary care patients with arterial hypertension: analysing the Hypertension Register data

CARDIOVASCULAR THERAPY AND PREVENTION ◽

10.15829/1728-8800-2012-3-4-11 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 4-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

O. M. Posnenkova ◽

A. P. Kiselev ◽

V. I. Gridnev ◽

V. A. Schwartz ◽

P. Ya. Dovgalevskyi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Primary Care ◽

Arterial Hypertension ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Pressure Control ◽

Antihypertensive Medications ◽

Pharmaceutical Therapy ◽

Therapeutic Procedures ◽

Primary Care Patients

Aim. (1) To investigate clinical characteristics of primary care patients with arterial hypertension (AH), according to the achievement of target blood pressure (BP) levels; (2) to assess the effectiveness of therapeutic measures aimed at achieving target BP and maintaining its long-term control. Material and methods. This retrospective analysis included the data from ambulatory medical records of 5558 AH patients, who attended primary care centres in 2007. Clinical characteristics were compared in patients with achieved vs. non-achieved target BP levels. According to the national AH guidelines (2004), the completeness of examination, pharmaceutical therapy tactics, and frequency of the follow-up were assessed in both groups. Results. Based on the 2007 data, target BP levels were maintained in 28% of AH patients. Mean BP level was 144/87 mm Hg. Patients with optimal BP levels, compared to their peers with inadequate BP control, had significantly (p<0,001) higher prevalence of angina pectoris (40,4% vs. 30,1%, respectively) or previous myocardial infarction (19,4% vs. 8,4%), as well as higher frequency of lipid profile assessment, creatinine measurement, and echocardiography. Mean number of prescribed antihypertensive medications was 2,08 vs. 1,60, respectively. Mean number of clinical visits per year was 4,07 vs. 2,99, while mean interval between the visits reached 72,3 vs. 62,7 days, respectively. Regardless of the target BP achievement, the quality of diagnostic and therapeutic management did not comply with the recommended standards. Conclusion. Patients with optimal BP control were characterised by a more severe clinical course, as well as by a wider scope and higher frequency of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. At the primary care level, the quality of AH diagnostics and treatment did not comply with the recommended standards; therefore, mean BP levels in the AH Register sample were higher than the target ones.

Download Full-text