COVID-19 pandemic modifies temperature and heat-related illness ambulance transport association in Japan: a nationwide observational study

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, several illnesses were reduced. In Japan, heat-related illnesses were reduced by 22% compared to pre-pandemic period. However, it is uncertain as to what has led to this reduction. Here, we model the association of maximum temperature and heat-related illnesses in the 47 Japanese prefectures. We specifically examined how the exposure and lag associations varied before and during the pandemic. Methods We obtained the summer-specific, daily heat-related illness ambulance transport (HIAT), exposure variable (maximum temperature) and covariate data from relevant data sources. We utilized a stratified (pre-pandemic and pandemic), two-stage approach. In each stratified group, we estimated the 1) prefecture-level association using a quasi-Poisson regression coupled with a distributed lag non-linear model, which was 2) pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis. The difference between pooled pre-pandemic and pandemic associations was examined across the exposure and the lag dimensions. Results A total of 321,655 HIAT cases was recorded in Japan from 2016 to 2020. We found an overall reduction of heat-related risks for HIAT during the pandemic, with a wide range of reduction (10.85 to 57.47%) in the HIAT risk, across exposure levels ranging from 21.69 °C to 36.31 °C. On the contrary, we found an increment in the delayed heat-related risks during the pandemic at Lag 2 (16.33%; 95% CI: 1.00, 33.98%). Conclusion This study provides evidence of the impact of COVID-19, particularly on the possible roles of physical interventions and behavioral changes, in modifying the temperature-health association. These findings would have implications on subsequent policies or heat-related warning strategies in light of ongoing or future pandemics.

Inequalities in Income and Education are Associated with Survival Differences after Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Nationwide Observational Study

Background: Despite the acknowledged importance of socioeconomic factors as regards cardiovascular-disease onset, and survival, the relationship between individual-level socioeconomic factors and survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is not fully established. Our aim was to investigate whether socioeconomic variables are associated with 30-day survival after OHCA. Methods: We linked data from the Swedish Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation with individual-level data on socioeconomic factors (i.e. educational level and disposable income) from Statistics Sweden. Confounding and mediating variables included demographic factors, comorbidity and Utstein resuscitation variables. Outcome was 30-day survival. Multiple modified Poisson regression was used for the main analyses. Results: A total of 31,373 OHCAs occurring in 2010-2017 were included. Crude 30-day survival rates by income quintiles were: Q1 (low) 414/6277 (6.6%), Q2=339/6276 (5.4%), Q3=423/6275 (6.7%), Q4=652/6273 (10.4%) and Q5 (high) 928/6272 (14.8%). In adjusted analysis, the chance of survival by income level followed a gradient-like increase, with a risk ratio (RR) of 1.86 (95% CI 1.65-2.09) in the highest-income quintile vs. the lowest. This association remained after adjusting for comorbidity, resuscitation factors and initial rhythm. A higher educational level was associated with improved 30-day survival, the RR associated with post-secondary education ≥ 4 years being 1.51 (95% CI 1.30-1.74). Survival disparities by income and educational level were observed in both men and women. Conclusions: In this nationwide observational study using individual-level socioeconomic data, higher income and higher educational level were associated with better 30-day survival following OHCA, in both sexes.

Are We Aiming for Cure or Lifelong Treatment of Hypertension? All Doctors Need To Be Aware of Primary Aldosteronism. A Nationwide Study With Up To 8-Year Follow-Up

Purpose Long term follow-up studies on primary aldosteronism (PA) diagnosis, treatment response and comparison of the two major subgroups – unilateral (UD) and bilateral disease (BD) – are lacking. While adrenalectomy for UD is considered effective, less is known about long-term effects of specialized treatment for BD. We present the results from our nationwide observational study, executed at Landspitali University Hospital, tertiary referral center. We aim to review results of diagnostic procedures and histopathology for PA patients diagnosed in 2012-2016 in Iceland, compare UD and BD and assess treatment response. Methods A total of 32 PA patients aged 28-88 years were diagnosed and treated according to current guidelines. Adrenalectomy was used for AVS-confirmed UD and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists for BD. Results The majority of patients had BD, roughly half of them had a unilateral nodule. With specialized treatment, a reduction was seen in UD and BD in systolic blood pressure (BP) (p<0,001, both groups), antihypertensive drug count (p=0,002 and p=0,04, respectively) and need for potassium supplementation (p<0,001, both groups). Diastolic BP decreased significantly in UD (p<0,001). Conclusion Our results show similarly good treatment response in both subgroups. Ratio of hypokalemia and number of cases indicates severe PA underdiagnosis in Iceland. Adrenal nodules diagnosed using CT can be misleading and AVS is mandatory in diagnosing unilateral vs bilateral PA.

Association between frailty and mortality among patients with accidental hypothermia: a nationwide observational study in Japan

Background Frailty has been associated with a risk of adverse outcomes, and mortality in patients with various conditions. However, there have been few studies on whether or not frailty is associated with mortality in patients with accidental hypothermia (AH). In this study, we aim to determine this association in patients with AH using Japan’s nationwide registry data. Methods The data from the Hypothermia STUDY 2018&19, which included patients of ≥18 years of age with a body temperature of ≤35 °C, were obtained from a multicenter registry for AH conducted at 120 institutions throughout Japan, collected from December 2018 to February 2019 and December 2019 to February 2020. The clinical frailty scale (CFS) score was used to determine the presence and degree of frailty. The primary outcome was the comparison of mortality between the frail and non-frail patient groups. Results In total, 1363 patients were included in the study, of which 920 were eligible for the analysis. The 920 patients were divided into the frail patient group (N = 221) and non-frail patient group (N = 699). After 30-days of hospitalization, 32.6% of frail patients and 20.6% of non-frail patients had died (p < 0.001). Frail patients had a significantly higher risk of 90-day mortality (Hazard ratio [HR], 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25–2.17; p < 0.001). Based on the Cox proportional hazards analysis using multiple imputation, after adjustment for age, potassium level, lactate level, pH value, sex, CPK level, heart rate, platelet count, location of hypothermia incidence, and rate of tracheal intubation, the HR was 1.69 (95% CI, 1.25–2.29; p < 0.001). Conclusions This study showed that frailty was associated with mortality in patients with AH. Preventive interventions for frailty may help to avoid death caused by AH.