Nevin Manimala

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024 Dec 31;20(1):2357424. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2357424. Epub 2024 May 24.

ABSTRACT

Solid cancer patients, compared to their healthy counterparts, are at a greater risk of contracting and suffering from severe complications and poorer prognosis after COVID-19 infections. They also have different immune responses after doses of COVID-19 vaccination, but limited evidence is available to reveal the effectiveness and help to guide immunization programs for this subpopulation; MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library databases, and clinicaltrials.gov were used to search literature. The pooled seroconversion rate was calculated using a random-effects model and reported with a 95% confidence interval (CI); The review includes 66 studies containing serological responses after COVID-19 vaccination in 13,050 solid cancer patients and 8550 healthy controls. The pooled seropositive rates after the first dose in patients with solid cancer and healthy controls are 55.2% (95% CI 45.9%-64.5% N = 18) and 90.2% (95% CI 80.9%-96.6% N = 13), respectively. The seropositive rates after the second dose in patients with solid cancer and healthy controls are 87.6% (95% CI 84.1%-90.7% N = 50) and 98.9% (95% CI 97.6%-99.7% N = 35), respectively. The seropositive rates after the third dose in patients with solid cancer and healthy controls are 91.4% (95% CI 85.4%-95.9% N = 21) and 99.8% (95% CI 98.1%-100.0% N = 4), respectively. Subgroup analysis finds that study sample size, timing of antibody testing, and vaccine type have influence on the results; Seroconversion rates after COVID-19 vaccination are significantly lower in patients with solid malignancies, especially after the first dose, then shrinking gradually after the following two vaccinations, indicating that subsequent doses or a booster dose should be considered for the effectiveness of this subpopulation.

PMID:38785118 | DOI:10.1080/21645515.2024.2357424

Scand J Work Environ Health. 2024 May 23:4166. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.4166. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to quantify the duration of work participation and reasons for working years lost, according to gender and educational attainment, among a Norwegian population.

METHODS: Register data on labor market attachment between 2000-2015 were obtained from Statistics Norway. We included five cohorts: individuals turning 20 (N=323 333), 30 (N=386 006), 40 (N=388 962), 50 (N=358 745), and 60 years (N=284 425) between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2005. Individuals were followed for ten years. Data completeness allowed calculation of the average time spent in work and years lost to health-related absences and non-employment states per cohort. Changes in state probabilities over time were also depicted. Mean differences between genders and educational levels, and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were based on 1000 bootstrap samples.

RESULTS: Both genders spent most time in work; however, per cohort, women worked approximately one year less than men. As cohorts aged, main reasons for working years lost changed from education and economic inactivity to sickness absence and disability pensioning; this trend was stronger for women than men. Individuals with a low education spent fewer years in work and more years in sickness absence and disability pensioning than highly educated peers. This difference tended to be larger for women and older cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS: Per cohort, women participated one year less in work than men and, depending on age, spent more time in education, economic inactivity, sickness absence, and disability pensioning. Stronger educational gradients were seen for work and health-related absences for older cohorts and women.

PMID:38785113 | DOI:10.5271/sjweh.4166

Behav Sleep Med. 2024 May 24:1-16. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2024.2355476. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Perfectionism is an important factor in insomnia development and maintenance. Previous studies exploring the relationship between perfectionism and insomnia have predominantly relied on self-reported sleep measures. Therefore, this study sought to assess whether actigraphy-measured sleep parameters were associated with perfectionism.

METHODS: Sixty adults (85% females, mean age 30.18 ± 11.01 years) were sampled from the Australian general population. Actigraphy-derived objective sleep measures, subjective sleep diary measures, the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS), Hewitt-Flett Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (HFMPS) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) were collected.

RESULTS: High perfectionism levels were associated with poor sleep, but these relationships differed between objective and subjective measures. Perfectionism via FMPS total score and subscales of Concern over Mistakes, Doubts about Actions, Personal Standards and Self-oriented Perfectionism correlated with subjective sleep onset latency and sleep efficiency with moderate effects (r = .26 to .88). In contrast, perfectionism via HFMPS total score and subscales of Socially Prescribed Perfectionism and Parental Expectations predicted objective sleep onset latency and sleep efficiency. Additionally, stress mediated the relationships between objective sleep efficiency and Concern over Mistakes and Doubts about Actions.

CONCLUSIONS: Perfectionism demonstrated stronger associations with subjective than objective sleep measures. Higher Parental Expectations and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism may increase one’s vulnerability to objectively measured poor sleep. Therefore, perfectionism may be important in preventing and treating insomnia.

PMID:38785108 | DOI:10.1080/15402002.2024.2355476

Cranio. 2024 May 24:1-5. doi: 10.1080/08869634.2024.2355856. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the presence of calcium deposits (CDs) around the dens axis and patients’ age, gender, and systemic diseases.

METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out by examining CBCT. Basic descriptive statistical analyses and normality tests were performed on all variables. The assumption of normality was checked using the Shapiro-Wilk method. The statistical significance level was accepted as a p-value less than 0.05.

RESULTS: CDs were observed in a total of 99 (21.9%) individuals. The incidence of CDs statistically significantly increased with age (p < .01),while it didn’t statistically significantly differ between genders (p = .47). 13% were systemically healthy, while 55% had hypertension. The incidence of CDs was statistically significantly higher in individuals with hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS: In the presence of CDs, the patient should be referred to a medical doctor to confirm the diagnosis of CDS and prevent possible complications.

PMID:38785099 | DOI:10.1080/08869634.2024.2355856

Scand J Work Environ Health. 2024 May 23:4167. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.4167. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have found higher sickness absence in shared and open workspaces than in private offices, but little is known about why these differences occur. We propose and test job control as a potential mechanism underlying observed differences in the risk of physician-certified sickness absence between private offices and shared and open workspaces.

METHODS: We conducted a counterfactual mediation analysis using observational survey data from a nationally representative sample of Norwegian employees merged with prospective data from national registries (N=5512). The registry data included information about whether participants had any physician-certified sickness absence the year following the survey. Models were adjusted for age, sex, education level, occupation group, executive/leadership responsibility, and time spent on office work.

RESULTS: We found significantly higher sickness absence risk in conventional [risk ratio (RR) 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01‒1.25] and non-territorial (RR 1.20, 95% 1.04‒1.37) open-plan and non-territorial shared-room offices (RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.13‒1.48) compared to private offices. Natural indirect effects due to job control were statistically significant in all contrasts and accounted for 19-34% of total effects depending on contrast.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings were in line with hypothesized relationships and suggest that job control may be a mechanism underlying observed differences in sickness absence across office concepts. Future studies should continue to explore potential mechanisms linking shared and open workspaces to higher sickness absence and other unfavorable outcomes in the workplace, particularly with study designs that provide stronger basis for causal inference.

PMID:38785098 | DOI:10.5271/sjweh.4167

Euro Surveill. 2024 May;29(21). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.21.2300555.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundDuring the 2022 mpox outbreak in Europe, primarily affecting men who have sex with men, a limited number of cases among children and adolescents were identified. Paediatric cases from outbreaks in endemic countries have been associated with a higher likelihood of severe illness. Detailed clinical case descriptions and interventions in school settings before 2022 are limited.AimTo describe clinical characteristics of mpox cases among children (< 15 years) and adolescents (15-17 years) in the greater Paris area in France, and infection control measures in schools.MethodsWe describe all notified laboratory-confirmed and non-laboratory-confirmed cases among children and adolescents identified from May 2022 to July 2023, including demographic and clinical characterisation and infection control measures in school settings, i.e. contact tracing, contact vaccination, secondary attack rate and post-exposure vaccination uptake.ResultsNineteen cases were notified (13 children, 6 adolescents). Four adolescent cases reported sexual contact before symptom onset. Ten child cases were secondary cases of adult patients; three cases were cryptic, with vesicles on hands, arms and/or legs and one case additionally presented with genitoanal lesions. Five cases attended school during their infectious period, with 160 at-risk contacts identified, and one secondary case. Five at-risk contacts were vaccinated following exposure.ConclusionCases among children and adolescents are infrequent but require a careful approach to identify the source of infection and ensure infection control measures. We advocate a ‘contact warning’ strategy vs ‘contact tracing’ in order to prevent alarm and stigma. Low post-exposure vaccination rates are expected.

PMID:38785093 | DOI:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.21.2300555

Euro Surveill. 2024 May;29(21). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.21.2300608.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundIn 2022 and 2023, a global outbreak of mpox affected mostly gay, bisexual and other men having sex with men (GBMSM). Outbreak control in the Netherlands included isolation, quarantine, post-exposure prophylaxis vaccination and primary preventive vaccination (PPV).AimWe describe the course of the outbreak, the vaccination programme, vaccine effectiveness (VE) of full vaccination against symptomatic disease, and trends in behaviour to generate hypotheses about factors that influenced the outbreak’s decline.MethodsIn this observational study, we collected data from public health services on notified cases, number of PPV invitations and PPV doses administered. We calculated PPV uptake and coverage. Trends in behavioural data of GBMSM visiting sexual health centres were analysed for all consultations in 2022. We estimated VE using the screening method.ResultsUntil 31 December 2023, 1,294 mpox cases were reported. The outbreak peaked in early July 2022 and then declined sharply. PPV started on 25 July 2022; in total 29,851 doses were administered, 45.8% received at least one dose, 35.4% were fully vaccinated. The estimated VE was 68.2% (95% CI 4.3-89.5%). We did not observe an evident decrease in high-risk behaviour.DiscussionIt is unlikely that PPV was a driver of the outbreak’s decline, as incidence started to decline well before the start of the PPV programme. The possible impact of behavioural change could not be demonstrated with the available indicators, however, the data had limitations, hampering interpretation. We hypothesise that infection-induced immunity in high-risk groups was an important factor explaining the decline.

PMID:38785092 | DOI:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.21.2300608

Euro Surveill. 2024 May;29(21).

ABSTRACT

In France, blood donations are tested in pools of 96 samples for parvovirus B19 (B19V) DNA to discard plasma for fractionation when it contains high viral loads. Between January 2015 and March 2024, B19V-positive donations decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a strong rebound in 2023 and unusually high circulation during winter 2023/24 (ca 10 times higher December 2023-March 2024 vs the pre-pandemic period). Variations over time are probably related to measures implemented to limit SARS-CoV-2 spread.

PMID:38785091

Euro Surveill. 2024 May;29(21).

ABSTRACT

An outbreak of hepatitis A is ongoing in Portugal, with 71 confirmed cases from 7 October 2023 to 24 April 2024. Most cases are male, aged 18-44 years, with many identifying as men who have sex with men (MSM) and reported as suspected sexual transmission. Phylogenetic analysis identified the subgenotype IA, VRD 521-2016 strain, last observed in an MSM-associated multi-country outbreak in 2016 to 2018. We wish to alert colleagues in other countries to investigate potential similar spread.

PMID:38785087

Stroke. 2024 May 24. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.123.046056. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Early ischemic change and collateral extent are colinear with ischemic core volume (ICV). We investigated the relationship between a combined score using the Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score and multiphase computed tomography angiography (mCTA) collateral extent, named mCTA-ACE score, on functional outcomes in endovascular therapy-treated patients.

METHODS: We performed a post hoc analysis of a subset of endovascular therapy-treated patients from the Alteplase Compared to Tenecteplase trial which was conducted between December 2019 and January 2022 at 22 centers across Canada. Ten-point mCTA collateral corresponding to M2 to M6 regions of the Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score grid was evaluated as 0 (poor), 1 (moderate), or 2 (normal) and additively combined with the 10-point Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score to produce a 20-point mCTA-ACE score. We investigated the association of mCTA-ACE score with modified Rankin Scale score ≤2 and return to prestroke level of function at 90 to 120 days using mixed-effects logistic regression. In the subset of patients who underwent baseline computed tomography perfusion imaging, we compared the mCTA-ACE score and ICV for outcome prediction.

RESULTS: Among 1577 intention-to-treat population in the trial, 368 (23%; 179 men; median age, 73 years) were included, with Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score, mCTA collateral, and combination of both (mCTA-ACE score: median [interquartile range], 8 [7-10], 9 [8-10], and 17 [16-19], respectively). The probability of modified Rankin scale score ≤2 and return to prestroke level of function increased for each 1-point increase in mCTA-ACE score (odds ratio, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.06-1.28] and 1.22 [95% CI, 1.06-1.40], respectively). Among 173 patients in whom computed tomography perfusion data was assessable, the mCTA-ACE score was inversely correlated with ICV (ρ=-0.46; P<0.01). The mCTA-ACE score was comparable to ICV to predict a modified Rankin scale score ≤2 and return to prestroke level of function (C statistics 0.71 versus 0.69 and 0.68 versus 0.64, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: The mCTA-ACE score had a significant positive association with functional outcomes after endovascular therapy and had a similar predictive performance as ICV.

PMID:38785076 | DOI:10.1161/STROKEAHA.123.046056