Excess mortality among essential workers in England and Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic: an updated analysis.

BACKGROUND: Excess mortality from all causes combined during the COVID-19 pandemic in England and Wales in 2020 was predominantly higher for essential workers. In 2021, the vaccination programme had begun, new SARS-CoV-2 variants were identified and different policy approaches were used. We have updated our previous analyses of excess mortality in England and Wales to include trends in excess mortality by occupation for 2021. METHODS: We estimated excess mortality for working age adults living in England and Wales by occupational group for each month in 2021 and for the year as a whole. RESULTS: During 2021, excess mortality remained higher for most groups of essential workers than for non-essential workers. It peaked in January 2021 when all-cause mortality was 44.6% higher than expected for all occupational groups combined. Excess mortality was highest for adults working in social care (86.9% higher than expected). CONCLUSION: Previously, we reported excess mortality in 2020, with this paper providing an update to include 2021 data. Excess mortality was predominantly higher for essential workers during 2021. However, unlike the first year of the pandemic, when healthcare workers experienced the highest mortality, the highest excess mortality during 2021 was experienced by social care workers.

Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in SARS-CoV-2 patients with acute neurological syndromes.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mechanisms underlying acute brain injury in SARS-CoV-2 patients remain poorly understood. A better characterization of such mechanisms remains essential to preventing long-term neurological sequelae. Our present aim was to study a panel of biomarkers of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of NeuroCOVID patients. METHODS: We retrospectively collected clinical and CSF biomarkers data from 24 NeuroCOVID adults seen at the University Hospital of Guadeloupe between March and June 2021. RESULTS: Among 24 NeuroCOVID patients, 71% had encephalopathy and 29% meningoencephalitis. A number of these patients also experienced de novo movement disorder (33%) or stroke (21%). The CSF analysis revealed intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis in 54% of NeuroCOVID patients (two with a type 2 pattern and 11 with a type 3) and elevated neopterin levels in 75% of them (median 9.1nM, IQR 5.6-22.1). CSF neurofilament light chain (NfL) was also increased compared to a control group of non-COVID-19 patients with psychiatric illnesses (2905ng/L, IQR 1428-7124 versus 1222ng/L, IQR 1049-1566). Total-tau was elevated in the CSF of 24% of patients, whereas protein 14-3-3, generally undetectable, reached intermediate levels in two patients. Finally, CSF Aß1-42 was reduced in 52.4% of patients (median 536ng/L, IQR 432-904) with no change in the Aß1-42/Aß1-40 ratio (0.082, IQR 0.060-0.096). CONCLUSIONS: We showed an elevation of CSF biomarkers of neuroinflammation in NeuroCOVID patients and a rise of CSF NfL, evocative of neuronal damage. However, longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether NeuroCOVID could evolve into a chronic neurodegenerative condition.

European Groundshot-addressing Europe's cancer research challenges: a Lancet Oncology Commission.

Cancer research is a crucial pillar for countries to deliver more affordable, higher quality, and more equitable cancer care. Patients treated in research-active hospitals have better outcomes than patients who are not treated in these settings. However, cancer in Europe is at a crossroads. Cancer was already a leading cause of premature death before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the disastrous effects of the pandemic on early diagnosis and treatment will probably set back cancer outcomes in Europe by almost a decade. Recognising the pivotal importance of research not just to mitigate the pandemic today, but to build better European cancer services and systems for patients tomorrow, the Lancet Oncology European Groundshot Commission on cancer research brings together a wide range of experts, together with detailed new data on cancer research activity across Europe during the past 12 years. We have deployed this knowledge to help inform Europe's Beating Cancer Plan and the EU Cancer Mission, and to set out an evidence-driven, patient-centred cancer research roadmap for Europe. The high-resolution cancer research data we have generated show current activities, captured through different metrics, including by region, disease burden, research domain, and effect on outcomes. We have also included granular data on research collaboration, gender of researchers, and research funding. The inclusion of granular data has facilitated the identification of areas that are perhaps overemphasised in current cancer research in Europe, while also highlighting domains that are underserved. Our detailed data emphasise the need for more information-driven and data-driven cancer research strategies and planning going forward. A particular focus must be on central and eastern Europe, because our findings emphasise the widening gap in cancer research activity, and capacity and outcomes, compared with the rest of Europe. Citizens and patients, no matter where they are, must benefit from advances in cancer research. This Commission also highlights that the narrow focus on discovery science and biopharmaceutical research in Europe needs to be widened to include such areas as prevention and early diagnosis; treatment modalities such as radiotherapy and surgery; and a larger concentration on developing a research and innovation strategy for the 20 million Europeans living beyond a cancer diagnosis. Our data highlight the important role of comprehensive cancer centres in driving the European cancer research agenda. Crucial to a functioning cancer research strategy and its translation into patient benefit is the need for a greater emphasis on health policy and systems research, including implementation science, so that the innovative technological outputs from cancer research have a clear pathway to delivery. This European cancer research Commission has identified 12 key recommendations within a call to action to reimagine cancer research and its implementation in Europe. We hope this call to action will help to achieve our ambitious 70:35 target: 70% average survival for all European cancer patients by 2035.

Development of a Clinical Focus Pharmacovigilance System

Introduction: Now more than ever the pharmacovigilance has demonstrated great relevance in making medication safer by evaluating the benefit-risk ratio in the treatment used in COVID-19 patients [1];nevertheless, pharmacovigilance has always aimed to help clinicians and patients make wiser therapeutical decisions as Dra. Marie Lindquist's once said. Therefore, we have developed at the Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia Ignacio Chavez the Pharmacovigilance Institutional Center, establishing as our goals to manage a pharmacovigilance's system that aims to take the World Health Organization Challenge Medication Without Harm by promoting the rational use of medication, and identifying risks related to drugs before they impact the patients. Objective(s): Exemplify the impact that a clinical focus pharmacovigilance system has had in the patients at the Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia Ignacio Chavez. Method(s): With the Pharmacovigilance Institutional Center databases of Drug Adverse Reactions (DAR) and Event Supposedly Attributed to Vaccination or Immunization (ESAVI) identify the most important cases in which a clinical decision has been made and exemplify the process of the decision making. Result(s): From the opening of the Institutional Center in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have identified and reported 292 DAR in VigiFlow and 421 ESAVI to the General Direction of Epidemiology. From these reports we can identify several different pharmaceutical interventions related to the pharmacovigilance evaluations, that have given as a result the modification of the clinical approach: * Corticosteroids used in COVID-19 patients: we modified the dosage given to patients reducing the severity of the DAR. * Drug Induced Liver Injury: we alerted in early moment the elevation of hepatic markers making changes in the prescriptions. * Dapagliflozin use in heart failure patients that produced ketoacidosis: after alerting the surgical team there was no more patients presenting this DAR. * Tocilizumab used in COVID-19 patients, there was a concern to use this monoclonal medication: with this intervention we established the safety parameters to use this medication. * RNA COVID-19 vaccines producing myocarditis: with this intervention we have been able to establish a fast identification of these cases. Exemplifying the process in the next table. Conclusion(s): Pharmacovigilance now a day require to explore a more patient focus and clinical approach in where there are pharmacovigilants working hand by hand next to the clinicians and understanding the needs of the patients. For that we require assemble teams that can identify, evaluate and give feedback on the best way to treat DAR.

Development of a Clinical Focus Pharmacovigilance System: An International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Drug Experience

Introduction: Now more than ever the pharmacovigilance has demonstrated great relevance in making medication safer by evaluating the benefit-risk ratio in the treatment used in COVID-19 patients [1];nevertheless, pharmacovigilance has always aimed to help clinicians and patients make wiser therapeutical decisions as Dra. Marie Lindquist's once said. Therefore, we have developed at the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chavez the Pharmacovigilance Institutional Center, establishing as our goals to manage a pharmacovigilance's system that aims to take the World Health Organization Challenge Medication Without Harm by promoting the rational use of medication, and identifying risks related to drugs before they impact the patients. Objective: Exemplify the impact that a clinical focus pharmacovigilance system has had in the patients at the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chavez. Methods: With the Pharmacovigilance Institutional Center databases of Drug Adverse Reactions (DAR) and Event Supposedly Attributed to Vaccination or Immunization (ESAVI) identify the most important cases in which a clinical decision has been made and exemplify the process of the decision making. Results: From the opening of the Institutional Center in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have identified and reported 292 DAR in VigiFlow and 421 ESAVI to the General Direction of Epidemiology. From these reports we can identify several different pharmaceutical interventions related to the pharmacovigilance evaluations, that have given as a result the modification of the clinical approach: * Corticosteroids used in COVID-19 patients: we modified the dosage given to patients reducing the severity of the DAR. * Drug Induced Liver Injury: we alerted in early moment the elevation of hepatic markers making changes in the prescriptions. * * Dapagliflozin use in heart failure patients that produced ketoacidosis: after alerting the surgical team there was no more patients presenting this DAR. * * Tocilizumab used in COVID-19 patients, there was a concern to use this monoclonal medication: with this intervention we established the safety parameters to use this medication. * * RNA COVID-19 vaccines producing myocarditis: with this intervention we have been able to establish a fast identification of these cases. Exemplifying the process in the next table. Conclusion: Pharmacovigilance now a day require to explore a more patient focus and clinical approach in where there are pharmacovigilants working hand by hand next to the clinicians and understanding the needs of the patients. For that we require assemble teams that can identify, evaluate and give feedback on the best way to treat DAR.

SAFETY AND OUTCOME OF REVASCULARIZATION TREATMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ISCHEMIC STROKE AND COVID-19: RESULTS OF THE GLOBAL COVID-19 STROKE REGISTRY

Background and aims: COVID-19 related inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and coagulopathy may increase the bleeding risk and lower the efficacy of revascularization treatments in patients with ischemic stroke (IS). We aimed to evaluate the safety and disability outcomes of revascularization treatments in patients with IS and COVID-19. Methods: Retrospective multicenter cohort study of consecutive IS patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and/or endovascular treatment (EVT) between March-2020 and June-2021, tested for SARSCoV- 2 infection. With a doubly-robust model combining propensity score weighting and multivariate regression, we studied the association of COVID-19 with bleeding complications and clinical outcomes. Subgroup analyses were performed according to treatment groups (IVT-only and EVT). Study protocol was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04895462). Results: Among 15128 revascularized patients from 105 centers, 853 (5.6%) were diagnosed with COVID-19. 5848 (38.7%) patients received IVT only, and 9280 (61.3%) EVT (+/- IVT). As shown in the Figure, treated patients with COVID-19 had a higher rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH), symptomatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (sSAH), the combination thereof, higher mortality at 24 hours and 3 months, and worse 3-month modified Rankin score (mRS). Results for treatment subgroups were similar, except that in the IVT-only group only SICH, 3-month mRS and mortality were significantly increased. Conclusion: Ischemic stroke patients with COVID-19 showed higher rates of bleeding complications and worse clinical outcomes after acute revascularization treatments than contemporaneous non-COVID-19 treated patients. (Table Presented).

ENHANCEMENT OF STROKE REHABILITATION WITH LEVODOPA (ESTRELSTUDY) - DESIGN AND PROGRESS OF THE ONGOING MULTICENTER PLACEBOCONTROLLED RANDOMIZED TRIAL

Background: In this multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial we study whether Levodopa given in addition to usual rehabilitative therapies is associated with a patient-relevant enhancement of motor recovery after acute stroke. Methods: ESTREL (Enhancement of Stroke REhabilitation with Levodopa) is a multicenter, placebo-controlled randomized superiority trial. Patients with an acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke ≤7 days leading to a clinically meaningful hemiparesis in need of in-hospital rehabilitation are enrolled in stroke units and later transferred to experienced neurorehabilitation centers. Participants receive Levodopa 100mg/Carbidopa 25mg three times daily or matching placebo for 5 weeks in addition to standardized rehabilitative therapy. The primary outcome is the Fugl-Meyer- Motor Assessment score 3 months after randomization. We present the characteristics of the first 200 of 610 patients to be enrolled. Results: 13 certified stroke units and 13 neurorehabilitation centers are involved (“stroke-pathway-trial”). The first 200 participants had a median age of 73 [IQR 64-82] years and 43.5 % were female. 169 patients (84.5%) had ischemic stroke. At baseline, the median NIH-Stroke scale score was 8 [5-10]. Successful 3-month assessment was performed in 183 patients (91.5%);11 (5%) died, 5 (2.5%) withdrew from the study and 1 patient missed the clinical 3 months-visit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The ESTREL study will provide evidence whether the additional use of Levodopa in the rehabilitation process of stroke patients is safe and effective. The ESTREL-study started successfully due to the good cooperation between acute stroke units and rehabilitation centers, as well as the high acceptance rate among patients.

Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis in a patient with type 1 diabetes and SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia: case-report and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: Recent publications on Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) report that diabetic people with or without co-morbidities are at higher risk of developing severe and/or fatal illnesses. METHOD AND RESULT: We report the first case of a 60-year-old man with a 27-year history of type 1 diabetes mellitus, infected by SARS-CoV-2 presenting with an euglycaemic ketoacidosis and an acute respiratory distress syndrome. CONCLUSION: This case report reminds us of the importance of adjusting more recent glucose-lowering drugs, including sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, in the overall management of type 1 diabetic individuals during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. ABBREVIATIONS: COVID-19: Coronavirus disease 2019 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, T1DM: Type 1 diabetes mellitus, T2DM: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, SGLT2i: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, DKA: diabetic ketoacidosis, euDKA: euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis.

Prioritizing Pregnant Women for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination in African Countries.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in pregnancy is associated with excess maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in both African and higher-resource settings. Furthermore, mounting evidence demonstrates the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women and infants. However, national guidelines in many African countries are equivocal or lack recommendations on COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy. We summarize key data on COVID-19 epidemiology and vaccination among pregnant African women to highlight major barriers to vaccination and recommend 4 interventions. First, policymakers should prioritize pregnant women for COVID-19 vaccination, with a target of 100% coverage. Second, empirically supported public health campaigns should be sustainably implemented to inform and support pregnant women and their healthcare providers in overcoming vaccine hesitancy. Third, COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women should be expanded to include antenatal care, obstetrics/gynecology, and targeted mass vaccination campaigns. Fourth, national monitoring and evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine uptake, safety, surveillance, and prospective outcomes assessment should be conducted.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection and Pregnancy in Sub-Saharan Africa: A 6-Country Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Few data are available on COVID-19 outcomes among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where high-risk comorbidities are prevalent. We investigated the impact of pregnancy on SARS-CoV-2 infection and of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy to generate evidence for health policy and clinical practice. METHODS: We conducted a 6-country retrospective cohort study among hospitalized women of childbearing age between 1 March 2020 and 31 March 2021. Exposures were (1) pregnancy and (2) a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test. The primary outcome for both analyses was intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Secondary outcomes included supplemental oxygen requirement, mechanical ventilation, adverse birth outcomes, and in-hospital mortality. We used log-binomial regression to estimate the effect between pregnancy and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Factors associated with mortality were evaluated using competing-risk proportional subdistribution hazards models. RESULTS: Our analyses included 1315 hospitalized women: 510 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2, 403 nonpregnant women with SARS-CoV-2, and 402 pregnant women without SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among women with SARS-CoV-2 infection, pregnancy was associated with increased risk for ICU admission (adjusted risk ratio [aRR]: 2.38; 95% CI: 1.42-4.01), oxygen supplementation (aRR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.44-2.42), and hazard of in-hospital death (adjusted sub-hazard ratio [aSHR]: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.08-3.70). Among pregnant women, SARS-CoV-2 infection increased the risk of ICU admission (aRR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.20-3.35), oxygen supplementation (aRR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.17-2.11), and hazard of in-hospital death (aSHR: 5.03; 95% CI: 1.79-14.13). CONCLUSIONS: Among hospitalized women in SSA, both SARS-CoV-2 infection and pregnancy independently increased risks of ICU admission, oxygen supplementation, and death. These data support international recommendations to prioritize COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women.

Excess mortality among essential workers in England and Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to SARS-CoV-2, subsequent development of COVID-19 and death from COVID-19 may vary by occupation, and the risks may be higher for those categorised as 'essential workers'. METHODS: We estimated excess mortality by occupational group and sex separately for each month in 2020 and for the entire 12 months overall. RESULTS: Mortality for all adults of working age was similar to the annual average over the previous 5 years. Monthly excess mortality peaked in April, when the number of deaths was 54.2% higher than expected and was lowest in December when deaths were 30.0% lower than expected.Essential workers had consistently higher excess mortality than other groups throughout 2020. There were also large differences in excess mortality between the categories of essential workers, with healthcare workers having the highest excess mortality and social care and education workers having the lowest. Excess mortality also varied widely between men and women, even within the same occupational group. Generally, excess mortality was higher in men. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, excess mortality was consistently higher for essential workers throughout 2020, particularly for healthcare workers. Further research is needed to examine excess mortality by occupational group, while controlling for important confounders such as ethnicity and socioeconomic status. For non-essential workers, the lockdowns, encouragement to work from home and to maintain social distancing are likely to have prevented a number of deaths from COVID-19 and from other causes.

Assessment of Clinical Outcomes Among Children and Adolescents Hospitalized With COVID-19 in 6 Sub-Saharan African Countries.

IMPORTANCE: Little is known about COVID-19 outcomes among children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, where preexisting comorbidities are prevalent. OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical outcomes and factors associated with outcomes among children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in 6 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study was a retrospective record review of data from 25 hospitals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda from March 1 to December 31, 2020, and included 469 hospitalized patients aged 0 to 19 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection. EXPOSURES: Age, sex, preexisting comorbidities, and region of residence. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: An ordinal primary outcome scale was used comprising 5 categories: (1) hospitalization without oxygen supplementation, (2) hospitalization with oxygen supplementation, (3) ICU admission, (4) invasive mechanical ventilation, and (5) death. The secondary outcome was length of hospital stay. RESULTS: Among 469 hospitalized children and adolescents, the median age was 5.9 years (IQR, 1.6-11.1 years); 245 patients (52.4%) were male, and 115 (24.5%) had comorbidities. A total of 39 patients (8.3%) were from central Africa, 172 (36.7%) from eastern Africa, 208 (44.3%) from southern Africa, and 50 (10.7%) from western Africa. Eighteen patients had suspected (n = 6) or confirmed (n = 12) multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Thirty-nine patients (8.3%) died, including 22 of 69 patients (31.9%) who required intensive care unit admission and 4 of 18 patients (22.2%) with suspected or confirmed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Among 468 patients, 418 (89.3%) were discharged, and 16 (3.4%) remained hospitalized. The likelihood of outcomes with higher vs lower severity among children younger than 1 year expressed as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 4.89 (95% CI, 1.44-16.61) times higher than that of adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. The presence of hypertension (aOR, 5.91; 95% CI, 1.89-18.50), chronic lung disease (aOR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.65-5.37), or a hematological disorder (aOR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.04-9.24) was associated with severe outcomes. Age younger than 1 year (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [asHR], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.27-0.87), the presence of 1 comorbidity (asHR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.40-0.72), and the presence of 2 or more comorbidities (asHR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.18-0.38) were associated with reduced rates of hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort study of children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, high rates of morbidity and mortality were observed among infants and patients with noncommunicable disease comorbidities, suggesting that COVID-19 vaccination and therapeutic interventions are needed for young populations in this region.

The Critical Need for Pooled Data on Coronavirus Disease 2019 in African Children: An AFREhealth Call for Action Through Multicountry Research Collaboration.

Globally, there are prevailing knowledge gaps in the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among children and adolescents; and these gaps are especially wide in African countries. The availability of robust age-disaggregated data is a critical first step in improving knowledge on disease burden and manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among children. Furthermore, it is essential to improve understanding of SARS-CoV-2 interactions with comorbidities and coinfections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, malaria, sickle cell disease, and malnutrition, which are highly prevalent among children in sub-Saharan Africa. The African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth) COVID-19 Research Collaboration on Children and Adolescents is conducting studies across Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa to address existing knowledge gaps. This consortium is expected to generate key evidence to inform clinical practice and public health policy-making for COVID-19 while concurrently addressing other major diseases affecting children in African countries.

New Avenues for Prevention of Work-Related Diseases Linked to Psychosocial Risks.

The epidemic of psychosocial risks continues to increase and the COVID-19 pandemic has even worsened this threat on workers' health. This inexorable and evidence-based rise seems to be impervious to the preventive strategies proposed for more than 40 years. Hypotheses are proposed to explain this serious problem that drastically impacts public health and the economy. The objectives of this paper are to present, in this broad context of societal and cultural changes, how the present shift in management paradigms may represent opportunities to reduce work-related diseases. In the first part of this paper, we will summarize the situation on three main issues and their relation with psychosocial risks: (1) evolution of the occupational safety and health field, (2) change in the nature of work, and (3) emerging models of governance. In the second part, we will describe, through a few examples (among many others), how emerging models of corporate governance may reduce and prevent stress and burnout. Work is changing fundamentally, and this impacts workers' (and managers') health and well-being; that is why approaches in line with these changes are necessary. The COVID-19 pandemic has produced major changes in work organization. This may offer promising opportunities to reanalyze working conditions for a better control of occupational diseases and stress with all the benefits these improvements will bring for society and for individuals.

Ischemic stroke in consecutive patients with COVID-19: A case-control study of clinical features, mechanisms and outcome in the swiss stroke registry

Background and Aims: Most case series of patients with ischemic stroke (IS) and COVID-19 are limited to random centers or lack 3-month outcome. The aim of this study is to describe prevalence, clinical, radiological and pathophysiological features and long-term outcome of COVID-19-related IS in a nationwide stroke registry. Methods: From the Swiss Stroke Registry (SSR), we included all consecutive IS patients aged ≥18 years who were admitted to stroke units during the first wave of COVID-19 (25.02.-08.06.2020). We compared baseline features, stroke etiology and 3-month outcome (modified Rankin shift) of COVID PCR+ IS patients with COVID PCR-and/or asymptomatic non-tested IS patients. Results: Of the 2376 IS patients entered in the SSR during the study period, 36 (1.5%) had confirmed COVID-19 infection (details in Figure 1). In multivariate analysis, COVID+ patients had lower admission blood pressure (p=0.004) and more frequently lesions in multiple vascular territories (p=0.09). Stroke seemed more often related to several defined etiologies (p=0.07), and less often to large artery atherosclerotic (p=0.07) and cryptogenic mechanisms (p=0.03). There was a strong trend towards worse outcome in COVID+ patients across the entire Rankin-spectrum (Figure 2) despite adjustment for age, stroke severity and revascularization treatments (OR 1.97, 95%CI 0.92-4.21, p=0.08). Conclusions: In this nationwide analysis of consecutive ischemic strokes, concomitant COVID-19 was relatively rare. COVID+ patients more often had multiple territory involvement and multiple stroke mechanisms, and their 3-month outcome was worse across the entire Rankin spectrum. (Table Presented).

Retentissement de la pandémie liée à la COVID-19 sur la prise en charge des patients incidents en hémodialyse

Déclaration de liens d’intérêts: Les auteurs déclarent ne pas avoir de liens d’intérêts.

Recommendations for Standardizing Thorax PET-CT in Non-Human Primates by Recent Experience from Macaque Studies.

Despite the possibilities of routine clinical measures and assays on readily accessible bio-samples, it is not always essential in animals to investigate the dynamics of disease longitudinally. In this regard, minimally invasive imaging methods provide powerful tools in preclinical research. They can contribute to the ethical principle of gathering as much relevant information per animal as possible. Besides, with an obvious parallel to clinical diagnostic practice, such imaging platforms are potent and valuable instruments leading to a more refined use of animals from a welfare perspective. Non-human primates comprise highly relevant species for preclinical research to enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms and/or the development of improved prophylactic or therapeutic regimen for various human diseases. In this paper, we describe parameters that critically affect the quality of integrated positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET-CT) in non-human primates. Lessons learned are exemplified by results from imaging experimental infectious respiratory disease in macaques; specifically tuberculosis, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 infection. We focus on the thorax and use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose as a PET tracer. Recommendations are provided to guide various stages of PET-CT-supported research in non-human primates, from animal selection, scan preparation, and operation, to processing and analysis of imaging data.

Occupation and COVID-19 mortality in England: a national linked data study of 14.3 million adults (preprint)

ObjectiveTo estimate occupational differences in COVID-19 mortality, and test whether these are confounded by factors, such as regional differences, ethnicity and education or due to non-workplace factors, such as deprivation or pre-pandemic health. DesignRetrospective cohort study SettingPeople living in private households England Participants14,295,900 people aged 40-64 years (mean age 52 years, 51% female) who were alive on 24 January 2020, living in private households in England in 2019, were employed in 2011, and completed the 2011 census. Main outcome measuresCOVID-19 related death, assessed between 24 January 2020 and 28 December 2020. We estimated age-standardised mortality rates per 100,000 person-years at risk (ASMR) stratified by sex and occupations. To estimate the effect of occupation due to work-related exposures, we used Cox proportional hazard models to adjust for confounding (region, ethnicity, education), as well as non-workplace factors that are related to occupation. ResultsThere is wide variation between occupations in COVID-19 mortality. Several occupations, particularly those involving contact with patients or the public, show three-fold or four-fold risks. These elevated risks were greatly attenuated after adjustment for confounding and mediating non-workplace factors. For example, the hazard ratio (HR) for men working as taxi and cab drivers or chauffeurs changed from 4.60 [95%CI 3.62-5.84] to 1.47 [1.14-1.89] after adjustment. More generally, the overall HR for men working in essential occupations compared with men in non-essential occupations changed from 1.45 [1.34 - 1.56] to 1.22 [1.13 - 1.32] after adjustment. For most occupations, confounding and other mediating factors explained about 70% to 80% of the age-adjusted hazard ratios. ConclusionsWorking conditions are likely to play a role in COVID-19 mortality, particularly in occupations involving contact with COVID-19 patients or the public. However, there is also a substantial contribution from non-workplace factors, including regional factors, socio-demographic factors, and pre-pandemic health.

[COVID-19 and stroke: associated or not ?]

COVID-19 patients are at a higher risk of stroke. This observation is in apparent contradiction with the reduced number of stroke patient admissions during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, seen worldwide. The SARS-CoV-2 can affect the endothelium, favour a procoagulant state and involves the heart, leading to an increased risk of developing a stroke. The pandemic and confinement influence the behaviour of the population, perhaps more reticent to contact emergency departments flooded with COVID-19 patients and likely to have modified levels of stress. In addition, it was shown that confinement during the pandemic reduced air pollution, thought to affect stroke risk. These indirect effects of SARS-CoV-2 probably also impact the number of hospital admissions for stroke. These different aspects are presented here as a controversy.