SUPPORT FOR DUAL-HABITATION BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: Based on the questionnaire targeting local governments that are members of promotion councils such as nationwide dual habitation

This study aims to grasp the situation of supports for dual-habitation by local governments. We conducted a questionnaire survey for local governments. As a result, many supports were about set up a consultation desk and utilization of subsidies. On the other hand, it was useful to set up a dedicated homepage, provide unoccupied house bank and places for employment and community exchange. In addition, we confirmed the growing interest due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was found that support for dual-habitation requires not only support for the houses, but also the realization of new work styles and regional exchanges. © 2023 Architectural Institute of Japan. All rights reserved.

Survey research on the service provision system and issues among meal delivery service providers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: To examine service provision systems and issues among meal delivery service providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We requested the participation of 21 meal delivery service providers, all of whom are members of the Japan Nutrition Support Food Delivery Conference, by mail. Those who agreed to participate in the survey were then targeted. Questionnaires and interview surveys were sent out and completed from January to February of 2021, and the data were then analyzed. Results: Thirteen meal delivery service providers agreed to participate in the survey. According to the survey results, the issues in the provision systems included: infection control and system maintenance during delivery, infection control for staff, maintenance of the production system to cope with the increase in the number of meals and users, maintenance of ordering operations, and securing human resources. Depending on the business type and service characteristics of the provider, the opportunities to introduce meal delivery services to patients have decreased due to a decline in nutritional guidance at medical institutions. Ascertaining the condition of users has also become increasingly difficult due to lack of monitoring and confirming the safety of users face-to-face. Conclusion: This study summarized issues related to the provision systems of meal delivery service providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the present study are expected to serve as important data for the development of resilient food environments during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as for the establishment of proper government and meal delivery service provider systems in preparation for future outbreaks of infectious diseases.

Japan prospective multicenter study for optimization of COVID-19 vaccinations based on the immune response and safety profile in Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients: Interim analyses of the J-COMBAT trial

Background Immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination may be influenced by immunomodulatory drugs (IMDs). We investigated the immune responses and safety in fully vaccinated Japanese patients with IBD. Methods IBD patients and control subjects at 39 institutes were invited to participate in the study from March to October 2021. Blood sample collections to measure anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG antibody titers were planned pre-1st vaccination, pre-2nd vaccination, and at 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months post-2nd vaccination. Immune responses were compared between groups, considering baseline characteristics and IMD treatments. (UMIN000043545) The interim analyses presented here include mainly data from the 4-weeks post-2nd vaccination time-point. Results In total, 679 IBD patients and 203 controls were enrolled (Table 1). The IBD group received the BNT162b2 vaccine (86.2%) and the mRNA-1273 vaccine (12.5%), and the control group received the BNT162b2 vaccine (86.9%) and the mRNA-1273 vaccine (12.1%). Only 4 cases (0.7%) in the IBD group and 2 (1.0%) in the control group were infected with COVID-19. Adverse events of 2nd vaccination occurred in 48.4% of the IBD group and 35.1% of the control group. Comparison between administrated and non-administrated IBD patients for each IMD revealed an attenuated genomic mean titer (GMT [U/mL]) in those taking systemic steroids (18.85 vs 31.24), anti-TNF monotherapy (28.31 vs 42.99), anti-TNF therapy+ immunomodulator (IM) (12.86 vs 35.26), vedolizumab+IM (19.49 vs 30.39), ustekinumab+IM (20.44 vs 30.79), and tofacitinib (9.54 vs 32.08), but not in those taking oral 5-ASA (29.50 vs 32.40), or vedolizumab (41.85 vs 40.20) and ustekinumab (55.56 vs 39.26) monotherapies. Estimated least square means of the GMT by a multiple linear regression model are shown in Table 2. GMTs were significantly influenced by increasing age and allergy (51.2, 95%CI 42.1–62.3;p=0.0293), and tended to be influenced by COVID-19 infection (139.1, 41.0–472.2;p=0.0572). Sex, smoking, drinking, IBD, and adverse events of 2nd vaccination did not affect the GMT. The GMT was significantly higher for mRNA-1273 (90.3 [60.8–134.1]) than for BNT162b2 (39.6 [35.2–44.6], p= 0.0001). Systemic steroids (22.9 [13.9–37.7], p=0.0119), IM (24.2 [18.7–31.4], p<0.0001), anti-TNF agents (20.8 [15.3–28.3], p<0.0001), vedolizumab (25.2 [15.0–42.2], p=0.0409), ustekinumab (28.9 [18.5–45.0], p=0.0754), and tofacitinib (5.5 [2.8–10.9], p<0.0001), but not oral 5-ASA (39.1 [31.9–47.9], p=0.3225), attenuated GMTs at 4 weeks post-2nd vaccination (Table 2). Conclusion Aging and most IMD options attenuated immunogenicity in fully vaccinated IBD patients. Prioritization of a booster vaccination should be considered for IBD patients treated with IMDs.

JAPAN PROSPECTIVE MULTICENTER STUDY FOR OPTIMIZATION OF COVID-19 VACCINATIONS BASED ON THE IMMUNE RESPONSE AND SAFETY PROFILE IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE PATIENTS: INTERIM ANALYSES

Background: Immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination may be influenced by immunomodulatory drugs (IMDs). We investigated the immune responses and safety in fully vaccinated Japanese patients with IBD. Subjects and Methods: IBD patients and control subjects at 39 institutes were invited to participate in the study from March to October 2021. Blood sample collections to measure anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG antibody titers were planned pre-1st vaccination, pre-2nd vaccination, and at 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months post-2nd vaccination. Immune responses were compared between groups, considering baseline characteristics and IMD treatments. (UMIN000043545) The interim analyses presented here include mainly data from the 4-weeks post-2nd vaccination time-point. Results: In total, 679 IBD patients and 203 controls were enrolled (Table 1). The IBD group received the BNT162b2 vaccine (86.2%) and the mRNA-1273 vaccine (12.5%), and the control group received the BNT162b2 vaccine (86.9%) and the mRNA-1273 vaccine (12.1%). Only 4 cases (0.7%) in the IBD group and 2 (1.0%) in the control group were infected with COVID-19. Adverse events of 2nd vaccination occurred in 48.4% of the IBD group and 35.1% of the control group. Comparison between administrated and non-administrated IBD patients for each IMD revealed an attenuated genomic mean titer (GMT [U/mL]) in those taking systemic steroids (18.85 vs 31.24), anti-TNF monotherapy (28.31 vs 42.99), anti- TNF therapy+ immunomodulator (IM) (12.86 vs 35.26), vedolizumab+IM (19.49 vs 30.39), ustekinumab+IM (20.44 vs 30.79), and tofacitinib (9.54 vs 32.08), but not in those taking oral 5-ASA (29.50 vs 32.40), or vedolizumab (41.85 vs 40.20) and ustekinumab (55.56 vs 39.26) monotherapies. Estimated least square means of the GMT by a multiple linear regression model are shown in Table 2. GMTs were significantly influenced by increasing age and allergy (51.2, 95%CI 42.1-62.3;p=0.0293), and tended to be influenced by COVID- 19 infection (139.1, 41.0-472.2;p=0.0572). Sex, smoking, drinking, IBD, and adverse events of 2nd vaccination did not affect the GMT. The GMT was significantly higher for mRNA- 1273 (90.3 [60.8-134.1]) than for BNT162b2 (39.6 [35.2-44.6], p= 0.0001). Systemic steroids (22.9 [13.9-37.7], p=0.0119), IM (24.2 [18.7-31.4], p<0.0001), anti-TNF agents (20.8 [15.3-28.3], p<0.0001), vedolizumab (25.2 [15.0-42.2], p=0.0409), ustekinumab (28.9 [18.5-45.0], p=0.0754), and tofacitinib (5.5 [2.8-10.9], p<0.0001), but not oral 5- ASA (39.1 [31.9-47.9], p=0.3225), attenuated GMTs at 4 weeks post-2nd vaccination (Table 2). Conclusion: Aging and most IMD options attenuated immunogenicity in fully vaccinated IBD patients. Prioritization of a booster vaccination should be considered for IBD patients treated with IMDs. (Table Presented) (Table Presented)

Japan prospective multicenter study for optimization of COVID-19 vaccinations based on the immune response and safety profile in Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients: Interim analyses of the J-COMBAT trial

Background: Immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination may be influenced by immunomodulatory drugs (IMDs). We investigated the immune responses and safety in fully vaccinated Japanese patients with IBD. Methods: IBD patients and control subjects at 39 institutes were invited to participate in the study from March to October 2021. Blood sample collections to measure anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG antibody titers were planned pre-1st vaccination, pre-2nd vaccination, and at 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months post-2nd vaccination. Immune responses were compared between groups, considering baseline characteristics and IMD treatments. (UMIN000043545) The interim analyses presented here include mainly data from the 4-weeks post-2nd vaccination time-point. Results: In total, 679 IBD patients and 203 controls were enrolled (Table 1). The IBD group received the BNT162b2 vaccine (86.2%) and the mRNA-1273 vaccine (12.5%), and the control group received the BNT162b2 vaccine (86.9%) and the mRNA-1273 vaccine (12.1%). Only 4 cases (0.7%) in the IBD group and 2 (1.0%) in the control group were infected with COVID-19. Adverse events of 2nd vaccination occurred in 48.4% of the IBD group and 35.1% of the control group. Comparison between administrated and nonadministrated IBD patients for each IMD revealed an attenuated genomic mean titer (GMT [U/mL]) in those taking systemic steroids (18.85 vs 31.24), anti-TNF monotherapy (28.31 vs 42.99), anti-TNF therapy+ immunomodulator (IM) (12.86 vs 35.26), vedolizumab+IM (19.49 vs 30.39), ustekinumab+IM (20.44 vs 30.79), and tofacitinib (9.54 vs 32.08), but not in those taking oral 5-ASA (29.50 vs 32.40), or vedolizumab (41.85 vs 40.20) and ustekinumab (55.56 vs 39.26) monotherapies. Estimated least square means of the GMT by a multiple linear regression model are shown in Table 2. GMTs were significantly influenced by increasing age and allergy (51.2, 95%CI 42.1-62.3;p=0.0293), and tended to be influenced by COVID-19 infection (139.1, 41.0-472.2;p=0.0572). Sex, smoking, drinking, IBD, and adverse events of 2nd vaccination did not affect the GMT. The GMT was significantly higher for mRNA-1273 (90.3 [60.8-134.1]) than for BNT162b2 (39.6 [35.2-44.6], p= 0.0001). Systemic steroids (22.9 [13.9-37.7], p=0.0119), IM (24.2 [18.7-31.4], p<0.0001), anti-TNF agents (20.8 [15.3-28.3], p<0.0001), vedolizumab (25.2 [15.0-42.2], p=0.0409), ustekinumab (28.9 [18.5-45.0], p=0.0754), and tofacitinib (5.5 [2.8-10.9], p<0.0001), but not oral 5-ASA (39.1 [31.9-47.9], p=0.3225), attenuated GMTs at 4 weeks post-2nd vaccination (Table 2). Conclusion: Aging and most IMD options attenuated immunogenicity in fully vaccinated IBD patients. Prioritization of a booster vaccination should be considered for IBD patients treated with IMDs.