Neighborhood disparities in COVID-19 outcomes in New York city over the first two waves of the outbreak.

PURPOSE: To assess the association of neighborhood demographic and socioeconomic characteristics with COVID-19 incidence and mortality in New York City (NYC) over the first two waves of outbreak. METHODS: This retrospective study used neighborhood-level data from 177 modified ZIP code tabulation areas in NYC between March 01, 2020 and April 30, 2021. RESULTS: Neighborhoods that were most severely impacted in wave 1 were also more affected in wave 2. Neighborhoods with a higher percentage of seniors (≥75 years), males, Black and Hispanic population, and large-size households had higher incidence rates of COVID-19 in wave 1 but not in wave 2. Neighborhoods with higher percentage of Black and Hispanic population and lower insurance coverage had higher death rate per capita and case fatality ratio in wave 1, and neighborhoods with higher percentage of Black and Asian population had elevated case fatality ratio in wave 2. Median household income was negatively associated with incidence rate and death rate per capita but not associated with case fatality ratio in both waves. Neighborhoods with more seniors had higher death rate and case fatality ratio in both waves. CONCLUSIONS: Neighborhood disparities in COVID-19 incidence and mortality across NYC neighborhoods were dynamic during the first two waves of outbreak.

The Impact of Androgen Deprivation Therapy on COVID-19 Illness in Men With Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: TMPRSS2, a cell surface protease regulated by androgens and commonly upregulated in prostate cancer (PCa), is a necessary component for SARS-CoV-2 viral entry into respiratory epithelial cells. Previous reports suggested a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 among PCa patients on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). However, the impact of ADT on severe COVID-19 illness is poorly understood. METHODS: We performed a multicenter study across 7 US medical centers and evaluated patients with PCa and SARS-CoV-2 detected by polymerase-chain-reaction between March 1, 2020, and May 31, 2020. PCa patients were considered on ADT if they had received appropriate ADT treatment within 6 months of COVID-19 diagnosis. We used multivariable logistic and Cox proportional-hazard regression models for analysis. All statistical tests were 2-sided. RESULTS: We identified 465 PCa patients (median age = 71 years) with a median follow-up of 60 days. Age, body mass index, cardiovascular comorbidity, and PCa clinical disease state adjusted overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.68 to 1.98, P = .59), hospitalization status (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.52 to 1.77, P = .90), supplemental oxygenation (HR 1.14, 95% CI = 0.66 to 1.99, P = .64), and use of mechanical ventilation (HR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.25 to 2.66, P = .73) were similar between ADT and non-ADT cohorts. Similarly, the addition of androgen receptor-directed therapy within 30 days of COVID-19 diagnosis to ADT vs ADT alone did not statistically significantly affect overall survival (androgen receptor-directed therapy: HR = 1.27, 95% CI = 0.69 to 2.32, P = .44). CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective cohort of PCa patients, the use of ADT was not demonstrated to influence severe COVID-19 outcomes, as defined by hospitalization, supplemental oxygen use, or death. Age 70 years and older was statistically significantly associated with a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease.

Emerging Therapeutic Modalities against COVID-19.

The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus has quickly spread worldwide, bringing the whole world as well as the economy to a standstill. As the world is struggling to minimize the transmission of this devastating disease, several strategies are being actively deployed to develop therapeutic interventions. Pharmaceutical companies and academic researchers are relentlessly working to investigate experimental, repurposed or FDA-approved drugs on a compassionate basis and novel biologics for SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis and treatment. Presently, a tremendous surge of COVID-19 clinical trials are advancing through different stages. Among currently registered clinical efforts, ~86% are centered on testing small molecules or antibodies either alone or in combination with immunomodulators. The rest ~14% of clinical efforts are aimed at evaluating vaccines and convalescent plasma-based therapies to mitigate the disease's symptoms. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current therapeutic modalities being evaluated against SARS-CoV-2 virus in clinical trials.