SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with melanoma: results of the Spanish Melanoma Group registry.

BACKGROUND: The Spanish Melanoma Group (GEM) developed a national registry of patients with melanoma infected by SARS-CoV-2 ("GRAVID"). METHODS: The main objective was to describe the COVID-19 fatality rate in patients with melanoma throughout the pandemic, as well as to explore the effect of melanoma treatment and tumor stage on the risk of COVID-19 complications. These are the final data of the register, including cases from February 2020 to September 2021. RESULTS: One hundred-fifty cases were registered. Median age was 68 years (range 6-95), 61 (40%) patients were females, and 63 (42%) patients had stage IV. Thirty-nine (26%) were on treatment with immunotherapy, and 17 (11%) with BRAF-MEK inhibitors. COVID-19 was resolved in 119 cases, including 85 (57%) patients cured, 15 (10%) that died due to melanoma, and 20 (13%) that died due to COVID-19. Only age over 60 years, cardiovascular disorders, and diabetes mellitus increased the risk of death due to COVID-19, but not advanced melanoma stage nor melanoma systemic therapies. Three waves have been covered by the register: February-May 2020, August-November 2020, and December 2020-April 2021. The first wave had the highest number of registered cases and COVID-19 mortality. CONCLUSION: Tumor stage or melanoma treatments are non-significant prognostic factors for COVID-19 mortality. During the pandemic in Spain there was a downward trend in the number of patients registered across the waves, as well as in the severity of the infection. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT04344002.

Neurological Manifestations and Outcomes in a Retrospective Cohort of Mexican Inpatients with SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia: Design of a Risk Profile.

We analyzed the neurological manifestations in Mexican patients hospitalized with pneumonia due to COVID-19 and investigated the association between demographic, clinical, and biochemical variables and outcomes, including death. A retrospective, analytical study was conducted using the electronic records of patients hospitalized between 1 April 2020 and 30 September 2020. Records of 1040 patients were analyzed: 31.25% died and 79.42% had neurological symptoms, including headache (80.62%), anosmia (32.20%), ageusia (31.96%), myopathy (28.08%), disorientation (14.89%), encephalopathy (12.22%), neuropathy (5.4%), stroke (1.3%), seizures (1.3%), cerebral hemorrhage (1.08%), encephalitis (0.84%), central venous thrombosis (0.36%), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (0.24%). Patients also had comorbidities, such as hypertension (42.30%), diabetes mellitus (38.74%), obesity (61.34%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (3.17%), and asthma (2.01%). Factors associated with neurological symptoms were dyspnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, advanced respiratory support, prolonged hospitalization, and worsening fibrinogen levels. Factors associated with death were older age, advanced respiratory support, amine management, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, intensive care unit management, dyspnea, disorientation, encephalopathy, hypertension, neuropathy, diabetes, male sex, three or more neurological symptoms, and obesity grade 3. In this study we designed a profile to help predict patients at higher risk of developing neurological complications and death following COVID-19 infection.

Uniting for adolescents in covid-19 and beyond

Adolescents and young adults are also experiencing a crisis of connection to family, community, and society, with increasing numbers living on the streets or dropping out of school.34 Between 2003 and 2015, development assistance for adolescent health accounted for only 1.6% of total development assistance for health,5 despite a third of the total global burden of disease estimated to have roots in adolescence.6 Mental health problems affect 10-20% of adolescents, and many more experience symptoms that diminish wellbeing.7 Furthermore, this is the age at which the gender inequalities that underlie and pose major barriers to wellbeing emerge clearly and is when programmes can transform these inequalities. In 2017, 34% of young women and 10% of young men aged 15-24 years were not in employment, education, or training, with more pronounced disparities in northern Africa and southern Asia.68 Even among employed adolescents and young adults, an increasing proportion have poor job security, variable weekly earnings, and minimal or no health or social security coverage.8 These examples show that, as a global community, we have paid insufficient attention to the multidimensional and intersectional nature of adolescent wellbeing and the importance of the transition to young adulthood. In 2019, for a more concerted and collaborative approach to adolescents’ wellbeing, an unprecedented coalition of governments, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organisations, and academic institutions—working closely with adolescents and young people—committed to a call to action for adolescent wellbeing.9 Underpinning this call to action is a new agreed definition and conceptual framework for adolescent wellbeing to inform policies and programming.10 The framework emphasises the importance of integrating five interconnected domains in adolescent programming: good health and optimum nutrition;connectedness, positive values, and contribution to society;safety and a supportive environment;learning, competence, education, skills, and employability;and agency and resilience.

Housing type is associated with objectively measured changes in movement behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults with hypertension: An exploratory study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between housing characteristics with objectively measured changes in physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults with hypertension. METHODS: Thirty-five older adults with hypertension were included in this exploratory study. Accelerometer-based PA and SB measures were assessed before and during a period of social distancing policy imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Housing type, housing surface area and household size were tested as predictors of changes in PA and SB. A generalized linear mixed model was used for the analysis. RESULTS: Housing type was associated with changes in PA and SB. Individuals residing in an apartment showed a greater decrease in light PA on weekdays (ß= -65 min/day, p=0.035) and a trend for an increase in SB (ß= 55 min/day, p=0.056) compared to those residing in a detached house. Individuals residing in a row house showed a greater decrease in moderate-vigorous PA (ß= -10 min/day, p=0.037) and steps/day (ß= -2064, p=0.010) compared to those residing in a detached house. Individuals residing in an apartment showed a greater decrease in light PA on the weekends (ß= -83 min/day, p=0.015) and an increase in SB (ß= 72 min/day, p=0.036) compared to those residing in a detached house. No association was found for housing surface area and household size. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with hypertension residing in an apartment or row house have greater unhealthy changes in movement behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further studies are needed to confirm our preliminary findings.