ABO blood group as a determinant of COVID-19 and Long COVID: An observational, longitudinal, large study.

BACKGROUND: An association of ABO blood group and COVID-19 remains controversial. METHODS: Following STROBE guidance for observational research, we explored the distribution of ABO blood group in patients hospitalized for acute COVID-19 and in those with Long COVID. Contingency tables were made and risk factors were explored using crude and adjusted Mantle-Haentzel odds ratios (OR and 95% CI). RESULTS: Up to September 2022, there were a total of 5,832 acute COVID-19 hospitalizations in our hospital, corresponding to 5,503 individual patients, of whom blood group determination was available for 1,513 (27.5%). Their distribution by ABO was: 653 (43.2%) group 0, 690 (45.6%) A, 113 (7.5%) B, and 57 (3.8%) AB, which corresponds to the expected frequencies in the general population. In parallel, of 676 patients with Long COVID, blood group determination was available for 135 (20.0%). Their distribution was: 60 (44.4%) from group 0, 61 (45.2%) A, 9 (6.7%) B, and 5 (3.7%) AB. The distribution of the ABO system of Long COVID patients did not show significant differences with respect to that of the total group (p ≥ 0.843). In a multivariate analysis adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, and severity of acute COVID-19 infection, subgroups A, AB, and B were not significantly associated with developing Long COVID with an OR of 1.015 [0.669-1.541], 1.327 [0.490-3.594] and 0.965 [0.453-2.058], respectively. The effect of the Rh+ factor was also not significant 1,423 [0.772-2,622] regarding Long COVID. CONCLUSIONS: No association of any ABO blood subgroup with COVID-19 or developing Long COVID was identified.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in mortality due to respiratory diseases: A comparative analysis of 2021 and 2020 vs 2019 in Spain.

INTRODUCTION: We previously reported an increase in respiratory mortality in 2020 in Spain after COVID-19. It is unclear if this rise is sustained in the longer-term. We aimed to determine whether respiratory mortality in 2021 in Spain returned to pre-pandemic levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In an observational, large study using official National Institute of Statistics data, we explored deaths due to respiratory diseases, that is, all causes of death by the standard WHO list of diseases of the respiratory system plus COVID-19, tuberculosis and lung cancer. Using the latest available official data of Spain, we analyzed changes in the mortality pattern in Spain from January 2019 to December 2021. We endorsed STROBE guidance for observational research. RESULTS: There were 98,714 deaths due to respiratory diseases in 2021 in Spain, corresponding to 21.9% of all deaths, becoming second in the ranking of causes of death. Respiratory diseases mortality in Spain has not returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2021, still with an increase of 30.3% (95% CI 30.2-30.4) compared to rates in 2019. All respiratory-specific causes of death decreased in 2021, except for lung cancer, that increased in women and decreased in men compared to 2019 (both p<0.05). In a multivariate analysis some established risk factors for respiratory diseases mortality were confirmed, such as male gender and older age; further, an association with reduced mortality in rural Spain was observed, still with a large geographical variability. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting impact on deaths due to respiratory diseases and certain specific causes of death in 2021, and it has disproportionately affected certain regions.

Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus Pandemic on Patients with Bronchiectasis: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Infection by SARS-CoV-2 has unquestionably had an impact on the health of patients with chronic respiratory airway diseases, such as COPD and asthma, but little information is available about its impact on patients with bronchiectasis. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effect of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the state of health, characteristics, and clinical severity (including the number and severity of exacerbations) of patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. METHODS: This study was multicenter, observational, and ambispective (with data collected before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic), and included 150 patients diagnosed with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. RESULTS: A significant drop was observed in the number and severity of the exacerbations (57% in all exacerbations and 50% in severe exacerbations) in the E-FACED and BSI multidimensional scores, in the pandemic, compared with the pre-pandemic period. There was also a drop in the percentage of sputum samples positive for pathogenic microorganisms in general (from 58% to 44.7%) and, more specifically, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (from 23.3% to 13.3%) and Haemophilus influenzae (from 21.3% to 14%). CONCLUSIONS: During the SARS-CoV-2 period, a significant reduction was observed in the exacerbations, severity, and isolations of pathogenic microorganisms in patients with bronchiectasis.

The Emergence of COVID-19 as a Cause of Death in 2020 and its Effect on Mortality by Diseases of the Respiratory System in Spain: Trends and Their Determinants Compared to 2019.

Objective: To analyze the causes of death by diseases of the respiratory system in Spain in 2020, with special interest in COVID-19; also its trends and determinants, and compare them with 2019. Material and methods: Retrospective cohort study. The coding of all those causes of death by diseases of the respiratory system were regrouped. A descriptive analysis of all deaths and by gender, age, and the 17 Autonomous Communities (CC.AA.) was performed. Also, odds ratios of death in crude and multivariate analysis by logistic regression were estimated. Results: In Spain in 2020, 60,358 deaths were attributed to "COVID-19 virus identified" and another 14,481 to "COVID-19 virus not identified (suspicious)". Regrouping the specific causes of death, in 2020 the diseases of the respiratory system caused a total of 139,880 deaths, which corresponds to 28.3% of all deaths in Spain. Compared to 2019, an increase of 68.5% was observed. By gender, deaths by diseases of the respiratory system were higher in men (32.0%) than in women (24.6%), although in specific causes the percentage was higher in women with suspected COVID-19, asthma, respiratory insufficiency and other diseases of the respiratory system. Finally, the variables associated with death from COVID-19 in the multivariate analysis were being male, increasing age (maximum at 80 years), completed studies up to secondary level, employed, and single or widowed marital status, although with a marked variation by CC.AA. Conclusions: In Spain in 2020, COVID-19 produced a large increase (68.5%) in deaths by diseases of the respiratory system compared to the previous year.

Objetivo: Analizar las causas de muerte por enfermedades del aparato respiratorio en España durante el año 2020, con especial interés en COVID-19; también sus tendencias y determinantes, y compararlas con el año 2019. Material y métodos: Estudio de cohortes retrospectivo. Se reagrupó la codificación de todas aquellas causas de muerte por enfermedades del aparato respiratorio. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo de todas las defunciones por sexo, edad en las 17 Comunidades Autónomas (CC. AA.). Además, se estimaron las odds ratios de muerte en análisis crudo y multivariado por regresión logística. Resultados: En España en el año 2020 se atribuyeron 60.358 muertes a «COVID-19 virus identificado¼ y otras 14.481 a «COVID-19 virus no identificado (sospechoso)¼. Reagrupando las causas específicas de muerte, en el año 2020 las enfermedades del aparato respiratorio provocaron un total de 139.880 muertes, lo que corresponde al 28,3% de todas las muertes en España. En comparación con el año 2019, se observó un aumento del 68,5%. Por género, las defunciones por enfermedades del aparato respiratorio fueron mayores en los varones (32,0%) que en las mujeres (24,6%), aunque en causas específicas el porcentaje fue mayor en mujeres en COVID-19 sospechosa, asma, insuficiencia respiratoria y otras enfermedades del aparato respiratorio. Finalmente, las variables asociadas a la muerte por COVID-19 en el análisis multivariante fueron el género masculino, el aumento de la edad (máximo a los 80 años), estudios completados hasta secundaria y el estado civil soltero o viudo, aunque con una marcada variación por CC. AA. Conclusiones: En España en el año 2020 la COVID-19 produjo un gran incremento (68,5%) de muertes por enfermedades del aparato respiratorio en comparación con el año anterior.