Microbial aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalised adults: A prospective study utilising comprehensive molecular testing.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe the microbial aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults admitted to a tertiary care hospital and assess the impact of syndromic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panels on pathogen detection. METHODS: Conducted at Haukeland University Hospital, Norway, from September 2020 to April 2023, this prospective study enrolled adults with suspected CAP. We analysed lower respiratory tract samples using both standard-of-care tests and the BIOFIRE® FILMARRAY® Pneumonia Plus Panel (FAP plus). The added value of FAP Plus in enhancing the detection of clinically relevant pathogens, alongside standard-of-care diagnostics, was assessed. RESULTS: Of the 3238 patients screened, 640 met the inclusion criteria, with 384 confirmed to have CAP at discharge. In these patients, pathogens with proven or probable clinical significance were identified in 312 (81.3%) patients. Haemophilus influenzae was the most prevalent pathogen, found in 118 patients (30.7%), followed by SARS-CoV-2 in 74 (19.3%), and Streptococcus pneumoniae in 64 (16.7%). Respiratory viruses were detected in 186 (48.4%) patients. The use of FAP plus improved the pathogen detection rate from 62.8% with standard-of-care methods to 81.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Pathogens were identified in 81% of CAP patients, with Haemophilus influenzae and respiratory viruses being the most frequently detected pathogens. The addition of the FAP plus panel, markedly improved pathogen detection rates compared to standard-of-care diagnostics alone.

A woman in her thirties with facial swelling and necrotic lesions. / En kvinne i 30-årene med hevelse og nekrotiske lesjoner i ansiktet.

A woman in her thirties developed multiple necrotic lesions on her face in a short space of time. A dermatologist recognised clinical features associated with a rare diagnosis, which was eventually confirmed by diagnostic workup. Known atopic eczema increased the risk of a severe course of what was initially a mild disease, and a multidisciplinary approach proved necessary.

The 'Finnish new variant of Chlamydia trachomatis' escaping detection in the Aptima Combo 2 assay is widespread across Norway, June to August 2019.

The 'Finnish new variant of Chlamydia trachomatis' (FI-nvCT), escaping detection in the Aptima Combo 2 assay (AC2), is widespread across Norway. From June to August 2019, 84% (81/97) of available AC2/Aptima CT discordant samples from five laboratories were confirmed as FI-nvCT. Two additional CT variants (CT 23S rRNA C1514T and G1523A) also escaped AC2 detection. The high FI-nvCT proportion might indicate a long-term national spread and it cannot be excluded that FI-nvCT emerged in Norway.

Anxiety and depression associated with urinary incontinence. A 10-year follow-up study from the Norwegian HUNT study (EPINCONT).

AIMS: Firstly, to investigate the association between depression, anxiety and urinary incontinence (UI) in a 10-year longitudinal study of women. Secondly, to investigate the association between possible differences in the stress- and urgency components of UI and different severities of depression and anxiety by age groups. METHODS: In a longitudinal, population-based survey study, the EPINCONT part of the HUNT study in Norway, we analyzed questionnaire data on UI, depression and anxiety from 16,263 women from 20 years of age. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to predict the odds of developing anxiety and depression among the women with and without UI at baseline and the odds of developing UI among the women with and without anxiety or depression at baseline. RESULTS: For women with any UI at baseline we found an association with the incidence of depression and anxiety symptoms, OR 1.45 (1.23-1.72) and 1.26 (1.8-1.47) for mild depression and anxiety respectively. For women with depression or anxiety symptoms at baseline we found an association with the incidence of any UI with OR 2.09 (1.55-2.83) and 1.65 (1.34-2.03) for moderate/severe symptom-score for depression and anxiety, respectively, for the whole sample. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, both depression and anxiety are shown to be risk factors for developing UI with a dose-dependent trend. UI is associated with increased incidence of depression and anxiety. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:322-328, 2017. © 2015 The Authors. Neurourology and Urodynamics Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prevalence, incidence and remission of urinary incontinence in women: longitudinal data from the Norwegian HUNT study (EPINCONT).

BACKGROUND: To determine incidence and remission of UI as well as changes in UI prevalence in the Norwegian EPINCONT surveys. METHODS: The EPINCONT surveys were conducted in the county of Nord-Trøndelag, Norway, as part of two large cross-sectional health surveys (HUNT2 and HUNT3) in 1995 - 1997 (EPINCONT1 (E1)), and 2006 - 2008 (EPINCONT2 (E2)). EPINCONT collected information about prevalence of UI, as well as information about type and severity of UI. RESULTS: A 16% relative increase in UI prevalence was found in 11 years. The women who answered E2 were significantly older, had a higher BMI and higher prevalence of diseases such as asthma, diabetes and angina compared with the women who answered E1. CONCLUSION: Crude UI prevalence increased between the studies. Changes in known risk factors for UI such as age, BMI, weight and parity could explain some of the relative increase in prevalence, and were also found to be associated with either incidence of UI, remission of UI or both.

Diabetes related risk factors did not explain the increased risk for urinary incontinence among women with diabetes. The Norwegian HUNT/EPINCONT study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown an association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and urinary incontinence (UI) in women, especially severe UI. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether diabetes related variables could explain this association. METHODS: The study is part of the EPINCONT study, which is based on the large Nord-Trøndelag Health Study 2 (HUNT 2), performed in the county of Nord-Trøndelag, Norway, during the years 1995 - 1997. Questions on diabetes and UI were answered by a total of 21 057 women aged 20 years and older. Of these 685 were identified as having diabetes, and thus comprise the population of our study. A variety of clinical and biochemical variables were recorded from the participants. RESULTS: Blood-glucose, HbA1c, albumine:creatinine ratio (ACR), duration of diabetes, diabetes treatment, type of diabetes, cholesterol and triglycerides did not significantly differ in women with and without UI in crude analyses. However, the diabetic women with UI had more hospitalizations during the last 12 months, more homecare, and a higher prevalence of angina and use of oestrogene treatment (both local and oral/patch). After adjusting for age, BMI, parity and smoking, there were statistically significant associations between any UI and angina (OR 1.89; 95% CI: 1.22 - 2.93), homecare (OR 1.72; 95% CI: 1.02 - 2.89), and hospitalization during the last 12 months (OR 1.67; 95% CI: 1.18 - 2.38). In adjusted analyses severe UI was also significantly associated with the same variables, and also with diabetes drug treatment (OR 2.10; 95% CI: 1.07 - 4.10) and stroke (OR 2.47; 95% CI: 1.09 - 5.59). CONCLUSION: No single diabetes related risk factor seems to explain the increased risk for UI among women with diabetes. However, we found associations between UI and some clinical correlates of diabetes.

Diabetes and urinary incontinence − prevalence data from Norway.

BACKGROUND: Few large epidemiological studies have investigated whether diabetes might increase the risk for, or cause greater severity of, urinary incontinence. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between diabetes and urinary incontinence, including the possible influence of diabetes on the severity of incontinence. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional, population-based, study from the county of Nord-Trøndelag, Norway, from 1995 to 1997. Data were collected by means of questionnaires, simple clinical measurements, and some blood tests. A total of 21,057 women, 20 years or older, answered the questions on both diabetes and incontinence, and 685 women were identified with diabetes. RESULTS: The prevalence of incontinence among women with diabetes was 39% compared to 26% in women without diabetes. The women with diabetes had more urge and mixed incontinence. The associations between diabetes and urge incontinence (OR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.03-2.16), mixed incontinence (OR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.05-1.67), and severe incontinence (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.21-1.96) were still significant after adjusting for age, body mass index, parity and smoking. CONCLUSION: We found a strong association between diabetes and urinary incontinence, especially for urge incontinence and severe degree of incontinence.