ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Case-based surveillance of pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases underestimates the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections among children and adolescents. Our objectives were to estimate monthly SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence and calculate ratios of SARS-CoV-2 infections to reported COVID-19 cases among children and adolescents in 8 US states. METHODS: Using data from the Nationwide Commercial Laboratory Seroprevalence Survey, we estimated monthly SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence among children aged 0-17 years from August 2020 through May 2021. We calculated and compared cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection extrapolated from population-standardized seroprevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, cumulative COVID-19 case reports since March 2020, and infection-to-case ratios among persons of all ages and children aged 0-17 years for each state. RESULTS: Of 41 583 residual serum specimens tested, children aged 0-4, 5-11, and 12-17 years accounted for 1619 (3.9%), 10 507 (25.3%), and 29 457 (70.8%), respectively. Median SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence among children increased from 8% (range, 6%-20%) in August 2020 to 37% (range, 26%-44%) in May 2021. Estimated ratios of SARS-CoV-2 infections to reported COVID-19 cases in May 2021 ranged by state from 4.7-8.9 among children and adolescents to 2.2-3.9 for all ages combined. CONCLUSIONS: Through May 2021 in selected states, the majority of children with serum specimens included in serosurveys did not have evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Case-based surveillance underestimated the number of children infected with SARS-CoV-2 more than among all ages. Continued monitoring of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence should inform prevention and vaccination strategies.
ABSTRACT
Although linear surgical staple line reinforcement has been shown to increase anastomotic tensile strength in animal models and reduce the incidence of staple line bleeding and anastomotic leaks in colorectal surgery, the benefits of staple line reinforcement on circular stapled anastomoses in bariatric surgery remain unreported in the literature. The purpose if this study was to compare the incidence of anastomotic bleeding, leak, and stricture in patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass with circular staple line reinforcements with those with no circular staple line reinforcements. Since May 2006, 138 consecutive patients (Group B) have undergone laparoscopic Roux-en-Y divided gastric bypass with a 25-mm circular stapled gastrojejunal anastomosis using GORE SEAMGUARD bioabsorbable circular staple line reinforcement (CBSG) with a mean follow up of 9 months. The incidence of anastomotic bleeding, leak, and stricture was compared with 255 similar patients (Group A) who underwent surgery before May 2006 without gastrojejunal reinforcement with a mean follow up of 22 months. The rates of anastomotic bleeding, leak, and stricture for Group B versus Group A were 0.7 per cent versus 1.1 per cent (P = 0.64); 0.7 per cent versus 1.9 per cent (P = 0.34); and 0.7 per cent versus 9.3 per cent (P = 0.0005), respectively. The use of CBSG reduced the incidence of anastomotic stricture by 93 per cent and the incidence of a composite end point of all anastomotic complications by 85 per cent. Our results indicate that the use of circular staple line reinforcement at the gastrojejunal anastomosis in patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass significantly decreases the incidence of anastomotic stricture and a composite end point of all anastomotic complications. On this basis, strong consideration should be given to the routine use of CBSG staple line reinforcement in patients undergoing laparoscopic divided gastric bypass with a circular stapled gastrojejunal anastomosis.
