Effectiveness of tixagevimab/cilgavimab in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infections, hospitalizations and mortality in inmunocompromised patients. / Efectividad de tixagevimab/cilgavimab en la reducción de la infección, ingresos hospitalarios y mortalidad por SARS-CoV-2 en pacientes inmunodeprimidos.

INTRODUCTION: Inmunocompromised people have higher SARS-CoV-2 morbi-mortality and they are subsidiary to receive pre-exposure prophylaxis. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of tixagevimab/cilgavimab (Evusheld) in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections, hospitalizations and mortality in immunocompromised patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 119 immunocompromised people>18 years old eligible of receiving Evusheld were followed for 6 months. People with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection or incomplete vaccination regimen were exluded. A total of 19 people who received Evusheld were matched by propensity score, using a 1:1 ratio, with another 19 people who did not receive Evusheld. Sociodemographic, related to SARS-CoV-2 risk factors and related to immunosuppression variables were included. The dependent variables were infection, hospitalization, and mortality related to SARS-CoV-2. Statistical analyzes were performed using SPSS Statistics 19.0, STATA 11.0, and the R statistical package. RESULTS: In total, 4 people in the Evusheld group and 11 in the control group had SARS-CoV-2 infection, showing an incidence rate of 3.87 and 13.62 per 100 person-months, respectively. The HR (Hazard Ratio) was 0.29 (95% CI=0.09-0.90) for SARS-CoV-2 infection, 0.37 (0.07-1.92) for SARS-CoV-2 hospitalization and, 0.23 (0.03-2.09) for SARS-CoV-2 mortality in the Evusheld group compared to control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that Evusheld reduces the SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Enfermedad neumocócica invasiva en la Comunitat Valenciana. Seis años de vigilancia (2007-2012) / Invasive pneumococcal disease in the Community of Valencia. Six years of surveillance (2007-2012)

INTRODUCCIÓN: La introducción de las vacunas conjugadas antineumocócicas ha supuesto un cambio en la epidemiología de la enfermedad neumocócica invasiva (ENI). El objetivo de nuestro estudio ha sido describir la evolución de la ENI en la Comunidad Valenciana durante el periodo 2007-2012. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo longitudinal retrospectivo de ENI en la Comunidad Valenciana durante el periodo 2007-2012. Las fuentes de información utilizadas han sido el sistema de Análisis de la Vigilancia Epidemiológica (AVE) y la Red Microbiológica Valenciana (RedMIVA) de la Conselleria de Sanitat. RESULTADOS: La incidencia de ENI ha disminuido entre 2007 y 2012 en todos los grupos de edad, mayoritariamente en menores de 5 años, pasando de 30,5 a 12,3 casos por 105 habitantes (p < 0,001). La neumonía constituye la principal forma de presentación de la enfermedad, con disminución de sus cifras de 6,9 a 4,1 casos por 105 (p < 0,001). Se ha observado una reducción progresiva no significativa de la proporción de casos por serotipos contenidos en la vacuna heptavalente (PCV7), principalmente en menores de 5 años, del 26 al 12% (p = 0,23). Los casos por serotipos adicionales de la vacuna conjugada 13-valente (1, 3, 5, 6A, 7F y 19A) también muestran tendencia descendente, principalmente en menores de 5 años vacunados (52,6% vs 14,3%; p = 0,03), mientras que se incrementa significativamente la proporción de casos por serotipos no vacunales, del 42,3 al 56,7% en población general (p = 0,002), y del 47,4 al 78,6% en menores de 5 años vacunados (p = 0,08). CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados de este estudio muestran una reducción de la incidencia de ENI, con disminución de la proporción de casos producidos por serotipos vacunales e incremento de la proporción de los no vacunales. La vigilancia epidemiológica resulta necesaria para monitorizar la evolución de la enfermedad

INTROCUCTION: The introduction of conjugated anti-pneumonia vaccines has led to a change in the epidemiology of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD). The aim of this study is to describe the trends in IPD in the Community of Valencia during the period 2007-2012. Material and methods: A retrospective, descriptive and longitudinal study was conducted on IPD in the Community of Valencia during the period 2007-2012, The information sources used were the Epidemiological Surveillance Analysis (Análisis de la Vigilancia Epidemiológica (AVE)) and the Valencian Microbiology Net York (Red Microbiológica Valenciana (RedMIVA)) of the Valencia Health Department. Results: The incidence of IPD decreased between 2007 and 2012 in all age groups, mainly in the under 5 year-olds, dropping from 30.5 cases to 12.3 cases per 105 inhabitants (p < .001). Pneumonia was the principal presentation of the disease, with a decrease in its rates from 6.9 to 4.1 cases per 105 inhabitants (p < .001). A gradual, non-significant, reduction from 26% to 12% (p = .23) was observed in the proportion of cases due to the serotypes contained in the heptavalent vaccine (PCV7), mainly in the under 5 year-olds. The cases due to additional serotypes in 13-valent conjugated vaccine (1, 3, 5, 6A, 7F and 19A) also showed a decreasing trend, mainly in vaccinated under 5 year-olds (52.6% vs 14.3%; p = .03), while the cases due to non-vaccine serotypes significantly increased from 42.3% to 56.7% in the general population (p = .002), and from 47.4% to 78.6% in vaccinated under 5 year-olds (p = .08). Conclusions: The results of this study show a reduction in the incidence of IPD, with a decrease in the proportion of cases produced by vaccine serotypes, and an increase in the proportion of those not vaccinated. Epidemiological Surveillance is necessary to monitor the trends in the disease (AU)

[Invasive pneumococcal disease in the Community of Valencia. Six years of surveillance (2007-2012)]. / Enfermedad neumocócica invasiva en la Comunitat Valenciana. Seis años de vigilancia (2007-2012).

INTRODUCTION: The introduction of conjugated anti-pneumonia vaccines has led to a change in the epidemiology of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD). The aim of this study is to describe the trends in IPD in the Community of Valencia during the period 2007-2012. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive and longitudinal study was conducted on IPD in the Community of Valencia during the period 2007-2012, The information sources used were the Epidemiological Surveillance Analysis (Análisis de la Vigilancia Epidemiológica (AVE)) and the Valencian Microbiology Network (Red Microbiológica Valenciana (RedMIVA)) of the Valencia Health Department. RESULTS: The incidence of IPD decreased between 2007 and 2012 in all age groups, mainly in the under 5 year-olds, dropping from 30.5 cases to 12.3 cases per 10(5) inhabitants (p< .001). Pneumonia was the principal presentation of the disease, with a decrease in its rates from 6.9 to 4.1 cases per 10(5) inhabitants (p< .001). A gradual, non-significant, reduction from 26% to 12% (p=.23) was observed in the proportion of cases due to the serotypes contained in the heptavalent vaccine (PCV7), mainly in the under 5 year-olds. The cases due to additional serotypes in 13-valent conjugated vaccine (1, 3, 5, 6A, 7F and 19A) also showed a decreasing trend, mainly in vaccinated under 5 year-olds (52.6% vs 14.3%; p=.03), while the cases due to non-vaccine serotypes significantly increased from 42.3% to 56.7% in the general population (p=.002), and from 47.4% to 78.6% in vaccinated under 5 year-olds (p=.08). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show a reduction in the incidence of IPD, with a decrease in the proportion of cases produced by vaccine serotypes, and an increase in the proportion of those not vaccinated. Epidemiological Surveillance is necessary to monitor the trends in the disease.

Predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors associated with smoking relapse among hospital workers.

OBJECTIVES: A better identification of the determinants of smoking relapse among hospital workers would be helpful in development of more effective interventions to decrease the frequency of relapses in this group. The aim of this study was to determine the predisposing enabling, and reinforcing factors associated with smoking relapse among workers at a university hospital. METHODS: This was a case-control study based on a self-administered and structured questionnaire. Cases were all those workers who had relapsed after at least 6 months without smoking, and controls were ex-smokers without relapse for more than 6 months. We obtained the following information: sociodemographic and tobacco consumption characteristics and a list of predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors. RESULTS: There were 342 respondents: 114 cases and 228 controls. The variables significantly and independently associated with increased risk of relapse were smoking is my vice (OR=4.02), I'll be able to quit smoking whenever I want (OR=3.43), I have no intention to quit forever (OR=6.02), celebrations (OR=3.93) and weight gain (OR=10.61), while variables associated with lower risk were age (OR=0.88), health-care worker (OR=0.13), years of abstinence (OR=0.91), smoking is a useless habit (OR=0.19) and illness related to tobacco (OR=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Health programs against smoking in the hospital setting should include measures aimed at preventing relapse through behavioral support therapies and dietary control with particular attention to changes in factors related to lifestyle and false beliefs (predisposing factors).

Effects of polymorphisms in vitamin E-, vitamin C-, and glutathione peroxidase-related genes on serum biomarkers and associations with glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To study the association of selected polymorphism in genes related to vitamin E, vitamin C, and glutathione peroxidase with these biomarkers and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) risk. METHODS: A case-control study matched for age, sex, and bodyweight was undertaken. Two hundred fifty POAG cases and 250 controls were recruited from a Mediterranean population. Plasma concentrations of vitamin C, vitamin E, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were measured. We analyzed the polymorphisms rs1279683 in the Na(+)-dependent L-ascorbic acid transporter 2 (SLC23A2) gene, rs6994076 in the tocopherol alpha transfer protein (TTPA) gene, rs737723 in the tocopherol-associated protein (SEC14L2/TAP) gene, and rs757228 in the glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) gene. We also analyzed expression of the SLC23A2 gene in a subsample. RESULTS: We found a novel association between the rs737723 polymorphism and POAG risk. Homozygous subjects for the C allele had a higher POAG risk than carriers of the ancestral G allele (adjusted odds ratio 1.73, 95% confidence interval 1.13-2.65, p=0.011). This association remained statistically significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. We also confirmed the association between the rs1279683 polymorphism and a higher POAG risk in GG homozygous subjects and detected statistically significant differences in SLC23A2 gene expression between POAG cases and controls, even after adjustment for multiple testing. We observed a nominally significant (p<0.05) gene-gene interaction between the SEC14L2/TAP and SLC23A2 polymorphisms in determining POAG risk, increasing POAG risk in those subjects who had both risk genotypes at the same time (p<0.01). This increase was statistically significant even after adjustment for multiple comparisons. We did not detect any association with POAG risk for the rs6994076 or rs757228 polymorphisms. We also found that POAG patients had statistically significant (after correction for multiple testing) lower plasma vitamin E (p<0.001) and vitamin C (p<0.001) concentrations than control subjects. However, we detected a higher plasma GPx activity in POAG cases than in controls (p<0.001). The rs6994076 and rs1279683 polymorphisms were significantly (p<0.001) associated with plasma vitamin E and vitamin C, respectively. However, the rs757228 polymorphism in the GPX4 gene was not associated with plasma GPx activity. CONCLUSIONS: We have described a novel association between the rs737723 polymorphism (SEC14L2/TAP) and higher POAG risk and confirmed the association between rs1279683 (SLC23A2) and POAG. Our results also suggested a gene-gene interaction between both polymorphisms that increases POAG risk.