Physical activity among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Spain (2014-2020): Temporal trends, sex differences, and associated factors.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate trends in the prevalence of physical activity (PA) from 2014 to 2020; to identify sex differences and sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with PA in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); and to compare PA between individuals with and without COPD. METHODS: Cross-sectional and case-control study. SOURCE: European Health Interview Surveys for Spain (EHISS) conducted in 2014 and 2020. We included sociodemographic and health-related covariates. We compared individuals with and without COPD after matching for age and sex. RESULTS: The number of adults with COPD was 1086 and 910 in EHISS2014 and EHISS2020, respectively. In this population, self-reported "Medium or high frequency of PA" remained stable (42.9% in 2014 and 43.5% in 2020; p = 0.779). However, the percentage who walked on two or more days per week rose significantly over time (63.4%-69.9%; p = 0.004). Men with COPD reported more PA than women with COPD in both surveys. After matching, significantly lower levels of PA were recorded in COPD patients than in adults without COPD. Multivariable logistic regression confirmed this trend in COPD patients and showed that male sex, younger age, higher educational level, very good/good self-perceived health, and absence of comorbidities, obesity, and smoking were associated with more frequent PA. CONCLUSIONS: The temporal trend in PA among Spanish adults with COPD is favorable, although there is much room for improvement. Insufficient PA is more prevalent in these patients than in the general population. Sex differences were found, with significantly more frequent PA among males with COPD.

Cross Sectional and Case-Control Study to Assess Time Trend, Gender Differences and Factors Associated with Physical Activity among Adults with Diabetes: Analysis of the European Health Interview Surveys for Spain (2014 & 2020).

(1) Background: We aim to assess the time trend from 2014 to 2020 in the prevalence of physical activity (PA), identify gender differences and sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with PA among people with diabetes, and compare PA between people with and without diabetes. (2) Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional and a case-control study using as data source the European Health Interview Surveys for Spain (EHISS) conducted in years 2014 and 2020. The presence of diabetes and PA were self-reported. Covariates included socio-demographic characteristics, health-related variables, and lifestyles. To compare people with and without diabetes, we matched individuals by age and sex. (3) Results: The number of participants aged ≥18 years with self-reported diabetes were 1852 and 1889 in the EHISS2014 and EHISS2020, respectively. The proportion of people with diabetes that had a medium or high frequency of PA improved from 48.3% in 2014 to 52.6% in 2020 (p = 0.009), with 68.5% in 2014 and 77.7% in 2020 being engaged in two or more days of PA (p < 0.001). Males with diabetes reported more PA than females with diabetes in both surveys. After matching by age and gender, participants with diabetes showed significantly lower engagement in PA than those without diabetes. Among adults with diabetes, multivariable logistic regression showed confirmation that PA improved significantly from 2014 to 2020 and that male sex, higher educational level, and better self-rated health were variables associated to more PA. However, self-reported comorbidities, smoking, or BMI > 30 were associated to less PA. (4) Conclusions: The time trend of PA among Spanish adults with diabetes is favorable but insufficient. The prevalence of PA in this diabetes population is low and does not reach the levels of the general population. Gender differences were found with significantly more PA among males with diabetes. Our result could help to improve the design and implementation of public health strategies to improve PA among people with diabetes.

Systemic thrombosis in a large cohort of COVID-19 patients despite thromboprophylaxis: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Incidence of thrombotic events associated to Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is difficult to assess and reported rates differ significantly. Optimal thromboprophylaxis is unclear. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to analyze the characteristics of patients with a confirmed thrombotic complication including inflammatory and hemostatic parameters, compare patients affected by arterial vs venous events and examine differences between survivors and non-survivors. We reviewed compliance with thromboprophylaxis and explored how the implementation of a severity-adjusted protocol could have influenced outcome. METHODS: Single-cohort retrospective study of COVID-19 patients admitted, from March 3 to May 3 2020, to the Infanta Leonor University Hospital in Madrid, epicenter of the Spanish outbreak. RESULTS: Among 1127 patients, 80 thrombotic events were diagnosed in 69 patients (6.1% of the entire cohort). Forty-three patients (62%) suffered venous thromboembolism, 18 (26%) arterial episodes and 6 (9%) concurrent venous and arterial thrombosis. Most patients (90%) with a confirmed thrombotic complication where under low-molecular-weight heparin treatment. Overt disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was rare. Initial ISTH DIC score and pre-event CRP were significantly higher among non-survivors. In multivariate analysis, arterial localization was an independent predictor of mortality (OR = 18, 95% CI: 2.4-142, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite quasi-universal thromboprophylaxis, COVID-19 lead to a myriad of arterial and venous thrombotic events. Considering the subgroup of patients with thrombotic episodes, arterial events appeared earlier in the course of disease and conferred very poor prognosis, and an ISTH DIC score ≥ 3 at presentation was identified as a potential predictor of mortality. Severity-adjusted thromboprophylaxis seemed to decrease the number of events and could have influenced mortality. Randomized controlled trials are eagerly awaited.