Mortality In Spain Research Articles

High Summer Temperatures and Heat Stroke Mortality in Spain.

Heat stroke is a significant cause of mortality in response to high summer temperatures. There is limited evidence on the pattern and magnitude of the association between temperature and heat stroke mortality. We examined this association in Spain, using data from a 27-year follow-up period. We used a space-time-stratified case-crossover design. We analyzed data using conditional quasi-Poisson regression with distributed lag nonlinear models. Spain recorded a total of 285 heat stroke deaths between 1990 and 2016. Heat stroke deaths occurred in 6% of the days in the summer months. The mean temperature was, on average, 5 °C higher on days when a heat stroke was recorded than on days without heat stroke deaths. The overall relative risk was 1.74 (95% confidence interval = 1.54, 1.96) for a 1 °C rise in mean temperature above the threshold of 16 °C, at which a heat stroke death was first recorded. We observed lagged effects as long as 10 days. Although heat stroke represents a small fraction of total heat-attributable mortality during the summer, it is strongly associated with high temperatures, providing an immediately visible warning of heat-related risk.

The Relationship Between Pharmaceutical Innovation and Cancer Mortality in Spain, From 1999 to 2016

ObjectivesTo investigate the relationship across cancer sites between pharmaceutical innovation and changes in cancer mortality in Spain during the period between 1999 and 2016. MethodsI investigated whether the cancer sites for which more new drugs were authorized had larger reductions in mortality from 1999 to 2016 in Spain, controlling for the lagged change in cancer incidence. The principal measure of pharmaceutical innovation is the long-run change in the mean vintage (year of initial authorization in Spain) of the drugs for the treatment of a cancer previously authorized in Spain. ResultsThe 1999 to 2016 increase in mean age at death tended to be larger, and the 1999 to 2016 increase in the number of deaths and life-years lost before the ages 65 years, 75 years, and 85 years tended to be smaller for cancer sites that had larger current or lagged increases in drug vintage. Pharmaceutical innovation was associated with a 2.77-year increase in mean age at death from cancer from 1999 to 2016—96% of the observed increase. New drug authorization during the previous 17 years were associated with a reduction in the number of life-years lost before the age of 75 years in 2016 of 333 000. Under the assumption that the association between pharmaceutical innovation and mortality reduction is causal, estimated drug expenditure per life year before the age of 75 years gained in 2016 from new cancer drugs that were authorized between 2000 and 2016 was €3269. ConclusionsThe cancer sites for which there were more pharmaceutical innovation—more new drugs authorized—had larger 1999 to 2016 reductions in mortality in Spain, controlling for the lagged change in cancer incidence.

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

IntroductionWe 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 methodsIn 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. ResultsThere 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. ConclusionsThe 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.

Clustering of systemic lupus erythematosus mortality in southwestern Spain.

To analyse time trends in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) mortality and explore possible provincial clustering of SLE mortality in Spain (2001-2020). We conducted an ecological study using deaths registered in SLE at the Spanish National Institute of Statistics between 2001 and 2020. Jointpoint regression models have been used to evaluate temporal trends. To analyse the spatial pattern of SLE mortality in men and women in Spain, crude rates, age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs), smooth relative risk (RR) and posterior probabilities (PP) for RR greater than one for the period 2001-2020 were calculated. The Global Moran I index was used to assess the existence of global spatial autocorrelation. Local indicators of spatial association (LISA) and Kulldorff's spatial scan statistic were used to identify clusters. Over the 20 years analyzed in this study, the SLE average ASMR for the period was 2.7 for women and 0.7 for men, with a sex ratio (female/male) of 3.8. In men, no province showed a RR>1. Conversely, in women, eight provinces showed values of RR> 1 with a PP greater than 0.8 (Seville, Cadiz, Huelva and Murcia in the south, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Huesca and Leon in the north). In men, neither of the two methods detected a clustering of provinces. However, in women, both methods identified a cluster of provinces located in the southwest of the country (Huelva, Cádiz, Seville and Malaga) as a cluster with significant excess mortality. In the second cluster (centred on the province of Huelva) obtained with the Kulldorff method, two more provinces were added (Badajoz and Cordoba, also located in the southwest). We detected a cluster of provinces with an excess risk of female SLE mortality in the southwest of Spain.

Socio-economic inequalities in lung cancer mortality in Spain: a nation-wide study using area-based deprivation

BackgroundLung cancer is the main cause of cancer mortality worldwide and in Spain. Several previous studies have documented socio-economic inequalities in lung cancer mortality but these have focused on specific provinces or cities. The goal of this study was to describe lung cancer mortality in Spain by sex as a function of socio-economic deprivation.MethodsWe analysed all registered deaths from lung cancer during the period 2011–2017 in Spain. Mortality data was obtained from the National Institute of Statistics, and socio-economic level was measured with the small-area deprivation index developed by the Spanish Society of Epidemiology, with the census tract of residence at the time of death as the unit of analysis. We computed crude and age-standardized rates per 100,000 inhabitants by sex, deprivation quintile, and type of municipality (rural, semi-rural, urban) considering the 2013 European standard population (ASR-E). We further calculated ASR-E ratios between the most deprived (Q5) and the least deprived (Q1) areas and mapped census tract smoothed standardized lung cancer mortality ratios by sex.ResultsWe observed 148,425 lung cancer deaths (80.7% in men), with 73.5 deaths per 100,000 men and 17.1 deaths per 100,000 women. Deaths from lung cancer in men were five times more frequent than in women (ASR-E ratio = 5.3). Women residing in the least deprived areas had higher mortality from lung cancer (ASR-E = 22.2), compared to women residing in the most deprived areas (ASR-E = 13.2), with a clear gradient among the quintiles of deprivation. For men, this pattern was reversed, with the highest mortality occurring in areas of lower socio-economic level (ASR-E = 99.0 in Q5 vs. ASR-E = 86.6 in Q1). These socio-economic inequalities remained fairly stable over time and across urban and rural areas.ConclusionsSocio-economic status is strongly related to lung cancer mortality, showing opposite patterns in men and women, such that mortality is highest in women residing in the least deprived areas and men residing in the most deprived areas. Systematic surveillance of lung cancer mortality by socio-economic status may facilitate the assessment of public health interventions aimed at mitigating cancer inequalities in Spain.

Correlation Between Opioid Drug Prescription and Opioid-Related Mortality in Spain as a Surveillance Tool: Ecological Study.

Opioid drug prescription (ODP) and opioid-related mortality (ORM) have increased in Spain. However, their relationship is complex, as ORM is registered without considering the type of opioid (legal or illegal). This ecological study aimed to examine the correlation between ODP and ORM in Spain and discuss their usefulness as a surveillance tool. This was an ecological descriptive study using retrospective annual data (2000-2019) from the Spanish general population. Data were collected from people of all ages. Information on ODP was obtained from the Spanish Medicines Agency in daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day (DHD) for total ODP, total ODP excluding those with better safety protocols (codeine and tramadol), and each opioid drug separately. Rates of ORM (per 1,000,000 inhabitants) were calculated based on deaths registered (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes) as opioid poisoning by the National Statistics Institute, derived from the drug data recorded by medical examiners in death certificates. Opioid-related deaths were considered to be those that indicated opioid consumption (accidental, infringed, or self-inflicted) as the main cause of death: death due to accidental poisoning (X40-X44), intentional self-inflicted poisoning (X60-X64), drug-induced aggression (X85), and poisoning of undetermined intention (Y10-Y14). A descriptive analysis was carried out, and correlations between the annual rates of ORM and DHD of the prescribed opioid drugs globally, excluding medications of the least potential risk of overdose and lowest treatment tier, were analyzed using Pearson linear correlation coefficient. Their temporal evolution was analyzed using cross-correlations with 24 lags and the cross-correlation function. The analyses were carried out using Stata and StatGraphics Centurion 19. The rate of ORM (2000-2019) ranged between 14 and 23 deaths per 1,000,000 inhabitants, with a minimum in 2006 and an increasing trend starting in 2010. The ODP ranged between 1.51 to 19.94 DHD. The rates of ORM were directly correlated with the DHD of total ODP (r=0.597; P=.006), total ODP without codeine and tramadol (r=0.934; P<.001), and every prescribed opioid except buprenorphine (P=.47). In the time analysis, correlations between DHD and ORM were observed in the same year, although not statistically significant (all P≥.05). There is a correlation between greater availability of prescribed opioid drugs and an increase in opioid-related deaths. The correlation between ODP and ORM may be a useful tool in monitoring legal opiates and possible disturbances in the illegal market. The role of tramadol (an easily prescribed opioid) is important in this correlation, as is that of fentanyl (the strongest opioid). Measures stronger than recommendations need to be taken to reduce off-label prescribing. This study shows that not only is opioid use directly related to the prescribing of opioid drugs above what is desirable but also an increase in deaths.

Increase in educational inequalities in alcohol-related mortality in Spain during a period of economic growth.

Alcohol-related mortality risk is almost always greater in lower than higher socio-economic positions (SEPs). There is little information on the evolution of this SEP gradient and its relationship with the economic cycle. Some results suggest that during economic expansions, there is a hypersensitivity of low-SEP people to harmful drinking. The main objective of this study was to measure the evolution of educational inequality in alcohol-related and non-alcohol related mortality by sex and age group in Spain during 2012-19. This is a repeated cross-sectional study. This study includes all residents in Spain aged 25 years and over from 2012 to 2019. (1) We calculated age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) from strongly/moderately alcohol-related causes (directly alcohol-attributable, unspecified liver cirrhosis, liver and upper aerodigestive tract cancers and moderately alcohol-related), weakly alcohol-related causes and other causes by educational level. (2) We used age-adjusted relative index of inequality (RII) and slope index of inequality (SII) to measure relative and absolute educational inequality in mortality, respectively. (3) Age-adjusted annual percentage change (APC) was also used to measure linear trends in mortality by educational level. RII, SII and APC were obtained from negative binomial regression. Between 2012-15 and 2016-19, economic growth accelerated, the RII in mortality from strongly/moderately alcohol-related causes increased from 2.0 to 2.2 among men and from 1.1 to 1.3 among women, and the SII in deaths/100 000 person-years from 181.4 to 190.9 among men and from 18.9 to 46.5 among women. It also increased relative and absolute inequality in mortality from weakly alcohol-related and other causes of death in both men and women. These increases in inequality were due primarily to a flattening or even reversal of the downward mortality trend among low- and medium-educated people. During the economic expansion of 2012-19 in Spain, changes in mortality risk from strongly/moderately alcohol-related causes were especially unfavourable among low- and medium-educated people.

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

IntroductionWe 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 methodsIn 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. ResultsThere 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. ConclusionsThe 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.

Heatwaves and Mortality in Spain and Greece: A Comparative Analysis

Background: Heatwaves have become a public health emergency raising great public health concerns. Correspondingly, due to climate change, the increase in extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, floods and hurricanes, is predicted through state-of-the-art models and robust statistical analyses. Since the Mediterranean basin is recognized as the most prominent global climate change hot spot, further scientific research on the future impacts of heatwaves on human mortality, as well as human health and well-being, in the Mediterranean region is critical. Methods: The aim of the present study is to compare the relationship between three different causes of mortality (i.e., cardiological, respiratory and cardiorespiratory) and temperature between two countries (Spain and Greece) and five cities (i.e., Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Attica and Thessaloniki). To compare the five cities under examination, a robust statistical methodological framework (i.e., Threshold Regression Analysis (TRA)) was applied so as to examine the critical value above which the mean temperature affects cardiological, respiratory and cardiorespiratory mortality. Results: Our results prove that the relationship between mortality and temperature is a nonlinear relationship shaping a U- or J-shaped curve, meaning that mortality is affected by temperature in a non-constant way, indicating that mortality increases during both low and high temperatures. Conclusions: By calculating different temperature thresholds for the five cities under examination, we show that different temperature thresholds are more accurate for different climatic conditions. Hence, climatic conditions should be taken into account when examining the impacts of temperature on human health.

Estimations of smoking-attributable mortality in Spain at a regional level: comparison of two methods

PurposeTo estimate and discuss smoking-attributable mortality (SAM) for the 17 regions in Spain among the population aged ≥35 years in 2017, using two methods. MethodsA descriptive analysis of SAM was conducted using two methods, the prevalence-independent method (PIM) and the prevalence-dependent method (PDM). Observed mortality was obtained from the National Institute of Statistics; smoking prevalence from three National Health Surveys; lung cancer mortality rates from the Cancer Prevention Study-II; and relative risks from five US cohorts. SAM and percentages of change were estimated for each region overall, by sex, age and cause of death. ResultsIn 2017, tobacco caused 56,203 deaths in Spain applying the PIM. Using the PDM the number of deaths was 4.4% (95% CI: 3.4–5.5) lower (53,825 deaths). Except in four regions, the PIM estimated a higher overall SAM and the maximum percentage of change was 18.6%. Overall percentages of change were higher for women (15.7% 95% CI: 12.6–19.0) and for cardiovascular diseases–diabetes mellitus (13.8%; 95% CI: 11.5–16.2). ConclusionsAt the national level, both methods estimate similar figures for SAM. However, the difference in estimates appears at the subnational level. Differences were higher in subgroups with lower smoking prevalence and for causes of death with periods of induction shorter than those for lung cancer.

Suicide mortality in Spain in 2020: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionSuicide constitutes a major concern with evident contribution to global mortality worldwide. Evidence on suicide trends is mixed in the COVID-19 pandemic era. Spain may be an at-risk country for increased suicide risk in the time of COVID-19 pandemic due to prolonged restrictions and lockdown, elevated COVID-19 wave recurrence and related mental health impact. This brief report aims to provide some insight into the suicide mortality trends in the first COVID-19 pandemic year in Spain, using national data. Material and methodsData from the National Death Index were used. Annual mortality rate was calculated at a province level under random-effects models for the 2019 and 2020 years. Poisson timeseries regression was used to study the relationship between monthly suicide mortality and COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and lockdown, and second COVID-19 wave peak covariates. Results3671 people died by suicide in 2019 in Spain and 3941 people died by suicide in 2020. The random-effects mortality rate in 2019 was 8.3 (CI95=7.6, 9.0) per 100,000 inhabitants, and mortality rate in 2020 was 8.9 (CI95=8.3, 9.6). No significant differences between mortality rates were found (p=.18). The Poisson regression showed a significant relationship between the COVID-19 outbreak and suicide mortality trend, with OR=1.07 (CI95=1.02, 1.12). ConclusionsAlthough annual mortality rates were not significantly different, an increased suicide risk was found from May, 2020 onwards. Our results claim for action to tackle suicide in the post-pandemic era taking into account the discouraging upcoming scenario.

Cause-specific mortality in Spain during the pandemic: educational differences and its impact on life expectancy.

Life expectancy in Spain fell by 1 year between 2018/19 and 2020. Yet, little is known on the impact on cause-of-death (COD) dynamics and educational inequalities therein. We use individual-level death counts data by age, sex, education and multiple causes of death (MCOD) and the corresponding population exposures from national registers in Spain. Deaths were examined both as underlying cause of death (UCOD) and as contributory cause. We estimated life expectancies and lifespan inequalities by subpopulation groups and decomposed life expectancy differences between 2018/19 and 2020 by age groups and COD to assess the impact of COVID-19 (as MCOD) and major UCOD. COVID-19 contributed to a decline in male and female life expectancy in Spain between 2018/19 and 2020 (respectively, -1.7 and -1.4 years). Conversely, cancer, respiratory and circulatory system diseases and ill-defined causes as UCOD contributed to life expectancy increases. Life expectancy declines equalled -1.4 years among the low-educated in both sexes (population 30+), -1.0 and -0.7 years among middle-educated and -1.1 and -0.9 years among high-educated men and women. Without COVID-19, educational inequalities in life expectancy would have remained at similar levels, whereas lifespan variation would have been lower (-22% for women and -8% for men). Life expectancy declines in Spain in 2020 were mainly driven by COVID-19, with possible substitution effects, especially for respiratory system diseases (fewer deaths compared to 2018/19 when coded as UCOD but more as contributing cause). We therefore advocate analysing MCOD when studying changing COD patterns during the pandemic.

Age-period-cohort effect on lung cancer mortality in Spain, 1982–2021

BackgroundThe aim of the study is to provide up-to-date information and evaluate the age-period-cohort effects of age-period cohorts on lung cancer (LC) mortality in Spain for the period 1982 to 2021. MethodsWe analysed deaths by LC and population for the period 1982–2021, available from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics. The LC corresponds to code 162 and codes C33 and C34 of the 9th and 10th editions of the International Classification of Diseases, respectively. Age-period-cohort (A-P-C) modelling was applied to compute the net drift, local drift, longitudinal age curve, and rate ratios (RR) of each period and cohort. A-P-C analysis was performed using the A-P-C Web Tool provided by the National Cancer Institute of the United States. ResultsEstimated relative risk in the male birth cohorts has followed a steady downward trend in all cohorts born since 1922, showing an initial period (1922–1947) of slight decline, followed by a more marked decrease in the cohorts born during the period 1947–1977. In the younger cohorts (1977–1997), the decline appears to have stabilised. In women, a strong cohort effect is observed. In those born after the Spanish Civil War (1936 to 1939), the risk increased until it peaked in the 1960s, after which it started to decrease with the same intensity. Period RR in men decreased from 1987 to 1991 (1.1) to 2017–2021 (0.6), while period RR in women increased during this time (from 0.8 to 1.6). ConclusionsThe cohort effect observed in women born after the Civil War suggests that the onset of the LC epidemic may have been due to a higher prevalence of women smokers in these cohorts. However, the trend observed in the younger cohorts suggests a possible slowing-down in the increase in mortality risk in the following years.

Geostatistical analysis from the clinical laboratory in cardiovascular prevention for primary care

Introduction and objectivesCardiovascular diseases continue to lead the ranking of mortality in Spain. The implementation of geostatistical analysis techniques in the clinical laboratory are innovative tools that allow the design of new strategies in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to study the prevalence and geolocation of severe dyslipidemia in the health areas under study in order to implement prevention strategies in primary care. A retrospective cohort study of low-density protein-bound cholesterol, triglyceride and lipoprotein (a) levels in the years 2019 and 2020 were carried out. In addition, a geostatistical analysis was performed including representation in choropleth maps and the detection of clustering clusters, using geographic information in zip code format included in the demographic data of each analytic. ResultsThe analytical data included in the study were triglycerides (n=365,384), low density protein-bound cholesterol (n=289,594) and lipoprotein to lipoprotein (a) (n=502). Areas with the highest and lowest percentage of cases were identified for the established cut-off points of LDL-C>190mg/dl and TG>150mg/dl. Two clustering clusters with statistical significance were detected for cLDL>190mg/dl and a total of 6 clusters for TG values>150mg/dl. ConclusionsThe detection of clusters, as well as the representation of choropleth maps, can be of great help in detecting geographic areas that require greater attention to intervene and improve cardiovascular risk.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide mortality in Spain: Differences by sex and age

BackgroundVariations in suicide following the initial COVID-19 pandemic outbreak were heterogeneous across space, over time, and across population subgroup. Whether suicide has increased during the pandemic in Spain, a major initial COVID-19 hotspot, remains unclear, and no study has examined differences by sociodemographic group. MethodsWe used 2016–2020 data on monthly suicide deaths from Spain's National Institute of Statistics. We implemented Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) models to control seasonality, non-stationarity, and autocorrelation. Using January 2016–March 2020 data, we predicted monthly suicide counts (95 % prediction intervals) between April and December 2020, and then compared observed and predicted monthly suicide counts. All calculations were conducted for the overall study population and by sex and age group. ResultsBetween April and December 2020, the number of suicides in Spain was 11 % higher-than-predicted. Monthly suicide counts were lower-than-expected in April 2020 and peaked in August 2020 with 396 observed suicides. Excess suicide counts were particularly salient during the summer of 2020 – largely driven by over 50 % higher-than-expected suicide counts among males aged 65 years and older in June, July, and August 2020. DiscussionThe number of suicides increased in Spain during the months following the initial COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Spain, largely driven by increases in suicides among older adults. Potential explanations underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. Important factors to understand these findings may include fear of contagion, isolation, and loss and bereavement – in the context of the particularly high mortality rates of older adults during the initial phases of the pandemic in Spain.

Skin cancer mortality in Spain: adjusted mortality rates by province and related risk factors.

Ultraviolet radiation is the main environmental risk factor responsible for the development of skin cancer. Other occupational, socioeconomic, and environmental factors appear to be related to the risk of skin cancer. Furthermore, the factors appear to differ for melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The purpose of this study is to analyze mortality rates of skin cancer in the different provinces of Spain and to determine the influence of socioeconomic conditions and other environmental and demographic factors in rates. Deaths from melanoma and NMSC in the period 2000-2019 were obtained as well as socioeconomic and environmental variables. Annual standardized mortality rates (SMR) were calculated for all Spanish provinces. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated. The SMR of melanoma was 2.10/100,000 inhabitants, while that of NMSC was 1.28/100,000. At the provincial level, a great variability is confirmed. Gross domestic product showed a positive correlation with melanoma mortality but a negative correlation with NMSC. Other environmental and socioeconomic variables also showed correlation, as a positive correlation between tobacco sales and melanoma and between agricultural development and the NMSC. There are still important differences between each province that must be taken into account when planning health care and resource distribution. This ecological and province-wise study helps to elucidate the relationship between social and ambient exposure determinants and skin cancer mortality in Spain.

Burden of Hospitalizations Related to Pneumococcal Infection in Spain (2016-2020).

Pneumococcal infection strongly contributes to morbidity and mortality in Spain. A total of 253,899 hospitalizations related to pneumococcal infection occurred from 2016 to 2020. Fifty-eight percent were men, the mean age was 67 years old, and the average length of hospitalization was 12.72 days. The annual hospitalization rate was 10.84 hospitalizations per 10,000 population, increasing significantly with age, reaching 65.75 per 10,000 population in those aged &gt;85 years. The hospitalization rates for pneumococcal pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis were 2.91, 0.12, and 0.08 hospitalizations per 10,000, respectively, and reached the highest value in those aged &gt;85 for pneumococcal pneumonia and sepsis, with 22.29 and 0.71 hospitalizations per 10,000, respectively, and in children up to 1 year old for pneumococcal meningitis, with 0.33 hospitalizations per 10,000. The total number of deaths during the study period was 35,716, with a case-fatality rate of 14.07%. For pneumococcal pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis, the case-fatality rates were 8.47%, 23.71%, and 9.99%, respectively. The case-fatality rate increased with age and did not vary by sex. The annual cost of these hospitalizations was more than EUR 359 million. There is therefore a high burden of disease and mortality caused by pneumococcal infection in our country, especially in elderly individuals.

Age, period and cohort effects on gastric cancer mortality in Spain, 1980-2021.

this study aimed to evaluate the effects of age, time period and cohort (A-P-C) on gastric cancer (GC) mortality in Spain from 1980 to 2021. an ecological trend study was performed (with aggregated data obtained from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE). Joinpoint regression software was used to estimate rates by sex and age group (< 35, 35-64, > 64 years) and mortality trends. The National Cancer Institute A-P-C tools were used to assess the effects of age, time of death and birth cohort. GC mortality rates in Spain decreased significantly in both sexes. In the under-35 age group, rates were stable after an initial significant decline. In the 35-64 age group, the decline was more pronounced in males than in females. In the 65+ age group, rates fell significantly for both sexes, but more so for females than for males. The net drift and local drift also showed significant decreases across all age groups from 24 years onwards. GC mortality rates increased with age and decreased with calendar time and successive birth cohorts, regardless of sex. The ratio of age-specific rates between males and females increased with age, and birth cohort relative risk estimates followed a steady downward trend until the mid-1970s, after which the decline stabilized. The relative risk decreased for both sexes, with a more pronounced decrease in males. GC mortality rates in Spain have been decreasing over time and across successive birth cohorts, with a stabilizing trend observed for those under 35 years of age.

Relationship between historical developments in the percentages of low birthweight and fetal mortality in Spain

ObjectiveTo document the differences in low birthweight in different population subgroups and to analyze its possible relationship with fetal mortality rates in Spain. MethodWe used the microdata on live births and stillbirths since 1975 to 2020 from the Spanish National Statistics Institute to examine differentials in delivering a low birthweight controlling for different sociodemographic variables and to determine the relationship between low birthweight and fetal mortality. No statistical analysis was necessary beyond the calculation of percentages and rates. ResultsThe data at our disposal for Spain confirm the historical increase in the incidence of low birthweight and allow us to link trends in low birthweight with a decrease in the fetal mortality rate. When fetal mortality is high, the incidence of low birthweight is low, given that a natural selection effect takes place. ConclusionsThe surprising historical increase in the incidence of low birthweight in Spain can be explained by the improvement in mortality rates. As more fetuses of lower gestational age are born alive, cases of low birthweight also increase.

Has the trend in pancreatic cancer mortality in Spain started to slow down?

the aim of this study was to describe the trends of pancreatic cancer mortality by autonomous communities (ACs) and gender in Spain (1980-2021). an ecological trend study was performed (with aggregated data obtained from the National Institute of Statistics). Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) for pancreatic cancer (per 100,000) were estimated by direct standardization, using the European standard population. Trends in ASMR (all ages and truncated 35-64 years) were analyzed by sex in each AC using a joinpoint regression model. The annual percent changes (APC) and average annual percentage of change (AAPC) were computed for trends using the joinpoint regression analysis. in both sexes, ASMRs (all ages) increased significantly (p < 0.05) during the study period (AAPC: 1.5 % in males and 1.8 % in females). The joinpoint analysis identified a turning point in the trends in the late 1980s, which delineates two periods: an initial period of significant increase followed by a period of slowing of the increase (APC: 0.9 % and 1.4 % in males and females respectively; p < 0.05). In both sexes, a significant increase in ASMR (all ages) was observed in all ACs, except in Navarre, where the rates remained stable in males. In males, three ACs (Galicia, Madrid and Navarre) showed a point of inflexion in the time trend around the year 2000 (1999, 2000 and 2001 respectively), when the rates, after a period of significant increase (ACs: 2.6 %, 2.4 %, and 2.4 %, respectively; p < 0.05), stabilized (Galicia and Navarre) or the increase slowed (Madrid). In females, only Madrid showed a point of inflection in 1992, when, after a significant increase, the rates slowed down (1992-2021; APC: 1.5 %; p < 0.05). Conclusions: the upward trend in pancreatic cancer mortality in some ACs seems to have slowed (in both sexes in Madrid), stabilized (in men in Galicia and Navarre) or turned around (in men aged 30-64 in Navarre).