Risk Factor For COVID-19 Infection Research Articles

Charcterization of COVID-19 hospitalized adult patients, vaccinated vs non-vaccinated in Duhok province

Objectives: First, to determine prevalence of vaccinated COVID-19 patients among hospitalized patients; Second, to determine the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of vaccinated and unvaccinated COVID-19 patients. Methods: The study was carried out on 300 adult COVID-19 hospitalized patients at Duhok COVID-19 health facilities. A prospective cross-sectional study was used as the study design. Between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022, all patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled. Results: The majority of people in this study were unvaccinated. Pfizer was most popular among people who had received vaccination. The majority of hospitalized patients were old ages, the mean age was 60.73 ± 15.83 yr. In our study, the unvaccinated females had higher infection rates while vaccinated males had higher hospital admission rates. In our study, vaccinated patients had shorter hospital duration stays. In both vaccinated and unvaccinated patients, predominated cases were severe cases. D dimer was significantly higher among vaccinated patients. The mortality rate was relatively high among both groups. Patients who had received vaccinations tended to experience vomiting and flu-like symptoms more frequently than those who had not. In terms of comorbidities, smoking and malignancy were significant risk factors for COVID-19 infection in unvaccinated patients. Conclusion: We looked at 300 COVID-19 hospitalized patients. In this study, the majority of people were unvaccinated. Pfizer, had higher prevalence among vaccinated individuals. Majority were elderly. The unvaccinated cases had a higher rate of female hospital admissions than male. The D.Dimer level was significantly different between the two groups. Vomiting and flu-like illness showed higher prevalence in vaccinated cases with significant difference. Smoking and malignancy were significant risk factors for COVID-19 infection in unvaccinated patients. In the fight against a public health disaster like a COVID-19 pandemic, the availability of a COVID-19 vaccines campaign are crucial.

The Relationship between ABO Blood Group and The Severity of COVID-19 at Universitas Airlangga Hospital

At the end of 2019, an infectious disease was discovered, has spread rapidly throughout the world, and has become a pandemic called COVID-19. Several risk factors for COVID-19 infection are advanced age and comorbid diseases. However, at the beginning of the pandemic in Wuhan, China there were more patients with blood type A who were confirmed positive than other blood types. The study aimed to analyze the relationship between ABO blood type and the severity and characteristics of COVID-19 patients at Universitas Airlangga Hospital, Surabaya. This study is a retrospective study, using secondary data in the form of medical records of Covid-19 patients at Universitas Airlangga Hospital, Surabaya. From the 104 COVID-19 patients at Universitas Airlangga Hospital, the majority are male (54.8%). Most of the ages are in the range of 45-59 years (37.5%). Most COVID-19 patients at Universitas Airlangga Hospital have blood type O. The most severe degree of infection of COVID-19 patients at Universitas Airlangga Hospital is the severe category (59.6%). There is no significant relationship between ABO blood type and the severity of COVID-19 infection statistically, but blood type O (37.5%) is the most common blood group in all degrees of severity, but blood type B is the most common group in cases of death. (28.1%). There is no significant relationship between ABO blood type and the severity of COVID-19 infection. The characteristics of COVID-19 patients at Universitas Airlangga Hospital are mostly male, aged 45-59 years, and blood type O.

2357. Risk Factors for COVID-19 Infection and Outcomes in People Living with HIV

Abstract Background As the risk for concomitant COVID-19 infection in people living with HIV (PLHIV) remains largely unknown, we explored a large national database to identify risk factors for COVID-19 infection among PLHIV. Methods Using the COVID-19 OPTUM de-identified national multicenter database, we identified 29,393 PLHIV with either a positive HIV test or documented HIV ICD9/10 codes. Using a multiple logistic regression model, we compared risk factors among PLHIV, who tested positive for COVID-19 (5,134) and those who tested negative (24,259) from January 20, 2020, to January 20, 2022. We then compared secondary outcomes including hospitalization, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay, and death within 30 days of test among the 2 cohorts, adjusting for COVID-19 positivity and covariates. We adjusted all models for the following covariates: age, gender, race, ethnicity, U.S. region, insurance type, adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Body Mass Index (BMI), and smoking status. Results Among PLHIV, factors associated with higher odds for acquiring COVID-19 (Figure 1) included lower age (compared to age group 18–49, age groups 50–64 and >65 were associated with odds ratios (OR) of 0.8 and 0.75, P= 0.001), female gender (compared to males, OR 1.06, P= 0.07), Hispanic White ethnicity/race (OR 2.75, P= 0.001), Asian (OR 1.35, P= 0.04), and African American (OR 1.23, P= 0.001) [compared to non-Hispanic White], living in the U.S. South (compared to the Northeast, OR 2.18, P= 0.001), being uninsured (compared to commercial insurance, OR 1.46, P= 0.001), higher CCI (OR 1.025, P= 0.001), higher BMI category (compared to having BMI< 30, Obesity category 1 or 2, OR 1.2 and obesity category 3, OR 1.34, P= 0.001), and noncurrent smoking status (compared to current smoker, OR 1.46, P= 0.001). Compared to PLHIV who tested negative for COVID-19, PLHIV who tested positive, had an OR 1.01 for hospitalization (P = 0.79), 1.03 for ICU stay (P=0.73), and 1.47 for death (P=0.001). Conclusion Our study found that among PLHIV, being Hispanic, living in the South, lacking insurance, having higher BMI, and higher CCI scores were associated with increased odds of testing positive for COVID-19. PLHIV who tested positive for COVID-19 had higher odds of death. Disclosures Christoph U. Lehmann, MD, Celanese: Stocks/Bonds|Markel: Stocks/Bonds|Springer: Honoraria|UTSW: Employee Jeremy Y. Chow, M.D., M.S., Gilead Sciences: Grant/Research Support.

Influences of sleep and lifestyle factors on the risk for covid-19 infections, from internet survey of 10,000 Japanese business workers

We conducted an internet survey to assess sociodemographic variables, lifestyle factors, sleep problems, and comorbidities for sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) in COVID-19 and influenza (FLU) infections. Data from 10,323 workers (50.0% male) were analyzed. COVID-19 was diagnosed in 144 subjects (COVID-19+), and 8,693 were classified as not suspected to be infected (COVID-19−). SAS had been diagnosed in 35.4% of the COVID-19+ subjects, but only 231 (2.7%) of the 8,693 COVID-19− subjects. COVID-19+ subjects were more susceptible to FLU (35.4%) compared to COVID-19− subjects (3.0%). A multivariate analysis revealed that higher risks of COVID-19+ were linked to the following factors: going out without a face mask (OR 7.05, 95% CI 4.53–11.00), FLU+ (OR 6.33, 95% CI 3.80–10.54), excessive exercise before going to sleep (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.63–2.70), SAS+ (OR 5.08, 95% CI 2.88–8.94), younger age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03–1.07), falling sleep while sitting or talking with someone (OR 3.70, 95% CI 2.30–5.95), and use of hypnotics (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.20–4.30). Since sleep impairment played a relatively small role in COVID-19+/SAS− subjects, we assume that SAS itself was a more significant risk factor for COVID-19 infection rather than sleep impairment. A better understanding of the mechanisms that result in increased susceptibility to COVID-19 in SAS is vital for helping prevent COVID-19.

Individual and household risk factors for COVID-19 infection among household members of COVID-19 patients in home-based care in western Uganda, 2020

ObjectiveTo investigate factors associated with COVID-19 among household members of patients in home-based care (HBC) in western Uganda. MethodsWe conducted a case-control and cohort study. Cases were reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 diagnosed 1−30 November 2020 among persons in HBC in Kasese or Kabarole districts. We compared 78 case-households (≥1 secondary case) with 59 control-households (no secondary cases). The cohort included all case-household members. Data were captured by in-person questionnaire. We used bivariate regression to calculate odds and risk ratios. ResultsCase-households were larger than control-households (mean 5.8 vs 4.3 members, P<0.0001). Having ≥1 household member per room (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=4.5, 95% CI 2.0−9.9), symptom development (aOR=2.3, 95% CI 1.1−5.0), or interaction with primary case-patient (aOR=4.6, 95% CI 1.4−14.7) increased odds of case-household status. Households assessed for suitability for HBC reduced odds of case-household status (aOR=0.4, 95% CI=0.2−0.8). Interacting with a primary case-patient increased the risk of individual infection among household members (adjusted risk ratio=1.7, 95% CI 1.1−2.8). ConclusionHousehold and individual factors influence secondary infection risk in HBC. Decisions about HBC should be made with these in mind.

Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection: a case-control study in college students after vaccination

Abstract Background Within the SARS-CoV-2 screening campaign offered through RT-PCR test by Sapienza University of Rome, we conducted a case-control study to identify the risk factors for the acquisition of SARS-CoV-2 infection among university students. Methods Positive students identified through the SARS-CoV-2 screening campaign (September 2021 - February 2022) were enrolled as cases and matched to two randomly selected students who tested negative on the same day. The interview questionnaire consisted of 39 questions investigating exposure to modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 in the two weeks before testing. A multivariable conditional logistic regression model was constructed to identify predictors of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% CI were calculated. Results Out of 8.730 tests for SARS-CoV-2, 173 students tested positive (2.0%), of which 122 were included in the case-control study (response rate: 70.5%). Most students were female (73.2%), with a mean age of 23.3 years (SD ± 3.6), vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2 (97.8%) and enrolled in non-health faculty (56.8%). At the multivariable analysis, significant positive associations were found with having had contact with a person who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (aOR: 3.04, 95% CI: 1.59-5.82) or having been to a disco/nightclub (aOR: 5.37, 95% CI: 2.00-14.38). Instead, being vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 (aOR: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.01-0.93), having a valid EU COVID digital certificate (aOR: 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01-0.30) and attending lectures in-person (aOR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.17-0.70) were negatively predictors. No association was found for sex, age, health faculty students, use of public transportation, attendance at restaurants or gyms. Conclusions The results highlight how anti-COVID-19 vaccinations and the reasons for students to obtain an EU COVID digital certificate may prevent students from getting infected. In addition, university environment seems to be safe for students. Key messages • Promoting SARS-CoV-2 vaccination adherence in the college-age population is crucial to limiting the SARS-CoV-2 spread. • Attending in-person educational activities in regulated settings (e.g., low occupancy, mask use) may not be a risk factor for COVID-19 infection.

Research ethics with real-world data (RWD) on COVID-19 infections: the unCoVer study

Abstract Issue The aim of the Horizon 2020 unCoVer project (Unravelling Data for Rapid Evidence-Based Response to COVID-19) is to coordinate research expertise in utilising Real World Data (RWD) to investigate the underlying risk factors for COVID-19 infection and severity, the effectiveness of treatments and the impact on health systems. RWD is particularly useful in a dynamic health context as it is relevant, timely, and more ecologically valid. Pooling clinical databases and integrating epidemiological principles and powerful biostatistical tools optimises resources and fully exploits routinely-collected data. Description of the problem RWD sharing poses new practical and ethical challenges to research. The unCoVer network has developed a federated data platform to access diverse databases for advanced analytics. This data access process entails GDPR, and regulatory and ethical nuances. The use of large-scale data from heterogeneous sources across multiple jurisdictions for research purposes presents a complex systems challenge. Effects &amp; Lessons A dedicated team of unCoVer network members is responsible for addressing these challenges. Here, we describe the ethical and regulatory aspects of RWD sources, the role of the Data Protection Authorities and the Data Protection External Authority Board (DP-EAB) of the Uncover project, and the documentation involved, including a data processing agreement and a data transfer agreement. We provide an overview of the main principles for sharing RWD whilst maintaining integrity and security and how this translates into procedures to protect the rights, security, and well-being of human research participants. This represents a practical framework for researchers. Key messages

Risk Factors for COVID-19 Infection among Healthcare Workers in North-East Nigeria.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) face an unprecedented higher risk of COVID-19 infection due to their work and exposure. In this study, we aim to examine the associated risk factors for COVID-19 infection among HCWs in North-East Nigeria. We used data collected retrospectively among a cohort of clinical and non-clinical HCWs in six healthcare facilities in Adamawa State, Nigeria. We estimated the marginal probability of COVID-19 infection among HWCs using alternating logistic regression via the generalized estimating equations (GEE) approach. Among the 318 HCWs, 178 (55.97%) were males, mean (±SD) age was 36.81 (±8.98), 237 (74.76%) were clinical, and 80 (25.24) were non-clinical staff. The overall prevalence of COVID-19 was 16.67% among HCWs. After adjusting for other variables in the model, our results showed that clinical staff had a 5-fold higher risk of COVID-19 infection than non-clinical staff (aOR = 5.07, 95% CI: 1.32–19.52). Moreover, significant exposure risk factors for COVID-19 infection for HCWs increase with age, time spent attending to patients, caring for COVID-19 patients, and having worked with COVID-19 samples, while the risk decreases with the use of an N95 mask. Our findings suggested that the burden of COVID-19 infection is higher for clinical staff than non-clinical staff, and increasing age contributed to the increased risk.

COVID-19 infection among dentists in Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

COVID-19 incidence was relatively high among dentists in Iraq, reflecting the high number of cases in the community. Therefore, possible epidemiological features of COVID-19 infection were investigated among dentists in Iraqi Kurdistan Region. A cross-sectional study has been conducted among dentists using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included demographic and working characteristics, self-reported COVID-19 history, and prevention practices toward SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic. An online questionnaire was developed and spread with a snowball method among dentists. We analyzed the responses of 83 participants (31 women and 52 men, mean age 33.8 ± 6.8 years). They had a mean of 10.6 ± 6.5 years of work experience and 20.2 ± 12.6 hours of weekly working time. In total, 46 (55.4%) of the participants reported COVID-19 infection. Only 29 (34.9%) participants always followed the hygiene rules. The most common personal precautions were mask-wearing (98.8%) and hand hygiene as a part of institutional protective precaution (51.8%). Of the infected dentists, 24 (52.2%) did not know the source of infection. Of the remaining 16 (34.8%) were infected from family and/or friends circle, and five (10.9%) from patients. Eleven of them (23.9%) reported transmitting the infection to at least one person. In the multivariate analyses, working in Sulaymaniyah Province (p = 0.031) and working only in a public hospital (p = 0.029) were significant risk factors for COVID-19 infection. The high risk of COVID-19 infection among dentists in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region relates to their family and friends rather than their occupation.

Causal association of epigenetic aging and COVID-19 severity and susceptibility: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Observational data from China, the United States, France, and Italy suggest that chronological age is an adverse COVID-19 outcome risk factor, with older patients having a higher severity and mortality rate than younger patients. Most studies have gotten the same view. However, the role of aging in COVID-19 adverse effects is unclear. To more accurately assess the effect of aging on adverse COVID-19, we conducted this bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Epigenetic clocks and telomere length were used as biological indicators of aging. Data on epigenetic age (PhenoAge, GrimAge, Intrinsic HorvathAge, and HannumAge) were derived from an analysis of biological aging based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data. The telomere length data are derived from GWAS and the susceptibility and severity data are derived from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative (HGI). Firstly, epigenetic age and telomere length were used as exposures, and following a screen for appropriate instrumental variables, we used random-effects inverse variance weighting (IVW) for the main analysis, and combined it with other analysis methods (e.g., MR Egger, Weighted median, simple mode, Weighted mode) and multiple sensitivity analysis (heterogeneity analysis, horizontal multiplicity analysis, “leave-one-out” analysis). For reducing false-positive rates, Bonferroni corrected significance thresholds were used. A reverse Mendelian randomization analysis was subsequently performed with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity as the exposure. The results of the MR analysis showed no significant differences in susceptibility to aging and COVID-19. It might suggest that aging is not a risk factor for COVID-19 infection (P-values are in the range of 0.05–0.94). According to the results of our analysis, we found that aging was not a risk factor for the increased severity of COVID-19 (P > 0.05). However, severe COVID-19 can cause telomere lengths to become shorter (beta = −0.01; se = 0.01; P = 0.02779). In addition to this, severe COVID-19 infection can slow the acceleration of the epigenetic clock “GrimAge” (beta = −0.24, se = 0.07, P = 0.00122), which may be related to the closely correlation of rs35081325 and COVID-19 severity. Our study provides partial evidence for the causal effects of aging on the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19.

Prostate cancer, androgen deprivation, and risk of COVID-19infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionLe sexe masculin a été démontré comme étant un facteur de risque d’infection par la COVID-19, et les hommes sont plus susceptibles de développer une maladie grave. L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer l’effet de la déprivation androgénique (TDA) sur l’incidence et la sévérité de l’infection au SARS-CoV-2 chez les patients traités pour cancer de prostate.MéthodesNous avons réalisé une revue systématique et une méta-analyse après consultation des bases de données PubMed, Scopus et ClinicalTrial.org pour la période entre janvier 2020 et mars 2022. Les analyses ont été faites par des Forest plots pour les points d’intérêt suivants (infection, hospitalisation, admission à l’USI et décès dus au SARS-CoV-2) avec des modèles aléatoires ou fixes.RésultatsQuinze articles ont été inclus dans notre revue systématique et dix dans la méta-analyse. Sept études ont évalué le risque d’infection sous TDA : OR=1.11 (95% IC : [0.48-2.58] ; p=0.81). Six études ont évalué le risque d’hospitalisation sous TDA : OR=1.58 (95% IC : [0.94-2.64] ; p=0.08). Sept études ont évalué le risque d’admission à l’USI sous TDA : OR=0.90 (95% IC : [0.71-1.13] ; p=0.37). Neuf études ont évalué le risque de mortalité sous TDA : OR=1.07 (95% IC : [0.61-1.87] ; p=0.82).ConclusionLa déprivation androgénique chez les patients atteints d’un cancer de la prostate, ne protège ni contre l’infection par le virus SARS-CoV-2, ni contre les formes sévères et la mortalité. Ces résultats doivent être interprêtés avec prudence vue la nature rétrospective de la majorité des études incluses dans notre méta-analyse.

Factors associated with COVID-19: a comparative case-control study in Benin.

Introduction: Although there are several previous publications related to risk factors of COVID-19 infection, in Benin there are very few data to explain the outbreak risk factors.&#x0D; Material and methods: This case-control study, conducted from 14 September to 20 October 2020, aimed to identify the risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection in Benin. Questions on knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to COVID-19, sociodemographic characteristics, nutritional factors, medical history, housing and working conditions of respondents were asked through a questionnaire survey. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the factors associated with COVID-19. The statistical significance was set at 5%.&#x0D; Results: In multivariate logistic regression, no handwashing device installed at the home entrance (ORa = 1.86; 95% CI [1.07-3.21]) or a device delivering only water (ORa = 5.57; 95% CI [1.98-15.65]), using permanently air conditioning at workplaces (ORa = 5.48; 95% CI [2.40-12.57]), less knowledge of protective measures (ORa = 1.41; 95% CI [1.08-1.84]) and no knowledge on the coronavirus incubation period (ORa = 4.19; 95% CI [2.37-7.44]) were identified as risk factors for COVID-19 infection.&#x0D; Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, a contextual response should prioritize strategies that will raise awareness and population’s knowledge of COVID-19 as well as preventive practices.

Risk factors for COVID-19 virus infection among health workers: A case-control study in the Bono East Region of Ghana

BackgroundDisproportionately high rates of COVID-19 infection among health workers prompts the need to identify the risk factors to help guide the design and implementation of interventions. The aim of this study was to characterize the risk factors for COVID-19 infection among health workers.MethodsA case-control study was designed to recruit 154 health workers who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and 308 who tested negative from 8 hospitals and 11 health directorates in the Bono East Region of Ghana. Crude and adjusted logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors.ResultsHand hygiene compliance for the recommended moments ranged from 55.3% to 77.4%. Personal protective equipments (PPE) use was 59.5% when patients’ COVID-19 status was unknown and at least 90.7% when patient was positive. We identified years of practice experience (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.07, 3.07; p=0.028), adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) when in contact with patients whose COVID-19 status is unspecified (AOR=1.71; 95% CI: 1.09, 2.70; p=0.020) and type of facility (AOR=1.69, 95% CI: 1.09, 2.62; p=0.019) as risk factors.ConclusionThe findings underscore the need for health workers to improve in COVID-19 risk perception.

Upstream Determinants and Downstream Risk Factors of COVID-19 Infection in Iran: A Qualitative Study of Health Professionals’ Views

Upstream Determinants and Downstream Risk Factors of COVID-19 Infection in Iran: A Qualitative Study of Health Professionals’ Views

Effect of Coronavirus among Kidney Disease Patients

Background: COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with an increased risk of both inpatient and outpatient pneumonia. Objective: To describe the effect of COVID-19 virus on patients with kidney disease and renal transplants and analyse the outcomes of patients at the time of the study. Patients and Method: This is a descriptive study conducted in Baghdad Medical City, Al Shifa Center (single centre study). The study included 13 RTPCR-positive patients who were screened in the inpatient and outpatient departments. All patients received treatment according to the Iraq Ministry of Health protocol with dose adjusted as per the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Result: The mean age of participants was 51.46 years with males more than females. Among the positive cases, 2 had acute kidney injury (15.4%), 3 had chronic kidney diseases (23.1%), 5 had end-stage renal disease (38.5%), and 3 had had renal transplants (23.1%). 6 patients out of 13 were diabetic, 11 were hypertensive, and 1 patient had heart failure. 7 (53.8%) patients were given conservative treatment, 4 were given isolated conventional haemodialysis, and only 2 patients were kept in an intensive care unit on continuous renal replacement therapy. 2 male patients died during the treatment. Conclusion: Chronic kidney disease is a risk factor for COVID-19 infection and more mortality and infection were found in male patients as compared to female patients in our study.

P1066: OUTCOMES OF COVID-19 IN PATIENTS WITH MYELOPROLIFERATIVE NEOPLASMS - AN OBSERVATIONAL COHORT STUDY FROM A LARGE ACADEMIC CANCER CENTER IN THE UNITED STATES

Background: Infections are one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN). Several studies from all over the world has reported on outcomes of the SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) pandemic in MPN pts but there is no robust data on characterizing the clinical outcomes of patients with MPN and COVID-19 in the United States (US). Aims: Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on MPN patients’ clinical outcomes including the effect of MPN-subtypes, and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on COVID-19 infection. Methods: We conducted a single center, retrospective, observational cohort study. Between April 2020 – December 2021, data was obtained from 388 patients flagged in the electronic health records system with MPN and COVID-19, of which 53 MPN patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 test were identified. COVID-19 infection was ascertained by a positive real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction from nasal swab. Presenting clinical information was abstracted from review of unstructured notes as well as structured data from the foundry. Demographic and baseline parameters were summarized. The Kaplan-Meier method was utilized to compare the median time from date of diagnosis to date of last follow up or death. Results: Among 53 patients with MPN and COVID-19 infection, the median age was 58 yrs (range,21-83) with equal distribution between men and women of which 46% had a body mass index ≥30. Most common comorbidities included hypertension (60%), and diabetes (19%). 17 (33%) patients required hospitalization of which all (33%) of them required oxygen supplementation. 12 pts (23%) had radiological evidence of pneumonia of which 4 pts (8%) required high flow oxygen and 3 pts (6%) required mechanical ventilation. 2 pts had new thrombosis of portal vein and coronary artery each. 10 pts (19%) received remdesivir and 4 (8%) received tocilizumab, and 9 pts (17%) received steroids. At a median follow up of 11.8 months, 7 pts died at a median of 24 days after COVID-19 diagnosis and the case fatality rate was 13%. Except for 1 pt,all the other 6 pts who died had BMI≥30. In the US, COVID-19 predominantly occurred in pts with myelofibrosis (56%), polycythemia vera (29%), and essential thrombocythemia (15%). 54% received MPN directed therapy of which 17 (33%) pts received ruxolitinib, and 11 pts (21%) received hydroxyurea. At the time of infection, median WBC was 6.2 x 109/µL (range,0.3-16.3),Hb was 11.6 gm/dL (range,6.8-15.8),platelet count was 178 x 109/µL (range,2-766), and the median neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was 4.1. In this cohort, 22 pts (42%) were infected prior to the availability of vaccination. 42% of the entire cohort has received vaccination of which 45% pts were infected after first dose of vaccination. Among the 7 deaths, 6 patients had underlying myelofibrosis, and one pt had polycythemia vera, and all deaths occurred in unvaccinated population except for one death that occurred post vaccination. Hospitalization rate was higher in the unvaccinated (33%) pts than those who were vaccinated (22%). Summary/Conclusion: To date this is the largest cohort of MPN patients with COVID-19 infection in the US accounting for 14% of the MPN patients with COVID-19 in our center. BMI≥30 appear to be an important risk factor for COVID-19 infection and mortality in MPN pts. SARSCOV2-vaccination appear to decrease the risk of mortality and hospitalization. Patterns of inflammatory markers, and long term follow up of recovered MPN pts with COVID-19 will be presented in the meeting.

The morbidity rate of COVID-19 among medical workers: risk factors of getting infected and the development of severe clinical forms

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess non-professional risk factors for COVID-19 infection in medical workers and predictors of the development of severe clinical forms of the disease.Methods: The authors developed two online questionnaires to analyze the features of the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 and the impact of various risk factors on the employees of the Ministry of Defense. Questionnaires were filled out by 366 medical workers who had previously had a new coronavirus infection, and 306 employees who were intact for this disease.Results: When assessing the risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection, it was found that factors such as irregular preventive intake of vitamin D and multivitamins increased the risk of infection of employees of the Ministry of Defense by 1.5-2 times. The majority of employees (281 or 76.8%) suffered the disease in the form of acute respiratory infection (ARI) of mild or moderate severity, 23.2% (85 people) had a lesion of the pulmonary parenchyma in the form of interstitial pneumonia. The most severe clinical forms of COVID-19 occurred in employees in the age group older than 40 years, with a body mass index corresponding to overweight (more than 25.0), having chronic diseases of the genitourinary system, diabetes mellitus, and low physical activity.Conclusions: According to the results of the conducted study, the main clinical manifestations of the new coronavirus infection among medical workers, their severity in various forms of the disease, the leading non-professional risk factors for infection and predictors of the development of more severe clinical forms of COVID-19 were determined.

How Different Pre-existing Mental Disorders and Their Co-occurrence Affects COVID-19 Clinical Outcomes? A Real-World Data Study in the Southern United States.

BackgroundAlthough a psychiatric history might be an independent risk factor for COVID-19 infection and mortality, no studies have systematically investigated how different clusters of pre-existing mental disorders may affect COVID-19 clinical outcomes or showed how the coexistence of mental disorder clusters is related to COVID-19 clinical outcomes.MethodsUsing a retrospective cohort study design, a total of 476,775 adult patients with lab-confirmed and probable COVID-19 between March 06, 2020 and April 14, 2021 in South Carolina, United States were included in the current study. The electronic health record data of COVID-19 patients were linked to all payer-based claims data through the SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office. Pre-existing mental disorder diagnoses from Jan 2, 2019 to Jan 14, 2021 were extracted from the patients' healthcare utilization data via ICD-10 codes.ResultsThere is an elevated risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization and death among participants with pre-existing mental disorders adjusting for key socio-demographic and comorbidity covariates. Co-occurrence of any two clusters was positively associated with COVID-19-related hospitalization and death. The odds ratio of being hospitalized was 1.26 (95% CI: 1.151, 1.383) for patients with internalizing and externalizing disorders, 1.65 (95% CI: 1.298, 2.092) for internalizing and thought disorders, 1.76 (95% CI: 1.217, 2.542) for externalizing and thought disorders, and 1.64 (95% CI: 1.274, 2.118) for three clusters of mental disorders.ConclusionsPre-existing internalizing disorders and thought disorders are positively related to COVID-19 hospitalization and death. Co-occurrence of any two clusters of mental disorders have elevated risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization and death compared to those with a single cluster.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors for COVID-19 infection and disease severity: A nationwide observational study in Estonia.

BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic has led to overloading of health systems all over the world. For reliable risk stratification, knowledge on factors predisposing to SARS-CoV-2 infection and to severe COVID-19 disease course is needed for decision-making at the individual, provider, and government levels. Data to identify these factors should be easily obtainable.Methods and findingsRetrospective cohort study of nationwide e-health databases in Estonia. We used longitudinal health records from 66,295 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA from 26 February 2020 to 28 February 2021 and 254,958 randomly selected controls from the reference population with no known history of SARS-CoV-2 infection or clinical COVID-19 diagnosis (case to control ratio 1:4) to predict risk factors of infection and severe course of COVID-19. We analysed sociodemographic and health characteristics of study participants. The SARS-CoV-2 infection risk was slightly higher among women, and was higher among those with comorbid conditions or obesity. Dementia (RRR 3.77, 95%CI 3.30⎼4.31), renal disease (RRR 1.88, 95%CI 1.56⎼2.26), and cerebrovascular disease (RRR 1.81, 95%CI 1.64⎼2.00) increased the risk of infection. Of all SARS-CoV-2 infected people, 92% had a non-severe disease course, 4.8% severe disease (requiring hospitalisation), 1.7% critical disease (needing intensive care), and 1.5% died. Male sex, increasing age and comorbid burden contributed significantly to more severe COVID-19, and the strength of association for male sex increased with the increasing severity of COVID-19 outcome. The strongest contributors to critical illness (expressed as RRR with 95% CI) were renal disease (7.71, 4.71⎼12.62), the history of previous myocardial infarction (3.54, 2.49⎼5.02) and obesity (3.56, 2.82⎼4.49). The strongest contributors to a lethal outcome were renal disease (6.48, 3.74⎼11.23), cancer (3.81, 3.06⎼4.75), liver disease (3.51, 1.36⎼9.02) and cerebrovascular disease (3.00, 2.31⎼3.89).ConclusionsWe found divergent effect of age and gender on infection risk and severity of COVID-19. Age and gender did not contribute substantially to infection risk, but did so for the risk of severe disease Co-morbid health conditions, especially those affecting renin-angiotensin system, had an impact on both the risk of infection and severe disease course. Age and male sex had the most significant impact on the risk of severe COVID-19. Taking into account the role of ACE2 receptors in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as its modulating action on the renin-angiotensin system in cardiovascular and renal diseases, further research is needed to investigate the influence of hormonal status on ACE2 expression in different tissues, which may be the basis for the development of COVID-19 therapies.

Factors Affecting Covid-19 Infection in Clinical Students at the Indonesian Christian University in 2022

COVID-19 or Coronavirus Disease is an acute respiratory disease caused by a new RNA virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus is rapidly spreading around the world. There are several risk factors for COVID-19 infection. This study aims to determine the factors that influence the incidence of COVID-19 in UKI Medical Faculty clinical students in 2022. The research design was a cross-sectional analytic using primary data by google form questionnaire involving 164 samples of clinical students FK UKI analyzed by univariate and bivariate. The results of this research were five people (3.1%) infected with COVID-29 2 times, 95 people (57.9%) clinical students FK UKI who had been exposed to COVID-19. There was a relationship between the use of masks (p=0.008), washing hands (p=0.000), keeping a distance (p=0.014), avoiding crowds (p=0.005), mobility limitations (p=0.002), and contact with COVID-19 patients (p=0.010). However, there was no relationship between gender (p=0.393), smoking (p=0.581), complete vaccination (p=0.136), and comorbid disease (p=0.641) on the incidence of COVID-19 in clinical students FK UKI in 2022. The conclusion is that the implementation of the 5M protocol (Using masks, washing hands, Keeping a distance, Avoiding crowds, and Mobility limitations) and contact with COVID-19 patients proved to affect the incidence of COVID-19 in FK UKI clinic students in 2022.&#x0D; Keywords: Gender, wearing a mask, washing hands, keeping a distance, avoiding restrictions, limiting mobility, contact with patients, vaccination, smoking, comorbidities, COVID-19.