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Background: Anaphylaxis, which is rare, has been reported after COVID-19 vaccination, but its management is not standardized., Method: Members of the European Network for Drug Allergy and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology interested in drug allergy participated in an online questionnaire on pre-vaccination screening and management of allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, and literature was analysed., Results: No death due to anaphylaxis to COVID-19 vaccines has been confirmed in scientific literature. Potential allergens, polyethylene glycol (PEG), polysorbate and tromethamine are excipients. The authors propose allergy evaluation of persons with the following histories: 1-anaphylaxis to injectable drug or vaccine containing PEG or derivatives; 2-anaphylaxis to oral/topical PEG containing products; 3-recurrent anaphylaxis of unknown cause; 4-suspected or confirmed allergy to any mRNA vaccine; and 5-confirmed allergy to PEG or derivatives. We recommend a prick-to-prick skin test with the left-over solution in the suspected vaccine vial to avoid waste. Prick test panel should include PEG 4000 or 3500, PEG 2000 and polysorbate 80. The value of in vitro test is arguable., Conclusions: These recommendations will lead to a better knowledge of the management and mechanisms involved in anaphylaxis to COVID-19 vaccines and enable more people with history of allergy to be vaccinated., (© 2022 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.)

The latest outbreak of a coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), evolved into a worldwide pandemic with massive effects on health, quality of life, and economy. Given the short period of time since the outbreak, there are several knowledge gaps on the comparative and zoonotic aspects of this new virus. Within the One Health concept, the current EAACI position paper dwells into the current knowledge on SARS-CoV-2's receptors, symptoms, transmission routes for human and animals living in close vicinity to each other, usefulness of animal models to study this disease and management options to avoid intra- and interspecies transmission. Similar pandemics might appear unexpectedly and more frequently in the near future due to climate change, consumption of exotic foods and drinks, globe-trotter travel possibilities, the growing world population, the decreasing production space, declining room for wildlife and free-ranging animals, and the changed lifestyle including living very close to animals. Therefore, both the society and the health authorities need to be aware and well prepared for similar future situations, and research needs to focus on prevention and fast development of treatment options (medications, vaccines)., (© 2021 The Authors. Allergy published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first emerged in China in November 2019. Most governments have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by imposing a lockdown. Some evidence suggests that a period of isolation might have led to a spike in alcohol misuse, and in the case of patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD), social isolation can favour lapse and relapse. The aim of our position paper is to provide specialists in the alcohol addiction field, in psychopharmacology, gastroenterology and in internal medicine, with appropriate tools to better manage patients with AUD and COVID-19,considering some important topics: (a) the susceptibility of AUD patients to infection; (b) the pharmacological interaction between medications used to treat AUD and to treat COVID-19; (c) the reorganization of the Centre for Alcohol Addiction Treatment for the management of AUD patients in the COVID-19 era (group activities, telemedicine, outpatients treatment, alcohol-related liver disease and liver transplantation, collecting samples); (d) AUD and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Telemedicine/telehealth will undoubtedly be useful/practical tools even though it remains at an elementary level; the contribution of the family and of caregivers in the management of AUD patients will play a significant role; the multidisciplinary intervention involving experts in the treatment of AUD with specialists in the treatment of COVID-19 disease will need implementation. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly leading addiction specialists towards a new governance scenario of AUD, which necessarily needs an in-depth reconsideration, focusing attention on a safe approach in combination with the efficacy of treatment., (© 2021 The Authors. Addiction Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.)

Aims: To determine the associations between COVID-19 school closures and school readiness skills for Chinese kindergarteners., Design: We utilized the natural experimental condition created by local COVID-19 outbreaks in 2022 (Study 1) to compare school readiness skills of children whose kindergartens were closed for 5 months (Group 1) with children whose kindergartens stayed open (Group 2). We further compared the school readiness skills of one pre-COVID-19 cohort (Cohort 2019) with one COVID-19 cohort (Cohort 2021) from a fifth kindergarten (Study 2)., Samples: For Study 1, Group 1 included 445 children and Group 2 included 584 children aged 4-6 years. For Study 2, Cohort 2019 included 156 children and Cohort 2021 included 228 children aged 3-6 years., Measures: For both studies, survey data on four school readiness skills were collected from parents. Additionally, Study 1 collected parental locus of control data from parents., Results: Controlling for covariates, Study 1 revealed that Group 1 and Group 2 did not differ in terms of language and emergent literacy or approaches to learning. However, Group 1 scored lower than Group 2 on health and well-being and arts and imagination. Study 2 revealed that Cohort 2021 scored higher than Cohort 2019 on language and emergent literacy but lower on the other three skills., Conclusions: The associations of COVID-19 school closures with Chinese children's school readiness skills were not uniform, with a positive relation with language and emergent literacy and negative associations with health and well-being, approaches to learning, as well as arts and imagination., (© 2024 British Psychological Society.)

Background and Objectives: Chest pain is a relatively long-term symptom that commonly occurs in patients who have contracted COVID-19. The reasons for these symptoms remain unclear, with coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) emerging as a potential factor. This study aimed to assess the presence of CMD in these patients by measuring the angio-derived index of microcirculatory resistance (AMR)., Methods: In this cross-sectional case-control study, patients who had chest pain and a history of COVID-19 infection within the preceding 30 to 60 days were included. The control subjects were patients without COVID-19. Demographic, clinical, and echocardiographic data were recorded. Angiographic images were collected for AMR analysis through an angioplus quantitative flow ratio measurement system. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to match the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between COVID-19 incidence and the increase in AMR (AMR > 285 mmHg*s/m) after correction for other confounders., Results: After PSM, there were 58 patients in each group (the mean age was 66.3 ± 9.04 years, and 55.2% were men). The average time between the onset of COVID-19 infection and patient presentation at the hospital for coronary angiography was 41 ± 9.5 days. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the quantitative flow ratio between the two groups. Patients with COVID-19 had a greater mean AMR (295 vs. 266, p = 0.002). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that COVID-19 (OR = 3.32, 95% CI = 1.50-7.60, p = 0.004) was significantly associated with an increase in AMR., Conclusions: Long-term COVID-19 patients who experience chest pain without evidence of myocardial ischemia exhibit an increase in AMR, and CMD may be one of the reasons for this increase. COVID-19 is an independent risk factor for an increase in AMR., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The COVID‐19 outbreak led to widespread disruption and stress to people's lives. Concern about the escalation of domestic violence (DV) rates and related mental health issues soon emerged following the implementation of strategies aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. This perspective paper presents an overview of the issues, argues for greater recognition of the link between DV against women and serious emotional distress, and the need for greater awareness and knowledge about DV among mental health professionals. While we acknowledge that men also experience DV, their rates are much lower than for women and in this paper our focus is on women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past years, eosinophils have become a focus of scientific interest, especially in the context of their recently uncovered functions (e.g. antiviral, anti‐inflammatory, regulatory). These versatile cells display both beneficial and detrimental activities under various physiological and pathological conditions. Eosinophils are involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases which can be classified into primary (clonal) and secondary (reactive) disorders and idiopathic (hyper)eosinophilic syndromes. Depending on the biological specimen, the eosinophil count in different body compartments may serve as a biomarker reflecting the underlying pathophysiology and/or activity of distinct diseases and as a therapy‐driving (predictive) and monitoring tool. Personalized selection of an appropriate therapeutic strategy directly or indirectly targeting the increased number and/or activity of eosinophils should be based on the understanding of eosinophil homeostasis including their interactions with other immune and non‐immune cells within different body compartments. Hence, restoring as well as maintaining homeostasis within an individual's eosinophil pool is a goal of both specific and non‐specific eosinophil‐targeting therapies. Despite the overall favourable safety profile of the currently available anti‐eosinophil biologics, the effect of eosinophil depletion should be monitored from the perspective of possible unwanted consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients affected by multiple myeloma (MM) have an increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and subsequent coronavirus (20)19 disease (COVID-19)-related death. The changing epidemiological and therapeutic scenarios suggest that there has been an improvement in severity and survival of COVID-19 during the different waves of the pandemic in the general population, but this has not been investigated yet in MM patients. Here we analyzed a large cohort of 1221 patients with MM and confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection observed between February 2020, and August 2022, in the EPICOVIDEHA registry from 132 centers around the world. Median follow-up was 52 days for the entire cohort and 83 days for survivors. Three-hundred and three patients died (24%) and COVID-19 was the primary reason for death of around 89% of them. Overall survival (OS) was significantly higher in vaccinated patients with both stable and active MM versus unvaccinated, while only a trend favoring vaccinated patients was observed in subjects with responsive MM. Vaccinated patients with at least 2 doses showed a better OS than those with one or no vaccine dose. Overall, according to pandemic waves, mortality rate decreased over time from 34% to 10%. In multivariable analysis, age, renal failure, active disease, hospital, and intensive care unit admission, were independently associated with a higher number of deaths, while a neutrophil count above 0.5 × 10 9 /L was found to be protective. This data suggests that MM patients remain at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection even in the vaccination era, but their clinical outcome, in terms of OS, has progressively improved throughout the different viral phases of the pandemic., (© 2023 The Authors. Hematological Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aim: Understanding how COVID-19 impacts the expression of clinically relevant drug metabolizing enzymes and membrane transporters (DMETs) is vital for addressing potential safety and efficacy concerns related to systemic and peripheral drug concentrations. This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 severity on DMETs expression and the underlying mechanisms to inform the design of precise clinical dosing regimens for affected patients., Methods: Transcriptomics analysis of 102 DMETs, 10 inflammatory markers, and 12 xenosensing regulatory genes was conducted on nasopharyngeal swabs from 50 SARS-CoV-2 positive (17 outpatients, 16 non-ICU, and 17 ICU) and 13 SARS-CoV-2 negative individuals, clinically tested through qPCR, in the Greater Toronto area from October 2020 to October 2021., Results: We observed a significant differential gene expression for 42 DMETs, 6 inflammatory markers, and 9 xenosensing regulatory genes. COVID-19 severity was associated with the upregulation of AKR1C1, MGST1, and SULT1E1, and downregulation of ABCC10, CYP3A43, and SLC29A4 expressions. Altogether, SARS-CoV-2-positive patients showed an upregulation in CYP2C9, CYP2C19, AKR1C1, SULT1B1, SULT2B1, and SLCO4A1 and downregulation in FMO5, MGST3, ABCC5, and SLCO4C1 compared with SARS-CoV-2 negative individuals. These dysregulations were associated with significant changes in the expression of inflammatory and xenosensing regulatory genes driven by the disease. GSTM3, PPARA, and AKR1C1 are potential biomarkers of the observed DMETs dysregulation pattern in nasopharyngeal swabs of outpatients, non-ICU, and ICU patients, respectively., Conclusion: The severity of COVID-19 is associated with the dysregulation of DMETs involved in processing commonly prescribed drugs, suggesting potential disease-drug interactions, especially for narrow therapeutic index drugs., (© 2024 The Author(s). British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Pharmacological Society.)

Point‐of‐care testing (POCT) can be the method of choice for detecting infectious pathogens; these pathogens are responsible for not only infectious diseases such as COVID‐19, but also for certain types of cancers. For example, infections by human papillomavirus (HPV) or Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are the main cause of cervical and stomach cancers, respectively. COVID‐19 and many cancers are treatable with early diagnoses using POCT. A variety of nucleic acid testing have been developed for use in resource‐limited environments. However, questions like unintegrated nucleic acid extraction, open detection systems increase the risk of cross‐contamination, and dependence on expensive equipment and alternating current (AC) power supply, significantly limit the application of POCT, especially for on‐site testing. In this paper, a simple portable platform is reported capable of rapid sample‐to‐answer testing within 30 min based on recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) at a lower temperature, to detect SARS‐CoV‐2 virus and H. pylori bacteria with a limit of detection as low as 4 × 102 copies mL−1. The platform used a battery‐powered portable reader for on‐chip one‐pot amplification and fluorescence detection, and can test for multiple (up to four) infectious pathogens simultaneously. This platform can provide an alternative method for fast and reliable on‐site diagnostic testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the coronavirus pandemic, changes in the way science is done and shared occurred, which motivates meta‐research to help understand science communication in crises and improve its effectiveness. The objective is to study how many Spanish scientific papers on COVID‐19 published during 2020 share their research data. Qualitative and descriptive study applying nine attributes: (a) availability, (b) accessibility, (c) format, (d) licensing, (e) linkage, (f) funding, (g) editorial policy, (h) content, and (i) statistics. We analyzed 1,340 papers, 1,173 (87.5%) did not have research data. A total of 12.5% share their research data of which 2.1% share their data in repositories, 5% share their data through a simple request, 0.2% do not have permission to share their data, and 5.2% share their data as supplementary material. There is a small percentage that shares their research data; however, it demonstrates the researchers' poor knowledge on how to properly share their research data and their lack of knowledge on what is research data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient-oriented research (POR) is a trend that has emerged over several decades and is particularly prominent in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. It involves patient and other stakeholder participation in the planning, conduct and dissemination of biomedical and health services research and it can be seen as a form of public participation and engagement in activities that affect the lives and well-being of communities. Criticisms of POR revolve around its susceptibility to tokenistic treatment of patient participants and paternalistic dominance of the research agenda by professional researchers, academics and clinicians. This commentary addresses one such critique by situating the POR agenda within the challenges and dilemmas faced by the health-related research enterprise over the past 30 years. It will explore the interface between POR, community activism and community-based participatory research. The contextual importance of the COVID-19 pandemic experience is stressed. The commentary will particularly focus on the US-based Patient Centred Outcomes Research Institute, its origins within a movement to enhance emphasis on publicly funded comparative effectiveness research, and its more recent evolution in the direction of community empowerment in POR., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Free play is a natural activity in toddlerhood, depending on environmental conditions like available objects and the social environment. The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for parents' mental health held the potential to change toddlers' play environment. This cross-sectional study investigated 2-year-olds' (N = 97) free play with objects, and aspects of caregiver mental well-being in three cohorts during the pandemic in Germany. Caregivers reported their positive mental health (PMH), threat perception, perception of current family situation from negative to positive, and workload. We categorized toddlers' behavior in free play sessions in their homes with a fixed set of objects through behavioral coding. Play behavior did not differ between cohorts and did not correlate with caregivers' positive mental health, threat perception, and perception of family situation. A MANOVA revealed a significant main effect of cohort on PMH, threat perception and perception of family situation, qualified by two discriminant functions. Full sample analyses revealed that toddlers of caregivers perceiving a workload increase compared to the time before the pandemic showed less pretend play, and less functional and nonfunctional play. The results provide insights into 2-year-olds' play behavior during a global pandemic and highlight the role of caregiver availability for children's play., (© 2024 The Authors. Infancy published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Congress of Infant Studies.)

Background: Several hypotheses link reduced microbial exposure to increased prevalence of allergies. Here we capitalize on the opportunity to study a cohort of infants (CORAL), raised during COVID-19 associated social distancing measures, to identify the environmental exposures and dietary factors that contribute to early life microbiota development and to examine their associations with allergic outcomes., Methods: Fecal samples were sequenced from infants at 6 (n = 351) and repeated at 12 (n = 343) months, using 16S sequencing. Published 16S data from pre-pandemic cohorts were included for microbiota comparisons. Online questionnaires collected epidemiological information on home environment, healthcare utilization, infant health, allergic diseases, and diet. Skin prick testing (SPT) was performed at 12 (n = 343) and 24 (n = 320) months of age, accompanied by atopic dermatitis and food allergy assessments., Results: The relative abundance of bifidobacteria was higher, while environmentally transmitted bacteria such as Clostridia was lower in CORAL infants compared to previous cohorts. The abundance of multiple Clostridia taxa correlated with a microbial exposure index. Plant based foods during weaning positively impacted microbiota development. Bifidobacteria levels at 6 months of age, and relative abundance of butyrate producers at 12 months of age, were negatively associated with AD and SPT positivity. The prevalence of allergen sensitization, food allergy, and AD did not increase over pre-pandemic levels., Conclusions: Environmental exposures and dietary components significantly impact microbiota community assembly. Our results also suggest that vertically transmitted bacteria and appropriate dietary supports may be more important than exposure to environmental microbes alone for protection against allergic diseases in infancy., (© 2024 The Authors. Allergy published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been very challenging for those living with overweight and obesity. The magnitude of this impact on sleep requires further attention to optimise patient care and outcomes. This study assessed the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on sleep duration and quality as well as identify predictors of poor sleep quality in individuals with reported diagnoses of obstructive sleep apnoea and those without sleep apnoea. An online survey (June-October 2020) was conducted with two samples; one representative of Canadians living with overweight and obesity (n = 1089) and a second of individuals recruited through obesity clinical services or patient organisations (n = 980). While overall sleep duration did not decline much, there were identifiable groups with reduced or increased sleep. Those with changed sleep habits, especially reduced sleep, had much poorer sleep quality, were younger, gained more weight and were more likely to be female. Poor sleep quality was associated with medical, social and eating concerns as well as mood disturbance. Those with sleep apnoea had poorer quality sleep although this was offset to some degree by use of CPAP. Sleep quality and quantity has been significantly impacted during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic in those living with overweight and obesity. Predictors of poor sleep and the impact of sleep apnoea with and without CPAP therapy on sleep parameters has been evaluated. Identifying those at increased risk of sleep alterations and its impact requires further clinical consideration., (© 2024 World Obesity Federation.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in the provision of pregnancy and postpartum care. The purpose of this study was to describe changes in access to prenatal and postpartum care over time, from early in the pandemic (July 2020) to mid-pandemic (January 2021) and to explore socioeconomic and COVID-19-related economic factors associated with experiencing barriers to care., Methods: We recruited two cross sections of women and birthing people in the US in July 2020 (N = 4645) and January 2021 (N = 3343) using Facebook and Instagram Ads., Results: Three out of four women in the prenatal period and four out of five women in the postpartum period reported barriers to scheduling a visit. The likelihood of not having a visit (OR = 4.44, 95% CI 2.67-7.40), being unable to schedule a visit (OR = 2.73, 95% CI 1.71-4.35), and not being offered visits (OR = 4.26, 95% CI 2.32-7.81) increased over time. Participants were more likely to report barriers attending scheduled prenatal or postpartum appointments over time (OR = 2.72, 95% CI 2.14-3.45). Women who experienced more economic impacts from COVID-19 were older, less educated, and were Black, Indigenous, or a person of color, and were more likely to have barriers to attending appointments., Conclusions: Certain subgroups are more at risk during COVID-19, and around 9 months into the pandemic, women were not only still facing barriers to care, but these had been amplified. Additional research using other data sources is needed to identify and ameliorate barriers and inequalities in access to prenatal and postpartum care that appear to have persisted throughout the pandemic., (© 2023 The Authors. Birth published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Elevated psychological distress, experienced by pregnant women and parents, has been well-documented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most research focuses on the first 6-months postpartum, with single or limited repeated measures of perinatal distress. The present longitudinal study examined how perinatal distress, experienced over nearly 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, impacted toddler socioemotional development. A sample of 304 participants participated during pregnancy, 6-weeks, 6-months, and 15-months postpartum. Mothers reported their depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms, at each timepoint. Mother-reported toddler socioemotional functioning (using the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment) was measured at 15-months. Results of structural equation mediation models indicated that (1) higher prenatal distress was associated with elevated postpartum distress, from 6-weeks to 15-months postpartum; (2) associations between prenatal distress and toddler socioemotional problems became nonsignificant after accounting for postpartum distress; and (3) higher prenatal distress was indirectly associated with greater socioemotional problems, and specifically elevated externalizing problems, through higher maternal distress at 6 weeks and 15 months postpartum. Findings suggest that the continued experience of distress during the postpartum period plays an important role in child socioemotional development during the COVID-19 pandemic., (© 2024 The Authors. Infancy published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Congress of Infant Studies.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges, particularly for healthcare workers (HCWs). The prolonged struggles exposed the HCWs to a variety of stressors, potentially leading to burnout. Emotional exhaustion is widely recognized as the core component of burnout. This research aims to conceptualize and develop an emotional exhaustion screening questionnaire through literature review, validation, and accuracy testing., Method: A literature review of questionnaires and extraction of items on emotional exhaustion were performed in June 2022. We proceed with the face validity of the items by experts. The items with good content validity ratio and index were selected and reworded to suit the context of HCWs working during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pilot test of the questionnaire was done in the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA) from October to December 2022 with a sample of 148 HCWs from the ORCHESTRA cohort to determine its reliability, convergent validity, and accuracy., Results: Our literature review identified 15 validated questionnaires. After exclusion, 32 items were sent for content validation by experts, yielding five final items that proceeded with the pilot test. Resulting in a Cronbach's alpha-coefficient of .83 for the scale and .78 for dichotomous responses, demonstrating good internal consistency and convergent validity. The result of our accuracy test yielded sensitivity (90.6%) and specificity (91.6%) for the OEEQ scale; and sensitivity (88.7%) and specificity (89.5%) for OEEQ dichotomous responses., Conclusion: This study developed and validated the ORCHESTRA Emotional Exhaustion Questionnaire, demonstrating the questionnaire's clarity, relevance, and comprehensibility in screening emotional exhaustion among HCWs., (© 2023 The Authors. British Journal of Health Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.)

Background: Telehealth is a growing model of care, greatly accelerated with the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. Telecare is a synchronous audio-visual or audio-only format of health delivery., Aims: To evaluate the existing literature on telecare within adult gastroenterology subspecialties to determine if outcomes are comparable to traditional in-person consultations and to highlight the Pokapū Network, a local initiative in the Lakes Region of New Zealand, amongst these international findings., Methods: We completed an OVID MEDLINE search using the terms gastroenterology, endoscopy, digestive system, inflammatory bowel disease, functional, hepatology, liver, telemedicine, telehealth, videoconferencing, remote consultation, video clinic and telephone clinic., Results: Patients showed positive attitudes towards telecare and, in several reports, would elect to have telecare consults in the future. Telecare reduces travel time and out-of-pocket costs for patients and the need for patients to take time off work. Generally, patients engaging with telecare show equivalent health outcomes to patients engaging with traditional models of care. Patients from ethnic minority groups or lower socio-economic backgrounds, or who are older, are less likely to complete a 'successful' telecare consult., Conclusion: Telecare is a useful model of care to allow gastroenterology centres to function within the context of COVID-19 isolation and beyond. It has significant benefits for patients who face geographical and financial barriers to accessing healthcare. Telecare models such as the Pokapū Network hold promise in reducing inequities for gastroenterology patients. Such models must be introduced with consideration of digital disparities that exist amongst patients to avoid worsening the digital divide., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Public health responses to the Covid-19 pandemic included various measures to mitigate the spread of the virus. Among these, the most restrictive was a broad category referred to as "lockdowns." We argue that the reasoning offered in favor of extended lockdowns-those lasting several months or longer-did not adequately account for a host of countervailing considerations, including the impact on mental illness, education, employment, and marginalized communities as well as health, educational, and economic inequities. Furthermore, justifications offered for extended lockdowns set aside a basic tenet of public health ethics: restrictions on liberty and autonomy should be the least intrusive means of achieving the desired end. Since it is now clear that extended lockdowns cause severe harm to many vulnerable populations, the burden of proof is on those who would advocate for them, and there must be a much higher bar to implement an extended lockdown, with high-quality evidence that the benefit would substantially exceed its harm., (© 2023 The Hastings Center.)

Background: While the occupational risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection for healthcare personnel in the United States has been relatively well characterized, less information is available on the occupational risk for workers employed in other settings. Even fewer studies have attempted to compare risks across occupations and industries. Using differential proportionate distribution as an approximation, we evaluated excess risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupation and industry among non-healthcare workers in six states., Methods: We analyzed data on occupation and industry of employment from a six-state callback survey of adult non-healthcare workers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and population-based reference data on employment patterns, adjusted for the effect of telework, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. We estimated the differential proportionate distribution of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupation and industry using the proportionate morbidity ratio (PMR)., Results: Among a sample of 1111 workers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, significantly higher-than-expected proportions of workers were employed in service occupations (PMR 1.3, 99% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-1.5) and in the transportation and utilities (PMR 1.4, 99% CI 1.1-1.8) and leisure and hospitality industries (PMR 1.5, 99% CI 1.2-1.9)., Conclusions: We found evidence of significant differences in the proportionate distribution of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupation and industry among respondents in a multistate, population-based survey, highlighting the excess risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection borne by some worker populations, particularly those whose jobs require frequent or prolonged close contact with other people., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The disruptions to community functioning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic spurred individuals to action. This empirical study investigated the social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) skill antecedents to college students' volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 248, Mage = 20.6). We assessed eight SEB skills at the onset of a volunteering program, and students' volunteer hours were assessed 10-weeks later. Approximately 41.5% of the sample did not complete any volunteer hours. Higher levels of perspective taking skill, abstract thinking skill, and stress regulation were associated with more time spent volunteering. These results suggest that strength in particular SEB skills can prospectively predict prosocial civic behaviors., (© 2023 Society for Research on Adolescence.)

Background: Vaccination of the population is required to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Allergy testing could reduce anxiety towards COVID-19 vaccination and thereby may increase vaccination rate, however, its effectiveness remains unclear., Methods: One hundred and thirty prospective real-life patients in need of but not daring to get vaccinated asked for allergy workup for COVID-19 vaccine hypersensitivity in 2021/2022. Characterization of patients, identification of anxieties, decrease of patient's anxiety levels, overall vaccination rate and adverse reactions after vaccination were assessed., Results: Tested patients were characterized by being female (91.5%) and having a high rate of previous allergies (e.g. to food 55.4%, drugs 54.6%, or previous vaccinations 50%) and dermatological disease (29.2%) but not always had medical contraindications for COVID-19 vaccination. Sixty one patients (49.6%) were highly concerned (4-6, Likert scale 0-6) about vaccination and 47 (37.6%) expressed resolving thoughts about vaccinaion anaphylaxis (3-6, Likert scale 0-6). However only 35 patients (28.5%) were scared of getting COVID-19 within 2 months (4-6, Likert scale 0-6) and only 11 (9%) patients had high expectations of getting COVID-19 (4-6, Likert scale 0-6). Allergy testing significantly (p < 0.01 to p < 0.05 respectively) reduced the median anxiety of allergic symptoms following vaccination: dyspnoea (4.2-3.1), to faint (3.7-2.7), long-term consequences (3.6-2.2), pruritus (3.4-2.6), skin rash (3.3-2.6) and death (3.2-2.6). After allergy testing, most patients (108/122, 88.5%) let themselves be vaccinated within 60 days. Revaccinated patients with previous symptoms experienced a reduction of symptoms (p < 0.05) upon revaccination., Conclusions: Patients not daring to get vaccinated have more anxiety towards vaccination than to acquire COVID-19. For those, allergy testing excludes vaccine allergy, and is a tool to increase vaccination willingness and thereby helps to combat vaccination hesitancy., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Background and purpose: Health risks associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection are undisputed. Moreover, the capability of vaccination to prevent symptomatic, severe, and fatal COVID‐19 is recognized. There is also early evidence that vaccination can reduce the chance for long COVID‐19. Nonetheless, the willingness to get vaccinated and receive booster shots remains subpar among people with neurologic disorders. Vaccine scepticism not only jeopardizes collective efforts to end the COVID‐19 pandemic but puts individual lives at risk, as some chronic neurologic diseases are associated with a higher risk for an unfavorable COVID‐19 course. Methods: In this position paper, the NeuroCOVID‐19 Task Force of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) summarizes the current knowledge on the prognosis of COVID‐19 among patients with neurologic disease, elucidates potential barriers to vaccination coverage, and formulates strategies to overcome vaccination hesitancy. A survey among the Task Force members on the phenomenon of vaccination hesitancy among people with neurologic disease supports the lines of argumentation. Results: The study revealed that people with multiple sclerosis and other nervous system autoimmune disorders are most skeptical of SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination. The prevailing concerns included the chance of worsening the pre‐existing neurological condition, vaccination‐related adverse events, and drug interaction. Conclusions: The EAN NeuroCOVID‐19 Task Force reinforces the key role of neurologists as advocates of COVID‐19 vaccination. Neurologists need to argue in the interest of their patients about the overwhelming individual and global benefits of COVID‐19 vaccination. Moreover, they need to keep on eye on this vulnerable patient group, its concerns, and the emergence of potential safety signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS‐C) is a rare, but severe complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). It develops approximately 4 weeks after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection and involves hyperinflammation with multisystem injury, commonly progressing to shock. The exact pathomechanism of MIS‐C is not known, but immunological dysregulation leading to cytokine storm plays a central role. In response to the emergence of MIS‐C, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) established a task force (TF) within the Immunology Section in May 2021. With the use of an online Delphi process, TF formulated clinical statements regarding immunological background of MIS‐C, diagnosis, treatment, follow‐up, and the role of COVID‐19 vaccinations. MIS‐C case definition is broad, and diagnosis is made based on clinical presentation. The immunological mechanism leading to MIS‐C is unclear and depends on activating multiple pathways leading to hyperinflammation. Current management of MIS‐C relies on supportive care in combination with immunosuppressive and/or immunomodulatory agents. The most frequently used agents are systemic steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin. Despite good overall short‐term outcome, MIS‐C patients should be followed‐up at regular intervals after discharge, focusing on cardiac disease, organ damage, and inflammatory activity. COVID‐19 vaccination is a safe and effective measure to prevent MIS‐C. In anticipation of further research, we propose a convenient and clinically practical algorithm for managing MIS‐C developed by the Immunology Section of the EAACI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The leading causes of maternal mortality include respiratory failure, cardiovascular events, infections, and hemorrhages. The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as rescue therapy in the peripartum period for cardiopulmonary failure is expanding in critical care medicine., Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted on a nationwide cohort in Israel. During the 3-year period, between September 1, 2019, and August 31, 2022, all women in the peripartum period who had been supported by ECMO for respiratory or circulatory failure at 10 large Israeli hospitals were identified. Indications for ECMO, maternal and neonatal outcomes, details of ECMO support, and complications were collected., Results: During the 3-year study period, in Israel, there were 540 234 live births, and 28 obstetric patients were supported by ECMO, with an incidence of 5.2 cases per 100 000 or 1 case per 19 000 births (when excluding patients with COVID-19, the incidence will be 2.5 cases per 100 000 births). Of these, 25 were during the postpartum period, of which 16 (64%) were connected in the PPD1, and 3 were during pregnancy. Eighteen patients (64.3%) were supported by V-V ECMO, 9 (32.1%) by V-A ECMO, and one (3.6%) by a VV-A configuration. Hypoxic respiratory failure (ARDS) was the most common indication for ECMO, observed in 21 patients (75%). COVID-19 was the cause of ARDS in 15 (53.7%) patients. The indications for the V-A configuration were cardiomyopathy (3 patients), amniotic fluid embolism (2 patients), sepsis, and pulmonary hypertension. The maternal and fetal survival rates were 89.3% (n = 25) and 100% (n = 28). The average ECMO duration was 17.6 ± 18.6 days and the ICU stay was 29.8 ± 23.8 days. Major bleeding complications requiring surgical intervention were observed in one patient., Conclusions: The incidence of using ECMO in the peripartum period is low. The maternal and neonatal survival rates in patients treated with ECMO are high. These results show that ECMO remains an important treatment option for obstetric patients with respiratory and/or cardiopulmonary failure., (© 2023 International Center for Artificial Organ and Transplantation (ICAOT) and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background & Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are potential risk factors for severe pneumonia and other infections. Available data on the role of NAFLD/NASH in worsening outcomes for COVID-19 are controversial and might be confounded by comorbidities., Methods: We used the PINC AI™ Healthcare Data Special Release (PHD-SR) to identify patients with COVID-19 (ICD-10) at approximately 900 hospitals in the United States. We performed exact matching (age, gender, and ethnicity) for patients with or without NAFLD/NASH, adjusting for demographics (admission type, region) and comorbidities (e.g., obesity, diabetes) through inverse probability of treatment weighting and then analysed hospitalisation-related outcomes., Results: Among 513 623 patients with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), we identified 14 667 with NAFLD/NASH who could be matched to 14 667 controls. Mean age was 57.6 (±14.9) years, 50.8% were females and 43.7% were non-Hispanic whites. After matching, baseline characteristics (e.g., age, ethnicity, and gender) and comorbidities (e.g., hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) were well balanced (standard difference (SD) <.10), except for cirrhosis and malignancies. Patients with COVID-19 and NAFLD/NASH had higher FIB-4 scores, a significantly longer hospital length of stay (LOS) and intensive care LOS than controls (9.4 vs. 8.3 days, and 10.4 vs. 9.3, respectively), even after adjusting for cirrhosis and malignancies. Patients with COVID-19 and NAFLD/NASH also had significantly higher risk of needing invasive mandatory ventilation (IMV) (odds ratio 1.0727; 95% CI 1.0095-1.1400). Other outcomes were similar in both groups., Conclusions: In this large real-world cohort of patients hospitalised for COVID-19 in the United States, NAFLD/NASH were obesity-independent risk factors for complicated disease courses., (© 2023 The Authors. Liver International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: To determine if construction and trades workers formerly employed at US Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons sites are at significant risk for occupational diseases, we studied the mortality experience of participants in the Building Trades National Medical Screening Program (BTMed)., Methods: The cohort included 26,922 participants enrolled between 1998 and 2021 and 8367 deaths. Standardized mortality ratios were calculated based on US death rates. Cox models compared construction workers (n = 22,747; 7487 deaths) to two nonconstruction subpopulations: administrative, scientific and security workers (n = 1894; 330 deaths), and all other nonconstruction workers (n = 2218; 550 deaths)., Results: Mortality was elevated for all causes, all cancers, cancers of the trachea, bronchus, lung, kidneys, and lymphatic and hematopoietic system, mesothelioma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asbestosis, transportation injuries, and other injuries, particularly accidental poisonings. There were 167 deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was lower than expected using US death rates. Overall cause-specific mortality was significantly higher among construction workers than for internal comparison groups., Conclusions: Construction workers employed at DOE sites have a significantly increased risk for occupational illnesses. Apart from COVID-19 deaths, this update: (1) found that mortality among construction workers is significantly elevated compared to the US population and significantly higher than in the internal comparison populations, and (2) confirmed excess risk for these workers for first employment after 1990. Cancer mortality risks are similar to the cancers identified for DOE compensation from radiation exposures. The high lung cancer risk supports the value of early lung cancer detection. Continued medical surveillance is important., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: The administration of illicit drugs by injection is associated with considerable harm, including an increased risk of overdose. The chemical analysis of used syringes can enhance knowledge on injecting drug consumption beyond traditional data sources (self-report surveys). This additional information may be useful during significant global events like the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to examine a snapshot of the drugs injected at the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) in Sydney, Australia, in 2019-2020., Methods: Used syringes were collected from MSIC across three periods throughout 2019 and 2020 (February 2019, March-April 2020 and June-September 2020). Drug residues were extracted from used syringes using methanol before detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The chemical analysis results were compared to self-report data obtained from MSIC clients., Results: Heroin (46-53%), methamphetamine (24-34%) and pharmaceutical opioids (15-27%) were the most common drug residues detected. The chemically detected drugs had declining coherence with the drugs self-reported by MSIC clients across the time periods examined., Discussion and Conclusions: There was no significant change in the drugs injected (heroin, methamphetamine and pharmaceutical opioids) across the three periods collected throughout varying COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Changes in the frequency of other drugs injected and discrepancies between chemical analysis and self-report were potentially related to regulatory changes, degradation or misinformed sales. Routine chemical analysis of used syringes has provided an alternative information source to promote awareness of current drug trends and aid harm reduction., (© 2023 The Authors. Drug and Alcohol Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.)

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy have revolutionized advanced lung cancer care. Interestingly, the host responses for patients received ICIs therapy are distinguishing from those with cytotoxic drugs, showing potential initial transient worsening of disease burden, pseudoprogression and delayed time to treatment response. Thus, a new imaging criterion to evaluate the response for immunotherapy should be developed. ICIs treatment is associated with unique adverse events, including potential life-threatening immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (ICI-pneumonitis) if treated patients are not managed promptly. Currently, the diagnosis and clinical management of ICI-pneumonitis remain challenging. As the clinical manifestation is often nonspecific, computed tomography (CT) scan and X-ray films play important roles in diagnosis and triage. This article reviews the complications of immunotherapy in lung cancer and illustrates various radiologic patterns of ICI-pneumonitis. Additionally, it is tried to differentiate ICI-pneumonitis from other pulmonary pathologies common to lung cancer such as radiation pneumonitis, bacterial pneumonia and coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) infection in recent months. Maybe it is challenging to distinguish radiologically but clinical presentation may help., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: With widespread vaccination against COVID-19, concerns regarding side effects have been raised. We aim to assess the frequency of otolaryngologic adverse events (AEs) following COVID-19 vaccination as compared with other vaccines in a national database., Study Design: Retrospective analysis of national registry., Methods: The Food and Drug Administration's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database was queried from December 2020 to May 2021 for all COVID-19 vaccination AEs. Complaints were categorized as otolaryngologic and sub stratified into different anatomic components. Reporting odds ratios (ROR) and proportional reporting ratios (PRR) were determined for AEs of clinical significance., Results: The total number of AEs reported from vaccination with the Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Janssen vaccines equaled 1,280,950. Of these, 62,660 (4.9%) were otolaryngologic in nature, with 32.6% associated with the oropharynx/larynx, 18.3% with the nasal cavity/sinuses, 17.1% with the ears/vestibular system, 10.0% with the oral cavity, and 21.9% miscellaneous. Signal ratios reached significance levels for dysgeusia (n = 2124, PRR: 17.33, ROR: 16.36), ageusia (n = 1376, PRR: 2.81, ROR: 2.81), anosmia (n = 983, PRR: 4.01, ROR: 4.01), rhinorrhea (n = 2203, PRR: 2.99, ROR: 3.00), throat tightness (n = 3666, PRR: 4.99, ROR: 5.00), throat irritation (n = 3313, PRR: 4.51, ROR: 4.52), dysphagia (n = 2538, PRR: 2.07, ROR: 2.07), tinnitus (n = 4377, PRR: 3.97, ROR: 3.98), and vertigo (n = 2887, PRR: 3.93, ROR: 3.93). Signal ratios were not significant for facial paralysis, Bell's palsy, anaphylaxis, sinusitis, hearing disability, and ear pain., Conclusions: Although several otolaryngologic symptoms were reported, few were found to be clinically significant. Of note, facial paralysis, Bell's palsy, and anaphylaxis did not meet signal thresholds to be determined significant., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:1163-1168, 2024., (© 2023 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Annual influenza vaccination is one of the main public health measures able to drastically reduce the burden of this infectious disease. Some evidence suggests 'trained immunity' triggered by influenza vaccine might reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Adjuvanted influenza vaccines are known to induce a broader cross-reactive immunity. No studies investigated the effect of adjuvanted vs. non-adjuvanted influenza vaccines on the risk of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. A case-control analysis nested in a cohort of subjects aged ≥65 years and immunized with adjuvanted or non-adjuvanted influenza vaccines was conducted. Although no statistically significant (OR = 0.87; P = .082) difference between the two vaccine types was observed for the 9-month follow-up period, a 17% (OR = 0.83; P = .042) reduction in the odds of COVID-19 was observed for adjuvanted vaccines with a 6-month follow-up. Further evidence is needed, but these results might have implications given the complexity of the upcoming winter seasons, in which the co-occurrence of influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory infections (e.g., syncytial virus) might be unpredictable., (© 2023 British Pharmacological Society.)

Hypersensitivity reactions to drugs are increasing worldwide. They display a large degree of variability in the immunological mechanisms involved, which impacts both disease severity and the optimal diagnostic procedure. Therefore, drug hypersensitivity diagnosis relies on both in vitro and in vivo assessments, although most of the methods are not well standardized. Moreover, several biomarkers can be used as valuable parameters for precision medicine that provide information on the endotypes, diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of drug hypersensitivity development, as well on the identification of therapeutic targets and treatment efficacy monitoring. Furthermore, in the last 2 years, the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus) pandemic has had an important impact on health system, leading us to update approaches on how to manage hypersensitivity reactions to drugs used for its treatment and on COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease) vaccines used for its prevention. This article reviews recent advances in these 3 areas regarding drug hypersensitivity: in vitro tools for drug hypersensitivity diagnosis, recently identified biomarkers that could guide clinical decision making and management of hypersensitivity reactions to drugs and vaccines used for COVID-19., (© 2022 European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Systemic allergic reactions to vaccines are very rare. In this study we assessed the management and outcome of suspected SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hypersensitivity., Methods: Totally, 334 individuals underwent an allergy work up regarding SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (group A: 115 individuals suspected to be at increased risk for vaccine-related reactions before vaccination and group B: 219 patients with reactions after COVID vaccination). The large majority of the SPT/IDT with the vaccines were negative; however, we identified in 14.1% (n = 47) a possible sensitization to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and/or its ingredients defined as one positive skin test. Of the 219 individuals (group B) who experienced symptoms suspicious for a hypersensitivity reaction after vaccination, 214 were reported after the first vaccination with a mRNA vaccine (157 mRNA (Comirnaty®, 38 Spikevax®) and 18 with a vector vaccine (Vaxzevria®), 5 cases were after the second vaccination., Results: The symptom profile in group B was as follows: skin symptoms occurred in 115 cases (n = 59 angioedema, n = 50 generalized urticaria and n = 23 erythema/flush. Seventy individuals had cardiovascular, 53 respiratory and 17 gastrointestinal symptoms. Of the overall 334 individuals, 78 patients tolerated (re)-vaccination (out of skin test positive/negative 7/19 from group A and 17/35 from group B)., Conclusion: Proven IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is extremely rare and not increased in comparison with reported hypersensitivity to other vaccines. The value of skin tests is unclear and nonspecific reactions, in particular when intradermal testing is applied, should be considered., (© 2022 The Authors. Allergy published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The impact of COVID‐19 has underlined the need for reliable information to guide clinical practice and policy. This urgency has to be balanced against disruption to journal handling capacity and the continued need to ensure scientific rigour. We examined the reporting quality of highly disseminated COVID‐19 research papers using a bibliometric analysis examining reporting quality and risk of bias (RoB) amongst 250 top scoring Altmetric Attention Score (AAS) COVID‐19 research papers between January and April 2020. Method‐specific RoB tools were used to assess quality. After exclusions, 84 studies from 44 journals were included. Forty‐three (51%) were case series/studies, and only one was an randomized controlled trial. Most authors were from institutions based in China (n = 44, 52%). The median AAS and impact factor was 2015 (interquartile range [IQR] 1,105–4,051.5) and 12.8 (IQR 5–44.2) respectively. Nine studies (11%) utilized a formal reporting framework, 62 (74%) included a funding statement, and 41 (49%) were at high RoB. This review of the most widely disseminated COVID‐19 studies highlights a preponderance of low‐quality case series with few research papers adhering to good standards of reporting. It emphasizes the need for cautious interpretation of research and the increasingly vital responsibility that journals have in ensuring high‐quality publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2019 outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) in Wuhan (Hubei province of China) has given rise to a pandemic spread of virus, more than 240 million incidences and a death toll larger than 5 million people. COVID‐19 has set off large efforts in research, therapy and patient care, as well as public and private debates in every imaginable form. A number of scientists used the publication platforms provided by the Federation of the European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) to present their research data, reviews, opinions and other contributions relating to COVID‐19 and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Here, I highlight the recent COVID‐19 papers which have been published and collected in a Virtual Issue in FEBS Letters, and discuss their implications towards understanding the molecular, biochemical and cellular mechanisms of SARS‐CoV‐2 infections, vaccine development and antiviral discovery strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a patient-centred outcome increasingly used as a secondary outcome in critical care research. It may cover several important dimensions of clinical status in intensive care unit (ICU) patients that arguably elude other more easily quantified outcomes such as mortality. Poor associations with harder outcomes, conflicting data on HRQoL in critically ill compared to the background population, and paradoxical effects on HRQoL and mortality complicate the current operationalisation in critical care trials. This protocol outlines a simulation study that will gauge if the areas under the HRQoL trajectories could be a viable alternative., Methods: We will gauge the behaviour of the proposed HRQoL operationalisation through Monte Carlo simulations, under clinical scenarios that reflect a broad critical care population eligible for inclusion in a large pragmatic trial. We will simulate 15,360 clinical scenarios based on a full factorial design with the following seven simulation parameters: number of patients per arm, relative mortality reduction in the interventional arm, acceleration of HRQoL improvement in the interventional arm, the relative improvement in final HRQoL in the interventional arm, dampening effect of mortality on HRQoL values at discharge from the ICU, proportion of so-called mortality benefiters in the interventional arm and mortality trajectory shape. For each clinical scenario, we will simulate 100,000 two-arm trials with 1:1 randomisation. HRQoL will be sampled fortnightly after ICU discharge. Outcomes will include HRQoL in survivors and all patients at the end of follow-up; mean areas under the HRQoL trajectories in both arms; and mean difference between areas under the HRQoL trajectories and single-sampled HRQoLs at the end of follow-up., Discussion: In the outlined simulation study, we aim to assess whether the area under the HRQoL trajectory curve could be a candidate for reconciling the seemingly paradoxical effects on improved mortality and reduced HRQoL while remaining sensitive to early or accelerated improvement in patient outcomes. The resultant insights will inform subsequent methodological work on prudent collection and statistical analysis of such data from real critically ill patients., (© 2023 The Authors. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation.)

Objective: Health care workers have been exposed to a variety of practical and emotional challenges because of the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving them vulnerable to experiencing moral injury and distress. However, there is currently sparse research which directly explores such experiences. This study aimed to explore and characterise the experiences and impacts of moral injury and distress among health care workers during the pandemic., Methods: Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with health care workers employed across both mental and physical health care services. Interviews were analysed from a critical realist perspective using thematic analysis., Results: Three key themes were identified: attitudes towards moral injury, experiences of moral injury and consequences of moral injury. Participants appeared to identify with the idea of acting against their morals to varying extents based on their job roles. Participants experienced a range of potentially morally injurious and distressing events throughout the pandemic and many ultimately felt that they provided sub-standard levels of care due to extreme pressures on services. Detrimental impacts upon wellbeing were commonly reported, including high levels of emotional distress and feelings of guilt and shame. Some reported a loss of enthusiasm for their job and a desire to leave the profession entirely., Conclusion: Moral injury and distress presents a real concern for staff wellbeing and retention within the profession. During and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need for health care providers to implement wider strategies to target moral injury and distress, and support staff within health care settings., (© 2023 The Authors. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The British Psychological Society.)

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented changes to oral care and dental education delivery. To date, the vast majority of studies focus on the impact COVID-19 had on the well-being and wellness of patients, practitioners, and students; however, limited literature addresses the pandemic's impact on dental educators., Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the wellness, well-being, and fulfillment of dental educators in the years following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: Following Institutional Review Board approval, an anonymous electronic Qualtrics survey was emailed to full-time and adjunct faculty across five (5) dental education institutions in the US. Faculty self-reported on their wellness, general well-being, physical well-being, mental well-being, fulfillment, and work-life balance. Group differences were examined using analysis of variance and the Tukey-Kramer test for multiple comparisons at the p < 0.05 level., Results: The results revealed females and younger dental faculty members reported statistically significantly lower levels of wellness (F 2, 123  = 11.16, p < 0.001, F 3, 121  = 8.53, p < 0.001), physical (F 2, 123  = 11.53, p < 0.001, F 3, 121  = 5.54, p = 0.001) and mental well-being (F 2, 123  = 12.49, p < 0.001, F 3, 121  = 8.63, p < 0.001), fulfillment (F 3, 121  = 5.01, p < 0.003), and higher levels of burnout (F 2, 123  = 5.53, p = 0.005, F 3, 121  = 4.85, p < 0.003). Those who expressed higher levels of burnout also had statistically lower mean well-being scores (F 4, 119  = 10.54, p < 0.001). Females also reported a significantly lower work-life balance score compared to male respondents (F 2, 121  = 10.37, p < 0.002)., Conclusion: Despite the social and environmental challenges faced over the last couple of years post-pandemic, dental educators demonstrate a quick ability to adapt, however, disproportional differences in gender and age groups were identified as being significantly correlated to dental educators' self-reports on wellness, well-being, and fulfillment. Insight into these variables can help inform strategies in the academic setting to help support and strengthen the academic workforce., (© 2023 American Dental Education Association.)

Background: The workplace is a setting for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission via respiratory droplets and aerosols for those working in close proximity to others. Currently, limited methods exist for assessing SARS-CoV-2 exposure. Since occupation serves as a surrogate measure, job exposure matrices (JEMs) can be useful for population-based exposure assessment for a portion of exposure., Methods: We developed a JEM to assess physical proximity at work. Scores for questions related to frequency of face-to-face discussions, working closely with others, and working with a team were extracted from a US-based, comprehensive source of descriptive occupational information (Occupational Information Network [O*NET]). We described score distributions using univariate analyses, devised thresholds, and assigned exposure levels for 968 O*NET occupations. Three exposure measures were constructed using combinations of O*NET data, with expert judgment, and accounting for telework. National and California employment estimates were used to assess the workforce proportions by proximity level and demographic characteristics., Results: We categorized 535 US Census occupations (2010) into four-level ordinal exposure levels (not close to very close). Overall, an estimated 56% of the California workforce worked in very close proximity, which decreased to 46% when accounting for telework. The occupational groups working very close across all three measures were: healthcare support, healthcare practitioner, food preparation and serving, building and grounds cleaning and maintenance, and protective service occupations. Latinos and women were overrepresented within occupations working in very close physical proximity., Conclusion: JEMs can inform SARS-CoV-2 exposure assessment for epidemiologic studies, assist in resource allocation, and inform prevention strategies., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Allergic diseases like asthma, allergic rhinitis, food allergy, hymenoptera allergy, or atopic dermatitis are highly prevalent in women of childbearing age and may affect up to 30% of this age group. This review focuses on the management of allergic diseases during pregnancy. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges of counseling women with allergic diseases in the reproductive age, including considerations relevant to the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. To create the optimal milieu for the unborn child, a multitude of immunological changes occur during pregnancy which may favor type 2 responses and aggravate disease phenotypes. In co-occurrence with suboptimal preconception disease control, this elevated Th2 responses may aggravate allergic disease manifestations during pregnancy and pose a risk for mother and child. Due to limitations in conducting clinical trials in pregnant women, safety data on anti-allergic drugs during pregnancy are limited. The lack of information and concerns among pregnant patients demands counseling on the benefits of anti-allergic drugs and the potential and known risks. This includes information on the risk for mother and child of disease aggravation in the absence of treatment. By doing so, informed decisions and shared decision-making can take place., (© 2021 The Authors. Allergy published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

One hundred and ten years after Noon's first clinical report of the subcutaneous application of allergen extracts, allergen immunotherapy (AIT) has evolved as the most important pillar of the treatment of allergic patients. It is the only disease-modifying treatment option available and the evidence for its clinical efficacy and safety is broad and undisputed. Throughout recent decades, more insights into the underlying mechanisms, in particular the modulation of innate and adaptive immune responses, have been described. AIT is acknowledged by worldwide regulatory authorities, and following the regulatory guidelines for product development, AIT products are subject to a rigorous evaluation before obtaining market authorization. Knowledge and practice are anchored in international guidelines, such as the recently published series of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI). Innovative approaches continue to be further developed with the focus on clinical improvement by, for example, the usage of adjuvants, peptides, recombinants, modification of allergens, new routes of administration, and the concomitant use of biologicals. In addition, real-life data provide complementary and valuable information on the effectiveness and tolerability of this treatment option in the clinical routine. New mobile health technologies and big-data approaches will improve daily treatment convenience, adherence, and efficacy of AIT. However, the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has also had some implications for the feasibility and practicability of AIT. Taken together, AIT as the only disease-modifying therapy in allergic diseases has been broadly investigated over the past 110 years laying the path for innovations and further improvement., (© 2021 The Authors. Allergy published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

With so much emphasis on COVID‐19 in the medical and lay press, some interesting publications, particularly on the fringes of urology, may have been overlooked. This article intends to cover some of these publications' findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unexpected transformations produced by the conjunction of COVID-19, the murder of George Floyd and the resurgence of Black Lives Matter highlight the importance of social psychological understandings and the need for a step change in theorization of the social. This paper focuses on racialization. It considers issues that social psychology needs to address in order to reduce inequalities and promote social justice. It draws on theoretical resources of intersectionality and hauntology to illuminate the ways in which social psychological research frequently makes black people visible in ways that exclude them from normative constructions. The final main part of the paper presents an analysis of an interview with the racing driver Lewis Hamilton to illustrate possible ways of humanizing racialization by giving recognition to the multiplicity and historical location of racialized positioning. The paper argues that, while social psychology has made vital contributions to the understanding of group processes and of racisms, there remains a need to humanize racialization by conducting holistic analyses of black people's (and others') intersectional identities., (© 2021 The British Psychological Society.)

Generalized bullous fixed drug eruption (GBFDE) is a rare type of life-threatening severe cutaneous adverse reaction that is considered a medical emergency because of its potential lethality. Currently, only a few cases of bullous adverse reactions have been reported after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. We describe a patient with distinct clinical, histopathological, and immunological findings that are consistent with severe GBFDE, after Pfizer messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccination. An 83-year-old man presented with a fever and well-demarcated multiple erythematous patches that occurred only 4 h after receiving the first dose of COVID-19 Pfizer vaccination. Over the next few days, the patches became generalized and turned into blisters covering approximately 30% of the body surface. The patient was started on intravenous methylprednisolone and oral cyclosporine. There were no additional blistering lesions after 10 days of treatment, prompting a gradual dose reduction. Our case suggests that a stepwise vaccination adhering to the standard dosing schedule should be warranted with close monitoring for possible significant side effects., (© 2023 Japanese Dermatological Association.)

The ways in which youth reach a stable identity, a core developmental task of emerging adulthood, are intertwined with their perceptions of the past, present, and future. Additionally, these dynamics are embedded in and are strongly influenced by the socio-historical context and concurrent events, such as COVID-19. This study examines how different groups of emerging adults (university students and workers) engage in identity processes in educational/vocational and interpersonal domains and frame their perspective of time before (N = 299, M age  = 21.90; 51.4% females) and during the pandemic (N = 497; M age  = 23.11; 68.2% females). Significant differences in identity processes and time perspective emerged between the two cohorts. Moreover, significant associations between identity and time perspective were found to be similar across different identity domains and cohorts., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Research on Adolescence published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Research on Adolescence.)