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The article presents a study of COVID-19 cohorting strategies at the Horton General Hospital (HGH) in Banbury, England in 2020. Topics discussed include the admission protocol followed at HGH for COVID-19 patients, use of patient movement data to identify the time spent by infectious and susceptible patients in open bays in medical wards, and the necessity for rapid point of care COVID-19 tests to identify infectious patients.

Aims: This study investigated the commissioning and delivery of advocacy for problem drug users. We aimed to quantify provision, describe the commissioning of advocacy services in Drug Action Teams (DATs) and to identify factors influencing advocacy provision. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of a randomly selected sample of 50 English DATs. The purpose-designed questionnaire comprising a mix of closed and open questions was completed through a telephone interview. Findings: An 86%% response rate was achieved. Informants understood 'advocacy' as encompassing a range of activities including user involvement and peer support. A range of approaches classified as formal, informal and ad hoc were described. Whilst advocacy was identified as a need in 29 DATs (67%%), formal, independent advocacy was commissioned in only four (9%%). In eight DATs (19%%), there was no advocacy provision of any kind. Conclusions: Advocacy is described by the National Treatment Agency as an essential element of effective drug treatment systems. However, provision in English DATs is inconsistent, poorly integrated with treatment systems and characterized by the absence of strategic planning. Clarification of the concept and purpose of advocacy as either a right adhering to citizenship or a means to achieve treatment targets is an essential first step towards systematic and meaningful integration of advocacy within the treatment system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a complex multisystem fibro-inflammatory disorder, requiring diagnostic differentiation from malignancy and other immunemediated conditions, and careful management to minimise glucocorticoid-induced toxicity and prevent progressive organ dysfunction. We describe the experience of the first inter-regional specialist IgG4-RD multidisciplinary team meeting (MDM) incorporating a broad range of generalists and specialists, held 6-weekly via web-link between Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Over 3 years, there were 206 discussions on 156 patients. Of these, 97 (62%) were considered to have definite or possible IgG4-RD; 67% had multi-organ involvement and 23% had a normal serum IgG4. The average number of specialist opinions sought prior to MDM was four per patient. Management was changed in the majority of patients (74%) with the treatment escalation recommended in 61 cases, including 19 for rituximab. Challenges arose from delays and misdiagnosis, cross-specialty presentation and the management of sub-clinical disease. Our cross-discipline IgG4-RD MDM enabled important diagnostic and management decisions in this complex multisystem disorder, and can be used as a model for other centres in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic liver disease (CLD) and cirrhosis are associated with immune dysregulation, leading to concerns that affected patients may be at risk of adverse outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 on patients with pre-existing liver disease, which currently remains ill-defined. Between 25th March and 8th July 2020, data on 745 patients with CLD and SARS-CoV-2 (including 386 with and 359 without cirrhosis) were collected by 2 international registries and compared to data on non-CLD patients with SARS-CoV-2 from a UK hospital network. Mortality was 32% in patients with cirrhosis compared to 8% in those without (p <0.001). Mortality in patients with cirrhosis increased according to Child-Pugh class (A [19%], B [35%], C [51%]) and the main cause of death was from respiratory failure (71%). After adjusting for baseline characteristics, factors associated with death in the total CLD cohort were age (odds ratio [OR] 1.02; 1.01–1.04), Child-Pugh A (OR 1.90; 1.03–3.52), B (OR 4.14; 2.4–7.65), or C (OR 9.32; 4.80–18.08) cirrhosis and alcohol-related liver disease (OR 1.79; 1.03–3.13). Compared to patients without CLD (n = 620), propensity-score-matched analysis revealed significant increases in mortality in those with Child-Pugh B (+20.0% [8.8%–31.3%]) and C (+38.1% [27.1%–49.2%]) cirrhosis. Acute hepatic decompensation occurred in 46% of patients with cirrhosis, of whom 21% had no respiratory symptoms. Half of those with hepatic decompensation had acute-on-chronic liver failure. In the largest such cohort to date, we demonstrate that baseline liver disease stage and alcohol-related liver disease are independent risk factors for death from COVID-19. These data have important implications for the risk stratification of patients with CLD across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic. This international registry study demonstrates that patients with cirrhosis are at increased risk of death from COVID-19. Mortality from COVID-19 was particularly high among patients with more advanced cirrhosis and those with alcohol-related liver disease. • Patients with cirrhosis experience high rates of hepatic decompensation and death following SARS-CoV-2 infection. • Mortality increased in stepwise fashion according to Child-Pugh class. • Other risk factors for death included advancing age and alcohol-related liver disease. • Mortality risk was higher in patients with advanced cirrhosis than propensity-score-matched controls without liver disease. • The majority of deaths in patients with cirrhosis were from COVID-19-related lung disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) plasminogen binding protein (PBP) has been proposed as an antigen triggering autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), the pancreatic manifestation of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). We investigated exposure to H. pylori infection, cytokine response and immunological memory to H. pylori PBP in a prospective IgG4-RD cohort in the UK., Methods: Clinical and endoscopic evidence of peptic ulceration, serological H. pylori exposure and serum IgG4 levels were obtained in 55 IgG4-RD patients and 52 disease controls (DC) with autoimmune or inflammatory conditions with an elevated serum IgG4. Gastric and duodenal tissues were assessed for H. pylori and immunostained for IgG4. B and T cell ELISpot and cytokine luminex assays were used to detect immune responses to H. pylori PBP., Results: 85% of IgG4-RD patients had pancreatic and/or biliary disease, 89% had extra-pancreatic manifestations, and 84% had an increased serum IgG4. Clinical dyspepsia (35.2%), gastritis (58%), peptic ulceration (7.4%) and H. pylori colonisation (24%) in IgG4-RD was similar to DC. In IgG4-RD, gastric tissue contained a chronic inflammatory infiltrate with a low IgG4+ plasma-cell count (<10/HPF; range 1-4/HPF), and duodenal specimens had an increased IgG4 count (>10/HPF; range 7-54) compared with DC (p < 0.01). Th1 and Th2 cytokine response and immunological B-cell memory to H. pylori PBP did not differ between IgG4-RD and DC., Conclusions: In a prospective UK cohort, the prevalence of gastric ulceration, exposure to H. pylori, cytokine response and immunological memory to H. pylori PBP did not differ in IgG4-RD patients compared with DC. This study does not support a role for H. pylori PBP as a microbial antigen in IgG4-RD., Keywords for Abstract: Peptic ulceration, Antigens, B cells, T cells, Interleukins, Helicobacter pylori., (Copyright © 2017 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)