Background: Although several studies have investigated the influence of diet on asthma in schoolchildren, none of them has evaluated how obesity can modify this effect. A study was undertaken to ...evaluate the association of various foods and a Mediterranean diet with the prevalence of asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis, adjusting for obesity and exercise. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 20 106 schoolchildren aged 6–7 years from eight Spanish cities. Using the ISAAC phase III questionnaire, parents reported chest and nose symptoms, food intake, weight, height and other factors, including exercise. A Mediterranean diet score was developed. A distinction was made between current occasional asthma (COA) and current severe asthma (CSA). Results: Independent of the amount of exercise, each Mediterranean score unit had a small but protective effect on CSA in girls (adjusted OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.98). Exercise was a protective factor for COA and rhinoconjunctivitis in girls and boys (the more exercise, the more protection). Obesity was a risk factor for CSA in girls (adjusted OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.51 to 3.64). Individually, a more frequent intake (1–2 times/week and ⩾3 times/week vs never/occasionally) of seafood (adjusted ORs 0.63 (95% CI 0.44 to 0.91) and 0.53 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.80)) and cereals (adjusted OR 0.56 (95% CI 0.30 to 1.02) and 0.39 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.68)) were protective factors for CSA, while fast food was a risk factor (adjusted ORs 1.64 (95% CI 1.28 to 2.10) and 2.26 (95% CI 1.09 to 4.68)). Seafood (adjusted ORs 0.74 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.92) and 0.67 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.85)) and fruit (adjusted ORs 0.76 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.97) and 0.71 (95% CI 0.57 to 0.88)) were protective factors for rhinoconjunctivitis. Conclusions: A Mediterranean diet has a potentially protective effect in girls aged 6–7 years with CSA. Obesity is a risk factor for this type of asthma only in girls.
BACKGROUND // Bronchogenic carcinoma (BC) is the second most frequent worldwide and the most lethal tumour in both sexes.
Its incidence varies not only among countries but also among different areas ...of the same country. So, the aim of this work was to
analyse the evolution of its incidence and survival in the province of Castellón from 2004 to 2017 and to compare them with those
of de rest of the country.
METHODS // A retrospective observational study was carried out from patients diagnosed with BC and registered in the Castellón
Tumour Register from 2004 to 2017. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method whereas to estimate the relationship among
different variables both the chi-square and ANOVA test were used.
RESULTS // 4,346 cases were diagnosed, whose mean age was 67.5±11.3 years, 85.2% men, the most frequent histological types were
adenocarcinoma (28.3%) and epidermoid carcinoma (25.1%). The gross global incidence was 53.4 cases/105 inhabitants, 90.9 cases/105
men and 15.7 cases/105 women. Median global survival at five years was 12.7%, 12% in men and 18.4% in women.
CONCLUSIONS // The global incidence of BC in Castellón is lower than the national one, having remained stable in men while it
is double in women. Global survival at five years is less than 15%, being higher in women than in men, nevertheless it increases
compared to that of previous studies.
FUNDAMENTOS // El carcinoma broncogénico (CB) es el segundo tumor más frecuente a nivel mundial y el más letal en ambos
sexos. Su incidencia varía, no sólo entre países, sino también entre diferentes zonas de un mismo país. Por tanto, el objetivo de este
trabajo fue analizar la evolución de su incidencia y la supervivencia en la provincia de Castellón desde 2004 hasta 2017, y compararlas
con las del resto del país.
MÉTODOS // Se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo en pacientes diagnosticados de CB e inscritos en el Registro de
Tumores de Castellón desde 2004 hasta 2017. La supervivencia se estimó mediante el método de Kaplan-Meier, mientras que para
estimar la relación entre distintas variables se utilizaron los test Chi-cuadrado y ANOVA.
RESULTADOS // Se diagnosticaron 4.346 casos, con una edad media de 67,5±11,3 años, el 85,2% eran hombres, los tipos histológicos
más frecuentes fueron adenocarcinoma (28,3%) y carcinoma epidermoide (25,1%). La incidencia global bruta fue de 53,4 casos/105
habitantes, con 90,9 casos/105 de hombres y 15,7 casos/105 de mujeres. La mediana de supervivencia global a los cinco años fue del
12,7%, siendo del 12% en hombres y del 18,4% en mujeres.
CONCLUSIONES // La incidencia global de CB en Castellón es inferior a la nacional, habiéndose mantenido estable en hombres
mientras que se duplica en mujeres. La supervivencia global a los cinco años es inferior al 15%, siendo mayor en mujeres que en
hombres; no obstante, aumenta respecto a la reportada en estudios previos.
Objective
Mass gathering events (MGEs) are associated with the transmission of COVID-19. Between 6 and 10 March 2020, several MGEs related to the
Falles
festival took place in Borriana, a ...municipality in the province of Castellon (Spain). The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of COVID-19 and its association with these MGEs, and to quantify the potential risk factors of its occurrence.
Methods
During May and June 2020, a population-based retrospective cohort study was carried out by the Public Health Center of Castelló and the Hospital de la Plana in Vila-real. Participants were obtained from a representative sample of 1663 people with potential exposure at six MGEs. A questionnaire survey was carried out to obtain information about attendance at MGEs and COVID-19 disease. In addition, a serologic survey of antibodies against SARS-Cov-2 was implemented. Inverse probability weighted regression was used in the statistical analysis.
Results
A total of 1338 subjects participated in the questionnaire survey (80.5%), 997 of whom undertook the serologic survey. Five hundred and seventy cases were observed with an attack rate (AR) of 42.6%; average age was 36 years, 62.3% were female, 536 cases were confirmed by laboratory tests, and 514 cases were found with SARS-CoV-2 total antibodies. Considering MGE exposure, AR was 39.2% (496/1264). A dose-response relationship was found between MGE attendance and the disease, (adjusted relative risk aRR = 4.11 95% confidence interval CI3.25–5.19). Two MGEs with a dinner and dance in the same building had higher risks. Associated risk factors with the incidence were older age, obesity, and upper and middle class versus lower class; current smoking was protective.
Conclusions
The study suggests the significance of MGEs in the COVID-19 transmission that could explain the subsequent outbreak in Borriana.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
After three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is certain that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been a turning point for humanity in both developed and developing countries ....
Abstract We estimate the impact of the two previous influenza seasonal vaccines and the pandemic vaccine on risk of A (H1N1) 2009 laboratory confirmed hospitalizations during the autumn 2009 pandemic ...wave in Castellón, Spain. We conducted a test-negative, hospital-based, case–control study. Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 infection was detected in 147 (44%) of 334 patients hospitalized for a presumptive influenza related illness. No effect was observed for the 2008–2009 and 2009–2010 seasonal influenza vaccines. However, the pandemic vaccine was associated with an adjusted vaccine effectiveness of 90% (95% CI, 48–100%). Pandemic vaccines were effective in preventing pandemic influenza associated hospitalizations.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Abstract
Background
Understanding the drivers of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission is crucial for control policies, but evidence of transmission rates in ...different settings remains limited.
Methods
We conducted a systematic review to estimate secondary attack rates (SARs) and observed reproduction numbers (Robs) in different settings exploring differences by age, symptom status, and duration of exposure. To account for additional study heterogeneity, we employed a beta-binomial model to pool SARs across studies and a negative-binomial model to estimate Robs.
Results
Households showed the highest transmission rates, with a pooled SAR of 21.1% (95% confidence interval CI:17.4–24.8). SARs were significantly higher where the duration of household exposure exceeded 5 days compared with exposure of ≤5 days. SARs related to contacts at social events with family and friends were higher than those for low-risk casual contacts (5.9% vs 1.2%). Estimates of SARs and Robs for asymptomatic index cases were approximately one-seventh, and for presymptomatic two-thirds of those for symptomatic index cases. We found some evidence for reduced transmission potential both from and to individuals younger than 20 years of age in the household context, which is more limited when examining all settings.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that exposure in settings with familiar contacts increases SARS-CoV-2 transmission potential. Additionally, the differences observed in transmissibility by index case symptom status and duration of exposure have important implications for control strategies, such as contact tracing, testing, and rapid isolation of cases. There were limited data to explore transmission patterns in workplaces, schools, and care homes, highlighting the need for further research in such settings.
Background: In March 2020, a COVID-19 outbreak linked to mass gathering dinners at the Falles Festival in Borriana, Spain, resulted in an estimated attack rate of 42.6% among attendees. Methods: In ...June 2022, we conducted a cross-sectional follow-up study of 473 adults aged 18 to 64 who attended the dinners at the Falles Festival in 2020, examining the cumulative experience after SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination responses. Data included demographic details, lifestyle habits, medical history, infection records, and vaccinations from a population-based vaccine registry. Blood samples were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and cellular immunity. We employed a doubly robust inverse-probability weighting analysis to estimate the booster vaccine dose’s impact on long COVID prevalence and symptom count. Results: A total of 28.1% of participants met the WHO criteria for long COVID, with older individuals showing higher rates. Long COVID diagnosis was less likely with factors including O blood group, higher occupational status, physical activity, three vaccine doses, strong SARS-CoV-2-S-reactive IFNγ-producing-CD8+ response, and infection during the Omicron period. Increased age, high or low social activity, underlying health conditions, a severe initial COVID episode, and reinfection were associated with higher long COVID likelihood. A booster dose, compared to one or two doses, reduced long COVID risk by 74% (95% CI: 56% to 92%) and symptom count by 55% (95% CI: 32% to 79%). Conclusion: Long COVID was prevalent in a significant portion of those who contracted COVID-19, underscoring the need for sustained follow-up and therapeutic strategies. Vaccinations, notably the booster dose, had a substantial beneficial effect on long-term infection outcomes, affirming the vaccination’s role in mitigating SARS-CoV-2 infection consequences.
Atopic eczema (AE) is a chronic skin disease. Recent reports indicate that the worldwide prevalence of AE is increasing and that various environmental factors are implicated in its aetiology. ...Climatic conditions have been related with AE prevalence, and Spain has varying climatic conditions. The aim of this study is to document the possible climatic influence on the prevalence of AE in schoolchildren aged 6–7 years in three different climatic regions in Spain. We conducted a cross-sectional population-based survey of 28,394 schoolchildren aged 6–7 years from 10 Spanish centres in three different climatic regions. The mean participation rate was 76.5%. AE prevalence was assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire and the Spanish Academy of Dermatology criteria used in Spain to diagnose AE. The data, including annual temperature, precipitation, relative humidity and the annual number of sunny hours per climatic region, were obtained from the Spanish National Institute of Meteorology. Different AE prevalences were found in all three climatic regions studied: Atlantic, 32.9; Mediterranean 28.3; and Continental 31.2 per 100 children studied (
p
< 0.005). AE was positively associated with precipitation and humidity, and was negatively associated with temperature and the number of sunny hours. The results show that AE is significantly dependent on meteorological conditions.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Introducción: Estimar la evolución de los niveles de anticuerpos anti-SARS-CoV-2 y los factores asociados, así como la incidencia de nuevas infecciones.
Método: Estudio de cohorte prospectivo de una ...muestra representativa de trabajadores del Hospital General Universitario de Castellón a los 8 meses de recibir la 2ª dosis de la vacuna Pfizer-BioNTech contra el SARS-CoV-2, mediante la determinación de anticuerpos IgG-S y IgG-NP, y la cumplimentación de un cuestionario. Se compararon los resultados con los del inicio de la cohorte en febrero de 2021. Se usó regresión lineal múltiple y regresión de Poisson.
Resultados: Participaron 253 trabajadores de los 275 reclutados al inicio de la cohorte (92%). Todos mantenían niveles detectables de IgG-S, mediana de 691,5 UA/ml, disminuyendo un 93,3% con respecto al inicio. Los descensos de IgG-S fueron mayores con la edad y la obesidad, y menores en aquellos con historia de COVID-19, IgG-S elevada inicial, practicar ejercicio habitual y ser fumador. Tener IgG-NP se asoció positivamente con historia de COVID-19, tomar vitamina D, y disminuyeron del 4,4% al 1,2%. Se produjeron 4 casos de COVID-19 en la cohorte, con una tasa de incidencia del 1,7%, con un fallecimiento en un participante con tratamiento inmunosupresor, solo un caso fue asintomático y no hubo reinfecciones.
Conclusiones: Se produce un descenso general de los anticuerpos IgG-S e IgG-NP después de la segunda dosis de vacuna Pfizer-BioNTech, así como nuevas infecciones por SARS-CoV-2. Se recomienda dosis de recuerdo, mantener medidas protectoras y determinar el umbral de anticuerpos protectores de la vacunación.
Estimada Sra. Directora:
Agradecemos a los doctores Rujittika Mungmunpuntipantip y Viroj Wiwanitkit su interés por nuestra publicación(1) en la carta en la que se subrayan la importancia de los casos ...asintomáticos de COVID-19 en la evaluación de los efectos de la vacunación anti-SARS-CoV-2(2). Compartimos con ellos que las personas asintomáticas al COVID-19 pueden presentar unos niveles de anticuerpos anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG-S mayores que las personas sin historia previa de COVID-19, y que pueden diferir en las reacciones a la vacunación, considerando que la prevalencia de COVID-19 asintomáticos se ha descrito como elevada(3).
En nuestra cohorte de trabajadores del Hospital General Universitario de Castellón, se detectaron 5 casos de COVID-19 asintomáticos (CA), incluyendo los dos seguimientos realizados(1,4), y 20 casos presentaron síntomas de COVID-19 (CS), con un total de 25 casos con confirmación por el laboratorio, 20 % tasa de asintomáticos (5/25). En la tabla 1 se recogen las características de los CA, CS, y de los participantes que no habían sufrido la enfermedad. Los CA eran más jóvenes que los otros 2 grupos, y la proporción de varones era significativamente mayor (p=0,027). En cuanto a los anticuerpos Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG-S al mes de la vacunación, los niveles de los CS fueron mayores que los de CA, y de los no casos, siendo estos últimos los que tuvieron significativamente menores niveles (p<0,001). Sin embargo, a los 8 meses de la vacunación la caída de IgG-S fue general, y los niveles de IgG-S eran mayores en los CA que en los CS y en los no casos (p<0,001). Los niveles de IgG-S considerados como protectores ? 4160 UA/ml, eran mayores en los CA y CS que el de los no casos (p=0,001). Si bien, el declive era similar en los tres grupos (p=0,084). Los síntomas y los efectos secundarios de las dos dosis de vacuna Pfizer-BioNTech no presentaron diferencias significativas entre los grupos.
Estos resultados son coincidentes con númerosos estudios, en los que se constata que los casos de COVID-19 presentan niveles más elevados de IgG-S que las personas que no han sufrido la enfermedad(5), y se apreció que en valores medio no se alcanzaron los niveles de IgG-S protectores. De aquí la importancia de disponer de marcadores más efectivos de la situación de protección de la personas vacunadas tanto si han sufrido la enfermedad como sino. Además de los anticuerpos neutralizantes, la determinación de la inmunidad celular podría ser muy conveniente para conocer los niveles de protección.
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