Proton pump inhibitors and the risk of severe COVID-19: a post-hoc analysis from the Korean nationwide cohort

Machine Learning-Based Prediction for Incident Hypertension Based on Regular Health Checkup Data: Derivation and Validation in 2 Independent Nationwide Cohorts in South Korea and Japan

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, cardiovascular diseases are the primary cause of death, with hypertension as a key contributor. In 2019, cardiovascular diseases led to 17.9 million deaths, predicted to reach 23 million by 2030.

OBJECTIVE

This study presents a new method to predict hypertension using demographic data, using 6 machine learning models for enhanced reliability and applicability. The goal is to harness artificial intelligence for early and accurate hypertension diagnosis across diverse populations.

METHODS

Data from 2 national cohort studies, National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (South Korea, n=244,814), conducted between 2002 and 2013 were used to train and test machine learning models designed to anticipate incident hypertension within 5 years of a health checkup involving those aged ≥20 years, and Japanese Medical Data Center cohort (Japan, n=1,296,649) were used for extra validation. An ensemble from 6 diverse machine learning models was used to identify the 5 most salient features contributing to hypertension by presenting a feature importance analysis to confirm the contribution of each future.

RESULTS

The Adaptive Boosting and logistic regression ensemble showed superior balanced accuracy (0.812, sensitivity 0.806, specificity 0.818, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.901). The 5 key hypertension indicators were age, diastolic blood pressure, BMI, systolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose. The Japanese Medical Data Center cohort dataset (extra validation set) corroborated these findings (balanced accuracy 0.741 and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.824). The ensemble model was integrated into a public web portal for predicting hypertension onset based on health checkup data.

CONCLUSIONS

Comparative evaluation of our machine learning models against classical statistical models across 2 distinct studies emphasized the former's enhanced stability, generalizability, and reproducibility in predicting hypertension onset.

Long-term gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary outcomes of COVID-19: A multinational population-based cohort study from South Korea, Japan, and the UK

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Considering emerging evidence on long COVID, comprehensive analyses of the post-acute complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary systems are needed. We aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the long-term risk of gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary diseases and other digestive abnormalities.

METHODS

We used three large-scale population-based cohorts: the Korean cohort (discovery cohort), the Japanese cohort (validation cohort-A), and the UK Biobank (validation cohort-B). A total of 10,027,506 Korean, 12,218,680 Japanese, and 468,617 UK patients aged ≥20 years who had SARS-CoV-2 infection between 2020 and 2021 were matched to non-infected controls. Seventeen gastrointestinal and eight hepatobiliary outcomes as well as nine other digestive abnormalities following SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified and compared with controls.

RESULTS

The discovery cohort revealed heightened risks of gastrointestinal diseases (HR 1.15; 95% CI 1.08-1.22), hepatobiliary diseases (HR 1.30; 95% CI 1.09-1.55), and other digestive abnormalities (HR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01-1.10) beyond the first 30 days of infection, after exposure-driven propensity score-matching. The risk was pronounced according to the COVID-19 severity. The SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was found to lower the risk of gastrointestinal diseases but did not affect hepatobiliary diseases and other digestive disorders. The results derived from validation cohorts were consistent. The risk profile was most pronounced during the initial 3 months; however, it persisted for >6 months in validation cohorts, but not in the discovery cohort.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of gastrointestinal disease, hepatobiliary disease, and other digestive abnormalities increased in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection during the post-acute phase.

National and Regional Trends in the Prevalence of Hypertension in South Korea Amid the Pandemic, 2009-2022: Nationwide Study of Over 3 Million Individuals

BACKGROUND

Understanding the association between hypertension prevalence and socioeconomic and behavioral variables during a pandemic is essential, and this analysis should extend beyond short-term trends.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine long-term trends in the prevalence of participants diagnosed with and receiving treatment for hypertension, using data collected by a nationally representative survey from 2009 to 2022, which includes the COVID-19 pandemic era.

METHODS

A nationwide, population-based, cross-sectional study used data collected from the South Korea Community Health Survey between 2009 and 2022. The study sample comprised 3,208,710 Korean adults over a period of 14 years. We aimed to assess trends in the prevalence of participants diagnosed with and receiving treatment for hypertension in the national population from 2009 to 2022, with a specific focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, using weighted linear regression models.

RESULTS

Among the included 3,072,546 Korean adults, 794,239 (25.85%) were aged 19-39 years, 1,179,388 (38.38%) were aged 40-59 years; 948,097 (30.86%) were aged 60-79 years, and 150,822 (4.91%) were aged 80 years or older. A total of 1,426,379 (46.42%) were men; 761,896 (24.80%) and 712,264 (23.18%) were diagnosed with and received treatment for hypertension, respectively. Although the overall prevalence over the 14-year period increased, the upward trends of patients diagnosed with and receiving treatment for hypertension decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic era compared with the prepandemic era (β difference for trend during vs before the pandemic -.101, 95% CI -0.107 to -0.094 vs -.133, 95% CI -0.140 to -0.127). Notably, the trends in prevalence during the pandemic were less pronounced in subgroups of older adults (≥60 years old) and individuals with higher alcohol consumption (≥5 days/month).

CONCLUSIONS

This nationwide representative study found that the national prevalence of participants diagnosed with and receiving treatment for hypertension increased during the prepandemic era. However, there was a marked decrease in these trends during the prepandemic era, compared with the pandemic era, particularly among specific subgroups at increased risk of negative outcomes. Future studies are needed to evaluate the factors associated with changes in the prevalence of hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Global burden of vaccine-associated hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal adverse drug reactions, 1967-2023: A comprehensive analysis of the international pharmacovigilance database

Although previous studies have focused on hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with COVID-19 vaccines, literature on such ADRs with other vaccines is limited, particularly on a global scale. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the global burden of vaccine-associated hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal ADRs and identify the vaccines implicated in these occurrences. This study utilized data from the World Health Organization (WHO) international pharmacovigilance database to extract reports of vaccine-associated hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal ADRs from 1967 to 2023 (total reports = 131 255 418). Through global reporting counts, reported odds ratios (ROR) with 95% confidence interval (CI), and information components (IC) with IC0.25, the study examined the association between 16 vaccines and the incidence of hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal ADRs across 156 countries. Of the 6 842 303 reports in the vaccine-associated ADRs, 10 786 reports of liver injury, 927 870 reports of gastrointestinal symptoms, 2978 reports of pancreas and bile duct injury, and 96 reports of intra-abdominal hemorrhage between 1967 and 2023 were identified. Most hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal ADRs surged after 2020, with the majority of reports attributed to COVID-19 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. Hepatitis A vaccines exhibited the highest association with liver injury (ROR [95% CI]: 10.30 [9.65-10.99]; IC [IC0.25]: 3.33 [3.22]), followed by hepatitis B, typhoid, and rotavirus. Specifically, ischemic hepatitis had a significant association with both Ad5-vectored and mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Gastrointestinal symptoms were associated with all vaccines except for tuberculosis vaccines, particularly with rotavirus (11.62 [11.45-11.80]; 3.05 [3.03]) and typhoid (11.02 [10.66-11.39]; 3.00 [2.96]). Pancreas and bile duct injury were associated with COVID-19 mRNA (1.99 [1.89-2.09]; 0.90 [0.83]), MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), and papillomavirus vaccines. For intra-abdominal hemorrhage, inactivated whole-virus COVID-19 vaccines (3.93 [1.86-8.27]; 1.71 [0.41]) had the highest association, followed by COVID-19 mRNA (1.81 [1.42-2.29]; 0.77 [0.39]). Most of these ADRs had a short time to onset, within 1 day, and low mortality rate. Through a global scale database, the majority of ADRs occurred within 1 day, emphasizing the importance of healthcare workers' vigilant monitoring and timely management.

Global estimates on the reports of vaccine-associated myocarditis and pericarditis from 1969 to 2023: Findings with critical reanalysis from the WHO pharmacovigilance database

Due to the limitation of previous studies examining adverse reports of myocarditis and pericarditis associated with vaccines other than the COVID-19 vaccine, there are challenges in establishing a comprehensive understanding of vaccine safety on a global scale. Hence, the objective of this study was to examine the worldwide burden of vaccine-associated pericarditis and myocarditis and the vaccines associated with these indications. This study utilized the World Health Organization international pharmacovigilance database, from which records of vaccine-associated pericarditis and myocarditis between 1969 and 2023 were extracted (over 130 million reports). We calculated global reporting counts, reported odds ratios (RORs), and information components (ICs) to discern the association between 19 vaccines and the occurrence of pericarditis and myocarditis across 156 countries and territories. We identified 49 096 reports (male, n = 30 013) of vaccine-associated pericarditis and myocarditis among 73 590 reports of all-cause pericarditis and myocarditis. There has been a significant increase in reports of vaccine-related cardiac adverse events over time, with a noteworthy surge observed after 2020, attributed to cases of pericarditis associated with COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Smallpox vaccines were associated with most pericarditis and myocarditis reports (ROR: 73.68 [95% CI, 67.79-80.10]; IC [IC0.25]: 6.05 [5.91]), followed by COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (37.77 [37.00-38.56]; 3.07 [3.05]), anthrax vaccine (25.54 [22.37-29.16]; 4.58 [4.35]), typhoid vaccine (6.17 [5.16-7.38]; 2.59 [2.29]), encephalitis vaccine (2.00 [1.48-2.71]; 0.99 [0.47]), influenza vaccine (1.87 [1.71-2.04]; 0.90 [0.75]), and Ad5-vectored COVID-19 vaccine (1.40 [1.34-1.46]; 0.46 [0.39]). Concerning age and sex-specific risks, reports of vaccine-associated pericarditis and myocarditis were more prevalent among males and in older age groups. The age group between 12 and 17 years exhibited significant sex disproportion. Most of these adverse events had a short time to onset (median time: 1 day) and fatality rate was 0.44%. Our analysis of global data revealed an increase in pericarditis and myocarditis reports associated with vaccines, particularly live vaccines like smallpox and anthrax, notably in young males. While these adverse events are generally rare and mild, caution is warranted, especially for healthcare workers, due to potential myocardial injury-related in-hospital mortality. Further study with validated reporting is crucial to enhance accuracy in evaluating the correlation between vaccines and cardiac conditions for preventive measures.

National prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Korean adolescents from 2009 to 2022

Previous studies have examined the prevalence of allergic diseases in adolescents 1-2 years after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, more data is needed to understand the long-term impact of COVID-19 on allergic diseases. Thus, we aimed to examine the trend of the atopic dermatitis prevalence in Korean adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic across 14 years. Additionally, we analyze the risk factors of atopic dermatitis (AD) based on the results. The Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency conducted the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey from 2009 to 2022, from which the data for this study were obtained. Prevalence trends were compared across subgroups, and the β difference (βdiff) was calculated. We computed odds ratios to examine changes in the disease prevalence before and during the pandemic. This study included a total of 917,461 participants from 2009 to 2022. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis increased from 6.79% (95% CI 6.66-6.91) in 2009-2011 to 6.89% (95% CI 6.72-7.05) in 2018-2019, then decreased slightly to 5.82% (95% CI 5.60-6.04) in 2022. Across the 14 years, middle school student status, low parent's highest education level, low household income, non-alcohol consumption, non-smoker smoking status, no suicidal thoughts, and no suicide attempts were associated with increased risk of atopic dermatitis, while female sex, rural residence, high BMI, low school performance, low household income, and no feelings of sadness and despair was associated with a small increase. This study examined the prevalence of atopic dermatitis across an 18-year, and found that the prevalence increased in the pre-pandemic then decreased during the start of the pandemic and remained constant throughout the pandemic. This trend could be explained mainly by the large scale social and political changes that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Machine learning-based model to predict delirium in patients with advanced cancer treated with palliative care: a multicenter, patient-based registry cohort

This study aimed to present a new approach to predict to delirium admitted to the acute palliative care unit. To achieve this, this study employed machine learning model to predict delirium in patients in palliative care and identified the significant features that influenced the model. A multicenter, patient-based registry cohort study in South Korea between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. Delirium was identified by reviewing the medical records based on the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. The study dataset included 165 patients with delirium among 2314 patients with advanced cancer admitted to the acute palliative care unit. Seven machine learning models, including extreme gradient boosting, adaptive boosting, gradient boosting, light gradient boosting, logistic regression, support vector machine, and random forest, were evaluated to predict delirium in patients with advanced cancer admitted to the acute palliative care unit. An ensemble approach was adopted to determine the optimal model. For k-fold cross-validation, the combination of extreme gradient boosting and random forest provided the best performance, achieving the following accuracy metrics: 68.83% sensitivity, 70.85% specificity, 69.84% balanced accuracy, and 74.55% area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The performance of the isolated testing dataset was also validated, and the machine learning model was successfully deployed on a public website ( http://ai-wm.khu.ac.kr/Delirium/ ) to provide public access to delirium prediction results in patients with advanced cancer. Furthermore, using feature importance analysis, sex was determined to be the top contributor in predicting delirium, followed by a history of delirium, chemotherapy, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and living with family. Based on a large-scale, multicenter, patient-based registry cohort, a machine learning prediction model for delirium in patients with advanced cancer was developed in South Korea. We believe that this model will assist healthcare providers in treating patients with delirium and advanced cancer.

National trends of allergic diseases and pandemic-related factors among individuals with obesity in South Korea: A nationwide representative serial study, 2005-2021

Background

Although obesity is known to be related to allergic diseases, few studies have investigated the prevalence of allergic diseases in individuals with obesity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this study aimed to analyze national trends of allergic diseases among individuals with obesity and sociodemographic factors.

Methods

This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to examine the prevalence of allergic diseases among individuals with obesity in South Korea from 2005 to 2021. A nationally representative sample of 118,275 participants aged over 2 years or above was divided into six groups for analysis. This study used weighted multivariate regression analysis to examine the estimates of related factors. It assessed the weighted odds ratios or β-coefficients for these factors across different categories, including age, sex, region of residence, education level, household income, and body mass index for the entire population.

Results

All allergic diseases showed a general upward trend from 2005 to 2021, but each disease showed different prevalence trends when compared by age. Before the pandemic, those aged ≤39 years had an increasing trend for asthma and AD, but those aged ≥40 years had a decreasing trend. For asthma, β-coefficients were 0.629 (95 % CI, 0.299 to 0.958) for 19-39 years, -0.245 (-0.450 to -0.040) for 40-59 years, and -0.668 (-1.024 to -0.313) for ≥60 years. For AD, β-coefficients were 2.514 (1.258-3.769) in those aged 2-18 years, 0.630 (0.173-1.086) in those aged 19-39 years, -0.458 (-0.648 to -0.268) in those aged 40-59 years, and -0.253 (-0.454 to -0.052) in those aged ≥60 years. However, for both asthma and AD, there were no significant changes in prevalence during the pandemic. In the case of AR, trends were different from those of asthma and AD. Before the pandemic, AR showed an increasing trend in those aged ≤39 years and those aged ≥40 years: β-coefficients were 3.067 (2.344-3.790) in 19-39 years, 2.051 (1.609-2.493) in 40-59 years, and 1.173 (0.820-1.526) in ≥60 years. During the pandemic, there was an increasing trend only among those aged 40-59, with no significant changes in other age groups: β-coefficients were 1.438 (0.065-2.811) in 40-59 years.

Conclusions

From 2005 to 2021, all allergic diseases (asthma, AD, and AR) increased overall, but with different age-related trends. No significant link was found between COVID-19 and allergic diseases, possibly due to preventive measures like mask-wearing and social distancing. Anxiety about accessing healthcare during the pandemic likely contributed to a decline in allergy diagnoses, highlighting the need for comprehensive strategies to manage and prevent allergic diseases.

National prevalence of smoking among adolescents at tobacco tax increase and COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, 2005-2022

Prior research has predominantly focused on the overall effects of the tobacco tax increase and the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent smoking behavior. However, there is a need to examine both the immediate and sustained associations of these two factors on subgroups of adolescents, employing an interrupted time-series model. We aimed to investigate the immediate and sustained association of tobacco tax increase and the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent smoking prevalence. This study utilized data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey to analyze the prevalence of current smoking among all participants (CSP) and the prevalence of daily smoking among current smokers (DSP) of Korean adolescents (n = 1,159,995; mean, age 14.99; male 51.5%) over 18 years from 2005 to 2022. The study examined 18-year trends in CSP and DSP among Korean adolescents, emphasizing the influences of the 2015 tobacco tax increase and the COVID-19 pandemic, using β coefficients and their differences (βdiff) from an interrupted time-series ARIMA model. While CSP exhibited a decreasing trend, DSP exhibited an increasing trend. Tobacco tax increase was associated with both the short and long terms in smoking prevalence, however, the short-term association on prevalence (CSP, - 3.076 [95% CI, - 3.707 to - 2.445]; DSP, - 4.112 [95% CI, - 6.488 to - 1.735]) was stronger. The pandemic was associated with an immediate increase in DSP (9.345 [95% CI, 5.285-13.406]). These effects were strongest among adolescents from low economic status and those exposed to familial secondhand smoking. Supportive programs for adolescents in low-income families will help overcome the effects associated with the pandemic. As a tobacco tax increase was associated with a reduction in smoking prevalence, this could be one method to overcome the effects of the pandemic.

Prenatal and postnatal exposure to antibiotics and risk of food allergy in the offspring: A nationwide birth cohort study in South Korea

BACKGROUND

There are only preliminary studies examining the associations of postnatal antibiotic exposure with food allergy in childhood, and the effect of antibiotic exposure in utero has not been resolved. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effect of prenatal and postnatal antibiotic exposure on the risk of food allergy in childhood.

METHODS

Using the nationwide birth cohort in South Korea, all 3,163,206 infants (pairing mother; n = 2,322,735) born in South Korea between 2010 and 2017 were included in the analysis. The primary outcome was the diagnosis of food allergy, and the observation period was between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2020. We implemented four different designs for the study, which consisted of a full unmatched cohort, 1:1 propensity-matched cohort, sibling comparison cohort, and health screening cohort along with multiple subgroup analyses.

RESULTS

During the follow-up period (median 6.92 years [IQR, 4.72-9.00]) of the 3,161,858 infants (52.6% male) in the birth cohort, 29,973 (1.9%) were diagnosed with food allergies. After a 1:1 propensity score matching, the use of antibiotics increased the risk of overall food allergy (prenatal [HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.04-1.09] and postnatal [HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.10] periods). The association was more significantly accentuated when antibiotic exposure was used in the short term, and the children were born preterm or with low birthweight; however, a trimester-specific effect was not observed. We observed more pronounced risks of food allergy in the health screening cohort (prenatal, 17%; postnatal, 15%), thus addressing the adverse effects of critical factors including maternal BMI, smoking status, and type of infant feeding. Similar trends were observed across all four differnt cohorts.

CONCLUSION

This study reported a moderate association between early-life antibiotic use and subsequent food allergy during childhood throughout four different designs of analyses. This study suggests that clinicians need to consider the risks and benefits of antibiotics when administering antibiotics to individuals in the prenatal and postnatal periods.

Global prevalence of functional dyspepsia according to Rome criteria, 1990-2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Although functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common functional gastroduodenal disorder with a high socioeconomic burden, little is known about its global prevalence. Thus, we performed a comprehensive study to estimate long-term trends in the prevalence of FD. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Google Scholar from 1990 to 2022 for population-based studies that reported the prevalence of FD in adults (≥ 18 years old) according to Rome I, II, III, or IV criteria. The prevalence of FD was extracted from included studies to obtain pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and 95% prediction intervals. Subgroup analysis was performed according to certain characteristics, including geographic region. A total of 44 studies met the eligibility criteria, including 256,915 participants from 40 countries across six continents. The overall global pooled prevalence of FD was 8.4% (95% CI 7.4-.9.5). The prevalence was the highest in Rome I (11.9%; 95% CI 5.1-25.4) and lowest in Rome IV (6.8%; 95% CI 5.8-7.9). Developing countries showed a higher prevalence than developed countries (9.1% versus 8.0%), and prevalence was higher in women, irrespective of the definition used (9.0% versus 7.0%). The pooled prevalence gradually decreased from 1990 to 2020 (12.4% [8.2-18.3] in 1990-2002 versus 7.3% [6.1-8.7] in 2013-2020). The prevalence of FD differs by country, economic status, geographical region, and sex, and the global prevalence has been gradually declining. Despite the heterogeneity of sample population, our study estimates the current global burden of FD and provides information to heath care policy decisions.

National prevalence and trends in food labeling awareness, comprehension, usage, and COVID-19 pandemic-related factors in South Korea, 2014-2022

Although food labeling on food packages is crucial for promoting a healthy diet, limited research has been conducted on how the COVID-19 pandemic (hereinafter "the pandemic") has affected food labeling awareness. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the changes in trends in food labeling awareness, comprehension, and usage in South Korea during the pandemic. We utilized a nationwide, large-scale, and long-term dataset provided by the Korea Community Health Survey (KCHS) from 2014 to 2022 (total = 1,756,847 participants). This allowed the researchers to assess the long-term trends in the prevalence of food labeling awareness, comprehension, and usage. Furthermore, we investigated the factors associated with awareness specifically related to the pandemic. In total, 1,756,847 adults (54.19% women) participated in this study. The upward slope in overall food labeling awareness became less pronounced and even exhibited a downward slope during the pandemic (βdiff - 1.759; 95% CI - 1.874 to - 1.644). The upward slope in food labeling comprehension and usage became more pronounced during the pandemic (comprehension: βdiff 0.535; 95% CI 0.436-0.634; usage: βdiff 0.693; 95% CI 0.601-0.785). The vulnerability factors associated with lower food labeling awareness during the pandemic included older age, male, obesity, residing in rural areas, lower household income, lower educational level, smoking, and increased alcohol consumption. This study analyzed the 9-year trend in the prevalence of food labeling awareness, comprehension, and usage based on nationally representative data of adults in South Korea from 2014 to 2022. Our findings suggest that personalized nutrition strategies are needed to recognize vulnerable groups with risk factors and improve food labeling awareness among Korean adults during the pandemic.

Trends in hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control in South Korea, 1998-2021: a nationally representative serial study

The impact of the pandemic on hypertension management is unknown, particularly regarding changes in demographic risk factors. We conducted a comprehensive study between 1998 and 2021 on the long-term trends in hypertension prevalence in South Korea, including a comparison of the pre-pandemic and pandemic eras. Data from 1998 to 2021 of 108,687 Korean adults were obtained through a nationwide, large-scale, and serial study. We conducted a weighted complex sampling analysis on the estimates of national prevalence and compared the slope of hypertension prevalence before and during the pandemic to determine the trend dynamics. We included 108,687 participants over 24 years, 1998-2021. While the prevalence of patients with hypertension consistently increased before the pandemic from 25.51% [95% CI: 24.27-26.75] in 1998-2005 to 27.81% [95% CI: 26.97-28.66] in 2016-2019, the increasing slope in hypertension prevalence slowed during the pandemic period (28.07% [95% CI: 26.16-29.98] for 2021; βdiff, -0.012 [-0.023 to 0.000]). Hypertension awareness, treatment, control, and control rates among patients receiving treatment followed similar trends. Compared to the pre-pandemic era, individuals aged 19-59 years or male had significantly increased control rates among the treated patients during the pandemic. This study investigated long-term trends in hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control among Korean adults. The absence of a reduction in the health indicators associated with hypertension during the pandemic implies that medical services for individuals with hypertension remain unaffected.

National Trends in Rotavirus Enteritis among Infants in South Korea, 2010-2021: A Nationwide Cohort

Rotavirus causes a gastrointestinal tract infection that primarily affects young children. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals infected with the virus were subjected to quarantine measures, with strong emphases on personal hygiene and social distancing. The present study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of rotaviruses and compare the prevalence of rotavirus infection before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. This nationwide representative study was conducted using data acquired from the National Health Insurance Service between 2010 and 2021. We analyzed the data of patients younger than 12 months old who were diagnosed with rotavirus enteritis between January 2010 and December 2021. During the study period, a total of 34,487 infants younger than 12 months were diagnosed with rotavirus enteritis in South Korea. During the two-year COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021), the rate of decline was significant (5843 cases in 2010 and 1125 in 2019), and by 2021, the total number of patients was almost negligible, as there are only 18 cases in 2021. A significant increase in the ratio of low birth weight (LBW) infants of inpatient department was observed from 2010 to 2021 (4.86% in 2010; 7.77% in 2019; and 23.08% in 2021), indicating that LBW infants are more vulnerable than infants born with normal weight. Average medical expenses related to rotavirus infections also declined significantly from 3,789,443,998 per year (pre-pandemic) to 808,353,795 per year (pandemic). Overall, personal hygiene and social distancing may play important roles in reducing rotavirus infections. However, further studies are needed to determine whether this decreasing trend persists after quarantine and whether the social life of individuals resumes.

Real-World Evidence of a Hospital-Linked Digital Health App for the Control of Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus in South Korea: Nationwide Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND

Digital health care apps have been widely used for managing chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, providing promising prospects for enhanced health care delivery, increased patient engagement, and improved self-management. However, the impact of integrating these apps within hospital systems for managing such conditions still lacks conclusive evidence.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate the real-world effectiveness of using hospital-linked digital health care apps in lowering blood pressure (BP) and blood glucose levels in patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

Nationwide multicenter data on demographic characteristics and the use of a digital health care app from 233 hospitals were collected for participants aged 20 to 80 years in South Korea between August 2021 and June 2022. We divided the participants into 2 groups: 1 group consisted of individuals who exclusively used the digital health app (control) and the other group used the hospital-linked digital health app. All the patients participated in a 12-week digital health care intervention. We conducted a comparative analysis to assess the real-world effectiveness of the hospital-linked digital health app. The primary outcome was the differences in the systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting blood glucose (FBG) level, and postprandial glucose (PPG) level between baseline and 12 weeks.

RESULTS

A total of 1029 participants were analyzed for the FBG level, 527 participants were analyzed for the PPG level, and 2029 participants for the SBP and DBP were enrolled. After 12 weeks, a hospital-linked digital health app was found to reduce SBP (-5.4 mm Hg, 95% CI -7.0 to -3.9) and DBP (-2.4 mm Hg, 95% CI -3.4 to -1.4) in participants without hypertension and FBG level in all participants (those without diabetes, -4.4 mg/dL, 95% CI -7.9 to -1.0 and those with diabetes, -3.2 mg/dL, 95% CI -5.4 to -1.0); however, there was no statistically significant difference compared to the control group (using only digital health app). Specifically, participants with diabetes using a hospital-linked digital health app demonstrated a significant decrease in PPG after 12 weeks (-10.9 mg/dL, 95% CI -31.1 to -5.3) compared to those using only a digital health app (P=.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Hospital-linked digital interventions have greatly improved glucose control for diabetes compared with using digital health technology only. These hospital-linked digital health apps have the potential to offer consumers and health care professionals cost-effective support in decreasing glucose levels when used in conjunction with self-monitoring.

Quantification of identifying cognitive impairment using olfactory-stimulated functional near-infrared spectroscopy with machine learning: a post hoc analysis of a diagnostic trial and validation of an external additional trial

BACKGROUND

We aimed to quantify the identification of mild cognitive impairment and/or Alzheimer's disease using olfactory-stimulated functional near-infrared spectroscopy using machine learning through a post hoc analysis of a previous diagnostic trial and an external additional trial.

METHODS

We conducted two independent, patient-level, single-group, diagnostic interventional trials (original and additional trials) involving elderly volunteers (aged > 60 years) with suspected declining cognitive function. All volunteers were assessed by measuring the oxygenation difference in the orbitofrontal cortex using an open-label olfactory-stimulated functional near-infrared spectroscopy approach, medical interview, amyloid positron emission tomography, brain magnetic resonance imaging, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery.

RESULTS

In total, 97 (original trial) and 36 (additional trial) elderly volunteers with suspected decline in cognitive function met the eligibility criteria. The statistical model reported classification accuracies of 87.3% in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease in internal validation (original trial) but 63.9% in external validation (additional trial). The machine learning algorithm achieved 92.5% accuracy with the internal validation data and 82.5% accuracy with the external validation data. For the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, machine learning performed better than statistical methods with internal (86.0% versus 85.2%) and external validation data (85.4% versus 68.8%).

INTERPRETATION

In two independent trials, machine learning models using olfactory-stimulated oxygenation differences in the orbitofrontal cortex were superior in diagnosing mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease compared to classic statistical models. Our results suggest that the machine learning algorithm is stable across different patient groups and increases generalization and reproducibility.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Research Information Service (CRiS) of Republic of Korea; CRIS numbers, KCT0006197 and KCT0007589.

Effectiveness of famotidine on the risk of poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19: A nationwide cohort study in Korea

Objective

Famotidine has been proposed as a promising candidate for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, there is limited research on the association of famotidine with the poor prognosis of COVID-19.

Methods

The Korean nationwide cohort included 6,556 patients who tested positive on RT-PCR for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The poor COVID-19-related outcomes were defined on the basis of having encountered the composite outcome of high oxygen therapy, intensive care unit admission, administration of mechanical ventilation, or death. In addition, we performed exposure-driven propensity score matching for no H₂-blocker use versus current famotidine use, and other H₂-blocker use versus current famotidine use.

Results

4,785 (73.0%) patients did not use a H₂-blocker, 393 (6.0%) patients were currently used famotidine, and 1,292 (19.7%) patients currently used H₂-blocker other than famotidine. In multivariable analysis after matching (no H₂-blocker use versus current famotidine use), there was no significant association between current famotidine use and composite outcomes (adjusted odd ratios [aOR]: 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.55-3.06). On the other hand, another matched cohort (other H₂-blocker use versus current famotidine use), demonstrated a positive association between current famotidine use and composite outcomes (aOR: 3.56, 95% CI: 1.03-12.28).

Conclusions

Our study results did not support the potential of famotidine as a therapeutic agent for COVID-19. A rather unexpected result could be observed in the comparisons between current famotidine use and other H₂-blocker use; it was observed that current famotidine use increased the risk of poor COVID-19 related outcomes. Further studies are needed to clearly prove the causal relationship with several H2-blockers, including famotidine.

Baseline physical activity and the risk of severe illness and mortality from COVID-19: A dose-response meta-analysis

To provide a scientific basis for improved exercise-based immunity, a meta-analysis was used to explore the dose-response relationship between physical activity (PA) and the risk of severe illness and mortality related to COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). To this end, we searched PubMed, Web of Science databases from January 2020 through April 2022. 14 observational studies met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis, including 2840 cases of severe illness and death from COVID-19. Categorical dose-relationship analysis showed that the risks of severe illness and mortality from COVID-19 were, respectively, 46% (risk ratio (RR): 0.54; confidence intervals (CIs): 0.41-0.68) and 59% (RR = 0.41; 95%CI: 0.23-0.58) lower for the highest dose of PA compared with the lowest dose of PA. The results of the continuous dose-response analysis show an inverse nonlinear relationship (P_{non-linearity} < 0.05) between PA and both the risk of severe illness and mortality from COVID-19. For PA below 10 MET-h/week (MET-h/week: metabolic equivalent of task-hours/week), an increase of 4 MET-h/week (1 h of moderate-intensity or 0.5 h of high-intensity PA) was associated with 8% and 11% reductions in the risk of severe illness and mortality from COVID-19. PA above 10 MET-h/week lowered the risk of severe illness and mortality from COVID-19 by 7% and 9%, respectively, for each 4 MET-h/week increase. Doses of WHO-recommended PA levels (10 MET-h/week) may be required for more substantial reductions in the risk of severe illness and mortality from COVID-19.

Physical activity and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, severe COVID-19 illness and COVID-19 related mortality in South Korea: a nationwide cohort study

PURPOSE

To determine the potential associations between physical activity and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, severe illness from COVID-19 and COVID-19 related death using a nationwide cohort from South Korea.

METHODS

Data regarding 212 768 Korean adults (age ≥20 years), who tested for SARS-CoV-2, from 1 January 2020 to 30 May 2020, were obtained from the National Health Insurance Service of South Korea and further linked with the national general health examination from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019 to assess physical activity levels. SARS-CoV-2 positivity, severe COVID-19 illness and COVID-19 related death were the main outcomes. The observation period was between 1 January 2020 and 31 July 2020.

RESULTS

Out of 76 395 participants who completed the general health examination and were tested for SARS-CoV-2, 2295 (3.0%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2, 446 (0.58%) had severe illness from COVID-19 and 45 (0.059%) died from COVID-19. Adults who engaged in both aerobic and muscle strengthening activities according to the 2018 physical activity guidelines had a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (2.6% vs 3.1%; adjusted relative risk (aRR), 0.85; 95% CI 0.72 to 0.96), severe COVID-19 illness (0.35% vs 0.66%; aRR 0.42; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.91) and COVID-19 related death (0.02% vs 0.08%; aRR 0.24; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.99) than those who engaged in insufficient aerobic and muscle strengthening activities. Furthermore, the recommended range of metabolic equivalent task (MET; 500-1000 MET min/week) was associated with the maximum beneficial effect size for reduced risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (aRR 0.78; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.92), severe COVID-19 illness (aRR 0.62; 95% CI 0.43 to 0.90) and COVID-19 related death (aRR 0.17; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.98). Similar patterns of association were observed in different sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSION

Adults who engaged in the recommended levels of physical activity were associated with a decreased likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection, severe COVID-19 illness and COVID-19 related death. Our findings suggest that engaging in physical activity has substantial public health value and demonstrates potential benefits to combat COVID-19.

COVID-19 Morbidity and Severity in Patients With Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Korean Nationwide Cohort Study

PURPOSE

To determine the potential association between age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a representative chronic age-related degenerative disease of the retina associated with inflammation and aging, and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 outcomes.

DESIGN

Nationwide cohort study with propensity-score matching.

METHODS

A population-based nationwide cohort in Korea was examined. Data were obtained from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service of Korea, including all patients aged ≥40 years who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing in South Korea between January 1, 2020 and May 15, 2020 (excluding self-referral). The primary outcome was SARS-CoV-2 test positivity and the secondary outcome was severe clinical outcome of COVID-19.

RESULTS

The unmatched cohort consisted of 135,435 patients who were tested for SARS-CoV-2: 4531 patients (3.3%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and 5493 (4.1%) had AMD. After propensity score matching, exudative AMD was associated with an increased likelihood of susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-2.25), and a considerably greater risk of severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19 (aOR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.02-5.26), but not any AMD and non-exudative AMD.

CONCLUSIONS

In a Korean nationwide cohort, data suggest that clinicians should be aware of the greater risk of susceptibility to severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with exudative AMD. These findings provide an improved understanding of the relationship between the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and chronic neurological disorders.

Practical points that gastrointestinal fellows should know in management of COVID-19

Pandemics obligate providers to transform their clinical practice. An extensive effort has been put to find out feasible approaches for gastrointestinal diseases and also to manage coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related gastrointestinal conditions. Diarrhea, hepatitis, and pancreatitis can be seen in the COVID-19 course. Endoscopic procedures increase the risk of contamination for medical staff and patients despite precautions, therefore indications should be tailored to balance risks vs benefits. Furthermore, whether the immunosupression in inflammatory bowel diseases, liver transplantation, and autoimmune liver diseases increases COVID-19 related risks and how to modify immunosupression are topics of ongoing debate. This review aims to provide most up to date practical approaches that a gastrointestinal fellow should be aware on the problems and management of gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors and COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

COVID-19 has proved to be a serious, and consequential disease that has affected millions of people globally. Previously, the adverse effects of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) have been observed with increasing the risk of pneumonia and COVID-19. This meta-analysis aims to address the relationship between the use of PPI and the severity of COVID-19 infection. We conducted a systemic literature search from PUBMED, Science Direct, and Cinahl from December 2019 to January 2022. Published and unpublished randomized control trials and cohort studies were included. Review Manager was used for all statistical analyses. In total, 14 studies were included in this systemic review and meta-analysis. Outcomes of interest include: (1) susceptibility of COVID-19 infection and (2) severity of COVID-19 (defined as the composite of poor outcomes: ICU admission, need for oxygen therapy, need for a ventilator, or death), and (3) mortality due to COVID-19. PPI use was marginally associated with a nominal but statistically significant increase in the risk of COVID-19 infection (OR 1.05 [1.01, 1.09]; I2 97%, p = 0.007). PPI use also increased the risk of the composite poor outcome (OR 1.84 [1.71, 1.99]; I2 98%, p < 0.00001) and mortality (OR 1.12 [1.00, 1.25]; I2 84%, p = 0.05) in patients with COVID-19.

The Association Between Proton Pump Inhibitors and COVID-19 is Confounded by Hyperglycemia in a Population-Based Study

Background and Aims: There is conflicting evidence regarding the association between proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and the risk of acquisition and severity of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Aim: To evaluate the association between PPI exposure and infection and development of severe disease in patients infected with SARS-CoV2in a large population-based historical cohort.

Methods: Data were extracted from a health maintenance organization database in Israel that insures over 1,200,000 individuals from across the country. All patients who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing between March and November 2020 were included. Logistic regression and matched analyses were used to compare patients prescribed and exposed to PPIs to those not prescribed PPIs regarding SARS-CoV-2 positivity. In addition, among SARS-CoV-2 positive patients (n = 44,397) the likelihood of developing severe disease, defined by a composite endpoint of death, ICU admission and prolonged hospitalization, was compared in those exposed and not exposed to PPIs.

Results: Among 255,355 adult patients who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing by PCR, 44,397 (17.4%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 and 12,066 (4.7%) patients were prescribed PPIs in the 3 months before testing. In a multivariable logistic regression model controlling for age, gender, smoking status, BMI, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, COPD, history of ischemic heart disease and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, no significant association was found between PPIs and SARS-CoV-2 positivity (p = 0.09 aOR 0.94, 95% CI – 0.88–1.01). Among SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, 910 (2%) had a severe infection. Multivariate logistic regression controlling for the abovementioned confounders, showed no such association between PPIs and severe COVID-19 (p = 0.28). Elevated FBG levels were significantly associated with both PPI exposure (p < 0.001) and severe COVID-19 infection (p < 0.001). These results were reinforced by a matched analysis (n = 655 pairs).

Conclusion: PPIs are spuriously associated with severe COVID-19 due to the presence of elevated FBG as a confounder. Our study accounted for the FBG levels of patients and known risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection, which may be the reason for the discrepancy in prior studies. These results may aid in understanding potential confounders when evaluating potential associations of PPIs with other respiratory or viral diseases.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis Patients Are Not at Increased Risk of Severe COVID-19: A Report From a Global Registry

BACKGROUND

The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs) is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to characterize patients with EoE and EGIDs who had COVID-19, assess severity of COVID-19 in the EoE/EGID population, and evaluate for COVID-19-induced EoE/EGID flares.

METHODS

We established an online global registry collecting physician entered, deidentified data related to patient demographics, EoE/EGID disease features, comorbidities, and treatments, COVID-19 source of exposure, symptoms, illness severity, hospitalizations, and deaths.

RESULTS

Ninety-four cases were reported between March 2020 and April 2021 (median age, 21 years; range, 1.5-53 years; 73% male). Most had atopy (73%), and 80% had isolated EoE. Before COVID-19, the EoE/EGID activity was reported as clinical remission in 51 (54%) and moderate in 20 (21%). EoE/EGID treatments at the time of COVID-19 included proton pump inhibitors 49 (52%), swallowed/topical steroids 48 (51%), and dietary elimination 34 (36%). COVID-19 symptoms included cough (56%), fever (49%), anosmia (21%), and ageusia (22%). Most patients with COVID-19 had a mild course (70%), with 15% asymptomatic, 12% moderate, and 2% severe. Three patients were hospitalized, and no intensive care unit admissions or deaths were reported. Mean time from first symptoms to resolution in symptomatic patients was 10 days (range, 1-90 days). A single EGID flare was reported during COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

In a global EoE/EGID registry, relatively few COVID-19 cases have been reported. COVID-19 severity was comparable to the general population. Based on this registry, it does not appear that patients with EoE are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 infection or that COVID-19 leads to EGID flares.

Increased Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Post-Acute Care Patients with Stroke during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aimed to explore the quality and stability of post-acute care for patients with stroke, including their functional outcomes, mental health and medical care in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this retrospective case-control study-based on propensity score matching-we assessed 11 patients admitted during the pandemic period (in 2021) and 11 patients admitted during the non-pandemic period (in 2020). Functional outcomes, including the scores of the modified Rankin Scale, Barthel Index, EuroQoL-5 Dimension, Lawton-Brody instrumental activities of daily living, Berg Balance Scale, 5-metre walking speed and 6-min walking distance, were determined. Data on the length of acute care, length of post-acute care, destination after discharge and 14-days readmission were used to evaluate the quality of medical care. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare functional performance before and after rehabilitation. The pandemic group showed no significant improvement in the scores of EuroQoL-5 Dimension, a self-reported health status assessment (p = 0.13), with the anxiety or depression dimension showing a negative effect (r = 0.21). Post-acute care programmes can efficiently improve the functional performance of patients with stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan. Mental health should therefore be simultaneously maintained while rehabilitating physical function.

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and COVID-19 Susceptibility and Outcomes: a Korean Nationwide Cohort

BACKGROUND

Evidence for the association between underlying non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the risk of testing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) positive, and the clinical consequences of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is controversial and scarce. We aimed to investigate the association between the presence of NAFLD and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and COVID-19-related outcomes.

METHODS

We used the population-based, nationwide cohort in South Korea linked with the general health examination records between January 1, 2018 and July 30, 2020. Data for 212,768 adults older than 20 years who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing from January 1 to May 30, 2020, were obtained. The presence of NAFLDs was defined using three definitions, namely hepatic steatosis index (HSI), fatty liver index (FLI), and claims-based definition. The outcomes were SARS-CoV-2 test positive, COVID-19 severe illness, and related death.

RESULTS

Among 74,244 adults who completed the general health examination, there were 2,251 (3.0%) who were SARS-CoV-2 positive, 438 (0.6%) with severe COVID-19 illness, and 45 (0.06%) COVID-19-related deaths. After exposure-driven propensity score matching, patients with pre-existing HSI-NAFLD, FLI-NAFLD, or claims-based NAFLD had an 11-23% increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (HSI-NAFLD 95% confidence interval [CI], 1-28%; FLI-NAFLD 95% CI, 2-27%; and claims-based NAFLD 95% CI, 2-31%) and a 35-41% increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness (HSI-NAFLD 95% CI, 8-83%; FLI-NAFLD 95% CI, 5-71%; and claims-based NAFLD 95% CI, 1-92%). These associations are more evident as liver fibrosis advanced (based on the BARD scoring system). Similar patterns were observed in several sensitivity analyses including the full-unmatched cohort.

CONCLUSION

Patients with pre-existing NAFLDs have a higher likelihood of testing SARS-CoV-2 positive and severe COVID-19 illness; this association was more evident in patients with NAFLD with advanced fibrosis. Our results suggest that extra attention should be given to the management of patients with NAFLD during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statin Use and COVID-19 Infectivity and Severity in South Korea: Two Population-Based Nationwide Cohort Studies

Background

Basic studies suggest that statins as add-on therapy may benefit patients with COVID-19; however, real-world evidence of such a beneficial association is lacking.

Objective

We investigated differences in SARS-CoV-2 test positivity and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 (composite endpoint: admission to intensive care unit, invasive ventilation, or death) between statin users and nonusers.

Methods

Two independent population-based cohorts were analyzed, and we investigated the differences in SARS-CoV-2 test positivity and severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19, such as admission to the intensive care unit, invasive ventilation, or death, between statin users and nonusers. One group comprised an unmatched cohort of 214,207 patients who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing from the Global Research Collaboration Project (GRCP)-COVID cohort, and the other group comprised an unmatched cohort of 74,866 patients who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS)-COVID cohort.

Results

The GRCP-COVID cohort with propensity score matching had 29,701 statin users and 29,701 matched nonusers. The SARS-CoV-2 test positivity rate was not associated with statin use (statin users, 2.82% [837/29,701]; nonusers, 2.65% [787/29,701]; adjusted relative risk [aRR] 0.97; 95% CI 0.88-1.07). Among patients with confirmed COVID-19 in the GRCP-COVID cohort, 804 were statin users and 1573 were matched nonusers. Statin users were associated with a decreased likelihood of severe clinical outcomes (statin users, 3.98% [32/804]; nonusers, 5.40% [85/1573]; aRR 0.62; 95% CI 0.41-0.91) and length of hospital stay (statin users, 23.8 days; nonusers, 26.3 days; adjusted mean difference –2.87; 95% CI –5.68 to –0.93) than nonusers. The results of the NHIS-COVID cohort were similar to the primary results of the GRCP-COVID cohort.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that prior statin use is related to a decreased risk of worsening clinical outcomes of COVID-19 and length of hospital stay but not to that of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Association between chronic hepatitis B infection and COVID-19 outcomes: A Korean nationwide cohort study

Background/Aims

We measured the association between underlying chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and antiviral use with infection rates among patients who underwent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing.

Methods

In total, 204,418 patients who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 between January and June 2020 were included. For each case patient (n = 7,723) with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, random controls (n = 46,231) were selected from the target population who had been exposed to someone with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) but had a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result. We merged claim-based data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database collected. Primary endpoints were SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19.

Results

The proportion of underlying CHB was lower in COVID-19 positive patients (n = 267, 3.5%) than in COVID-19 negative controls (n = 2482, 5.4%). Underlying CHB was associated with a lower SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate, after adjusting for comorbidities (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57–0.74). Among patients with confirmed COVID-19, underlying CHB tended to confer a 66% greater risk of severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19, although this value was statistically insignificant. Antiviral treatment including tenofovir and entecavir was associated with a reduced SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate (aOR 0.49; 95% CI, 0.37–0.66), while treatment was not associated with severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19.

Conclusions

Underlying CHB and antiviral agents including tenofovir decreased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. HBV coinfection did not increase the risk of disease severity or lead to a worse prognosis in COVID-19.

Role of gastrointestinal system on transmission and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to pose a significant threat to global health. Primary prevention remains as a major strategy against the pandemic. Current evidence proves that aerosol and droplet-based routes are the main means of transmission of COVID-19 but other ways should be sought in order to prevent possible collateral transmission. The gastrointestinal system may be one such route. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 is the target entry receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that is abundantly expressed in the gastrointestinal tract. SARS-CoV-2 is able to infect human enterocytes similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome. Herein this review, we discuss the current knowledge regarding the role of gastrointestinal transmission in transmission and pathophysiology of COVID-19.

Combinatorial Analysis of Phenotypic and Clinical Risk Factors Associated With Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Characterization of the risk factors associated with variability in the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 is important. Our previous study using genomic data identified a potential role of calcium and lipid homeostasis in severe COVID-19. This study aimed to identify similar combinations of features (disease signatures) associated with severe disease in a separate patient population with purely clinical and phenotypic data. The PrecisionLife combinatorial analytics platform was used to analyze features derived from de-identified health records in the UnitedHealth Group COVID-19 Data Suite. The platform identified and analyzed 836 disease signatures in two cohorts associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 hospitalization. Cohort 1 was formed of cases hospitalized with COVID-19 and a set of controls who developed mild symptoms. Cohort 2 included Cohort 1 individuals for whom additional laboratory test data was available. We found several disease signatures where lower levels of lipids were found co-occurring with lower levels of serum calcium and leukocytes. Many of the low lipid signatures were independent of statin use and 50% of cases with hypocalcemia signatures were reported with vitamin D deficiency. These signatures may be attributed to similar mechanisms linking calcium and lipid signaling where changes in cellular lipid levels during inflammation and infection affect calcium signaling in host cells. This study and our previous genomics analysis demonstrate that combinatorial analysis can identify disease signatures associated with the risk of developing severe COVID-19 separately from genomic or clinical data in different populations. Both studies suggest associations between calcium and lipid signaling in severe COVID-19.

Perspective: the nose and the stomach play a critical role in the NZACE2-Pātari* (modified ACE2) drug treatment project of SARS-CoV-2 infection

Background: COVID-19 has caused calamitous health, economic and societal consequences globally. Currently, there is no effective treatment for the infection. Areas covered: We have recently described the NZACE2-Pātari project, which seeks to administer modified Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) molecules early in the infection to intercept and block SARS-CoV-2 binding to the pulmonary epithelium. Expert opinion: Since the nasopharyngeal mucosa is infected in the first asymptomatic phase of the infection, treatment of the nose is likely to be safe and potentially effective. The intercepted virus will be swallowed and destroyed in the stomach. There is however a limited window of opportunity to alter the trajectory of the infection in an individual patient, which requires access to rapid testing for SARS-CoV-2. The proposed strategy is analogous to passive immunization of viral infections such as measles and may be of particular benefit to immunodeficient and unvaccinated individuals.

Curbing proton pump inhibitor overprescribing: Multifaceted strategies in an academic hospital

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) have become essential in the management of upper gastrointestinal disorders, yet they are prescribed without an indication in up to 89% of cases and the number of prescribed PPIs is on the rise. A working group developed several multifaceted strategies in our multihospital trust to curb inappropriate PPI use. We describe herein these strategies and assess their impact on PPI consumption in a hospital belonging to this trust.

METHODS

From 2012 to 2019, our actions included the publication and presentation of a review of emergent PPI side effects, the development of an appropriate use leaflet, medication audits, journal club meetings, and prescription analysis. We considered that a decrease in PPI consumption could be a relevant surrogate criterion for the appropriation and acceptance of these interventions; this was assessed from 2012 to 2019 and expressed as defined daily dose (DDD)/1000 patient-days.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

There was a clear downward trend in the consumption of PPIs, both in medical and surgical wards. The overall PPI use decreased by 17.1% (from 566 to 468 DDD/1000 patient-days). IV PPI consumption dropped by 37.7% (from 146 to 91 DDD/1000 patient-days), while oral PPIs consumption decreased by 10% (from 420 to 378 DDD/1000 patient-days).

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

Sustained strategies aimed at curbing PPI overprescribing led to a sustained decrease in PPI consumption in our hospital. This decrease encourages us to pursue this strategy and to diversify our actions.