Health
Sepsis Increases Risk of Post-Discharge Cardiovascular Events, Death


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According to the CDC, each year about 1.7 million adults in the United States develop sepsis.
As one of the leading causes of hospitalization, researchers know that sepsis can prompt a major cardiovascular event including heart failure. But are adult patients who recovered from sepsis at a higher risk of developing a post-discharge cardiovascular event?
In a recent retrospective cohort analysis, researchers determined the answer is a resounding “yes”. Indeed, patients either hospitalized with sepsis or who developed it while hospitalized had a higher risk of rehospitalization for cardiovascular events (43%) compared with those hospitalized without sepsis. When compared with patients who did not have sepsis during hospitalization, those with sepsis were 27% more likely to die and 38% more likely to be rehospitalized for any cause.
“Compared with patients hospitalized without a sepsis diagnosis, patients hospitalized with sepsis had an elevated risk of all examined postdischarge adverse events,” the researchers wrote.
The researchers used a database containing administrative claims data to eventually identify more than 2 million commercial and Medicare Advantage enrollees throughout the United States from 2009-2021. Of these adult patients, the medical claims showed that more than 800,000 patients had sepsis during their hospital stay. They then compared that group with about 1.45 million hospitalized patients who did not develop sepsis but had at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor, including older age, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, obesity, or smoking.
Looking deeper into the data, the researchers also found that heart failure was the most common major cardiovascular event among those who had sepsis. Further, those hospitalized with sepsis had a 51% higher risk of developing heart failure during the 12-year follow-up period.
The authors noted several limitations to their study. For example, the authors were limited in their analysis due to the variability associated with the documentation of diagnosis codes to identify diseases of interest. Additionally, the authors did not have a gold-standard definition for sepsis, which could have impacted the association with the results.
Despite these limitations, the authors are confident that the current study will warrant further examination of the underlying associations between sepsis and the risk of post-discharge cardiovascular events.
“The increased risk for cardiovascular disease after sepsis hospitalization necessitates diligent follow‐up and optimization of guideline‐directed medical therapies in patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease,” the authors concluded. “It is imperative to determine the mechanisms underlying this association and whether standard medical therapies for cardiovascular prevention are efficacious for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events associated with sepsis survivorship in the absence of preexisting cardiovascular disease.”
Want more insight on this research? Check out this Q&A with lead author, Jacob C. Jentzer, MD.
Reference: Jentzer JC, Lawler PR, Van Houten HK, Yao X, Kashani KB, Dunlay SM. Cardiovascular events among survivors of sepsis hospitalization: a retrospective cohort analysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(3):e027813. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.027813.





Health
Decrease in COVID-19 in Prince Albert according to wastewater report


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The USask Global Institute for Water Security wastewater survey for Prince Albert shows that the COVID-19 viral RNA load in Prince Albert’s has decreased by 46.5 per cent.
This was after there was a single decrease in last week’s report.
The number is based on averages of three individual daily measurements in this reporting period up to May 22 which are then compared to the weekly average of the previous week.
This week’s viral load of approximately 10,000 gene copies / 100 mL SARS-CoV-2 is the 85th-highest value observed during the pandemic.
This concentration of viral particles is considered Low because it is below the range and regarded as low in Prince Albert.
This week’s viral RNA load indicates that the SARS-CoV-2 infections in Prince Albert are reducing.
Whole genome sequencing confirmed the presence of BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BQ.1.1.4, BQ.1.18, XBB.1.5, BA.5.2.1 and BE.1.1 in earlier samples; which have S:Y144del, S:R346T, S:K444T, S:N460K mutations associated with immune escape. In addition, the sequences of the most recently collected sample relative to the previously collected samples indicate the level of presence of BA.2 and BA.5 in Prince Albert’s wastewater to be 94 per cent and 78 per cent stable respectively.
All data has been shared with Saskatchewan health authorities.
USask and Global Water Futures researchers are using wastewater-based epidemiology to monitor for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) in Saskatoon, Prince Albert and North Battleford wastewater, providing early warning of infection outbreaks. This work is being done in partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Public Health Agency of Canada, City of Saskatoon, City of Prince Albert and City of North Battleford.
This variant tracking data should be seen merely as an indicator of trends which need to be verified using sequencing technology through the Public Health Agency of Canada. Because individuals are at varying stages of infection when shedding the virus, the variant levels detected in sewage are not necessarily directly comparable to the proportion of variant cases found in individual swab samples confirmed through provincial genetic sequencing efforts.
editorial@paherald.sk.ca





Health
Just when we were starting to see COVID and RSV rates drop this spring, another type of virus contributed to a spike in respiratory infections
|
- Human metapneumovirus spiked this spring as cases of COVID and RSV fell.
- According to the CDC, 19.6% of antigen tests and nearly 11% of PCR tests for HMPV, were positive in the US in early March.
- Symptoms of HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.
Cases of another type of respiratory virus have spiked this spring, just as COVID-19 and RSV rates were finally falling in the US.
According to the CDC, 19.6% of antigen tests and nearly 11% of PCR tests for human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, were positive in the US in early March.
The nearly 11% of positive PCR cases is up 36% since before the COVID-19 pandemic when PCR tests for HMPV were coming back with a rate of 7% positivity, according to the CDC.
In contrast, COVID-19 cases were down nearly 30% at the beginning of March, according to the World Health Organization, and the number of people being hospitalized for RSV was down to 1.2 people per 100,000 in March from 4.5 people per 100,000 in January, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath, according to the CDC. The symptoms could progress into bronchitis, pneumonia, or other similar viruses that cause upper and lower respiratory infections.
The CDC said some might be sicker for longer than others, and the duration of the virus depends on the severity, but for the most part, is similar in length to other respiratory infections caused by viruses.
The virus is spread by coughs and sneezes, close personal contact, and touching surfaces infected with the virus, then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes.
According to CNN, there’s no vaccine for HMPV, nor is there an antiviral drug to treat it.





Health
Just when we were starting to see COVID and RSV rates drop this spring, another type of virus contributed to a spike in respiratory infections
|
- Human metapneumovirus spiked this spring as cases of COVID and RSV fell.
- According to the CDC, 19.6% of antigen tests and nearly 11% of PCR tests for HMPV, were positive in the US in early March.
- Symptoms of HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.
Cases of another type of respiratory virus have spiked this spring, just as COVID-19 and RSV rates were finally falling in the US.
According to the CDC, 19.6% of antigen tests and nearly 11% of PCR tests for human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, were positive in the US in early March.
The nearly 11% of positive PCR cases is up 36% since before the COVID-19 pandemic when PCR tests for HMPV were coming back with a rate of 7% positivity, according to the CDC.
In contrast, COVID-19 cases were down nearly 30% at the beginning of March, according to the World Health Organization, and the number of people being hospitalized for RSV was down to 1.2 people per 100,000 in March from 4.5 people per 100,000 in January, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath, according to the CDC. The symptoms could progress into bronchitis, pneumonia, or other similar viruses that cause upper and lower respiratory infections.
The CDC said some might be sicker for longer than others, and the duration of the virus depends on the severity, but for the most part, is similar in length to other respiratory infections caused by viruses.
The virus is spread by coughs and sneezes, close personal contact, and touching surfaces infected with the virus, then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes.
According to CNN, there’s no vaccine for HMPV, nor is there an antiviral drug to treat it.
Read the original article on Insider





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