Latest news with #hospitalization
Medscape
2 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
More Data Cement COVID's Impact on Patients With Cancer
TOPLINE: New data confirm the impact COVID infection can have on patients with cancer and identified several risk factors associated with hospitalization and death. Receipt of chemotherapy as well as a baseline history of stroke, atrial fibrillation, or pulmonary embolism were each associated with nearly double the risk for COVID-related hospitalization. Prior vaccination halved this risk. Older age and earlier hospitalization were associated with a greater risk for death. METHODOLOGY: Patients undergoing active cancer treatment are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 due to immunosuppression, but risk factors for hospitalization and death are not well-defined. Researchers conducted a prospective cohort study involving 1572 patients with cancer (median age, 60 years; 53.4% women), enrolled within 14 days of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test; participants had received active treatment for cancer within 6 weeks before testing or had undergone prior stem cell transplant or CAR T-cell therapy. Patient screening and enrollment took place between May 2020 and February 2022. Treatments included chemotherapy (34.3%), targeted therapy (27.7%), and immunotherapy (10.6%). Breast (23.6%) and lung (13.9%) cancers were the most common cancer types. Overall, 64% of participants had metastatic disease, and at enrollment, 64% had not received a COVID vaccine. Study outcomes were COVID-related hospitalization or death. Risk factors for hospitalization and for death among hospitalized patients were evaluated separately. TAKEAWAY: At 90 days after an initial positive test, COVID-related mortality was 3% and remained stable at subsequent follow-ups. The highest incidence occurred in patients with lymphoma, followed by those with acute leukemia or lung cancer; the lowest incidence occurred in those with other types of solid tumors and blood cancers. Hospitalization for COVID-19 occurred in 18.4% of patients within 90 days of enrollment. The risk for hospitalization was elevated among patients who received chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR], 1.97) and those with a history of stroke, atrial fibrillation, and pulmonary embolism (HR, 1.78). Vaccination prior to infection reduced the risk for hospitalization by nearly half (HR, 0.52). Hospitalization for COVID-19 within 30 days of infection was associated with an increased risk for death (HR, 14.6). Among patients hospitalized for COVID within 30 days, age 65 years or older was the only significant predictor of COVID-specific death (HR, 3.49). Over the 2-year follow-up, there were 1739 disruptions to cancer treatment; 50.7% of these were attributed to COVID-19, and most occurred within 30 days of a positive test. IN PRACTICE: 'The data from this prospective cohort study confirm and expand previous retrospective case series that have found factors, including hematologic cancers, chemotherapy receipt, and lung cancer, as associated with COVID-19 severity,' the authors of the study wrote, noting that the results 'showed that COVID-19 had a significant impact on patients with cancer, including hospitalization, treatment disruptions, and death.' SOURCE: This study, led by Brian I. Rini, MD, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee, was published online in JAMA Oncology. LIMITATIONS: Information on specific strains was not available. This study lacked a control group of patients without COVID-19, which limited causal inference. Additionally, as participants were enrolled through the National Cancer Institute trial networks, generalizability to a broader population could be limited. DISCLOSURES: This study was funded in part by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the National Cancer Institute National Clinical Trials Network, Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network, and Community Oncology Research Program grants via the U10 funding mechanism. Several authors declared receiving grants and/or personal fees and having other ties with various sources. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Medscape
6 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Chronic Conditions Raise Risk for RSV Hospitalizations
TOPLINE: Children with chronic medical conditions (CMCs) had higher rates of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related hospitalization than healthy children during their first two RSV seasons, with a sustained elevated risk in the second year. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study to identify children with CMCs who were at a higher risk for RSV-related hospitalizations during their first and second RSV seasons. They enrolled 431,937 children (51.4% boys) born in British Columbia, Canada, between April 2013 and March 2023, with or without a CMC, identified through the provincial health registry. The children were followed up until the day before their third RSV season or April 1, 2024, whichever came early. They compared RSV-related hospitalizations between 25,452 children diagnosed with at least one of 1116 distinct CMCs within their first 2 years of life and those without CMCs. The primary outcome was hospitalization due to RSV-related lower respiratory tract infection. Secondary outcomes included pediatric ICU admissions, hospital length of stay, and use of invasive mechanical ventilation. TAKEAWAY: In the first RSV season, the hospitalization rate per 1000 person-years was 15.9 (95% CI, 14.2-17.6) for children with CMCs and 8.0 (95% CI, 7.7-8.3) for those without CMCs. In the second season, the rate was 7.8 (95% CI, 6.7-8.8) for those with CMCs and 2.2 (95% CI, 2.1-2.3) without CMCs. Children with CMCs had longer hospital and pediatric ICU stays and required mechanical ventilation more frequently during their first two RSV seasons than healthy children. RSV-related hospitalization rates in the second season among children with CMCs involving the respiratory, cardiovascular, or gastrointestinal systems were twofold higher than the overall hospitalization rate in the first season. Moreover, children with Down syndrome or those born at less than 28 weeks of gestation had fivefold higher RSV-related hospitalization rates in the second season than all children in the first season. IN PRACTICE: 'Understanding the regional burden of RSV disease is critical to inform local RSV immunization guidelines. In regions with high IRs [incidence rates], a universal RSV prophylaxis program may be warranted. However, in jurisdictions with a lower burden of disease, targeted programs for children at high risk in their second RSV season may be more cost-effective,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: The study was led by Marina Viñeta Paramo, MBBS, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was published online on July 8, 2025, in JAMA Network Open. LIMITATIONS: The use of retrospective health administrative data may have introduced biases due to coding variability and misclassification of RSV cases. The analysis did not account for the timing of CMC diagnoses or treatments received. The frequent co-occurrence of extreme prematurity in children with CMCs limited the ability to separate their independent effects. Additionally, the database excluded children not registered for provincial health insurance at birth, potentially omitting vulnerable populations. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by financial aid to three authors, including funding from the British Columbia Children's Hospital Foundation. Two authors received financial support or a scholar award from Michael Smith Health Research BC. One author received grants from Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi Pasteur, Moderna, and Pfizer. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Fox News
6 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
8 children hospitalized in Massachusetts after suffering 'seizure-like symptoms' at church, officials say
Eight children were hospitalized in Massachusetts after suddenly falling ill with "seizure-like symptoms" at a church outside Boston, officials said. The incident unfolded last night at St. Paul's Parish in Cambridge as it was hosting a concert by a traveling French youth choir. Cambridge Fire Department Chief Thomas Cahill told WCVB that first responders initially received a call about a child suffering from a seizure while participating in the show, but when they arrived, the child appeared normal while sitting on the church's front steps. "That quickly escalated into seven other people having seizure-like symptoms," Cahill added. "They were all transported to hospitals around the Cambridge area." The Cambridge Fire Department described the hospitalizations of "eight pre-teen and early teen youths" as non-life-threatening and said approximately 70 other people attending the concert were not affected. "The Fire Dept hazmat team completed a thorough survey of the St. Paul buildings utilizing several air sampling meters to ensure that no hazardous conditions were present. Results were negative and the buildings were ventilated," it wrote on Facebook. "All occupants and concert attendees left the scene with designated chaperones," the fire department added. The cause of the illnesses is unclear. Several students and adults reported smelling odors inside the church, according to WCVB. "This was somewhat unusual," Cahill told the station. "It was a routine medical call that quickly escalated into transporting eight children to the hospital. Not common." On its Facebook page, St. Paul's Parish said the "renowned" Chœur d'Enfants d'Île-de-France choir was offering a free concert as part of a 2025 U.S. tour. "Founded in 1970, the youth choir has travelled extensively and performed with some of the world's top conductors and soloists. The concert will feature and exciting mix of sacred and secular repertoire, as well as popular French songs," it said.
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Erik Menendez is rushed to hospital with 'serious medical condition' ahead of parole hearing
Erik Menendez was rushed to hospital after being diagnosed with a serious medical condition. The 54-year-old was hospitalized after being diagnosed with kidney stones, according to TMZ. His family wouldn't confirm the condition to ABC News. Erik and his older brother Lyle, 57, were imprisoned for life after murdering their parents Kitty and Jose inside their swanky Beverly Hills home in 1989. Following a years-long campaign for their case to be reviewed, a judge decided to reduce their sentences to 50 years to life, meaning they are now eligible for parole. The brothers are set to face a parole hearing in late August, with attorney Mark Geragos telling TMZ 'it's a serious condition'. Geragos told the outlet that he is being treated behind bars at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. Geragos said: 'I just think he should be parole furloughed, I think is the proper term, and he could be medically furloughed in advance of the hearing so that he can work with the parole attorney and get up to speed and be ready and do it and give it his best shot. I think that it's the only fair and equitable thing to do.'
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Arizona AG demands action after Phoenix apartments go without AC in heat
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has demanded immediate action after a person died and another was hospitalized while living at a Phoenix apartment complex that lacked proper air conditioning for multiple units.
