BMJ open
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Observational Study
COVID-19 symptom surveillance in immunocompromised children and young people in the UK: a prospective observational cohort study.
To describe the frequency of symptoms compatible with SARS-CoV-2 infection in immunocompromised children and young people in the UK during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. To describe patient/parent anxiety regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection in this cohort. ⋯ Although symptoms related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in children were common, there were no positive tests in this large immunocompromised cohort. Symptom-based screening to facilitate early detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection may not be helpful in these individuals. Patient/parent anxiety about SARS-CoV-2 infection was high.
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Since its emergence in late 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic that has significantly challenged healthcare systems. Healthcare workers have previously been shown to have experienced higher rates of infection than the general population. We aimed to assess the extent of infection in staff working in our healthcare setting. ⋯ Staff working in clinical areas where patients with COVID-19 were nursed were more likely to have detectable antibodies. The relationship between seropositivity in healthcare workers and the increase in 'per 100 COVID-19 bed-days' of the area in which they worked, although statistically significant, was weak, suggesting other contributing factors to the risk profile. Of staff with detectable antibodies and therefore evidence of prior infection, a quarter self-reported that they had experienced no compatible symptoms. This has implications for potential unrecorded transmission in both staff and patients.
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To validate the Living with Chronic Illness (LW-CI) Scale in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ⋯ This has been the first validation study of the LW-CI-COPD. It is a feasible, reliable, valid and precise self-reported scale to measure living with COPD in the Spanish-speaking population. Therefore, it could be recommended for research and clinical practice to measure this concept and evaluate the impact of centred-care interdisciplinary interventions based on the patients' perspective, focused on providing holistic and comprehensive care to patients with COPD.
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Pressure ulcers are serious and potentially life-threatening problems across all age groups and across all medical specialties and care settings. The hospitalised elderly population is the most common group to develop pressure ulcers. This study aims to systematically review studies implementing pressure ulcer prevention strategies recommended in the Pressure Ulcer Prevention Practice Guidelines for the prevention of pressure ulcers among hospitalised elderly patients globally. ⋯ CRD42019129088.
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To assess the effect of a weather index on in-hospital COVID-19-linked deaths. ⋯ Many parameters influence COVID-19 outbreak-severity indicators. Population density is a strong factor but its exact importance is difficult to discern. Weather (mainly cold winter temperatures) was independently associated with mortality and could help explain outbreak dynamics, which began and were initially more severe in the coldest counties of continental France. Weather partly explains fatality-rate discrepancies observed worldwide.