Smoking may increase the risk of hospitalization due to influenza.
Background: Smoking may facilitate influenza virus infections and their severity. The objective was to investigate the risk of hospitalization due to influenza in Spanish smokers and ex-smokers. Methods: We carried out a multicentre, case-control study in 2011. Cases [patients a parts per thousand yen 18 years hospitalized > 24 h with real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed influenza] were selected from 29 Spanish hospitals. For each case, we selected an outpatient aged a parts per thousand yen 18 years with RT-PCR-confirmed influenza matched by age (+/- 5 years), date of hospitalization of the case (+/- 10 days) and province of residence. We collected epidemiological variabl…
Prognosis of hospitalized patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza in Spain: influence of neuraminidase inhibitors
The H1N1 influenza pandemic strain has been associated with a poor prognosis in hospitalized patients. The present report evaluates the factors influencing prognosis.A total of 813 patients hospitalized with H1N1 influenza in 36 hospitals (nationwide) in Spain were analysed. Detailed histories of variables preceding hospital admission were obtained by interview, validating data on medications and vaccine with their attending physicians. Data on treatment and complications during hospital stay were recorded. As definition of poor outcome, the endpoints of death and admission to intensive care were combined; and as a further outcome, length of stay was used.The mean age was 38.5 years (SD 22.…
Effectiveness of vaccination with 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in preventing hospitalization with laboratory confirmed influenza during the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons
Background: Since influenza predisposes to bacterial pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, studies have suggested that pneumococcal vaccination might reduce its occurrence during pandemics. We assessed the effectiveness of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination alone and in combination with influenza vaccination in preventing influenza hospitalization during the 2009–2010 pandemic wave and 2010–2011 influenza epidemic. Methods: We conducted a multicenter case-control study in 36 Spanish hospitals. We selected patients aged ≥ 18 y hospitalized with confirmed influenza and two hospitalized controls per case, matched according to age, date of hospitalization and province of residence.…
Visualizing knowledge and attitude factors related to influenza vaccination of physicians
To characterize groups of primary healthcare physicians according to sociodemographic data, years of professional experience and knowledge of and attitudes to influenza, and to evaluate differences between groups with respect to influenza vaccination in the 2011-2012 season.We carried out an anonymous web survey of Spanish primary healthcare physicians in 2012. Information on vaccination, and knowledge of and attitudes to influenza was collected. Multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis were used to define groups of physicians.We included 835 physicians and identified three types. Type B were physicians with low professional experience of influenza. Types A and C were physician…
Different prognosis in hospitalized patients with influenza one season after the pandemic H1N1 influenza of 2009-2010 in Spain
Background The present report compares prognosis in hospitalized cases with the H1N1 pandemic virus in two seasons. Methods Two series of hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed H1N1 pandemic influenza have been compared: 813 in the season 2009–2010 and 707 in the season 2010–2011. A detailed history of variables preceding hospital admission and during hospitalization was obtained by interview and clinical charts. A combined endpoint of death admission to intensive care was used as outcome due to the low number of deaths. Logistic regression was applied in the analysis for adverse outcome. Results Patients of the second season had different characteristics than in the first one (old…
Colorectal cancer health services research study protocol: the CCR-CARESS observational prospective cohort project
The REDISSEC CARESS-CCR (Results and Health Services Research in Colorectal Cancer)- group: Jose María Quintana, Marisa Baré, Maximino Redondo, Eduardo Briones, Nerea Fernández de Larrea, Cristina Sarasqueta, Antonio Escobar, Francisco Rivas, Maria M. Morales-Suárez, Juan Antonio Blasco, Isabel del Cura, Inmaculada Arostegui, Amaia Bilbao, Nerea González, Susana García-Gutiérrez, Iratxe Lafuente, Urko Aguirre, Miren Orive, Josune Martin, Ane Antón-Ladislao, Núria Torà, Marina Pont, María Purificación Martínez del Prado, Alberto Loizate, Ignacio Zabalza, José Errasti, Antonio Z Gimeno, Santiago Lázaro, Mercè Comas, Jose María Enríquez, Carlos Placer, Amaia Perales, Iñaki Urkidi, Jose María E…
Effectiveness of hand hygiene and provision of information in preventing influenza cases requiring hospitalization☆☆☆★
Background The objective of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in preventing cases of influenza requiring hospitalization. Methods We performed a multicenter case-control study in 36 hospitals, in 2010 in Spain. Hospitalized influenza cases confirmed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and three matched controls (two hospital and one community control) per case were selected. The use of non-pharmacological measures seven days before the onset of symptoms (frequency of hand washing, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and handwashing after touching contaminated surfaces) was collected. Results We studied 813 cases hospitalized …
Risk factors and effectiveness of preventive measures against influenza in the community
Please cite this paper as: Castilla et al. (2013) Risk factors and effectiveness of preventive measures against influenza in the community. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 7(2) 177–183. Background The role of different risk exposures and preventive measures against influenza has not been well established. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors and measures to prevent influenza infection in the community. Methods We conducted a multicenter case–control study. Cases were 481 outpatients aged 18 years or older with laboratory-confirmed influenza A(H1N1)09 in the 2009–2010 season in Spain. A control was selected for each case from outpatients from the same area …
Influenza vaccine effectiveness in preventing outpatient, inpatient, and severe cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza.
Background. In most seasons, the influenza vaccine is effective in preventing influenza, but it is not clear whether it is equally effective in preventing mild and severe cases. We designed a case-control study to compare the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine in preventing outpatient, inpatient, and severe or fatal cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza. Methods. Hospitalized patients (n = 691) with laboratory-confirmed influenza in the 2010–2011 season recruited in 29 Spanish hospitals were individually matched by age, admission/visit date, and province with an outpatient with laboratory-confirmed influenza and an outpatient control. Severe cases were considered those patients admitt…
Factors that influence treatment delay in patients with colorectal cancer
// Irene Zarcos-Pedrinaci 1, 11 , Alberto Fernandez-Lopez 2 , Teresa Tellez 1, 11 , Francisco Rivas-Ruiz 1, 11 , Antonio Rueda A 3, 11 , Maria Manuela Morales Suarez-Varela 4 , Eduardo Briones 5 , Marisa Bare 6, 11 , Antonio Escobar 7, 11 , Cristina Sarasqueta 8, 11 , Nerea Fernandez de Larrea 9, 11 , Urko Aguirre 10, 11 , Jose Maria Quintana 10, 11 , Maximino Redondo 1, 11 and On Behalf of the CARESS-CCR Study Group 1 Research Unit, Agencia Sanitaria Costa del Sol, Marbella, Spain 2 Servicio de Cirugia, Agencia Sanitaria Costa del Sol, Marbella, Spain 3 Servicio de Oncologia Medica, Agencia Sanitaria Costa del Sol, Marbella, Spain 4 Unit of Public Health, Hygiene and Environmental Health, …
Factors Associated with Prolonged Patient-Attributable Delay in the Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer
Purpose The delayed diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) may be attributable to sociodemographic characteristics, to aspects of tumour histopathology or to the functioning of the health system. We seek to determine which of these factors most influences prolonged patient-attributable delay (PPAD) in the diagnosis and treatment of CRC. Materials and methods A prospective, multicentre observational study was conducted in 22 Spanish hospitals. In total, 1,785 patients were recruited to the study between 2010 and 2012 and underwent elective or urgent surgery. PPAD is considered to occur when the time elapsed between a patient presenting the symptom and him/her seeking attention from the primary…
Predictive factors of severe multilobar pneumonia and shock in patients with influenza
PurposeTo identify risk factors present at admission in adult patients hospitalised due to influenza virus infection during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons—including whether infection was from pandemic or seasonal influenza A infections—that were associated with the likelihood of developing severe pneumonia with multilobar involvement and shock.MethodsProspective cohort study. Patients hospitalised due to influenza virus infection were recruited. We collected information on sociodemographic characteristics, pre-existing medical conditions, vaccinations, toxic habits, previous medications, exposure to social environments, and EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D). Severe pneumonia with multilobar involvement a…