BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The worldwide SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic challenges adolescents’ mental health. The aim of this study was to compare the number of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions after suicide attempts during the first German lockdown and one year later during a second, prolonged lockdown with pre-pandemic years.
METHODS
A retrospective multicenter study was conducted among 27 German PICUs. Cases <18 years admitted to the PICU due to accidents or injuries between March 16th and May 31st of 2017-2021 were identified based on ICD-10 codes (German modification) and patient data entered into a database. This study is a subset analysis on suicide attempts in adolescents aged 12–17.9 years. The Federal Statistics Office was queried for data on fatal suicides, which were available only for 2020 in adolescents aged 10–17.9 years.
RESULTS
Total admissions and suicide attempts declined during the first lockdown in 2020 (standardized morbidity ratio (SMR) 0.74 (95% CI 0.58–0.92) and 0.69 (0.43–1.04), respectively) and increased in 2021 (2.14 (SMR 1.86–2.45) and 2.84 (2.29–3.49), respectively). Fatal suicide rates remained stable between 2017–2019 and 2020 (1.57 v. 1.48/100,000 adolescent years) with monthly numbers showing no clear trend during the course of 2020.
CONCLUSIONS
This study shows a strong increase in serious suicide attempts among adolescents during the course of the pandemic in Germany. More research is needed to understand the relation between pandemic prevention measures and suicidal ideation to help implement mental health support for adolescents.
Introduction Awareness of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women and the potential risk for infection of their neonates is increasing. The aim of this study was to examine the immune
status of affected women and evaluate the dynamics of placental antibody transfer.
Materials and Methods The study included 176 women with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy who delivered between April 2020 and December 2021 at eight obstetric maternity sites.
Demographic data, maternal and neonatal characteristics were summarized. Antibody testing for IgA and IgG in maternal blood sera and umbilical cord samples was evaluated and IgG transfer
ratios were calculated. Values were related to the time of infection during pregnancy and birth.
Results The percentage of IgG positive women increased from 29.0% (95% CI 23.8 – 37.8) at presentation with a positive PCR test result to 75.7% (95% CI 71.6 – 79.8), the percentage
of IgG positive umbilical cord blood samples increased from 17.1% (95% CI 13.0 – 21.3) to 76.4% (95% CI 72.2 – 80.7) at more than six weeks after infection. Regression lines differed
significantly between maternal and fetal IgG responses (p < 0.0001). Newborns react with a latency of about one week; umbilical cord blood antibody concentrations are highly correlated
with maternal concentration levels (ρ = 0.8042; p < 0.0001). IgG transplacental transfer ratios were dependent on infection-to-birth interval. Two of the umbilical cord blood samples
tested positive for IgA.
Conclusions These findings confirm vertical SARS-CoV-2 transmission is rare; however, antibodies are transferred to the fetus soon after infection during pregnancy. Since
transplacental antibody transfer might have a protective value for neonatal immunization this information may be helpful when counseling affected women.
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