Despite the publication of various recommendations, quality standards and referral strategies to promote early diagnosis in axial SpA (axSpA) over the last decade, there remains a significant delay to diagnosis, leading to a lost tribe of undiagnosed, untreated patients with persistent back pain and axSpA symptoms. This review discusses the various factors contributing to diagnostic delay in axSpA, while providing recommendations to improve the diagnostic pathway, for example use of the online Spondyloarthritis Diagnosis Evaluation (SPADE) tool (http://www.spadetool.co.uk/). Significant shortcomings exist at both the primary and secondary care level, with healthcare professionals often lacking knowledge and awareness of axSpA. Myths regarding the classical signs and symptoms still prevail, including the perception of axSpA as a male disease, only occurring in individuals who are HLA-B27 positive with raised inflammatory markers. Individuals within this lost tribe of undiagnosed patients are likely lacking adequate treatment and are thereby at risk of worse clinical outcomes. It is therefore vital that public health initiatives are implemented to improve education of healthcare professional and to ensure early specialist referral, to ultimately improve the lives of patients with axSpA.
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Background: COVID-19 care home outbreaks represent a significant proportion of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in the UK. National testing initially focused on symptomatic care home residents, before extending to asymptomatic cohorts. Aim: The aim was to describe the epidemiology and transmission of COVID-19 in outbreak free care homes. Methods: A two-point prevalence survey of COVID-19, in 34 Liverpool care homes, was performed in April and May 2020. Changes in prevalence were analysed. Associations between care home characteristics, reported infection, prevention and control interventions, and COVID-19 status were described and analysed. Findings: No resident developed COVID-19 symptoms during the study. There was no significant difference between: the number of care homes containing at least one test positive resident between the first (17.6%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.8e34.5) and second round (14.7%, 95% CI 5.0e31.1) of testing (p>0.99); and the number of residents testing positive between the first (2.1%, 95% CI 1.2e3.4) and second round (1.0%, 95% CI 0.5e2.1) of testing (P¼0.11). Care homes providing nursing care (risk ratio (RR) 7.99, 95% CI 1.1e57.3) and employing agency staff (RR 8.4, 95% CI 1.2e60.8) were more likely to contain test positive residents. Closing residents shared space was not associated with residents testing positive (RR 2.63, 95% CI 0.4e18.5). Conclusions: Asymptomatic COVID-19 care homes showed no evidence of disease transmission or development of outbreaks; suggesting that current infection prevention and control measures are effective in preventing transmission. Repeat testing at two to three weeks had limited or no public health benefits over regular daily monitoring of staff and DOI of companion article:
Background Acute otitis media (AOM) remains a common infection in children despite the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. This study estimated AOM incidence rates (IRs) over time in children < 16 years old in Germany following PCV13 introduction. Methods AOM episodes were identified in the InGef healthcare claims database from 2014–2019 in children aged < 16 years. Each AOM episode was classified as either simple or recurrent. Recurrent AOM was defined as 3 or more episodes identified within a 6-month period; or 4 or more episodes within a 12-month period with at least one episode in the prior 6 months. AOM-related surgical procedures within 12 months and complications within 21 days of an AOM episode were also identified. Annual IRs were calculated as number of episodes/child-years (CY) at risk. 95% Confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated using the Wilson method. The Mann–Kendall test was used to assess trends over time. Results Between 2014 and 2019, the study population comprised 916,805 children with 327,726 AOM episodes, of which 15% (49,011) of all episodes were identified as recurrent AOM and 85% (278,715) as simple AOM. There were significant declines in AOM (p = 0.003) in the study population overall and in all age groups over the study period; from 101 (95%CI 101–102)/1000 CY to 79 (95%CI 78–80)/1000 CY in the total study population, from 209 (95%CI 206–212)/1000 CY to 147 (95%CI 145–150)/1000 CY in < 2-year-olds, from 239 (95%CI 237–242) to 179 (95%CI 177–182)/1000 CY in 2–4-year-olds, and from 50 (95%CI 49–50) to 38 (95%CI 37–39)/1000 CY in 5–15-year-olds. No significant trends were identified for AOM-related surgical procedures over the study period; however, AOM-related complications overall increased (p = 0.003). Conclusion Between 2014 and 2019, AOM incidence overall declined in children aged 0–15 years in Germany. Over the study period, the incidence of complicated AOM cases increased, however the incidence of AOM-related surgical procedures remained constant. Despite the impact of PCV13, the burden associated with AOM in Germany remains substantial.
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