COVID‐19 is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. There are no efficacy data available regarding these patients with any of the available SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccines. We analyzed the humoral response following full vaccination with the BNT162b2 (Pfizer‐BioNTech) in 136 kidney transplant recipients, and compared it to 25 controls. In order to exclude prior exposure to the virus, only participants with negative serology to SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleocapsid protein were included. All controls developed a positive response to spike protein, while only 51 of 136 transplant recipients (37.5%) had positive serology (p < .001). Mean IgG anti‐spike level was higher in the controls (31.05 [41.8] vs. 200.5 [65.1] AU/mL, study vs. control, respectively, p < .001). Variables associated with null humoral response were older age (odds ratio 1.66 [95% confidence interval 1.17–2.69]), high‐dose corticosteroids in the last 12 months (1.3 [1.09–1.86]), maintenance with triple immunosuppression (1.43 [1.06–2.15]), and regimen that includes mycophenolate (1.47 [1.26–2.27]). There was a similar rate of side effects between controls and recipients, and no correlation was found between the presence of symptoms and seroconversion. Our findings suggest that most kidney transplant recipients remain at high risk for COVID‐19 despite vaccination. Further studies regarding possible measures to increase recipient's response to vaccination are required.
Prenatal substance abuse continues to be a significant problem in this country and poses important health risks for the developing fetus. The primary care pediatrician’s role in addressing prenatal substance exposure includes prevention, identification of exposure, recognition of medical issues for the exposed newborn infant, protection of the infant, and follow-up of the exposed infant. This report will provide information for the most common drugs involved in prenatal exposure: nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, opiates, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Background: No long-term randomized controlled clinical trial has compared the efficacy of cryosurgery alone vs cryosurgery following fluorouracil applications for the treatment of actinic keratosis.Objective: To determine the 6-month outcome of a 1-week course of 0.5% fluorouracil followed by cryosurgery.Design: Prospective, multicenter, randomized, doubleblind, vehicle-controlled clinical trial performed in community and academic outpatient clinics.Patients: A total of 144 patients with 5 or more visible or palpable actinic keratoses on the face.Interventions: Topical 0.5% fluorouracil or vehicle once daily for 7 days. At the 4-week follow-up visit, residual lesions were treated with cryosurgery.Main Outcome Measure: Reduction in facial actinic keratoses from baseline to 4 weeks and 6 months.Results: At 4 weeks, mean actinic keratosis lesion count was reduced by 62.4% in the 0.5% fluorouracil group vs 28.8% in the vehicle group (PϽ.001), and complete clearance was achieved in 16.7% of patients in the 0.5% fluorouracil group vs 0% of those in the vehicle group (PϽ.001). At 6 months, mean lesion count was reduced by 67.0% in the 0.5% fluorouracil plus cryosurgery group vs 45.6% in the vehicle plus cryosurgery group (P=.01), and significantly more patients in the 0.5% fluorouracil plus cryosurgery group than in the vehicle plus cryosurgery group had complete clearance (30% vs 7.7%; PϽ.001).Conclusions: A 1-week course of topical 0.5% fluorouracil before cryosurgery is significantly more effective in reducing patients' numbers of actinic keratosis lesions 6 months after treatment than cryosurgery alone. The high occurrence rate of actinic keratosis lesions at 6 months suggests a need for follow-up.
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